The New Year weekend traditionally hosts some of the year’s best sporting events.
The 2023 edition doesn’t break tradition.
With college football bowl games and the NFL taking center stage this weekend, there are some great holiday viewing options.
Here are the games to watch by Monday and how to watch them. Always MST.
more:College Football Bowl Schedule, TV Info: How to Watch the 2022-23 Bowl Games
Friday, December 30th
College Football: Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: Pittsburgh at UCLA, Noon, CBS
UCLA and their high-handed offense are 7.5 favorites in the game and have provided memorable moments over the years.
College Football: TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: Notre Dame, South Carolina, 1:30 PM, ESPN
Notre Dame is a 3.5 point favorite in a game that can have a lot of fireworks. Both teams went 8-4 in the regular season.
NBA: Lakers at Hawks, 5:30 p.m., NBA TV
Both of these teams were 8.5 games away from first place in their respective conferences going into Friday’s game.
NBA: Suns at Raptors, 5:30 p.m., Barry Sports Arizona
The Suns have to win a few games without Devin Booker to have any chance of hitting a postseason goal.
College Football: Capital One Orange Bowl: Tennessee at Clemson, 6 p.m., ESPN
Both of these teams lost only two games during the regular season and narrowly missed out on the college football playoffs.
NBA: Trail Blazers at Warriors, 8 p.m., NBA TV
Only one game separates the two in the NBA’s Western Conference standings.
Men’s College Basketball: USC in Washington, 8 p.m., ESPN2
USC is 10-3. Washington is 9-4. This could be an important matchup for the early Pac-12.
more:NFL Week 17 Schedule, TV Info: How To Watch Week 17 NFL Games
Saturday, December 31st
Men’s College Basketball: No. 2 UConn, No. 22 Xavier, 10am, Fox
The Top 25 matchup pits the undefeated Husky against the 11-3 Musketeers. He’s 3-0 in both Big East matches.
College Football: Allstate Sugar Bowl: Kansas, AL at 10 a.m. ESPN
Can Kansas upset Alabama? The Tide is a 7-point favorite over the Wildcats.
College Football: TransPerfect Music City Bowl: Kentucky, Iowa, 10am, ABC
Iowa is the 2.5 point favorite in this game and could end up being close as the spread suggests.
Men’s College Basketball: Oklahoma No. 4 Kansas, Noon, CBS
The Cowboys want to upset the Jayhawks at home, but that’s easier said than done.
Men’s College Basketball: No. 5 Arizona at Arizona State University, Noon, Fox
The winner of this rivalry game will make a big leap in the Pac-12 early season standings.
Men’s College Basketball: San Diego State UNLV, 2:00 p.m., CBS
A sneaky good Mountain West matchup between 10-3 Aztecs and 11-2 Rebels.
College Football: CFP Semifinals at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl: TCU, Michigan, 2pm, ESPN
The first college football playoff semi-final could be very interesting. Is the TCU aiming to upset?
College Football: CFB Semifinals at Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: Georgia, Ohio, 6 p.m. ESPN
The second College Football Playoff Semi-Final also has an intrigue. Which Ohio team will face the favorite Bulldogs?
NFL Week 17 Picks: Cowboys vs. Titans | Cardinals vs. Falcons | Bears vs. Lions | Jaguars vs. Texans | Broncos vs. Chiefs | Dolphins vs. Patriots | Raiders | Jets vs. Seahawks | Vikings vs. Packers | Rams vs. Chargers | Steelers vs. Ravens | Bills vs. Bengals
Sunday, January 1
NFL: Patriots Dolphins, 11 a.m., CBS
The winner of this match will get a big boost in the AFC playoff race with a week left.
NFL: Cardinals of Falcons, 11 a.m. Fox
The winner of this game will hurt their NFL draft status in the 2023 NFL Draft.
NFL: Vikings at Packers, 2 p.m., CBS
The Vikings advance to the playoffs. The Packers have to win to have a chance.
NFL: Steelers at Ravens, 6:15 p.m. NBC
The Ravens advanced to the playoffs. The Steelers have to win to have a chance.
NFL Week 17 odds: Cowboys vs. Titans | Cardinals vs. Falcons | Bears vs. Lions | Jaguars vs. Texans | Broncos vs. Chiefs | Dolphins vs. Patriots | Raiders | Jets vs. Seahawks | Vikings vs. Packers | Rams vs. Chargers | Steelers vs. Ravens | Bills vs. Bengals
Monday 2nd January
College Football: ReliaQuest Bowl: Illinois v Mississippi, 10 a.m. ESPN2
With just a 1.5 point spread (in favor of Mississippi State), this game is remarkable.
College Football: Goodyear Cotton Bowl: Tulane vs. USC, 11 a.m. ESPN
Both of these teams went on to win 11-2, indicating that Tulane might be happier out there.
College Football: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: Purdue vs. LSU, 11am, ABC
Las Vegas thinks the game will be a big blowout for LSU (14.5 point favorite). I’m confused.
College Football: Prudential Financial Rose Bowl: Utah v Pennsylvania, 3 p.m. ESPN
All those grandpas get a very interesting game again. Are we looking for a thriller?
Men’s College Basketball: Rutgers, No. 1 Purdue, 5pm, Big Ten Network
Boilermakers are No. 1 and 13-0. But Rutgers is no pushover at 8-4.
NFL: Bills at Bengals, 6:20 p.m., ESPN, ABC
This might be the best game of the weekend, but I saved it for last. The game sees a ton of fireworks in Cincinnati.
more:Complete sports in this weekend’s TV listings
Please contact Jeremy Cluff at Jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. follow him on twitter @Jeremy Clough.
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