New Year’s Day offers would-be couch potatoes the promise of 12-plus hours of uninterrupted college football spread over six games from Tampa to Pasadena. Here’s a viewer’s guide (all rankings BCS):

Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)
NO. 3 MICHIGAN (11–1) VS. NO. 5 USC (10–2), 5 P.M., ABC

The day’s best game pits a pair of storied programs in a game that could be subtitled “The Disappointment,” as each program saw golden opportunities to play in the BCS championship game slip away.

Michigan’s only loss came at Ohio State in its regular-season finale. The game, expected to be a defensive slugfest, instead turned into a shootout with Michigan playing catch-up much of the way before falling, 42–39. The Wolverines felt they had done enough to earn a rematch on a neutral field, but were passed by USC for the second spot in the BCS standings a week later.

When USC was upset by UCLA on December 2, Michigan believed it was headed to the title game, but poll voters nullified a rematch and elevated SEC champion Florida to no. 2.

Despite the letdowns, it’s hard to imagine that either team considers a trip to Pasadena a consolation prize. The significance of the Rose Bowl is deeply instilled in both programs — they have met seven previous times in this game — and the winner could top the preseason polls next fall.

Michigan’s dominant defense is still licking its wounds from the thrashing in Columbus, when it gave up 503 yards and six touchdowns. Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith played the Wolverine defenders like a puppet master, throwing underneath their zones until they brought defenders up, then threw over the top to his wideouts. Ohio State also had success on the ground (and a pair of long scoring runs) against the nation’s leading rush defense.

USC has no doubt closely studied the Ohio State film to find ways to spread out the Wolverines and neutralize the front seven’s pass rush. The Trojans have the weapons at receiver to do so, particularly Dwayne Jarrett, so Michigan’s top corner Leon Hall must have a better day than he did against the Buckeyes.

The question for USC will be, can it protect quarterback John David Booty against Michigan’s outstanding ends and huge, athletic tackle Alan Branch? USC struggled against the three top pass-rush units in the Pac-10, losing to Oregon State and UCLA, which was particularly effective in getting Booty to look at the pass rush and not his receivers downfield, and Michigan’s defensive line is even better than that of the Bruins.

On offense, undersized Mike Hart is the engine that makes the Wolverine offense go, and he must have success to open up downfield passes to Mario Manningham, but that doesn’t mean Michigan will establish the run early. Against Ohio State, Michigan went against its tendency and came out throwing, and Hart enjoyed a big second half. Whichever approach Michigan takes, it can’t be one-dimensional and still win.

Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Ariz.)
NO. 10 OKLAHOMA (11–2) VS. NO. 8 BOISE STATE (12–0), 8:30 P.M., FOX

When Utah became the first team from outsider to gain an at-large BCS bid two years ago, the Utes were matched against the weakest of the automatic qualifiers, and their 35–7 romp over Pittsburgh proved little.

Undefeated Boise State, from the lightly regarded WAC, has a much greater opportunity — and a greater burden — this time around. The Broncos will face Big 12 champ, Oklahoma, a team that would have been in the thick of the national title picture if not for some questionable calls in a September loss at Oregon. As a result, Boise will be playing not only to prove that it belongs, but that future teams from the mid-majors also belong.

The addition of two more at-large BCS berths means that in most years, a mid-major team will qualify. But better access to the big-money bowls can disappear just as quickly if teams like Boise end up on the wrong end of lopsided scores.

That was the case the last time Boise matched up with a team the caliber of Oklahoma away from the kryptonite-like powers of its blue, home field. After nearly getting to the BCS in 2004, Boise opened the 2005 season at Georgia. But the Broncos were overmatched in a 48–13 rout.

Boise State can gain national respect without winning this game. They merely need to provide a legitimate challenge for Oklahoma, and the Broncos have the talent to do so. Running back Ian Johnson is an elite player who ran wild on the Pac-10’s Oregon State earlier this year. And quarterback Jared Zabransky, who turned the ball over six times in that ill-fated Georgia outing, is an experienced, dynamic player who can make plays with both his legs and his arm.

Oklahoma has been vulnerable to big plays this season, so it is critical for Boise to get enough production from Johnson to force the Sooners to respect its play-action fakes.

Defensively, Boise will have to contend with running back Adrian Peterson, perhaps the nation’s best back before he broke his collarbone in October. This is almost assuredly Peterson’s final game before the junior declares for the NFL draft, so he will want to put on a show for the pro scouts. It’s also the final game for Oklahoma quarterback Paul Thompson, a perceived weak link when he moved over from receiver after starter Rhett Bomar was dismissed from the team in August. Thompson will have plenty of opportunities to showcase his skills in this game as Boise loads up to stop Peterson and the ground game.

Outback Bowl (Tampa)
NO. 17 TENNESSEE (9–3) VS. PENN STATE (8–4), 11 A.M., ESPN

Tennessee’s Erik Ainge, who looked like the SEC’s best quarterback for much of the season, returns from an ankle injury to face a sturdy Penn State defense that would be right at home in the Vols’ conference.

The Nittany Lions are limited offensively, so the defense must generate some three-and-outs to swing field position to Penn State’s favor.

Look for Tennessee to try to alleviate the pressure on Ainge by establishing the run game with LaMarcus Coker early in the game — a strategy that could be a struggle against Penn State linebackers Paul Posluszny and Dan Connor.

Cotton Bowl (Dallas)
NO. 9 AUBURN (10–2) VS. NO. 23 NEBRASKA (9–4), 11:30 A.M., FOX

Thought to be a national-title contender at midseason, Auburn lost to Arkansas and Georgia to fall out of the SEC and BCS races. It was a miserable performance by quarterback Brandon Cox that spelled doom against the Bulldogs, and he must play better against a Nebraska team that is on the upswing despite its Big 12 title-game loss to Oklahoma.

Nebraska’s defensive vulnerability is against the pass, so it will be up to Cox to force the Cornhuskers out of eight-man fronts designed to stop running back Kenny Irons.

Nebraska has made great strides in coach Bill Callahan’s third season, and a win here would signal that the Huskers would be a force in 2007.

Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, Fla.)
NO. 13 WEST VIRGINIA (10–2) VS. GEORGIA TECH (9–4), 1 P.M., CBS

After suffering through four years of inconsistent play from starting quarterback Reggie Ball, Georgia Tech fans will finally get a chance to see his backup, after Ball was ruled academically ineligible. His replacement, Taylor Bennett, is very green but luckily for him, the Yellow Jackets’ offensive game plan should be a simple one: Throw the ball to Calvin Johnson, the nation’s most talented receiver (who is likely playing his final college game).

Defensively, the aggressive Georgia Tech unit must remain disciplined against West Virginia’s spread-option running game, which gets a healthy quarterback, Pat White, back for this game. West Virginia also gets back its head coach, Rich Rodriguez, who appeared earlier this month to be on the verge of accepting a huge contract to coach Alabama.

Capital One Bowl (Orlando, Fla.)
NO. 12 ARKANSAS (10–3) VS. NO. 7 WISCONSIN (11–1), 1 P.M., ABC

Considering that Wisconsin went 11–1 in a major conference, it’s surprising how far under the radar the Badgers flew this season. That can be attributed in large part to a schedule that featured just one marquee opponent, Michigan, which handed Wisconsin its only loss.

A win over Arkansas in the best matchup of the non-BCS games will stamp the Badgers’ regular-season record as legitimate, but it won’t be easy. Despite awful quarterback play, Arkansas is very dangerous offensively, thanks to the remarkable talents of tailback Darren McFadden, the Heisman runner-up. McFadden was injured in the SEC title game loss to Florida but should be at full strength, allowing coach Houston Nutt to deploy him all over the field — at tailback, wingback, slot receiver, kick returner, and even quarterback in the Razorbacks’ “Wildcat” formation.

Wisconsin will pack the box without fear, and it will be up to the Arkansas quarterbacks — Casey Dick will start and Mitch Mustain is also expected to see some time — to pass the Badgers out of that strategy. McFadden and backfield mate Felix Jones are a threat against even an eight-man front, but if Arkansas can move the ball through the air, they should run wild.

Wisconsin also has a stout rushing attack with freshman back P.J. Hill, and quarterback John Stocco, who returns from an injury that caused him to miss the Badgers’ last two games, is talented enough to keep the Arkansas defense from loading up against the run.

Mr. Levine is a writer for FootballOutsiders.com.