If anyone ever says to you, "There's too many bowl games," feel free to give them a swift backhanded slap and tell them, "Then don't watch them."

We here at the CFWP love bowl games. They give you an opportunity to watch some entertaining television during the holidays, frequently on weekday afternoons, which is better than making smalltalk with Aunt Betty at the family holiday get-together.

Not every bowl game can be the Rose Bowl, and some teams are more motivated than others. But it's football after all, postseason football with storylines galore.

The bowl games also provide a chance to watch future NFL talent. If you're like and you're curious about that small-school player your favorite NFL team brought in for training camp, the pre-Christmas Bowls are the perfect time to get that look.

We'll preview all the pre-Christmas bowl games in this weeks' column, saving the New Year's bowls and the playoffs for future editions.

Our previews will appear in chronological order with the exception of the Las Vegas Bowl, which deserves special mention and the longest preview for the surprising amount of next-level talent at Colorado State—not normally a hotbed for NFL players.

We'll also take a close look at one senior to watch on each team as players we know for sure will be eligible for the NFL this upcoming season before most of the early entries are announced...

Las Vegas Bowl, Utah vs. Colorado State

Saturday Dec. 20 at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC

The Skinny: Colorado State might be rudderless without its coach Jim McElwain, who left to become Florida's head coach. But the Rams have a surprising amount of seniors that will be playing on Sundays next year at this time. It's no wonder they've the only team from a Group of Five conference to beat a team from a Power Five conference on the road (at Boston College).

Seniors who have a chance to make a living in professional football include:

• Quarterback Garrett Grayson—The Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year featured a 32-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Could be a Day 2 NFL draft choice depending on how he performs during the offseason, including the Senior Bowl, the NFL Combine, his Pro Day workout, etc.
• Tackle Ty Sambrailo—Another potential Day 2 draft choice, Sambrailo is 6-5, 310 lbs. and could be a longtime anchor for an NFL team looking for help on the offensive line.
• Kicker Jared Roberts—Arguably the top senior kicker in nation and could be a potential late-round draft choice.
• Cornerback Bernard Blake—The 6-0, 185 lb. defensive back has the chance to be a mid-round draft choice.
• Linebacker Aaron Davis—Making over 100 tackles for two straight years, has a chance to be a late-round draft choice.

Utah Senior to Watch: Defensive lineman Nate Orchard—The nation's leader with 1.46 sacks per game,17.5 overall, Orchard will be looking to make things uncomfortable for Grayson in the pocket. A match-up between Orchard and Sambrailo is appointment viewing.

Prediction: It was a great season for Colorado State, but Utah coach Kyle Whittingham (who has a 6-1 bowl record) will take advantage of a team in transition. 28-21, Go Utes.

New Orleans Bowl, Nevada vs. Louisiana-Lafayette

Saturday Dec. 20 at 10:00 a.m. CT on ESPN

The Skinny: It's a fourth consecutive appearance for the Ragin' Cajuns in the "Big Easy" bowl game, and they've won each of the past three. They'll have the decided home-field advantage, bringing a big crowd to the Superdome to take on a Nevada team that didn't go bowling a year ago.

Nevada Senior to Watch: Quarterback Cody Fajardo—Perhaps a poor man's Colin Kaepernick—a fellow Nevada product—Fajardo is a dual-threat quarterback that needs to prove he's a capable passer to make it at football's next level. Directing a competent offense in a difficult environment would be a good first step.

Louisiana-Lafayette Senior to Watch: Defensive lineman Justin Hamilton—One-third of the 6-2, 310 lb. run stuffer's 24 tackles ended in a loss of yardage this season (eight TFL) as Hamilton was named first-team All-Sun Belt. He may not be drafted, but a good showing by Hamilton in a bowl game will increase his chances of signing an NFL contract.

Prediction: UL-Lafayette running backs Elijah McGuire and Alonzo Harris will get have success on the ground against the Nevada defense, while Fajardo will have a difficult time finding running lanes when they switch possessions. 21-20, Geaux Cajuns.

New Mexico Bowl, Utah State vs. UTEP

Saturday Dec. 20 at 1:20 p.m. CT on ESPN

The Skinny: UTEP makes the relatively close drive to Albuquerque after improving from 2-10 a year ago to a commendable 6-6 this season, but they'll face a Utah State team making its fourth consecutive bowl appearance and a team that's battle-tested from the Mountain West Mountain division after facing the likes of Boise State, Colorado State and Air Force this season.

Utah State Senior to Watch: Linebacker Zach Vigil—After making a league-high 145 tackles and 19.5 for a loss, Vigil was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. At 6-2 and 232 lbs., he is an even better pro prospect than the fellow Utah State linebacker the Packers had in training camp this past summer, Jake Doughty.

UTEP Senior to Watch: Tight End Eric Tomlinson—At 6-7 and 270 lbs., Tomlinson is a massive target but he caught just 18 passes this season. Tomlinson received an invitation to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl to show off his potential in front of scouts, but doing it against a tough Utah State defense will be a real test.

Prediction: UTEP is making strides as a football program, but they don't have enough offense to hang with Utah State defense. 25-14, Go Aggies.

Idaho Potato Bowl, Air Force vs. Western Michigan

Saturday Dec. 20 at 4:45 p.m. CT on ESPN

The Skinny: It was a reversal of fortunes for both programs this season as the two teams saw an improvement of seven wins over the previous season. Air Force went from 2-10 to 9-3 while Western Michigan picked up the pace from 1-11 to 8-4. The Broncos, in particular, have a bunch of exciting young skill-position talent between freshman running back Jarvion Franklin, who was named the MAC Freshman of the Year, along with sophomore quarterback Zach Terrell and wide receiver Corey Davis.

Western Michigan Senior to Watch: Cornerback Donald Celiscar—At just 5-11 and 183 lbs., he needs to put on some weight, but Celiscar is tied for No. 1 in the nation with 21 passes defended. He's also the FBS active career leader with 55 total passes defended, nine more than the next closest player.

Air Force Senior to Watch: Kicker/Punter Will Conant—It's always difficult to project players from military academies to the NFL because of their commitments, but if there's any senior from Air Force that has a chance, it's probably Conant, who was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year after handling both place kicking and punting duties for the Falcons, making 18 of 20 field goals on the season. He'll need to prove, however, that he's not just a product of the high elevation in Colorado Springs.

Prediction: With such a young roster, Western Michigan is probably another year away from the type of team that wins bowl games. They'll have trouble with Air Force's option attack. 31-28, Zoomies.

Camellia Bowl, Bowling Green vs. South Alabama

Saturday Dec. 20 at 8:15 p.m. CT on ESPN

The Skinny: South Alabama makes its first bowl appearance in the inaugural Camellia Bowl, played just up the road in Montgomery, Ala. If their fans make the trek, they'll have a decided home-field advantage over the MAC East champion.

Bowling Green Senior to Watch: Linebacker Gabe Martin—Over his career, Martin has been named first-team, second-team and third-team all-conference, culminating in a season he made 100 tackles, including 16 for a loss in 2014. As an undrafted type, he could use a big performance to raise his profile.

South Alabama Senior to Watch: Tight End Wes Saxton—Saxton's receptions declined from 50 in 2013 to 20 in 2014, so there's plenty for him to prove, but he's still considered NFL material, as evidenced by an invite to the East-West Shrine Game.

Prediction: South Alabama should be motivated by playing its first-ever bowl game in its home state, which is more than Bowling Green has going after being blown out in MAC Championship game. 21-17, Jaguars.

Miami Beach Bowl, BYU vs. Memphis

Monday Dec. 22 at 1:00 p.m. CT on ESPN

The Skinny: Under head coach Justin Fuente, Memphis flipped its record from 3-9 last season to 9-3 in 2014 on its way to becoming one of tri-champs in the American Athletic Conference. BYU, meanwhile, overcame the loss of quarterback Taysom Hill to go on a four-game winning streak to end the season.

BYU Senior to Watch: Safety Craig Bills—Most of BYU's best players are underclassmen, but the senior with the best chance at pro career is probably Bills. He has ideal size at 6-1 and 210 lbs., but lacks playmaking ability. After missing several games due to a concussion this season, he'll look to go out on a high note.

Memphis Senior to Watch: End/Linebacker Hybrid Martin Efedi—Despite missing three games due to a knee injury, Efedi still made nine tackles for a loss as a senior after hitting double digits as both a sophomore and junior. He has a chance to be a late-round draft choice and it wouldn't hurt his chances to by having a big bowl game.

Prediction: Memphis will be motivated at a chance to have the first 10-win season in program history and will get it done by holding the BYU offense in check in South Beach. 21-16, Go Tigers.

Boca Raton Bowl, Marshall vs. Northern Illinois

Tuesday Dec. 23 at 5:00 p.m. CT on ESPN

The Skinny: For a first-year bowl game, it gets a pretty good match-up of conference champions. Marshall was in contention for much of the season for a New Year's Six bowl game before losing its regular-season finale. Northern Illinois, meanwhile, proved its mettle in what many thought could be a rebuilding year.

Marshall Senior to Watch: Defensive end James Rouse—Rouse was named first-team all-conference after coming up with a second consecutive season with double-digit tackles for a loss, making 10.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2014. He has a chance to be a late-round draft pick.

Northern Illinois Senior to Watch: Tackle Tyler Loos—Loos has been a big part of a Northern Illinois team that has won conference championships in three out of the past four seasons and has been a first-team all-conference selection as both a junior and senior. Hopefully there will be opportunities to see him go up against Rouse.

Prediction: The Huskies won't be able to stop the nation's No. 5 scoring offense, averaging 45.1 points per game. The two-head monster of quarterback Rakeem Cato and running back Devon Johnson will hold court. 42-29, We Are Marshall.

Poinsettia Bowl, Navy vs. San Diego State

Tuesday Dec. 23 at 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN

The Skinny: The Aztecs get to play in their home stadium, but Navy will be well represented with one of its largest bases located in San Diego. The question is whether they'll be able to carry momentum from a win over Army into a game with the shortest turnaround of any bowl-bound team.

San Diego State Senior to Watch: Wide Receiver Ezell Ruffin—After being limited to just seven games this season with a broken collarbone, Ruffin will be looking to make his mark and prove he was the same player as last season when he had over 1,000 receiving yards.

Navy Senior to Watch: Long Snapper Joe Cardona—Once again, military commitments cloud his picture as a pro football player, but Cardona was invited to the Senior Bowl, an honor only given to two long snappers in the country.

Prediction: San Diego State already beat one triple-option team this season when they beat Air Force. Make it a second. 27-23, Sons of Montezuma.

Bahamas Bowl, Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan

Wednesday Dec. 24 at 11:00 a.m. on ESPN

The Skinny: Fans from both teams should be enthused about arguably the best destination for a bowl game. The star attaction will be quarterback Bradon Doughty, the nation's leader 4,344 passing yards and 44 touchdowns.

Central Michigan Senior to Watch: Wide Receiver Titus Davis—The 6-2 and 190 lb. Davis was named first-team All-MAC following a season he had 54 receptions for 843 yards and nine touchdowns. Davis could be as high as a mid-round draft choice, and a good performance in the bowl game would go a long way towards making it happen.

Western Kentucky Senior to Watch: Cornerback Cam Thomas—At 6-1 and 185 lbs., Thomas is a good sized cornerback. He came into his senior season with nine interceptions but then made just one in 2014. Going up against Davis would provide a terrific test.

Prediction: Central Michigan has the best defense in the MAC against the pass, allowing just 211.4 yards per game, although Doughty may be the best quarterback they've faced all season. 44-32, Big Red.

Hawaii Bowl, Fresno State vs. Rice

Wednesday Dec. 24 at 7:00 p.m. CT on ESPN

The Skinny: It might be the worst bowl game this season, but it's paradise on Christmas Eve. Fresno qualifies for a bowl game with a losing 6-7 record by virtue of finishing the regular season with a .500 record. It's not their fault the Mountain West West division was so poor. Rice limps into the postseason after giving up 76 points to Louisina Tech with a spot in the Conference USA championship on the line.

Fresno State Senior to Watch: Wide Receiver Josh Harper—After playing in the shadow of Davante Adams as a junior, Harper was the star of the show in the Valley this season, leading the team with 86 receptions for 1,072 yards and seven touchdowns. He'll head to the Senior Bowl afterwards.

Rice Senior to Watch: Cornerback Bryce Callahan—A second-team all-conference selection, Callahan has been invited to the East-West Shrine Game to show off his skills in an all-star environment. Squaring off against Harper should be good preparation.

Prediction: Rice's best win this season might be over UTEP. At least Fresno can boast of wins over two bowl teams in Nevada and San Diego State while four losses to ranked teams helped to prepare them. 35-24, Red Wave.

Brian Carriveau is the author of the book "It's Just a Game: Big League Drama in Small Town America," and editor at Cheesehead TV and its "Pro Football Draft Preview." To contact Brian, email [email protected].