Tuesday's bowls: Music City, Belk, Foster Farms

Previewing Tuesday's bowl games

Music City Bowl in Nashville

No. 23 LSU (8-4) vs. Notre Dame (7-5)

Time/TV: 3 p.m. ET/ESPN. Surface: Grass.

Glantz-Culver line: LSU by 7½. Sagarin difference: LSU by 12.48.

Bowl records: LSU 23-21-1, Notre Dame 16-17. Series: 5-5 (LSU won last meeting 41-14 in 2007 Sugar Bowl).

Synopsis: In terms of name-brand value, this bowl did quite well to match the Fighting Irish and Bayou Bengals. The on-field product, however, might be a serious mismatch. Notre Dame, at one point 7-1 and very much in the playoff discussion, is on a four-game slide and in need of something positive to take into 2015. It might not happen against the Tigers, who didn't lose to anyone outside the SEC West. The battle for the line of scrimmage would appear to favor LSU on both sides. The Tigers will look to get TB Leonard Fournette rolling early against LB Jaylon Smith and the Irish second-level stoppers. Tigers' QB Anthony Jennings isn't the most accurate passer, but he does have the arm to take advantage of WR Travin Dural if his protection holds up. Notre Dame QB Everett Golson got generous enough with the ball during the team's late slide that Malik Zaire will be making his first career start. The Irish QB can't afford any miscues as they challenge the Tigers defense, featuring LBs Kwon Alexander and Kendell Beckwith.

Belk Bowl in Charlotte

No. 13 Georgia (9-3) vs. No. 20 Louisville (9-3)

Time/TV: 6:30 p.m. ET/ESPN. Surface: Grass.

Glantz-Culver line: Georgia by 7. Sagarin difference: Georgia by 11.61.

Bowl records: Georgia 27-19-3, Louisville 9-8-1. Series: first meeting.

Synopsis: This first encounter between the Bulldogs and Cardinals could be the premier matchup among the pre-New Year's Eve bowls. It's not the destination of choice for Georgia, which watched the SEC championship game from home thanks to costly setbacks against South Carolina and Florida. Louisville had a good run in its inaugural season in the ACC, but it could use a victory in this bowl to ease the sting of squandered opportunities against Florida State and Clemson. The Bulldogs have regrettably become accustomed to life without TB Todd Gurley, who came back from a suspension only to sustain a season-ending knee injury and will now take his game to the next level. It helps having dynamic freshman TB Nick Chubb to step in as he has all year, but this time he'll be up against a stiff Louisville ground defense featuring LB Keith Kelsey and DE Sheldon Rankins. Georgia QB Hutson Mason usually takes care of the ball, but he'll have to watch out for Cardinals' FS Gerod Holliman, who swiped an amazing 14 passes this season. Louisville also lost some of its star power when QB Will Gardner went down with a knee injury. Reggie Bonnafon has taken most of the snaps in Gardner's absence, and he'll try to make use of WR DeVante Parker while steering clear of the Bulldogs' aggressive LB corps, led by Amarlo Herrera and Ramik Wilson.

Foster Farms Bowl in Santa Clara, Calif.

Maryland (7-5) vs. Stanford (7-5)

Time/TV: 10 p.m. ET/ESPN. Surface: Grass.

Glantz-Culver line: Stanford by 14. Sagarin difference: Stanford by 8.95.

Bowl records: Maryland 11-12-2, Stanford 11-13-1. Series: first meeting.

Synopsis: Another pair of first-time opponents, from opposite coasts, round out the day. While the Terrapins were trying to get acclimated to their new neighborhood in 2014, the Cardinal were finding their familiar one just as difficult to negotiate. Stanford's run of Pac-12 crowns ended at two, but it ended the season with its best performance in a 31-10 romp against UCLA. Maryland's initial run through the Big Ten had ups, like a win at Penn State, and downs, like the season-ending loss to fellow newcomer Rutgers in a 41-38 shootout. The Penn State win came at a cost for the Terps as WR Stefon Diggs suffered a lacerated kidney and missed the last two games. But he'll be back for the bowl, providing another major weapon for QB C.J. Brown to utilize along with WR Deon Long. Brown might struggle to find them consistently, however, as he'll be up against a devastating Cardinal pass rush led by DE Henry Anderson and LB Blake Martinez. Stanford's troubles this season have been on the other side of the ball, lacking its usual ground punch that has led to problems finishing drives. QB Kevin Hogan does have excellent aerial threat in WR Devon Cajuste (Ty Montgomery is out), but he must beware of Terrapins' CB Will Likely, who has brought two picks and a punt back for scores this season.

Jeff Sagarin's power ratings show the relative strength of teams.