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2012 college bowl schedule: Wolverines, Spartans prep for bowl season

The Michigan Wolverines and Michigan St. Spartans both play in bowl games again this year, and they should be good games -- even if the stakes aren't particularly high.

By Steve von Horn
Leon Halip

SB Nation has complied a complete schedule of FBS bowls, and the Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans will both be featured in interesting matchups outside the BCS structure. Here is a brief rundown of the details for each contest:

Outback Bowl | South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Michigan Wolverines | Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET ESPN

The No. 18 Michigan Wolverines will take on the No. 10 South Carolina Gamecocks on Jan. 1 in the Outback Bowl, but they will have to win without starting cornerback J.T. Floyd, linebacker Brian Hawthorne and punter Will Hagerup. Those three were recently suspended by the team for a violation of team rules, and the biggest loss will be Floyd. South Carolina doesn't boast a particularly explosive passing offense (No. 66 in FBS in passing yards per game), but any advantage passed along to the Gamecocks could be the difference.

Here's what the crew at Shutdown Fullback had to say about the contest:

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl | TCU Horned Frogs vs. Michigan St. Spartans | Dec. 29, 10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN

The Spartans unfortunately ran into enough losses to end up in a bowl game played during the month of December, which is never a good sign, but they do get to play against an interesting opponent. The TCU Horned Frogs knocked off several ranked teams this year -- including No. 21 West Virginia and No. 16 Texas -- so they have plenty of talent to compete with Michigan State.

Here is an excellent breakdown of the matchup from Shutdown Fullback: