# 1984–85 NCAA football bowl games

The 1984–85 NCAA football bowl games were a series of post-season games played in December 1984 and January 1985 to end the 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season. A total of 18 team-competitive games, and two all-star games, were played. The post-season began with the Independence Bowl on December 15, 1984, and concluded on January 12, 1985, with the season-ending Senior Bowl.

## Schedule

| Date | Game | Site | Time (US EST) | TV | Matchup (pre-game record) | AP pre-game rank | UPI (Coaches) pre-game rank |
| Dec 15 | Independence Bowl | Independence Stadium Shreveport, Louisiana | | ESPN | Air Force 23 (7–4) (WAC), Virginia Tech 7 (8–3) (Independent) | NR NR | NR NR |
| Dec 15 | California Bowl | Bulldog Stadium Fresno, California | | ESPN | UNLV 30 (10–2) (PCAA Champion), Toledo 13 (8–2–1) (MAC Champion) | NR NR | NR NR |
| Dec 21 | Holiday Bowl | Jack Murphy Stadium San Diego, California | | Mizlou / ESPN | BYU 24 (12–0) (WAC Champion), Michigan 17 (6–5) (Big Ten) | #1 NR | #1 NR |
| Dec 22 | Florida Citrus Bowl | Florida Citrus Bowl Orlando, Florida | | NBC | Georgia 17 (7–4) (SEC), Florida State 17 (7–3–1) (Independent) | NR #15 | NR #16 |
| Dec 22 | Sun Bowl | Sun Bowl Stadium El Paso, Texas | | CBS | Maryland 28 (8–3) (ACC Champion), Tennessee 27 (7–3–1) (SEC) | #12 NR | #11 NR |
| Dec 22 | Cherry Bowl | Pontiac Silverdome Pontiac, Michigan | | USA Network | Army 10 (8–3) (Independent), Michigan State 6 (6–5) (Big Ten) | NR NR | NR NR |
| Dec 26 | Freedom Bowl | Anaheim Stadium Anaheim, California | | Lorimar | Iowa 55 (7–4–1) (Big Ten), Texas 17 (7–3–1) (SWC) | NR #19 | NR #20 |
| Dec 27 | Liberty Bowl | Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, Tennessee | | Katz Sports | Auburn 21 (8–4) (SEC), Arkansas 15 (7–3–1) (SWC) | #16 NR | #19 NR |
| Dec 28 | Gator Bowl | Gator Bowl Stadium Jacksonville, Florida | | ABC | Oklahoma State 21 (9–2) (Big Eight), South Carolina 14 (10–1) (Independent) | #9 #7 | #9 #7 |
| Dec 29 | Aloha Bowl | Aloha Stadium Honolulu, Hawaii | 8:00 pm | TCS/Metrosports | SMU 27 (9–2) (SWC co-Champion), Notre Dame 20 (7–4) (Independent) | #10 #17 | #10 #18 |
| Dec 29 | Hall of Fame Classic | Legion Field Birmingham, Alabama | 8:00 PM | WTBS | Kentucky 20 (8–3) (SEC), Wisconsin 19 (7–3–1) (Big Ten) | NR #20 | NR #17 |
| Dec 31 | Peach Bowl | Fulton County Stadium Atlanta | 3:00 PM | CBS | Virginia 27 (7–2–2) (ACC), Purdue 24 (7–4) (Big Ten) | NR NR | NR NR |
| Dec 31 | Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl | Houston Astrodome Houston, Texas | 8:00 PM | Lorimar | West Virginia 31 (7–4) (Independent), TCU 14 (8–3) (SWC) | NR NR | NR NR |
| Jan 1 | Cotton Bowl | Cotton Bowl Dallas, Texas | 1:30 PM | CBS | Boston College 45 (9–2) (Independent), Houston 28 (7–4) (SWC co-Champion) | #8 NR | #8 NR |
| Jan 1 | Fiesta Bowl | Sun Devil Stadium Tempe, Arizona | 1:30 PM | NBC | UCLA 39 (8–3) (Pac-10), Miami (FL) 37 (8–4) (Independent) | #14 #13 | #15 #13 |
| Jan 1 | Rose Bowl | Rose Bowl Pasadena, California | 4:30 PM | NBC | USC 20 (8–3) (Pac-10 Champion), Ohio State 17 (9–2) (Big Ten Champion) | #18 #6 | #14 #5 |
| Jan 1 | Sugar Bowl | Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana | 7:00 PM | ABC | Nebraska 28 (9–2) (Big Eight co-Champion), LSU 10 (8–2–1) (SEC) | #5 #11 | #4 #12 |
| Jan 1 | Orange Bowl | Orange Bowl Miami, Florida | 8:00 PM | NBC | Washington 25 (10–1) (Pac-10), Oklahoma 17 (9–1–1) (Big Eight co-Champion) | #4 #2 | #3 #2 |