We are now into the filet mignon and twice-baked potato portion of the bowl season.

I do have a problem with this ESPN takeover regarding the bowl telecasts. I do have other problems and will send you a detailed list if you mail me a self-addressed stamped envelope.

When I was a strapping lad the major bowls were televised on ABC, CBS and NBC. Good thing because we didn’t have cable and those were the only networks available except for PBS. Gotta have Fred Rogers.

While I’m thinking of it, do you think it’s ironic Latrobe’s Fred Rogers was born in the same location as Rolling Rock? Isn’t that special?

Of course that was in the 60s when a postage stamp was five cents, a gallon of gas was 31 cents, eggs were 53 cents per dozen and milk was 95 cents a gallon. Did you want ham on that omelet?

Back in the day those bowls in question were the Orange, Sugar, Cotton and the Granddaddy-of Them-All the Rose. Later without anybody’s permission they would sneak in the Fiesta.

The core four were played on the holiest day and that would be New Year’s. The Cotton started around noon, the Sugar was roughly at two, the Rose at five and the Orange commenced at eight. There was none of this namby-pamby we’ll start these bowl games whenever we want to and on ESPN.

The Rose Bowl always occurred around supper, and unless the kitchen was on fire, it was the only time of the year we were allowed to eat in the living room. Could somebody bring in the peas and where’s one of the cats? I just spilled my milk.

Of course in these days of tolerable gas prices we now have the playoff semifinals in the Orange and the Cotton.

It will be unbeaten Clemson against No 4 Oklahoma in the Orange and don’t sleep on Oklahoma especially during tornado season.

The other match-up should see the two best teams in No. 2 Alabama versus No. 3 Michigan State. The Spartans are the only hope for one of our northern teams to win the title. As we in the know like to say, “Go Sparty.”

Here is the rest of the schedule for your perusing pleasure.

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Peach Bowl (today)

Houston (12-1) vs. Florida State (10-2)

A peachy keen classic by gosh by golly…Florida State by 13.

Orange Bowl

Clemson (13-0) vs. Oklahoma (11-1)

Junior Baker Mayfield is a good-looking quarterback and a strapping lad if I must say so myself…Oklahoma by 3.

Cotton Bowl Classic

Alabama (12-1) vs. Michigan State (12-1)

Unfortunately aspirations of a championship north of the Mason-Dixon Line was in the hands of Sparty…Alabama by 6.

Outback Bowl (New Year’s Day)

Northwestern (10-2) vs. Tennessee (8-4)

I bought two pounds of crab legs for this occasion…Northwestern by 4.

Citrus Bowl

Michigan (9-3) vs. Florida (10-3)

Those candle-fed butter warmers are the best innovation since the Shrek Chia Pet…Michigan by 10.

Fiesta Bowl

Notre Dame (10-2) vs. Ohio State (11-1)

I hope they both lose…Ohio State by 3.

Rose Bowl

Iowa (12-1) vs. Stanford (11-2)

It might sound unmanly to crave floral arrangements while watching the Rose Parade on HGTV…Iowa by 5.

Sugar Bowl

Oklahoma State (10-2) vs. Mississippi (9-3)

Good time to sleep off the crab legs…Oklahoma State by 11.

TaxSlayer Bowl (Saturday)

Penn St. (7-5) vs. Georgia (9-3)

No need for Taxslayer because Messi and I aren’t paying our 2016 taxes…Georgia by 7.

Liberty Bowl

Kansas St. (6-6) vs. Arkansas (7-5)

Of course Messi makes 11 million more Euros than I do…Arkansas by 1.

Alamo Bowl

Oregon (9-3) vs. TCU (10-2)

Remember the Alamo for better rental prices than Hertz…TCU by 10.

Cactus Bowl

West Virginia (7-5) vs. Arizona State (6-6)

The only Christmas card addressed to myself was from a Mountaineer grad. I gotta get out more…West Virginia by 8.