With the arrival of the College Football Playoff selection, teams who became bowl eligible and did not make the expanded 12-team field also found out their bowl game fate on Sunday afternoon and we now know which two teams are coming to Birmingham Bowl.

The Vanderbilt Commodores will be taking on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the 18th edition of the Birmingham Bowl – previously known as both the PapaJohns.com Bowl (2006-2009), BBVA Compass Bowl (2010-2013) – and the fourth edition to be held at Protective Stadium.

The game will be held two days after Christmas on Friday, December 27 at 2:30 p.m. CST.

It’s an exciting matchup between the 6-6 Commodores and the 7-5 Yellow Jackets especially for locals in Birmingham who are fans of both Alabama and Auburn and saw firsthand Vandy’s ability to handle their respective teams. While the season didn’t end on a high note with three straight losses to South Carolina, LSU, and Tennessee, Vanderbilt proved they can play with better competition.

Vanderbilt’s last bowl win over a decade ago came in Birmingham as well, so they will be trying to turn back the clock.

Georgia Tech on the other hand had a roller coaster of a season. With a late victory over Miami and pushing the rival Georgia Bulldogs to eight overtimes, this is a team that is better than their 7-5 record indicates.

Brent Key in his second full year leading the program will be trying to secure a second straight bowl victory and first eight-win season since 2016.

It should be a tremendous matchup in Birmingham with high stakes for both teams.