The championship games have been played and many of the BCS bowls already know who will be playing there, thanks to the antiquated system of conference affiliations. So here are my takes on who will play in what bowl game. Remember, I'm an SEC fan at heart, so in addition to the BCS games, I'm also predicting several of the bowls with SEC tie-ins.
National Championship Game: Oklahoma State vs. LSU
I feel like Oklahoma State made a statement against Oklahoma, settling the discussion about a rematch in my mind. I think the voters will see sense and move Oklahoma State, who has a better statistical record into the title game ahead of the Tide. LSU obviously locked themselves in. Props to Georgia for playing perhaps the best single half any team has played all year against LSU, but the Tigers have depth that no other team in the conference could match.
Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Oregon
Oregon took apart UCLA and Wisconsin didn't so much win the Big Ten title game as have Michigan State hand them the victory. This game has a lot of potential, as both are high powered offenses.
Fiesta Bowl: Stanford vs. Kansas State
I'm putting Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl because I think they are a more attractive second choice out of the Big XII. Stanford gets in as an at-large from the PAC-12.
Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Michigan
A match-up of old time programs, two of the all time greats, made possible by Houston self-destructing against Southern Miss in the Conference USA title game. Michigan gets into the Sugar Bowl ahead of potential at-large TCU.
Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. West Virginia
Who is Clemson? Really, does anybody know? Clemson goes out and loses 3 of 4, and looks bad, nay terrible, at times, and then they go and lay a championship game beating on Virginia Tech. West Virginia escaped the pile-up atop the Big East, and if the legal proceeding go according to plan, they'll actually escape the Big East altogether.
Capital One Bowl: Arkansas vs. Michigan State
Sparty cost themselves the Big Ten title, and as a result will get to face off against a powerful Arkansas team in the Capital One Bowl. The Cap One has first selection of non-BCS SEC teams, and I have to think that a 10-2 Arkansas team is currently more attractive than SEC-Championship runner-up Georgia.
Outback Bowl: Nebraska vs. South Carolina
Nebraska lands in the Outback Bowl against 10-2 South Carolina. You might be asking, since I'm such a Georgia fan, where did the 10-3 Dawgs go. Just wait. But the Gamecocks, riddled by injuries all season, will show up ready to play against the Cornhuskers. Should be an interesting match-up.
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Auburn vs. Virginia Tech
The Hokies came out flat against Clemson in the ACC Title Game, and as a result I think they'll fall into the Chick-fil-A bowl against a Jekyll-and-Hyde Auburn team that still seems to be searching for an identity in the post-Cam-Newton world.
Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Georgia
Here are the Dawgs. Georgia started the season 0-2, then reeled off 10 straight wins before encountering the buzzsaw known as LSU. The team will go for a bowl victory against a stumbling Oklahoma team that just suffered one of their worst losses in recent memory.
Random Notes:
1. I can't stand watching SEC football on CBS. From the perspective of this Georgia fan, I really want to know what UGA did to Verne Lundquist to make him hate the Dawgs so much. He and Gary Danielson were acting like we shouldn't even be playing an SEC Championship Game, and that we should just hand trophies to LSU simply because they are LSU. At one point in the third quarter, while Georgia led 10-7, Danielson referred to the "young Bulldogs" making a move, and "Champion" LSU responding. I know LSU won, but don't go crowning the team until the clock hits 0:00. Especially when you're supposed to be an impartial announcer.
2. How about that first half from the Dawgs? They held LSU to 12 total yards of offense, and didn't allow the Bayou Bengals to gain a first down until about 5 minutes into the third quarter. And I think Georgia caught everyone off guard with that onside kick after their opening drive field goal. I'm proud of my Dawgs.
3. I went 56-18 on my picks this year, a winning percentage of 0.757. The biggest leap for me this year was the perfect week. I went four years without one, and then had four this season. Of course, I'm now under investigation for Performance Enhancers, but hey, it was a contract year...
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