Random Football Thoughts (Mostly on College Football)

The season is in full swing for the college game, as well as the NFL. There has been no shortage of surprise or chaos either. Let's examine the happenings of this season.

How I Never Bought the Hype on Auburn
"For some reason, everyone seems to be buying the hype on Auburn this year. I'm not...at least, not yet." -July 1, 2015

"I’m just not buying the hype yet. Auburn is being touted as a title contender. Auburn, who after October 4 last year lost to every ranked team they played. Don’t get me wrong, I think Auburn will beat Louisville…but I’m just not buying Auburn as a championship contender yet." -August 27, 2015

I wrote those two statements nearly two months apart. I was not buying Auburn. Everyone with a voice in the national college football scene was saying Auburn was going to contend for the SEC championship and a subsequent playoff spot. Auburn was voted by the SEC media writers to win the conference, even though, thanks to the quirky voting rules, Alabama was voted in as the winner of the SEC West. Auburn's QB, Jeremy Johnson, was going to battle for the Heisman.

That was then. Now, on September 28, Auburn is 0-2 in the SEC, suffering a crushing loss to LSU and a staggeringly offensively inept loss at home to Mississippi State. The Tigers defeated Louisville to start the season, but an overtime victory, in Jordan-Hare, over FCS opponent Jacksonville State, shook the foundation of the Auburn faithful.

Jeremy Johnson has been nothing close to what was advertised. Gus Malzahn's offense has looked inept and, in some cases, has simply not shown up. LSU crushed Auburn 45-21, showing no mercy in throttling the preseason SEC favorites. Mississippi State then came into Jordan-Hare and completely kept Auburn out of the end zone, even after Auburn had benched Jeremy Johnson in favor of back-up QB Sean White.

And for the record, I called it. I told you I wasn't buying Auburn. That call looks better and better each week.

Goooooo Dawgs! Sic 'em! Woof woof woof woof!
The Dawgs are just awesome! Nick Chubb has been a force to be reckoned with, and he has enough firepower around him that he should stay healthy and fresh all season. QB Greyson Lambert has been the model of near-perfection, completing 33 of his last 35 passes. The Dawgs have a huge test this weekend as Alabama comes to town, but Georgia is projected to be the favorite in every game it plays for the remainder of 2015.

Is Florida chomping off more than they can chew?
The Gators are a difficult team to get a read on. They are 4-0, but they're winning close and winning ugly. They had to come back from two touchdowns behind to beat Tennessee. Three of Florida's next four games are home for Ole Miss, at LSU, and at Jacksonville for the World's Largest Outdoor Non-Alchoholic Fun For the Whole Family Party (Georgia). If they can win one of those three they'll be alright.

Is Ole Miss Really That Good?
The Rebels of Ole Miss went into Tuscaloosa and hung 43 on Alabama. But then they struggled against Vanderbilt. Granted, Vandy is better than most people give them credit for, especially on defense (they held Georgia to 31 points; no one else has kept Georgia under 48). Ole Miss has a trip to Florida this week. That will sort out a lot of the confusion around both teams.

Way Too Early Playoff Prediction
#1 Michigan State vs #4 Notre Dame
#2 Georgia vs #3 Baylor

Meanwhile, in the NFL...
...How 'Bout Those Falcons?
The Atlanta Falcons, yes, those Atlanta Falcons, are 3-0 on the year. This is the same team that didn't win it's third game last season until week ten. They did it in week three this year, obviously. Matt Ryan is still Matt Ice, although he has some problems that a good QB coach should've already sorted through. Ryan has a tendency to throw a lot of televangelist passes, meaning he has the ability to make 70,000 people stand to their feet and cry out "Oh, God!"

The Falcons running game is currently a tad hampered by Tevin Coleman being hurt, but Devonta Freeman is carrying the load well. The WR corps is still beast, though. Julio Jones has 34 catches and nearly 400 yards through just three games. Obviously, I don't expect the undefeated run to last, but these Falcons are capable of winning ten or more games this year, and they should make the playoffs. 

Football Future-see 2014: Bowl Season

Record
Week 1	8-2
Week 2	5-0
Week 3	2-3
Week 4	4-1
Week 5	2-3
Week 6	2-8
Week 7	4-1
Week 8	3-2
Week 9	2-3
Week 10	2-3
Week 11	4-6
Week 12	3-2
Week 13	3-2
Week 14	5-5
Week 15	2-3
Bowls	21-17
Total	72-61	0.541

It is bowl season in college football. This year we have a total of 39 bowl games. The number has increased over the last few years, and I almost think that we’ll eventually reach a point where every team goes to a bowl. Because in America, everyone is a winner. We’ll also start handing out participation trophies… Anyway, here are the bowl games, in order of how they’re played. The Playoff Games are listed last. Most of the pre-December 29 bowls won’t get a lot of detail. Sorry, but that’s just the nature of the business.

**UPDATE - December 22: Through six games...well, it's not going well. Not at all. I'm 1-5 so far. Yeesh, this has been a bad year for the picks.**

**UPDATE - December 28: Through eighteen games...well, it's still not going well. I'm 6-12 so far. I wish I knew what happened to me this year. I'm currently 57-56 on the season, which is the closest I've ever been to falling under .500 this late in the year.**

**UPDATE - December 29: Through 21 games, my record stands at 9-12, and 60-56 on the year. Today has been good for me, with all three games coming out correct.**

**UPDATE - December 30: Through 24 games my record is 11-13 (62-57 on the year. Notre Dame nailed a last second field goal to seal a comeback win over LSU. Georgia trounced Louisville, running crazy on the #3 run defense in the country.**

**UPDATE - December 31: Through 27 games, my record stands at 12-15 (63-59 on the season), with TCU absolutely smashing Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl, Boise State surprising many in the Fiesta Bowl, and Georgia Tech's gimmicky-to-no-end offense overcoming Mississippi State.**

**UPDATE - January 1: Through 32 games my record is 15-17 (66-61 on the year.) A couple upsets both helped and hurt me.**

**UPDATE - January 3: Through 37 games my record is 19-18 (70-62 on the year.) The once-mighty SEC West finished 2-5 in their bowl games. The much-maligned SEC East went 5-0.**

**UPDATE - January 7: Through all bowl games (except the Championship Game) my record is 21-17 (72-61 on the year). **

The Games:

New Orleans Bowl (December 20, 11:00am, ESPN)

Nevada vs Louisiana-Lafayette

The Ragin Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette do battle with Nevada. While Louisiana-Lafayette has the better (or is that scarier?) mascot, Nevada will win this game.

Final Score: Nevada 28, Louisiana-Lafayette 17
INCORRECT: Louisiana-Lafayette won 16-3

New Mexico Bowl (December 20, 2:20pm, ESPN)

Utah State vs UTEP

Utah State is a team that can put a scare in you on any given game day. I look for them to take down UTEP early, with UTEP scoring a garbage time TD to make it respectable.

Final Score: Utah State 34, UTEP 21
CORRECT: Utah State won 21-6

Las Vegas Bowl (December 20, 3:30pm, ABC)

22 Utah vs Colorado State

I’m sticking with Colorado State, even though I picked them to win before their head coach jumped ship for Florida. Utah is a good team, but something about this game just screams “upset” to me.

Final Score: Colorado State 31, Utah 27
INCORRECT: Utah won 45-10

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (December 20, 5:45pm, ESPN)

Western Michigan vs Air Force

Air Force usually has a good offense, but their defense is typically suspect. I haven’t actually heard much out of the Academy this year, which leads me to picking Directional Michigan West to win this match-up.

Final Score: Western Michigan 27, Air Force 21
INCORRECT: Air Force won 38-24

Camellia Bowl (December 20, 9:15pm, ESPN)

South Alabama vs Bowling Green

I was pretty high on South Alabama early in the season and it didn’t exactly pay off. That said, I’m going to ride the Jaguars to the end of the season. Jags over Bowling Green.

Final Score: South Alabama 23, Bowling Green 17
INCORRECT: Bowling Green won 33-28

Miami Beach Bowl (December 22, 2:00pm, ESPN)

BYU vs Memphis

BYU is a college football independent, but I don’t know how much longer that will last. I can see the Cougars joining the Big XII, should an invite come their way. The fact that I’ve talked about their conference alignment more than their bowl game should tell you something about their bowl game. Cougars win.

Final Score: BYU 34, Memphis 17
INCORRECT: Memphis won 55-48 in 2OT...and the two teams fought brutally after the game

Boca Raton Bowl (December 23, 6:00pm, ESPN)

Marshall vs Northern Illinois

Once-mighty Marshall dropped all the way to the Boca Raton Bowl thanks to a single loss late in the season. Granted, in that loss they gave up 67 points to Western Kentucky, and yet still only lost by one point. Northern Illinois used to be the darling on the non-Power-Fives, but no more. Marshall wins.

Final Score: Marshall 35, Northern Illinois 28
CORRECT: Marshall won 52-38

Poinsettia Bowl (December 23, 9:30pm, ESPN)

Navy vs San Diego State

Navy typically has a very strong running game. San Diego State has been a bit of an enigma this season. The Aztecs are 1-4 against teams that reached bowl games, with their only win coming against Air Force (30-14). Navy beat Air Force 30-21. Seeing as San Diego State had an easier go against the cadets than the midshipmen did, I’m picking the Aztecs in a close game.

Final Score: San Diego State 24, Navy 21

INCORRECT: Navy won 17-16

Bahamas Bowl (December 24, Noon, ESPN)

Central Michigan vs Western Kentucky

Directional Michigan Central…wait, since when is Central a direction?...takes on Directional Kentucky West in the Bahamas. That’s a pretty nice way to spend the holidays. I think this game is a coin flip, personally. WKU handed Marshall their only loss, but also lost to the only “directional” school they played – and yeah, I’m using “directional” loosely at this point. CMU, on the other hand, is 2-1 versus “directional” opponents. Chippewas for the win!

Final Score: Central Michigan 38, Western Kentucky 35
INCORRECT: Western Kentucky won 49-48

Hawai’i Bowl (December 24, 8:00pm, ESPN)

Fresno State vs Rice

Fresno State is 6-7 on the year while Rice is 7-5. Fresno, though, is far more battle-tested than the Owls. Rice might put up a fight, but I think the Bulldogs of Fresno State walk away with the win.

Final Score: Fresno State 26, Rice 21
INCORRECT: Rice won 30-6

Heart of Dallas Bowl (December 26, 1:00pm, ESPN)

Illinois vs Louisiana Tech

Just two years ago, Louisiana Tech sported an offense that averaged nearly 52 points per game. This year they’ve averaged a paltry 37.5 points per game in comparison. Illinois slogged through the somewhat down Big Ten on their way to a 6-6 record. That said, I like the Big Ten over Conference USA. Fighting Illini win.

Final Score: Illinois 23, Louisiana Tech 17
INCORRECT: Louisiana Tech won 35-18

Quick Lane Bowl (December 26, 4:30pm, ESPN)

Rutgers vs North Carolina

Which North Carolina shows up for this game? Is it the UNC that lost 35-7 to in-state rival NC State…or is it the UNC that defeated Georgia Tech and Duke? I’m hedging my bets that it is the latter. Tar Heels win.

Final Score: North Carolina 38, Rutgers 14
INCORRECT: Rutgers won 40-21

St. Petersburg Bowl (December 26, 8:00pm, ESPN)

NC State vs Central Florida

NC State struggled to put away Georgia Southern in week one, and a month later put a scare into Florida State that forced the Seminoles into comeback mode. UCF is riding a four game winning streak including road wins over South Florida and East Carolina. Take Central Florida to win.

Final Score: UCF 30, NC State 20
INCORRECT: NC State won 34-27

Military Bowl (December 27, 1:00pm, ESPN)

Cincinnati vs Virginia Tech

The Bearcats are, in my opinion, by far the better team in this game. That means nothing, though. Ohio State was the better team than Virginia Tech…didn’t stop the Hokies from steamrolling the Buckeyes in Columbus. Cincinnati lost 50-28 to Ohio State. VT beat Ohio State 35-21. Again, that means nothing. Bearcats win going away.

Final Score: Cincinnati 33, Virginia Tech 17
INCORRECT: Virginia Tech won 33-17 (at least I had the score right)

Sun Bowl (December 27, 2:00pm, CBS)

15 Arizona State vs Duke

This match-up might have fundamentalist Christians in an uproar (and yes, I say that jokingly). The Sun Bowl features the Sun Devils vs the Blue Devils. The Sun Devils of Arizona State dropped three games this year: a blowout loss to UCLA, then close road losses to Oregon State and Arizona. ASU averages 37 points per game. Duke also lost three games, but their losses are worse than ASU’s. The Blue Devils average 32 points per game. I like ASU to pull away later in this game.

Final Score: Arizona State 32, Duke 20
CORRECT: Arizona State won 36-31

Independence Bowl (December 27, 3:30pm, ABC)

Miami vs South Carolina

South Carolina suffered through a lost season, but now faces Miami and a chance to regain some SEC pride over the upstart ACC. Miami is coming off a disappointing 12-point loss to lowly Pitt. I like South Carolina to rebound and win one for the Head Ball Coach.

Final Score: South Carolina 27, Miami 23
CORRECT: South Carolina won 24-21

Pinstripe Bowl (December 27, 4:30pm, ESPN)

Boston College vs Penn State

This game is still playing off the allure of being in Yankee Stadium. The match-up is solid and even, but I think Penn State finds enough James Franklin leadership to leave New York with a “W.”

Final Score: Penn State 17, Boston College 14
CORRECT: Penn State won 31-30

Holiday Bowl (December 27, 8:00pm, ESPN)

Nebraska vs 24 USC

Two of the most storied programs in college football meet for only the fourth time, but for the first time ever in a bowl game. Nebraska looked like a team with a lot of promise in the early going, but a later-season route by Wisconsin revealed the Huskers as more pretender than contender. USC, on the other hand, was up and down all season, finally settling in the Top 25. Nebraska has a good running game, if it can get established. But I think USC simply has more firepower than Nebraska. Trojans win.

Final Score: USC 38, Nebraska 27
CORRECT: USC won 45-42

Liberty Bowl (December 29, 2:00pm, ESPN)

TAMU vs West Virginia

West Virginia took on the role of giant-killer in the Big XII this year, especially whenever a Big XII power came to Morgantown. This game isn’t in Morgantown, though, and the Aggies of TAMU (I’m not using the ampersand any longer, because blogger dislikes it so much that it screws up editing) will bring their A-game in an attempt to salvage a bit of a lost season. The Mountaineers are a dangerous team, but I like the Aggies a little better in this game.

Final Score: TAMU 24, West Virginia 23
CORRECT: TAMU won 45-37

Russell Athletic Bowl (December 29, 5:30pm, ESPN)

Oklahoma vs 17 Clemson

One thing the college football playoff has done is provide bowl match-ups we haven’t seen in a long time, and that goes for the lower-tier bowls too. When is the last time Clemson played Oklahoma? Try the 1988 Citrus Bowl, which Clemson won 13-6. Most of the players on each team weren’t even born yet. Oklahoma expected big things at the start of the season. So did Clemson. The Tigers held course, though they tripped up against teams like Georgia and Florida State. I just like Clemson in this game. Don’t know why… Tigers win.

Final Score: Clemson 28, Oklahoma 26

CORRECT: Clemson won 40-6

Texas Bowl (December 29, 9:00pm, ESPN)

Arkansas vs Texas

Texas has been, without a doubt, the most disappoint major university team for a while now. The once powerhouse Longhorns have been largely irrelevant on the national stage for years. Arkansas, meanwhile, is a team ascending in the SEC. Having gone 17 straight conference games without a win, the Razorbacks went 2-1 against Mississippi State, LSU, and Ole Miss, allowing a combined 17 points, all of which was scored by Mississippi State. They shut out LSU (17-0) and Ole Miss (30-0). For that reason alone, I like Arkansas to roll the Longhorns in this game. Hogs win.

Final Score: Arkansas 38, Texas 17

CORRECT: Arkansas won 31-7

Music City Bowl (December 30, 3:00pm, ESPN)

Notre Dame vs 23 LSU

Boy, did Notre Dame ever fall from grace…the Irish lost five of their last six, including being blown out on the road by Arizona State and a shocking overtime home loss to Northwestern. LSU, meanwhile lost two of its last three, including a shutout loss to Arkansas, but the Tigers took Alabama to overtime before losing. In other words, this is a match-up of underachievers, though I don’t expect this game to disappoint. I’m looking for LSU to come out of the gate strong and hand another SEC beating to Notre Dame. Why? Why not? Tigers win.

Final Score: LSU 31, Notre Dame 17

INCORRECT: Notre Dame won 31-28

Belk Bowl (December 30, 6:30pm, ESPN)

13 Georgia vs 21 Louisville

You might as well call this the Todd Grantham Bowl. Games like this are proof the bowls are selected based on more than record and conference standing. Thirteen other FBS schools went 9-3 this year, but only Louisville was chosen to face Georgia. Why? Louisville’s Defensive Coordinator is Todd Grantham, who last year left the University of Georgia under rather acrimonious conditions, and took with him two big-name players who were kicked off the Dawgs for breaking team rules. Georgia’s offense is much better than Louisville’s, even with Todd Gurley hurt. The Cardinals’ defense should be stout, but Georgia should wear them down, especially in the second half, to reach ten wins. Dawgs win.

Final Score: Georgia 37, Louisville 28

CORRECT: Georgia won 37-14 (Hutson Mason broke Mike Bobo's team record for completion percentage, Nick Chubb set a school record for yards per carry (over 7 yards per carry) and passed Garrison Hearst for the fourth highest single season rushing total. Only Herschel Walker has rushed for more yards in a single season than Nick Chubb.) I like getting a team's score correct.

Foster Farms (San Francisco) Bowl (December 30, 10:00pm, ESPN)

Maryland vs Stanford

Stanford had one of the worst seasons in recent Cardinal history. That said, Stanford is still a dangerous team on any given Saturday, or in this case, a Tuesday. Add to that the fact this is basically a home game for Stanford, and you have the recipe for a blowout. Maryland’s best chance of winning this game is bringing out some kind of hideous uniform combination that dumbfounds the entire Stanford team. Otherwise, Stanford rolls, big.

Final Score: Stanford 42, Maryland 14
CORRECT: Stanford won 45-21

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (December 31, 12:30pm, ESPN)

9 Ole Miss vs 6 TCU

The outcome of this game hinges on two things:1) which Ole Miss defense shows up in Atlanta, and 2) which Bo Wallace shows up. If the defense that beat Alabama shows up, the Rebels have a chance. If the defense that lost 30-0 to Arkansas shows up, then Ole Miss will lose big. If Good Bo shows up the Rebels can hang with almost anyone. Bad Bo showing up, though, will spell disaster. Given the long toll of an SEC schedule, I’m more willing to think that the latter occurs in both cases. I hate to pick against the SEC, but unless Ole Miss can solidify their defense TCU is going to roll.

Final Score: TCU 34, Ole Miss 17
CORRECT: TCU won 42-3

Fiesta Bowl (December 31, 4:00pm, ESPN)

20 Boise State vs 10 Arizona

Boise State claimed the crown of non-Power-Five representative in the New Year’s Six Bowl…and something about a partridge in a pear tree…too many numbers. Arizona had a great season, though that tough loss to Oregon in the PAC-12 title game hurts, they can still hang their hats on the fact that they went into Eugene and beat the Ducks at home earlier in the season. Arizona will ride that confidence to a win over the upstart Broncos.

Final Score: Arizona 35, Boise State 24
INCORRECT: Boise State won 38-30

Capital One Orange Bowl (December 31, 8:00pm, ESPN)

7 Mississippi State vs 12 Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech took down Georgia to close the regular season and narrowly lost to Florida State in the ACC Championship Game. Mississippi State, though, is playing angry and they have a much better QB than Tech. In fact, Tech’s entire offense is gimmicky to no end. It works in college, but not in the NFL. I think Mississippi State comes out mad, and knocks Tech in the face from the first snap. One of the SEC’s Bulldog teams has to beat Georgia Tech, right?

Final Score: Mississippi State 35, Georgia Tech 21
INCORRECT: Georgia Tech won 49-34

Outback Bowl (January 1, Noon, ABC)

19 Auburn vs 18 Wisconsin

When I think of the bowl games I’d most like to watch, this one is very high on that list. Two evenly matched teams that suffered in the latter parts of the season. Wisconsin lost to Ohio State in the Big Ten title game. Auburn didn’t reach the SEC conference championship, but lost their last two conference games to Georgia and Alabama. Wisconsin’s loss may linger for them, which should allow Auburn to take advantage. Tigers win a close, hard-fought game.

Final Score: Auburn 33, Wisconsin 28
INCORRECT: Wisconsin won 34-31 in OT

Cotton Bowl (January 1, 12:30pm, ABC)

8 Michigan State vs 5 Baylor

Of the top tier bowls, while I’m excited about the playoffs, this is one of those games I’m really looking forward to. Baylor’s offense, at times, looked unstoppable. They hung 61 points on TCU. Granted, they gave up 58 to TCU. Michigan State, though, may be the best defense Baylor has seen all year. Sparty plays with a defensive ferocity few match. If Baylor can get their offense rolling early, then they stand a chance. If not, and I don’t think they do, Michigan State wins a close, hard-fought, true 4-quarter game.

Final Score: Michigan State 26, Baylor 24
CORRECT: Michigan State won 42-41

Citrus Bowl (January 1, 1:00pm, ESPN2)

16 Missouri vs 25 Minnesota

Minnesota sank their Gopher claws into the 25th spot in the polls and refused to let go. Missouri, meanwhile, has been all over the place. The Tigers lost at home to Indiana and were then blown out 34-0 by visiting Georgia. Minnesota almost beat Ohio State. Missouri grew battle-tested over the last month of the season, beating the Aggies, a resurgent Tennessee and Arkansas, and squaring off with Alabama for the SEC crown. If Missouri’s QB, Maty Mauk, can play like he did against the Aggies, then Missouri wins. I think he does. Tigers over Gophers.

Final Score: Missouri 30, Minnesota 26
CORRECT: Missouri won 33-17

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (January 2, Noon, ESPN)

Houston vs Pittsburgh

Pitt is a team I can’t figure out. They stunk up the house against Georgia Tech, losing five fumbles in the first quarter, but then beat Miami, in Miami, by two touchdowns. Houston has a better record, but lsot by three touchdowns to UT San Antonio. I’ll go with Houston, based off record, but if vs-Miami Pitt shows up instead of vs-Georgia Tech Pitt, we might have a game.

Final Score: Houston 28, Pitt 20
CORRECT: Houston won 35-34

TaxSlayer(Gator) Bowl (January 2, 3:20pm, ESPN)

Iowa vs Tennessee

Tennessee is a team on the rise. They very well could be contenders in the SEC East next year, though I personally think 2016 may be a bit more realistic for the Vols. The Iowa Hawkeyes stumbled again in the Big Ten this year. They’ll try their best, but I think Tennessee claims their first bowl victory under Butch Jones. Vols win.

Final Score: Tennessee 32, Iowa 20
CORRECT: Tennessee won 45-28

Valero Alamo Bowl (January 2, 6:45pm, ESPN)

11 Kansas State vs 14 UCLA

Who is UCLA? Honestly, that team has been on a greater roller-coaster ride than almost any other team this season. QB Brett Hundley was supposed to be a Heisman candidate. We saw how that worked out. Kansas State, meanwhile, has quietly put together a fairly good season and stands on the edge of the Top Ten. When the dust clears over the Alamo Bowl, I think K-State stands tall with a big win.

Final Score: Kansas State 35, UCLA 21
INCORRECT: UCLA won 40-35

Cactus Bowl (January 2, 10:15pm, ESPN)

Washington vs Oklahoma State

There are several bowl games with the potential to steal the show this season, and this might be one of them. Yes, both teams had slightly disappointing seasons, but both are good teams that can step up to surprise you on any given game day. Washington will be looking to represent the PAC-12 in its effort to claim the top spot among the conference. Defeating Oklahoma State would go a long way toward doing that. But Oklahoma State will not go quietly. In fact, I like the Cowboys to win this game off a late TD.

Final Score: Oklahoma State 27, Washington 24
CORRECT: Oklahoma State won 30-22

Birmingham Bowl (January 3, 1:00pm, ESPN)

East Carolina vs Florida

Florida made a bowl game, even if their head coach didn’t. Will Muschamp has fled Gainesville for the comfier confines of Auburn. The Gators have to keep going, though. They’ll face an East Carolina team that was, at one time, the top non-Power-5 team in the land. The Pirates will be looking for a huge win over an SEC opponent. The Gators are playing for pride. I don’t like picking against the SEC…so I won’t. Gators win.

Final Score: Florida 24, East Carolina 21
CORRECT: Florida won 28-20

GoDaddy Bowl (January 4, 9:00pm, ESPN)

Toledo vs Arkansas State

I wish I could tell you more about these two, but I can’t. Arkansas State is making their fourth consecutive trip to this bowl. Toledo feels like the safer bet here, though. Can’t explain why…

Final Score: Toledo 42, Arkansas State 30

CORRECT: Toledo won 63-44

College Football Playoff Semifinals

Rose Bowl (January 1, 5:00pm, ESPN)

3 Florida State vs 2 Oregon

Oregon is closer to a national championship than at any time since they faltered against Auburn a few years back. Heisman winning QB Marcus Mariota has the Ducks primed to play a stalwart Florida State team that just refuses to lose. The Seminoles, as I noted in their preview against Georgia Tech, have danced the ragged edge of disaster so often this season that it’s a wonder the Noles aren’t 7-6 instead of 13-0. Oregon, meanwhile, has left little in doubt outside of an early season home loss to Arizona, which they later avenged in the PAC-12 Championship Game. FSU will look for Jameis Winston to once again lead them through a tough scrap, but Oregon is unlike any team Florida State has played. Oregon will win, but the loss of their star cornerback to a knee injury in practice will allow FSU to turn this one into a shootout. Ducks win.

Final Score: Oregon 42, Florida State 38
CORRECT: Oregon won 59-20

Sugar Bowl (January 1, 8:30pm, ESPN)

4 Ohio State vs 1 Alabama

The second semifinal game on New Year’s Day pits Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes against Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide of Alabama. Ohio State is coming off an absolute dismantling of Wisconsin. While one game doesn’t necessarily prove a team belongs in the playoffs, that one game spoke volumes about who Ohio State is. Alabama, on the other hand, is climbing out of a season-long battle in the SEC West. After taking down Missouri in the SEC Championship Game, the Tide punched their ticket to the inaugural playoff. Ohio State is on their third quarterback of the year, which will probably come back to haunt them against a defense like Alabama. The Tide, meanwhile, have solidified behind Blake Sims as their QB. I think this game is interesting for the first half, but the Tide defense will overwhelm Ohio State’s offense. Alabama pulls away in the second half for a strong win.

Final Score: Alabama 35, Ohio State 17
INCORRECT: Ohio State won 42-35

Football Future-see 2014: Week Two

Record
Week 1	8-2
Week 2	5-0
Week 3	0-0
Total	13-2	0.867

Week One is in the books. Florida State stumbled out of the gate before righting the ship and sending Oklahoma State home in narrow defeat. Alabama struggled for a while against a West Virginia squad that went 4-8 last year. ‘Bama ended up winning. Ohio State likewise struggled for a while against Navy, before the Buckeyes opened up the offense and pulled away. 

Then there was Georgia. All preseason we were told that Clemson’s front seven was ideally suited to stopping the Dawgs’ running game. But a judicious application of all four running backs kept fresh legs on the field as the Clemson defense simply gave out. Georgia’s Todd Gurley ran for 198 yards and 3 TDs, and he also had a 100+ yard kick return for a TD. 

This week, no Georgia, as the Dawgs have a week off prior to traveling to Columbia next weekend. Instead, we have these games (and no, I’m not going easy on myself): 

The Games: 

South Alabama at Kent State (Saturday, 2:00pm, ESPN3) 
The South Alabama Jaguars begin their season by visiting Kent State. Earlier this year I picked South Alabama to win their conference, and I’m standing by that pick. The Jags played Kent State last season at home, winning 38-21. I think this game is a little bit lowering in the scoring column, but the outcome should be the same. Jaguars win. 
Final Score: South Alabama 34, Kent State 17 
CORRECT: South Alabama won 23-13

14 USC at 13 Stanford (Saturday, 3:30pm, ABC) 
USC laid a 52-13 beating on Fresno State last week to prep for this game. Stanford shut out UC-Davis 45-0. Of the two, I’d say USC got the better preparation. The Trojans out-passed and out-rushed the Cardinal, and they did so against tougher competition. The game is at Stanford, which will help the Cardinal, but USC should still leave with the victory, but no more than a touchdown. In fact, the score I’m picking might be entirely too high for this game. 
Final Score: USC 31, Stanford 24 
CORRECT: USC won 13-10

7 Michigan State at 3 Oregon (Saturday, 6:30pm, FOX) 
Michigan State 45, Jacksonville State 7. Oregon 62, South Dakota 13. In other words, we know really nothing about either team. Playing those vaunted FCS schools don’t give the talking heads anything to say. Oregon racked up 673 total yards. Michigan State had 565. Both teams maintain much of the power that carried them to the top last season, and that makes this a compelling match-up. This is the Goliath of Defense versus the Goliath of offense. Defense wins championships, as the old saying goes. But I don’t see it in this game. I think the Oregon offense is going to be too much, especially for a Michigan State team that’s travelling across the country to play. Ducks win. 
Final Score:  Oregon 28, Michigan State 17 
CORRECT: Oregon won 46-27

East Carolina at 21 South Carolina (Saturday, 7:00pm, ESPNU) 
On August 27 it would’ve been easy to label this game as easy victory for South Carolina. Then the Aggies came to Columbia and hung half a hundred on Spurrier’s fighting chickens. Now, this non-conference game suddenly becomes harder to call. I still the Gamecocks will win, but East Carolina is no pushover. Those Pirates may try to sneak out a win in Columbia. Add to that the fact that South Carolina has to be looking ahead to the juggernaut that is Georgia rolling into town on September 13 and you have the recipe for a potential upset. Spurrier is a better coach than that, and he’ll have the team refocused. Gamecocks win. 
Final Score: South Carolina 26, East Carolina 21 
CORRECT: South Carolina won 33-23

Michigan at 16 Notre Dame (Saturday, 7:30pm, NBC) 
Notre Dame has gotten a lot of love for claiming a 31 point victory over Rice…but it’s Rice. I mean, Notre Dame would’ve only scored slightly more against an actual bag of rice. Michigan, meanwhile, claimed revenge for the greatest upset in the history of college football. Appalachian State returned to the Big House with hopes of claiming another victory just like they did in 2007. Michigan, though, was having none of it. The Wolverines jumped to a 35-0 halftime lead, going on to win 52-14. The Irish should be favored in this game, being ranked while Michigan is not. But these teams tend to play each other close. I like Notre Dame to win, but it’ll be close. 
Final Score: Notre Dame 27, Michigan 23 
CORRECT: Notre Dame won 31-0

Scheduling the Southeastern Conference

The SEC recently announced that they are forgoing the 9-Game conference schedule in favor of forcing the constituent institutions to schedule at least one team from one of the other power conferences (Big Ten, Big XII, PAC-12, ACC).

While I approve of this move in theory, the truth is it only affects four schools for this upcoming year (Miss. State, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M). Georgia plays Georgia Tech every year. Florida plays Florida State every year. South Carolina plays Clemson every year. The biggest possibilities to come from this self-imposed requirement could be the revitalization of the Texas-Texas A&M rivalry…a feud that the Longhorns allowed to die because they didn’t want to associate with A&M any longer. Perhaps, though, this new rules leads to more interesting match-ups.

The SEC is already highly involved in kickoff classic games like in Atlanta and Dallas. There was talk recently of Tennessee and Virginia Tech playing in game in the infield of Bristol Motor Speedway. If the leagues play this correctly, we could see games that we’ve either never seen or haven’t seen in a long time. Alabama vs Oregon? Georgia vs Michigan? USC vs USC (South Carolina vs Southern Cal)? Florida vs Notre Dame? Stanford vs LSU? Oklahoma vs Auburn? The possibilities are myriad (not endless, unfortunately).

The SEC is doing all of this because of the nation’s knock against the conference for scheduling too many “cupcakes.” We’ve discussed these cupcake games at length in the past, noting that quite often the smaller school is using the payoff to fund a large portion of its athletic budget. A prime example involves a “cupcake” school that played Oklahoma State and Florida State, losing both games by a combined score of 139-0. The Savannah State Tigers, though they took quite a beating, earned nearly 20% of their total athletic budget off just those two games. That’s why the “cupcakes” like to play the big boys. It’s a nice payday for the school, it usually involves national exposure of some kind, and it also gives them a chance at quite an upset (Appalachian State beating Michigan; Georgia Southern beating Florida).

So what if the SEC, in an attempt to boost their supposed failures in the “strength of schedule” department, reached out to another power conference, like the Big Ten, to set up an SEC-Big Ten Challenge on one Saturday this fall. Here’s how I imagine it going down.

The rules are simple: The teams from the SEC play the entire Big Ten. The games would be split, with seven played in Big Ten stadiums and seven played in SEC stadiums. Schedule makers would be tasked with getting as close as possible to having #1 match up with #1. If we used last year’s final standings, these are the match ups we would see:

In Big Ten Stadiums:

Missouri at Ohio State

South Carolina at Iowa

Georgia at Penn State

Texas A&M at Michigan

Ole Miss at Northwestern

Tennessee at Purdue

Kentucky at Rutgers

In SEC Stadiums:

Michigan State at Auburn

Wisconsin at Alabama

Nebraska at LSU

Minnesota at Vanderbilt

Indiana at Mississippi State

Illinois at Florida

Maryland at Arkansas

That would at least be compelling TV. Just look at some of those match-ups. Imagine Auburn’s slash and burn offense against the stingiest defense in the game in Michigan State. Two historic programs battle it out as Georgia visits Happy Valley against Penn State. Illinois comes to Florida, Texas A&M goes to Michigan. The commercialization alone would be intense for both conferences.

Football Future-see 2013: Bowl Season Edition

RECORD

Week 1	8-2
Week 2	4-1
Week 3	4-1
Week 4	5-0
Week 5	5-0
Week 6	3-2
Week 7	2-3
Week 8	1-4
Week 9	4-1
Week 10	4-1
Week 11	4-1
Week 12	3-2
Week 13	4-1
Week 14	7-3
Champ Week	5-3
Bowl Week	19-16
Total	82-41	.667

Well, it’s bowl season. The match-ups are set, several fan-bases are angry, several fan-bases are delighted, and several fan-bases just don’t care. There are some good games scattered throughout this bowl season (Fresno State vs USC) and there are some bad ones (UNLV vs North Texas). Should be fun to watch.

UPDATE (24 December, 11:50am) - I'm 2-3 through the first five bowl games. Colorado State pulled off a furious rally, Fresno State didn't show up, and the weather didn't have the anticipated effect on Buffalo and San Diego State. However, I got the Ragin' Cajuns right, and I actually predicted Ohio's score correctly. Let's see how the next round of games goes...

UPDATE (28 December, 5:45pm) - I'm 4-8 through 12 games. As of this writing UNC is dominating Cincinnati, but there is still a good bit of time remaining.

UPDATE (1 January, 7:55pm) - I'm 16-11 with 8 games remaining, one of which is in progress as of this writing, and Michigan State is currently winning. My readers know I'm a Georgia fan...and, man, did they ever find new and exciting ways of beating themselves today. Maybe the last eight will go well for me...

UPDATE (7 January, 6:45pm) - All the games are over, and I went 19-16 on my bowl picks for an overall record 82-41. Not good, but at least I was over .500.

On to the picks… (All times Eastern Standard.)

**December 21, 2013**

Gildan New Mexico Bowl (2:00pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

Washington State vs Colorado State (University Stadium – Albuquerque, NM)

Washington State has the 4th best passing game in the nation and they’re facing the 111th ranked passing defense. I just wonder which will be worn out first from the passing attack, Colorado State’s defense or WSU QB Connor Halliday. Cougars take down the Rams.

Final Score: Washington State 52, Colorado State 24

Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl (3:30pm, ABC).....INCORRECT

20 Fresno State vs 25 USC (Sam Boyd Stadium – Las Vegas, NV)

Fresno State is coming off a Mountain West title win after narrowly missing the BCS. USC is in coaching turmoil and that will affect the players. Fresno State by 10.

Final Score: Fresno State 34, USC 24

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (5:30pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

Buffalo vs San Diego State (Bronco Stadium – Boise, ID)

I’ve always thought of San Diego State as one of those teams that can sneak up on just about anyone. Buffalo has had an up-and-down season this year, playing Ohio State decently well for a time, but otherwise not too impressive. The deciding factor here will be weather. San Diego State will not be accustomed to the cold that Boise produces. Buffalo will. Buffalo wins a close game.

Final Score: Buffalo 24, San Diego State 20

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (3:30pm, ABC).....CORRECT

Louisiana-Lafayette vs Tulane (Superdome – New Orleans, LA)

The Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette were among the first teams to lock down bowl berths. This is a bowl of convenience for both teams, since neither has to travel half the country to play someone. Because of the early berth, I’m guessing this bowl saw something in ULL that I’ve not seen. I’ll take the Cajuns to knock off Tulane.

Final Score: Louisiana-Lafayette 28, Tulane 20

**December 23, 2013**

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl (2:00pm, ESPN).....CORRECT

East Carolina vs Ohio (Tropicana Field – St. Petersburg, FL)

Let’s just say East Carolina wins by ten.

Final Score: East Carolina 30, Ohio 20

**December 24, 2013**

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl (8:00pm, ESPN).....CORRECT

Boise State vs Oregon State (Aloha Stadium – Honolulu, HI)

The Hawaii Bowl is a contender for best pre-Christmas bowl game. Oregon State has a good offense, as does Boise State. I think we’ll see a higher-scoring game, with Oregon State coming out on top, now that Boise State is without a head coach. Beavers win.

Final Score: Oregon State 35, Boise State 32

**December 26, 2013**

Little Caesars Bowl (6:00pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

Pittsburgh vs Bowling Green (Ford Field – Detroit, MI)

Bowling Green is the only team to beat Northern Illinois. Under any other circumstances, not one person would care. But NIU was a BCS dark horse and Bowling Green yanked all of that away from them. As a reward, BGSU gets a berth in the Little Caesars Bowl. They don’t even get to go somewhere nice. They’re going to Detroit. They’ll face ACC foe Pittsburgh, but I like Bowling Green to win this one.

Final Score: Bowling Green 34, Pittsburgh 16

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl (9:30pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

Utah State vs 23 Northern Illinois (Qualcomm Stadium – San Diego, CA)

From the edges of the BCS discussion to the lower tier of bowl games…that’s unfortunately what happens when you don’t play in the power conferences. Northern Illinois brings their high-power offense, led by QB Jordan Lynch, to San Diego to take on Utah State. I think the Huskies roll in Lynch’s last appearance.

Final Score: Northern Illinois 35, Utah State 17

**December 27, 2013**

Northrop Grumman Military Bowl (2:30pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

Marshall vs Maryland (Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium – Annapolis, MD)

Maryland was ranked at one point this season. Let that sink in. The Terrapins were ranked one weekend, and by the end of the next weekend had given up 63 points to Florida State. Marshall was never beaten so badly, but neither of these teams are setting the world on fire. Maryland needs to make a statement as they jump to the Big Ten. Terps win.

Final Score: Maryland 26, Marshall 21

Texas Bowl (6:00pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

Syracuse vs Minnesota (Reliant Stadium – Houston, TX)

If any conference needs a good bowl run, it’s the Big Ten. Minnesota had a really good season, but now find themselves in the Texas Bowl taking on Syracuse. The Golden Gophers should carry one like always in this game. I like Minnesota to win.

Final Score: Minnesota 31, Syracuse 20

Fight Hunger Bowl (9:30pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

Washington vs BYU (AT&T Park – San Francisco, CA)

Washington is on the head-coach-carousel, losing Steve Sarkisian, but gaining Chris Petersen. That could be bad for the Huskies, though, as they lose the continuity of a coaching staff at bowl time. BYU, meanwhile, is quietly a decent team. Their signature win was a victory over Texas. The coaching situation in this one tells me that BYU wins.

Final Score: BYU 24, Washington 18

**December 28, 2013**

New Era Pinstripe Bowl (12:00pm, ESPN).....CORRECT

Rutgers vs Notre Dame (Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY)

Rutgers really is not a good team. They’re in this bowl because they fill a slot and they have a lot of local fans. Notre Dame is much the same way, though they’re a lot better than Rutgers. Still, this is quite the fall from grace for a team that played for a National Championship last year. That may weigh on the minds on the Irish, but I doubt it. Notre Dame wins handily.

Final Score: Notre Dame 33, Rutgers 9

Belk Bowl (3:30pm, ESPN).....CORRECT

Cincinnati vs North Carolina (Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte, NC)

Landing North Carolina for a spot in this game was probably the best move the Belk Bowl could make. It’s easier to bring in local fans for a lower tier bowl game like this. Cincinnati, on the other hand, provides UNC a match-up they don’t often see. The Bearcats were a quiet team this year, while UNC had several higher-profile games. I think that works in the Tar Heels’ favor. UNC wins.

Final Score: North Carolina 26, Cincinnati 17

Russell Athletic Bowl (6:45pm, ESPN).....CORRECT

Miami vs 18 Louisville (Florida Citrus Bowl – Orlando, FL)

The likely #1 Overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft is not playing in the BCS or on New Year’s Day. He’s playing on December 28. Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater has a decision to make concerning entering the Draft. He’s already announced that he’ll not make that decision until after the bowl game. Miami, who made much noise over beating Florida (and really, who didn’t beat Florida this year?) limps into this game an injured squad. There are too many health question on the ‘Canes and too much speed on Louisville. Cardinals win.

Final Score: Louisville 30, Miami 17

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl (10:15pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

Michigan vs Kansas State (Sun Devil Stadium – Tempe AZ)

This one should be called the “How We Screwed Up Life For Everyone Else” Bowl. Taking Michigan created a ripple effect that caused a rematch from last year to occur in a bowl not called the National Championship. K-State lost to an FCS team at the start of the season and Michigan took Ohio State to the brink at the end of the season. For that reason, I think Michigan wins.

Final Score: Michigan 30, Kansas State 23

**December 30, 2013**

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (11:45am, ESPN).....CORRECT

Middle Tennessee State vs Navy (Amon G. Carter Stadium – Fort Worth, TX)

Navy is coming off a big win over rival Army, though it’s hard to consider them rivals. Army hasn’t won in about twelve years. The Midshipmen feature an offense that is hard to contain, though because of their status as a service academy, it’s difficult for them to draw the same talent as a power conference. Still, this is the Armed Forces Bowl…I’d be remiss if I chose anyone other than a service academy to win. Go Navy, beat MTSU.

Final Score: Navy 31, Middle Tennessee 21

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl (3:15pm, ESPN).....CORRECT

Ole Miss vs Georgia Tech (LP Field – Nashville, TN)

Georgia Tech runs the Paul Johnson Triple Option. Ole Miss runs the Hugh Freeze spread offense. This should make for a fun offensive game. I’ll most likely hate it. Gotta go with the SEC, though. Ole Miss wins.

Final Score: Ole Miss 37, Georgia Tech 34

Valero Alamo Bowl (6:45pm, ESPN).....CORRECT

10 Oregon vs Texas (Alamodome – San Antonio, TX)

Mack Brown has announced that this is his last game coaching the Longhorns. That changes the game a bit for me. I originally had Oregon winning this game 37-17, but now that the players know this is the last time they’ll share a sideline with a coaching legend like Mack Brown, I think the Texas players will step up. I still think Oregon wins, just because they have better talent and depth, but the Longhorns will not let them run away with this one. Oregon wins a much closer game than I originally thought.

Final Score: Oregon 31, Texas 26

National University Holiday Bowl (10:15pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

14 Arizona State vs Texas Tech (Qualcomm Stadium – San Diego, CA)

An underrated game, the Holiday Bowl features the PAC-12 runner-up against a team that I still think is about a year ahead of schedule. Texas Tech should be even better next season. The Sun Devils, conversely, are a team that always seems on the cusp of making a splash, but they never truly come through. I think Arizona State wins this game, but the Red Raiders keep it close.

Final Score: Arizona State 28, Texas Tech 26

**December 31, 2013**

AdvoCare V100 (Independence) Bowl (12:30pm, ESPN).....CORRECT

Arizona vs Boston College (Independence Stadium – Shreveport, LA)

This one should be renamed as the Running Back Bowl. Arizona’s KaDeem Carey and Boston College’s DeAndre Williams were both in beast mode all year. The running games will definitely be the focus of this one, but I think that opens up the passing lanes for the QBs. Boston College played Florida State closer than anyone this year. Arizona beat Oregon 42-16. If the passing game becomes key to victory, then I think I like Arizona a little better in this one.

Final Score: Arizona 30, Boston College 24

Hyundai Sun Bowl (2:00pm, CBS).....CORRECT

Virginia Tech vs 17 UCLA (Sun Bowl – El Paso, TX)

The Myles Jack show rolls into El Paso, where the Bruins of UCLA will put their stud player on display for the few hundred thousand people who will tune in. This is actually, I think, a rather underrated match-up. VT QB Logan Thomas is nearing the end of his collegiate career, and a bowl win would be a nice cherry on top. Unfortunately, I don’t think VT can hang with UCLA for four quarters. Bruins win.

Final Score: UCLA 28, Virginia Tech 17

AutoZone Liberty Bowl (4:00pm, ESPN).....CORRECT

Rice vs Mississippi State (Liberty Bowl– Memphis, TN)

Mississippi State heads north to Memphis for a match-up with Conference USA opponent Rice. There was a time when Rice was a national player. But that time’s not been for a long time. Bulldogs win.

Final Score: Mississippi State 34, Rice 17

Chick-fil-A Bowl (8:00pm, ESPN).....CORRECT

24 Duke vs 21 Texas A&M (Georgia Dome – Atlanta, GA)

There will be a good bit of hype around this game, simply because it is likely Johnny Manziel’s final collegiate game. Duke had a great season, by Duke standards, and made it all the way to the ACC Championship, where they were throttled by Florida State. The Blue Devils may be able to hang around for a bit, but I get the feeling that this one won’t be close. I think the Aggies pull away for a big win.

Final Score: Texas A&M 42, Duke 14

**January 1, 2014**

taxSlayer.com Gator Bowl (12:00pm, ESPN2).....INCORRECT

Nebraska vs 22 Georgia (Everbank Field – Jacksonville, FL)

Yep, it’s a rematch from last year. Yep, both teams lost their starting QBs to injuries. Yep, both teams having powerful running backs. However, Georgia’s backup QB, Hutson Mason, played really well in fill-in duty against Kentucky and then led the Dawgs to a come-from-behind win over Georgia Tech. I think UGA wins this one rather easily. What I’m more concerned with is this: Would a Georgia margin of victory of 14 points or more mean Bo Pelini might be out at Nebraska?

Final Score: Georgia 38, Nebraska 24

Heart of Dallas Bowl (12:00pm, ESPNU).....CORRECT

UNLV vs North Texas (Cotton Bowl – Dallas, TX)

Most of the previews I’ve read say this is basically the worst match-up among the bowls. North Texas’s biggest match this season was a trip to Georgia. I’m not even sure who UNLV has played. Given that I’ve seen North Texas, I’m going with them to win.

Final Score: North Texas 17, UNLV 14

Capital One Bowl (1:00pm, ABC).....CORRECT

19 Wisconsin vs 9 South Carolina (Florida Citrus Bowl – Orlando, FL)

This will be a good game. Wisconsin was on the verge of possibly getting a BCS berth, but then Penn State came to Madison. The Gamecocks, on the other hand, had the standard roller coaster season of the SEC East. Injuries played a part, as QB Connor Shaw was out for a while. DE Jadaveon Clowney is likely playing his last collegiate game, which will bring more eyes to the TV set for this game. If Wisconsin can find a way to contain Connor Shaw, they might have a chance. I don’t think they can. Gamecocks win.

Final Score: South Carolina 34, Wisconsin 21

Outback Bowl (1:00pm, ESPN).....CORRECT

Iowa vs 16 LSU (Raymond James Stadium – Tampa, FL)

LSU is the only team to put a loss on Auburn this year. They head to Tampa to face Iowa in what seems a bit of a mismatch. Iowa is 8-4, which isn’t anything to be ashamed of. The Hawkeyes, though, have a brutal front seven on defense. LSU is missing QB Zach Mettenberger (who in the SEC isn’t missing their QB?) and that may cost them in this game. Still, I think the Bayou Bengals have too much depth and too many weapons for Iowa to stop. Tigers win.

Final Score: LSU 31, Iowa 20

Rose Bowl Game (5:00pm, ESPN).....CORRECT

5 Stanford vs 4 Michigan State (Rose Bowl – Pasadena, CA)

Two fantastic defensive teams, which usually means a high-scoring game. However, I don’t see that happening here. To reach this game, Michigan State exposed the Buckeyes of Ohio State and Stanford flat ran Arizona State out of their own house. Sparty has ridden their defense to victory and, save for a stumbling against Notre Dame, might’ve been playing in the National Championship. Stanford is one of the best two-loss teams to play college football. If the score stays low, I like Michigan State. If points begin to pile up, then I like Stanford. That said, I think the score stays low. Sparty wins.

Final Score: Michigan State 17, Stanford 14

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (8:30pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

6 Baylor vs 15 UCF (University of Phoenix Stadium – Glendale, AZ)

Baylor was, for a while, a dark horse contender for a shot at the National Championship. Central Florida had a key victory over Louisville and, since then, hasn’t been impressive at all. Honestly, I’m not sure this will even be close. Baylor rolls.

Final Score: Baylor 51, UCF 24

**January 2, 2014**

Allstate Sugar Bowl (8:30pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

11 Oklahoma vs 3 Alabama (Superdome – New Orleans, LA)

A case could be made for several other teams being more deserving of a spot here than Oklahoma, but the system put the Sooners here simply because the Sugar Bowl knows the Sooner fanbase will travel. Alabama is basically in a consolation game, coming off a last-second loss to Auburn. But, simply put, Alabama is just plain better than Oklahoma, and AJ McCarron will lead the Crimson Tide to a comfortable victory.

Final Score: Alabama 41, Oklahoma 21

**January 3, 2014**

AT&T Cotton Bowl (7:30pm, FOX).....CORRECT

13 Oklahoma State vs 8 Missouri (AT&T Stadium – Dallas, TX)

This is an old Big XII match-up featuring two pretty good teams. Oklahoma State is coming off a loss in Bedlam and Missouri is coming off a loss in the SEC Championship Game. That said, Missouri has more to play for here, and their defense is pretty darn good. I think Oklahoma State comes out strong, but Missouri will win out in the end.

Final Score: Missouri 35, Oklahoma State 31

Discover Orange Bowl (8:30pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

12 Clemson vs 7 Ohio State (Sun Life Stadium – Miami, FL)

This is a pretty interesting game, considering that Ohio State was in contention for a national title game berth just a couple weeks back, they may not have the same motivation here that Clemson may be carrying. That said Clemson is coming off a loss to South Carolina, which could negatively affect them. I expect a close game here, but I also think the Buckeyes will win.

Final Score: Ohio State 28, Clemson 24

**January 4, 2014**

BBVA Compass Bowl (1:00pm, ESPN).....CORRECT

Vanderbilt vs Houston (Legion Field – Birmingham, AL)

Vanderbilt is not far from landing spots on New Year’s Day (which is more prestigious than playing on January 4th). The trick will be Vanderbilt keeping their coach. James Franklin will likely be in high demand after this season. Houston is a pretty decent team. But I think Vanderbilt is a better team. Commodores win.

Final Score: Vanderbilt 28, Houston 21

**January 5, 2014**

GoDaddy Bowl (1:00pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

Ball State vs Arkansas State (Ladd-Peebles Stadium – Mobile, AL)

I’m taking Ball State to win this one for one reason. Arkansas State is making their third consecutive trip to this particular bowl. That could mean inspiration will be tough to come by for Arkansas State. Ball State wins, just because of that.

Final Score: Ball State 24, Arkansas State 17

**January 6, 2014**

Vizio BCS National Championship Game (8:30pm, ESPN).....INCORRECT

1 Florida State vs 2 Auburn (Rose Bowl – Pasadena, CA)

Auburn has ridden a wave of luck, miracles, and a running game that is crushing anything in its path. Florida State dominated a schedule that was not that great. FSU, it is said, is loaded with elite athletes. One anchor from a certain Acronym sports network said the Seminoles were built like an SEC team. Auburn, though, is capable of running the ball on anyone. FSU may actually be the best defense they’ve played all year, but I still think the Tigers will be able to move on the ground. That should wear down the ‘Noles defense and open up some passing lanes for Auburn. FSU won’t go away easily, but I think Auburn can score enough to win. Also, until someone actually beats the SEC in the National Championship Games, I have a hard time picking against the SEC. Tigers win a close one.

Final Score: Auburn 37, Florida State 34