F1 2015 Preview: Malaysian Grand Prix

Let's be honest...the Australian Grand Prix was a bit of a bore. Only fifteen cars ran, and by the end they barely had enough of a grid to fill out the points paying positions. Jenson Button piloted his McLaren-Honda to an 11th place finish, but the team was happy to see the car finish. Sauber's Felipe Nasr finished 5th; a better finish than Sauber scored throughout the entire 2014 season.

Now, though, it's time to go racing in Malaysia.

While the weather was nice and comfy in Melbourne, Sepang promises to be a different story. Temps are expected to top out between 90° and 95° F on Saturday and Sunday. Humidity will be through the roof. Rain is essentially guaranteed. Cars are going to overheat. The track conditions will vary depending on the precipitation. In short, it will be one of the most trying races of the season.


Woes of McLaren-Honda

Jenson Button very nearly scored points in the maiden outing of the new McLaren-Honda partnership. But the team was happier that he finished. It's going to be a rough, long year for McLaren. The outfit is accustomed to winning, and their current design is not conducive to victory at the moment. The car struggled with overheating in the upper 60s in Melbourne. Sepang is set for 90°-plus temps and rain. Personally, I think McLaren will struggle to even finish this weekend, even with Fernando Alonso finally returning to the grid.

Horner says Equalization; Hamilton Laughs in his Face

Mercedes AMG Petronas is, hands down, the most dominant outfit on the grid right now. They are leaving everyone in their wake. Ferrari and Williams are their closest competitors, and frankly Mercedes just out-classes them at every turn. Kimi Raikkonen seems to have found some speed for Ferrari, but Hamilton and Rosberg remain out of reach over race distance.

Red Bull Renault's team boss Christian Horner has come out in favor of some sort of equalization method to bring Mercedes back to the field. Regardless your feelings on the matter, Mercedes driver, and defending World Driver's Champion, Lewis Hamilton fired back at Horner, saying that it's funny how Horner was not in favor of equalization when it was Red Bull running away from the field, but the moment someone other than Red Bull dominates, Horner thinks they should be punished.

Sepang International Circuit

Here is a breakdown of the Sepang circuit I wrote in April 2010:

The start finish line gives way to a quick right-left-downhill bit. A sweeping right-hander going back uphill leads into a a sharp right-hander. Too much speed going into this turn will definitely send you off.

This sharp right gives way to a gradual left-to-right S-curve that, if taken properly, can almost be run flat-out. Beyond this S-curve is a quick succession of right-handers that are nearly 90-degree turns, but are shallow enough to be taken with some speed. The second of these right-handers leads downhill to a very sharp, very slow left-hander that begins taking the cars back up-hill.

A semi-gradual run through turn 10 leads to a sharp turn 11. Another pseudo-S-curve (turns 12 and 13), bring the cars to a sharp sharp sharp right-hander, leading onto the long straight.

At the end of this straight is turn 15, the hairpin, that brings the cars back around to the start-finish line. 

Race Predictions

The second race of the saeson is almost as tricky to predict as the first race of the season. There are still mechanical complications to be sorted. Just ask McLaren-Honda how that's working out.

It's still not exactly going to be a shock for Mercedes to walk away with this race, likely with a 1-2 finish (and probably with a 1-2 start). While it is still too early to really talk about pecking order, Mercedes is the team to beat this year. They've already claimed a commanding lead in the Constructor's Championship, and a 1-2 finish at Sepang will further that gap.

The weather is going to play a huge roll in the race. I'm looking for several teams to drop out entirely, and many single cars to not finish.

Podium Prediction
I nailed the top two spots on the podium at Australia, but the conditions and the practice runs at Sepang have changed my mind for this race. I still think Lewis Hamilton wins, and I still think Nico Rosberg comes in second. But I think Kimi Raikkonen has found the magic formula for this weekend and will grab the final podium step.

It think we're looking at a podium of:

1st: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG Petronas

2nd: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG Petronas

3rd: Kimi Raikkonen, Scuderia Ferrari

F1 2015 Preview: Australian Grand Prix

The Formula 1 season finally swings into high gear this weekend. The cars have been unveiled. The driver lineups have been confirmed. The preseason testing sessions have wrapped up.

It's time to go racing.

The first race of the season takes place at the Albert Park Circuit. As evidenced in the video, the track is a rather fun blast around Albert Park Lake in central Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

It is late summer in Australia, and the current weather forecast calls for temperatures near 90°F for qualifying on Saturday (2:00am EDT) but much cooler for the actual race on Sunday, with a high of 68°F. That should sufficiently effect track conditions, especially with overnight rain in the forecast.

The week leading up to the grand prix has been exciting.

Sauber, Giedo van der Garde, and the Courts

Sauber was hit with a lawsuit from former driver Giedo van der Garde over a race seat and, effectively, lost wages. The Dutch driver was signed to a Sauber race seat, along with Adrian Sutil, last season, but both men were kicked aside in favor of Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr, who provided better sponsorship money. Sutil faded into F1 obscurity, but van der Garde decided to fight. Especially since he lost his race seat after every other team had decided their lineups. That means this is a lost season for him and his sponsors.

So van der Garde launched a court case demanding that he be allowed to race this weekend. Sauber said no, as it would not be safe. The current Sauber cars were designed for Ericsson and Nasr, not for van der Garde. The courts, though, agreed with the Dutch driver, saying Sauber should provide him a race seat for the grand prix. Sauber is now refusing to recognize van der Garde as a nominated driver, meaning the Dutchman cannot obtain an FIA super-license in order to race in F1.

This case will get uglier before it gets settled.

McLaren-Honda Growing Pains

It's not like Honda has been away from the sport for a long time. Just a few years, actually...but much has changed. As such, the new partnership between McLaren and Honda has been off to a slow start.

The team failed to put in anywhere close tot he number of laps their competitors were churning out in testing. Then Fernando Alonso suffered a massive crash (that is still under investigation) and has been medically ruled out of the Australian Grand Prix.

Perhaps McLaren-Honda will gather momentum as the season progresses. But right now I'm thinking the bottom third of the points-paying positions is probably the best Button and Magnussen/Alonso can honestly hope for.

Race Predictions

The first race of the season is always tricky. Everyone is still working out reliability issues. Unforeseen technical complications are bound to ruin someone's race. A surprise or two is never out of the question.

That said, it's not exactly going to be a shock for Mercedes to walk away with this race, likely with a 1-2 finish (and probably with a 1-2 start). It is entirely too early in the season to start talking about the pecking order, but like last year, it is obvious to everyone involved that Mercedes outclasses the field right now.

So which constructor claims a stake on the #2 slot? Personally, I think Red Bull is taking a step back this year. McLaren is not yet ready. Ferrari is lagging, even with a total of five World Driver's Championships piloting the ponies. No, this year belongs to a classic team that spent last season completing the long hard trudge up the mountain back to excellence.

Williams. I'm looking for Williams-Martini Racing to have a great season, and for that season to start right in Melbourne.

Podium Prediction

When all is said and done, after the smoke has finally cleared, after whatever other cliche has run its course, who will stand on the podium in Melbourne?

It think we're looking at a podium of:

1st: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG Petronas

2nd: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG Petronas

3rd: Valtteri Bottas, Williams Martini Racing

Formula 1 Preview: Season 2015

The first test of the preseason is complete, the teams have departed from Jerez, and, for the most part, every contender for the 2015 season has been unveiled (Caterham hasn't yet, Manor/Marussia is still struggling to make the grid, and Force India is fighting to reveal their contender). This post will cover the various cars so far released, and I'll give you my predictions at the end.

The Cars

First up on the list is the Mercedes AMG Petronas W06 Hybrid. Mercedes doesn't mess around with their livery, holding true to the nickname "Silver Arrows." Lewis Hamilton piloted the W05 to last year's World Driver's Championship, and his teammate, Nico Rosberg, came in second. The car was extremely reliable, save for an outing in Montreal that drove every Mercedes fan crazy.

The car this year is a beauty. The paint scheme is only slightly different from last year, but the design is changed, albeit slightly. The nose dips a bit sharper, and tapers differently than last year's version. Given the reliability and long-running stints the W06 pulled off at Jerez, it looks like the Silver Arrows are the team to beat once again.


Last year's second place team, Red Bull Renault, unveiled the RB11 with an interim testing livery that, for all intents and purposes, was designed to disguise the innovations RBR has made in terms of aerodynamics. Personally, I kind of like the black and white scheme. Since this is a testing livery, don't be surprised if they go back to the drab, only-slightly-different-from-Toro-Rosso livery for the actual season.

Daniel Ricciardo will likely contend for the World Driver's Championship this year, if the Renault power plant can gain ground on Mercedes. New Red Bull teammate Daniil Kyvat will get a taste of life at the top of the ladder.


Our third contender this season is the Williams Martini F1 team, and their FW37. Last year Williams was a pleasant surprise, climbing from 9th in the Constructor's Standings in 2013 to 3rd last season. On several occasions the Williams outfit fought for the win, especially in Austria.

Felipe Massa returned to form last year, for the first time since his tragic accident in July 2009. Teammate Valtteri Bottas is a World Driver's Champion in the making. So long as Williams has this driver pairing, they will be a threat to win any grand prix this season.

Ferrari's contender for the 2015 season, the SF15-T, looks like it might suck, as evidenced in the picture on the right. The vacuum-cleaner nose will certainly help to keep the track clear of any debris. Granted, the driver's seat is not the most comfortable, but the prevailing thought is that Vettel should be able to win at least one race in 2015.

Alright, joking aside, the SF15-T, the real one, is actually a pretty decent looking car. The livery contains more black  than is customary for the Scuderia, but it helps. Ever since Ferrari lost the ability to put the bar code on their car, as that somehow advertised for Marlboro, the Maranello outfit has struggled to create a good livery. 

Ferrari made one of the biggest driver moves of the season, allowing Fernando Alonso to walk so they could sign 4-Time Driver's Champion Sebastian Vettel. Pairing Vettel with Kimi Raikkonen, at least for this season, gives the Scuderia a strong lineup capable of winning any race.


The newest engine manufacturer, who used to be int he sport until a few years ago, is Honda, and they've teamed with McLaren. The Woking outfit unveiled the McLaren-Honda MP4-30. While the design is sleek, the biggest complaint for almost everyone is the livery. Every publicity photo McLaren released, especially after signing Fernando Alonso, used the old red and white McLaren's of the Ayrton Senna days. Then the MP4-30 was unveiled.

Once more McLaren used the silver color scheme. In fact, the McLaren-Honda contender looks like they just took the livery of Vodafone McLaren and West McLaren and smashed them together. I usually love the McLaren, but this year I'm finding that difficult. If the silver was white, I would like the car a lot more. Having Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button on one team should help them, though.

Next on the list is Sauber, and their C34. I'm not sure I've ever seen such an uninspired car take to the Formula 1 grid, but the C34 does not inspire any sort of confidence. If the livery was a bit more exciting, then maybe I'd be more partial to it. 

The driver line up, likewise, isn't one that screams championship contender. Marcus Ericsson, fresh off the heels of driving for Caterham, joins the Sauber team, driving alongside Felipe Nasr, who brought the Banco do Brasil sponsorship to Sauber.


Lotus takes to the grid this year with the E23, a much more aesthetically appealing contender than their walrus of a car last season. While the livery is much the same, the car looks much better than last year. Lotus swapped engine suppliers from Renault, who was far below competitive in 2014, and became partners with Mercedes, in hopes of much better results.

A driver pairing of Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado gives Lotus some familiarity and continuity. Maldonado brings sponsors, but Grosjean is the better driver.


The final team to be reviewed is Scuderia Toro Rosso. I'm not going to lie, the STR11 is one of my favorite cars unveiled so far. It looks far better than Toro Rosso's contender from last season, which looked an awful lot like Gonzo from the Muppets. The STR11 replaces the muppet nose front with a much better design. The paint scheme is, for all intents and purposes the same as last season, with minor changes thanks to the revised nose.

The driver lineup for the Red Bull B-Team is Carlos Sainz Jr. and Max Verstappen, the youngest driver ever to compete in Formula 1. Verstappen will be only 17 when the season begins.

When Force India, Caterham, and Manor/Marussia release their cars, I'll review them. Now...

Predictions
Which new driver/team combination will prove the most effective on race day?
I really like the idea of Fernando Alonso in a McLaren-Honda, but I think the biggest winner of the driver’s musical chairs game this offseason will be Sebastian Vettel. Ferrari will be stronger than McLaren, meaning Seb will have a better overall season. This is not the second coming of Michael Schumacher, though. 

Will Mercedes’s dominance continue? 
Yes. The preseason test in Jerez proved one thing: Mercedes can run longer than any of their competitors while suffering fewer mechanical issues. This is bad news for Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren. 

Who wins the Driver’s Championship this season? 
I honestly think we see a repeat of 2014. Lewis Hamilton finally has the dominant car under him that he always sought at McLaren. Giving him a contender as strong as the W05 last year, and what we’ve seen of the W06 this year, means the Brit is likely on his way to his second straight, and third overall, World Driver’s Championship. 

Okay, so we know who you think will win the Driver’s Title, but what about the Constructor’s Championship? It’s gotta be Mercedes, right? 
Right. This one is a pretty safe call to make. Mercedes just has it all figured out right now. While their competitors are rushing to swap drivers, and hiring away engineers from one another, the Brackley outfit is quietly building a Formula 1 dynasty. 

Who will be the first driver to be replaced? 
Tough question. Last year I pegged McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen to be replaced, and while he has reverted to reserve driver status this year, he finished out the season more impressively than teammate Jenson Button. This season, I think either Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson or Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz Jr. will be the first to go…assuming anyone is actually booted off the grid during the season. 

Will Fifth Beatle hang it up after this year and let someone else take the reins? 
Every year this question shows up, and every year the answer is the same…Emphatically no. The only way anyone else will oversee Formula 1 is when they pry it from Bernie’s cold, dead fingers. 

Alright, so tell us your pick for the top five finishers in the Driver’s Championship standings. 
Obviously I’ve got Hamilton at the top, and I think Rosberg will be once more come home second. Rounding out the top five will be Williams’s Valtteri Bottas, Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. 

How do you think the Constructor’s Title plays out? Give us your top five there. 
Mercedes will, rather easily, sew up a second straight Constructor’s Championship. I look for Williams to come home second in the teams battle though, with Red Bull rounding out the podium. Ferrari and McLaren, with their new Honda power plant, will round out the top five. 

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