Bold Bowl Predictions – Part 1
I will now attempt to boldy predict the results of every bowl game (over the course of two posts). If you think I’m wrong, you can pick against me in my bowl challenge at http://www.redshirtfootball.com/pickem. You have until tomorrow at 6:30 pm to get your picks in because it doesn’t include the New Mexico Bowl since we all know Fresno is going to roll in that one.
New Mexico Bowl
Fresno State vs Wyoming
Why to watch: Ryan Matthews has rushed for 151 yards per game and only trails Toby Gerhart in rushing yards this season. Wyoming’s first bowl appearance since 2004
Why not to watch: Wyoming’s offense is ranked 112th in the country.
Who wants it more: Fresno State
Prediction: Fresno State by 17.
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St Petersburg Bowl by Beef O’Bradys
Rutgers vs UCF
Why to watch: UCF’s defensive play. The Knights are great against the run and are aggressive up front.
Why not to watch: Because it’s Rutgers vs Central Florida. Central Florida has been blown out by the two BCS schools its played and Rutgers has been inconsistent this season.
Who wants it more: UCF. Rutgers had their preseason eyes on something better, forgetting that they were Rutgers.
Prediction: Rutgers by 3 in a low scoring, sloppy game
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R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Southern Miss vs. Middle Tennessee
Why to watch: Dwight Dasher, MTSU’s QB who is very talented and fun to watch. Besides, it’s near Christmas, very fitting to watch a guy named Dasher.
Why not to watch: The NFL. Minnesota vs Carolina on Sunday Night football.
Who wants it more: No one
Prediction: MTSU by 7
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MAACO Las Vegas Bowl
BYU vs. Oregon State
Why to watch: On one side of the ball, BYU QB Max Hall and on the other, Mike Riley has the mighty Beavers playing great football finally.
Why not to watch: When BYU is bad, they are bad. They are the only team to not figure out the Florida St defense this year. If Max Hall doesn’t play well, it’ll be a blowout by halftime.
Who wants it more: Oregon State
Prediction: Hard to say, this is the Vegas Bowl. BYU players will be in bed by 10 pm and not tempted by the strip, Oregon St players will be at the Glitter Factory and playing blackjack until 4 in the morning. Still…
Oregon State by 7, based on their recent bowl history.
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SD County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Utah vs California
Why to watch: Utah only lost three games this year (Oregon, TCU, and BYU) and Cal has a history of playing well in bowl games.
Why not to watch: This Utah team is a far cry from the one that beat Alabama last bowl season and Cal has played miserable at times and doesn’t want to be in this bowl.
Who wants it more: Utah
Prediction: Utah by 10
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Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
SMU vs Nevada
Why to watch: The Nevada offense. They should have 200 rushing yards by the time they get off the plane. SMU’s coach June Jones is returning to Hawaii to coach a game and the locals love him.
Why not to watch: SMU is not all that great and it’s not like the Mustangs are playing against Hawaii the university, just the state it’s in, so June Jones return isn’t that big of a deal.
Who wants it more: Nevada, because finally someone will be watching their game.
Prediction: Nevada by 17
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Emerald Nut Bowl
Boston College vs USC
Why to watch: Because it’s football. Despite their struggles, USC has over 50 players on it’s roster who were ranked in the top 20 by recruiting services at their position. BC has none.
Why not to watch: Because USC won’t want to play in this bowl at all and Boston College has to travel across the country on Christmas or Christmas Eve. Neither team has been great all year, with the exception of about 2-3 4th quarter drives for USC.
Who wants it more: ESPN
Prediction: USC by 3, but only because they have triple the amount of talent as BC and BC has to travel so far on a holiday. Players hate that.
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Meineke Car Care Bowl
North Carolina vs Pittsburgh
Why to watch: Pitt likes to play in close games, 6 of its last 9 games were decided by 7 pts or less. Both coaches are from the same coaching tree, Jimmy Johnson. And Pitt RB Dion Lewis.
Why not to watch: UNC’s offense is brutal to watch and their defense doesn’t always show up to play.
Who wants it more: Pitt
Prediction: Pitt by 10
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Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (because you eat your pizza out of a bowl, right?)
Marshall vs Ohio
Why to watch: I can’t really think of any. Spend the time with your family instead please.
Why not to watch: Herd are limping into this game, losing 4 of their last six and Ohio is tough, but not great. It’s Marshall vs Ohio.
Who wants it more: Little Caesars
Prediction: Ohio by 3
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Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl
Clemson vs Kentucky
Why to watch: CJ Spiller, who can break any play for a touchdown. Also, Randall Cobb for UK. First year coach Dabo Swinney vs retiring coach Rich Brooks.
Why not to watch: Clemson has lost and not played well in their last 3 bowl games and don’t want to be here after dropping their last two games, to rival South Carolina and then to Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship.
Who wants it more: Hard to tell, Kentucky has played in this game 3 out of the last 4 years so may not be excited about a return trip or could be motivated to prove it deserved a New Year Day bowl. Clemson should be down after the two losses, but the seniors do want to send CJ out a winner and finally win a bowl game. Probably Kentucky if just because it’s closer to home for them.
Prediction: Clemson by 3 in a high scoring shootout
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Independence Bowl
Texas A&M vs Georgia
Why to watch: Jerrod Johnson is uderrated at QB for Texas A&M and could be a Heisman candidate in the coming seasons if he sticks around. If you like to see high scoring games, this one shouldn’t be missed.
Why not to watch: If you like to watch defense, don’t watch this game. Georgia let go so many defensive staff at the end of the season, they promoted a grad assistant to defensive coordinator for this game. A&M hasn’t stopped anyone all year and Georgia may have figured out how to run the ball against Georgia Tech in their last game.
Who wants it more: Texas A&M, Georgia never likes playing in bowls unless they are BCS bowls.
Prediction: Texas A&M by 4 in another shootout
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Champs Sports Bowl
Miami vs Wisconsin
Why to watch: When they are playing well, both of these teams are BCS caliber teams. Miami wants to use this game to put itself on everyone’s watch list for 2010 when they feel they will have an amazing team. Wisconsin feels it should be in a New Years Day bowl and wants to prove it.
Why not to watch: Wisconsin got blown out by Florida State in last years Champs Sports bowl and this Miami team is better and faster than that FSU team.
Who wants it more: Miami
Prediction: Miami by 21
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EagleBank Bowl
UCLA vs Temple
Why to watch: Because you only get to see Temple play in bowl game every 30 years or so. RB Bernard Peirce for Temple, who is expected to play after suffering an injury, is worth watching.
Why not to watch: If UCLA tries, they will blow them out. As good of a story as Temple is this year, it’s still the MAC and they don’t have nearly the talent that UCLA has. That said, UCLA may not try though as they probably wanted a lot more.
Who wants it more: Temple
Prediction: Temple by 3, only because UCLA should feel slighted they had to wait for the results of the Army-Navy game to see if they even got in and I don’t see them getting motivated for the game. This is not the postseason Rick Neuheisel was telling his players about in the preseason.
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Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
Arizona vs Nebraska
Why to watch: Great defensive matchup between two great defensive minded coaches in college football right now. First to score wins. Plus, it’s another chance to see Big 12 defensive player of the year, Ndamukong Suh before he becomes the first pick of the NFL draft. I can’t wait to see how many times the announcers screw up his name.
Why not to watch: If you like offense. Arizona has a decent offense, but Nebraska should shut it down completely down.
Who wants it more: Arizona
Prediction: Arizona by 4
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Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl
Bowling Green vs Idaho
Why to watch: The Bowling Green passing game starring Freddie Barnes will put on a great show. Idaho may be the nation’s surprise team, but they are still 7-5 and have no marquee wins to hang their hat on.
Why not to watch: The blue turf could make you want to gouge your eyes out and spend all day adjusting the color options on your TV. Idaho’s defense gave up 70 points to Nevada, 63 points to Boise State and 52 points to Utah State and lost their last 3 games.
Who wants it more: Idaho, who is playing in their first bowl since most of the players on the team were 8.
Prediction: Bowling Green by 21, but expect a lot of points on both sides of the ball. I’m thinking 52-31, something like that.
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Texas Bowl
Missouri vs Navy
Why to watch: Danario Alexander is a great WR and the Missouri air attack will make this an exciting matchup. The Navy offense is no walk in the dark either.
Why not to watch: Missouri is 12th in the nation against the run and Navy won’t be able to catch up if they fall behind early. Navy has lost it’s last 3 bowl games.
Who wants it more: Navy
Prediction: Missouri by 17
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Bell Helicopters Armed Forces Bowl
Air Force vs Houston (rematch)
Why to watch: Houston can’t stop the run and Air Force should top 300 yards rushing. No one can stop Case Keenum from passing for 400 yards passing at a minimun.
Why not to watch: Both offenses are very high powered, but both have sputtered at times and sputtering in this game will put you behind by 21 points in a hurry. I’ve been high on AF all season because they force a lot of turnovers (and don’t turn the ball over themselves) and force teams to put up a lot of yards per point given up. However, Houston certainly has the ability to put up the yards needed to score on this team.
Who wants it more: Houston
Prediction: Houston by 14, this one has the potential to be very excited and one of the better bowls to watch
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Brut Sun Bowl
Stanford vs Oklahoma
Why to watch: Toby Gerhart vs the Oklahoma run defense. Toby should have won the Heisman if it were given to the player who had the best season and meant the most to his team, but it isn’t. Both teams really want this one. OU wants to prove that this year was a fluke and the result of too many injuries and Stanford wants to make its case to be everyone’s preseason darlings next season. A win here will be great on the recruiting trail for the Card that they are no longer the whipping post of the Pac-10.
Why not to watch: Oklahoma disappears in big games and plays mediocre away from home.
Who wants it more: Stanford
Prediction: Stanford by 10
I will post my picks for the rest of the games later tonight or tomorrow morning.
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Bold Bowl Predictions – Part 2 »
RSF Blog posted on December 19, 2009:
[...] For part 1, click here. [...]