I have not started off all that well in predicting the early bowls but....does it really matter? On to the rest of the predictions for this season.
10. Independence Bowl. NC vs Mizzou: This one is just not interesting to say the least. I am glad that each team here has won more than six games though. Probably a toss up but I will go with Mizzou to win.
11. Little Caesars Bowl: WMU vs Purdue: Another stinker. Purdue at 6-6 does not deserve to be here. WMU? Marginal. I have watched Purdue lose to Rice this season and that says a lot. A whole lot. Go with the Broncos here.
12. Belk Bowl. Louisville vs NC State: And yet another game that should not be played. NC State is marginally the better team here and should win. I will go with the Wolfpack in a close one.
13. Military Bowl. Toledo vs Air Force: Air Force has had a decent year and Toledo was somewhat of a disappointment. The Rockets are the better team and will win this one.
14. Holiday Bowl. California vs Texas: Ho hum....The Longhorns have a good defense and a horrible offense. I would imagine that IAA Sam Houston State would have a good chance of beating them. The Bears are well coached buy just not that good either. Someone has to win though and I will go with Cal.
15. Champs Bowl. Florida State vs Notre Dame: At least these two teams have won 8 games. That should be the minimum to qualify for the post season. FSU did not live up to the pre season hype but they are building. The Irish are just darn lucky to be here. I will go with the Seminoles in this one.
16. Alamo Bowl. Washington vs Baylor: If the Bears had not had a mid season melt down then would be looking at a BCS appearance. A very good team. Washington? Not so much. I will go with Baylor here with relative ease. I think right now Baylor could play with anyone.
17. Armed Forces Bowl. BYU vs Tulsa: This may be a good game. BYU has actually had a good season and perhaps don't get their due. Tulsa is a good CUSA team but probably not much more. It may be close but I will go with Tulsa to upset the Cougars.
18. Pinstripe Bowl. Iowa St vs Rutgers: This might be a good game. It probably should not be played but it may be fun to watch none the less. Iowa State at 6-6 actually has had a successful season. .500 for the Cyclones is a pretty good season. Rutgers is a pretty good Big East team but that really does not say a lot. I will go with the Cyclones here in a close one.
19. Music City Bowl. Mississippi State vs Wake Forest: Two 6-6 teams going head to head. Interesting. I suppose since both schools are within driving distance of Nashville that the game will put some money into the community. At least that is something. The game itself? Trash. I will go with Wake Forest to edge the powerful Bulldogs.
20. Insight Bowl. Iowa vs Oklahoma: The Sooners will win this one hands down. They are probably better than their record. Iowa may not be as good as theirs.
21. Car Care Bowl: TAMU vs Northwestern: This one is stupid. At least it is not named after a furniture store this year. What are the Aggies even doing in a bowl? Northwestern also for that matter. The Aggies should win this game but probably won't. Horrible team for some reason. At least Sherman is gone and that has to help somewhat. Go with the Wildcats to edge the crew from College Station.
22. Sun Bowl. Georgia Tech vs Utah: This might be a decent game. Utah did not do real well this year and Georgia Tech has proven again to be pretenders. Go with the Utes in a close one.
23. Fight Hunger Bowl. UCLA vs Illinois: Well I have seen it all now. A team with a losing record playing in the post season. Illinois imploded this year and UCLA is just horrible. Go with Illinois. It may be close.
24. Liberty Bowl: Cincy vs Vandy: May be a pretty good game. Both schools are within driving distance of Memphis so there may be somewhat of a crowd. U of C is probably the better team but I think that Vandy will find a way to win.
25.Chick fill a Bowl. Virginia vs Auburn: The Cavs have improved greatly this season and Auburn fell off. That was to be expected though. This will be a close game and I will go with Virginia to win in an upset.
26. Ticket City Bowl: Houston vs PSU: PSU can't score. Houston can. Houston has some issues, as usual, on defense but should be able to run up the score here. Go with the Cougars. I feel bad for the PSU players. This season has been a disaster for them. I don't mean on the field of play.
27. Gator Bowl: Ohio State vs Florida: The Gator used to be a big time bowl. Not so much anymore it seems. Two 6-6 teams going at it. It appears that the locals just want to fill the stadium instead of having a quality match up. I will go with the Gators. I don't know why.
28. Capital One Bowl. Nebraska vs. South Carolina: This may be good. Both team are pretty decent but far from even approaching greatness. Both are well coached and it will come down to who makes the fewest mistakes. It is a toss up and I will go with South Carolina simply because I dislike the Cornhuskers. So much for objectivity.
29. Outback Bowl. Michigan State vs Georgia: This is a good game. Both are very good teams that had a few hick ups along the way. Georgia started out slow and that hurt them. MSU may be the better team here. Hard to say. Another toss up? I think so. MSU will find a way to beat the boys from Athens.
30. Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs Oregon: Another excellent match up. Both of these teams could, on a good day, be able to hang with Bama or LSU. I think the team from the frozen tundra will find a way to win here.
31. Fiesta Bowl. Stanford vs Oklahoma State: I actually think that Oklahoma State should be in in the "big game" but wasn't asked my opinion. The Cowboy are the better team here and will win. It may not be easy though.
32. Sugar Bowl. Michigan vs Virginia Tech: Boy New Orleans will see the money flowing in this year. Last night there was a larger than usual crowd at the New Orleans Bowl and now this and then of course the big game. Wow. I wonder what the economic impact is for the city with all this going on. Now the Sugar Bowl has always been a bit like Mardi Gras. A lot of boobies will be flashed and some folk will find themselves in Central Lock Up before all is said and done. That will suck for them but it is something they can tell their grandchildren. Oh yes. The game. Michigan will win. Virginia Tech has had a good year sure but they could not find a way to handle Clemson. That says something for sure. I would go with the Wolverines.
33. Orange Bowl: WVU vs Clemson: This is a BCS game? Oh well. Such is the system. That being said it may just be a good game to watch. WVU may be somewhat the better team but we will see. I go with WVU to win a close one.
34. Cotton Bowl: KSU vs Arkansas: An excellent match up. The Cotton really is one of the big bowls. Both of these are very very good teams but both have also had just a bit of luck to get where they are. This is a toss up but I think that the Hogs will have a hard time stopping the boring, but effective, offense of the Wildcats. Go with KSU in a very close game.
35. BBVA Compass Bowl. SMU vs Pitt: Well that P.O.S. Graham had done to the Panthers what he is known for doing. Winning with the prior coaches' players and then scooting. Oh well. This might yet be a good game. SMU is building and Pitt is in dissaray now. I go with the Mustangs to take advantage of that and edge the Panthers in a close one.
36. Go Daddy Bowl: Arkansas State vs Northern Illinois: A good game most likely. ASU coach has run off to Mississippi for some reason and that may hurt the Indians, err Red Wolves, somewhat. NIU is the better team and will win this one is a close one.
37. IAA (FCS) Championship Game: North Dakota State vs Sam Houston State: This will be a good game. I have watched both teams this year and have concluded that either would be able to compete in Division I this year. I think, after watching ND State yesterday, that they may be marginally the better team. I will go with the Bison to edge the Bearkats. The FCS (IAA), along with D2 and D3 do it the right way.
38. BCS "National Championship" Game: LSU vs Alabama: We have been here before. Hopefully there will be a bit more offense this time. LSU is the better team but will they be able to win? We will see. I go with another very close game that the Tigers will pull out of the hat.
It has been an interesting season for sure. The PSU thing has been a distraction and again the BCS system has caused further damage. It is best to just focus on the games instead of the nonsense.
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