This Week in College Football 12/26 - 12/31

[Bored 0]

With the additon of the BCS Championship game this year thus adding two teams to the BCS it has caused a ripple effect on the rest of the bowls in terms of the quality of teams they get. This year the Holiday Bowl is the only pre-January 1st bowl game with two BCS Top 25 teams but it's the first time since 1997 that the Holiday Bowl has not had a Top 10 team in it.

 

Fun fact about the Motor City Bowl is that Middle Tennessee actually gained a $425k higher payout by losing to Troy and thus costing themselves the Sun Belt title. The Motor City Bowl pays out $750k while the New Orleans Bowl paid out only $325k, by far the lowest bowl payday.

 

TUESDAY

Motor City Bowl: Middle Tennessee vs. Central Michigan, 7:30/4:30 PM, ESPN

 

WEDNESDAY

Emerald Bowl: Florida State vs. #25 UCLA, 8:00/5:00 PM, ESPN

 

THURSDAY

Independence Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Alabama, 4:30/1:30 PM, ESPN

Holiday Bowl: #21 Texas A&M vs. #18 California, 8:00/5:00 PM, ESPN

Texas Bowl: #16 Rutgers vs. Kansas State, 8:00/5:00 PM, NFL Network

 

FRIDAY

Music City Bowl: Clemson vs. Kentucky, 1:00 PM/10:00 AM, ESPN

Sun Bowl: #22 Oregon State vs. Missouri, 2:00 PM/11:00 AM, CBS

Liberty Bowl: Houston vs. South Carolina, 4:30/1:30 PM, ESPN

Insight Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Minnesota, 7:30/4:30 PM, NFL Network

Champs Sports Bowl: Purdue vs. Maryland, 8:00/5:00 PM, ESPN

 

SATURDAY

Meineke Car Care Bowl: #24 Boston College vs. Navy, 1:00 PM/10:00 AM, ESPN

Alamo Bowl: #19 Texas vs. Iowa, 4:30/1:30 PM, ESPN

Chick-fil-A Bowl: Georgia vs. #15 Virginia Tech, 8:00/5:00 PM, ESPN

 

SUNDAY

MPC Computers Bowl: Miami vs. Nevada, 7:30/4:30 PM, ESPN

[Guest Princess Leena]

2 Sun Belt teams getting in bowls is just not right. Especially MTSU, which was destroyed in every non-conference game (although they were against 4 Top 40 teams). The main point is that CMU will also kill them, by more than 8 points.

[iggymcfly 0]

I agree. Not because I think much of the MAC though. They're probably the worst conference in the country behind the Sun Belt at this point. However, their passing game led by Dan LeFevour is one of the best in the country. MTSU's pass defense meanwhile has been awful despite not facing a good passing team all year long. I'd expect CMU to win something like 38-20 just because of matchups.

[Bored 0]

Well we get the first all-BCS conference bowl game on Wednesday and who knows maybe the first bowl game that is still interesting going into the 4th quarter although I guess it will depend on if FSU even shows up. You have to go back to the 1986 All-American Bowl for the last time the Seminoles played in such a insignificant bowl game.

[Guest Princess Leena]

I'm loving this bowl season thus far. Drilled every game.

 

Go FSU tomorrow. It pains me to want to see them win.

[iggymcfly 0]

Wow, I hope you're betting these. 8-0 ATS is absolutely sick.

 

Why are you on Florida State though? I'm kinda worried about fading the heater because I've got UCLA and the under. The way I see it, Florida State's basically got a poor man's Pac-Ten offense. Their running game is terrible and they rely on a mediocre passing game to get all their yardage. They look just like the USC and Oregon State offenses that UCLA just shut down except worse.

 

Also, the Bruins improved a lot over the course of the year, winning their last three including two over Top 25 teams while Florida State's only win over a Top 60 team came in the first game of the season. I see Florida State getting a defensive TD, a safety, and still losing 20-12. Curious what your thoughts are here.

[Guest Princess Leena]

I was wrong on Tulsa-Utah, but didn't play that game. So, 7-1.

 

Only reason I like FSU is because they're getting 4. But, I'm taking a slight bet on the under for this one. UCLA's late season run means little after a month layoff. Their offense still does really suck. And conditions are supposed to be cold (for both these southern team's standards) and windy.

[iggymcfly 0]

I didn't mean it like they had momentum or something, just that they have a lot of young players that improved over the course of the year. I got UCLA at -3.5 and they're actually down to -3 now. Also remember, this is a virtual home game for the Bruins as there will be a ton of UCLA fans in San Francisco, and almost no one's going to make the trip from Tallahassee.

[MFer 0]

That left tackle for Central Michigan, Joe Staley, could be something special in the NFL. 6'5", 300, 4.7-40, 28 reps at 225, former TE, track star in H.S., and is still growing into his body. He's got some serious upside.

[Bored 0]

There's been more points scored in the first half than I thought would be scored in the whole game.

[AboveAverage484 0]

Here's a shock (to me at least): This game doesn't suck.

[Guest Princess Leena]

So much for that under. But, FSU did get me to 8-1. Yay.

 

Some good games today. The only game I'm confident on is KSU over Rutgers. Cal-A&M should be fun, as the Holiday Celebrate Bowl always delivers. The other game between 6-6 losers is pathetic.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Alabama pulls within three of Oklahoma State in the Independence Bowl. 17-14 late in the first half. This is the SEC's first bowl so far and it's a breath of fresh air. It'd been too long since I'd seen plays like the Alabama safety who took down a receiver judo-style. Yeah he got flagged, but THAT'S HOW WE ROLL IN THA DIRTY

 

EDIT: Hey, it's bowl season. I can be a conference homer all I want now that the matchups have been determined.

[Guest Princess Leena]

OSU by 10 now. Doin' it for the Big 12.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Alabama's having a downright crazy comeback. Oklahoma State is simply collapsing as the game goes on. 31-31 in the fourth.

[Art Sandusky 0]

And Oklahoma State wins with a field goal at :13 remaining, 34-31.

 

Lee Corso's 2006 BCS Championship team is up against Texas A&M now. Time to sit back and enjoy the annual crazy ass shootout.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

You don't fuck with A&M in San Diego. They have a pretty good track record in the Holiday Bowl IIRC.

Edit: Track record meaning, of course, one game. But it was a good one *remembers the real Wrecking Crew nearly breaking Ty Detmer in half*

 

And man, I don't like the players talking about the lineups. I'm sure they think it's cute and all but it makes me wonder how they all didn't have to go Prop. 48 if these are the best the teams have got.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Hey, for a lot of these lesser bowl teams this is their only national exposure. Since bowls are just exhibition games anyway, let 'em get some face time and make their momma happy.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Rutgers leads 17-10 lead over Kansas State with seconds left until halftime in the Texas Bowl, which is on NFL Network.

[Guest Smues]

Cal's uniforms are hurting my eyes. But the game has been good. 14-10 Cal in the 3rd.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Eh, Aggie defense is starting to get a bit tired I think. Going to need a nice long drive, but the offense hasn't done much this half. Starting to look kinda bad.

 

But hey, on the other hand, if you took A&M's basketball team and gave 73 points today against Grambling you still won.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Under 6 minutes to go til Rutgers' first bowl victory in school history in only their third try. The game quickly reached blowout proportions at 37-10.

[AboveAverage484 0]

As usual, I'm sucking at picking college sports. 7-5 for bowls so far.

[Guest Princess Leena]

I'm amazed how bad KSU was in that game. Oh well.

 

I'm big on Kentucky and the Cocks today. And I'm the farthest from being an SEC homer.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Good game over in the Music City Bowl with Clemson and Kentucky playing close. Jad Dean's also have a monumentally bad game kicking, having missed two short field goals and an extra point already. So much for "I'm done with kicking," Tommy Bowden.

[Urban Warfare 0]

Well, at least the Gators don't have the worst kicking game in the NCAA anymore.

 

Edit: Yet ANOTHER turnover. Insane.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Clemson's special teams are fucking up beyond my expectations. Keep it up.

[Bored 0]

Oh fuck this they are interrupting the Sun Bowl for Gerald Ford funeral coverage. Been a good game so far. With 32 bowl games now I wish they would group together multiple games more often as I miss channel flipping between college football games.

[cabbageboy 0]

Count me as surprised (pleasantly) that UK actually showed up today and won against Clemson. I figured Clemson wasn't a great team, but probably a decent ACC team. And to be honest UK hasn't really beaten anyone decent all year, possible exception of UGA.

 

I have to admit, if UK keeps improving I might be a bit worried next season with U of L having to go on the road to Lexington. In fact UK might be the 2nd toughest game for U of L next season, behind just the road trip to WVU.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Hell of a game going on in El Paso. Missouri blows a 14 point lead in the second half of the fourth quarter. Come on Oregon State, I've won my differing picks so far in Bored's contest, don't fail me!

 

OH GOD WHY ARE THEY GOING FOR TWO JUST TIE IT

 

Holy shit! Nevermind, they got it!

 

The Sun Bowl must have the most picturesque setting of any bowl. I love the stadium carving into the mountains.

 

This Houston quarterback is incredible.