Bowl Bash

Bowl season is one of the things that makes college football unique. The experience of relaxing with a televised game nearly every day for two straight weeks is a fan’s dream. That being said, there are way too many bowls and way too many undeserving teams that get to continue their mediocre seasons for another meaningless contest. Of course, bowl games bring in money and attention, so schools are all for them. But even a lover of the game like me can't watch every game. It's not worth the time commitment when several matchups turn out to be ugly/boring - just ask any non-Pittsburgh or Oregon State fan what they thought of last year's 3-0 Sun Bowl thriller. I'll try to give the best guide possible as to which games are worth seeing and why (All times are Pacific). The names of some of the games are odd because of their sponsors, so I'll give my thoughts on them too.

Skip it

St. Petersburg Bowl
Central Florida vs. Rutgers
Dec. 18, 5:00 p.m.

It's a matchup of a powerful run game (Rutgers) vs. a dominant run defense (UCF). Other than that, there's not a lot of intrigue here. Rutgers played a Charmin-soft schedule and still had an average year. Defense usually beats offense, so I'll take UCF in an... upset?

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Southern Miss vs. Middle Tennessee
Dec. 20, 5:30 p.m.

See what I mean about those names? Believe me, it gets worse. Anyway, here we have a couple of so-so mid-majors, with the biggest accomplishments between them a win over Maryland (Blue Raiders) and a pair of close losses to Houston and East Carolina (Golden Eagles). Southern Miss played in a better conference and should win.

Little Caesars Bowl
Marshall vs. Ohio
Dec. 26, 10:00 a.m.

This is why sponsors shouldn't be allowed to put their names on bowl games. Notre Dame turned down the "opportunity" to play in this game because it would have been too humiliating. As for the teams actually playing, Marshall is a .500 Conference USA squad and Ohio is the MAC runner-up. From the little I've seen of Ohio, I'd say they're better. Take the Bobcats.

Emerald Bowl
Boston College vs. USC
Dec. 26, 5:00 p.m.

Not even worth a glance, you say? Shocking as it may seem, there's nothing compelling about this matchup of mid-tier teams from the ACC and Pac-10. The Trojans are far more talented, but that's been true for most opponents USC has faced this season. If they show up, they should crush the Eagles, but it's fair to wonder how they'll react at being in such a bad bowl. I'll put my faith in the Trojans once more - a win would set them on the right track for next year.

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl
Texas A&M vs. Georgia
Dec. 28, 2:00 p.m.

Are you kidding me? What was wrong with the plain old Independence Bowl? I know it's all about exposure and the company sponsors the game, but this is just ridiculous. Texas A&M and Georgia were both mediocre this year, the Bulldogs surprisingly so, the Aggies not so much. I'll take Georgia, but that's not exactly a vote of confidence. They were one of the nation's most overrated teams this year.

Insight Bowl
Minnesota vs. Iowa State
Dec. 31, 3:00 p.m.

Quite frankly, neither of these teams deserves to be playing on New Year's Eve day. They both went 6-6 in average conferences. Seriously, how did these guys manage this? There really isn't a single compelling reason to turn on this game. The Golden Gophers will win, but no one's going to be watching.

Outback Bowl
Northwestern vs. Auburn
Jan. 1, 8:00 a.m.

This is the biggest problem with the current bowl system: it awards mediocre teams like these two with a January bowl game even though neither beat anyone good. How does 8-4 Northwestern get to play on New Year's Day, let alone 7-5 Auburn? January first used to be a special day for college football, reserved for the Rose, Cotton and Orange Bowls. I picked Northwestern, but don't give these teams the respect of devoting any of your time to them. Especially at eight in the morning.

International Bowl
South Florida vs. Northern Illinois
Jan. 2, 9:00 a.m.

Again, here's the problem with having too many bowls. Instead of a good game on the second, we get a couple of 7-5 teams that no one wants to see. Come on. There used to be a BCS bowl right after New Year's Day, now we get this. South Florida should have no trouble putting away the Huskies, but once again, why bother watching?

Papajohns.com Bowl
South Carolina vs. Connecticut
Jan. 2, 11:00 a.m.

The trend continues with a pair of average teams that shouldn't be playing past December. The Gamecocks and Huskies are so irrelevant it's tough to put it into words. I personally watched about a dozen games involving these teams this season and still can't think of a single reason to watch this one. Bad offenses and average defenses should combine to give us an all-time snoozer. I'll take the Gamecocks, at least they have the Ol' Ball Coach to keep things interesting.

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Arkansas vs. East Carolina
Jan. 2, 2:30 p.m.

I tried to think of a reason to watch this game, but even my love for ECU QB Patrick Pinkney's game isn't enough. There's nothing here - no signature players, coaches, playing styles, anything. The Pirates are the Conference USA champs and they beat Houston, which I was pretty impressed with. I think they beat the Razorbacks, another nondescript SEC team (there have been a lot of them this season).

Valero Alamo Bowl
Michigan State vs. Texas Tech
Jan. 2, 6:00 p.m.

Really? This is the primetime game on January second? Quite possibly the worst day of bowl games ever comes to a close with the battle between the Spartans and Red Raiders. However, I'm fairly sure this battle will be one-sided and consist largely of Texas Tech lobbing the ball downfield for touchdowns over and over.

Keep one eye open

New Mexico Bowl
Fresno State vs. Wyoming
Dec. 19, 1:30 p.m.

Fresno has been a better team this season. I expect them to win handily, but Bulldogs RB Ryan Matthews just might be worth your time. He’s incredible. I'll be shocked if he doesn't go for around 150 yards and multiple touchdowns.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Utah vs. California
Dec. 23, 5:00 p.m.

Two teams that underachieved this year. Both the Utes and Golden Bears had high hopes early but got pushed around by the better squads they played. This contest gets downgraded because Cal's RB Jahvid Best is out. The guy's going to an NFL star, provided he recovers from that nasty concussion he had this season. I saw both teams play and thought Utah was better, so I'll go with the Utes. By the way, the full title of this bowl is seven words long. Ugh.

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Nevada vs. SMU
Dec. 24, 5:00 p.m.

This game is definitely worth at least a couple looks. You get the unique run-heavy Pistol offense of Nevada and the most pass-happy offense in the nation in SMU's Run and Shoot. At the very least, there should be a lost of points scored. I like the Wolf Pack to beat the Mustangs in a shootout.

Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl
Kentucky vs. Clemson
Dec. 27, 5:30 p.m.

Let's face it - Clemson is way better than Kentucky. The Tigers could suffer a letdown after coming up just short of the Orange Bowl, but I can't see that happening. Watch this game for C.J. Spiller and nothing else; it's the last time his number 28 will be worn at Clemson. Tigers over Wildcats by a comfortable margin. And yes, that is the real name of this game.

EagleBank Bowl
UCLA vs. Temple
Dec. 29, 1:30 p.m.

I guess EagleBank is acceptable. At least it sounds like a bowl. This contest is entirely skip-able but for the fact that it's Temple's first bowl in 30 years and just their third ever. As I mentioned earlier in the season, the Owls have been very, very bad for about a century. Their joy at playing in a postseason game should be fun to see. That being said, UCLA will win the game.

Roady's Humanitarian Bowl
Bowling Green vs. Idaho
Dec. 30, 1:30 p.m.

There are two reasons to watch this game - the fact that Idaho is in a bowl game, and Falcons all-world WR Freddie Barnes. Otherwise, it's not very compelling. I think the Vandals will be energized by playing (roughly) at home, but Bowling Green is probably a better team.

Texas Bowl
Navy vs. Missouri
Dec. 31, 12:30 p.m.

Navy's triple option (think Georgia Tech) is always fun to watch, but other than that this matchup isn't too exciting. Missouri was equally good and bad at different times this year and managed only eight wins despite playing in the awful Big 12 North. I'll go with the more consistent, run-oriented team in Navy.

Chick-fil-A Bowl
Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee
Dec. 31, 4:30 p.m.

Let us shed a tear now for the demise of the Peach Bowl, which had its name officially usurped a few seasons ago by Chick-fil-A. Still, there are worse sponsors. At least here you get those cow commercials. Tennessee didn't exactly earn a December 31st bowl game with their 7-5 record, but it's worth noting that the SEC has performed very well against the ACC of late. Virginia Tech is a stronger team and I'll pick them to win, but they'd better ready.

AT&T Cotton Bowl
Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss
Jan. 2, 11:00 a.m.

Two very disappointing teams here. Both squads were touted as darkhouse national championship contenders before the year and both fell flat on their faces early. This game has a very Penn State-LSU feel to it. I like Ole Miss in this game. Last year the Rebels upset a lauded Big 12 team (Texas Tech) in this game and I think they do it again. The Big 12 has looked very weak at times this season and I doubt Okie State is ready for this kind of opponent.

Worth watching

MAACO Bowl Las Vegas
Oregon State vs. BYU
Dec. 22, 5 p.m.

What happened to the regular Vegas Bowl? This name makes zero sense. This is the first really (potentially) good game on the bowl schedule. OSU almost went to the Rose Bowl and BYU has been uber-consistent the past several years. The Pac-10 could also use this win because of how badly its been beaten by the Mountain West the last two years. I say Oregon State's offensive firepower will be too much for the Cougars, but I don't expect the Beaver's defense to shut down BYU completely, either.

Meineke Car Care Bowl
Pittsburgh vs. North Carolina
Dec. 26, 1:30 p.m.

Another ridiculously named bowl, but this one has some real promise. Pitt was agonizingly close to winning the Big East and North Carolina has experienced a revival of late. The Big East's cred could take another hit if the Panthers were to lose, which is unfair because UNC is pretty good. I'll take Pitt in a close game - the improvement of QB Bill Stull has really surprised me this year, and I think he made the difference between a 7-5 and a 9-3 season.

Champs Sports Bowl
Miami (FL) vs. Wisconsin
Dec. 29, 5:00 p.m.

Miami had an emotional rollercoaster of a season while Wisconsin had a typical nondescript year. The 'Canes beat Oklahoma and Georgia Tech, only to lose to Virginia Tech and North Carolina. The Badgers, on the other hand, played practically no one and lost to Big 10 heavyweights Iowa and Ohio State. It's a matchup of two traditional powers, which is always worth seeing, but Miami should win this game.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
Houston vs. Air Force
Dec. 31, 9:00 a.m.

This game is worth getting up for. There are only a handful of players that should cause you to stop what you're doing and just watch; Cougars QB Case Keenum is one of them. He runs Houston's spread to perfection. Air Force is actually decent, but I don't see how they win this contest.

Brut Sun Bowl
Oklahoma vs. Stanford
Dec. 31, 11:00 a.m.

This is a good matchup, but it's lost a little of its flair because of the Sooners' five losses and the fact that Cardinal QB Andrew Luck might not play. It's still a solid game, pitting Stanford RB Toby Gerhart against the OU front seven and Oklahoma WR Ryan Broyles against Stanford's secondary. I see Stanford winning, but it should be a back-and-forth battle.

GMAC Bowl
Central Michigan vs. Troy
Jan. 6, 4:00 p.m.

You may scoff, but this could turn out to be a really good game. The Chippewas and Trojans won their respective conferences and combined for 20 wins this year. Not bad at all. If that wasn't enough, it's also CMU QB Dan LeFevour's last game. Now's the time to see him if you haven't done so already. Central Michigan wins, but I'm expecting a great contest.

Must-see

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
Arizona vs. Nebraska
Dec. 30, 5:00 p.m.

The earliest must-watch bowl matches two overachieving squads that nearly won their leagues. It's a classic collision of powerful offense vs. great defense, but there's one word that explains why everyone has to see this game, and it's spelled S-U-H. He didn't win the Heisman, so the least you can do is give it up for the best player in college football in his last game.

Konica Minolta Gator Bowl
West Virginia vs. Florida State
Jan. 1, 10:00 a.m.

Although neither of these teams deserves to be playing on the first, there are some moments - and individuals - in sports that require a little leeway. This is one of those moments and one of those individuals. The end of the Bobby Bowden era is an enormous event for college football and everyone should watch. There simply aren't words to describe the impact the man has had on the game. I think West Virginia is a far better team, but I'm hoping the Seminoles will dig deep to pull out this last game for their head coach.

Capital One Bowl
Penn State vs. LSU
Jan. 1, 10:00 a.m.

It's the all-overrated bowl! Now we'll finally get to see which one of these squads was truly the most overhyped in the preseason. Both the Tigers and Nittany Lions lost to every good team they played and didn't beat a single ranked opponent, but they've found themselves back in the top 15 at year's end. I think Penn State was more overrated, so I'll have to go with LSU.

Rose Bowl
Ohio State vs. Oregon
Jan. 1, 1:30 p.m.

The one thing I would miss if FBS football adopted a playoff system is this game. The Granddaddy of Them All was the first postseason game; it always has been and always will be the greatest. The contest is just special, as seen by the fact that the bowl's organization has refused to sully its title by allowing a sponsor to slap its name on the game. Ohio State has a very good defense, but I don't think they'll be able to handle Oregon's offense. The Ducks win.

Allstate Sugar Bowl
Florida vs. Cincinnati
Jan. 1, 5:30 p.m.

Tim Tebow's final game. Let that sink in for a moment. Although everyone outside of Gainesville will rejoice that they no longer have to hear about Tebow anymore, the truth is that he's had a fine career and will go down as one of the sport's best players. In this game, I'm looking to see if the Bearcats can match up at all with the Gators. I would have picked Florida before Brian Kelly abandoned ship for Notre Dame; now I'm wondering if it will be close at all. Florida wins it, and I'll go out on a limb and say big.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Boise State vs. TCU
Jan. 4, 5:00 p.m.

My initial fury at this matchup of two mid-majors aside, I think this will be a great game. When the teams met last year the Horned Frogs were able to keep the Broncos in check and do what no other team has done in their last 25 games: beat them. BSU could face some backlash if they fail to win this game, as many people are skeptical of their credentials. They'll play it close, but TCU will come out on top again.

FedEx Orange Bowl
Iowa vs. Georgia Tech
Jan. 5, 5:00 p.m.

When I stopped dancing with glee at Georgia Tech's BCS bowl berth, I realized that this matchup is tougher than it appears at first glance. Iowa faded down the stretch, but they can move the ball a little better than most Big 10 teams and the Yellow Jacket defense is pretty bad. With a lot of time off, the Hawkeyes will be able to scheme to stop the tricky flexbone. Can the Ramblin' Wreck adjust and keep on rolling? I say yes.

BCS National Championship
Texas vs. Alabama
Jan. 7, 5:00 p.m.

You shouldn't need a reason to watch this one. But there are a lot of them. There’s Longhorns QB Colt McCoy, the winningest player ever at his position in college football. There’s the SEC dominance subplot. Will Texas (and the Big 12) get exposed? I'm personally very interested to see if there really is a Heisman curse. Of the nine winners this decade, only two (QB's Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart of USC) have won their bowl games. If Alabama loses, there might really be a curse, because Alabama has proven to be the much better team thus far. That's why I'm picking Tide to win the title.