It's taken 24 days, but we're finally here. The BCS National Championship plays out tonight after weeks of anticipation and many good and not so good bowl games. Tonight's game features two teams with a combined record of 25-0. The winner will join TCU as the only undefeated college football teams in the country. Unfortunately for TCU, they'll be left off the trophy, but could be named as co-champions in other end of season awards (not likely though). Either way, the debate will rage on at the conclusion of the game. But for now, we'll concentrate on the Ducks and Tigers. If this game were played with actual animals, it would be no contest. But luckily for Oregon it's not. Without further ado here's the Courtesy Wave's preview and prediction of the title game.
BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP - #1 AUBURN (13-0) vs. #2 Oregon (12-0)
7p in Glendale, AZ
Tune in for: It's the National Championship. Do you need more fodder? Unlike the past decade, this championship features 2 teams that haven't won a National Championship since 1957 (Auburn). Oregon has never won one in their entire existence which dates back to 1893. It's very similar to the situation we had with the World Series last year where the Giants hadn't won since 1954 and the Rangers never. On the field tune in to see all-world and Heisman winning Quarterback Cam Newton. A controversial player because of his connection to his father's bribery case where he offered Newton's signing in exchange for cash (allegedly). Newton is a rare once in a awhile talent who's legs are just as good as his arm. Newton has the best quarterback rating in the country at 188.2 and would be the best rushing Quarterback if not for the freak out of Michigan, Denard Robinson (who also leads the country). Still Newton's 1,409 yard is good for 13th and he doesn't have to look far to find the guy who will pass Robinson and lead college football in rushing by the end of the game. In fact, they've already met this year, at the Heisman unveiling where Newton beat out 3 other, one of them was Oregon's running back LaMichael James. At 1,682 yards, James needs only 21 yards to pass Robinson for the nation's rushing title, a nice consolation prize to the Heisman. James also needs only 1 rushing TD to tie (2 to pass) Chad Spann from Northern Illinois for the nation's rushing TD leader.
Shortest Drive: Oregon - But really, who's driving to this game? I suppose a few faithful fans that want to either avoid a hefty plane ticket or just experience a country road trip with college buddies will make the trek. It's still a 20 hour drive for Duck fans, as opposed to a 27 hour jaunt from Auburn, Alabama.
Local Connections: None. Although Auburn would have had Roszell Gayden OL, Jr. New Hope. Gayden, who was part of the All-State First team in 2007, had originally committed to play for the Gophers under Brewster. He headed to Auburn as a JUCO transfer. But is once again transferring from Auburn.
Courtesy Pick: For all that's wrong with the BCS, they did get one thing right, this will be a helluva matchup. Both teams are strong on both sides of the ball and each have their strengths. Oregon is an elite rushing team and Auburn relies heavily on Newton's arm and legs. Oregon's defense is a top 15 unit and has killer DBs in John Boyett and Cliff Harris who between the 2 of them have 10 INT's. While Auburn is strong up front led by one of the top DT's in the country in Nick Fairley, who's 10.5 sacks put him in the top 10 and 2nd among DT's. Fairley will have to play better than fairly good though against Oregon's 300 yards/game rushing offense. Oregon's WR Jeff Maehl knows how to score too, with 12 receiving TD's (11th nationally). It could come down to the special teams game too. Auburn gets the edge here with their dynamic CB and KR Demond Washington who's 5th in the country with 1,025 kick return yards. Both teams, on average, score more than 42 points per game, with Oregon #1 overall in scoring at 49.3 points, so the name of the game might be to "contain" not "stop" each others superstar offenses. They both played top 20 schedules, with Auburn's slightly more difficult at 15th (Oregon 19th). The big difference between the two schedules is the lack of a conference title game. The PAC10 doesn't have one, which gives Auburn a position of already being in a Championship game atmosphere. Since someone has to win, I'll give an edge to the boys in green. Their uniforms may be ugly, but there game is far from it. 1st national title in Eugene? We'll see.
OREGON 38-35
That'll do it for the College Football Bowl picks. Regardless of tonight's outcome, I can sleep soundly tonight knowing I came out above .500 with my current 18-16 Bowl record, and a possible new motto for the Courtesy Wave: slightly better than a coin flip.
until next time,
bsv
the courtesy wave
Showing posts with label college football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college football. Show all posts
Monday, January 10, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Going Bowling January 6th - 9th
The Courtesy Wave is down to the last 2 posts of previews and predictions. This one will cover the remaining games left except the final and most important game, the BCS National Championship which deserves to stand alone (despite my feelings on the BCS). The Orange and Sugar Bowls provided an offense blowout on one end and a close fought battle on the other. Leaving my predictions split down the middle as Ohio State bucked the Big Ten trend by actually winning a bowl game. So here we go again, at 16-14, the CW will try to stay above .500 on the college bowl season.
Thursday, January 6th
GODADDY.COM BOWL - Miami (OH) (9-4) vs. Middle Tennessee (6-6) 7p in Mobile
Tune in for: The commercials. You know what I'm talking about. Most people only know GoDaddy.com because they're commercials feature scantily clad women pitching...ok I already lost you. Check out Miami's WR Armand Robinson. His 90 receptions place him 10th in the nation and along with MTSU's QB Dwight Dasher (who's having a horrible senior season) are the 2 fringe NFL prospects in a meagerly talented game.
Shortest Drive: Middle Tennessee - An 8 hour drive separates Blue Raider fans from their bowl destination in Mobile. A doable and probably drive as flying probably isn't in the budget.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: On records and conference I suppose Miami stands out, but not by much. They're horrendous in the rush (96.8/game) and don't score enough points (20.5/game). They had the 107th toughest schedule in college football, but at least they have a conference championship game and ranked opponent win (same game) this year in their conquest over favored #25 Northern Illinois in the MAC title game. Middle Tennessee has to be thanking their lucky stars that they're even in a bowl game. At 6-6 and facing the 165th toughest schedule in the nation, there is no way they deserve a bowl game. 47 FCS teams finished with higher Sagarin rankings than MTSU. But the lack of other eligible teams and the Sun Belt's tie in to this game, gave the Blue Raiders an extra game. If you want to give any edge to MTSU, their biggest win came against Florida International, who did beat MAC's Toledo in the Little Caesar's Bowl. Not too mention the Sun Belt is undefeated in bowls this year with Troy beating another MAC team, Ohio, in the Little Caesar's bowl. Just can't see it happening here.
MIAMI (OH) 27-21
Friday, January 7th
COTTON BOWL - #11 LSU (10-2) vs #17 Texas A&M (9-3) 7p in Arlington, TX
Tune in for: A good ole fashioned southern brawl versus 2 storied programs, 2 top 25 defenses, and a couple 1,000 yard rushers, Stevan Ridley 1,042 (LSU) and Cyrus Gray 1,033 (TX A&M).
Shortest Drive: Texas A&M - A nice little 3.5 hour drive north from College Station will give Aggies fans a local home state advantage. LSU is not far away, but 8 hours is still more than double the drive.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: Up until their last game, the Tigers were in the discussion for the National Championship. But ultimately their hopes were dashed in the last game versus Arkansas. If LSU wants to look for support from that loss, they just need to look on the other side of the field, as the Aggies too lost to Arkansas this season. That loss was sandwiched by losses to Oklahoma State and Missouri in a 3 game losing streak that kept A&M from being a top 10 team this year. A&M won their last 6 games though, righting the ship, and beating 2 top 10 teams Oklahoma and Nebraska along the way. How LSU will respond after the long break between the tough loss to Arkansas and this game is somewhat of a mystery and harder to predict a win for them.
TEXAS A&M 32-29
Saturday, January 8th
COMPASS BOWL - Pittsburgh (7-5) vs. Kentucky (6-6) 11a in Birmingham
Tune in for: The ultimate Catfight. We will finally find out who wins in a duel between the Panthers and the Wildcats. Although each mascot is quite ambiguous, as a wild cat could literally be a cat that just roams the streets. A Panther can be ambiguous but is likely more ferocious. As far as on the field, I suppose you should check out Kentucky's QB Mike Hartline. His 3,178 yards rank 22nd. He'll have to fend off Pitt's Brandon Lindsey, who's 10 sacks were 2nd best among Big East players and 12th in the country. Kentucky also has wild-man Randall Cobb, a 3 pronged threat. Cobb who has thrown for 3 TD's, rushed for 5 TD's, and caught 7 TD's this season.
Shortest Drive: Kentucky - A 7 hour trek awaits Wildcat fans....that are dying to see their .500 team in this most prestigious of bowls.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: Pitt faced 1 ranked team this year and lost badly, to Miami (FL) 31-3. Miami went to a bowl, but finished 7-6 and nowhere near the top 25. Pitt's record isn't astonishing, but that goes for most Big East teams in a down season for the conference. The Panthers did finish out 4-2 with both losses coming against Big East 1 & 2 teams Connecticut & West Virginia. Kentucky has just a few quality wins, but they can hold something against Pitt, a win against a ranked team, and a top 10 team at the time in South Carolina. Out of their 6 losses, 5 came against bowl teams and 3 against ranked teams. Pitt actually had a tougher schedule because of the consistency of teams they faced, whereas 4 of Kentucky's wins came against Western Kentucky, Akron, Vanderbilt, and Charleston Southern. However, when it comes to conference strength, the Big East cannot hold a candle (at least this year) to the SEC.
KENTUCKY 33-26
Sunday, January 9th
FIGHT HUNGER BOWL - #15 Nevada (12-1) vs Boston College (7-5) 8p San Francisco
Tune in for: The nation's 3rd best rushing (Nevada) versus the best rushing defense (BC).
Nevada's Vaia Taua and Colin Kaepernick not only have weird names, but are one of the best 1-2 rushing combos in the country. Taua's 1,534 places him 9th, while Kaepernick's 1,184 puts him 28th. But wait, Kaepernick is Nevada's QB, who astonishly has the same number of rushing TD's as passing, 20 each. Furthermore, the game is being played in a baseball stadium, AT&T park, where the World Champion Giants play (wow that sounds odd).
Shortest Drive: Nevada - Just a 4 hour drive for the Wolfpack. A walk in the park considering the drive is shorter than the Boston College's flight.
Local Connections: Boston College - Jordan McMichael TE, Sr. Eden Prairie.
Courtesy Pick: Boston College is here because of their defense, they don't win many games by their offense, despite a 1,000 yard rusher in Montel Harris (21st in nation). A streaky team, BC won the games they we're supposed to and lost against superior competition, including a 5 game losing streak in the middle of the season to Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, NC State, Florida State, and Maryland. The Eagles finished up 5 straight wins, but against bottom ACC teams Clemson, Wake Forest, Duke, Virginia, and Syracuse. Nevada's sole loss came on the road at a place that can be distracting, Hawaii. A 6 point loss to the Warriors separates Nevada from an undefeated season so far. The Wolfpack proved their legitimacy by beating WAC juggernaut Boise State on November 26th 34-31 in OT. This game and their win against Fresno State 35-34 proved that they could win close games too. Their other 10 wins came by an average margin of 27 points.
I don't think they'll need to draw from the Boise State game in this one. It's not going to be close.
NEVADA 42-17
Well we're almost done, only the big one left to decide. Check back Sunday for the BCS National Championship Preview as Oregon takes on Auburn. Until then, take care of yourself and watch those icy steps.
bsv
the courtesy wave
Thursday, January 6th
GODADDY.COM BOWL - Miami (OH) (9-4) vs. Middle Tennessee (6-6) 7p in Mobile
Tune in for: The commercials. You know what I'm talking about. Most people only know GoDaddy.com because they're commercials feature scantily clad women pitching...ok I already lost you. Check out Miami's WR Armand Robinson. His 90 receptions place him 10th in the nation and along with MTSU's QB Dwight Dasher (who's having a horrible senior season) are the 2 fringe NFL prospects in a meagerly talented game.
Shortest Drive: Middle Tennessee - An 8 hour drive separates Blue Raider fans from their bowl destination in Mobile. A doable and probably drive as flying probably isn't in the budget.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: On records and conference I suppose Miami stands out, but not by much. They're horrendous in the rush (96.8/game) and don't score enough points (20.5/game). They had the 107th toughest schedule in college football, but at least they have a conference championship game and ranked opponent win (same game) this year in their conquest over favored #25 Northern Illinois in the MAC title game. Middle Tennessee has to be thanking their lucky stars that they're even in a bowl game. At 6-6 and facing the 165th toughest schedule in the nation, there is no way they deserve a bowl game. 47 FCS teams finished with higher Sagarin rankings than MTSU. But the lack of other eligible teams and the Sun Belt's tie in to this game, gave the Blue Raiders an extra game. If you want to give any edge to MTSU, their biggest win came against Florida International, who did beat MAC's Toledo in the Little Caesar's Bowl. Not too mention the Sun Belt is undefeated in bowls this year with Troy beating another MAC team, Ohio, in the Little Caesar's bowl. Just can't see it happening here.
MIAMI (OH) 27-21
Friday, January 7th
COTTON BOWL - #11 LSU (10-2) vs #17 Texas A&M (9-3) 7p in Arlington, TX
Tune in for: A good ole fashioned southern brawl versus 2 storied programs, 2 top 25 defenses, and a couple 1,000 yard rushers, Stevan Ridley 1,042 (LSU) and Cyrus Gray 1,033 (TX A&M).
Shortest Drive: Texas A&M - A nice little 3.5 hour drive north from College Station will give Aggies fans a local home state advantage. LSU is not far away, but 8 hours is still more than double the drive.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: Up until their last game, the Tigers were in the discussion for the National Championship. But ultimately their hopes were dashed in the last game versus Arkansas. If LSU wants to look for support from that loss, they just need to look on the other side of the field, as the Aggies too lost to Arkansas this season. That loss was sandwiched by losses to Oklahoma State and Missouri in a 3 game losing streak that kept A&M from being a top 10 team this year. A&M won their last 6 games though, righting the ship, and beating 2 top 10 teams Oklahoma and Nebraska along the way. How LSU will respond after the long break between the tough loss to Arkansas and this game is somewhat of a mystery and harder to predict a win for them.
TEXAS A&M 32-29
Saturday, January 8th
COMPASS BOWL - Pittsburgh (7-5) vs. Kentucky (6-6) 11a in Birmingham
Tune in for: The ultimate Catfight. We will finally find out who wins in a duel between the Panthers and the Wildcats. Although each mascot is quite ambiguous, as a wild cat could literally be a cat that just roams the streets. A Panther can be ambiguous but is likely more ferocious. As far as on the field, I suppose you should check out Kentucky's QB Mike Hartline. His 3,178 yards rank 22nd. He'll have to fend off Pitt's Brandon Lindsey, who's 10 sacks were 2nd best among Big East players and 12th in the country. Kentucky also has wild-man Randall Cobb, a 3 pronged threat. Cobb who has thrown for 3 TD's, rushed for 5 TD's, and caught 7 TD's this season.
Shortest Drive: Kentucky - A 7 hour trek awaits Wildcat fans....that are dying to see their .500 team in this most prestigious of bowls.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: Pitt faced 1 ranked team this year and lost badly, to Miami (FL) 31-3. Miami went to a bowl, but finished 7-6 and nowhere near the top 25. Pitt's record isn't astonishing, but that goes for most Big East teams in a down season for the conference. The Panthers did finish out 4-2 with both losses coming against Big East 1 & 2 teams Connecticut & West Virginia. Kentucky has just a few quality wins, but they can hold something against Pitt, a win against a ranked team, and a top 10 team at the time in South Carolina. Out of their 6 losses, 5 came against bowl teams and 3 against ranked teams. Pitt actually had a tougher schedule because of the consistency of teams they faced, whereas 4 of Kentucky's wins came against Western Kentucky, Akron, Vanderbilt, and Charleston Southern. However, when it comes to conference strength, the Big East cannot hold a candle (at least this year) to the SEC.
KENTUCKY 33-26
Sunday, January 9th
FIGHT HUNGER BOWL - #15 Nevada (12-1) vs Boston College (7-5) 8p San Francisco
Tune in for: The nation's 3rd best rushing (Nevada) versus the best rushing defense (BC).
Nevada's Vaia Taua and Colin Kaepernick not only have weird names, but are one of the best 1-2 rushing combos in the country. Taua's 1,534 places him 9th, while Kaepernick's 1,184 puts him 28th. But wait, Kaepernick is Nevada's QB, who astonishly has the same number of rushing TD's as passing, 20 each. Furthermore, the game is being played in a baseball stadium, AT&T park, where the World Champion Giants play (wow that sounds odd).
Shortest Drive: Nevada - Just a 4 hour drive for the Wolfpack. A walk in the park considering the drive is shorter than the Boston College's flight.
Local Connections: Boston College - Jordan McMichael TE, Sr. Eden Prairie.
Courtesy Pick: Boston College is here because of their defense, they don't win many games by their offense, despite a 1,000 yard rusher in Montel Harris (21st in nation). A streaky team, BC won the games they we're supposed to and lost against superior competition, including a 5 game losing streak in the middle of the season to Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, NC State, Florida State, and Maryland. The Eagles finished up 5 straight wins, but against bottom ACC teams Clemson, Wake Forest, Duke, Virginia, and Syracuse. Nevada's sole loss came on the road at a place that can be distracting, Hawaii. A 6 point loss to the Warriors separates Nevada from an undefeated season so far. The Wolfpack proved their legitimacy by beating WAC juggernaut Boise State on November 26th 34-31 in OT. This game and their win against Fresno State 35-34 proved that they could win close games too. Their other 10 wins came by an average margin of 27 points.
I don't think they'll need to draw from the Boise State game in this one. It's not going to be close.
NEVADA 42-17
Well we're almost done, only the big one left to decide. Check back Sunday for the BCS National Championship Preview as Oregon takes on Auburn. Until then, take care of yourself and watch those icy steps.
bsv
the courtesy wave
Monday, January 3, 2011
Going Bowling January 3rd - 4th
New Years Day was unkind to the Big Ten, but not to the Courtesy Wave! While the Big Ten went 0-5, my picks churned out a 5-1 record on the 1st day of the year. That brings my current Bowl Picks to 15-13, respectable compared to many experts at SI and ESPN. After 6 bowls on New Years Day, the next 6 bowls will be spread out over 6 days, starting tonight with another BCS Bowl. We'll slow things down too and pick apart the next 2 games here.
Monday, January 3rd
ORANGE BOWL - #4 Stanford (11-1) vs #13 Virginia Tech (11-2) 7:30p in Miami
Tune in for: An outgoing coach, Stanford's Jim Harbaugh and a lot of Luck, Andrew Luck, Stanford's QB that is. Two of the hottest names in football, Harbaugh and Luck are both likely to take their talents to the NFL, as several teams including the 49ers, Browns, and Broncos would love to have Harbaugh coach them. But so would his alma mater, Michigan. Either way, he's done at Stanford for the sole reason that he's going to earn a ton of Benjamins somewhere else next season. Andrew Luck was the runner up in the Heisman this year and is considered to be one of the 1st Quarterbacks taken in this years NFL draft. Luck has been considering staying though, and this game could have big implications on what Luck ultimately decides to do.
Shortest Drive: Virginia Tech. But the Hokies fans still have a 15 hour drive. However, with no major airports nearby, its a likely trek for many.
Local Connections: Virginia Tech - Collin Carroll LS, Jr. Hopkins. Stanford - AJ Tarpley LB, Fr. Plymouth; Conor McFadden OL, Fr. West St. Paul.
Courtesy Pick: Virginia Tech has 2 losses on the season, one to Boise State to start the year. Boise State went on to finish 12-1 and finish in the top 10. The other loss is the sour note for the Hokies, since it wasn't even to an FBS team. James Madison came into Blacksburg and shocked the world by winning. The Dukes went on to finish a measley 6-5, only making matters worse for Virginia Tech. However, the Hokies have rebounded from their opening losses, winning their remaining games and returning to a BCS bowl after nearly all hope was lost 2 weeks in. Stanford's lone loss came on the road against Oregon, who is undefeated and in the Championship game, so the Cardinal faithful can't be ashamed of really anything yet this year. With over 3,000 yards and a 70% completion percentage, Luck is as solid as they come and it'll take a solid effort to beat the resurgent Hokies.
STANFORD 30-26
Tuesday, January 4th
SUGAR BOWL - #6 Ohio State (11-1) vs. #8 Arkansas (11-2) 7:30p in New Orleans
Tune in for: Terrell Pryor (OSU) versus Ryan Mallet (ARK). These 2 gunslingers should provide enough entertainment, let alone the game itself and the fact that besides the Rose Bowl and Championship game, the Sugar Bowl is the only other bowl featuring two top 10 teams. Pryor isn't even in the top 50 in passing yards in the country, but he has 25 passing TD's (20th) and 636 yards rushing (12th among QB's). Mallett, however, has the stats to back up his prowess. His 3,592 yards are good for 11th and his 30 TD's are 7th in the country.
Shortest Drive: Arkansas. Hold on Hogs fans, just because their a border state, Arkansas' drive from Fayetteville is still 11 hours. Just 4 hours shorter than Ohio State. Not as close as one might think.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: Ohio State has to be feeling the pressure after the Big Ten collapse on New Years Day. The entire conference will be pulling for the Buckeyes to represent them with a win to save face, although the embarrassment is too large that a win won't do a whole lot. On the field, their lone loss came on the road against Rose Bowl loser Wisconsin. The Buckeyes don't have a big signature win though, holding their wins against Miami (7-6) and Iowa (8-5) as the biggest on the year. Arkansas, on the other hand, faced stiff competition all year with 8 games coming against eventual bowl teams. The Razorbacks two losses came against then #1 Alabama and Championship Game and undefeated Auburn. Gutty wins the last 2 games against ranked teams Mississippi State and LSU showed everyone that Arkansas can play with anyone. They have a tough task, going against a defense allowing the 3rd least points in the country at 13.3/game.
ARKANSAS 37-31
That's it for now. Good luck & happy viewing!
bsv
the courtesy wave
Monday, January 3rd
ORANGE BOWL - #4 Stanford (11-1) vs #13 Virginia Tech (11-2) 7:30p in Miami
Tune in for: An outgoing coach, Stanford's Jim Harbaugh and a lot of Luck, Andrew Luck, Stanford's QB that is. Two of the hottest names in football, Harbaugh and Luck are both likely to take their talents to the NFL, as several teams including the 49ers, Browns, and Broncos would love to have Harbaugh coach them. But so would his alma mater, Michigan. Either way, he's done at Stanford for the sole reason that he's going to earn a ton of Benjamins somewhere else next season. Andrew Luck was the runner up in the Heisman this year and is considered to be one of the 1st Quarterbacks taken in this years NFL draft. Luck has been considering staying though, and this game could have big implications on what Luck ultimately decides to do.
Shortest Drive: Virginia Tech. But the Hokies fans still have a 15 hour drive. However, with no major airports nearby, its a likely trek for many.
Local Connections: Virginia Tech - Collin Carroll LS, Jr. Hopkins. Stanford - AJ Tarpley LB, Fr. Plymouth; Conor McFadden OL, Fr. West St. Paul.
Courtesy Pick: Virginia Tech has 2 losses on the season, one to Boise State to start the year. Boise State went on to finish 12-1 and finish in the top 10. The other loss is the sour note for the Hokies, since it wasn't even to an FBS team. James Madison came into Blacksburg and shocked the world by winning. The Dukes went on to finish a measley 6-5, only making matters worse for Virginia Tech. However, the Hokies have rebounded from their opening losses, winning their remaining games and returning to a BCS bowl after nearly all hope was lost 2 weeks in. Stanford's lone loss came on the road against Oregon, who is undefeated and in the Championship game, so the Cardinal faithful can't be ashamed of really anything yet this year. With over 3,000 yards and a 70% completion percentage, Luck is as solid as they come and it'll take a solid effort to beat the resurgent Hokies.
STANFORD 30-26
Tuesday, January 4th
SUGAR BOWL - #6 Ohio State (11-1) vs. #8 Arkansas (11-2) 7:30p in New Orleans
Tune in for: Terrell Pryor (OSU) versus Ryan Mallet (ARK). These 2 gunslingers should provide enough entertainment, let alone the game itself and the fact that besides the Rose Bowl and Championship game, the Sugar Bowl is the only other bowl featuring two top 10 teams. Pryor isn't even in the top 50 in passing yards in the country, but he has 25 passing TD's (20th) and 636 yards rushing (12th among QB's). Mallett, however, has the stats to back up his prowess. His 3,592 yards are good for 11th and his 30 TD's are 7th in the country.
Shortest Drive: Arkansas. Hold on Hogs fans, just because their a border state, Arkansas' drive from Fayetteville is still 11 hours. Just 4 hours shorter than Ohio State. Not as close as one might think.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: Ohio State has to be feeling the pressure after the Big Ten collapse on New Years Day. The entire conference will be pulling for the Buckeyes to represent them with a win to save face, although the embarrassment is too large that a win won't do a whole lot. On the field, their lone loss came on the road against Rose Bowl loser Wisconsin. The Buckeyes don't have a big signature win though, holding their wins against Miami (7-6) and Iowa (8-5) as the biggest on the year. Arkansas, on the other hand, faced stiff competition all year with 8 games coming against eventual bowl teams. The Razorbacks two losses came against then #1 Alabama and Championship Game and undefeated Auburn. Gutty wins the last 2 games against ranked teams Mississippi State and LSU showed everyone that Arkansas can play with anyone. They have a tough task, going against a defense allowing the 3rd least points in the country at 13.3/game.
ARKANSAS 37-31
That's it for now. Good luck & happy viewing!
bsv
the courtesy wave
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Going Bowling December 30th - 31st
Took a hit from the last predictions. This thing is anything but easy, you can sift through every statistic and piece of insider info you want, but sometimes a coin flip is just as effective. As it stands through 14 games, the Courtesy Wave is 7-7. Which is better than a lot of experts at SI and ESPN. Below are the next 8 bowl games for today and tomorrow, sit back and enjoy as the days are now filled with college football.
Thursday, December 30th
ARMED FORCES BOWL - Southern Methodist (7-6) vs Army (6-6) 11a in Dallas
Tune in for: Army in a bowl game for the first time in 14 years. Taking a break from Iraq & Afghanistan for a little gridiron action. Also check out the Mustangs 1,000 yard combo WR's Aldrick Robinson (8th) and Cole Beasley (23rd), as well as running back Zach Line and his 1,391 yards (11th), and not to mention Kyle Padron's 3,500 passing yards (11th). This Mustang offense is primed to score.
Shortest Drive: SMU - Located in Dallas in normally would be a short drive anyways, but since TCU (the host stadium) is renovated their park, SMU will host the Armed Forces Bowl this year and the next. Meaning its a home game for the Mustangs. Which doesn't immediately mean game over (see Hawaii), but is none-the-less a HUGE advantage for SMU.
Local Connections: Army - Robert Speidel CB, So. out of Saint Paul.
Courtesy Pick: Army does one thing really good, run the ball, fitting for our country's ground defense arm. At 256 yards/game that's good for 10th in the country. That's about all the good things I can say about Army football. They are dead last in passing at just 82 yards a game. They have beaten no one of significance, with their "best" victory on the road against Kent State (5-7). SMU can't shake its stick much more than Army, but they do hold 2 wins against bowl teams Tulsa & East Carolina. Playing at home with that offense, it'll be a tough day for our nation's defender's on the ground.
SOUTHERN METHODIST 27-14
PINSTRIPE BOWL - Syracuse (7-5) vs Kansas State (7-5) 2:20p in New York City
Tune in for: Football at Yankee Stadium. It's been done before, but worth checking out, if not for the novelty, than for 2 top tier backs in Kansas State's Daniel Thomas, 1,495 yards (10th) and Syracuse's Delone Carter, 1,035 yards (37th).
Shortest Drive: Syracuse. Now K-State is located in Manhattan, but not the big Apple one. Too bad, they would just have a short cab ride north. The Orange will take a 4 hour bus ride south to the Bronx and hope to enjoy a little home state cookin.
Local Connections: Kansas State - Ben Kall FB, So. out of Rochester.
Courtesy Pick: For the Wildcats, aside from a win over C-USA's UCF (10-3), Kansas State has no other wins of note, finishing 2-4 including a squeaker of a win against lowly North Texas (49-41). Syracuse can't say much more finishing 1-3, with a close win against a bad Rutgers team. Kansas State had a much tougher schedule, but one thing Syracuse did well was win on the road, never an easy task, going 5-1 away from Syracuse.
SYRACUSE 21-17
MUSIC CITY BOWL - North Carolina (7-5) vs Tennessee (6-6) 5:40p in Nashville
Tune in for: The game that should've been played earlier this season, but Tennessee paid North Carolina NOT to play them. Also tune in to catch two teams that not only border each other's states, but also carry pastel uniform colors orange and powder blue.
Shortest Drive: Tennessee - Vols fans will have a short 3 hour trip west on I-40. UNC will be coming via I-40 as well, but at 8 hours, more than double Tennessee's bus ride.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: Tennessee was 2-6 on November 5th, all but out of any bowl game before finishing with a 4 game win streak. A nice effort, but only 1 of those wins came against a bowl team and that was at home vs Kentucky (6-6). North Carolina won't have the home state advantage, but 4 of their 7 wins came on the road, including at a 24th ranked Florida State on November 6th.
NORTH CAROLINA 27-24
HOLIDAY BOWL - #18 Nebraska (10-3) vs Washington (6-6) 9p in San Diego
Tune in for: Huskies vs Huskers....A potential beatdown or an inspired revenge game. This is the 2nd meeting between the 2 teams this year. The first game, at Washington September 18th turned into a Huskie nightmare losing 56-21. Also try to keep your eyes on Nebraska's QB/RB rushing tandem of Roy Helu Jr. and Taylor Martinez who are averaging 6.8 and 6.4 yards per attempt respectively.
Shortest Drive: Washington, but consider the ozone first. If you're looking to travel by car, it'll be a 21 hour jaunt from Seattle. Slightly better than the 24 hour endeavor from Lincoln, NE.
Local Connections: Nebraska - Tobi Okuyemi DE, FR out of Maple Grove.
Courtesy Pick: You might be wondering how a 6-6 team gets matched up with a 10-3 foe. But if you look at Washington's schedule you'll see why. The Huskies played the 2nd toughest schedule in the country this year, their 6 losses coming to teams combined with a 53-21 record including top 5 teams Stanford & Oregon. But Nebraska is a formidable foe. Nebraska's 3 losses come via Texas, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma, all by 7 points or less. A top 10 rushing offense and top 10 overall defense should provide enough to get past the Huskies twice this year.
NEBRASKA 32-22
Friday, December 31st
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL - South Florida (7-5) vs Clemson (6-6) 11a in Charlotte
Tune in for: The best pass rusher in the nation, Clemson DE Da'Quan Bowers, who leads the nation is sacks with 15.5 and is naturally tops in yards lossed with -112. Bowers leads a top 10 defense which is why Clemson stays in games since they have nothing to write home about on their offense.
Shortest Drive: Clemson. Just a quick 2 hour drive to Charlotte for Tigers fans, should give an edge, that is, unless 6-6 doesn't warrant a road trip.
Local Connections: Clemson - Bryce McNeal FR, WR out of Breck in Minneapolis. McNeal has played in 11 games and is used sparingly as a wideout, with 19 receptions, he's 6th on the team.
Courtesy Pick: Clemson is marred by inconsistency. They played a tough schedule and we're not able to pull out the big win they desperately needed. A win against then #25 NC State at home 14-13 on Nov. 6th was the biggest of the season. Needless to say, their defense only carries them so far. The Bulls of South Florida have played a little more consistently, that is to say that they've played close games and won a few too finishing 4-2 on the season. However, they have no wins against top 25 teams and their signature victories come over 7 win teams, Louisville & Miami. The Bulls lack a big offensive weapon, which should play into Bowers and the Tigers hands.
CLEMSON 24-23
SUN BOWL - Notre Dame (7-5) vs Miami (7-5) 1p in El Paso
Tune in for: Historical matchup of the Bowl season. These programs are two of the most decorated in all of college football. Combined these teams hold 30 National Championships (consensus and retroactive). Nostalgia aside, these two teams represent the underachieving division. Loads of talent garnered by the name on the jersey, but lack of direction and leadership keep these teams from higher glory.
Shortest Drive: Notre Dame. But neither team will be taking the bus. In fact, this is the only bowl game where both teams have more than a 24 hour trip by car. Notre Dame comes in at 26, Miami at 31. Might want to check flights first. I wouldn't leave Miami for El Paso, but Indiana in the winter could use an El Paso break (just don't cross over the border).
Local Connections: These teams have taken 2 of the best players to come out of Minnesota High School Football. Notre Dame - Michael Floyd WR, Jr Cretin Derham Hall. Floyd spurned the Gophers and headed to South Bend, where he's become the next Larry Fitzgerald, an NFL star in waiting. His numbers aren't staggering, but his size and athletic ability have scouts drooling, enough so that he's considering skipping his senior season for the cash. Miami - Seantrel Henderson. Not only was Henderson the MN player of the year in 2009, he was the USA Today player of the year and consensus #1 player in the nation. He's been compared to as a combination of Jonathon Ogden and Orland Pace. I can see why the Gophers couldn't get him.
Courtesy Pick: Of the Hurricanes 5 losses, 4 came to bowl teams, including Ohio State, Florida State, and Virginia Tech. They also have a 4-2 record away from home. The Fighting Irish have won 3 in a row to salvage a lost season, all against teams with .500 or better records (Utah, Army, & USC). The Hurricanes are also in the middle of a coaching change, whereas Notre Dame might be figuring things out.
NOTRE DAME 27-21
LIBERTY BOWL - #25 Central Florida (10-3) vs Georgia (6-6) 2:30p in Memphis
Tune in for: A battle. Take the records out of the picture, Georgia's strength of schedule this year was 35th, compared to UCF's 108th. Switch schedules and Georgia could easily be 10-3 or better. But here they are and they'll make the best of it. The Bulldogs are in a bowl game, but if they lose it'll be the first time in 14 years that Georgia would have a losing record. Also take note on Jeffrey Godfrey, UCF's QB who can run it in just as much as pass it. Godfrey has at least 2 touchdowns a game rushing or passing in 6 of the last 7.
Shortest Drive: Georgia. A 7 hour trip west is much more doable than the 14 hour jaunt from Orlando.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: A quick glance at UCF's schedule and its easy to see one thing, nothing. They have no wins of note, and have only 1 win on the season versus a team with a winning record and that's 7-6 Southern Methodist (who could lose and finish at .500). Georgia, however, has finished the season nicely after starting 1-4. Their 2 losses in the last 5, an OT loss to Florida at a neutral site and a loss on the road against National Championship contender Auburn. Put the records aside, and look at the guts, it's not always a cut and dry story.
GEORGIA 34-27
CHICK-FIL-A BOWL - #20 South Carolina (9-4) vs #23 Florida State (9-4)
6:30p Atlanta
Tune in for: Steve Spurrier taking on Florida State in a flashback to his Florida days. Spurrier has super wideout Alshon Jeffrey and his 1,387 yards at his disposal too (good for 4th in the nation). Not to mention Marcus Lattimore's 1,198 yards rushing (22nd). A good old fashioned southern brawl is worth tuning in for regardless.
Shortest Drive: South Carolina. Slight edge to the gamecocks who have a 4 hour trip, just a 1 hour difference from Florida State's 5 hour ride.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: South Carolina is one of the few teams ever to face two #1 ranked teams in the same season. Beating Alabama on Oct. 9th 35-21 and getting crushed by Auburn 56-17 in their last game (Dec. 4th). The Gamecocks have had a tough schedule and rose to the occasion several times, picking up 7 of their 9 wins against bowl teams. Florida State is hoping the 3rd time's a charm in beating a Carolina team. The Seminoles lost consecutive games to North Carolina and North Carolina State before picking up 3 wins (all against bowl teams) in their last 4. This figures to be a battle and a tough call to make.
SOUTH CAROLINA 32-31
Thursday, December 30th
ARMED FORCES BOWL - Southern Methodist (7-6) vs Army (6-6) 11a in Dallas
Tune in for: Army in a bowl game for the first time in 14 years. Taking a break from Iraq & Afghanistan for a little gridiron action. Also check out the Mustangs 1,000 yard combo WR's Aldrick Robinson (8th) and Cole Beasley (23rd), as well as running back Zach Line and his 1,391 yards (11th), and not to mention Kyle Padron's 3,500 passing yards (11th). This Mustang offense is primed to score.
Shortest Drive: SMU - Located in Dallas in normally would be a short drive anyways, but since TCU (the host stadium) is renovated their park, SMU will host the Armed Forces Bowl this year and the next. Meaning its a home game for the Mustangs. Which doesn't immediately mean game over (see Hawaii), but is none-the-less a HUGE advantage for SMU.
Local Connections: Army - Robert Speidel CB, So. out of Saint Paul.
Courtesy Pick: Army does one thing really good, run the ball, fitting for our country's ground defense arm. At 256 yards/game that's good for 10th in the country. That's about all the good things I can say about Army football. They are dead last in passing at just 82 yards a game. They have beaten no one of significance, with their "best" victory on the road against Kent State (5-7). SMU can't shake its stick much more than Army, but they do hold 2 wins against bowl teams Tulsa & East Carolina. Playing at home with that offense, it'll be a tough day for our nation's defender's on the ground.
SOUTHERN METHODIST 27-14
PINSTRIPE BOWL - Syracuse (7-5) vs Kansas State (7-5) 2:20p in New York City
Tune in for: Football at Yankee Stadium. It's been done before, but worth checking out, if not for the novelty, than for 2 top tier backs in Kansas State's Daniel Thomas, 1,495 yards (10th) and Syracuse's Delone Carter, 1,035 yards (37th).
Shortest Drive: Syracuse. Now K-State is located in Manhattan, but not the big Apple one. Too bad, they would just have a short cab ride north. The Orange will take a 4 hour bus ride south to the Bronx and hope to enjoy a little home state cookin.
Local Connections: Kansas State - Ben Kall FB, So. out of Rochester.
Courtesy Pick: For the Wildcats, aside from a win over C-USA's UCF (10-3), Kansas State has no other wins of note, finishing 2-4 including a squeaker of a win against lowly North Texas (49-41). Syracuse can't say much more finishing 1-3, with a close win against a bad Rutgers team. Kansas State had a much tougher schedule, but one thing Syracuse did well was win on the road, never an easy task, going 5-1 away from Syracuse.
SYRACUSE 21-17
MUSIC CITY BOWL - North Carolina (7-5) vs Tennessee (6-6) 5:40p in Nashville
Tune in for: The game that should've been played earlier this season, but Tennessee paid North Carolina NOT to play them. Also tune in to catch two teams that not only border each other's states, but also carry pastel uniform colors orange and powder blue.
Shortest Drive: Tennessee - Vols fans will have a short 3 hour trip west on I-40. UNC will be coming via I-40 as well, but at 8 hours, more than double Tennessee's bus ride.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: Tennessee was 2-6 on November 5th, all but out of any bowl game before finishing with a 4 game win streak. A nice effort, but only 1 of those wins came against a bowl team and that was at home vs Kentucky (6-6). North Carolina won't have the home state advantage, but 4 of their 7 wins came on the road, including at a 24th ranked Florida State on November 6th.
NORTH CAROLINA 27-24
HOLIDAY BOWL - #18 Nebraska (10-3) vs Washington (6-6) 9p in San Diego
Tune in for: Huskies vs Huskers....A potential beatdown or an inspired revenge game. This is the 2nd meeting between the 2 teams this year. The first game, at Washington September 18th turned into a Huskie nightmare losing 56-21. Also try to keep your eyes on Nebraska's QB/RB rushing tandem of Roy Helu Jr. and Taylor Martinez who are averaging 6.8 and 6.4 yards per attempt respectively.
Shortest Drive: Washington, but consider the ozone first. If you're looking to travel by car, it'll be a 21 hour jaunt from Seattle. Slightly better than the 24 hour endeavor from Lincoln, NE.
Local Connections: Nebraska - Tobi Okuyemi DE, FR out of Maple Grove.
Courtesy Pick: You might be wondering how a 6-6 team gets matched up with a 10-3 foe. But if you look at Washington's schedule you'll see why. The Huskies played the 2nd toughest schedule in the country this year, their 6 losses coming to teams combined with a 53-21 record including top 5 teams Stanford & Oregon. But Nebraska is a formidable foe. Nebraska's 3 losses come via Texas, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma, all by 7 points or less. A top 10 rushing offense and top 10 overall defense should provide enough to get past the Huskies twice this year.
NEBRASKA 32-22
Friday, December 31st
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL - South Florida (7-5) vs Clemson (6-6) 11a in Charlotte
Tune in for: The best pass rusher in the nation, Clemson DE Da'Quan Bowers, who leads the nation is sacks with 15.5 and is naturally tops in yards lossed with -112. Bowers leads a top 10 defense which is why Clemson stays in games since they have nothing to write home about on their offense.
Shortest Drive: Clemson. Just a quick 2 hour drive to Charlotte for Tigers fans, should give an edge, that is, unless 6-6 doesn't warrant a road trip.
Local Connections: Clemson - Bryce McNeal FR, WR out of Breck in Minneapolis. McNeal has played in 11 games and is used sparingly as a wideout, with 19 receptions, he's 6th on the team.
Courtesy Pick: Clemson is marred by inconsistency. They played a tough schedule and we're not able to pull out the big win they desperately needed. A win against then #25 NC State at home 14-13 on Nov. 6th was the biggest of the season. Needless to say, their defense only carries them so far. The Bulls of South Florida have played a little more consistently, that is to say that they've played close games and won a few too finishing 4-2 on the season. However, they have no wins against top 25 teams and their signature victories come over 7 win teams, Louisville & Miami. The Bulls lack a big offensive weapon, which should play into Bowers and the Tigers hands.
CLEMSON 24-23
SUN BOWL - Notre Dame (7-5) vs Miami (7-5) 1p in El Paso
Tune in for: Historical matchup of the Bowl season. These programs are two of the most decorated in all of college football. Combined these teams hold 30 National Championships (consensus and retroactive). Nostalgia aside, these two teams represent the underachieving division. Loads of talent garnered by the name on the jersey, but lack of direction and leadership keep these teams from higher glory.
Shortest Drive: Notre Dame. But neither team will be taking the bus. In fact, this is the only bowl game where both teams have more than a 24 hour trip by car. Notre Dame comes in at 26, Miami at 31. Might want to check flights first. I wouldn't leave Miami for El Paso, but Indiana in the winter could use an El Paso break (just don't cross over the border).
Local Connections: These teams have taken 2 of the best players to come out of Minnesota High School Football. Notre Dame - Michael Floyd WR, Jr Cretin Derham Hall. Floyd spurned the Gophers and headed to South Bend, where he's become the next Larry Fitzgerald, an NFL star in waiting. His numbers aren't staggering, but his size and athletic ability have scouts drooling, enough so that he's considering skipping his senior season for the cash. Miami - Seantrel Henderson. Not only was Henderson the MN player of the year in 2009, he was the USA Today player of the year and consensus #1 player in the nation. He's been compared to as a combination of Jonathon Ogden and Orland Pace. I can see why the Gophers couldn't get him.
Courtesy Pick: Of the Hurricanes 5 losses, 4 came to bowl teams, including Ohio State, Florida State, and Virginia Tech. They also have a 4-2 record away from home. The Fighting Irish have won 3 in a row to salvage a lost season, all against teams with .500 or better records (Utah, Army, & USC). The Hurricanes are also in the middle of a coaching change, whereas Notre Dame might be figuring things out.
NOTRE DAME 27-21
LIBERTY BOWL - #25 Central Florida (10-3) vs Georgia (6-6) 2:30p in Memphis
Tune in for: A battle. Take the records out of the picture, Georgia's strength of schedule this year was 35th, compared to UCF's 108th. Switch schedules and Georgia could easily be 10-3 or better. But here they are and they'll make the best of it. The Bulldogs are in a bowl game, but if they lose it'll be the first time in 14 years that Georgia would have a losing record. Also take note on Jeffrey Godfrey, UCF's QB who can run it in just as much as pass it. Godfrey has at least 2 touchdowns a game rushing or passing in 6 of the last 7.
Shortest Drive: Georgia. A 7 hour trip west is much more doable than the 14 hour jaunt from Orlando.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: A quick glance at UCF's schedule and its easy to see one thing, nothing. They have no wins of note, and have only 1 win on the season versus a team with a winning record and that's 7-6 Southern Methodist (who could lose and finish at .500). Georgia, however, has finished the season nicely after starting 1-4. Their 2 losses in the last 5, an OT loss to Florida at a neutral site and a loss on the road against National Championship contender Auburn. Put the records aside, and look at the guts, it's not always a cut and dry story.
GEORGIA 34-27
CHICK-FIL-A BOWL - #20 South Carolina (9-4) vs #23 Florida State (9-4)
6:30p Atlanta
Tune in for: Steve Spurrier taking on Florida State in a flashback to his Florida days. Spurrier has super wideout Alshon Jeffrey and his 1,387 yards at his disposal too (good for 4th in the nation). Not to mention Marcus Lattimore's 1,198 yards rushing (22nd). A good old fashioned southern brawl is worth tuning in for regardless.
Shortest Drive: South Carolina. Slight edge to the gamecocks who have a 4 hour trip, just a 1 hour difference from Florida State's 5 hour ride.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: South Carolina is one of the few teams ever to face two #1 ranked teams in the same season. Beating Alabama on Oct. 9th 35-21 and getting crushed by Auburn 56-17 in their last game (Dec. 4th). The Gamecocks have had a tough schedule and rose to the occasion several times, picking up 7 of their 9 wins against bowl teams. Florida State is hoping the 3rd time's a charm in beating a Carolina team. The Seminoles lost consecutive games to North Carolina and North Carolina State before picking up 3 wins (all against bowl teams) in their last 4. This figures to be a battle and a tough call to make.
SOUTH CAROLINA 32-31
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Going Bowling December 28th & 29th
9 down, 26 to go. As it stands, the Courtesy Wave is 5-4 on Bowl predictions, just enough to keep me going! Get ready for the whirlwind...the first 10 days of the bowl season brought 9 games, the next 5 days will have 19 bowl games! We'll keep the same format here to give you a different flavor than the rest of the sports world. Short and concise with enough info to be dangerous.
Tuesday, December 28th
CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL - #22 West Virginia (9-3) vs North Carolina State (8-4) 5:30p Orlando
Tune in for: The Big East's best non-BCS team versus the best QB in the nation under 6 feet tall (NC State's Russell Wilson). Wilson is 16th in the nation in passing yards and averages 307 yards per game in overall offense (yeah he's mobile). He'll be facing one of the nation's best defenses in West Virginia, who are 3rd in yards allowed and 2nd in points allowed.
Shortest Drive: NC State. Another one of those long hauls by both fans. However, the drive from Raleigh is about 5 hours shorter at 10 hours for the trip.
Local Connections: None.
Courtesy Pick: The Mountaineers are on a 4 game winning streak against decent Big East competition, albeit not tough, they did win those 4 games decidedly. The Wolfpack are coming off a tough close loss at Maryland but they can claim something West Virginia cannot, a win against a ranked team this year. NC State beat then #16 Florida State on October 28th, whereas West Virginia's greatest victory comes against that same Maryland team, who finished 8-4. It's a tough call and should be a close game, if West Virginia's defense lives up to there calling, that could be the difference.
WEST VIRGINIA 27-21
INSIGHT BOWL - #12 Missouri (10-2) vs Iowa (7-5) 9p in Tempe, AZ
Tune in For: The crushed dreams bowl. Both teams are very talented and both have suffered heartbreaking losses that defined their season. Don't be fooled by Iowa's record, after 6 weeks, they were 5-1 and very much in the Rose Bowl discussion. They finished 2-4 and put a stamp on their disappointing, underachieving season by losing to the lowly Minnesota Golden Gophers, a team that had lost to nearly everyone including South Dakota earlier in the year (sorry, had to bring it up). Missouri, on the other hand, was 7-0 and fresh off a victory against then #1 Oklahoma when they marched into Nebraska and fell flat on their face against the Cornhuskers. With a chance to redeem themselves the next week against Texas Tech, they again failed to rise to the occasion. The Tigers finished off the season with 3 straight wins, but the damage was already done and a BCS game out of the picture.
Shortest Drive: Long trips on either end, the slight edge goes to Missouri who's fans only have to travel 23 hours, as opposed to Iowa's 26 hour plight.
Local Connections: Iowa - Broderick Binns DE, Junior, Cretin Derham Hall. Binns is one of the top DE's in the Big Ten, no surprise coming out of CDH. Karl Klug DT, Senior, Caledonia. Klug will be watched heavily by NFL scouts as he is widely considered a 1st or 2nd round draft pick.
Courtesy Pick: If you go by records, its an easy pick, however if we look at Iowa closer, you'll see that all 5 losses are by 7 points of less. They were in every game until the final tick. However, Missouri's 2 losses weren't blowouts either (lost by 14 & 7), and they beat 6 bowl teams to Iowa's 3. Winning close games is more crucial.
MISSOURI 30-29
Wednesday, December 29th
MILITARY BOWL - Maryland (8-4) vs East Carolina (6-6) 1:30p in Washington DC
Tune in for: Dominique Davis, the QB from East Carolina. Davis finished 4th in the nation in passing and tied for 1st in passing TDs (36). He's going to have to pass like a madman again as the Pirates rank 2nd to last in points allowed at 43/game.
Shortest Drive: Maryland. East Carolina fans can rejoice in a doable 5 hour trip to DC, but Maryland wins hands down with a 10 mile skip and a jump to RFK stadium. The Terrapins will easily have the home-field crowd advantage.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: Maryland is coming into the game after a 4-2 push to finish the season, including a big win over then #22 North Carolina State. The Pirates, however, are limping in on their wooden leg having finish 2-4 after their promising start. In their last 5 games, East Carolina has given up an average of 55 points. Only a win over 4-8 UAB saved them from a 5 game losing streak.
MARYLAND 43-38
TEXAS BOWL - Baylor (7-5) vs Illinois (6-6) 5p in Houston
Tune in for: The first Bowl game for Baylor in 16 years. Plus two 1,000 yard rushers and top 30 backs in the country in Mikel Leshoure, Illinois (9th) and Jay Finley, Baylor (29th).
Shortest Drive: Baylor. Another hands down win, although still a little jaunt, but only a 4 hour drive for the Baylor Bears, whereas Illini fans will have to take a 16 hour trip.
Local Connections: Illinois - Fritz Rock (awesome name), Fr. CB from Wayzata.
Courtesy Pick: When you think about the 2 teams, think Baylor = Balance and Illinois = Inconsistency. Baylor is not only solid in the run, they have a remarkable QB in Robert Griffin III, the 17th best passer in the nation. So if the running game is stopped, they have options. Whereas Illinois has the 13th best rushing game (242 yards/game), but the 5th worst passing (143 yards/game). Baylor may be limping, losing their last 3, but those came against Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma, all ranked teams. Illinois finished 1-3, not much better and they lost at home to Minnesota, a notably horrendous team this year.
BAYLOR 32-21
ALAMO BOWL - #14 Oklahoma State (10-2) vs Arizona (7-5) 8:15p in San Antonio
Tune in for: Oklahoma State's 3 headed offensive monster. The Cowboys are led by gunslinger Brandon Weeden's 4,037 passing yards (3rd in the nation), Kendall Hunter's 1,516 rushing yards (7th), and Justin Blackmon's 1,665 receiving yards (2nd). If that's not enough, their kicker, Dan Bailey leads the nation in scoring with 137 points.
Shortest Drive: Oklahoma State. A 9 hour trip down I35 doesn't sound very fun, but a 16 hour jaunt awaits Arizona fans.
Local Connections: Arizona - Derek Earls LB, Jr. from Waconia. Earls is a JuCo transfer from NDSU, who's done fairly well for the Wildcats. Willie Mobley DT, So. from Eden Prairie. Another JuCo transfer, Mobley has brought depth and raw power to the the D-Line.
Courtesy Pick: Oklahoma state scored 41 points in each of their 2 tough losses against #16 Nebraska (51-41) and #13 Oklahoma (47-41). That's what separates the Cowboys from a BCS bowl. Arizona on the other hand, lost their last 4 games after starting the season 7-1. Their defense will have to show up in a very big way to reverse there current trend.
OKLAHOMA STATE 45-22
Happy watching and look for my previews of the 8 Bowl games on the 30th & 31st coming soon!
bsv
the Courtesy Wave
Tuesday, December 28th
CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL - #22 West Virginia (9-3) vs North Carolina State (8-4) 5:30p Orlando
Tune in for: The Big East's best non-BCS team versus the best QB in the nation under 6 feet tall (NC State's Russell Wilson). Wilson is 16th in the nation in passing yards and averages 307 yards per game in overall offense (yeah he's mobile). He'll be facing one of the nation's best defenses in West Virginia, who are 3rd in yards allowed and 2nd in points allowed.
Shortest Drive: NC State. Another one of those long hauls by both fans. However, the drive from Raleigh is about 5 hours shorter at 10 hours for the trip.
Local Connections: None.
Courtesy Pick: The Mountaineers are on a 4 game winning streak against decent Big East competition, albeit not tough, they did win those 4 games decidedly. The Wolfpack are coming off a tough close loss at Maryland but they can claim something West Virginia cannot, a win against a ranked team this year. NC State beat then #16 Florida State on October 28th, whereas West Virginia's greatest victory comes against that same Maryland team, who finished 8-4. It's a tough call and should be a close game, if West Virginia's defense lives up to there calling, that could be the difference.
WEST VIRGINIA 27-21
INSIGHT BOWL - #12 Missouri (10-2) vs Iowa (7-5) 9p in Tempe, AZ
Tune in For: The crushed dreams bowl. Both teams are very talented and both have suffered heartbreaking losses that defined their season. Don't be fooled by Iowa's record, after 6 weeks, they were 5-1 and very much in the Rose Bowl discussion. They finished 2-4 and put a stamp on their disappointing, underachieving season by losing to the lowly Minnesota Golden Gophers, a team that had lost to nearly everyone including South Dakota earlier in the year (sorry, had to bring it up). Missouri, on the other hand, was 7-0 and fresh off a victory against then #1 Oklahoma when they marched into Nebraska and fell flat on their face against the Cornhuskers. With a chance to redeem themselves the next week against Texas Tech, they again failed to rise to the occasion. The Tigers finished off the season with 3 straight wins, but the damage was already done and a BCS game out of the picture.
Shortest Drive: Long trips on either end, the slight edge goes to Missouri who's fans only have to travel 23 hours, as opposed to Iowa's 26 hour plight.
Local Connections: Iowa - Broderick Binns DE, Junior, Cretin Derham Hall. Binns is one of the top DE's in the Big Ten, no surprise coming out of CDH. Karl Klug DT, Senior, Caledonia. Klug will be watched heavily by NFL scouts as he is widely considered a 1st or 2nd round draft pick.
Courtesy Pick: If you go by records, its an easy pick, however if we look at Iowa closer, you'll see that all 5 losses are by 7 points of less. They were in every game until the final tick. However, Missouri's 2 losses weren't blowouts either (lost by 14 & 7), and they beat 6 bowl teams to Iowa's 3. Winning close games is more crucial.
MISSOURI 30-29
Wednesday, December 29th
MILITARY BOWL - Maryland (8-4) vs East Carolina (6-6) 1:30p in Washington DC
Tune in for: Dominique Davis, the QB from East Carolina. Davis finished 4th in the nation in passing and tied for 1st in passing TDs (36). He's going to have to pass like a madman again as the Pirates rank 2nd to last in points allowed at 43/game.
Shortest Drive: Maryland. East Carolina fans can rejoice in a doable 5 hour trip to DC, but Maryland wins hands down with a 10 mile skip and a jump to RFK stadium. The Terrapins will easily have the home-field crowd advantage.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: Maryland is coming into the game after a 4-2 push to finish the season, including a big win over then #22 North Carolina State. The Pirates, however, are limping in on their wooden leg having finish 2-4 after their promising start. In their last 5 games, East Carolina has given up an average of 55 points. Only a win over 4-8 UAB saved them from a 5 game losing streak.
MARYLAND 43-38
TEXAS BOWL - Baylor (7-5) vs Illinois (6-6) 5p in Houston
Tune in for: The first Bowl game for Baylor in 16 years. Plus two 1,000 yard rushers and top 30 backs in the country in Mikel Leshoure, Illinois (9th) and Jay Finley, Baylor (29th).
Shortest Drive: Baylor. Another hands down win, although still a little jaunt, but only a 4 hour drive for the Baylor Bears, whereas Illini fans will have to take a 16 hour trip.
Local Connections: Illinois - Fritz Rock (awesome name), Fr. CB from Wayzata.
Courtesy Pick: When you think about the 2 teams, think Baylor = Balance and Illinois = Inconsistency. Baylor is not only solid in the run, they have a remarkable QB in Robert Griffin III, the 17th best passer in the nation. So if the running game is stopped, they have options. Whereas Illinois has the 13th best rushing game (242 yards/game), but the 5th worst passing (143 yards/game). Baylor may be limping, losing their last 3, but those came against Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma, all ranked teams. Illinois finished 1-3, not much better and they lost at home to Minnesota, a notably horrendous team this year.
BAYLOR 32-21
ALAMO BOWL - #14 Oklahoma State (10-2) vs Arizona (7-5) 8:15p in San Antonio
Tune in for: Oklahoma State's 3 headed offensive monster. The Cowboys are led by gunslinger Brandon Weeden's 4,037 passing yards (3rd in the nation), Kendall Hunter's 1,516 rushing yards (7th), and Justin Blackmon's 1,665 receiving yards (2nd). If that's not enough, their kicker, Dan Bailey leads the nation in scoring with 137 points.
Shortest Drive: Oklahoma State. A 9 hour trip down I35 doesn't sound very fun, but a 16 hour jaunt awaits Arizona fans.
Local Connections: Arizona - Derek Earls LB, Jr. from Waconia. Earls is a JuCo transfer from NDSU, who's done fairly well for the Wildcats. Willie Mobley DT, So. from Eden Prairie. Another JuCo transfer, Mobley has brought depth and raw power to the the D-Line.
Courtesy Pick: Oklahoma state scored 41 points in each of their 2 tough losses against #16 Nebraska (51-41) and #13 Oklahoma (47-41). That's what separates the Cowboys from a BCS bowl. Arizona on the other hand, lost their last 4 games after starting the season 7-1. Their defense will have to show up in a very big way to reverse there current trend.
OKLAHOMA STATE 45-22
Happy watching and look for my previews of the 8 Bowl games on the 30th & 31st coming soon!
bsv
the Courtesy Wave
Friday, December 17, 2010
Going Bowling December 18th - 21st
Today marks the start of the College Football Bowl season. The Courtesy Wave has followed, previewed, and picked our way through the College season. Therefore its only fitting to continue on with the Bowl season in hopes that you put all of your faith in our picks. Because there are so many bowls they'll be broken down and picked apart every few days in order to give each their respective spot in the limelight.
Saturday, December 18th
NEW MEXICO BOWL- UTEP (6-6) vs BYU (6-6) 1p in Albuquerque
Tune in for: A battle of .500 teams from smaller conferences won't excite a lot of people, especially a UTEP team losing 5 of their last 6. Unless your a UTEP or BYU alum, this one might be hard to watch, I would tune in just because its the first game of the Bowl season.
Who to watch:
Fan Advantage: UTEP - Only a 4 hour drive away, compared to BYU's 10 hours.
Local Connection: BYU -Reed Hornung, Anoka. Reed is a sophomore and you can find him on the field every time the Cougars are in punt formation, he's the long snapper.
Courtesy Pick: When you compare the two schedules of these teams side by side, there's no question BYU has played a tougher schedule and their 6-6 record is a lot better than the Miners 6-6 who could only muster a 3-5 record in Conference USA. BYU 27-24
HUMANITARIAN BOWL - Northern Illinois (10-3) vs Fresno State (8-4) 4:30p in Boise
Tune in for: A dogfight, literally. The Huskies of UNI face the Bulldogs of Fresno. The Bulldogs definitely had the tougher schedule, but came up short in every big game matchup. The Huskies are coming off a tough MAC championship game loss to Miami (OH) and will be playing without most of its coaches, as Jerry Kill and his staff are already in place at Minnesota.
Fan Advantage: Fresno State - Not really though, by car it'll take you 13 hours still from Fresno (25 hours from DeKalb). Can't imagine flying into Boise will be cheap, so its more of a toss up.
Local Connections: Northern Illinois - Dan Edem, LB Apple Valley & Trevor Olson, OT Richfield.
Courtesy Pick: Northern Illinois is the hotter team coming in, but its tough to pick them knowing the head of the snake and most of its scales are cut off. The Bulldogs have faced a tougher schedule which at least gives them experience. Plus they have a head coach in this game too. FRESNO STATE 38-30
NEW ORLEANS BOWL - Ohio (8-4) vs Troy (7-5) 8p in New Orleans
Tune in for: The Trojans QB, Corey Robinson is 11th in the nation in passing yards. He's got a wildcat player to toss the rock to in Jerrel Jernigan, who has scored touchdowns this season rushing, receiving, passing and on punt and kickoff returns.
Fan Advantage: Troy - A doable 5.5 hour trip from Troy, AL. If you're headed from Athens, OH, then pack a bunch of snacks for your 16 hour trip.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: These 2 teams have beaten virtually no one worthy of noting. Troy seems to take annual trips to New Orleans for this bowl which represents the Sun Belt victor. Experience and a shorter drive might be in their favor. TROY 33-28
Tuesday, December 21st
ST. PETERSBURG BOWL - Southern Miss (8-4) vs Louisville (6-6)
Tune in for: A high powered offense clashing against a high powered defense. Southern Miss is 15th in the nation is scoring, whereas Louisville is 15th in the nation is scoring defense.
Shortest Drive: Southern Miss - But neither fan base has a short drive. Golden Eagle fans still have a 11 hour trek to St. Petersburg as opposed to Cardinal fans 15 hour jaunt.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: These teams are pretty equally matched. Louisville comes from a tougher conference, although the Big East was way down this year and it could be said that Conference USA was just as good. The Golden Eagles are just a few points away from an 11-1 record, having 3 of their 4 losses by less than 7 points. A more established quarterback is also key. SOUTHERN MISS 38-26
Next 4 Bowl previews: Las Vegas, Poinsietta, Hawaii, Little Caesars...
until then, hedge your bets!
bsv
the courtesy wave
Saturday, December 18th
NEW MEXICO BOWL- UTEP (6-6) vs BYU (6-6) 1p in Albuquerque
Tune in for: A battle of .500 teams from smaller conferences won't excite a lot of people, especially a UTEP team losing 5 of their last 6. Unless your a UTEP or BYU alum, this one might be hard to watch, I would tune in just because its the first game of the Bowl season.
Who to watch:
Fan Advantage: UTEP - Only a 4 hour drive away, compared to BYU's 10 hours.
Local Connection: BYU -Reed Hornung, Anoka. Reed is a sophomore and you can find him on the field every time the Cougars are in punt formation, he's the long snapper.
Courtesy Pick: When you compare the two schedules of these teams side by side, there's no question BYU has played a tougher schedule and their 6-6 record is a lot better than the Miners 6-6 who could only muster a 3-5 record in Conference USA. BYU 27-24
HUMANITARIAN BOWL - Northern Illinois (10-3) vs Fresno State (8-4) 4:30p in Boise
Tune in for: A dogfight, literally. The Huskies of UNI face the Bulldogs of Fresno. The Bulldogs definitely had the tougher schedule, but came up short in every big game matchup. The Huskies are coming off a tough MAC championship game loss to Miami (OH) and will be playing without most of its coaches, as Jerry Kill and his staff are already in place at Minnesota.
Fan Advantage: Fresno State - Not really though, by car it'll take you 13 hours still from Fresno (25 hours from DeKalb). Can't imagine flying into Boise will be cheap, so its more of a toss up.
Local Connections: Northern Illinois - Dan Edem, LB Apple Valley & Trevor Olson, OT Richfield.
Courtesy Pick: Northern Illinois is the hotter team coming in, but its tough to pick them knowing the head of the snake and most of its scales are cut off. The Bulldogs have faced a tougher schedule which at least gives them experience. Plus they have a head coach in this game too. FRESNO STATE 38-30
NEW ORLEANS BOWL - Ohio (8-4) vs Troy (7-5) 8p in New Orleans
Tune in for: The Trojans QB, Corey Robinson is 11th in the nation in passing yards. He's got a wildcat player to toss the rock to in Jerrel Jernigan, who has scored touchdowns this season rushing, receiving, passing and on punt and kickoff returns.
Fan Advantage: Troy - A doable 5.5 hour trip from Troy, AL. If you're headed from Athens, OH, then pack a bunch of snacks for your 16 hour trip.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: These 2 teams have beaten virtually no one worthy of noting. Troy seems to take annual trips to New Orleans for this bowl which represents the Sun Belt victor. Experience and a shorter drive might be in their favor. TROY 33-28
Tuesday, December 21st
ST. PETERSBURG BOWL - Southern Miss (8-4) vs Louisville (6-6)
Tune in for: A high powered offense clashing against a high powered defense. Southern Miss is 15th in the nation is scoring, whereas Louisville is 15th in the nation is scoring defense.
Shortest Drive: Southern Miss - But neither fan base has a short drive. Golden Eagle fans still have a 11 hour trek to St. Petersburg as opposed to Cardinal fans 15 hour jaunt.
Local Connections: None
Courtesy Pick: These teams are pretty equally matched. Louisville comes from a tougher conference, although the Big East was way down this year and it could be said that Conference USA was just as good. The Golden Eagles are just a few points away from an 11-1 record, having 3 of their 4 losses by less than 7 points. A more established quarterback is also key. SOUTHERN MISS 38-26
Next 4 Bowl previews: Las Vegas, Poinsietta, Hawaii, Little Caesars...
until then, hedge your bets!
bsv
the courtesy wave
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