Music City Bowl: Kentucky vs. Clemson
This is a game that really shouldn't even be close when you start to think about it. It all depends on whether or not that famous SEC speed can match wits with the total awesomeness that is Clemson RB C.J. Spiller. And in the case of the Kentucky Wildcats, I really don't think they have enough speed on defense to control that Clemson running attack. Look for Spiller to have a tremendous game in the backfield as he caps off a prestigious college career. He will attack Kentucky at the line of scrimmage and deceive linebackers from start to finish with his deadly cutback agility. He will break out for many long runs in this game as Clemson will look to finish off Kentucky very early. In order for Kentucky to win this game, they obviously have to contain Spiller in the backfield. He is the heart of that Clemson offense and without him, their production dwindles and ultimately fades into nothingness. Should Kentucky be fortunate enough to contain Spiller throughout the course of the game, then Clemson will try to spread it out more with QB Kyle Parker at the helm. Parker will look to get WR Jacoby Ford and TE Michael Palmer involved in the offensive scheme so as to offset the lack of production from C.J. Spiller. And since Parker is coming off a lackluster effort in the ACC Championship Game against Georgia Tech, Clemson better hope and pray that Spiller has his way with the Kentucky defense. Kentucky will try to pound the ball up the middle with RB Derrick Locke and attempt to control the pace of the game on offense. They will want to keep the Clemson offense off the field as much as possible. But I really don't think that's going to happen. Spiller has another brilliant rushing day as Kentucky goes home singing the blues in the Music City. Clemson wins 37-19.
Independence Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Georgia
This is another game where on paper, it really shouldn't be that close. However, I think the outcome of the game will depend on which Texas A&M team shows up against Georgia. Will we see the Aggies team that went toe-to-toe with Texas in their final game of the season? Or will we see an Aggies team that consistently struggles against their opponents in the Big 12 Conference? Will we see a team that always appears to be rebuilding instead of moving forward? If the Texas A&M offense shows up against Georgia, then I don't see why this can't turn into another offensive shootout for the Aggies. Georgia is also a team locked in rebuilding mode. QB Joe Cox has had a decent season replacing the departed Matthew Stafford. However, the Georgia running attack has struggled with the loss of Knowshon Moreno in the backfield. But that doesn't mean the Bulldogs can't put points on the scoreboard. They pulled off a terrific upset of the ACC Champion Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to end their season, with the ironic twist being that they compiled 339 yards rushing on the ground. The Georgia running attack is coming together at the right point in the season. And they will certainly have something to look forward to next year in the SEC. As for right now, look for Joe Cox to have a wonderful game throwing the football. I think he will connect with WR A.J. Green very early in this game and both will start building a rhythm that A&M will be powerless to stop. I think they will get strong production from RB Washaun Ealey, which means that Georgia will create a pristine balance on the offensive side of the ball. However, I think the Georgia defense will have their hands full attempting to control A&M QB Jerrod Johnson, who threw for 28 touchdowns in the regular season and 4 against Texas in the finale. Look for him to spread the ball around to his receivers, which will include screen passes to both Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray out of the backfield. Texas A&M will be able to move the ball consistently against Georgia's defense. Yet they will be hampered by turnovers and penalties throughout the course of the game, much in the same way they were a problem against the Longhorns. Texas A&M will take themselves out of this game and as a result, the Georgia Bulldogs will seal another bowl victory. Georgia wins 38-34.
EagleBank Bowl: UCLA vs. Temple
You would think that a matchup between UCLA and Temple would favor a storied Bruins team that has won five Rose Bowl games and one national championship. But let's not get ahead of ourselves here. UCLA finished with a 6-6 record and is only appearing in this bowl game because Army lost to Navy in the final game of the season. Temple, on the other hand, finished with a 9-3 record that included a 9-game winning streak before losing their final game to Ohio. Now, one can look at these teams and determine that UCLA most definitely had the tougher schedule. Their most notable victory came against Lane Kiffin and the Tennessee Volunteers. But that was only their 2nd game of the season. From then on, UCLA would suffer close losses to Stanford, Oregon, and Arizona throughout the course of the season. So to say that they were not competitive is a gross understatement. Temple has only played one team in the Top 25 this year, which was Penn State, and they lost that game 31-6. UCLA definitely has more talent on the football field than Temple. And if they are going to win this game, they must harness that talent against a Temple team looking to prove something with a bowl victory. UCLA has been inefficient at putting points on the scoreboard this season, relying on their defense to carry them through games and struggling to match their opponent's offensive output. If UCLA is going to win this game, freshman QB Kevin Prince has to make plays down the field in crucial situations. The UCLA defense will play well against Temple and keep their team in the game throughout. Head Coach Rick Neuheisel will certainly have his team well-prepared to handle Temple's offensive game plan, which will be centered around RB Bernard Pierce. Pierce averaged over 5 yards a carry this season and finished with over 1300 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns. Look for Temple to attack UCLA's front seven very early in this contest, hopefully garnering enough momentum to open up the passing game as well. I think this is going to be a very close game, one that will most likely come down to the special teams. And in the end, UCLA's kicker Kai Forbath has only missed 3 field goals during the regular season and his leg will send the Bruins home victorious. UCLA wins 19-16.
Champs Sports Bowl: Miami (FL) vs. Wisconsin
These are two teams that have had very impressive seasons. The Miami football program is slowly but surely returning to national prominence under the watchful eye of Randy Shannon. One recalls earlier in the season when Miami was ranked in the Top 5, with some even predicting them to run the table and play for the national championship. While Miami did not live up to those expectations this year, they have certainly laid the groundwork for something to build on for next season and for years to come. Miami has a future perennial superstar at the quarterback position in Jacory Harris. Harris threw for over 3,000 yards this season and 23 touchdown passes. He established himself as the leader of that Miami offense and pushed that offense almost to the pinnacle of what they could accomplish. Harris is not the only reason why people are talking about Miami football again. Although the Miami defense has not yet returned to their smash mouth style of play that earned them national respect, they were still very prolific this season in stopping the run and halting the pass. While they weren't able to consistently keep teams off the scoreboard, the Miami defense showed improvement and proved why Hurricanes fans should be excited for years to come. With regard to their game against Wisconsin, I expect Miami to show up in a big way. Look for Jacory Harris to have a stellar game running and throwing the football. Look for them to establish their running game with Graig Cooper but to turn away from it in favor of slant throws and curl patterns along the sidelines. Wisconsin will try to counter by utilizing RB John Clay through the middle of that Miami defense, hopefully splitting the tackles and finding some running room downfield. Wisconsin will want to be very aggressive on both sides of the ball, attempting to prove that they are the more physical team on the football field in this game. But they will also want to establish the deep threat with QB Scott Tolzien throwing to WR Nick Toon. There is no doubt that Wisconsin can put the ball in the end zone and they will most likely turn this game into a shootout before the night is over. Yet I'm not going to bet against Jacory Harris or Randy Shannon as Miami takes another huge step in rebuilding their football program. Miami wins 31-28.
Humanitarian Bowl: Bowling Green vs. Idaho
These are two teams going in opposite directions as they prepare for this bowl game. Bowling Green comes in the winners of four straight while Idaho comes in the losers of three straight. To say that Bowling Green has more momentum at this point would be a fair assessment of the situation. Idaho began the season impressively with a 6-1 record before getting whacked by Nevada by a final of 70-45. From then on, their season fell apart completely with brutal losses to Fresno State and Boise State. However, one cannot say that it was because of their offensive play. Idaho is a team that was incredibly efficient in the red zone in all of their games this season. They were able to score touchdowns against some of the better teams in the nation like Nevada and Boise State. And I'm sure they will be able to do the same against Bowling Green. Look for Idaho to take risks down the field very early in this game. They will want to spread the Bowling Green defense out and open up lanes for their receivers. QB Nathan Enderle will want to establish his connections early in this game, allowing for Idaho to get a quick lead and an advantage over a better Bowling Green squad. Enderle will look deep down the field for WR Max Komar, who had over 1,000 yards receiving this year and caught 10 touchdowns. If Idaho is going to win this game, then Komar will have to step his game up by going after the football at its highest point in the air and snatching it away from the Bowling Green defenders. Yet Bowling Green has a lethal passing combination of its own to look out for. Freddie Barnes was one of the best receivers in college football this season with over 1500 yards receiving and 16 touchdowns. He made QB Tyler Sheehan a much better player this season with some incredible acrobatic catches and unbelievable touchdowns. Sheehan was also a potent weapon for Bowling Green as he threw for over 3600 yards and 23 touchdowns. So it is fair to say that both teams will be launching their aerial assaults in this game. As a result, the key to the game will be which team will have greater success running the football. Idado RB DeMaundray Woolridge has had greater success in the backfield this season than any of the Bowling Green running backs. He is efficient in goal-line situations and is very effective at punching the ball straight up the middle. But I just have a funny feeling that Bowling Green will do a great job at limiting his production and as a result, that will lead to a hard-fought win over an Idaho team that is very prolific in the red zone. Bowling Green wins 27-24.
Holiday Bowl: Arizona vs. Nebraska
I have been wrapping my head around this game ever since it was announced as part of the bowl season. Both teams have had impressive season in their respective conferences. While I'm not sure that Arizona will be able to continue their run of success next season, I am certain that Bo Pelini has the Nebraska program steered in the right direction. To me, the Nebraska football program is much like the Miami football program. Both are looking to regain national prominence and both had seasons that will go a long way with regard to their current restoration. As far as the Holiday Bowl is concerned, I have no doubt in my mind that Nebraska's defense will come to play in this game. To say that Ndamukong Suh is an absolute beast on the defensive side of the ball would be an insult to his character. He almost single-handedly led Nebraska to an upset win over a Texas team that will now play for the national championship. To me, that is a testament to the kind of difference he makes for this Nebraska team. Suh controls the game almost entirely on his own and is involved in almost every single play from scrimmage. He is an unblockable and unstoppable force for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and will most definitely make this a very tough game to win for the Arizona offense. The question for Nebraska in this game will be whether or not their offense comes to win a football game. In the Big 12 Championship Game, Nebraska's offense was held to 100 total yards with QB Zac Lee throwing for 39 yards and 3 interceptions. Bo Pelini will need his offense to come through in a big way because Arizona has had no problem putting points on the scoreboard this season. They will need Roy Helu Jr. to be effective at the point of attack and to dodge past the Arizona defenders for some productive runs down the field. They will need Lee to step up and make some accurate throws to his receivers. And they will need to have balance in order to maintain control of the game. They cannot put pressure on Suh and their defense to win the game on their own. They are going to have to make some big plays in order to win this game. And because of my skepticism regarding the Nebraska offense, I am inclined to lean towards Arizona in this game. Arizona has pulled off impressive victories over Stanford and USC this season, while also nearly defeating Oregon and Oregon State as well. Their offense has been productive all year long. QB Nick Foles has served as a quiet, steady leader of a football team that proved the naysayers wrong throughout the entire season. Their offense will most definitely have their hands full against Suh and company in this Holiday Bowl. However, the key to Arizona's victories this season has been their defense. Arizona was proficient at keeping opponents off the scoreboard and forcing turnovers in clutch situations all season long. They kept their offense alive in key games this season by always ensuring momentum and establishing leads at halftime. The Arizona defense should have no problem against a Nebraska offense that, quite frankly, hasn't shown me anything to believe they are capable of hanging with Arizona in this game. I think Suh will be relentless at the line of scrimmage and will no doubt have another spectacular game for the Cornhuskers. But I think Arizona will have no trouble keeping Nebraska off the scoreboard, allowing their offense to score enough points to outlast the power of Suh. Arizona wins 24-17.
Armed Forces Bowl: Houston vs. Air Force
This is a fascinating match-up of two very different football teams. Houston has been the darling of the polls this season as they have put together unbelievable statistics on the offensive side of the ball. QB Case Keenum deserved to be in the Heisman Trophy discussion this season as he led Houston to a 10-3 record and an appearance in the Conference-USA Championship Game. Keenum had over 5,000 yards passing and 47 total touchdowns, which were tops in the nation in both categories. There is no doubt in my mind that if Air Force is going to have a chance in this game, they will need to put pressure on Keenum as much as possible and prevent him from establishing a comfort zone in the pocket. Fortunately for Air Force, their defense has been their greatest asset all season long. They have only given up 15.3 points per game this season and are ranked in the Top 10 in total defense. But here is where it gets very interesting. Air Force is ranked #1 in passing defense, which means that their secondary will put up a significant challenge for Keenum throughout the course of the game. There is no doubt in my mind that Houston lives and dies on the arm of Case Keenum. This mean that if Air Force is able to successfully neutralize the passing attack, then Houston will be forced to establish their offensive assault on the ground. Air Force is not as strong at stopping the run as they are at stopping the pass. Look for Houston to try and establish RB Chris Sims as a vital weapon in between the tackles. This will give Keenum more balance at the line of scrimmage and will take pressure off him to win the game on his own. Keenum will certainly look for the deep threat with WR James Cleveland, but he will also try to hand the ball off to Sims as much as possible. Look for Air Force to pound the ball with RB Jared Tew as they will try to be more physical than Houston in this game. Houston is coming off a terrible loss to East Carolina in the C-USA championship game. Will they be motivated to play in this game when they know they could have been playing for something more? I think they will, and I think that Case Keenum will come out guns blazing against this Air Force defense. And in the end, that will be enough to secure a bowl win for the Houston Cougars. Houston wins 23-14.
Sun Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Stanford
The Oklahoma Sooners have been one of the most disappointing teams in college football this season, to no fault of their own. Ever since QB Sam Bradford hurt his shoulder in the opening game against BYU, this Sooners team just hasn't been the same. Forced to rely on backup QB Landry Jones, Oklahoma was simply unable to generate any explosiveness on the offensive side of the ball. RB DeMarco Murray had a very unproductive season running the football, even though he still managed to generate over 1,000 yards of total offense. Oklahoma also lost one of their primary receiving options in TE Jermaine Gresham to a season-ending knee injury. Gresham did not play a down all season for the Sooners, who were once again forced to locate alternative offensive weapons. Sophomore WR Ryan Broyles was a lone bright spot this season as he had nearly 1,000 receiving yards and 12 touchdown receptions. Yet it is clear that the Oklahoma offense was not the strength of the team this season. Oklahoma's defense came out and played hard in almost every single game this season. Ranked in the Top 10 in rushing defense and total defense for the 2009 season, Oklahoma was still able to finish with a 7-5 record despite their bad luck on the offensive side of the ball. The Oklahoma rush defense will have their hands full against Stanford as they will have to deal with RB Toby Gerhart. Gerhart finished 2nd in the Heisman Trophy balloting this season and was well-deserving of all accolades as the best running back in college football. He ran for over 100 yards in all but two games this season and eclipsed the 200-yard rushing mark in games against Washington, Oregon, and Notre Dame. He is an absolute behemoth in between the tackles and there is no doubt in my mind that Stanford will be relying on him to produce against this vaunting Oklahoma defense. Assuming that Oklahoma is able to stop Gerhart, which is somewhat inconceivable considering no opponent has been able to stop him all season, Stanford will be forced to rely on their passing game in order to generate some offensive production. QB Andrew Luck had a very efficient freshman season for the Stanford offense. Should Gerald McCoy and that Oklahoma rush defense be too hard to handle for that Stanford offensive line, look for the Cardinal to be relying on a little bit of Luck in the Sun Bowl. Luck will try to find WR Ryan Whalen down the sidelines early and often as they will attempt to expose Oklahoma's defense through the air. Again, all of this is assuming that the Sooners are able to neutralize Gerhart, which is sure to be the focus of their defensive game plan. Oklahoma will be looking to run the ball with Murray on offense, with Jones attempting to establish him as both a runner and a receiver. Oklahoma will try to use Murray in screen packages and will also try to utilize him between the tackles. Occasionally they will look for Broyles down the field but this will not be a finesse football game. The team that is more physical and aggressive at the line of scrimmage will win this game. And I'm inclined to think that since Stanford and head coach Jim Harbaugh are looking to prove something to the nation, they will be the ones to emerge victorious on New Years' Eve. Stanford wins 28-24.
Texas Bowl: Navy vs. Missouri
This should be a very compelling football game to watch on New Years' Eve. The Missouri Tigers have done a great job at replacing Chase Daniel and company as they finished with an 8-4 record and a bowl appearance. Granted they did not fare so well in conference play, which included a terrible loss to Baylor. But they were still one of the most productive offensive units in the country. Sophomore QB Blaine Gabbert threw for over 3,000 yards and had 26 total touchdowns for Missouri this season. I would say that is more than efficient for a team that had a lot of offensive questions at the beginning of the season. WR Danario Alexander had an amazing season catching the football for the Tigers, leading the nation in receiving yards per game and finishing with over 200 receiving yards in three games this season. Gabbert will look to establish the deep threat to Alexander in this game against a Navy secondary that is susceptible to the big play. Missouri will try to lure the Navy secondary towards the middle of the field. Receivers will run slant and dig routes, which will pull the secondary away from Alexander and will lead to an easy throwing day for Gabbert. The key to the game will be if Missouri can also establish a valiant running attack. RB Derrick Washington could provide great balance at the line of scrimmage if he is able to find his cutback lanes and break out for long runs. This will allow Gabbert more freedom to find Alexander down the field and put points on the scoreboard. But let's not count out the Navy offense. Navy has a very dangerous weapon playing quarterback in Ricky Dobbs. While Dobbs may not be the most effective passer in college football, he makes up for it by being productive in the backfield. Dobbs is a scrambling quarterback and can deceive anyone with his legs. Dobbs ran for over 1,000 yards this season and had 24 touchdowns for the Midshipmen. The key to Missouri's defensive game will be to neutralize Dobbs and the Navy option attack, hopefully forcing him to throw the ball more often than he would like and find his receivers down the field. They will want to get Navy out of their comfort zone offensively and force them to think outside the box a little bit. I think the Navy offensive line will be dominant at the line of scrimmage and on the edge, which will allow Dobbs to run freely and kill Missouri with the option attack. I think Missouri will hold pace as Alexander will have a phenomenal game catching the football. But I think Navy pulls away late and will come up with a huge defensive stand to end the game. Navy wins 35-30.
Insight Bowl: Minnesota vs. Iowa State
In contrast to the Texas Bowl, this could be the least compelling game of the entire college bowl season. Minnesota is fortunate to be appearing in this bowl game as they finished 8th in the Big Ten with a 3-5 conference record and a 6-6 overall record. They were 0-4 against ranked opponents, with the highlight of their season being a victory over Air Force. Iowa State was more competitive this season as they fought their way to a 6-6 record in a much better Big 12 conference. The highlight of the Cyclones' season was an upset victory over Nebraska, which was a hard-fought defensive struggle. Iowa State may have been exposed defensively against some of the better teams in their conference. However, they still have a terrific slough of playmakers who can ultimately make a difference in this game against Minnesota. CB Kennard Banks has been productive all season for the Cyclones and will be looking to cap off his college career in style against the Golden Gophers of Minnesota. Look for Banks to have a huge game defensively as he will pick off Minnesota QB Adam Weber a few times in this game. He will be very aggressive at the line of scrimmage against Minnesota's receiving core led by Eric Decker. And he will take advantage of missed opportunities by Weber throughout the course of the day. Iowa State will look to feed the ball to RB Alexander Robinson, who ran for over 1,000 yards this season. They will also look to utilize QB Austen Arnaud out of the pocket, attacking the Minnesota run defense and forcing them to scramble away from the line of scrimmage. As for Minnesota, they do not have much of anything on offense. They will need their running game to step up in a big way as they pound the ball up the middle and seek out their running lanes. Weber will look for Decker early and often as Minnesota will live and die on their aerial attack. In the end, I think Iowa State proves too much to handle for the Golden Gophers as turnovers and critical mistakes kill their chances at bowl glory. Iowa State wins 26-10.
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee
This would be a prime opportunity for Lane Kiffin to make a statement with his Tennessee program. This would be a good time to show why Tennessee should be feared for years to come in the SEC. This would be a great time for me to shut up about Tennessee's future prospects. One thing must be said of Tennessee this season: they played hard in all of their games against ranked opponents. When everyone thought that Florida would come out and spank the Volunteers, Tennessee surprised and only lost 23-13. When everyone thought that Nick Saban would unleash hell and literally torch the Volunteers in all phases of the game, Tennessee hung tough and only lost 12-10 in a game they honestly should have won. Kiffin's resume this season also includes impressive victories over South Carolina and Georgia, teams he absolutely ripped apart both on and off the field this season. Lane Kiffin may have a big mouth, which has gotten him in trouble with the NCAA all year long. However, to say that his first season at Tennessee was a disaster would be a great injustice. And even though Tennessee is being investigated for recruitment violations, one cannot deny that they have been very competitive against the top teams all season long. This is why their showdown with Virginia Tech will be a very interesting game. Tennessee boasts one of the best defensive units in the country and is led by renowned CB Eric Berry. But then again, Virginia Tech also has one of the best defenses in the country. So it is fair to say that both are evenly matched on that side of the ball. So which team has the better offense? Jonathan Crompton had a wonderful year throwing the football for the Volunteers as he amassed over 2,500 yards passing and 26 touchdowns. And RB Montario Hardesty was very effective at the line of scrimmage as he ran for over 1300 yards and 12 touchdowns. There is no doubt in my mind that the strength of Tennessee's offense is in the backfield. And if they are going to defeat Virginia Tech, Hardesty will have to be very aggressive at the point of attack and push his way for some extra yards down the field. I think Virginia Tech will do a great job at containing Hardesty throughout the course of the game, which will force Crompton to make some throws down the field. Tennessee has had problems all season opening up their passing game, which is why I think Virginia Tech will take advantage early and often. They will get pressure on Crompton in the backfield and break up any kind of coherency that Tennessee will try to establish. Crompton will make some errant throws from the pocket and will be forced to take sacks throughout the course of the game. Tennessee will be forced to punt the ball a lot in this game, which plays into the hands of Frank Beamer and his beloved "Beamer ball". Virginia Tech wins game on the strength of their special teams. And they will take advantage of good field position handed to them on punt returns from Jayron Hosley. Look for QB Tyrod Taylor to deceive the Tennessee linebackers with his speed and agility outside the pocket, giving himself more time to throw the football and to connect down the field to receivers Jarrett Boykin and Danny Coale. I think Tennessee will have problems containing RB Ryan Williams at the line of scrimmage. Williams has been the primary weapon for Virginia Tech all season, running for over 1500 yards and 19 touchdowns. He will do the dirty work against that Tennessee defensive line, pounding the ball against the defenders and breaking free for extra yards. Virginia Tech will win this game by taking advantage of goal-line opportunities and scoring more touchdowns than Tennessee. Tennessee will play hard on defense and will force some mistakes from Taylor and company throughout the course of the game. But I think Virginia Tech wins this game on the strength of their special teams and their overall defensive play. But don't worry, Lane Kiffin. Your time is coming. Tennessee will be strong once again. Virginia Tech wins 24-16.
That's it for now...stay tuned for my NFL Week 16 preview later on today and Part III of my college bowl preview next weekend. Til then...
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