A Look Back at the Bowl Games (and My Picks)

Following is a list of the 35 bowl games that were played, in the order that I picked them, from 1 confidence point to 35. I will share my predictions, the results and follow each with a brief analysis.

1 - Central Florida (10-3) over Georgia (6-6) in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31, 2010.
Like the scoring would indicate, I'm not the most confident with regard to this pick, unlike many "experts" on ESPN, whom are giving Georgia anywhere from the mid-teens to upper 20's in confidence points. While it's true that Georgia has played much better in recent weeks since star wideout A.J. Green returned to the line-up from suspension, but their defense is still very average and that may be a kind label. Central Florida is not a team to be taken lightly. Their three losses came by a combined 21 points to three bowl teams: North Carolina State (8-4), Kansas State (7-5) and Southern Mississippi (8-4). UCF ranks 24th nationally in points scored (33.8 ppg) and are 12th in points against (18.0 papg). Georgia is likely to score some points, but I like how UCF's offense and defense matches up with Georgia's more than the other way around. It should be close, but I like the Golden Knights to attain their first ever bowl win.

Prediction: Central Florida 24 Georgia 21

Result: Central Florida 10 Georgia 6

Analysis: The score was a bit lower than I had anticipated, but I can't say I was surprised by the results. Going into this game, while Georgia had a poorer record than Central Florida, the non-AQ schools have something extra to play for when they face AQ schools in bowl games. That was no different here. Also, I think many ESPN "experts" underestimated the skill and speed of UCF's defense. They were solid all year and proved that once again against the high-flying Georgia offense, which included stand-out wide receiver, A.J. Green.

2 - Florida International (6-6) over Toledo (8-4) in the Little Caesar's Bowl on Dec. 26, 2010
Toledo may have a bit of a home-field advantage in this one, but in FIU's first bowl game, I look for them to make the most of the opportunity. FIU may have 6 losses, but 4 of them were to non-conference opponents in the major conferences: Rutgers (4-8) 14-19, Texas A&M (9-3) 20-27, Maryland (8-4) 28-42 and Pittsburgh (7-5) 17-44. Toledo, meanwhile, beat Purdue (4-8) 31-20 and got blown out by Arizona (7-5) 2-41. Even though they played in the Sun Belt Conference, which is the weakest in Division I-A, their difficult non-conference I believe prepared FIU more for this game than Toledo's did.

Prediction: Florida International 31 Toledo 28

Result: Florida International 34 Toledo 32

Analysis: Score wise, I was almost right on the money with this pick, but I can't say the game transgressed the way I had thought it would. FIU came from three scores back in the 2nd half and kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired to vault the Golden Panthers to a winning season and their first bowl win in school history.

3 - Illinois (6-6) over Baylor (7-5) in the Texas Bowl on Dec. 29, 2010
I seem to be in the minority on this pick, especially with it being basically a home game for Baylor. However, like with the Central Florida/Georgia match-up, I just like how Illinois' offense and defense matches up with Baylor's defense and offense more than the reverse. Illinois' defense got a little sluggish at times down the stretch, but with the break, I think they'll play better in this game. Speaking of defenses, Baylor ranks 83rd in points allowed (29.8 papg), having given up 150 points in their final three games of the regular season (50.0 p/), losing all three by a combined score of 82 - 150 (average of 27.3 - 50.0 = -22.7). Illinois' spread option attack has slowly improved each week with their freshman quarterback and I look for it to give Baylor's defense fits, a defense not used to facing such an offense, playing in the Big XII. So long as Illinois doesn't turn the ball over, I like for them to win this game.

Prediction: Illinois 38 Baylor 31

Result: Illinois 38 Baylor 14

Analysis: As my low confidence level would suggest, I didn't see this coming. Sure, I picked Illinois, but not by 24 points. As expected, Baylor's defense couldn't stop the spread option look of the Illini and Illinois' defense, which had been roughed up near season's end, rebounded very nicely against Robert Griffin and the Bear's offense.

4 - Navy (9-3) over San Diego State (8-4) in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 23, 2010
San Diego State appears to be the favorite in this one as well, but there's something I've learned through the years - don't bet against Navy in a bowl game. This is one of the most disciplined teams in the league and even though the Aztecs have some explosive players on offense, it's difficult to utilized those weapons when Navy dominates in the ground game with their option attack, chewing up clock like marijuana addicts chew twinkies.

Prediction: Navy 27 San Diego State 21

Result: San Diego State 35 Navy 14

Analysis: If I had a couple games to switch, this would be one of them. Usually, Navy matches up pretty well with teams in bowl games and they use that pesky triple option attack to chew up clock and frustrate opposing offenses (and defenses). But, their defense was no match for the Aztecs' speed on the outside and this cost them dearly.

5 - Northern Illinois (10-3) over Fresno State (8-4) in the Humanitarian Bowl on Dec. 18, 2010
This should be referred to as the Pain-in-the-butt Bowl, as neither team seems to fear taking on major conference schools in their non-conference schedule and more times than not, they compete for 60 minutes. Segueing from that, however, Fresno State has struggled in bowl games in recent years and under Pat Hill, the team has prided itself in taking on the big boys, anytime, anywhere. Playing a MAC school like Northern Illinois may decrease the level of motivation for the Bulldogs, which will give a mental edge to the Huskies. If Fresno is focused, flip a coin on this one, but I'm thinking Northern Illinois will get the upper hand.

Prediction: Northern Illinois 31 Fresno State 24

Result: Northern Illinois 40 Fresno State 17

Analysis: Over the first couple drives, Fresno appeared to be the quicker team and I was immediately wondering if I had made the right pick. But, NIU made adjustments and never looked back. Fresno, which has been notorious for this in recent years, played with a lack of heart and motivation against a non-conference opponent from a non-AQ conference. This was the case yet again.

6 - TCU (12-0) over Wisconsin (11-1) in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2011
Yet again, I'm going with the underdog. For how many upsets that occurred in last year's bowl season, who can really blame me? Wisconsin is a fine football team, with arguably the best offensive line in all of college football. However, like Boise State and Oklahoma a few years ago, this is TCU's Super Bowl right here. This is their chance to ultimately make it known to the world that they are a legitimate undefeated team and deserved a shot at the national championship. Also, due to last year's sluggish performance against Boise State in TCU's bowl game, especially by quarterback Andy Dalton, I think the Horned Frogs will be especially focused and crisp this time around.

Prediction: TCU 24 Wisconsin 21

Result: TCU 21 Wisconsin 19

Analysis: I was pretty much dead on with this pick, but was nervous at first. It's not every day Wisconsin takes the first play from scrimmage 40 yards and winds up with only a field goal for the drive and with that, only 19 points for the game. Kudos to TCU head coach, Gary Patterson, and the rest of his staff. Early in the game, the Badgers' offensive line appeared to be dominating TCU's defensive line and if that continued, the Horned Frogs likely wouldn't have won the game, as their defense would have been worn down by the 4th, possibly even the 3rd quarter. But Patterson and company made some great adjustments and controlled the game in the second half en route to an unbeaten season.

7 - Stanford (11-1) over Virginia Tech (11-2) in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 3, 2011
I could see this game going either way. Along with Wisconsin, Stanford has been arguably the best one-loss team down the stretch of the regular season. Virginia Tech, after losing their first two games of the season, one to Division I-AA James Madison, they have gone 11-0, going unscathed in ACC play, closing things out with a dominating win over Florida State in the ACC Championship Game. To say that both teams are hot going into this game would be like saying the Chicago Cubs haven't won a World Series for a while. It's kind of a "Duh" comment. But, even though Virginia Tech's young defense has improved as the season has progressed and their offense has been pretty solid, Stanford is definitely the more solid and balanced of the two teams, much more consistent defensively. The two potential X-factors in this game will be: 1) Jim Harbaugh - there have been rumors of his potentially leaving the school after the game to go to Michigan. Will this play as a distraction for his team? 2) Tyrod Taylor - Playing in the Pac-10 Conference, Stanford has not faced many dual-threat quarterbacks, outside of Eugene, Oregon and that resulted in their only loss of the season. Even then, I think Stanford pulls one out en route to a 12-1 campaign.

Prediction: Stanford 31 Virginia Tech 27

Result: Stanford 40 Virginia Tech 12

Analysis: Obviously, Stanford wasn't distracted by the rumors swirling about their head coach, Jim Harbaugh, heading elsewhere at game's end. Virginia Tech kept it close for one half, as they trailed 13-12 going into intermission. But, Stanford came out looking like a completely different team in the second half and made it known that they were #4 for a good reason, perhaps three or four good reasons.

8 - Arizona (7-5) over Oklahoma State (10-2) in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29, 2010
I'm just rolling with these underdogs, aren't I? There's no question about it, Oklahoma State has an explosive offense and of these two teams, they've had the better season. Yet, their reward for a 10-2 campaign is a December 29th date against a 7-5 school? Meanwhile, Arizona comes into this game losers of four straight. They also got embarrassed by Nebraska last year in the Holiday Bowl. Down the stretch of the season, Arizona was banged up all over the place. The long break will give the team some much needed rest and with that time to recuperate, I think Arizona comes into this game wanting it more than Oklahoma State. Let's not forget, when Arizona was healthy, they were a top 15 team, even beating then #9 Iowa. Their defense is one of the top two or three in the Pac-10 and Okie State, while dynamic offensively, aren't very good (to be kind) on defense. I like the Wildcats to upset the Cowboys and end the season on a positive note.

Prediction: Arizona 38 Oklahoma State 31

Result: Oklahoma State 36 Arizona 10

Analysis: The score here is a little misleading. Arizona dominated time of possession at nearly a 2 : 1 ratio, led in total yards, etc. But, there was one key category that OSU won and by a hefty margin - turnovers. Arizona beat themselves early and often with the turnover bug and left themselves in too big a hole to ever climb out. It was a very difficult end to the season for Arizona and it'll be interesting to see how they try to rebound next year.

9 - Michigan (7-5) over Mississippi State (8-4) in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1, 2011
I think the outcome of this game will have a lot to do with distraction and motivation. How distracted will the kids from both teams be with regard to their respective coaches. Michigan's Rich Rodriguez may be out the door following this game and MSU's Dan Mullen has been rumored to have been looking around at another head coaching position. With all that in mind, which team will come more prepared, focused and motivated? In answering those questions, I think it will be Michigan. Freak quarterback, Denard Robinson, has been hampered by nagging injuries all year, but now has a chance to heal up for a month before this game. Mississippi State hasn't faced such a weapon this season and that plays into the favor of the Michigan offense. If the Wolverines' defense can stop Mississippi State on even just half of their possessions, I think Michigan will come out victorious.

Prediction: Michigan 35 Mississippi State 31

Result: Mississippi State 52 Michigan 14

Analysis: I mentioned the San Diego State/Navy game as one I'd like to have switched. This is the other. I thought, going into the game, the Wolverines would have something to play for - Rich Rodriguez's job. Sure, they played pretty well for about a quarter and a half, but their defense did what only their defense can do and allowed 42 consecutive points to close the game.

10 - Notre Dame (7-5) over Miami (Fla.) (7-5) in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31, 2010
Motivation is the key factor in this game. Miami (Fla.) had grand expectations this season, in Randy Shannon's 3rd year with the school. They were picked by many (most) to win the ACC Conference and possibly contend for a national championship. Following an overtime loss to 7-5 South Florida of the Big East to close out the regular season, head coach Randy Shannon got fired and in comes Temple head coach, Al Golden. Notre Dame, meanwhile, finished the season strong onward to this bowl game. With first year head coach, Brian Kelly, at the helm, the Irish appear to be fired up and headed in the right direction, whereas Miami (Fla.) is headed the opposite way. Miami (Fla.) has the speed and talent to win this game, but then again, they had the speed and talent to win all 12 games and they wound up winning just 7 of those.

Prediction: Notre Dame 27 Miami (Fla.) 24

Result: Notre Dame 33 Miami (Fla.) 17

Analysis: Just as I suspected, Miami (Fla.) was disinterested in this game, as the team was disappointed with their season and distracted with the firing of their head coach, Randy Shannon. Notre Dame, after being excluded from bowl season a year ago, had much more to play for under first year head coach, Brian Kelly, and that showed on the field.

11 - Iowa (7-5) over Missouri (10-2) in the Insight Bowl on Dec. 28, 2010
This game is basically a direct replica of the Arizona/Oklahoma State match-up. Just like in that game, it appears as if the Big XII school, Missouri in this case, got the short end of the deal. Missouri surprised many with their 10-2 season this year, finishing 2nd (behind Nebraska) in the Big XII North. Iowa, on the other hand, was a pre-season Top 10 team and unlike last year, where it seemed every bounce in every close game went their way, just the opposite was true this year, en route to a very disappointing 7-5 record, capped by a loss to Big Ten doormat, Minnesota. Kirk Ferentz always has his team ready to play in the bowl game, though, and he'll want his team to take out their frustration on the Tigers in this one. Iowa has one of the top defenses in the Big Ten and like last year against the option offense of Georgia Tech, they should be able to clamp down on Missouri's offense and score enough points on offense to win.

Prediction: Iowa 27 Missouri 20

Result: Iowa 27 Missouri 24

Analysis: Yeah, I was very close on the final score, but in the 4th quarter, I really thought Missouri had the game won. Iowa had led early and controlled things until early in the 4th quarter, when Mizzou went up 24-20. Iowa's offense looked to be about done and their defense was having trouble getting off the field, when the Hawkeyes picked off a pass thrown by Blaine Gabbert and returned it for what would be a game-winning touchdown. This was one of the lone brights spots for the Big Ten in this bowl season.

12 - North Carolina (7-5) over Tennessee (6-6) in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30, 2010
Like with all the games to this point, this was a toughy, especially with it being a home game for Tennessee. Both clubs have had a rollercoaster season, but the T.J. Yates to Dwight Jones combination will be too much for the Vols to overcome. I like Carolina to cap off what was an amazingly bumpy and emotional year at 8-5.

Prediction: North Carolina 20 Tennessee 17

Result: North Carolina 30 Tennessee 27 2OT

Analysis: I'm still not certain what happened here. This is one game I was kind of regretting going into bowl season. North Carolina was without a couple of key players and Tennessee had played well down the stretch. But, I got lucky with this one. I have to say, Tennessee has not have much luck this year with the last play of games. They thought they had beaten LSU earlier in the season, when they stopped the Tigers short of the goalline on the last play of the game. But, they were flagged for having too many men on the field and this led to the Tigers getting another chance and cashing in on it. The same occurred in this game. The Vols felt they had won it after T.J. Yates appeared to have spiked the ball with no time remaining. But, after further review, there was one second. Carolina kicked the game-tying field goal as time expired and eventually won in double overtime. This was the craziest finish of the bowl season.

13 - Ohio State (11-1) over Arkansas (10-2) in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4, 2011
Yeah, I live around Columbus. I better pick the Buckeyes, right? Eh, not really. I could see this one going either way. Let's not forget, against SEC teams in bowl games, Ohio State is a combined 0-9. If they lose this one, I may never pick OSU against an SEC opponent in a bowl game again. But, I think things will be different this time around. The difference is two things: 1) Arkansas' defense and 2) Terrelle Pryor. Arkansas' has an explosive offense, led by quarterback Ryan Mallett and while their defense has improved significantly this season, they still are a fairly average defense. Also, let's not pretend that the SEC has a presence at quarterback like Terrelle Pryor at Ohio State. So long as he doesn't get sloppy with the football, I like for the Buckeyes to earn their first win against a SEC team in a bowl game.

Prediction: Ohio State 31 Arkansas 24

Result: Ohio State 31 Arkansas 26

Analysis: The Buckeyes appeared superior in the first half, but got mighty lucky in the second. Arkansas fought their way back to 31-26 and blocked a Buckeyes' punt late in the 4th quarter. A Razorback pounced on the ball, which set up the offense in great field position. However, when watching the replay, the Razorbacks could easily have scooped the blocked punt up and run it in for what likely would have been a game-winning score. This didn't happen, though, and Ryan Mallett was picked off by the OSU defense, which would be the game-sealer.

14 - Auburn (13-0) over Oregon (12-0) in the National Championship Game on Jan. 10, 2011
Here it is, the big one - the National Title Game. I'll actually be pulling for Oregon. How can one really hate the ducks? That mascot of theirs doing how many push-ups this season? Their speed on the offensive side of the ball? Chip Kelly's attitude? Their 20-some odd uniforms? They're a fun football team. But, like I've said before, I just like how Auburn matches up with Oregon more than vice versa. If Oregon can throw the football consistently, this will be huge for the Ducks, but Darren Thomas wasn't always the most consistent passer this year. Auburn struggles in the secondary, but are fairly solid against the run, which is what Oregon's strength is on offense. This may limit the Ducks' powerful offense just enough. On the other side of the ball, while Oregon is quick on defense, they lack the size to compete with Auburn for a full 60 minutes and by the 4th quarter, Cam Newton and company should wear the defense out. It should be an entertaining affair and I hate to do this, but I'm going with Auburn.

Prediction: Auburn 45 Oregon 35

Result: Auburn 22 Oregon 19

Analysis: I can't say I'm surprised by the final spread, but was very surprised with the final score. Both teams came in averaging 40+ points per game and Oregon averaged nearly 50 a contest. To say the two teams would combine for 41, which is about the average for one team, would have been crazy talk. But, both defenses stepped up and without much success running the ball, Oregon had to play to their weakness and this limited them offensively. Also, both teams missed some golden opportunities to score in the red zone.

15 - Air Force (8-4) over Georgia Tech (6-6) in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 27, 2010
I hope you like the ground game, as both teams bring the option offense to the table. But, it's uncertain if Georgia Tech starting quarterback, Joshua Nesbitt, will play in the game, which leaves them with back-up Tevin Washington and their offense wasn't nearly as efficient with him under center. Air Force, like the other two academies, are one of the most disciplined teams in the league and they should have no problem pounding the ball against the atrocious Yellow Jackets' defense. Georgia Tech will need to outscore the Falcons in order to win this one and I don't see that happening, especially if Washington is the starting quarterback.

Prediction: Air Force 28 Georgia Tech 21

Result: Air Force 14 Georgia Tech 7

Analysis: This may have been the most boring game to watch. I was excited going in. Georgia Tech played awful defense this year, yet with their speed on offense, I thought they would be able to put up some points on Air Force's under-sized defense in what could be a rather high-scoring game. This was about as high-scoring as the NHL All-Star Game.

16 - Troy (7-5) over Ohio (8-4) in the New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 18, 2010
Troy is a solid football program. They're loaded with speed, especially on the offensive side of the ball. They gave one-loss Oklahoma State a run for their money this season, falling 38-41. They also played the runnr-up in the SEC, South Carolina. Ohio, under head coach Frank Solich, had another fine bowl-caliber season in the MAC, but I believe Jerrel Jernigan and the Troy offense will be too much.

Prediction: Troy 42 Ohio 31

Result: Troy 48 Ohio 21

Analysis: Jerrel Jernigan made a bigger name for himself with his performance in this game. From the opening to the final snap, Troy just looked to be the faster team. Even their defense, which had underachieved all season, appeared to have more speed than the Bobcats' offense.

17 - BYU (6-6) over UTEP (6-6) in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 18, 2010
After starting the year 1-4, BYU closed the season 5-2, winning 4 of their last 5 (only losses to unbeaten TCU and 10-2 Utah). They scored only 76 points in their first 5 games (15.2 ppg), but have gone on to score 212 points in their final 7 contests (30.3 ppg) and this includes a 3 and 16 point effort against the before-mentioned Horned Frogs and Utes. If one excludes those two games, BYU averaged to score 38.6 points a game in their final 5 wins of the regular season. UTEP had a decent season, but unlike BYU, whom is coming into the game hot, UTEP goes into this game having lost 5 of their last 6. BYU should win this one and finish the season with a winning record.

Prediction: BYU 38 UTEP 24

Result: BYU 52 UTEP 24

Analysis: Watching BYU at the end of the year, I can't believe they started the year 1-5. They dominated UTEP in the first quarter and never looked back, en route to a 7-6 season. Keep your eyes on this team next year!

18 - Miami (OH) (9-4) over Middle Tennessee (6-6) in the GoDaddy.com Bowl on Jan. 6, 2011
Miami (OH) didn't win pretty this year, but as they demonstrated in the MAC Title Game against 10-win Northern Illinois, they just find ways to win, as the won their last 5 games of the regular season. Middle Tennessee won some close games as well, as of their final three victories, two of them came by a single point, one of those against 2-10 Western Kentucky. In the end, I just think Miami (OH) played the tougher schedule and due to that, will be coming into this game more prepared than Middle Tennessee. I like for the Red Hawks to win their 10th game of the season.

Prediction: Miami (OH) 28 Middle Tennessee 17

Result: Miami (OH) 35 Middle Tennessee 21

Analysis: This was a back-and-forth affair for much of the night and while it appeared as if Middle Tennessee held the edge in speed, they also led between the two teams in turnovers. Their quarterback was very careless with the ball, especially in the second half, and this prevented any chance at a comeback.

19 - West Virginia (9-3) over North Carolina State (8-4) in the Champs Sports Bowl on Dec. 28, 2010
This should be an entertaining game. On paper, I really like West Virginia in this one. The only question I have is, will the team be focused after their head coaching change? On the other side of the field, Tom O'Brien is enjoying his best season at N.C. State and would love to close the season out with a 9th win in this bowl game. It should be close, but I just don't see it happening. So long as West Virginia hangs on to the football, which they've had problems with at times this year, they should come out on top. Their defense is quite underrated and should do enough to allow their offense to prevail.

Prediction: West Virginia 27 North Carolina State 24

Result: North Carolina State 23 West Virginia 7

Analysis: I was very disappointed in this game. I thought both teams were very evenly matched and thought West Virginia was the only legitimate top 25 team in the Big East this year. I was wrong on both accounts, as NC State led from the start and stepped on the gas in the second half to close the game.

20 - SMU (7-6) over Army (6-6) in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 30, 2010
This should be quite an interesting match-up, as it showcases the pass-happy June Jones of SMU against Army and the option. If SMU can take control of the football, they should win this one. Army had their best season for a number of years, but they did not beat a team whom is going to a bowl game this season and let's not leave out, there are 35 games (70 teams) this bowl season. SMU has come a long way since Jones took over as head coach and they should continue to head in the right direction with a win in this game.

Prediction: SMU 31 Army 21

Result: Army 16 SMU 14

Analysis: SMU simply beat themselves in this game. They dominated in every statistic but one - turnovers. They drove the ball early and often, but these drives would finish with the ball going to Army and this led the Black Knights to a 16-0 lead before SMU attempted to showcase a rally. They came within two, but that's all the closer they would get.

21 - LSU (10-2) over Texas A&M (9-3) in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 7, 2011
Texas A&M has been one of the hotter teams in the Big XII over the past month or so and LSU, under Les Miles, continues to find ways to win at game's end. I declined to give LSU much credit during the season due to the lack of dominating wins, but I think I'll finally give in and expect Les Miles to pull another one out of his you know what. LSU is ranked 9th in scoring defense (17.8 ppg), have improved on the offensive side of the ball in the past month of the season and have defeated 6 bowl teams this year. That's enough evidence for me to side with them in what should be a low-scoring affair.

Prediction: LSU 20 Texas A&M 13

Result: LSU 41 Texas A&M 24

Analysis: This was the polar opposite of the National Championship Game between Auburn and Oregon, whom were known for their potent offenses, yet were involved in a lower-scoring affair. Both Texas A&M and LSU succeeded this year, in large part, because of their defenses. Both schools' offenses were anything but consistent. Well, it appears as if the coaches focused their attention on the offensive side of the ball in the practices leading up to this game and that showed. A&M led early, but LSU put forth a nice comeback in the first half, before dominating in the second.

22 - Southern Mississippi (8-4) over Louisville (6-6) in the Beef 'O'Brady's Bowl on Dec. 21, 2010
I heard someone at ESPN give Louisville 18 or so confidence points. Why? They were 2-4 against bowl teams, winning against UConn (8-4) and Syracuse (7-5), while also losing to Cincinnati (4-8) and Oregon State (5-7) to go along with those four bowl teams. The Cardinals have improved on the defensive side of the ball quite a bit this season, but don't score very frequently. On the other side of things, Southern Miss brings a very balanced offense to the table, ranking 31st in passing offense, 21st in rushing offense and 15th in scoring offense. They struggled some on defense this year, but as always, are quick on that side of the ball. It should be a tightly-contested game, but I give the edge to Southern Miss.

Prediction: Southern Mississippi 24 Louisville 20

Result: Louisville 31 Southern Mississippi 28

Analysis: Southern Miss led 14-0 early in the game and overall, appeared to be the better team, but give credit to the Louisville coaching staff. They made the proper adjustments in the second quarter on both offense and defense and were able to take their first lead of the game in the 4th on a field goal to make it 31-28, which would be the final.

23 - Maryland (8-4) over East Carolina (6-6) in the Military Bowl on Dec. 29, 2010
Maryland could run into a motivation problem in this game, as they finished with a strong 8-4 record in the ACC and are stuck playing a 6-6 Conference-USA club in a bowl game, but Maryland wasn't expected to do much this year, so I don't see that happening. On the other side of things, while East Carolina can score some points, they're coming into the game losing 4 of 5 and allowing, this is not a misprint, 274 points in that time (average of 54.8 per game). I don't care how good an offense is. If you give up almost 8 touchdowns per game, you're not going to win very many.

Prediction: Maryland 45 East Carolina 28

Result: Maryland 51 East Carolina 20

Analysis: I realized East Carolina's defense was bad, which is why I predicted the Terrapins to score 45 points against them. But, I didn't realize they were this bad. Maryland scored 51 against the Pirates' defense and it could very well have been more.

24 - South Carolina (9-4) over Florida State (9-4) in the Chic-fil-A Bowl on Dec. 31, 2010
This is an interesting match-up on a number of levels. Firstly, based on their results from this season, it appears as if both teams are headed in the right direction under Steve Spurrier and Jimbo Fisher. Secondly, the two teams, on paper at least, are very similar to one another and seem to match-up very well with each other. On the season, Florida State is 6-4 against bowl-bound teams and South Carolina is 7-4 against such teams. Both teams also rank in the top 40 both offensively and defensively. Lastly, the two clubs were runners-up in their respective conferences, getting pounded in their conference title games, Florida State losing to Virginia Tech 33-44 (wasn't that close) and Carolina getting pounded by Auburn 17-56. So, my first question is, where are the teams' heads? Will both be focused on this bowl game following their horrendous performances in their conference championships? Fortunately for both they and the fans, I think both clubs will be ready to go for this one. Both teams exceeded expectations this season and are on the right track. Based on what I've seen this season, though, I give a bit of an edge to the Gamecocks. The guy to watch out for is standout freshman tailback Marcus Lattimore of South Carolina. Florida State finished the regular season ranked 42nd in rush defense, giving up over 167 yards on the ground per game. Look for Lattimore to get the ball early and often and keep the explosive Florida State offense off the field. As could be seen at times this season (Oklahoma, Virginia Tech), if FSU gets down early, they can have a tendency to press and through this, make mistakes. Look for Carolina to take advantage of this en route to a victory and through that, a 10-win season.

Prediction: South Carolina 27 Florida State 20

Result: Florida State 26 South Carolina 17

Analysis: As we've seen in previous games, South Carolina appeared to be the better team, but they were too careless with the football and Florida State made enough with those turnovers to prevail at game's end.

25 - Clemson (6-6) over South Florida (7-5) in the Meineke Car Care Bowl on Dec. 31, 2010
For most other games that present such a match-up, I've typically gone with the South Florida's, but am treating this game differently. What I mean by that is the fact that South Florida comes into this game winning 4 of their last 6, with those two losses being to Connecticut (8-4) and Pittsburgh (7-5) by a combined 10 points. USF plays a lot of such games. This season, the Bulls have had seven contests that were decided by one possession and finished 4-3 in such games. The main reason for this is their defense. Their offense has sputtered at times, finishing 88th in points scored (23.5 ppg), but their defense often times excelled, ranking them 19th in the country in points allowed (19.5 papg). On the other hand, Clemson comes into this game losing 3 of their last 5 and finishing with a disappointing 6-6 record. Like South Florida, however, the Tigers liked the close games, struggled on offense and dominated on defense. The only difference is I think they're a bit better on both sides of the ball and they showed me more in the games they played, even lost, as it was to better competition. In five of their six losses (exception was 7-29 defeat to South Carolina), they lost by a combined 26 points (average of 5.2). Even when including the blow-out loss to the Gamecocks, Clemson lost the six games by a combined 48 points (average of 8.0). All six losses were to bowl teams, as the Tigers finished 3-6 against such clubs. These six losses came against: Auburn (13-0) by 3 in overtime (should've won that one), Miami (Fla.) (7-5) by 9, North Carolina (7-5) by 5, Boston College (7-5) by 6, Florida State (9-4) by 3 and South Carolina (9-4) by 22. So, their six losses came to teams with a combined record of 52-23 (.693). So, while it's true Clemson finished at 6-6, they had arguably one of the toughest schedules in the country this year. Even with the tough schedule, they finished ranked 9th in the country in scoring defense (17.8 papg). When combining their preparation for this game with their difficult schedule and their stout defense matching up with South Florida's inept offense, I like the Tigers to finish the year with a winning record in what should be a defensive slugfest.

Prediction: Clemson 17 South Florida 10

Result: South Florida 31 Clemson 26

Analysis: As has been the case in recent years, Clemson just didn't seem fired up for their bowl game and South Florida, probably feeling disrespected as a Big East school and under first year head coach Skip Holtz, had more than enough motivation to prevent a Tigers' comeback and come back with a W for the Big East Conference.

26 - Pittsburgh (7-5) over Kentucky (7-5) in the Compass Bowl on Jan. 8, 2011
I initially picked Kentucky in this game, but a lot has happened since then. Firstly, Kentucky's starting quarterback, Mike Hartline, who threw for almost 3,200 yards to go along with 23 touchdowns, will be out for this game due to a suspension. Secondly, this will be Pittsburgh head coach, Dave Wandstedt's, last game. Due to both these factors, I give Pittsburgh a mental and physical advantage going into the game. Also, when looking at the two teams on paper, especially with Hartline out, I have to give the edge to the Panthers as well. Kentucky finished the season 2-5 against bowl teams, while Pitt was 4-5. Also, Kentucky was not known for a staunch defense, finishing 74th in points allowed (28.5 papg) and 31.5 points allowed on average to the seven bowl teams they played. Pitt will pound the ball early and often with the dynamic duo at tailback in Dion Lewis (956 yards and 12 touchdowns) and Ray Graham (832 yards and 8 touchdowns). This is a much better match-up for the Panthers than when the Wildcats have the ball, as Pitt finished the season ranked 22nd in scoring defense (19.8 papg). I look for Pitt to finish the season winning their sixth contest in a span of eight games and Kentucky to finish losing their seventh in ten.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 31 Kentucky 17

Result: Pittsburgh 27 Kentucky 10

Analysis: The game was a defensive slugfest in the first half, but without quarterback Mike Hartline playing for the Wildcats, this absence was truly felt in the second, when Pitt's offense finally started making their presence felt with tailbacks Deon Lewis and Ray Graham leading the way.

27 - Alabama (9-3) over Michigan State (11-1) in the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1, 2011
I shouldn't completely discount the Spartans' chances in this game, not so much on account of their being as good as their record would indicate (they're not), but for the pure simple fact that Alabama may not be quite as motivated to win this game as the Spartans will be. Let's not forget, Alabama won the national title last year against Texas and had aspirations of going back-to-back. Three losses later and they're playing in the Capital One Bowl, a fine bowl game, but one which is well below where they had hoped to play. But, I like to compare this Michigan State team as a slight downgrade to the Iowa team from a year ago. Last year, Iowa finished the season at 11-2, getting the lucky bounce almost every game, it seemed, and finding a way, through both luck and skill, to win in the last minute. That's Michigan State this year. Their schedule was kind to them, as they had the fortune of not having to play Ohio State (who would have beaten them) and also of having a rather weak non-conference schedule which included: Western Michigan (6-6) of the MAC, Florida Atlantic (4-8) of the Sun Belt, Division I-AA Northern Colorado and Notre Dame (7-5), whom Michigan State beat on a fake field goal in overtime. They also struggled against Northwestern (7-5), Purdue (4-8) and Penn State (7-5), but found ways to win all three games. Their one loss was an embarrassing 6-37 loss to Iowa (7-5). So, while I give kudos to the Spartans for finishing the season with an excellent 11-1 record, I'd be lying if I said I thought they were a genuine 11-win team. Alabama, on the other hand, played a much tougher schedule, beating: Penn State (7-5) by 21, Arkansas (10-2) by 4, Florida (7-5) by 25, Tennessee (6-6) by 31 and Mississippi State (8-4) by 20. They had a couple hiccups along the way, but I think this team is just too solid on both sides of the ball for Michigan State to handle for a full 60 minutes. On the season, the Tide finished 28th in passing offense, 36th in rushing offense and 21st in scoring offense, while their defense finished 5th in scoring defense (14.1 papg). The speed on the defensive side of the ball will be too much for the Spartans and Alabama will leave Florida with their 10th victory of the season.

Prediction: Alabama 24 Michigan State 13

Result: Alabama 49 Michigan State 7

Analysis: There's really no excuse for Michigan State here. They had everything to play for in this game, much more than Alabama did, that's for certain. The Spartans were complaining that they deserved a bowl bid to a BCS game, that they were the only 1-loss team without such an invite. Well, after this thrashing, I don't think there will be any gripes by the men in green of their absence in the five elite bowl games. They may have won 11 games this year, but lost their two games by a combined score of 13-86 (average of 6.5 - 43.0 = -36.5) against teams with a combined 18-8 (.692) record.

28 - Texas Tech (7-5) over Northwestern (7-5) in the TicketCity Bowl on Jan. 1, 2011
I have to give some props to Northwestern. They may win a lot of close games, but they rarely get blown out. They play hard and compete for 60 minutes, until the clock reads zeroes. But, with stud quarterback, Dan Persa, out for this game with injury, I have a difficult time seeing the Wildcats come out of here with a win. Their defense struggled tremendously in the team's final two regular season games, as well, allowing 118 points in those two games (average of 59.0 ppg). No, that's not a typo. They gave up 48 to Illinois and 70 to Wisconsin. Also, the Wildcats didn't play the world's toughest schedule, as they went 1-4 against bowl teams, their lone win being against Iowa (7-5) by 4. Texas Tech didn't fare the best against quality competition either, as they finished 3-4 against bowl competition, but that's still an improvement. They also showed signs of improvement on both sides of the ball in their final two games. With Dan Persa out, the Red Raiders defense should appear improved (whether that will actually be true or not is highly debatable) and unless Northwestern makes some serious changes on defense before this game, Texas Tech's 34th ranked offense (32.1 ppg) should score more than enough points to come out of this game with a win.

Prediction: Texas Tech 31 Northwestern 21

Result: Texas Tech 45 Northwestern 38

Analysis: One has to give credit to Northwestern. They fell behind early and without starting quarterback, Dan Persa, in the lineup due to an injury, they could have folded, but they didn't do that. They fought back to within 7 and even had an opportunity to tie the game in the end, but weren't able to get that done.

29 - Kansas State (7-5) over Syracuse (7-5) in the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 30, 2010
Syracuse is a nice story and will have a home-field advantage in this game, but they are coming into this game losing 3 of their last 4 games, are 2-5 against bowl competition and rank 99th in scoring offense (21.0 ppg). They have been solid defensively, as they ranked 13th in scoring defense (18.1 papg), but that increases to 25.1 points against bowl competition, while averaging to score just 14.1 points in those same games. Kansas State makes me nervous sometimes. An ideal example of that was their final regular season game against North Texas, when the Wildcats won by the final score of 49-41. Their defense wasn't great this year, but their offense, led by stud tailback, Daniel Thomas (1,495 rush yards and 16 touchdowns), will be too much for the porous Syracuse offense to overcome.

Prediction: Kansas State 27 Syracuse 17

Result: Syracuse 36 Kansas State 34

Analysis: It's amazing how one bad defense can make a bad offense look good. This was definitely the case here. I had thought that with the extra time off between the final regular season game and the bowl game, Kansas State's defense would have enough time to rest, heal and play with more efficiency, after allowing 41 points to North Texas. That was anything but the case, as the 99th ranked scoring offense, Syracuse, scored 36 points against the hapless Wildcats' defense.

30 - Florida (7-5) over Penn State (7-5) in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1, 2011
I actually debated this one for a little while initially, as Penn State has improved some after their quarterback switch, but then news broke of Florida head coach, Urban Meyer, retiring after this game. This game now becomes all about the Gators winning one more for their coach. Penn State consistently struggled on offense this year, finishing 52nd in pass offense, 75th in rush offense and 80th in scoring offense (24.6 ppg), while their defense was pretty solid, but not great, ranking 41st (22.6 papg). Also, PSU struggled with bowl competition, going 2-5 against such teams and being outscored by them 131-199 (average of 18.7 - 28.4 = -9.7). Florida had a very difficult schedule, as they faced 10 bowl teams, going 5-5 against such clubs. Even with the tough schedule and the youth on offense, the Gators still managed to finish 48th in scoring offense (29.3 ppg) and 31st in scoring defense (21.1 papg). With their speed, especially on defense, I look for the Gators to dominate Penn State's offensive line and for the offense to do enough to win Urban Meyer's final game.

Prediction: Florida 20 Penn State 10

Result: Florida 37 Penn State 24

Analysis: This looked like it would go down to the wire for a while, but Florida's defense and special teams stepped up to lead head coach Urban Meyer out of Gainesville with a bowl victory.

31 - Hawaii (10-3) over Tulsa (9-3) in the Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24, 2010
As usual Tulsa goes into this game knowing how to score a lot of points, but not being too knowledgeable on how to stop the opponent. The Golden Hurricane finished the season ranked 10th in scoring offense (39.7 ppg) and 84th in scoring defense (29.9 papg). They were 3-3, beating: Notre Dame (28-27), UTEP (31-28) and Southern Miss (56-50), while losing to: East Carolina (49-51), Oklahoma State (28-65) and SMU (18-21). Like I said, they know how to score points, but not stop the opposition from scoring. On the other sideline, Hawaii showcases what I feel is quite the underrated or perhaps underappreciated is the more appropriate word, team. After losing two of their first three games, to USC and Colorado, they finished the season 10-1, with their sole loss being to Boise State (11-1). Hawaii doesn't have a dominant defense, but they get the job done more times than not, allowing an average of 22.7 points a game, which ranks them 43rd. On the other side of the ball is where they should dominate Tulsa, however. Tulsa's defense couldn't stop a five-man team composed of four-year olds from scoring 28 points against them, let alone the top ranked passing offense and 9th ranked scoring offense in the country, which Hawaii possesses. With the game being at home, I look for Hawaii to win and win fairly handily.

Prediction: Hawaii 56 Tulsa 35

Result: Tulsa 62 Hawaii 35

Analysis: I didn't see this coming. Hawaii rarely ever loses at home and in particular, in a bowl game at home. As was the trend this bowl season, they just turned the ball over far too much and Tulsa, who showcases a high-scoring offense of their own, took full advantage of that.

32 - Nevada (12-1) over Boston College (7-5) in the Hunger Bowl on Jan. 9, 2011
Credit must be given to the Boston College coaching staff and players for finishing the way they did. At one point this season, BC was 2-5 and had to finish, at worst, 4-1 down the stretch in order to attain a potential bowl bid. They won their final five games to finish the season 7-5. However, they were just 2-5 against bowl competition, with those wins being against Clemson (6-6) by 6 and Syracuse (7-5) by 9. The Golden Eagles' defense is solid. They've allowed 24 or fewer points in all but two games this season, ranking 19th in scoring defense (19.5 papg). But, even with that stout defense, BC's offense makes the Carolina Panthers' offense look good. They finished the year ranked 93rd in pass offense, 87th in rush offense and 109th in scoring offense (18.9 ppg). That's right, even when going 7-5 and allowing just 19.5 points a game, BC's offense averaged to score fewer than that. Nevada didn't have the toughest schedule out there, but did finish 3-1 against bowl teams, with their lone loss being a six-point loss to Hawaii (10-3) on the road. Their defense was often overshadowed by their dynamic offense, but did their job, finishing 36th in scoring defense (22.1 papg). But, where Nevada will showcase their talents are on the offensive side of the ball and dual-threat quarterback, Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick threw for 2,830 yards and 20 touchdowns this season to go along with 1,184 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground. This led to Nevada ranking 3rd in rush yards and 7th in scoring offense (42.6 ppg). BC may be able to hold Nevada under their average, but their offense won't be able to generate enough points to overtake Kaepernick and the Wolfpack offense.

Prediction: Nevada 31 Boston College 17

Result: Nevada 20 Boston College 13

Analysis: This was a much closer game than I anticipated. Nevada appeared to be the better team all game long, but the BC defense kept them in it, as they have all season Nevada quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, was limited offensively, especially in the run game and this, in turn, limited the Wolfpack offense to a grand extent. However great BC's defense was, though, their lackluster offense couldn't generate enough points to eek out a win.

33 - Nebraska (10-3) over Washington (6-6) in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30, 2010
Haven't we already seen this before? Earlier this season, in Seattle, Nebraska dominated the Huskies by the score of 56-21. I see no reason why Nebraska shouldn't win again this time around. The only thing that would worry me if I were a Nebraska fan would be the two teams' focus and motivation. As mentioned, Nebraska beat up on Washington by 35 points earlier this season. Washington quarterback, Jake Locker, had a career worst day, completing just 4 of 20 pass attempts. This will be Locker's final game in college and will want to avenge for his awful performance against the Huskers earlier this season. On the other side of things, will Nebraska feel they were shorted by this bowl game? They were runner-up in the Big XII this year, losing a tightly-contested battle against Oklahoma in the conference championship. But, while I see this game as being closer than the first meeting, Nebraska's defense and running game shall prevail in the end.

Prediction: Nebraska 38 Washington 24

Result: Washington 19 Nebraska 7

Analysis: Well, this is what I feared. I didn't think it'd happen, but it's what I had feared. Nebraska showed no effort, no heart, no determination, nothing. They may have been in San Diego physically, but their minds and hearts were elsewhere. Washington, meanwhile, had everything to play for in an attempt to avenge their loss to Nebraska earlier in the season at home by the final score of 56-21. Quarterback Jake Locker still didn't look sharp at all, but the Huskies' offense did enough to even the season series and finish with a winning record.

34 - Oklahoma (11-2) over Connecticut (8-4) in the Fiesta bowl on Jan. 1, 2011
First, I'd like to congratulate UConn for attaining their first BCS bowl game in school history. Now for the downside. While Oklahoma has struggled in BCS games in recent years and they have seen this kind of pairing before, losing to then Cinderella-story, Boise State, in this same game, I don't see that happening this time around. UConn, under Randy Edsall, excels in the fundamentals of football, but at the end of the day, they just lack the speed to compete for 60 minutes against the Sooners. Oklahoma can't take the pesky Huskies for granted, but if they limit UConn's standout tailback, Jordan Toddman, it will be a long evening for the Huskies, as they finished the season ranked 112th in pass offense. Sooners win and win big.

Prediction: Oklahoma 31 Connecticut 10

Result: Oklahoma 48 Connecticut 20

Analysis: UConn played Oklahoma pretty tough for about 2.5 quarters or so, but as I expected, OU's speed was too much at game's end for UConn to compete with for 60 minutes. It wasn't a great victory for Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, but it did get him off the BCS snide.

35 - Boise State (11-1) over Utah (10-2) in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 22, 2010
Utah's a good team, but like they showcased against TCU, losing 7-47, they are not an elite football team. Coinciding with that is the fact Boise State is angry and will take that out on their bowl opponent, whomever that was to be. They were a short field goal away from finishing the season unbeaten and going to a BCS bowl game. Quarterback Kellen Moore should have no problem with the Utes defense and the 4th ranked scoring defense in the country (13.6 papg) should be able to limit Utah's offensive output. I like the angry Broncos to win and it shouldn't be close.

Prediction: Boise State 45 Utah 10

Result: Boise State 26 Utah 3

Analysis: Boise's offense looked rusty in the first half, but came to life in the second and put aside any worries that they wouldn't come to play due to their disappointing loss to Nevada to close their regular season.

Record: 24-11

Points Earned: 406 (1 + 2 + 3 +5 + 6 +7 + 10 + 11 + 12 + 13 + 14 + 15 + 16 + 17 + 18 + 21 + 23 + 26 + 27 + 28 + 30 + 32 + 34 + 35)

Points Given Up: 224 (4 + 8 + 9 + 19 + 20 + 22 + 24 + 25 + 29 + 31 + 33)

Total Potential Points: 630

Points Left: 0

Best Potential Score: 406