Week 3 of Bowling: Part 2!

The first part of this busy week of Bowl games was an absolute disaster for me. We will try and turn it around with the games on New Year's eve and New Years!

Bowl Record: 13-15

Meineke Car Bowl: South Florida vs. Clemson

B.J. Daniels has been inconsistent at QB this year

Clemson: While the Tigers had a shaky year on the offense side of the ball, their defense allowed them to have as much success as they did. Da'Quan Bowers was named Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation's top defensive player, leading the Tiger's with 15 1/2 sacks. South Florida ranks 109th in the country in total offense, so this matchup will be an issue for USF.  However, USF isn't to bad on the defensive side of the ball either. Their defense ranked twentieth in total yards this season, and should also provide problems for a struggling Clemson offense. I expect a lower scoring game in this bowl game. Clemson should have plenty of support, as they are playing this game only a couple hours away from campus.  I think Clemson squeaks by in a close one.

Floyd is one of the top wide receiver
prospects in the country

Sun Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Miami


Notre Dame: One of the most legendary matchups continues this year in the Sun Bowl, which is not where either one of these programs wanted to be. While I like Miami much better as a football team than Notre Dame,  with all the off field distractions in Miami I am taking the Fighting Irish in this one. Randy Shannon was very popular amongst his players. I thought the Miami program was going in the right direction, and I think their firing of Shannon may be a step back. Notre Dame hasn't had a perfect season off the field as well. In October a student video taper fell off a tower and died tragically in addition to a sexual assault case that was brought against a Notre Dame player. However the Fighting Irish have stayed together as a family, and played their best football down the stretch. They were impressive in a 28-3 win over then No. 14 Utah and ended a long losing streak to USC. Look for Notre Dame to come out on top. 


Liberty Bowl: Georgia vs. No. 25 Central Florida

Green will be one of the top wide receivers in April's draft

Georgia: Central Florida has had a great season, winning a Conference USA championship going 10-3 under fourth year coach George O'Leary. However, I have a tough time picking against the speed of the SEC going up against a non BCS opponent.  Standout wide receiver A.J. Green should have a huge game against the UCF secondary, as he is one of the top prospects for the 2011 NFL draft.  One stat that Georgia fans are not happy about is the fat that the Bulldogs did not defeat a single team with a winning record this season, and this is a chance to fix that.  Check out up and coming freshman quarterback Jeffrey Godfrey who has been impressive in his first year. If UCF is going to win, he will have to have a huge game. 


Chick-fil-A Bowl: No. 23 Florida St. vs. No. 20 South Carolina


Florida St: When you think of Steve Spurrier vs. Florida St. you think of the fierce rivarly between Florida and Florida State 1990's. Now Spurrier is back, trying to beat Florida St. again but as the head coach of South Carolina.  Despite losing in the ACC championship in a shootout to Virginia Tech, the Seminoles played some of their best football down the stretch, including a 31-7 shellacking of in state rival Florida. Stephen Garcia is one of the most improved quarterbacks in the nation this season, and has really improved his decision making. However, I think Florida St. will be ready to go under Jumbo Fisher, and I expect them to prevail.


Saturday Jan. 1


TicketCity Bowl: Northwestern vs. Texas Tech

Potts continues the legacy of great Texas Tech quarterbacks

Texas Tech: This is a great matchup for passing, as the Red Raiders and Wildcats are both known for their passing attacks in the last decade.  Northwestern will try to win their first postseason game since 1949, when they last won the Rose Bowl. Northwestern will be missing their starting quarterback, Dan Persa, who was hurt in their win over No. 13 Iowa. In addition, they will likely be missing their top three rushers. Northwestern is going to have a tough time putting points on the board. The Red Raiders will be led by quarterback Taylor Potts who has thrown for 3,357 yards and 31 touchdowns this season. Northwestern will have a tough time slowing down their passing attack, which is why I think Texas Tech will walk away as winners. 


Capital One Bowl Game: No. 9 Michigan St. vs. No. 16 Alabama


Alabama: I love Alabama in this game, as I don't think they are over their loss to in state rival Arkansas. While both teams probably have sour tastes in their mouths, Michigan St. because they missed out on a BCS game and Alabama unable to challenge for another National Championship.  While Michigan St. has had one of the best seasons in school history, they face off against one of the most challenging opponents they could ask for. The Rolling Tide at full strength will be a handful, as Tony Richardson and Mark Ingram are a load to handle in the backfield.  If the Spartans are going to prevail they will need a big game from tailback Edwin Baker, who was held to 17 yards in their only loss of the season.


Outback Bowl: Florida vs Penn St.

Demps may be the fastest player in college football

Florida: Two of college football's most storied programs face off in the Outback Bowl. Florida will try to send off coach Urban Meyer in style as he coaches his final football game for the Gators.  The Penn St. defense should have a difficult time corralling the Gator's speedy backs, in particular Jeffrey Demps. Demps is probably the fastest player in college football, and he can get some open space against the Nittany Lions he could easily take it for six. Penn St. quarterback Matthew McGloin will look to throw on the Gators secondary, which has been susceptible to the pass this season. However I expect the Gators to come out playing hard for Urban Meyer and win this game. 

Will Denard have success
 against the Bulldogs?

Gator Bowl: No. 21 Mississippi St. vs. Michigan


Michigan: I have no idea why I am picking Michigan here. Every time I have picked them to do something great, they have failed me. I should not have faith in Rich Rodriguez, but I am still taking the Wolverines. Maybe, like the rest of America, I give Denard Robinson more credit than he deserves. If  Denard couldn't get it done against Big 10 defenses, then why is he going to have success against the faster Bulldogs defense? I just have to hope the Michigan players will play for Rodriguez and win this game. If Michigan loses Rodriguez can start packing his bags because the Michigan faithful are getting restless. 










Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. TCU

Dalton will need to have a turnover free game

TCU: It certainly will be a great matchup, but all the attention has been on the TCU defense and the Wisconsin offense. TCU has the number one rated defense in all of the land while the Badgers have hit the 70 point mark three times this season. However, the reality of the situation is that it's the other matchup that is going to decide this game. I think Andy Dalton, one of the most underrated quarterback's in the nation, should have success against the Badgers on defense. In fact, Wisconsin hasn't seem a team with this kind of speed all season. TCU's stellar defense will have to slow down Wisconsin's three horse rushing attack. The Badgers have three running backs over 850 yards. If TCU can't slow down the running game it will open a whole other can of worms, as the Badgers will be able to throw the ball with ease.  However, in their first Rose Bowl appearance I expect TCU to win the Grandaddy of them all.






Fiesta Bowl: No. 7 Oklahoma vs. Connecticut 


Oklahoma: On paper this one is easy, Oklahoma is by far the better team. They should win this game going away. However, you have to wonder if the motivation is there. I think the fact that the Sooners have lossed five straight BCS games should be enough to motivate Oklahoma to victory. Check out Laundry Jones, who has played tremendously at quarterback, replacing Sam Bradford who was taken first in the NFL draft last spring. 

Week 3 of Bowling!

This week marks the best week for bowl games. The first day of 2011 has the best games of this week, but there are some intriguing matchups to watch throughout the week. Last week was a rough week in terms of picks, as I went 2-3. Best games of the week? Probably the games you weren't waiting to watch. The Little Caesars Bowl provided a thrilling comeback by Florida International that was capped by a game-winning field goal as time expired. It was their first bowl appearance in program history.  A three point win by Louisville over Southern Mississippi provided the only other single digit bowl game this week.  Louisville put together an impressive comeback after being down 21-7 in the second quarter.

Bowl Record: 6-8

Monday Dec. 27:

Independence Bowl: Air Force vs. Georgia Tech

Nesbitt would be a huge boost for Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech: If your a fan of running the football, then this is the game for you. The Yellow Jackets and Falcons are the top two rated rushing programs in college football.  Both teams are averaging over 319 yards per game.  While the Yellow Jackets haven't played well recently losing four of their last five games, they will be fired up to play as they try to end their five game bowl losing streak. I like the Yellow Jackets in this one because of their athletes. Georgia Tech's struggling defense should be comfortable with Air Force's offense as they see if every day in practice. If star quarterback Josh Nesbitt can go it would be a huge bonus for Georgia Tech. Head coach Paul Johnson owned the Falcons at Navy, so there is no reason to predict anything different here.

Tuesday Dec. 28

Champ Sports Bowl: North Carolina St. vs. No. 22 West Virginia

Devine has had a disappointing season

West Virginia:  I like the Mountaineers in this game on the simple fact I think they are a better football team. Before this season, many thought Noel Devine had potential to be a Heisman trophy candidate. After a great start to the season, Devine has slumped ever since, and hasn't rushed for 100 yards since Oct. 23 against Syracuse. Coach Bill Stewart was told at the end of the season that the 2011 season would be his last, and that Oklahoma St. defensive coordinator Dana Holgorson would be taking over the program. The Mountaineers will be playing for their coach in this one, and should come out fired up. Watch out for NC State quarterback Russell Wilson, who has thrown for over 3,000 yards this year. He's the best quarterback the Wolfpack have had since Philip Rivers was taking snaps under center. I just don't think the Wolfpack have enough to keep pace with West Virginia's high octane offense.

Insight Bowl: Iowa vs. No. 12 Missouri

No. 12 Missouri- This bowl features two teams that are going in opposite directions. Missouri will look to cap off one of it's more successful seasons with a win in the Insight Bowl. Iowa is coming off a disappointing season where they were expected to contend for a Big 10 title and a second consecutive BCS game. However, the Hawkeyes lost three of their last four, saw their all-time leading receiver Darrell Johnson-Koulianos be arrested, and their starting running back benched. They still have outstanding quarterback Ricki Stanzi, who gives the Hawkeyes hope to salvage their season in his final game. However, Stanzi's decision making has been questionable at times this season, and he faces the 6th ranked Missouri Tigers defense.  Without his top weapons, Stanzi will likely struggle against the Tigers.

Wednesday Dec. 28

Military Bowl: Maryland vs. East Carolina

Maryland: Ralph Friedgen and the Maryland Terrapins just missed out on a chance to play in the ACC championship game. However, even the resurgance of the program wasn't enough to keep Freidgen's job. This will be the last game he will coach as the Terrapin's head coach, and I expect them to play with a lot of fire.  After starting the season with impressive wins over Southern Miss and North Carolina St, the Pirates faltered in their final 5 games. Their passing attack, ranked seventh in the nation, will give the Terrapins a good test, but I expect Maryland to overcome and come out on top.

Texas Bowl: Illinois vs. Baylor

Robert Griffin III leads Baylor into its first bowl
game in 16 seasons

Baylor: Waco, Texas is ecstatic to have Baylor in a bowl game, the first time in 16 seasons. With no doubt their will be a huge Baylor contingent in Houston, which should help fire up the Bears. Illinois is returning to a bowl game for the first time in three seasons, and that was a trip to the Rose Bowl.  The Bears will be led by duel threat quarterback Robert Griffin III, who has been outstanding all season. He should be able to have success against an average Illini defense. Baylor will need to load the box and stop Illinois from running the ball.  If the Illini are forced to go through the air, they will be in big trouble.

Alamo Bowl: No. 12 Oklahoma St. vs. Arizona

Chris Weinke anyone? Weeden
is one of the nations top
quarterbacks at 27 years of age

Oklahoma St:  It's no secret that the Pac 10 was not very strong this season, and that makes for some lopsided bowl matchups. For Arizona, it depends on which team shows up. The one who lost close games to Oregon and Stanford, or the team that blew a game against rival Arizona St. because of two missed extra points. I don't think the end result depends on which Arizona team shows up however, because Oklahoma St. is to talented for the Wildcats. The Cowboys just missed out on a BCS bowl bid, and are the third ranked offense in the nation. They are led by outstanding Quarterback Brandon Weeden,  who has resurrected his football career after a minor league baseball stint. Weeden has thrown for over 4,000 yards and 32 touchdowns this season. The Wildcats will struggle to slow down the Cowboys attack. They simply cannot score with Oklahoma St.



Thursday Dec. 29


Armed Forces Bowl: Army vs. SMU

Daniel Thomas will look to run all over the Cuse'

SMU: Army has resurrected their program through the triple option, and will be in their first bowl game in the last 14 years. However, it's going to be tough slowing down the Mustangs in their own stadium. SMU is playing a home game, and despite Army's willingness to travel with their team, it's going to make it difficult to get tickets. SMU has benefited by playing Navy earlier this year, so they will have a better understanding of how to attack the Army offense. I look for SMU to get their first bowl win at home in years.

Pinstripe Bowl: Kansas St. vs. Syracuse

Kansas St: Syracuse is back in a bowl game for the first time since the 2004 Champ Sports Bowl. Kansas St. is trying to resurrect it's program to being a national power as it was earlier in this decade. This game will be the first bowl game played in the new Yankee Stadium, so it will be a special one. It's been extremely cold back east, so the running game will be important, which preaches Kansas St. football. Running back Daniel Thomas has ran for almost 1,500 yards and sixteen touchdowns on the season. He should have a big day in route to a Kansas St. win.

T.J. Yates will look to close out his career on a strong note

Music City Bowl: Tennessee vs. North Carolina

Tennessee: I'm sure the Music City bowl was thrilled two land these two teams, however I'm not sure the feeling is mutual. North Carolina expected to compete for a BCS bowl this year, while Tennessee will never be satisfied with a 6-6 record.  However it's a bit of a miracle the Vols are even in this position. Tennessee found itself at 2-6, but was able to close out the regular season on a four game winning streak to become bowl eligible. Recently Tennessee opted out of a two game contract with North Carolina in order to had a non-bcs opponent to their schedule. They need for Tennessee officials to feel they had to soften their schedule angered Vol's fan's greatly, and many are thrilled to be playing North Carolina. Tennessee fan's have helped sell out LP field in Nashville, so the crowd will provide great support for Tennessee. Do watch out for North Carolina quarterback  T.J. Yates, who has thrown for over 3,000 yards this season and 18 touchdowns.  The four year starter has had a tremendous career at North Carolina and will look to cap it with a win.

Holiday Bowl: No. 18 Nebraska vs. Washington

Locker wants to prove he is for real

No. 18 Nebraska: Earlier this bowl season we talked about how the lack of depth in the Pac 10 provided for some disappointing bowl matchups. This is one of them. Washington barely became bowl eligible, edging woeful Washington St. for their sixth win. The Holiday Bowl is considered the Pac 10's second best non-BCS bowl game, but with two teams BCS, and only two other team's bowl eligible, we have Washington. Nebraska is a completely different football team, and missed out on a Fiesta Bowl bid thanks to their loss in the Big 12 conference championship. Nebraska has the eighth ranked defense in the nation, pleasing the former blackshirts. They have returned to good ol' Nebraska football by running the football, and are averaging over 250 yards per game. Reflecting back on Nebraska's losses, they are probably disappointed. A loss against Texas now looks extremely bad, and Texas A&M was a team they should of handled. Remember Nebraska beat Washington 56-21 earlier this season. That game began the  free fall by Jake Locker, where he went 4-20 for 71 yards with two interceptions. The Holiday Bowl provides Locker with a last chance to prove that he is one of the most effective quarterbacks in the nation when healthy.

Best of the West: Week 6

USC picked up a huge win on the road

With the Holiday's this past weekend, it was a slow weekend in college basketball. However, in the games I marked as key games, the western teams came up pick. UNLV picked up a great win over No. 11 Kansas St. IT was a much needed win after their disappointing home loss against UCSB the week before. USC finally got their marquee victory over No. 17 Tennessee. The problem is Tennessee is slipping, and this win may not be that impressive in a couple of weeks. Washington St. finished second in the Diamond Head Classic, and looked good in wins over No. 15 Baylor and Mississippi St.

Gonzaga continues to play tough, as they beat another good team in Xavier. It was Gonzaga's second straight win without lone senior Stephen Gray. Sacre was impressive inside, and Elias Harris posted his first double-double of the season. Questions may start being asked, are the Zags better without Stephen Gray? When he's in the lineup the Zags tend to have more lost possessions, as Gray tends to fall in love with the three ball. This will be interesting to watch.

Games to watch this week:

Dec. 29 Washington @ USC- The Pac 10 favorite takes on maybe the hottest team in the PAC 10. USC played Kansas tough on the road and upset No. 17 Tennessee. Washington looks to silent those upstart USC supporters early on in Pac-10 play.

Dec. 31 Oklahoma St. @ Gonzaga- What's better than watching some great hoops on New Year's Eve. The Zags hope to add to their resume with a win over a tough Cowboys team. Oklahoma St. comes off two nice wins over Stanford and Alabama, so they will be ready to play.

This Week's Top Ten

Isiah Thomas and Washington opens
up Pac 10 play at USC

No. 1 No. 16 BYU (12-1)- BYU takes over the top spot this week after their impressive 21 point victory over the UTEP miners. Jimmer Fredette posted a near triple- double with 25 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. Fredette has a chance to make a run at national player of the year honors.

No. 2 No. 7 San Diego St. (14-0)- I'm tired of seeing the Aztecs barely slip by inferior competition. Great teams blowout the type of teams that are playing San Diego St. close. SDSU posted a six point win over San Francisco and a two point win over IUPU. Do remember it was the second time the Aztecs have seen IUPU this season. However, San Diego St. has probably locked up a bid as they completed their non-conference schedule undefeated.

No. 3 UNLV (11-2)- UNLV took advantage of Jacob Pullen and Curtis Kelly's absence in their upset win over No. 11 Kansas St. The win was a big one for the Runnin' Rebels, as they were coming off a disappointing loss to UCSB.

No. 4 Washington St. (10-2)- The Cougars picked up nice wins last week over Mississippi St. and No. 15 Baylor. Klay Thompson was impressive in all three games, averaging over 25 points per game. Big weekend for Washington St. as they start Pac 10 play against the southern California schools.

No. 5 Washington (8-3)- The Huskies took care of business this week against Nevada. Like the Cougars, they have a big weekend down in SoCal. Both of their opponents have been inconsistent, so they need to be ready to play.

No. 6 Gonzaga (7-5)- Gonzaga posted a nice win over a tough Xavier team. The win over a perennial NCAA tournament team helps build the Zags resume. If they can close out the non-conference schedule with wins over Wake Forest and Oklahoma St, the Zags will be back in the at-large discussion.

Can Portland Contend in the WCC?

No. 7 New Mexico (10-2)- After posting a nice double digit victory over Colorado, the Lobos suffered a disappointing loss to Northern Iowa. But remember, this is the same Northern Iowa team that knocked off number one seed Kansas last season.  New Mexico is going to need a solid Mountain West record in order to obtain an at-large berth.

No. 8 Arizona (11-2)- The Wildcats are the biggest wild card in the Pac 10. Nobody really knows what to expect from them, as they are relatively untested. Arizona should start conference play 4-0 with a trip to the Oregon schools and then hosting the Bay Area schools.

No. 9 Portland (10-3)- I moved the Pilots above their WCC counterpart Saint Mary's because of their nice win over Boise St. The Pilots haven't lost to anyone disappointing, and have beaten all mid major opponents this season. It's going to be an interesting three horse race in the WCC between the Zags, Pilots and Gaels.

No. 10 Saint Mary's (10-2)- The Gaels picked up another win over a sub par team in New Mexico St. The Gaels need to pick up a win over Mississippi St. and hope they play well in conference play. Otherwise, the Gaels must beat Gonzaga in order to have a shot at an at large bid.

Considered: Utah St, Hawaii, UCLA, USC

Best of the West: Week 5

With many schools in finals week, we had a quiet week on the college basketball front. Last week I put UCSB @ UNLV on upset alert, and surely enough it happened. James Nunnally led the Gauchos to a 68-62 victory on the road, the third straight victory victory over the Runnin' Rebels.  Another thriller took place at Kansas, where the No. 3 Jayhawks barely took down a feisty USC Trojans squad. USC had all the chances they could of wanted, but were unable to convert down the stretch.

UCLA Picked up a huge win over BYU
to move into this weeks rankings

BYU suffered their first loss of the season in Westwood on Saturday, falling to UCLA 86-79. Jimmer Fredette had an off night from behind the arc, converting only 2-8. Reeves Nelson was impressive for UCLA, pouring in 23 points along with 17 from Tyler Honeycutt.  This was a huge win for the Bruins, as they hope to turn their season around after dropping games to Montana and Virginia Commonwealth.

This week's poll consists of four Mountain West teams, four Pac-10 teams, and two West Coast Conference teams.

This week's big games out west:

Dec. 21 UNLV @ No. 11 Kansas St- A win here would make up for both of UNLV's losses. I think Kansas St. is vulnerable to overlooking teams, so watch out for a close game here.

Dec. 21 USC @ No. 17 Tennessee- The Trojans just missed out on clipping Kansas at home. They will get another chance, and the Vols are reeling after losses to Oakland and Charlotte.

Klay Thompson will look to lead the
Cougars to a championship in Hawaii

Dec. 22-Dec. 25- Washington St, Utah, Hawaii, San Diego @ the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii-
Big chance for some of these teams to add to their resume. Washington St. is probably the only real contender for an at-large berth, although Utah and Hawaii may have something to say about that.

No. 1 No. 7 San Diego State (12-0)- Their ranking may be a bit high for the Aztecs, but they've done everything they've been asked thus far this season. They posted two wins this week, struggling against Cal Poly and a blowout of UCSB who was coming off an upset over No. 22 UNLV. I was impressed by both wins. In years past, San Diego State may have lost that close game. However, the relied on their defense to get them through their off shooting night, and prevailed.

No. 2 No. 23 BYU (10-1)- Despite the loss against UCLA, the Cougars have put together a good run this season. If they can get past UTEP and the three remaining non-conference teams on their schedules, BYU will be in good position to lock up an at-large bid.

No. 3  Washington (7-3)- The Huskies won their only game of the week, a blowout of WCC member San Francisco. Washington has one game this week against Nevada before opening up Pac 10 play against the southern California schools.

No. 4 New Mexico (9-1)- The Lobos haven't been doing anything but win lately. The strength of schedule may not be there, but they are winning in style. This weekend they got Drew Gordon into the lineup, which should be a huge boost. He give them an inside force to matchup with San Diego St. in the MWC.

No. 5 Arizona (10-2)- The Wildcats have beaten everyone they should have, and lost the games they were considered the underdogs. The Cats are playing good basketball right now, and a winning record in the PAC 10 is going to make it a close call in terms of an at-large bid for the NCAA tournament.

No. 6 UNLV (10-2)- They suffered a real setback in the loss to Santa Barbara, who has been a .500 team all season. The Runnin' Rebels bounced back and handled Southern Utah, but a win against No. 11 Kansas St. this weekend would be enormous for their at-large resume.

Led by center Robert Sacre,
Gonzaga picked up a huge win over No.  9Baylor 

No. 7 Gonzaga (6-5)- After a week of falling off the Top 10 rankings out west, the Bulldogs return. Gonzaga pulled out a gut-wrenching win against No. 9 Baylor despite Stephen Gray being hurt early in the game. Elias Harris fouled out with three minutes to go, and the Bulldogs were still able to come through. They are still the big dogs in the WCC.

No. 8 Washington St. (8-1)- After a nine day break, the Cougars returned to action last night at Santa Clara. Thanks to a Klay Thompson three at the end of regulation, they survived and won the game in overtime. This was a classic trap game for Washington St, as they now travel to the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii.

No. 9 St. Mary's (9-2)- The Gaels picked up a nice win over the weekend against a tough Long Beach St. team. Mitchell Young counted for twenty eight points, a career high. The Gaels must finish their non-conference slate undefeated to have a chance at an at-large bid in the tournament.

No. 10 UCLA (6-4)- The Bruins make their first appearance on the top ten in the west rankings thanks to their upset win over No. 18 BYU. Other than their loss to Montana, UCLA has played every team tough. Watch out for them in conference play.

Week 2 of Bowling!

Saturday brought our first bowl games of the season, and all three finished in blow out fashion. BYU, Northern Illinois, and Troy all looked fantastic and ready to play in their games. My worries about Fresno St. not showing up became real, as they were dominated.

Bowl Record: 2-1

Upcoming Games this week:

Tuesday, Dec. 21:

Beef O'Brady's Bowl:  Southern Mississippi vs. Louisville

Southern Mississippi looks to fly by Louisville 

Southern Mississippi: You want to see a high octane offense? Well check out the Golden Eagles who are 15th in the country in points per game. Aside from a regular season opening trouncing to South Carolina, the Eagles lost three games by a combined 7 points and could easily be 11-1. Louisville has been extremely inconsistent this season, posting a 26-0 win over Big East champion UCONN, but also playing a close game with FCS opponent Eastern Kentucky. I'm going with consistency over, and taking the Golden Eagles. The Louisville defense vs. the Southern Mississippi offense will be a great matchup to watch!

Wednesday, Dec. 22

MAACO Bowl: No. 19 Utah vs. No. 10 Boise State

Boise St: The most intriguing bowl game of the week, and is the only game to feature two ranked teams. Boise St. was a couple missed field goals away from a magical season, and is led by Heisman finalist Kellen Moore. Moore is a complete quarterback, and probably is the best decision maker in the country. In the last two seasons Moore has thrown for 72 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. Utah has struggled down the stretch posting close victories over San Diego St. and BYU, while being blown out by a underachieving Notre Dame and TCU. I'm taking Boise St. in a blowout. 

Thursday, Dec. 23

Poinsettia Bowl

Navy vs. San Diego St.

Navy Makes its eighth consecutive bowl appearance

Navy: I love Navy in this game. The Naval Academy will be ready to play in every game, and motivation is no problem. While this is San Diego St.'s first bowl game in years, the excitement might be downplayed by the fact they are playing in their own stadium and don't even get to travel. Navy can take the "us vs. the world" approach into the game, essentially playing on the road. It takes a while to adjust to Navy's rushing attack, and by the time San Diego St. does it may be to late. I'm taking Navy over San Diego St.

Friday Dec. 24

Hawaii Bowl: Tulsa vs. Hawaii

Moinz leads the nation in passing

Hawaii: This game will be an absolute shootout. The ninth and 10th best offenses will go at it in Hawaii, and their will not be much defense played. Tulsa is coming off of a 56-50 Conference USA championship victory over Southern Mississippi. It's been typical Hawaii, as Bryant Moinz leads the nation in passing, racking up over 4,500 passing yards this season. Hawaii always plays tough in this bowl, as they get a home game and are able to pack the stadium.  I'm going with the Warriors in a shootout over the Golden Flashes. Be sure to check this game out if you like offense. 

Sunday Dec. 26

Florida International vs. Toledo

Florida International: The Golden Panthers will be making their first trip to a bowl game in school history, while the Toledo Rockets will be returning to a bowl game for the first time in 5 years. The fact the Golden Panthers is an impressive feat, considering they started the year 0-4. Two feel good stories, but nobody is going to take much interest in this game. I'm taking the Golden Panthers because their program should be playing with a lot of fire in their first bowl game. 

Time to go Bowling!

Fresno St. vs. Northern Illinois is the
most appealing game of the day.

This Saturday marks the beginning of bowl season! Tomorrow has three games between non BCS opponents.  And in reality, they are gonna be some snoozers. I'll give my predictions on each bowl throughout December and early January.

New Mexico Bowl: BYU vs. UTEP

BYU: I'm going with BYU on this one. Why? BYU ended the season winning four of five, losing only a close game to rival No. 20 Utah.  UTEP stumbled down the stretch losing five of their last six.  Simple, BYU is playing better football in a better conference.

Humanitarian Bowl: Northern Illinois vs. Fresno St.

Fresno St: By far the best game of the day. I've always liked Fresno St as a football program. I think Pat Hill has done a tremendous job in Fresno. They have made a name for themselves knocking off teams from BCS conferences, which makes me a bit wary of this pick. Check out Chad Spann of Northern Illinois at running back. He has had a huge senior season, registering 20 rushing touchdowns.

New Orleans Bowl: Ohio vs. Troy

Troy: Troy has been a perennial Sun Belt power for a couple years now. I don't think Ohio can match the athleticism of Troy. I'm going with Troy in a route.

Who Are These Guys?

Oakland celebrates their win over the Volunteers

Somebody forgot to remind Oakland University (6-5) they play in the Summit League. Last night they took down No. 7 Tennessee in Knoxville, Ten. It was a monumental win for the Golden Grizzlies who were coming off a one point loss to No. 8 Michigan St. The way Oakland closed the game out last night against the Vols was impressive, as they hit multiple big shots down the stretch. Remember, this is the same Oakland University who took down Oregon at Mac Court a couple years back.

Keith Benson was huge for
the Golden Grizzlies

Oakland has prepared itself nicely to win against a big-time team. Yesterday we raved about Gonzaga's schedule, but Oakland has scheduled an almost equally tough non-conference schedule. Their five losses this year have come against West Virginia, No. 9 Purdue, Wright St ( A formidable Horizon opponent), Illinois, and Michigan St. The Golden Grizzlies have practically joined the Big 10, as they still have games at Michigan and No. 2 Ohio St.

Want a little more information about Oakland? They are led by senior center Keith Benson, who has been an absolute load inside averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds per game. Last night in Knoxville, Ten. he finished with 26 and 10, going six for six from the free throw line.  Normally Reggie Hamilton is a formidable outside shooter, but last night he couldn't get anything going. Instead, Will Hudson was everywhere, fighting for loose balls and grabbing offensive boards. He pulled down six big offensive boards in route to 17 points. The Golden Grizzlies have heart, and if they make it out of the Summitt League they could be a tough out in the first round of the tourney.

Oregon's BCS Championship Jerseys

With the Ducks being away, it limits what kind of jersey's they can put together. I had myself wondering, what would Oregon put together for their biggest game in their history? We finally have it.


Stylish to say the least....

Has Gonzaga's Schedule Finally Caught up to Them?

Year in, year out Gonzaga plays the toughest non-conference schedule in America. With the lack of quality  wins available in conference, the Zags have been forced to build their resume in November and December.  In most years, this strategy has worked wonders, and Gonzaga has been a lock for the NCAA tournament for the last decade.

Gonzaga has been on the wrong end of the stick
in some blowout games this season

This year is different for the Zags. They have struggled out of the gate, including a rare loss at home to San Diego St. They were blown out by in-state rival Washington St., and lost a couple close games with Illinois and Notre Dame.  The only quality win for the Zags came against a decent Marquette team in a 66-63 win.

Currently the Zags sit at 4-5, and are in danger of making the WCC a one bid league regardless of what happens in the WCC tournament. Gonzaga has two easy wins left on their non-conference schedule with Lafayette and Lewis Clark State. Then Gonzaga has home games against Oklahoma St. and Xavier while traveling to Wake Forrest. They also play No. 9 Baylor on a neutral site. The Zags probably need to go 4-1 in these important games and get to conference play sitting at 10-6.

The committee does reward a team who schedules difficultly, so Gonzaga will benifet there. But if you can't win any of those games, it doesn't really matter. We saw that with Davidson a couple years back when Steph Curry and the Wildcats fell in the SoCon conference tournament.

What's going wrong in Spokane? I think the Bulldogs are missing Matt Bouldin and his leadership more than they thought. Stephen Gray is a great player, but I don't see the same kind of leader that Bouldin was. In addition, the Zags are missing a quality slasher. Bouldin could get to the basket with his strength. Gray is more of a jump shooter, who has put up a ton of three's already (and shooting them at a pretty good rate).

Harris needs to get healthy for Gonzaga

The biggest problem? Elias Harris is clearly not healthy. Harris has only been playing around 20 minutes per game due to an achilles injury suffered earlier this year. He's averaging four less points and three less rebounds per game than he did last year. Until Harris becomes healthy, the Zags are going to struggle.  Sacre is a nice center, but no where near ready to dominate the inside game against top tier programs.

The Zags need to get things turned around for the sake of the WCC. Everyone in the conference benefits when the Zags are flying high. The WCC is down this year, and could use a run by the Zags in the tournament to keep their credibility as being a top mid-major conference.

Best of the West: Week 4

Fredette is having a huge senior season

Best of the West rankings are back after a week hiatus due to finals week. A lot has transpired in those weeks. During the two week span, San Diego St. has separated themselves from the rest of the pack, earning their first top ten ranking in school history. BYU established themselves as a contender in the Mountain West Conference after their twenty point beat down of Arizona. Arizona is going to be happy when they take a look at next year's schedule and don't see Jimmer Fredette and BYU. Jimmer dropped 33 points as the Cougars moved up to No. 18 in the rankings.

One has to be worried about Gonzaga sitting at 4-5. Year in and year out, the Zags play arguably the toughest non-conference schedule out there. There is no concern going into conference play whether they are a tournament team. This year though the Zags have struggled early on, and have lost against team's they normally can count on as win's such as Washington St. and Notre Dame. They have not been able to pull out the close games.
 This week's poll consists of four Mountain West teams, three Pac 10 teams, two West Coast Conference teams, and one Western Athletic Conference team.

Let's take a look at the big upcoming games out west this week:

Dec. 15 UC Santa Barbara @ No. 22 UNLV- I'm putting this game on upset alert. The Gauchos are a good team, and have under achieved so far this season. Watch out for a statement game by UCSB being made to the Big West.

Dec. 17 Boise St. @ Utah- Two teams that have been close to getting into my top 10. A win here would be a great confidence before conference play.


1. No. 10 San Diego St. (10-0) - What's not to like about the Aztecs? They are blowing everybody out including an impressive 20 point win on the road at California. If the Aztecs can get to non-conference play without a loss, they may have locked up an NCAA berth.

2. No. 18 BYU (10-0)- As mentioned above, the Cougars looked impressive over a good Arizona team. They have had the Wildcats number over the past two years, as Fredette has averaged over 35 ppg in the two contests. A win over UCLA this week would look good on the resume.

3. No. 22 UNLV (9-1)- The Runnin' Rebels missed a big chance last week at Louisville to pick up an impressive non-conference road win. However with wins already coming against Wisconsin and Virginia Tech, UNLV is off to a great start.

4. Washington (6-3)- Isiah Thomas and the Huskies are still looking for their first marquee victory of the season. Their one point loss to Texas A&M in college station was another missed opportunity for Washington. They will have to put together a solid conference record to lock up a bid.

5. Washington St. (7-1)- The Cougars are off to a great start up in Pullman. A convincing 22 point win over Gonzaga was a great win for that program, and established their dominance in Eastern Washington once again. A win versus Mississippi St. before conference play would be big.

The WCC is wide open this year

6. New Mexico (7-1)- The Lobos were supposed to have a rebuilding year, not so fast my friends.
Despite an early season loss to California, New Mexico has picked up wins over Arizona St. and rival New Mexico St. The Lobos are helping shape the Mountain West into the best conference out west.

7. Arizona (8-2)- The Wildcats are much improved under 2nd year head coach Sean Miller. They have beaten everyone they are supposed to beat, and lost the two games they have been underdogs in. This team is the Pac 10's hope at making it a three bid league.

8. Utah St. (8-2)- The Aggies are setting themselves to be an at large contender again in the WAC. If they lose less than two games in the WAC they have a chance to claim a bid even if they lose in the WAC tournament

9. Saint Mary's (7-2)- These last two spots are tough, as no real teams stand out. The Gaels have been consistent so far, and picked up a nice wins over Texas Tech and St. John's. They need to get a win versus Mississippi St. to have a chance at an at-large bid.

10 Portland (8-3) All of Portland's losses have come to top notch teams. They have been playing consistent ball, and are learning to play without the losses of ssenior T.J. Cambell and Nik Ravio. The Pilots will come on strong in the second half.

Also Considered: Stanford (5-2), Gonzaga (4-5), Hawaii (6-2)

Newton Wins Heisman

No surprise tonight as Cam Newton won the Heisman Trophy in one of the most lopsided victories in recent years. It would have been even more one-sided if it wasn't for 100 voters completely leaving Newton off of the ballot.  Allegations or not, Newton deserved it. One friend who is a hardcore Oregon Ducks fan pointed out that Newton, as a quarterback, only has 200 less yards rushing than fellow Heisman Finalist Lemichael James. Here's to one of the most outstanding season's college football has ever seen. Better savior it now Cam.... things are going to get rough. 

History tells us the Ducks
 will in the BCS Championship

But what does this mean for the National Championship?


It's over. You can crown the Oregon Ducks as the 2010 BCS champions. Recent Heisman winner's have not fared well in the National Championship. How about Troy Smith, who in 2006 saw his Buckeyes get smacked by Florida a month after receiving his trophy. Jason White in 2003? He lost 21-14 to LSU in the Sugar Bowl, and then got beat again in the National Championship the following year. And then 2001, Eric Crouch claims the Heisman trophy over Miami Hurricanes quarterback Ken Dorsey. Sure it was a joke that the Cornhuskers were in the BCS championship, but regardless they got rocked.

And yes, Mark Ingram overcame the curse. But he wasn't a quarterback....

Is San Diego St. the best team out west?

Will San Diego St win another MWC Crown?

San Diego dismantled another WCC powerhouse last night, the same team that beat the Aztecs down on national TV a year ago.  However, San Diego St. brought almost everyone back, and with the addition of Santa Clara transfer James Rahon the Aztecs look keen to make another NCAA run.

Last night in San Diego St.'s 69-55 win over Saint Mary's (CA) Malcom Thomas, a senior transfer from San Diego City College, was a beast in the middle swatting away 6 Gael shots. D.J. Gay blanketed the Gaels senior point guard Micky McConnell, holding him to two points. McConnell led the NCAA in three point shooting last season.

 The Aztecs are playing defense which is a scary thought because offensive fire power has never been the issue. Last night they had only two players in double digits, and eight players scored five or more points. Sophomore Kawhi Leonard has come into his own, averaging a double-double scoring 16.1 points per game while collecting 10.1 boards.

The only problem that could get in the Aztecs way is their soft schedule. If San Diego St. were to stumble in a couple games before the conference schedule gets underway, it could do some serious damage. Wichita St will be a good test for the Aztecs this Saturday, as will a decent California Golden Bears team this next thursday, but after that the schedule is full of cupcakes. Steve Fisher better make sure he has his boys ready if the Aztecs want to be dancing again.

Making the Transition from Junior College to College

Newton has some serious allegations pointing his way

The transition from a Junior College to a 4-year university can be extremely different. You enter a setting two years behind everyone else, where people have already developed their network of friends. Athletes have to go through the same kind of struggles. Cam Newton, the heisman hopeful from Auburn, has easily transitioned on the field at Auburn, but has had many off the field issues.

Katie Stewart's blog discusses the difficulties in transitioning from a JC to a four year school. There you can read about her experiences.

Play of the Year: Oklahoma St's Broderick Brown

I think this has to be the play of the year so far. In order to make this play, Brown has to have a great Football IQ, knowing where the sideline is and the ability to have the thought process he must knock the ball in bounds before he hits the ground. Then to have the athletic ability to jump out of bounds and make that type of play is just outstanding.

Best of the West: Week 2

Sophomore Derrick Williams has been impressive early

Last week was a big week in college basketball with many top notch holiday tournaments taking place. Almost all of the top teams out west took action in these tournaments, which means there was a shake up in the rankings. After Cal's big win over No. 20 Temple I thought I was going to be moving the Golden Bears up the rankings big time. However, they followed that performance up with a five point first half performance against Notre Dame, tying an NCAA record for fewest points in a half since the shot clock era. This week we have four Pac-10 Schools, four Mountain West Schools, and two West Coast Conference schools.

Not many big games involving two west coast teams this week. Should be a fairly quiet week out west.

Saint Mary's @ SDSU Dec. 1- The Aztecs will host the Gaels in San Diego this week. The Aztecs will look for revenge after their 30 point shellacking last year on national television.

No. 1 No. 22 Washington (3-2)- You can't dock the Huskies for losing games to No. 2 Michigan St. and No. 9 Kentucky. A fourth place finish at the Maui Invitational is nothing to be ashamed about. Washington was in both of these big games.

No. 2 No. 23 UNLV (6-0)- The Runnin Rebels took home an Anaheim Classic title, which is an impressive feat. UNLV defeated Tulsa, Murray St, and Virginia Tech in route to the championship. All wins came by double digit points.

No. 3 No. 19 San Diego State (6-0)- Took care of business this week by playing three cupcakes. UNLV jumps them due to their body of work.

Chance Stanback and the Runnin' Rebels dominated
the Anaheim Classic this past weekend

No. 4 No. 24 Gonzaga (3-2)- The Zags got whipped by Kansas St, which surprised me a bit. In past years, Gonzaga has playing competitively in every game they play in (except Duke last year), and I figured after their home loss to San Diego St. they would come out hungry. However, a nice win over Marquette helps begin shape their tournament profile.

No. 5 No. 25 BYU (6-0)-  Jimmer Fredette's big three with 10 seconds left beat Saint Mary's, and clinched the South Padre Invitational  for the Cougars. BYU already has three nice wins over SMC, South Florida, and in state rival Utah St.

No. 6 Saint Mary's (6-1) - The Gaels came up a point short of a big win. However the 20 point shellacking they laid on Texas Tech was an impressive win over a big time program. The Gaels may not regress as much as we thought without Omar Samhan.

No. 7 Arizona (5-1)- The Wildcats may be better than teams ranked above them, but they haven't proved themselves quite yet. A close game with Kansas was impressive, and sophomore Derrick Williams has been incredible, averaging over 21 points per game.

No. 8 Washington St. (4-0)- Washington St. hasn't done anything impressive this season, but it is taking advantage of a lack of quality teams out west at this point of times. They have beaten all cupcakes they have played by double digit points. Big test will be Dec. 3 versus No. 5 Kansas St.

No. 9 New Mexico (4-1)- They lost to Cal, but have good wins over Arizona St. and Detroit. Detroit is a team to watch this season, with former Indiana Hoosier and Richmond High star Eli Holman, and highly rated freshman Ray McCallum.

No. 10 California (3-2)- Cal could of had a big week after upsetting No. 20 Temple. Instead they fell flat on their faces. They remain in the top ten only because there are no other teams that have earned this spot.

Considered: Utah St, Pacific, Arizona St.

Alabama 27 vs. Auburn 28 Final

Cam Newton led Auburn to an improbable Comeback

Wow. Just as Alabama dominated the first half, Auburn poured out an equally dominating second half performance, winning the half 21-3.  After setting a career high for passing yards in the first half for Greg McElroy, he was only able to throw for 40 yards in the second half before being knocked out late in the fourth quarter. His replacement,  A.J. McCarron was ineffective, and did not complete a pass in his four attempts. This was the team the nation tuned into see, a dominating defense combined with Cam Newton's ability to keep drives going. Newton looked like one of the top players in the country in the second half. Unable to get much going on the ground, he relied on his arm for three touchdown passes.

Julio Jones came to play in his final Iron Bowl
pulling down 10 receptions for 199 yards

There were three key moments in this one. At the end of the second quarter, the Alabama offense was putting together one of it's signature drives. A heavy dose of Ingram and Richardson combined with Julio Jones making plays on the outside.  However inside the Auburn 10, McElroy was sacked by outstanding defensive lineman Nick Fairley, causing a fumble that was recovered by himself.

Dicey play calls by Auburn coach Gene Chizik payed off. Auburn went for it on a fourth and three from the Alabama 47 in route to their touchdown that gave them the 28-27 lead. Auburn ran the fake QB run play action that Tim Tebow made famous and found wide receiver Darvin Adams on the left side to convert the first down.

Once again Coach Chizik went for it on fourth and inches from their own 36 yard line. Cam Newton was able to gain three yards on the play, and the Tigers were able to continue to run the clock. I'm not sure this was the right call in this situation with the Auburn defense playing so well. But, when you have a Heisman quarterback like Cam Newton on your team, you put the ball in his hands to win games. Coach Chizik became an Auburn Hero with two of the diciest calls in Iron Bowl history.

Alabama 27 vs. Auburn 21 End of the 3rd Quarter

Cam Newton looks to lead the Tigers to a
 comeback victory in his first Iron Bowl

Was the Auburn J.V. team playing in the first half? I have no idea what happened in the locker room, but Auburn looks like a completely different team. At least for the first 10 minutes of the quarter. Cam Newton was able to move the ball on the ground a little bit, and made a couple big plays with his arm. The Alabama offense  moved the ball for 15 yards. But then Quindarius Carr made an enormous mistake, instead of taking a fair catch he tried to make a return on a punt, and was creamed by the Alabama punt team. He fumbled and let a struggling Alabama offense have a second chance.

Auburn's defense, which has been impressive all quarter made another key stop, holding the Crimson Tide to a field goal. Bama had a huge opportunity to regain momentum and the game, however the Tigers kept the momentum on their side. The fourth quarter should be an exciting fifteen minutes of action. The way the game is going, I am not sure Alabama is going to be able to win the game. They are holding on by the skin of their teeth.

Alabama 24 vs. Auburn 7 Halftime Report

Wow. Alabama looks good. The way their defense is stopping the Auburn offense is impressive. The Tigers have already had multiple three and outs. Everyone talks about the Alabama running attack as being unstoppable, but right now its Greg McElroy and the Alabama passing attack that is dominating. McElroy looks like the Heisman hopeful. The way he has handled the rush and found his third and fourth options on plays has been impressive. He has already set a career high in passing yards with 335 yards. Julio Jones looks like a man playing amongst boys,  pulling down 7 receptions for 174 yards and a score. There is no doubt that Jones is the top wide receiver in the country.

This is the first time I really have gotten to see Cam Newton play, and obviously it hasn't been anything like I've expected.  Newton did find Emory Blake on an impressive throw on a fly route into the endzone, but other than that it's been the Alabama defensive line that has been shutting down the Auburn offense. Nobody has been able to stop the Tigers, but we may have found the solution to stopping the spread. With only five blockers, the Bama line has been able to penetrate the Auburn offensive line on almost every play, not allowing Newton to take off an run. Cam Newton has been under pressure every single play, and is not being allowed to get out of the pocket and make anything happen.

However, watch out in the second half. The Tigers made a huge red zone stand on a fumble recovery by Nick Fairly and have a second life. A touchdown by the Crimson Tide would have put the game out of reach, but the Tigers have a second chance.

Moral of the Story, Alabama looks like the best team in the nation right now. They may have had some hiccups on the way, but

Best of the West: Top 10 West of the Mississippi Week 1

Every week I will put together my rankings for the best team's out west, a little west coast bias! We will be selecting teams from the Pac 10, WCC, MWC, Big West, Big Sky and the WAC.

1. No. 11 Washington (3-0)- Untested so far in this young season. Has the most talent in the Pac 10.

Billy White Dropped 30 on the Zags 

2. No. 22 San Diego St. (4-0)- An impressive win at Gonzaga propels the Aztecs up the rankings. The Zags have only lost five times at the MaCarthy Center.

3. UNLV (3-0)- A huge win over Big Ten power Wisconsin is a great way to kick off the 2010-2011 season for the Rebels.

4. No. 18 Gonzaga (2-1)- The loss at home to San Diego St. can be erased with a big win over No. 3 Kansas St.

5. BYU (3-0)- Has been impressive in their three wins, and a win over Utah St. is always a key interstate vicotry.  Jimmer Fredette is one of the most best players in the country. 

6. St. Mary's (4-0)- Last year's cinderella story started off their 2010-2011 campaign with an impressive victory over Steve Lavin and St. John's. Clint Steindl was on fire, going 7-10 from deep.

7. Arizona (3-0)-  Hasn't really been tested this season, but has been impressive in all three wins. Big game versus Kansas on Saturday.

San Jose St. posted their first win
over a Pac 10 school since 1992

 8. UCLA (3-0)- Not exactly perfect, but they may be back to the tournament this year. Nice win over a solid UOP team.

9. California (3-0)- I don't think Cal is going anywhere this season after losing a lot of talent from last year's Pac 10 championship team. Nice win over New Mexico.

10. San Jose St. (3-0) I'm giving a little love to the Spartans. A huge win on the road at Oregon hopefully will jump-start an athletic department which is struggling to stay afloat.