Pretending that I'm not a UGA fan for a moment, here's how I would rate the Top 10 Bowls this year.
1. Rose: USC vs. Texas
- These look to be two of the best teams in years. I can't wait to see what Reggie Bush does vs. the Texas defense. It wouldn't shock me to see a score of 34-31.
2. Fiesta: Notre Dame vs. Ohio State
- I've pulled for Ohio State maybe three times in my life. Once was in the 2002 National Title game against Miami. I have no idea when the other two would've been, but this will be one of those times. Weis and Quinn vs. an elite defense for the first time all year. Ohio State wins 23-20.
3. Peach: LSU vs. Miami
- If both teams show up ready to play, this could be the #2 match-up of the season. The risk here is that one or both of them will come in half asleep and put on a lousy show b/c they feel like they are slumming. Miami wins 27-17.
4. Cotton; Bama vs. Texas Tech
-- This could either be the most interesting or least interesting game of the Bowl Season. I can't remember the last time two teams so different got hooked up together. Texas Tech wins 24-13.
5. Orange: PSU vs. FSU
-- The Grim Reaper Bowl. On paper, this looks like a blow out win by Nittany Lions, but Bowden's record in bowls is ridiculously good. Penn State wins 31-17.
6. Sugar: Georgia vs. West Virginia
-- How good are the 'eers? Does the Big East have any future as a respectable conference? Over the last 15 years, Georgia is 10-3 in the Atlanta City Limits. Will the Dawgs give WVU their full attention? No prediction yet.
7. Sun Bowl: UCLA vs. Northwestern
-- What happens when you get two teams together that can't play a lick of defense, and have explosive offenses? Good TV. UCLA wins 235-221.
8. Outback: Iowa vs. Florida
-- The Hawkeyes are the only Big 10 team that consistently gives the SEC schools fits in bowl. They took the Gators to the woodshed in this game a few years back, and then they hit the miracle Hail Mary last year vs. LSU. This game will give the Big 10 some solace b/c the next one certainly won't. Iowa wins 24-16.
9. Capital One: Auburn vs. Wisconsin
-- I actually don't think that this bowl will be all that watchable. I'm expecting Auburn to completely dismantle another slow Wisconsin team in another Florida Bowl. However, with all the great Alvarez story lines, this will be entertaining. Plus, you have the added advantage listening to commentators discuss the relative slowness of the entire Big 10. Auburn wins 34-10.
10. Alamo: Michigan vs. Nebraska
-- I'm planning to DVR this game. I'll be in Athens watching the Dawgs play Clemson in hoops, but this one intrigues me. Have the Huskers finally turned the corner? Will Michigan do anything to suggest that their coaches aren't trapped in a 1975 play calling time warp? This one is odd because you have two competing forces at work. Michigan probably is less excited about being here so normally that means Nebraska wins. However, Nebraska is coached by Callahan -- the biggest red flag of them all. Michigan wins 20-17.
Agree? Disagree?
pwd
4 comments:
1) Fortunately Bowden's bowl record isn't spotless. 1999 Fiesta Bowl. Fedex ought to do a commercial for this year's Orange Bowl where viagra is delivered overnight for the aging coaches. Or maybe better yet, JoaPa shows up in Miami having forgotten his white socks. His wife fedex's his socks.
2) Oh to have beaten Vandy and have the UT/Big 12 scum game listed. Admittedly every time I see a bowl list without my Vols I'm disappointed but then I snap out of my disillusionment and realize this was a season that couldn't end soon enough.
3) If Louisville had their normal QB, it'd be interesting to see their O against the Hokie D.
4) OU (Oregon) vs OU (Okie) could be interesting to see if the spurned Pac 10 team lays over like last year's Cal did. If Okie's win, it'll be the startup of the Bob Stoops really has OU going again buildup for the 2006 season.
What, no mention of the Holiday Bowl? The best running back in the country, when healthy, against the team the BCS turned it's back on.
Now that makes for some quality television!
Notre Dame beats Ohio State.
Alabama will crush Texas Tech. Tech plays no defense whatsoever.
Penn State - Florida State will be a snore if the Criminoles pull any other effort than the ACC Championship Game out of their hat.
Virginia Tech will DESTROY Louisville...with or without Brohm.
Your predictions seem pretty sound to me other than the Cotton Bowl. Texas Tech has faced only two remotely respectable defenses this season -- Kansas they beat, Texas they've still got Bevo's hoofprints all over their backs. Granted, Bama's offense isn't anywhere close to Texas's, but their secondary is one of the few in the country that matches up well against the Red Raider passing attack. That said, they're gonna have to figure out some kind of fix for their offensive line if they want to have any hope of winning.
As for the Orange Bowl, Bowden's bowl record is good but not great -- 2-2 since Richt left -- and those two wins came in Gator Bowls against inferior Big East competition. FSU had their where'd-that-come-from game against VaTech in the ACC title game; I don't think they're going to be able to conjure up another one against Penn State's defense, not with Jeff still running the show.
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