A sure sign there is a bowl glut: Seven teams head into the postseason with at least a two-game losing streak.
In other words, Alabama (four-game losing streak) got to Shreveport and the Independence Bowl on little more than its name and the swagger of its head coach.
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| Kevin Smith and his quest for a single-season record make the Liberty Bowl worth watching. (US Presswire) |
It's hard to remember that Cal was once ranked No. 2. Since the night of Oct. 13, the Bears are 1-6, coughing and wheezing their way into the Armed Forces Bowl with a three-game losing streak.
Purdue would be perfect for a Christmas hangover if it wasn't actually a Christmas hangover. It lugs its three-game losing streak as the Big Ten's No. 7 bowl team to the Motor City Bowl on Dec. 26.
There are signs of life elsewhere in this crazy, mixed-up season. That's why we ranked the bowls 1-32. Plan your holiday parties around them -- or because of them.
Hey, there are other things to do over the holidays than watch It's a Charlie Brown Christmas. Granted, the New Orleans Bowl might not be one of them.
1. Sugar Bowl, Georgia vs. Hawaii: After what Boise State did in the Fiesta Bowl last year, this game leaps to the top of the list on potential alone. Just like last year, everyone wants to see if the WAC champions match up with a superpower.
Both teams have offensive stars (Hawaii's Colt Brennan; Georgia's Knowshon Moreno). Hawaii has the nation's longest winning streak (13). Georgia is fourth (six).
This game strikes to the heart of SEC pride. Mark Richt's salary is bigger than the entire Hawaii football budget ($2.2 million). Hawaii hasn't played a team this big, this physical, but that chip on its shoulder might make up the difference. Georgia hasn't faced a passing offense this prolific.
Upset alert: Any stray cheerleaders after the game are likely to get a proposal from someone.
2. BCS title game, Ohio State vs. LSU: Two best teams in the country? More like right place, right time. Both programs have been No. 1 twice. Both have suffered crippling defeats only to be around when the last round of upsets hit.
It's hard to get excited about this game but by the first week of January we will, somehow. This is Ohio State's third trip to the promised land in six years. This is LSU's second time in five years, both in "home" games.
With a month to rest, LSU should become its old fearsome self, especially on defense. A two-loss national champion is still hard to fathom.
3. Cotton, Arkansas vs. Missouri: One team was No. 1 for a week. One team has been in turmoil for more than a year.
Let's get down to football. It is the best battle of the Heisman ceremony "participants." Darren McFadden is a two-time Heisman runner-up going against a defense that gives up only 118 rushing yards per game.
Chase Daniel, No. 4 in the voting, runs the spread better than just about anyone.
4. Capital One, Michigan vs. Florida: No coach, 1,479 days since the last victory over Ohio State and a two-game losing streak. What else could be wrong with Michigan? How about a matchup with the Heisman Trophy winner and the SEC's most dangerous offense (43.1 points per game)? Plus, Urban Meyer is from Ohio. Think he doesn't have it in for Michigan just a little bit?
5. Holiday, Arizona State vs. Texas: If Texas A&M played everyone else like it played Texas, the Aggies wouldn't be in the Alamo Bowl. If Southern California played everyone else like it played Arizona State, it would ... still be in the Rose Bowl.
OK, bad example. Typical of Holiday tradition, these teams should burn up the scoreboard with Rudy Carpenter and Colt McCoy having combined for 44 touchdown passes.
6. Rose Bowl: USC vs. Illinois: How is the view Missouri, Arizona State, Florida and Boston College? All four more-deserving schools were bypassed for BCS berths because the Rose Parade would be better with a Big Ten team, any Big Ten team.
Actually, this is the makeup game for the Glasnost Bowl. In 1989, the teams were scheduled to meet in the first bowl game in the Soviet Union. Then vodka and swear words got involved and the teams ended up playing at the Coliseum.
Then there's this: USC president Steve Sample has three degrees from Illinois (bachelor's, master's and doctorate).
Try to imagine Illinois' Juice Williams in USC's backfield -- as a running back, not a quarterback. That might have made the difference in the Trojans' season. If this is Pete Carroll's last game, he is going to leave USC set up for another title run in 2008.
7. Chick-fil-A, Auburn vs. Clemson: Battle of the Tommys.
Auburn's Tuberville and Clemson's Bowden have both been at their schools nine years, both are making their eighth bowl appearance, both are 53, both inherited a program that had been 3-8 the previous season. Both coaches have two kids.
Then there are the nicknames: Both are Tigers.
Creepy, huh?
This should be one of the more entertaining bowl games. Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper is an early 2008 Heisman candidate. Both teams are in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense and total defense.
8. Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. West Virginia: You wonder if West Virginia wants to be here after the Pittsburgh loss. Oklahoma is making a case for being the 2008 preseason No. 1.
By the way, whatever happened to Steve Slaton?
9. Liberty, Central Florida vs. Mississippi State: Two great guys to root for: Central Florida's Kevin Smith and Mississippi State's Sylvester Croom.
Smith needs 181 yards to break Barry Sanders' single-season rushing record. Croom has turned around the Bulldogs, beating Auburn, Kentucky and Alabama this season.
Smith is averaging 142 yards against the three BCS-conference schools he faced this season. Mississippi State is giving up 159 rushing yards per game. Smith, a junior, will be a 2008 Heisman contender if he sticks around.
10. Outback, Wisconsin vs. Tennessee: In early October, Wisconsin was unbeaten and Phil Fulmer was on the hot seat. How times change.
The Badgers finished 4-3 in their final seven because of injuries and an underachieving defense. Tennessee made a near-miracle run to the SEC championship game. No one's job is at stake so this should be a low-pressure New Year's shootout.
11. Insight, Oklahoma State vs. Indiana: Plenty of pathos and plenty of points. Indiana fulfilled former coach Terry Hoeppner's vision with its first bowl game since 1993. Both teams have enough offensive punch to make this the best game in Phoenix.
12. Gator, Virginia vs. Texas Tech: Chris Long vs. Graham Harrell. Michael Crabtree vs. the world.
What entertainment value! Texas Tech basically got Glen Mason fired last season by rallying against Minnesota. Virginia plays a lot of one-run games. Instant classic?
13. Orange Bowl, Virginia Tech vs. Kansas: FOX officials thought Virginia Tech and West Virginia in this game was too "regional." What is this matchup, then, besides somnambulant?
Sometimes it pays to lose at the right time. Kansas beat out Missouri for its first major bowl in 39 years because it didn't have to risk its record (11-1) in the Big 12 title game.
Virginia Tech, with the nation's No. 2 defense, comes in on a roll playing Kansas' No. 2 offense.
14. Music City: Kentucky vs. Florida State: Jimbo Fisher's debut as Florida State's head coach, er, coach-in-waiting, coach Jr. Just what the heck is Jimbo going to do before Papa Bowden retires, er, is asked to leave, er, walks out of the end zone and just keeps on going?
Go with Kentucky in what should be an offensive show. This bowl has sold out twice in its nine years at LP Field. That would be each of the past two years because at least 50,000 Wildcat fans have helped fill it up.
15. Champs Sports, Boston College vs. Michigan State: BC has the No. 1 pro quarterback prospect (Matt Ryan) and the No. 1 run defense. That's a good combination going against the Spartans' Javon Ringer. Hard to pick against BC, which has won seven straight bowl games.
16. Sun, Oregon vs. South Florida: If you can remember back that far, both of these teams were each ranked No. 2 at one point. The only other bowl with two teams ranked that high is being played Jan. 7 in New Orleans.
Oregon was a Cadillac CTS with Dixon. Without him, a used Yugo. South Florida should be the favorite with a three-game winning streak and an active defense. The Bulls are the only I-A team to defeat three conference champions.
17. Poinsettia, Utah vs. Navy: Paul Johnson floats in mid-air while coaching neither the Mids nor Georgia Tech in their bowl games. The flexbone, though, remains. Navy's No. 8 scoring offense will meet Utah's No. 3 scoring defense. Only Boston College (seven) has a longer bowl winning streak than Utah (six).
18. Las Vegas, UCLA vs. BYU: A game only Mitt Romney could love. These teams already played the second week of the season with the Bruins winning 27-17. This time UCLA is trying to hire a coach and the Cougars are working on a nine-game winning streak.
19. Alamo, Penn State vs. Texas A&M: Brand names, bad game. The best thing you can say about these two underachieving teams is that it is Joe Paterno's 500th game. A&M is in disarray until the Mike Sherman administration takes over. Penn State finished tied for fifth in the Big Ten after a disturbing loss to Michigan State in its finale.
20. GMAC, Bowling Green vs. Tulsa: If you're a history buff, this is the bowl for you. With 247 passing yards by Paul Smith and 45 receiving yards by Charles Clay, Tulsa would become the first school to have a 5,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and three 1,000-yard receivers.
The nation's No. 1 offense has scored 70 touchdowns in 13 games.
21. Independence, Colorado vs. Alabama: Embarrassment awaits the loser. It has been 22 years since Colorado had back-to-back losing seasons. Alabama has the fifth-longest such streak, 45 years.
Someone is going to finish 6-7.
The last time a team finished below .500 after an Independence Bowl loss was -- lookie here! -- Alabama (6-7) in 2006.
22. Armed Forces, Cal vs. Air Force: Troy Calhoun turned out to be one of the best new hires of 2007. Air Force rebounded with nine victories and a second-place finish in the Mountain West.
It might be time for Jeff Tedford to get out of Berkeley. The facilities thing isn't improving and the Bears have lost six of seven.
23. Meineke Car Care, Wake Forest vs. Connecticut: Georgia Tech could have been vs. Arkansas wanna be. Connecticut's Randy Edsall and Wake's Jim Grobe have spent part of the postseason interviewing for other jobs.
The winner makes himself "hotter" in the eyes of a prospective employer. Wake is appearing in consecutive bowls for the first time. Connecticut was picked sixth in the Big East but shared the conference title with West Virginia, which got the BCS berth.
24. Humanitarian, Fresno State vs. Georgia Tech: Several Yellow Jackets have never seen snow or the triple option. It's up to the Boise weather to cooperate with the white stuff. Just for grins interim coach Jon Tenuta should throw in the triple option to welcome incoming coach Paul Johnson.
25. New Orleans, Florida Atlantic vs. Memphis: Worth watching to see The Pipe strutting the sidelines as the master program builder, perhaps of all-time. Howard Schnellenberger led the Owls from conception to bowl in only seven seasons. That's the fastest start-up to postseason job in the country.
Rusty Smith (27 touchdown passes) is Schnellie's latest Bernie Kosar.
26. Texas, TCU vs. Houston: An old Southwest Conference rivalry renewed in a non-conference matchup in a faceless bowl. Now, the downside ...
This would have been a much better game last season when TCU won 11 and Houston won 10.
27. Emerald, Maryland vs. Oregon State: What better setting than for the Pac-10 scoring record to be set than Barry Bonds' illicit playground? Beavers kicker Alexis Serna needs 11 points to get the conference record. Oregon State coach Mike Riley has never lost a bowl game (6-0 at Oregon State and as USC offensive coordinator).
28. Papajohns.com, Cincinnati vs. Southern Miss: Shouldn't Cincinnati's Brian Kelly be at Michigan by now? Yes, the problem is that he would be coming from ... Cincinnati. The Michigan elitists need to hire a coach instead of worrying about bloodlines.
If the Bearcats win this game, it will finish with 10 wins for the first time since 1951. That team was coached by Sid Gillman. That good enough for you, Bill Martin?
29. Hawaii, Boise State vs. East Carolina: A quick check of Geobytes shows that these schools are a combined 7,700 miles from Honolulu. Makes you wonder if it's worth it to the residents of Boise and Greenville to empty their savings accounts before Christmas for something other than presents.
Except, of course, that it's Hawaii.
30. Motor City, Central Michigan vs. Purdue: Another sign there are too many bowls -- these teams are meeting for the second time in 14 weeks. Central Michigan lost Sept. 15 at Purdue 45-22. Variety, thy name is not Chippewa. Central Michigan is 3-1 all-time at Ford Field. All four games have come in the past three years. The Chips won the 2006 and 2007 Mid-American Conference championship games there as well as well as last season's Motor City Bowl. Mix in a beach, MAC.
31. New Mexico, New Mexico vs. Nevada: Keep a sharp eye on the livestock. It's The Battle of the Predators -- Lobos vs. Wolfpack.
Who knew this was the golden age of New Mexico football? A win gives the program its best seven-year stretch ever, 49 wins. Nevada has the longest active non-shutout streak, 329 games.
32. International, Rutgers vs. Ball State: What a relief for all those Scarlet Knights and Cardinals fans in Toronto. Your teams are coming to you.
Still trying to figure out what Greg Schiano was doing playing footsie with Michigan. This season was quite a come down from the magic of 2006 for Rutgers. Which way are the Knights headed after a 7-5 season? Three of their wins came against Buffalo, Norfolk State and Army. Their only wins against bowl-bound teams were over Navy and South Florida.
