Do you think you can correctly predict the outcome of this year's bowls? Our Michael Hurcomb joins the fray and shares his opinions on each matchup and predicts a winner.
EagleBank Bowl -- Wake Forest (7-5) vs. Navy (8-4)
The
EagleBank Bowl will be the first ever bowl game played in Washington,
D.C., and it will serve as a tribute to the military personnel who
serve. It's no surprise to see Navy in the inaugural event. The
Midshipmen haven't suffered much since Paul Johnson bolted for Georgia
Tech. They still own the nation's top rushing offense (298.3 ypg) under
coach Ken Niumatalolo. The run game will be tested against Wake Forest,
who rank 21st against the ground game (116.1 ypg). Defense hasn't been a
problem for Wake this season -- it has been their offense. The Deamon
Deacons have regressed under quarterback Riley Skinner and are averaging
just 20.3 points per game. Pick: Wake Forest
New Mexico Bowl -- Colorado State (6-6) vs. Fresno State (7-5)
Colorado
State makes it first bowl appearance since 2005 and Fresno State for the
seventh time in eight years. The Rams are headed to a bowl game in their
first season under coach Steve Fairchild. Their top playmakers are
running back Gartrell Johnson (1,191 rushing yards, 10 TDs), wide
receiver Rashaun Greer (1,045 yards, two TDs) and wide receiver Dion
Morton (830 yards, 10 TDs). The Bulldogs had a disappointing finish to
the season as lost three of their last five games, including an
embarrassing 61-10 loss to Boise State. Fresno State hopes the nation's
35th ranked run offense (176.8 ypg) and senior quarterback Tom
Brandstater can end the season with a win. Pick: Fresno State
St. Petersburg Bowl -- Memphis (6-6) vs. South Florida (7-5)
The
inaugural St. Petersburg Bowl will feel like a home game for South
Florida since the game at Tropicana Field will be just a stone's throw
away from their campus. Quarterback Matt Grothe and the Bulls are
reeling after opening the season 5-2. They have lost four of their last
five games, but are 4-2 in home games played at Raymond James Stadium.
With a heavy USF fan base in attendance, Memphis has an uphill battle.
They do take a prolific offense into the game, averaging 28.2 points and
rank in the top 50 for both run (205.6 ypg) and pass (226.6 ypg)
offense. Memphis' top stars -- quarterback Arkleon Hall, wide receiver
Carlos Singleton and running back Curtis Steele -- will need to shine
bright to pull the upset. Pick: South Florida
Las Vegas Bowl -- BYU (10-2) vs. Arizona (7-5)
BYU came into
the season with BCS aspirations, but with crushing losses to Utah and
TCU, they have to settle for the Las Vegas Bowl. It is a fourth straight
appearance in the Vegas showdown for BYU. They have won the last two.
Quarterback Max Hall leads the nation's seventh ranked passing offense
(444.8 ypg) and 19th ranked scoring offense (35.3 ppg). Wide receiver
Austin Collie will look to speed past the Wildcats secondary and put
together an 11th straight game of 100-plus yards. Arizona doesn't have a
poor offense either, ranking 34th in total offense (401.3 ypg) and 16th
in scoring offense (37.1 ppg). The advantage for Arizona might come on
defense. They rank 20th in total defense (302.1 ypg), 14th in pass
defense (169.8 ypg) and 36th in scoring defense (21.3 ppg). Pick:
Arizona
New Orleans Bowl -- Southern Miss (6-6) vs. Troy (8-4)
Troy is
representing the Sun Belt in the New Orleans Bowl after knocking off
Arkansas State for the conference title. It will be their first bowl
appearance since defeating Rice in the 2006 installment of this game.
Troy is sound on both sides of the ball as they rank in the top 30 for
both offense and defense. Quarterback Levi Brown, running back DuJuan
Harris and wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan are the stars on offense.
Southern Miss earned a bowl bid by winning their last four games. The
Golden Eagles are finally starting to click under first-year coach Larry
Fedora and return to the New Orleans Bowl for the first time since
winning it in 2004 and 2005. Running back Damion Fletcher fought off
injury late in the season, but is still a terror out of the backfield
when healthy. Quarterback Austin Davis and true freshman wide receiver
DeAndre Brown are developing solid chemistry in the passing game. Pick:
Southern Miss
Poinsettia Bowl -- Boise State (12-0) vs. TCU (10-2)
Despite a
perfect season, Boise State got no love from the BCS and will have to
settle for a Dec. 23 showdown with TCU. The Broncos got quality play all
season from redshirt freshman quarterback Kellen Moore as senior running
back Ian Johnson fizzled out in his final college season. Jeremy Harper
and D.J. Harper helped pick up the slack in the rushing game, but they
will really be tested going up against the NCAA's top rush defense (48.7
ypg). The Horned Frogs also rank second in total defense (215.1 ypg) and
scoring defense (10.9 ppg). Offensively, TCU does its best work on the
ground, averaging 215.7 yards per game. Boise State ranks 15th against
the run (104.9 ypg), so this could be a real knock'em down and drag'em
out game. Pick: TCU
Hawaii Bowl -- Hawaii (7-6) vs. Notre Dame (6-6)
The 2008
Hawaii Bowl features two teams coming off trying seasons. Hawaii
regrouped in 2008 after making a trip to the Sugar Bowl last season.
They lost a lot of key elements on offense, including quarterback Colt
Brennan, and coach June Jones, who left for Southern Methodist. Coach
Greg McMackin did his best to hold the team together, but Hawaii didn't
start clicking until late in the season -- winning four of their final
six games. Notre Dame will make its 29th bowl appearance, but first
since the 2007 Sugar Bowl. Coach Charlie Weis was on the hot seat at the
end of the season before Notre Dame announced he will be back in 2009.
Weis will be pressed to put on a good show against Hawaii and might let
quarterback Jimmy Clausen fire at will. Notre Dame is 2-0 against Hawaii
in Honolulu. Pick: Notre Dame
Motor City Bowl -- Florida Atlantic (6-6) vs. Central Michigan (8-4)
The
2008 Motor City Bowl will feature two of college's most unheralded
quarterbacks. Florida Atlantic's Rusty Smith and Central Michigan's Dan
LeFevour both lead top 30 pass offenses and both players won't be afraid
to air it out. The Owls have been playing well as of late winning five
of six after opening the season 1-5. Smith is 100 percent after a
shoulder injury slowed him in the first half and hopes to lead FAU to
consecutive bowl wins. LeFevour is also back at 100 percent after an
ankle injury slowed him earlier in the season, but CMU has lost their
last two games. It will be a third straight appearance for CMU in the
Motor City Bowl. Pick: Central Michigan
Meineke Car Care Bowl -- West Virginia (8-4) vs. North Carolina (8-4)
West
Virginia entered the season as the heavy favorite to win the Big East
and notch another BCS berth, but they lost two of their last five games
and now have to settle for the Meineke Car Care Bowl. West Virginia
knocked off Oklahoma in last year's Fiesta Bowl and it appeared they
would have no drop off despite the loss of coach Rich Rodriguez and
running back Steve Slaton. Quarterback Pat White and running back Noel
Devine were still electric, but WVU struggled to punch the ball into the
end zone (24.0 ppg). They will need to be on top of their game going
against North Carolina, a team allowing just 20.3 points per game. Coach
Butch Davis had a solid second season at UNC and finally got quarterback
T.J. Yates back at the end of the year after he missed several games
with injury. The duo will try to give White his first bowl loss. He is
3-0 as a starter in bowl games, including two BCS wins. Pick: West
Virginia
Champs Sports Bowl -- Wisconsin (7-5) vs. Florida State (8-4)
The
good news for Florida State this season is that they aren't going to be
missing a big chunk of their team heading into the postseason after
having to suspend 20-plus players for last season's bowl game due to an
academic scandal. The only big question lingers on whether coach Bobby
Bowden starts the senior Drew Weatherford at quarterback in his final
college game or continues to let Christian Ponder play despite being
yanked in a late-season loss to Florida. Wisconsin has no such
controversy after Dustin Sherer took over at quarterback midway through
the season for an ineffective Allan Evridge. UW is still without top
target Travis Beckum, who is sidelined by a broken leg. That means the
rushing attack of P.J. Hill, John Clay and Zach Brown will have to lead
the team against FSU, who rank 13th in total defense (291.8 ypg).
Pick: Florida State
Emerald Bowl -- Miami (Fla.) (7-5) vs. California (8-4)
The
Hurricanes made great strides in 2008 in their second season under head
coach Randy Shannon. The highlight was a five-game winning streak that
stretched from Oct. 11-Nov. 13 that featured wins against Wake Forest,
Virginia and Virginia Tech. The strength as always for Miami is on
defense, but the quarterback combo of Robert Marve and Jacory Harris is
making progress. It's Miami's first bowl appearance since 2006. The
Emerald Bowl will feel like a home game for Cal as it is being played in
San Francisco, which is less than 10 miles from campus. The Golden Bears
have had an unsteady situation under center as Kevin Riley and Nate
Longshore have battled all season for playing time. However, running
back Jahvid Best has paced an offense that averages 33.3 points per
game. Best averages 126.7 rushing yards per game, which ranks fifth in
the NCAA. Pick: Cal
Independence Bowl -- Northern Illinois (6-6) vs. Louisiana Tech (7-5)
The
Independence Bowl usually pits the Big 12 against the SEC, but this
season they will have to settle for a WAC (Louisiana Tech) vs. MAC
(Northern Illinois) showdown. The Bulldogs are making a fourth
appearance in this bowl, while the Huskies are first timers to
Shreveport, La. Tech performed much better in coach Derek Dooley's
second season as they went 5-3 in the WAC and finished second behind
Boise State. They have won four of their last five games thanks to solid
play from quarterback Ross Jenkins and little-known Daniel Porter, who
averages 90.5 rushing yards per game. NIU is going bowling for the first
time since 2006 in large part to a top 25 defense. Four of their six
losses this season have come by four points or less. Freshman
quarterback Chandler Harnish is an emerging dual-threat quarterback.
Pick: Louisiana Tech
Papajohns.com Bowl -- North Carolina State (6-6) vs. Rutgers (7-5)
The
2008 Papajohns.com Bowl might not look like a premier matchup with one
team at .500 and the other barely above it, but it features two teams
that are streaking. N.C. State has won its last four games, which
included upset wins over North Carolina and Miami. Rutgers has won six
straight games, routing the likes of Pittsburgh, South Florida and
Louisville. Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel has looked like a top Heisman
candidate with 20 passing touchdowns during the winning streak. Wide
receiver Kenny Britt has also looked like a NFL-caliber player with five
100-yard games and six touchdowns in the last six wins. N.C. State
freshman quarterback Russell Wilson has also come on in the second half
of the season with two touchdown passes in six straight games. He is
also developing as a dual-threat option. Pick: Rutgers
Alamo Bowl -- Missouri (9-4) vs. Northwestern (9-3)
It might
not seem like an ideal top 25 matchup, but Missouri and Northwestern
will square off in San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl's first top 25
showdown since 2000 -- when Nebraska trumped Northwestern 66-17.
Missouri began the season 5-0 before falling to Oklahoma State and
Texas. They still made it to the Big 12 championship, but got
embarrassed by Oklahoma 62-21. The 2008 season has not played out as
many expected with Chase Daniel under center and Jeremy Maclin on the
outside, but they could get redemption with a bowl win. Northwestern had
a very good season under Pat Fitzgerald, who is making his first bowl
appearance since taking over for the deceased Randy Walker three seasons
ago. A top 25 scoring defense and knack for pressuring the quarterback
has paced Northwestern in '08, and senior quarterback C.J. Bacher will
look to end his college career a winner. Pick: Missouri
Humanitarian Bowl -- Maryland (7-5) vs. Nevada (7-5)
The
showdown between the 7-5 teams will be a matchup of bowl-tested schools.
Maryland might be making its first appearance on Boise's blue turf, but
they have gone bowling six of the last eight years. Nevada is making a
fourth straight bowl appearance, which included a heartbreaking 21-20
loss to Miami (Fla.) in the 2006 Humanitarian Bowl. Maryland spent three
weeks in the top 25 this season and beat four top 25 teams. Running back
Da'Rel Scott, who averages 87.2 rushing yards per game, is a player to
watch. Nevada has been rolling up the yards in 2008 despite losing star
running back Luke Lippincott early in the season to a torn ACL. Running
back Vai Taua, who ranks ninth in rushing yards per game (118.3), and
quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who is a top dual-threat option, have
still managed to pace the NCAA's fifth best offense (510.6 ypg). Pick:
Nevada
Texas Bowl -- Rice (9-3) vs. Western Michigan (9-3)
If you
enjoy watching two high-powered passing offenses, then circle your
calendar for Dec. 30 when Rice and Western Michigan square off in the
Texas Bowl. Both teams have top 10 passing offenses and can put up
points in bunches. Rice is led by the duo of quarterback Chase Clement
and wide receiver Jarrett Dillard. The two have combined to set an NCAA
career record for touchdown passes with 50. Dillard is the NCAA leader
with 59 career touchdowns. Tight end James Casey is also another
reliable target for Clement, who has 96 career passing touchdowns.
Western Michigan is led by quarterback Tim Hiller, who has thrown 34
touchdowns to just eight interceptions in 2008. He spreads the ball
around to the likes of Jamarko Simmons, Schneider Julien, Juan Nunez and
Branden Ledbetter. Hiller even gets help from running back Brandon West,
who averages 88.2 rushing yards per game. Pick: Rice
Holiday Bowl -- Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Oregon (9-3)
The 2008
version of the Holiday Bowl is set to feature two of the nation's
premier rushing attacks. Oklahoma State ranks seventh in rushing offense
thanks to Kendall Hunter, who rushed for 1,518 yards and 14 touchdowns,
and dual-threat quarterback Zac Robinson, who mustered up 508 yards and
seven touchdowns on the ground. Robinson was also a pretty good passer
and his favorite target is Dez Bryant, who totaled 1,313 yards and 17
touchdowns. Oregon has the nation's fourth best rushing attack,
averaging 277.8 yards per game. Senior running back Jeremiah Johnson
bullied his way for 1,082 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, while junior
college transfer LeGarrette Blount rushed for 928 yards and 16
touchdowns. Oregon went through a lot of turnover at quarterback due to
injury, but found their guy late in the season in Jeremiah Masoli, who
got it done through the air and on the ground. Pick: Oregon
Armed Forces Bowl -- Houston (7-5) vs. Air Force (8-4)
The
2008 Armed Forces Bowl will pit Houston and Air Force in a rematch from
their Sept. 13 showdown in which the Falcons squeaked by the Cougars
31-28. The game also gives Air Force another chance to revenge a
disappointing 42-36 loss in this game last season against Cal. Senior
quarterback Shea Smith led Air Force in the first win against Houston,
but he has since been replaced under center by freshman Tim Jefferson.
However, one thing that hasn't changed is Air Force being a run heavy
team. They rank fifth in rushing offense (268.9 ypg). Houston, on the
other hand, has a talented running back in freshman Bryce Beall, but
they do most of their damage through the air with quarterback Case
Keenum. The Cougars ranked first in total offense (575.1 ypg), second in
passing offense (414.1 ypg) and 10th in scoring offense (41.2 ppg). Pick:
Houston
Sun Bowl -- Oregon State (8-4) vs. Pittsburgh (9-3)
Oregon
State and Pittsburgh have to settle for the Sun Bowl after each team was
one win away from a BCS bowl berth. If Oregon State beats Oregon in the
final week of the season, they get a trip to the Rose Bowl as the Pac-10
champion. Pittsburgh knocks off Cincinnati Nov. 22 and they represent
the Big East in the BCS. But as fate has it, they now meet up in El Paso
in the Sun Bowl's first top 25 matchup since 1989. Oregon State features
freshman standout running back Jacquizz Rodgers and senior wide receiver
Sammie Stroughter. Pittsburgh relies on a top 50 defense and the legs of
running back LeSean McCoy. Pick: Pittsburgh
Music City Bowl -- Boston College (9-4) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6)
A
crushing defeat in the ACC title game has sent Boston College to
Vanderbilt's backyard to face the Commodores in the Music City Bowl.
While Vandy might have home-field advantage, Boston College isn't going
to roll over. The Golden Eagles bring in one of the nation's toughest
defenses, but will have to face Vanderbilt with freshman quarterback
Dominique Davis as Chris Crane is out with a broken collarbone. Davis
won two of the last three games he appeared in after Crane went down,
but lost the ACC title game. The Commodores cracked the top 25 after
opening the season 5-0. They quickly fizzled out and lost four straight
before becoming bowl eligible with a win Nov. 15 against Kentucky. Chris
Nickson and Mackenzi Adams continue to be an odd pairing under center,
but Vandy also comes into the game with a top 30 defense. Pick:
Boston College
Insight Bowl -- Kansas (7-5) vs. Minnesota (7-5)
The 20th
version of the Insight Bowl pits two teams reeling from a poor second
half. Minnesota comes into the game a loser in four straight and Kansas
ended the regular season losing four of six. KU did get a big win over
Missouri to cap the regular season, but they have fallen a long way
after beating Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl last season. Quarterback
Todd Reesing still shined as one of the nation's best passers and the
Jayhawks got by without running back Brandon McAnderson, but they
struggled defensively after losing cornerback Aqib Talib to the NFL.
Minnesota won seven of their first eight games in their second season
under coach Tim Brewster after going 1-11 in 2007. Defensive coordinator
Ted Roof transitioned Minnesota into a top 50 defense after being one of
the NCAA's worst last season. Also, quarterback Adam Weber was much
improved in his second full season at the helm. Pick: Kansas
Chick-fil-A Bowl -- LSU (7-5) vs. Georgia Tech (9-3)
The
organizers of the Chick-fil-A bowl are ecstatic to have the 2008
national champion LSU Tigers in Atlanta this year, but make no bones
about it, they aren't getting the same team. LSU lost four of their last
six games this season and finished 3-5 in the SEC. Most of their
struggles came under center as it wasn't easy replacing Matt Flynn and
Ryan Perrilloux. LSU was forced to use Jarrett Lee, Andrew Hatch and
Jordan Jefferson, whether it was by injury or inconsistency. Charles
Scott was a nice fill-in at tailback for the graduated Jacob Hester, but
a poor pass offense and defense hurt the Tigers. They will look to
salvage their 2008 season by beating Georgia Tech, a team that
experienced great success under first-year coach Paul Johnson. The
Yellow Jackets went to a triple-option offense -- the same one Johnson
ran at Navy -- and ranked third in run offense (282.3 ypg). Quarterback
Josh Nesbitt and running back Jonathan Dwyer were the stars on offense.
But outside of a top offense, the Yellow Jackets also had a top 25
defense. Pick: Georgia Tech
Outback Bowl -- South Carolina (7-5) vs. Iowa (8-4)
This game
could be a chess match as two of college football's premier minds square
off -- Iowa's Kirk Ferentz and South Carolina's Steve Spurrier. Ferentz
has relied a lot on running back Shonn Greene this season and the junior
hasn't disappointed. He is the nation's second leading rusher and has
tallied 100-plus rushing yards in each game this season. Iowa, who will
be making a third appearance in the Outback Bowl like South Carolina,
has won five of their last six games, which included an upset of then
undefeated Penn State. South Carolina is reeling as they lost their
final two games of the season, but they still have the nation's 11th
best total defense (288.9 ypg) and third ranked pass defense (160.3
ypg). In Spurrier's ever-continuing quarterback rotation, we could see
both Chris Smelley and Stephen Garcia under center. Pick: Iowa
Capital One Bowl -- Georgia (9-3) vs. Michigan State (9-3)
The
2009 installment of the Capital One Bowl could be the fastest in history
as the showdown will feature two of the nation's top running backs --
Michigan State's Javon Ringer and Georgia's Knowshon Moreno. Ringer was
a workhorse for the Spartans this season as he carried the ball 370
times. He gained 1,590 yards on the ground and scored 21 times. Had MSU
been in contention for a BCS berth, Ringer might have punched a ticket
to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. Moreno, on the other hand,
came into the season as a top Heisman candidate, but also struggled to
gain national media attention as Georgia fizzled out of the national
championship picture. Moreno still averaged 111.5 rushing yards per game
and scored 16 times on the ground, but it wasn't enough to help UGA
avoid late-season losses to Florida and Georgia Tech. Quarterback Matt
Stafford could be playing in his last game as Bulldog, so there is a lot
on the line for Georgia after bringing home a Sugar Bowl title last
season. Pick: Georgia
Gator Bowl -- Clemson (7-5) vs. Nebraska (8-4)
The pressure is
off Clemson coach Dabo Swinney after the interim tag was removed
following a strong finish to the season after the resignation of
longtime coach Tommy Bowden. Clemson won four of their last five games
under Swinney, and he has this team clicking after a disappointing
start. Quarterback Cullen Harper is back under center after freshman
Will Korn got a brief tryout, and the rushing tandem of James Davis and
C.J. Spiller will be looking to put a stamp on this game. Nebraska is
going to their first bowl game under first-year head coach Bo Pelini,
who has restored the winning prestige in Lincoln, but it will be no easy
task as they face the nation's 10th ranked scoring defense (16.6 ppg).
Senior quarterback Joe Ganz leads the nation's 12th total offense (458.3
ypg), and he is the NCAA's 13th best passer. He will need to muster up
all he can against the 10th best pass defense (167.3 ypg), but will look
to the backfield tandem of Roy Helu Jr. and Marlon Lucky to take off
some of the pressure. Pick: Clemson
Cotton Bowl -- Mississippi (8-4) vs. Texas Tech (11-1)
Texas
Tech was a victory over Oklahoma away from possibly playing for the
national championship, but now they take their prolific offense down the
road to Dallas with a showdown against Ole Miss looming. Rebels head
coach Houston Nutt got Ole Miss to their first bowl game since 2004 and
did wonders in his first season in Oxford. He got a lot of help from
dual-threat quarterback Jevan Snead, the running tandem of Cordera Eason
and Dexter McCluster, wideouts Shay Hodge and Mike Wallace, and the 14th
ranked scoring defense (17.8 ppg). Texas Tech is led by Hesiman castoff
Graham Harrell, who has thrown for more than 4,000 yards in three
straight seasons. He often teams with wideout Michael Crabtree to form
the nation's top passing offense (471.3 ypg). Harrell will be out to
prove he was Heisman worthy, and Ole Miss will need to get past those
big bullies up front if they intend to slow Harrell down. Pick: Texas
Tech
Liberty Bowl -- Kentucky (6-6) vs. East Carolina (9-4)
East
Carolina was the darling of the early season as they bolted to a 3-0
record, which included upset wins against Virginia Tech and West
Virginia. They quickly fell apart losing three straight before winning
six of their last seven games, which included a 27-24 defeat of Tulsa in
the Conference USA championship. Coach Skip Holtz trusts his offense to
senior quarterback Patrick Pinkney and relies on a top 50 defense to get
the job done. Kentucky limps their way into a bowl game despite going
2-6 in the SEC. They won four times to open the season against weak
opponents and that helped them get bowl eligible. Quarterbacks Mike
Hartline and Randall Cobb shared the duties under center this season
after Curtis Pulley was dismissed from the team in the preseason.
Kentucky has an awful offense (ranked 105th), but have a top 40 defense.
This game could be a low-scoring affair. Pick: East Carolina
International Bowl -- Buffalo (8-5) vs. Connecticut (7-5)
We
head north of the border to Toronto as the MAC champion Buffalo Bulls
square off with Big East opponent Connecticut. The Bulls accepted the
International Bowl invitation after knocking off previously undefeated
Ball State in the MAC championship. This is just the second time in
school history Buffalo has been invited to a bowl and first time they
accepted. Coach Turner Gill has done a phenomenal job turning around the
Buffalo program. Quarterback Drew Willy and wide receiver Naaman
Roosevelt make one heck of a passing combo, while James Starks was the
nation's eighth best rusher (118.8 ypg). On the other side of the field,
UConn has no slouch in the backfield either in the form of Big East
Offensive Player of the Year Donald Brown. He is the nation's top
rusher, averaging 151.8 yards, and is about all the offense UConn has
seeing how they threw for just four touchdowns all season. UConn has one
of the NCAA's top defenses, finishing 10th overall (281.4 ypg). Pick:
Connecticut
GMAC Bowl -- Tulsa (10-3) vs. Ball State (12-1)
The 10th
installment of the GMAC Bowl actually features two teams that were in
the hunt for a BCS berth this season. Ball State had an undefeated
regular season before losing to Buffalo in the MAC championship. Tulsa
opened the season 8-0 before suffering a devastating loss to Arkansas.
Ball State also had a tough loss this season as senior wide receiver
Dante Love exited the lineup with a career-ending back injury. The
Cardinals regrouped and were led by quarterback Nate Davis (15th in
total offense), running back MiQuale Lewis (fourth in rushing) and the
21st scoring defense (18.6 ppg). Tulsa had little drop off from 2007
despite the loss of quarterback Paul Smith. David Johnson stepped right
in and kept Tulsa as one of the nation's most prolific offenses (565.1
ypg). The Golden Hurricanes like to spread the ball around, but Brennan
Marion is a sight to behold as a downfield threat. Pick: Tulsa
BCS Bowls
Orange Bowl -- Virginia Tech (9-4) vs. Cincinnati (11-2)
Virginia
Tech will be making its second straight Orange Bowl appearance (lost
24-21 to Kansas last season) and fifth BCS dance, while Cincinnati will
be making its initial plunge into college football's most prestigious
stage. The Hokies were able to rebound from an opening loss to East
Carolina and survived three ACC losses to knock off Boston College in
the conference championship game. Virginia Tech relies heavily on a top
10 defense and dynamic special teams unit, but quarterback Tyrod Taylor
and running back Darren Evans do just enough on offense to get the team
by. The Bearcats hoisted their first Big East championship despite
having to use three different quarterbacks. Coach Brian Kelly relied on
Tony Pike late in the season to get them to Miami, but his job was easy
with such targets as Dominick Goodman and Mardy Gilyard. The duo
combined for 17 touchdowns. Cincy also boasts a top 30 defense. Pick:
Virginia Tech
Rose Bowl -- Penn State (11-1) vs. Southern California (11-1)
These
two historic football programs will meet for the ninth time in history
and the second time in a Rose Bowl -- the last being the first game
played at Rose Bowl Stadium in 1923. Southern Cal will appear in the
Rose Bowl for the fourth straight year and five times in the last six.
Coach Pete Carroll and the Trojans had a chance to play for the national
championship, but an early-season loss to Oregon State proved costly.
USC is on a nine-game winning streak thanks to the play of quarterback
Mark Sanchez and the nation's No. 1 ranked total, scoring and pass
defense. The Nittany Lions were almost assured of a spot in the national
title game before JoePa and the boys lost to Iowa late in the season.
They now take the nation's 15th best offense and fifth ranked total
defense to California which will feel like a home game for USC. Pick:
USC
Sugar Bowl -- Utah (12-0) vs. Alabama (12-1)
The Crimson Tide
secured a BCS berth despite suffering a 31-20 loss to Florida in the SEC
championship. They were undefeated up until that point and led in that
game heading into the fourth quarter before seeing their national
championship hopes go up in flames. They now get to tango with Utah for
the first time in school history. Alabama has been an intimidating
defense all season and head into the Sugar Bowl allowing just 13.0
points per game. They also like to run the ball with Glen Coffee and
Mark Ingram. Utah has been a pretty good defensive team this season as
well, allowing just 17.3 points per game. On offense, they rely on
dual-threat quarterback Brian Johnson to move them down the field. Utah
has never beaten an SEC team in school history (0-6) and Alabama is 3-3
against Mountain West opponents. Pick: Alabama
Fiesta Bowl -- Ohio State (10-2) vs. Texas (11-1)
The 2009
Fiesta Bowl is a heavyweight match between Ohio State and Texas. The
Buckeyes are in their fourth straight BCS game, but it's the first time
in three years they won't be playing for the national championship. Ohio
State is 4-2 in BCS games under Jim Tressel and has won the Fiesta Bowl
three times. Running back Chris Wells is at 100 percent after a toe
injury slowed him early in the season and freshman quarterback Terrelle
Pryor is one of the most exciting players to watch in college. Ohio
State also has a stout defense led by All-American James Laurinaitis.
Texas is no walkover, either. Quarterback Colt McCoy has been tearing
apart defenses all season and has led Texas to their third BCS bowl in
the last five years. McCoy lost to Ohio State as a redshirt freshman
quarterback in 2006. The stakes have changed and the game is now on a
neutral field. Wideouts Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley will need to be
perfect as they look to speed past the nation's sixth best pass defense
(164.3 pyg). Pick: Texas
BCS Title game -- Oklahoma (12-1) vs. Florida (12-1)
This is
what we have been waiting for all season. It's No. 1 Oklahoma set to do
battle with No. 2 Florida in what will feel like a home game for the
Gators in Miami. This game will feature two of the nation's top
quarterbacks in Oklahoma's Sam Bradford and Florida's Tim Tebow. Florida
will be eyeing their second national title in three years after beating
Ohio State in 2007. Oklahoma is back in the title game for the first
time since losing in 2004 to USC. They won the title in 2000 over
Florida State. Oklahoma's one loss this season came to Texas in a 45-35
shootout. Since then, the Sooners have looked unstoppable. They have
posted 60-plus points in five straight games -- an FBS record. Aside
from Bradford, Oklahoma relies on the running-tandem of Chris Brown and
DeMarco Murray. Wideouts Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson and tight
end Jermaine Gresham are also vital contributors on the nation's
third-best offense. Florida has won nine straight after a surprising
September loss to Ole Miss in The Swamp. Tebow has been on top of his
game ever since and Florida has been as hot as Oklahoma. The wild card
in this showdown will be the health of Percy Harvin, who might just be
the best all-around player in college. He hurt his ankle late in the
season and missed the SEC championship win against Alabama. He should be
healthy come Jan. 8. Florida also boasts a top 10 defense, which is
arguably the best unit Oklahoma will have faced all season.. Pick:
Florida