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