Saturday, January 1, 2011

HERE COME THE GOOD BOWLS: Part III

New Year's Day! Definitely the best time of the year for college football fans. We've got 6 great looking games to day and an absolutely sexy Rose Bowl game. I can't remember a more compelling match up than this Rose Bowl right here. Let's jump in.

Saturday January 1st

#1 Northwestern vs Texas Tech in the TicketCity Bowl
(1/1) Noon ESPNU
The battle of the 7-5's. This makes back to back New Year's Day bowls for Northwestern. This one is being played in the Cotton Bowl, and it should be a doosy for Texas Tech. Persa is out for Northwestern and he's the heart & soul for that squad. So goes Persa so goes Northwestern. Tubs gets a bowl win for his first year in Lubbock.


#2 Florida vs Penn State in the Outback Bowl
(1/1) 1:00 PM ABC
Now we're talking! It would not be New Year's without JoePa. We get crusty old JoePa, a living legend, and a Coach leaving the game before his time. Story lines abound in this one. I'm curious how Florida will play against a Penn State team that made great strides in righting the ship this year. It was a bumpy road, but if they can find a way to get the ball to #6 Derek Moye, they should be able to move the sticks. Who knows what Florida will do with their QB rotation. Its a circus back there, and its so maddening to watch that Urban had to step back from the program. They say if you got 2 quarterbacks, you don't have 1. I guess, if you got 3 quarterbacks, start shopping for a new coach. Think JoePa will snag a W, and then step aside? Don't hold your breath. He's coaching forever. God bless him. He's press conferences have become the most surreal experiences I can recall. Gators pull out the W, and Urban goes out with a W...for now.


#3 Alabama vs Michigan State in the Capitol One Bowl
(1/1) 1:00 PM ESPN
A great match up. I am curious which BAMA team will show up. I have a feeling Alabama is frustrated from this year, and I have a feeling the Spartans are walking into a beat down. How will Greg McElroy respond to being body slammed in that Auburn game? He did not look good walking off the field that day, but I think he'll bounce back and be able to hand off to Ingram and Richardson. Hitting Julio on the slant should be open on that D too. Saban is not wanting to go into the off season with a loss. While 9-4 is not too bad, you know he's eyeing 10-3. MSU has won a ton of close games this year, and they done so on grit, hard work, and some good old fashioned trickery. Don't be surprised if the Spartans fake a punt or field goal to stay in the game. Saban gets another bowl victory in the books. I have to send out a Coach of the Year nod to Coach Dantonio. He guided the Spartans to one of their best seasons in the modern era, and he suffered from heart attack after the Notre Dame game victory. Great year, Coach!


#4 Mississippi State vs Michigan in the Gator Bowl
(1/1) 1:30 PM ESPN2
If Rich Rodriquez can pull this one out, Michigan fans and alum might cut him some slack. Nah. They'll be calling for his head rain or shine because he's not a Michigan man. Well let me ask you this Michigan, if he's not a Michigan Man, then why did you hire him in the first place? Seems a bit odd that you'd bring him in, if he did not fit your Primary Job Hiring Criteria. Coaching aside, the kicking game is awful for Michigan. The defense is awful for Michigan, and those are 2 critical components to the game of football. Look for Mississippi State to run it all over this Michigan Swiss cheese defense. Dan Mullen is off to great start.


#5 Wisconsin vs TCU in the Rose Bowl
(1/1) 5:00 PM ESPN
Talk about good looking day of football. This is a the T-Bone Steak you've been waiting for. What a great matchup. Wisconsin is 11-1 and TCU is 12-0. If this game does not get you pumped, something is up. I'm curious how John Clay will run on TCU. I've said all year Wisconsin has one of the best Offensive Lines in the country and how they square up against TCU's outstanding defense is where the game will be won. Andy Dalton and company have an opportunity to go 13-0 and ask "Why not us". That's a debate for another, but this game could be huge in the national historic debate of post season college football. Let's say TCU does win. The "Plus 1" crowd will be chirping. And if TCU does win, I'll be chirping too. More football? Hey I'm in. Badgers style football is what its all about, but I have to say I'm rooting for TCU. Bring on the Plus 1. Remember '04 when Auburn was left standing. If we go back and drop in the Plus 1, we would have had the luxury of seeing undefeated Southern Cal vs undefeated Auburn. How in the world can you not like that match up? Yeah, go horned frogs.


#6 UCONN vs Oklahoma
(1/1) 8:30 PM ESPN
Thank the automatic bowl tie-in's for this one. UConn rolls in with an 8-4 record, and the Sooners are 11-2. Not much to say here, except that the Sooners, if they come like they should, will roll big.

Happy New Year!!!


Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/cfdaily

Thursday, December 30, 2010

HERE COME THE GOOD BOWLS: Part II

Alright this is another great day of games. The New Year's Eve slate of college football games is on point. We have 4 really good looking match ups on the board. Now mind you, these are not all traditional match ups, but pretty good looking match ups none the less.

Friday December 31st:

#1 South Florida vs Clemson in the Car Care Bowl
(12/31) Noon ESPN
Clemson has had a tough year. Seems like ever since Kyle Parker took a shot in the back against Auburn earlier in the year, that something has not been right. Clemson is sitting on 6-6 and Dabo does not want to finish with a loosing record. Both teams roll into Charlotte having lost their last game. South Florida had a big time win over Miami in the Overtime thriller back on Thanksgiving weekend. Look for some turnovers and some otherwise sloppy play, but a thrilling game as there on athletes for both teams on both sides of the ball. Look for Clemson's Defensive front to be the difference.


#2 Notre Dame vs Miami in the Sun Bowl
(12/31) 2:00 PM CBS
Catholics vs Convicts renewed. The 2010 edition of this rivalry will propel Notre Dame into the national spotlight and keep them there for the next decade. Look for Brian Kelly to seize this golden opportunity. With Miami burning in the background the Golden Domers will step back up on stage. Since she took office, I've been very critical of the University President, Donna Shalala, and exactly who was behind the "Let's resign, then fire Coach Randy Shannon" decision is beyond me. Talk about a costly decision. But from the looks of the U from the outside, things to do not look they are being handled properly. Harris throws too many picks. Irish win.


#3 Georgia vs Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl
(12/31) 3:30 PM ESPN
What a difference selling a bowl jersey makes. Georgia really has to look in the mirror after this year and dig deep. The recruiting needs to step up. The defense needs to step up. The offense needs to learn to not fumble in the red zone. And the toughness (strength and conditioning) needs to return and reach new heights. Just a few things and this team is playing their bowl game on New Year's Day again. Mark Richt has "The Year" coming up next year with a kick off classic looming against Boise State, and Florida game with a new coach. Yeah Coach Richt is going to really want to go into the off season on a high note. A resounding win over Central Florida accomplishes that. There are still some really good recruits out there for the Dawgs to land, and this game is a big component of decisions to come. Plain and simple this is a trap game. Georgia has a ton to loose, and very little on the National Stage to gain outside of rebuilding respect. But Richt will have things in order. Look for Liberty Bowl records to be broken by Murray and Green. Dawgs win this one. Because Lord knows if they lose it, The Guns of Navarone will be pointing towards Athens.


#4 South Carolina vs Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Bowl
(12/31) 7:30 PM ESPN
This is the main event of the day. What a great match up. Which Garcia will show up? Will Spurrier find ways to get the ball to Lattimore throughout the game? Remember last year's bowl game where UCONN blew the doors of USC? Ouch! Yeah I love this match up. Jimbo Fisher has some really good mojo going on in Tallahassee, and Spurrier has the Gamecocks believing. Hope is something that has not been in Columbia's football discussion for an entire football season in some time. But its back now and the the SEC Championship game aside, these Gamecocks are really good. I know they wish they could have that 2nd Quarter back in Atlanta. They finally got Auburn to punt, and they did nothing with it. They finally got Cam to fumble and did nothing with it. If they convert those in 14, then maybe that game rolled out differently. Nah probably not, but it needs to be said. Look for the Gamecocks in this win. Spurrier loves beating the Seminoles and this year's no different.

Come back tomorrow, where we will have Part III in HERE COME THE GOOD BOWLS.

Please be safe out there and Happy New Years!!!!!

Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/cfdaily

HERE COME THE GOOD BOWLS: Part I

Well the bowl games are really starting to heat up. The appetizer games are getting more interesting (some of the games over the past week or so have been nothing more than back ground action). And there has been a lot going on in the news. Here are some of the highlights, just in case you missed it.

#1. Urban Meyer is stepping down from UF and Will Muschamp is stepping in. For a man that has earned the right to call his shots in Gainesville and adjust his schedule as he sees fit, I find this one very odd. There seems to be more to the story that I don't think the general public has received yet. I can not say I'm surprised by Urban's decision as he toyed with it last year, but walking away from Florida with so many wins still on the table is a head scratcher. I guess Life-After-Tebow is harder and more painful than it looks. And know this Dawg fans, if Will Muschamp wins The Cocktail Party next year, Mark Richt is toast.

#2 Bill Stewart to be replaced by Dana Holgorsen. So Bill has one more year at the helm and Dana is going to come over and be the OC? Really? Can next year get any more awkward at WVU? I know we all like Bill Stewart he lives and breathes WVU football, but this decision is like deciding you kind of want to the band-aid off. Not a fan. Pull the plug and let's get to it. No messing around with he's kind of the new sheriff in town.

#3 Maryland is getting rid of the Fridge. Not sure I understand exactly what Maryland is looking for here. Ralph is an alum, he's been winning modest bowl games, and putting up decent numbers in the W's department. So they get rid of him with no real succession plan in place. OK, I think? Maybe they were just waiting for Ralph to finish up the bowl game, but something does not look well thought out here. Jumping from to Ralph to potential Lubbock meets Key West bad boy Mike Leech could be a gamble of epic proportions. Leech would score more points though no doubt. Seems like revising Ralph's staff a bit more (maybe starting with the recruiting coordinator) was in order first, but that's just a thought because it just seems to me that they have not been hitting the mark in the talent war.


And now on to the best days in the College Football Post Season! The Bowl Season really heats up starting today. Let's jump in:

Thursday December 30th:

#1 Army vs SMU in Armed Forces Bowl
(12/30) Noon on ESPN
Really not much too say as this one is not on too many people's radar. Home game for SMU as the game is in Dallas. Know this. June Jones is going to keep winning. A win today puts SMU at 8-6, and drops Army to a loosing record on the season. You think Southern Methodist was glad to get Coach off the Island? This makes 2 bowls in a row for SMU. Things are going in the right direction.

#2 Kansas State vs Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl
(12/30) 3:30 PM on ESPN
This one has the makings for a really good game that you didn't see coming. I could be wrong here, but I see this being one of the better games of the day. The 2 teams are evenly matched and very comparable. Both are 7-5 and hungry for the 8th win of the season. I like K-State. They won their last game and the 'Cuse comes in on a 2 game loosing streak. Plus this game is in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium, so it will a cool first time experience. Many consider it a home game for Syracuse, but look for K-State to settle down and put on the jets.

#3 North Carolina vs Tennessee in the Music City Bowl
(12/30) 6:40 PM ESPN
Well this is another great match up. In a year of "What could have been" for UNC and "Wait until next year" for Tenn. A loss here puts Tenn at a loosing record for year, but I like UT in this one. Not too say that UNC is not talented and capable of pulling this one out, but I was at the VaTech/UNC game this year, and UNC missed opportunities and flat out got out played. I see comparable athletes on Tenn's squad, especially at the emerging QB in Tyler Bray (he's the bright future for Knoxville) and the bevvy of talented receivers. Look for Tenn in this one.

#4 Nebraska vs Washington in the Holiday Bowl
(12/30) 10:00 PM ESPN
I could have sworn we already played this game. Oh yeah we did and Nebraska took Washington to the wood shed back on Sept 18th, with a 38-17 pummelling. Thanks Bowl committee. I'm loving the creative have not seen this before bowl selections. Plus Nebraska is 18th in the country and 10-3, while Washington is 6-6. I don't get it. I repeat, I don't get it. Nebraska should be playing someone in their class this year, like Alabama or Michigan State. But Washington...that's just tomfoolery.

Check back in tomorrow as we'll preview the Dec 31st games in Part II of the "HERE COME THE GOOD BOWLS" series.

Enjoy!

Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/cfdaily