As I post this, there is still one more game to be played in Week 1, but I don’t plan on doing much blogling on Christmas Eve, so I’m getting my Week 2 predictions out of the way now. There are quite a bit, so take your time.
I did pretty well the first week, but most of the games were pretty predictable. We’ll see how things go now that the games are a little more competitive.
Bowl Season: 9-13
Regular Season: 86-27 (76.1%)
Overall: 95-40 (70.4%)
12/26
Little Caesers Pizza Bowl (7:30 p.m. ESPN)
Florida International vs. Toledo – If there ever was a match-up to show that we have too many bowls, this would be the one. Seriously? FIU and Toledo? This game wouldn’t beat out the Westminster Dog Show if they were the only two things on tv.
FIU might have a dozen fans travel to Detroit, so they will lose.
Toledo 38, Florida International 17
Florida International 34, Toledo 32 – FAILURE
12/27
AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl (4 p.m. ESPN2)
Air Force vs. Georgia Tech – <insert comment about the triple option and lots of rushing yards>. Seriously though, there might be a combined 10 passes in this one.
Georgia Tech’s backup quarterback, who has been starting since Josh Nesbitt went down earlier this season, is the son of a guy who taught me some basketball skills when I was in middle school. Based on that fact alone, the Yellow Jackets will win handily.
Georgia Tech 34, Air Force 10
Air Force 14, Georgia Tech 7 – FAILURE
12/28
Champs Sports Bowl (5:30 p.m. ESPN)
West Virginia vs. North Carolina State – I have never been able to take North Carolina State very seriously in football. I don’t know why. I just never have. West Virginia has the better talent in the backfield, and will win the game. Yep, that’s about it.
West Virginia 24, North Carolina State 13
North Carolina State 23, West Virginia 7 – FAILURE
Insight Bowl (9 p.m. ESPN)
Missouri vs. Iowa – Let’s see… who had the least disappointing season? I guess Missouri. They did beat a top-ranked team, and Iowa didn’t beat much, other than a few guys who hadn’t paid for their last dime bag.
This seems like a big match-up, but it’s nothing more than a battle of early/mid-season over-hypes.
Missouri 21, Iowa 17
Iowa 27, Missouri 24 – FAILURE
12/29
Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman (1:30 p.m. ESPN)
East Carolina vs. Maryland – I really hope Friedgen phones this one in. You’re Maryland…realize that.
East Carolina 28, Maryland 14
Maryland 50, East Carolina 21 – FAILURE
Texas Bowl (5 p.m. ESPN)
Illinois vs. Baylor – Baylor’s decent, and Illinois is still coached by Ron Zook, right? Yes? Ok, Bears win.
Baylor 23, Illinois 20
Illinois 38, Baylor 14 – FAILURE
Valero Alamo Bowl (8:15 p.m. ESPN)
Oklahoma State vs. Arizona – Well, Arizona started off strong, but fizzled down the stretch with four straight losses. Oklahoma State lost to two top-10 teams, and that’s it. The Cowboys have the best receiver in the nation in Justin Blackmon, on top of having the better team. Wow, that actually sounded like analysis. Back to ‘Blogle-speak.
Arizona isn’t as good as Oklahoma State. It’s that simple.
Oklahoma State 38, Arizona 24
Oklahoma State 36, Arizona 10 – SUCCESS!
12/30
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (11 a.m. ESPN)
Army vs. SMU – Is it possible for Army to lose a game called the Armed Forces Bowl? Especially to a guy named June? Nah…
Army 20, SMU 17
Army 16, SMU 14 – SUCCESS!
New Era Pinstripe Bowl (2:20 p.m. ESPN)
Kansas State vs. Syracuse – Isn’t it fitting that a team from Manhattan and a team from Syracuse are playing in a bowl game at Yankee Stadium in New York? Oh wait…that’s Manhattan, Kansas.
The Orange are good compared to what they have been in recent years, but that’s not saying much. All I know of Kansas State is that they killed Kansas, but that’s not saying much either. I’ll go with the Wildcats.
Kansas State 24, Syracuse 14
Syracuse 36, Kansas State 34 – FAILURE
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl (5:40 p.m. ESPN)
North Carolina vs. Tennessee – I ain’t gotta clue. Tennessee’s offense did show some signs of life at the end of the season, but that was against Kentucky and Vanderbilt. North Carolina didn’t look terrible in any of their five losses, I guess, but I just can’t get behind any football from the state of North Carolina, especially the newly over-hyped Tarheels.
I feel like Tennessee will win, but how pumped do you think they are to travel a few hours West to Nashville when they were just there a few weeks ago? All that really matters in most bowl games is which team shows up and is glad to be there.
I still can’t pick North Carolina.
Tennessee 34, North Carolina 28
North Carolina 30, Tennessee 27 – FAILURE
Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl (9 p.m. ESPN)
Nebraska vs. Washington – Congratulations Nebraska! You lose the Big 12 Championship Game by three points and get to go play the 6-6 (yet still 3rd in the Pac-10) Washington Huskies. You must be so happy! Happy to get out of the Big 12 next year that is.
Although there will be absolutely zero motivation for the Huskers in this one, I don’t see No-Nonsense Pelini allowing his team to just collect their swag and go through the motions.
I just realized this game is the Huskers and the Huskies. Mind blown.
Nebraska 31, Washington 7
Washington 19, Nebraska 7 – FAILURE
12/31
Meineke Car Care Bowl (11 a.m. ESPN)
South Florida vs. Clemson – Wow, Clemson is 6-6? South Florida isn’t much better at 7-5, but they did end the season with a nice win over Miami. Clemson ended the season with a bad loss to South Carolina, and just never seemed to do anything right after the early loss to Auburn. So sorry…
South Florida seems to be on the way up, while Clemson continues to be Clemson.
South Florida 20, Clemson 10
South Florida 20, Clemson 10 – SUCCESS!
Hyundai Sun Bowl (1 p.m. CBS)
Notre Dame vs. Miami – Tickets for this game sold out in like five minutes. Too bad that many people will have to watch a train wreck in person. Twenty years ago, this would have looked like a great game just based on the names, but too bad neither team is anything close to their former “legendary” selves.
I guess Notre Dame will win because they don’t have the whole coach swap thing going on.
Notre Dame 17, Miami 13
Notre Dame 33, Miami 17 – SUCCESS!
AutoZone Liberty Bowl (2:30 p.m. ESPN)
Georgia vs. UCF – Georgia, I like this. The Liberty Bowl. It looks good on you. Won’t you stay there? You can beat up on teams like UCF each year, earning a preseason ranking for the next season, only to have it vanish before your next Liberty Bowl invitation. Doesn’t that sound good? I think it does.
Georgia 38, UCF 14
UCF 10, Georgia 6 – FAILURE
Chik-fil-A Bowl (6:30 p.m. ESPN)
South Carolina vs. Florida State – This one all depends on if Florida State’s QB, Christian Ponder, actually plays. He was pulled before the start of the ACC Championship Game due to injury, and Virginia Tech beat up on the Seminoles pretty good. I believe the Hokies are only slightly better than South Carolina, so Florida State would probably suffer the same fate if Ponder can’t play.
If he does play, it doesn’t necessarily mean they would win easily. South Carolina played in the Georgia Dome a few weeks ago, and you know they would like to leave Atlanta with a little bit better feeling than last time.
I’m torn on this one, but regardless of Ponder’s status, I’ll go with the Gamecocks, giving Spurrier one more win over Florida State.
South Carolina 35, Florida State 31
Florida State 26, South Carolina 17 – FAILURE
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