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Bowl prediction time!!! (oh, and bowl recaps, too)

What do YOU think will be the best bowl game?

  • Rose Bowl (USC vs. Penn State)

    Votes: 9 27.3%
  • Sugar Bowl (Auburn vs. Oklahoma)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Holiday Bowl (Minnesota vs. Washington State)

    Votes: 1 3.0%
  • Russell Athletic Bowl (Miami vs. West Virginia)

    Votes: 1 3.0%
  • Alamo Bowl (Oklahoma State vs. Colorado)

    Votes: 2 6.1%
  • Citrus Bowl (LSU vs. Louisville)

    Votes: 1 3.0%
  • Orange Bowl (Michigan vs. Florida State)

    Votes: 6 18.2%
  • Peach Bowl (Washington vs. Alabama)

    Votes: 6 18.2%
  • Fiesta Bowl (Ohio State vs. Clemson)

    Votes: 4 12.1%
  • Other (Sun, Las Vegas, Taxslayer, esc...)

    Votes: 3 9.1%

  • Total voters
    33
  • Poll closed .

Dolgevillefootballfan

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Poinsettia Bowl

BYU vs. Wyoming - Box Score - December 21, 2016 - ESPN


Me at around 11:40 P.M last night: "Huh... BYU just went up 24-7. Guess it's finally safe to go to sleep."

However, the SECOND I fall asleep, Wyoming wakes up and mounts a comeback. And only an Kai Nacua pick-off of Josh Allen saved BYU's rear-ends. Which means this game ended WAY better than it began (Blast my luck).

My bowl rating: 2.5 stars
 

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Idaho Potato Bowl

Idaho vs. Colorado State - Box Score - December 22, 2016 - ESPN


I'M ON A ROLL! I nailed this upset win by Idaho, as the Vandals won the 3rd-highest scoring bowl game ever. And look at all the stars in this game: Nick Stevens, Matt Lineham, Isaiah Saunders... I mean, the game wasn't that close, but at least it was entertaining!

And to think the 1st quarter ended 0-0...

My bowl rating: 2.5 stars

...Wait a minute. This means Idaho finishes 9-4 this year. What if Idaho decides they wanna stay at the FBS level?! The implications here are endless!
 

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Bahamas Bowl and Dollar General Bowl

Happy Christmas Eve, everyone! I'm sure Old Dominion will be enjoying it, as they grab their 1st-ever bowl in the Bahamas. A fun game to watch, by the way.

Ohio vs. Troy - Box Score - December 23, 2016 - ESPN And then in the nightcap, Troy wins in Mobile thanks to 5 Bobcat turnovers. With that, Troy has it's first bowl win since 2010 (ironically, that also came against Ohio) and their 1st 10-win season as an FBS team!

Rating for the Bahamas Bowl: 2.5 stars
Rating for the Dollar General Bowl: 2.5 stars
 

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Armed Forces Bowl

Louisiana Tech vs. Navy - Game Recap - December 23, 2016 - ESPN


Easily the best bowl game so far this season, as Louisiana Tech wins in Fort Worth. And even better, this game was the wild shootout we all hoped it would!

My bowl rating: 3.5 stars (Hey! This means I'm now 12-1 in bowl game picks so far! I'm on a ROLL!)
 

Dolgevillefootballfan

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Hawaii Bowl

Hawai'i vs. Middle Tennessee - Box Score - December 24, 2016 - ESPN


:tsk: Go figure. The MOMENT I announce "I'm on a roll!", my bowl picks turn pear-shaped as Middle Tennessee's defense was hung over somewhere in a Hilo alley and didn't make it to the game. That's the reason why Hawaii rallied from an early deficit to win the award for "Best comeback nobody's paying attention to" in 2016.

My bowl rating: 2.75 stars
 

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Bowl predictions (Part 4- December 26th)

While you dust off your old WHAM! records in honor of the deceased George Michael today, here are the bowl games that'll keep you company: (All times are Eastern, and all games on ESPN)

St. Petersburg Bowl: Miami-Ohio vs. Mississippi State [11:00 A.M] (Of all of the 41 bowl games going on right now, this is the one that you should avoid at all costs. Miami-Ohio's magical run from 0-6 to a bowl berth is a great accomplishment... it's just too bad that it'll end against an SEC team. A SEC team, by the way, that's 5-7.)
My prediction: Mississippi State 31-14

Quick Lane Bowl: Maryland vs. Boston College [2:30] (At least here, we'll have former ACC team-mates facing each other. And both Maryland and Boston College have strong defenses, so at least it'll be a close game in Detroit.)
My prediction: Maryland 17-14 [Hey Vegas, you say the over/under here is 44? Give me a dime on the under]

Camping World Independence Bowl: Vanderbilt vs. NC State [5:00] (Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason has said "NC State is a mirror image of us". Maybe he's right; both teams had to beat their most hated rivals [Tennessee and North Carolina, respectfully] to get bowl eligible.
Thing is, NC State's passing game isn't too bad, and I don't think Zach Cunningham will be enough for Vandy to stop it. So if Vandy wants to win this, their RB Ralph Webb HAS to get yards against that Wolfpack defensive front.)
My prediction: NC State 27-17

Hmm... This wasn't so hard. So in a couple of hours, I'll touch on tomorrow's bowl games.
 

Dolgevillefootballfan

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Bowl predictions (Part 5: December 27th)

Thanks for waiting! Now that the polls are closed (and you confirmed that the Rose Bowl will bring all of your friends to the local sports bar), we can focus on other things. Like bowl previews, for example: (All times are Eastern, and all games on ESPN)

Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl: Army vs. North Texas [12:00] (I take back what I said in the previous post. THIS bowl game is the most skippable of the bunch! I mean, Army's on a major high right now, but their opponent is 5-7 North Texas?! The only way the Mean Green wins is if Army doesn't show up, and after beating Navy there's NO chance of that happening.)
My prediction: Army 24-20

Military Bowl: Temple vs. Wake Forest
[3:30] (This bowl could be sneaky good. Temple's off their 1st-ever FBS conference title, but their coach Matt Rhule left for Baylor. As for Wake, they're a 13-point underdog after losing their last 3 games. Yet the extra time to prepare could help them, and if the running game gets going we could have a surprise.)
My prediction: Temple 28-14 (Nah. It's best if I don't overthink this one.)

Holiday Bowl: Minnesota vs. Washington State [7:00] (NOW we get to all of the fun bowls! Remember that protest Minnesota did that got them a lot of attention... and only lasted 24 hours before they sobered up?
Well, with that mess over [for now], the Gophers can focus on stopping Luke Falk and the Cougar offense. Which is something they won't be able to do... protest or no protest.)
My prediction: Washington State 38-21 (But look on the bright side, Gophers! At least you had a surprisingly good season!)

Motel 6 Cactus Bowl: Baylor vs. Boise State [10:30] (You know what, folks? I am sick and tired of all your Baylor bashing. I think that in Phoenix, Baylor will take all of your negative press and use it as momentum to shock the over-confident Broncos! Shock Linwood should run over the-
Wait, what's that? Linwood's sitting out the game? Okay, never mind.)
My prediction: Boise State 41-34 (Vegas only has Boise as a 7-point favorite. Hmmm...)
 

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Independence Bowl and St. Petersburg Bowl

You know, today was another OK day for football action if you were paying attention.
First, the St. Petersburg Bowl surprised a lot of people by being close and competitive, but sadly it DID end with Mississippi State taking the prize.

And later on in the day, NC State handles Vanderbilt in their bowl game. Adam Rittenberg (for ESPN) later said that "NC State could have easily been a 9-or-10 win team" this season. So I'm guessing that the NC State faithful will be watching Dave Doeren like a hawk in 2017.

Rating for the St. Petersburg Bowl: 2 stars
Rating for the Independence Bowl: 1.75 stars

 

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Quick Lane Bowl

Entering this game, I felt confident in picking Maryland. After all, BC has scored 9.9 PPG in "Power 5" match-ups this season. But then...

Maryland vs. Boston College - Box Score - December 26, 2016 - ESPN Don't laugh. I'll bet NONE of you guys saw this coming, either. At least it got good near the end.

My bowl rating: 2.25 stars
 

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Bowl predictions (Part 6: December 28th)

(All times are Eastern)
Pinstripe Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. Northwestern [2:00, ESPN] (Sorry for not giving you guys a witty comment to start this post; I'm saving my wit for these games.
On to business: This bowl game in Yankee Stadium is now a staple on bowl season, and this year we have a Pitt team trying to give James Connor a grand send-off, verses a Northwestern squad that fought back from losing to Illinois State. And the weather looks good, so expect a few points to be scored here.
To me, this one's all about Pitt's defense; it's facing a 1,000-yard rusher [Justin Jackson], a 1,000-yard WR [Austin Carr], and a 3,000-yard passer [Clayton Thorson]. Slowing the 3 of them down will help Pitt immensely.)
My prediction: Northwestern 45-38 in an upset

Russell Athletic Bowl: Miami vs. West Virginia
[5:30, ESPN] (This one's actually pretty easy to describe: Former Big East rivals going at it in Orlando in what we THINK is gonna be a shootout. But hold up! If anyone was paying attention, West Virginia's defense was pretty good this season. And if they get to Brad Kaaya, Miami's bowl drought will continue on.)
My prediction: West Virginia 30-24

Foster Farms Bowl: Utah vs. Indiana
[8:30, FOX] (Another straight-forward game to call: A battle of 2 surprise teams in Santa Clara. Indiana's strong-armed QB Richard Lagow is the only reason why people may pick the Hoosiers to win; he's had over 3,100 passing yards this year. But with Utah having RB Joe Williams and a veteran coach, I don't think that'll matter much.)
My prediction: Utah 34-26

Advocare V100 Texas Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Kansas State
[9:00, ESPN] (For the 4th straight year, Texas A&M is limping into it's bowl game as injuries took a toll. But Trevor Knight is back for his last rodeo, and his running skills may be just what the Aggies need to beat a K-State team that's won 5 of their last 6 games.
To me, this one's all about pacing: If K-State slows down the tempo on offense [they've run the fewest plays in the Big 12 this year], and keep A&M's offense off the field, Snyder's team will be golden.)
My prediction: Texas A&M 27-24

Oh, and Kevin Sumlin? Hopefully you'll win in Houston, 'cause if not you MAY have a problem with the fans in College Station.
 

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I expect a prediction of a Poke win. Then a Poke win.
 

trojanfan12

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Idaho Potato Bowl

Idaho vs. Colorado State - Box Score - December 22, 2016 - ESPN


I'M ON A ROLL! I nailed this upset win by Idaho, as the Vandals won the 3rd-highest scoring bowl game ever. And look at all the stars in this game: Nick Stevens, Matt Lineham, Isaiah Saunders... I mean, the game wasn't that close, but at least it was entertaining!

And to think the 1st quarter ended 0-0...

My bowl rating: 2.5 stars

...Wait a minute. This means Idaho finishes 9-4 this year. What if Idaho decides they wanna stay at the FBS level?! The implications here are endless!

tHoop needs to start a movement to have this changed to The Potato Salad Bowl.
 

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Military, Heart of Dallas, and Cactus Bowl

Not a good day for me, as I went 1-3 with my picks. The Cactus Bowl shocked a LOT of people who thought Baylor was gonna sleep through it (including me). Then the one team I DO pick correctly (Army) needed OT to win in Dallas.

Temple vs. Wake Forest - Box Score - December 27, 2016 - ESPN And then, I find out I needed to think a LOT more about the Military Bowl, as Wake Forest stuns the Owls.

Rating for the Heart of Dallas Bowl: 2.5 stars
Rating for the Military Bowl: 2.75 stars
Rating for the Cactus Bowl: 2 stars
 

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Holiday Bowl

Minnesota vs. Washington State - Game Summary - December 27, 2016 - ESPN


Think about this one for a minute: 2 weeks ago, Minnesota players wanted to boycott this game. Partly because they knew Luke Falk would eat them alive, but mostly because of off-the-field issues.
Well, guess what? Minnesota just did a HUGE service to their school. Not only did they stop bitching about those 10 players, they went to the Holiday Bowl and WON.

As for the PAC-12, this is a bad look. None of them could stop the Cougars, and it took lowly Minnesota to do it? Not good.

My bowl rating: 2.5 stars
 

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Bowl predictions (Part 7: December 29th and Orange Bowl) (All times are Eastern, and all games on ESPN

Birmingham Bowl: South Florida vs. South Carolina
[2:00] (You know who was the biggest benefactor of Wake upsetting Temple yesterday? South Carolina. Now they think THEY can stop a ranked AAC team, and with Willie Taggart gone from USF that MAY happen.
I said MAY, because USF still has Quinton Flowers and Marlon Mack. And the Gamecocks offense may have done better late in the season, but it still averages only 19.3 points a game.)
My prediction: South Florida 34-20

Belk Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Arkansas
[5:30] (All the momentum Arkansas needs in this game is the media attention Va-Tech's been getting. I mean, one close game against Clemson and everyone is back on the side of the Hokies? To me, the key is Arkansas's defense; if they get to Jerod Evans they'll be good. Otherwise, Bret Bielema will be on a pretty hot seat in 2017.)
My prediction: Virginia Tech 28-27 (I think this game will be VERY close)

Valero Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Colorado [9:00] (I'm planning to watch this game. Why? Maybe it's because it's a battle of former Big-8/Big-12 rivals. Or maybe it's because it could be a high-scoring game, with both teams employing strong spread offenses. Or maybe it's because both OK-State and Colorado was SO close to the "New Year's Six" when December started. Or maybe it's because of the QB matchup: Mason Rudolph vs. a healthy Sefo Linfau.
But to me, it's all about Colorado: I love a good Cinderella story. And if their defense recovers from losing their coordinator, they'll be golden.)
My prediction: Colorado 45-41

FedEx Orange Bowl: Michigan vs. Florida State [8:00 Friday]
(You were wondering "Where did the intro go for this post?" Well, who needs an intro when you've got 2 CFB blue-bloods fighting in Miami in the Orange Bowl? It's Dalvin Cook and Deondre Francis vs. that vaunted Michigan defense.
But to me, it's all about the other side of the ball: What will Michigan's offense do against FSU's defense? If I'm FSU, I'd try to stop Michigan's running game. And if I'm Michigan, I'd better not underestimate that Seminole D-line, 'cause DeMarcus Walker will make you pay.)
My prediction: Michigan 24-20 (Mainly because my mom likes Jim Harbaugh, and would kill me if I go against Michigan.)
Phew... Coming up tomorrow will be picks for New Year's Eve!
 

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Pinstripe and Foster Farms Bowl

It was a pretty good day for the Big 10 yesterday.

Pittsburgh vs. Northwestern - Box Score - December 28, 2016 - ESPN First, Northwestern won a good one against Pittsburgh, all thanks to Justin Jackson's 224 rushing yards.

Indiana vs. Utah - Box Score - December 28, 2016 - ESPN And yes, Indiana DID lose, but it wasn't a blowout like I feared. Instead, they gave Utah everything they wanted and more.

Rating for the Pinstripe Bowl: 3.25 stars
Rating for the Foster Farms Bowl: 3 stars
 

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Russell Athletic and Texas Bowl

Sadly for me, West Virginia and Texas A&M let me down yesterday.

In the Russell Athletic Bowl, Miami's QB Brad Kaaya burns the Mountaineers for 4-TD's as the Hurricanes snap a decade-long bowl losing streak. Just like the olden days of the Big East, right West Virginia?

Texas A&M vs. Kansas State - Game Recap - December 28, 2016 - ESPN Then later that night in Houston, A&M gave up JUST enough big plays to let Kansas State win. Yes, Jesse Ertz did solid work as the Wildcats' QB, but this loss doesn't bode well for Kevin Sumlin entering next season.

Rating for the Russell Athletic Bowl: 2.5 stars
Rating for the Texas Bowl: 3.25 stars
 

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This bowl season has been even crazier than usual. I have had a terrible time making picks. I think I'm just gonna stop.
 

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Bowl predictions (Part 8: December 30th and 31st)

My apologies in advance, but this is gonna be a LONG post. Mainly because of the sheer number of bowls we'll get to see over the next 3 days. And hopefully, they'll be as good as the bowls we've been getting so far (Seriously, this has been an excellent bowl season so far!). So enough talk, let's get to it: (All times are Eastern)

December 30th:
Autozone Liberty Bowl: Georgia vs. TCU
[12:00, ESPN] (In preseason, a bowl match-up between Georgia and TCU looked very good. I said LOOKED good, because we now have it in the Liberty Bowl rather than, say, the Sugar Bowl.
Anyway, what about the game? Well, Georgia needs a good end to a mediocre 2016 as they went 7-5, so their defense needs to be ready. And TCU has only 13 seniors on their squad, so they'll be looking for a springboard to next season. And they'll get it if Kenny Hill doesn't turn the ball over.)
My prediction: TCU 34-28

Hyundai Sun Bowl: Stanford vs. North Carolina
[2:00, CBS] (Oh, it doesn't look good for Stanford here. Christian McCaffrey is sitting this game out to focus on the draft, and I don't trust Stanford's QB's as far as I can throw them.
But wait a minute! UNC's Elijah Hood is out as well, plus Stanford DOES have another RB they can use: Bryce Love. If Bryce gets going and keep UNC's offense off the field, the Cardinal will be fine.)
My prediction: Stanford 24-17

Music City Bowl: Nebraska vs. Tennessee
[3:30, ESPN] (Oh, the possibilities! Had Tennessee won against Vanderbilt, we may have seen them in the Sugar Bowl. And had Nebraska beat Wisconsin, they might have made it to Pasadena. Oh well, you can't grieve forever, and nobody knows that more over the last 2 weeks than Nebraska; they've lost a few starters to injury.
So if Joshua Dobbs is on his game, Tennessee will roll in Nashville. That's a BIG if, though.)
My prediction: Tennessee 28-21

NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl: Air Force vs. South Alabama
[6:30, SNY] (...Well, at least I actually FOUND the Arizona Bowl THIS year [Last year, I couldn't find it ANYWHERE on my cable box]! And if Dallas Davis goes off on the Air Force defense, then the Jaguars can make their trip to Tucson very fun. Otherwise, Air Force will run over them and win by 21.)
My prediction: Air Force 31-21

December 31st:
Citrus Bowl: LSU vs. Louisville
[11:00 A.M, ABC] (I'll bet SportsHoopla was alight when this game was announced. I mean, we have a solid LSU team [who finally has locked in a head coach] verses an upstart Louisville squad with an Heisman winner-
Wait a minute... Hey, this game is EASY to preview: If LSU doesn't stop Lamar Jackson, they lose. It's as simple as that. Then again, Houston and Kentucky HAS made that easier to do...)
My prediction: Louisville 27-24

Taxslayer Gator Bowl: Kentucky vs. Georgia Tech
[11:00 A.M, ESPN] (Both teams are coming into Jacksonville with a LOT of momentum. And with Justin Thomas playing his last game, he'll want to end his career on a high note. Think is, Kentucky has a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, so it won't be easy.
The key here is Kentucky's QB Stephen Johnson: If he continues his surprising play, the Jackets can join fellow ACC member Louisville on the Wildcat hit list.)
My prediction: Kentucky 24-17

...Whew! I'm finally done, so I'll check back later.

Hmmm... Did I forget something about New Year's Eve? Oh well, it'll come to me eventually.
 

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Belk and Alamo Bowl

Arkansas vs. Virginia Tech - Box Score - December 29, 2016 - ESPN This is how my day began: Glorious pride as Va-Tech rallies from a 24-point deficlit to stun Arkansas. Proving ONCE AGAIN that Arkansas football sucks in the second half.

And then came the Alamo Bowl, where Colorado's Cinderella run hit midnight. On a related note, how about the performance of James Washington, eh?

Rating for the Belk Bowl: 3 stars
Rating for the Alamo Bowl: 1.75 stars
 
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