"Fansville" is right... This season will be nuts! (2022 CFB season follow-along thread)

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Virginia cancels Virginia Tech game after players killed

The University of Virginia has canceled its game against rival Virginia Tech scheduled for Saturday following the slaying of three football players on campus just over a week ago.

apnews.com

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Rivalry Week (Part 1- Tuesday through Friday)

Okay... Let me bring the mood back up, as it's time for Rivalry Week to begin. First off, I'll take a look at the early games. And you know what? There are quite a few good matchups in the early window! That means it's time for...

The Top 10 Games of Rivalry Week Part 1 (Tuesday through Friday)​

(All times are Eastern, and all games on Friday unless noted)
10. Wyoming @ Fresno State [10:00, FOX Sports 1] (This is just a straight-up fun game to watch, as Fresno State is looking to grab their 7th straight win before they face Boise State for the Mountain West title next week. However, Wyoming's defense and their run game may ruin things if the Bulldogs aren't careful.)

9. Ball State @ Miami-Ohio [7:00 tonight, ESPN+] (For some people, Rivalry Week is about one thing: Survival. Some teams NEED to win this week in order to secure bowl eligibility. That's why this game is pretty big, as both Ball State and Miami-Ohio are 5-6. That means the winner gets a bowl berth, while the loser must stay home for the holidays.)

8. Bowling Green @ Ohio [7:00 tonight, ESPNU] (Elsewhere in the state of Ohio tonight, the Falcons and the Bobcats will be fighting for something slightly bigger. If Ohio wins against Bowling Green, they'll be going to the MAC title game. But if Bowling Green pulls off their 2nd straight upset win, Buffalo will get a chance to win the East division on Saturday. And imagine what could happen if BOTH Ohio and Buffalo would lose...)

7. Arkansas @ Missouri [2:30, CBS] (This "Battle Line" trophy game was almost a "win-or-go-home" for BOTH the Razorbacks and the Tigers; thank God that Arkansas shocked Ole Miss last week. Now let's see if Missouri can salvage a bowl berth, or if Arkansas will enter the postseason on a high note.)

6. Nebraska @ Iowa [4:00, Big 10 Network] (If only because Iowa can win their 2nd straight Big 10 West title with a victory here. However, Nebraska's offense has been doing good despite everything that happened to them this season.)

5. Florida @ Florida State [7:30, ABC] (Huh. This has to be the first time ever that Florida and Florida State will face each other on the day after Thanksgiving. Anyway, FSU is looking to snap a 3-game losing streak in this rivalry and enter the postseason red-hot. As for the Gators, they're coming off an embarrassing loss to Vanderbilt and are now at 6-5. What sort of pride will Florida show here?)

4. NC State @ North Carolina [3:30, ABC] (Both the Wolfpack and the Tar Heels are in the same boat as Florida right now; they're both trying to shrug off bad losses and win a crucial rivalry game. NC State is on a 3-game losing streak and trying to get their offense going again, while North Carolina is looking for a rebound win to enter the ACC title game ready to go.)

3. Mississippi State @ Ole Miss [7:00 Thanksgiving, ESPN] (It's "Egg Bowl" time once again! This rivalry game is ALWAYS a hoot and a half to see. And it could be the perfect pick-me-up for the Rebels, who lost their "New Year's Six" chances last week thanks to Arkansas. Simply beat the Bulldogs, and the Rebels fans will be fine.
However, Mike Leach is hungry for his first win in this rivalry...)

2. Baylor @ Texas [12:00, ESPN] (Those poor Baylor Bears. They dominated TCU for 59 minutes and 59 seconds last week, and then... disaster. Now the Bears are hoping to somehow keep it together and shock the Longhorns for the 3rd time in 4 years. For Texas, the goal is a lot more basic: If they win this game, they'll keep hope alive to make the Big 12 title game.)

1. Tulane @ Cincinnati [12:00, ABC] (Why is this the biggest game of the early slate? Simple: It's "win and you're in". The winner of this contest, whether it be the surprising Green Wave of Tulane or the incumbent Bearcats of Cincinnati, will host the AAC championship game for [maybe] a "New Year's Six" berth. It's Michael Pratt vs. Ben Bryant, Willie Fritz vs. Luke Fickell, and let's see who the better team is!)

A special prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Rivalry Week predictions (Part 1- Tuesday through Friday)

I actually did all right in my predictions last week, considering all of the chaos that went on. AND the fact that UCLA let me down. Anyway, here is Part 1 of my "Rivalry Week" predictions (while using the old CFP rankings. Just keep that in mind):

Top 25:
(24)NC State 20 @ (13)North Carolina 31
Mississippi State 41 @ (14)Ole Miss 34
(16)UCLA 38 @ California 20
Florida 24 @ (19)Florida State 27
(21)Tulane 27 @ (25)Cincinnati 30

Other big games:
Ball State 23 @ Miami-Ohio 28
Bowling Green 30 @ Ohio 35
Baylor 24 @ Texas 35
Utah State 18 @ Boise State 34
Arkansas 39 @ Missouri 21
Arizona State 21 @ Arizona 28

My time's up. You've been great. Enjoy your Thanksgiving, folks!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Rivalry Week (Part 2- Rivalry Saturday)

So already this week we've had Ole Miss enter bowl season on a 3-game losing streak, North Carolina and Toledo now limping into their respective conference title games, Missouri saving their @$$, and Tulane snapping a 61-game losing streak against ranked opponents.

Sounds like a hoot and a half! And now it's time for the main event: Rivalry Saturday! So let's get to...

The Top 10 games of Rivalry Saturday!​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Purdue @ Indiana [3:30, Big 10 Network] (There are a LOT of choices for this spot: Michigan State @ Penn State, Iowa State @ TCU, and Louisville @ Kentucky. I was even thinking about showing Coastal Carolina @ James Madison some love.
But yesterday, this game shot ALL the way up from "afterthought" to "something to pay attention to". Why? Simple: Yesterday, Iowa lost a stunner to Nebraska. That means if Purdue keeps the "Old Oaken Bucket" away from Indiana, the Boilermakers will go to Indy as Big 10 West champions. But if Indiana pulls the upset, the division will turn into a humongous mess.)

9. Auburn @ Alabama [3:30, CBS] (So the "Iron Bowl" was able to hang on to a spot on this list. And it's all thanks to Auburn; they've actually been looking better ever since they went to an interim coach. And now the Tigers are 5-6 and hoping to pull a monster upset here. As for the Tide... I have a VERY bad feeling that they're not out of the playoff race just yet.)

8. Georgia Tech @ Georgia [12:00, ESPN] (Much like the "Iron Bowl", Georgia can thank Georgia Tech for keeping the "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate" rivalry on the countdown. Thanks to an interim head coach, the Yellow Jackets are 5-6 and hoping to pull off a monster upset. That is, of course, if GT's defense can somehow stop Stetson Bennett and the Georgia defense.)

7. Tennessee @ Vanderbilt [7:30, SEC Network] (What will the Tennessee Volunteers do now? Last week they lost their star QB Hendon Hooker AND their playoff chances, all thanks to South Carolina. Now they're in Nashville to savage a "New Year's Six" bowl spot, but wait! Lowly Vanderbilt just defeated Florida, and they have a chance [like Georgia Tech and Auburn] to pull a monster upset and get a bowl spot in the process. Your move, coach Josh Heupel; let's see what you got.)

6. Kansas @ Kansas State [8:00, FOX] (Alright, let's get to the REALLY good stuff. It's time for the "Sunflower Showdown", and Kansas State needs to win it to go to the Big 12 title game next week. And Kansas just got their @$$ whooped by Texas, so it should be easy... right? Well, the Jayhawks have already shocked us a lot this season. If they shore up their defense, it could be a dogfight in the "Little Apple".)

5. Washington @ Washington State [10:30, ESPN] (Here's something for all of you night-owls out there. It's the 114th edition of the "Apple Cup", and Washington State is hoping to win consecutive games in this rivalry for the first time since 2007-08. But a LOT is also on the line for the Huskies, and it's not only revenge against the Cougars and a double-digit win season. It's also about a possible "New Year's Six" berth for Washington.)

4. Oregon @ Oregon State [3:30, ABC] (Of course, that will depend on the conclusion of THIS rivalry game. It's Oregon vs. Oregon State in the game formally known as the "Civil War", and the Ducks needs this to go to the PAC-12 title game against USC. But the Beavers have their first 8-win season since 2012, and they also have a defense that'll force Bo Nix to get creative for the Ducks. And one more thing: Vegas has Oregon as only a 3-point favorite here. Hmm...)

3. South Carolina @ Clemson [12:00, ABC] (Yes, Clemson has not lost to South Carolina since the "College Football Playoff" thing started. But the Gamecocks' stirring win over Tennessee has made this game a "must-see" thing. Can South Carolina's offense do it again against a much-tougher defense? Or will Clemson remember that they're still in the playoff hunt and win the dogfight that is sure to erupt?)

2. Notre Dame @ USC [7:30, ABC] (If it wasn't for the game in Columbus, this would have been the "main event" game of the day. Notre Dame is red-hot and has won 7 of their last 9 games against the Trojans. USC just won a shootout against UCLA, and wants to break their run of bad luck against the Irish. And it's Heisman favorite Caleb Williams vs. efficient Drew Pyne and the Irish defense. Don't miss it!)

1. Michigan @ Ohio State [12:00, FOX] (Tensions are high in my house over this game... and it's the same thing in many households across the country. You don't need any big setup when you got rivals in the Top 5 ready to lay it all on the line.)

Best "mid-major" game: Coastal Carolina @ James Madison (Hmm... if the Dukes upset the Chanticleers, would they go to the Sun Belt title game instead of Coastal? This could be interesting to see in Harrisonburg.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Louisville @ Kentucky, Michigan State @ Penn State, Minnesota @ Wisconsin, Iowa State @ TCU, and Wake Forest @ Duke.

My biggest prediction segment of the year is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Predictions for Rivalry Saturday

For the main event in Columbus, I know my mom is gonna hate me for doing this. But I got Ohio State beating Michigan 31-28.
As for the other games today, read 'em and weep:

Top 25:
Georgia Tech 10 @ (1)Georgia 38
Iowa State 13 @ (4)TCU 35
(5)LSU 40 @ Texas A&M 23
(15)Notre Dame 35 @ (6)USC 28
Auburn 17 @ (7)Alabama 41
South Carolina 16 @ (8)Clemson 39
(9)Oregon 38 @ (21)Oregon State 31
(10)Tennessee 45 @ Vanderbilt 31
Michigan State 20 @ (11)Penn State 27
Kansas 16 @ (12)Kansas State 30
(13)Washington 46 @ Washington State 41
(14)Utah 48 @ Colorado 10
(22)UCF 37 @ USF 17
(25)Louisville 38 @ Kentucky 21

Other big games:
Purdue 20 @ Indiana 26
Wake Forest 37 @ Duke 24
Coastal Carolina 37 @ James Madison 30
Syracuse 24 @ Boston College 27

My time's up. You've been great. PLEASE try not to destroy anything if your team loses today, OK? I'll check back later.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Coaching carousel beings again

The coaching ranks are starting to get crazy again. Matt Rhule is now back in the college game after signing with Nebraska, Deion Sanders might go to Colorado...

Shaw resigns after 12 seasons as Stanford coach

Stanford head coach David Shaw has resigned after 12 seasons at his alma mater.

www.espn.com

...and then we have this latest stunner.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Rivalry Week- Good and Bad

And now on to the REALLY fun stuff. This list will be shorter than the others, partly because of this rule in Rivalry Week: If you defeated your rival, you had a good week. And if you lost to your rival, you had a bad week.

With that out of the way, let's get to the good and the bad of this week!

It was a good week for:​

Caleb Williams (His stellar play helped USC defeat Notre Dame last night, and now he's almost a lock to win the Heisman.)
Georgia Southern (The Eagles won the best "under-the-radar" game of the week, as they defeated App. State 51-48 to get bowl eligible.)
Alabama (The Tide defeated Auburn [which we all expected this time], and then they watched teams like Clemson and Oregon blow their playoff chances. I TOLD you guys that Alabama wasn't out of the playoff race just yet! Ugh!)
New Mexico State (The Aggies defeated Liberty to get to 5-6... Wait. Could we see NMSU in a bowl game this season?!)

It was a bad week for:​

Teams entering conference title games (Last Friday, it was North Carolina and Toledo. And yesterday we had teams like Clemson, LSU, and Coastal Carolina caught looking ahead to their conference championship games. I mean, Clemson lost their 40-game home winning streak to the Gamecocks, LSU lost to A&M, and CCU didn't even show UP against James Madison.)
The Oregon Ducks (Oregon simply just threw away their spot in the PAC-12 title game, as the Beavers overcame a 21-point deficit. And to make matters worse for the Ducks, the team they defeated last week [Utah] is now going to that same title game!)
The state of Oklahoma (The Cowboys are limping into bowl season at 7-5 after West Virginia got them. And the Sooners are 6-6?! Guys! My "runner-up" curse was supposed to last only ONE season!)

And finally, I have not forgotten about Michigan's powerful win against Ohio State. This surely makes my mother happy while-
...I'm in big trouble now, aren't I?
My dark side: "Right up to the gills, Buckeye boy."

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Championship Week Hierarchy

So the College Football playoff will expand to 12 teams in 2024. The regular season might become less meaningful, but the good news is that future Championship Weeks will be better than ever!

And on that note, let's get to what has now become an annual tradition: Where I take every title game going on this week and rank them from top to bottom. Yep, it's time for my Championship Week Hierarchy (All times are Eastern, and all games on Saturday unless noted)!

PAC-12: USC vs. Utah {From Allegiant Stadium in Vegas} [8:00 tonight, FOX] (Why is this the biggest game of the week? It's not just because of the star power of the players involved, or that we got Utah trying to defend it's conference championship against a revived USC. No, it's mostly because USC controls it's destiny here... and the destiny of all of the other playoff contenders. If the Trojans avenges their only loss of the season, they're off to the playoff. But if they don't, we MAY get chaos in the CFP.)

Big 12: TCU vs. Kansas State {From AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX} [12:00, ABC] (The scenario that USC is facing also applies to TCU... but on a lesser scale. Why? Because TCU is coming off a much-needed "laugher" win over Iowa State, and now they're ready to take out the run-first Kansas State Wildcats again. However, Vegas only has TCU as a 3-point favorite; maybe K-State has some new tricks up their sleeve that will upset the balance of the CFP.)

SEC: Georgia vs. LSU {From Atlanta, GA} [4:00, CBS] (This game got taken down a couple of pegs thanks to LSU's stunning loss to Texas A&M [which means LSU's playoff hopes are dead]. But at least QB Jayden Daniels will play for LSU, so the Tigers SHOULD be in fighting shape for their throwdown with Georgia. The Bulldogs' defense will decide where this game will go.)

Big 10: Michigan vs. Purdue {From Indianapolis, IN} [8:00, FOX] (Purdue could pull off the upset of the year here in Indy with the Big 10 title on the line! Trouble is, Michigan just blew out Ohio State with little celebration, so the Wolverines will be ready to defend their conference crown. Here's hoping all of those injuries don't catch up to Michigan...)

ACC: Clemson vs. North Carolina {From Charlotte, NC} [8:00, ABC] (With Clemson's loss to South Carolina, this game just became the least important "Power 5" conference title game of the week. Now all we're left with is a struggling Tigers offense taking on a North Carolina team that has lost their last 2 games.)

American: UCF @ Tulane [4:00, ABC] (Much like the ACC title game, we have 2 schools fighting for a spot in a "New Year's Six" bowl. So who will it be? My preseason favorite in Central Florida, or a Tulane squad that has made their living in proving us wrong all season? Oh, and another thing: Last week, Tulane defeated a ranked team for the first time in forever. With THAT mental hurdle cleared, can the Green Wave avenge a previous loss to the Knights?)

Sun Belt: Coastal Carolina @ Troy [3:30, ESPN] (Hmm... Why would Jamey Chadwell think about leaving Coastal Carolina to go to Liberty? Isn't that like a lateral move? Wouldn't Jamey hold out for a "Power 5" position? ...OH, right. The game! Well, the Chanticleers can finally get that stand-alone Sun Belt championship they've always wanted. But what about the Troy Trojans? They have 10 wins, a revived offense, and they don't have any coaching distractions hanging over their heads.)

Mountain West: Fresno State @ Boise State [4:00, FOX] (So who will win THIS good-looking Mountain West title game? My preseason favorite in Fresno State, or a Boise State team that seems to finally have their shit together? Why don't we ask Boise's defense; it's been lights-out throughout conference play, but if QB Jake Haener breaks it for Fresno State they can pull the upset.)

MAC: Toledo vs. Ohio {From Detroit, MI} [12:00, ESPN] (I kinda want the Bobcats to win this one so they can have their first MAC title since 1968. But maybe Toledo was just caught looking ahead to this game when they got upset by Western Michigan last week. Maybe Toledo's defense will carry the day and shut down Ohio's offense.)

Conference USA: North Texas @ UTSA [7:30 tonight, CBS Sports Network] (This is the conference title game I have the least faith in when it comes to upset potential; UTSA is rolling right now and ready to defend their conference title. Oh well. at least we should get a lot of points scored here.)

My final prediction segment of the year is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Championship Week predictions

And now, let's see what kind of chaos will result as I give you guys my predictions for all 10 championship games:

(1)Georgia 38 vs, (14)LSU 31
Purdue 17 vs. (2)Michigan 35
(3)TCU 37 vs. (10)Kansas State 27
(4)USC 27 @ (11)Utah 30
(9)Clemson 33 vs. (23)North Carolina 27
(22)UCF 35 @ (18)Tulane 24
North Texas 28 @ UTSA 49
Ohio 26 vs. Toledo 34
Coastal Carolina 25 @ Troy 29
Fresno State 32 @ Boise State 30

And by the way, Buffalo and New Mexico State are also fighting for bowl spots this week. If either one of them fails to win, I'll let you know. I'll check back later.

 

[fredsdeadfriend]

And by the way, Buffalo and New Mexico State are also fighting for bowl spots this week. If either one of them fails to win, I'll let you know. I'll check back later.

What I heard was that NMSU was already deemed Bowl Eligible as it was determined not to be their fault that SJSU backed out of their scheduled game, so NMSU's 5-6 record was deemed "good enough". They were also able to find a team willing to play them to give them a 12th game, it's an FCS team, their 2nd, and teams are only allowed to count one FCS win towards the 6 required wins to become bowl eligible, and hence why NMSU sought an exemption and needed it to be approved because even if they beat this FCS opponent, that wouldn't have gotten them their required # of wins. So NMSU IS bowl eligible already, no matter the outcome of their upcoming 12th game.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Bowl ratings special

With the chaos surrounding the College Football playoff finally settling down, it's time for me to do one of the most important duties of the year: Going through all of the bowls and finding out which ones are worth watching.
So using the tried-and-true method of "ranking bowl games like you would hotels", here are the big bowls for the 2022 season:

5-Star Bowls (like the Halekulani Hotel in Oahu, Hawaii):​

The CFP Playoffs and National Championship (So what will happen in this year's playoff? Will TCU complete a miracle season? Will Georgia get a repeat title? Will Ohio State go on a redemption tour? Or will Michigan grab their first national title in a quarter-century?)
Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. Tennessee {December 30th, 8:00} (Oh, we got some brilliant "New Year's Six" bowls THIS year! Over in Miami, we'll have 2 orange-hued teams duking it out. Clemson will be fighting for the reputation of the ACC, while Tennessee wants to cement themselves back into the national title discussion in time for next season.)
Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Kansas State {December 31st, 12:00} (With their Big 12 title win, Kansas State has proven themselves as a team that's hard as nails and willing to fight for glory. Now they're going to New Orleans to take on the Crimson Tide... who is still miffed over these two things.
1. That Ohio State got into the playoff and not them.
And 2. Everyone has Alabama on "upset alert" over here.)

4-Star Bowls [like the Planet Hollywood Resort in Las Vegas]:​

Cotton Bowl: USC vs. Tulane {1:00} (Here we have two major cities going at it here, as it is Los Angeles vs. New Orleans. Will Tulane cap off a marvelous season with an upset win, or will USC recover from their PAC-12 title game loss and revive their national title hopes for 2023?)
Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. Utah {5:00} (Yet again, the Rose Bowl gives us a brilliant matchup to watch. We have Utah, who has the most disciplined team in the whole FBS and who wants to get the Rose Bowl trophy that eluded them last year. And we have Penn State, whose only losses are to playoff teams Michigan and Ohio State. Hmmm...)
Valero Alamo Bowl: Texas vs. Washington {December 29th, 9:00} (Again, we have two household programs going at it. So will Washington compete their own turnaround season with a win? Or will Texas's defense finally show up and get the Longhorns a proud win in their home state?)

3-Star Bowls [like a standard Hilton or a Best Western]:​

Duluth Trading Cure Bowl: UTSA vs. Troy {December 16th, 3:00} (Of all of the bowl games pitting "Group of Five" schools against each other, this bowl is #1 with a bullet. It's Champion vs. Champion! Ranked team vs. ranked team! And the winners will either be the Cinderella Trojans, or the now-established Roadrunners. I can't wait to see this one.)
Fenway Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Louisville {December 17th, 11:00 A.M.} (Okay... After a false start last year, NOW we're gonna see what football in Fenway Park is gonna look like. Oh, and we have 2 former conference rivals going at, as Cincinnati and Louisville used to fight for the "Keg of Nails". And did I forget something... Oh, yeah! Cincinnati just hired Louisville's head coach Scott Satterfield to coach them after Luke Fickell flew the coop! This one could get ugly.)
Sun Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. UCLA {December 30th, 2:00} (At first, I had this game off of my list. But now I'm thinking "Why not?". This one should be a fun, well-coached game.)
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: Notre Dame vs. South Carolina {December 30th, 3:30} (My mother will no doubt be watching this bowl game, where Marcus Freeman and his Fighting Irish will try their luck against an SEC team that's catching fire at the right time.)

2.5 Star Special:​

ReliaQuest Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Illinois {January 2nd, 12:00} (I'm willing to bet that this used to be the Outback Bowl [Man, Outback Steakhouse must be in a real financial pickle if this is the case]. Anyway, here's another bowl game I decided to save from the 1-star trash heap... if only because Illinois is a slight favorite according to the Vegas sharks. I'd thought they would be all over Mississippi State. Hmmm...)

2-Star Bowls [like your standard Budget Inn]:​

Jimmy Kimmel L.A. Bowl presented by Stifel: Fresno State vs. Washington State {December 17th, 3:30} (For the 2nd year in a row, the Mountain West champions will take part in a bowl where Jimmy Kimmel is a sponsor and a vomiting camel is a mascot for the event. And Fresno State is hoping that their visit will go as well as Utah State's visit to Los Angeles from a year ago.)
Military Bowl: Duke vs. UCF {December 28th, 2:00} (Here, we just have a simple, fun bowl game pitting teams from the South against each other. Will Duke get an unheard-of 9th win this season? Or will UCF recover from their AAC title loss to Tulane and get a 10-win season?)
Holiday Bowl: Oregon vs. North Carolina {December 28th, 8:00} (There's always the hope that we'll get a great QB duel between Drake Maye and Bo Nix here in San Diego.)
Duke's Mayo Bowl: NC State vs. Maryland {December 30th, 12:00} (Former ACC rivals will go at it, as Maryland hopes that Taulia Tagovailoa will have another great December performance, this time against the defense-minded Wolfpack.)

1-Star Bowls [where people are seen using vibrators on themselves in the kitchen]:
The rest of them.
​

...Man, I was a lot more selective with my bowl choices than I was in previous years. If any of you guys think that I missed a bowl on this list, let me know!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Before I start my bowl predictions, it's only fair that we step back and think about what happened over the past 2 weeks. We saw Purdue steal their next head coach from conference rival Illinois, D.J. Uiagalelei transferring out of Clemson, and your usual NFL Draft declarations.

But who cares? Mississippi State (and Mike Leach's family) needs your sympathy cards right now.

Mississippi State Football Head Coach Mike Leach Dead At 61

College football coaching legend Mike Leach has died.

www.tmz.com

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Bowl predictions Part 1 (December 16th)

...Okay, it's time to try to get back to the happy side of football. This is the time where we make wild predictions on bowl games... knowing full well that a thousand X-factors can ruin it.

Yep, it's time for me to start my bowl picks! Let's start with the games on December 17th (All times are Eastern, and all games on ESPN):

HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl: Miami-Ohio vs. UAB [11:30 A.M] (So for the 3rd time in 4 years, the Bahamas Bowl will get the bowl season started. And this bowl is actually pretty easy to pick! Sure, UAB might have been a little disappointing this season in terms of win-loss records, but their personnel is still better than the Redhawks. And oh yeah, UAB has someone like RB Dewayne McBride [who has over 1,700 rushing yards], while Miami-Ohio does not.)
My prediction: UAB 28-17

Duluth Traders Cure Bowl: UTSA vs. Troy [3:00] (After I get done helping out with getting rid of all the snow that Dolgeville is slated to get tomorrow, I'll sit back and enjoy this bowl game. It's conference champ vs. conference champ! Ranked team vs. ranked team! And almost all of the profits from this game goes to cancer research! You just can't go wrong here.
For the game itself, just know that UTSA has QB Frank Harris and a 1,000-yard receiver on their side. But Troy is the more efficient team on both sides of the ball and has a 1,000-yard rusher on THEIR side.)
My prediction: Troy 31-28 (Ah, let's go with the Trojans and see what happens!)

So that's the first day of games done. The next time I type something on this group, it'll be all about Saturday and the 6 BOWL GAMES that will take place (7 if you count the Celebration Bowl).

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Bowl predictions (Part 2- December 17th)

Let's get cooking and go through Saturday's bowl games... one game at a time (All times are Eastern, and all games on ESPN unless noted):

Wasabi Fenway Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Louisville [11:00 A.M.] (Ah, yes. This is one of the bowl games I'm dying to see, as football makes it's debut at Fenway Park. It's the revival of the "Keg of Nails" rivalry game, as Cincinnati plays their final game as a member of the American conference against an old rival who they just took their next coach from in Louisville [No, Scott Satterfield will not coach this bowl game]. And because of that, this game could get ugly.
Thank goodness Louisville's offense looks more ready for a fight than Cincinnati's, as it is more balanced.)
My prediction: Louisville 27-24

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: Florida vs. Oregon State [2:15] (On paper, this game looks good. We have Oregon State looking for their first 10-win season in a LONG time, taking on a Florida team that wants to prove that they can stun another powerful PAC-12 team.
But peel back the curtains, and we got a problem. Florida's defense has been bad, they've lost 3 of their last 5 [including that one to Vanderbilt], and their ace QB Anthony Richardson is sitting the game out to focus on the NFL Draft. Not to mention that things on Oregon State's side have been very quiet.)
My prediction: Oregon State 45-27

Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl: Fresno State vs. Washington State [3:30, ABC] (Mr. Kimmel and his sponsors will be expecting a high-scoring game between these 2 west-coast teams. They'll also get a QB duel between Cameron Ward [for WSU] and Jake Haener [for FSU]. I guess the only way I can figure out who'll win this one is ask myself "Should I trust Washington State THIS time around?". Because my luck with the Cougars in bowls [picking for and against them] has been miserable.)
My prediction: Fresno State 48-41 (I'll ride the hot hand. Go Bulldogs.)

Lendingtree Bowl: Rice vs. Southern Miss [5:45] (This bowl game rubs me the wrong way for some reason. Letting Rice into the postseason because of their great grades? Understandable. But couldn't these guys have waited for Army to win against Navy so that they can let the Black Knights in?
Anyway, I got Southern Miss winning against their former conference mate. Mainly because Rice's defense isn't too good.)
My prediction: Southern Miss 24-14

New Mexico Bowl: SMU vs. BYU [7:30, ABC] (Wait. So the New Mexico Bowl will be on a broadcast network for the first time ever this year? Interesting. Maybe it's because of the QB match-up we'll get: Tanner Mordecai vs. Jalen Hall. Or maybe it's because we're likely to see another high-scoring game, since both teams have great offenses and not-good defenses. Who do I go with?)
My prediction: SMU 38-31 (WR Rashee Rice pushed SMU over the top for me.)

Frisco Bowl presented by SERVPRO: North Texas vs. Boise State [9:15] (This is a mirror version of the "Cure Bowl", as two conference game losers will face off in the state of Texas. And the Mean Green has a strong offense, so you'd think I'd go with UNT, right?
Nope! I actually think Boise State's defense will carry the day; once it stops UNT's attack, QB Taylen Green and the Broncos offense should be able to pick on UNT's bad defense.)
My prediction: Boise State 31-24

So enjoy the madness this weekend, 'cause it'll get a lot slower soon. More bowl picks to come shortly...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

12/16 recap

We got a proud start to the bowl season yesterday, as both the Bahamas Bowl and the Cure Bowl were close games. For UAB, they were able to beat Miami-Ohio... after stopping the Redhawks just 2 yards short of the end-zone.
As for Troy, it wasn't pretty by ANY stretch of the imagination. But they defeated UTSA, so they have their first 12-win season EVER!

Rating for the Bahamas Bowl: 2.5 stars
Rating for the Cure Bowl: 2.5 stars

 

[wazzu31]

My Cougs are about to get boat raced. Take Fresno plus the over.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

12/17 recap

I went 5-1 in my bowl picks last Saturday! Too bad that the Las Vegas, Fenway, and LA Bowls were all one-sided affairs. The Lendingtree Bowl was better, plus we got Frank Gore Jr. making history for the Golden Eagles.

Rating for the Fenway Bowl: 2 stars
Rating for the Las Vegas Bowl: 1.75 stars
Rating for the LA Bowl: 2.25 stars
Rating for the Lendingtree Bowl: 2.5 stars

A late-night treat was then had in the Frisco Bowl, as Boise State held off North Texas for the win.
And as for the one game I got wrong... let's just say I didn't like SMU going for 2, either.

Rating for the Frisco Bowl: 2.75 stars
Rating for the New Mexico Bowl: 2.75 stars

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Bowl predictions (Part 3)

With that recap done with, let me get back to predicting bowl games (All times are Eastern, and all games on ESPN):

Today:
Myrtle Beach Bowl: Marshall vs. UConn [2:30] (What a thrill for UConn to make it back to the postseason! The trouble is that their passing offense is really, REALLY bad, and the Thundering Herd knows it. So unless the Huskies can break Marshall's awesome run defense, it could get ugly in Conway, South Carolina.)
My prediction: Marshall 35-14

Tomorrow:
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Eastern Michigan vs. San Jose State [3:30] (So here we go again, as Eastern Michigan is aiming for their first bowl win for their coach Chris Creighton. And the stat lines are pretty even, so all the Eagles have to do is find a way to stop SJSU's passing attack (since it's really good). Hmmm... could RB Kairee Robinson be an X-factor for the Spartans?)
My prediction: San Jose State 31-24

Roofclaim.com Bota Raton Bowl: Liberty vs. Toledo [7:30] (Here we have the MAC Champions in Toledo taking on a Liberty team that once had grand dreams, but then suffered 3 straight losses to end things. The stat-lines are pretty even between the two. And Hugh Freeze is now gone, off to go back to the SEC. So can the Flames put it together one more time?)
My prediction: Toledo 24-20

More bowl picks to come shortly...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

12/19 and 12/20 recap

The Myrtle Beach Bowl went Marshall's way, as everyone expected. Then yesterday, the MAC came out smelling like roses as their top 2 teams won.

For Toledo, they won in Boca Raton in a not-bad game against Liberty. As for Eastern Michigan, they did it! They got a bowl win (in Boise) for their program and their coach Chris Creighton!

Rating for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: 2.25 stars
Rating for the Boca Raton Bowl: 2.5 stars
Rating for the Myrtle Beach Bowl: 2 stars

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Bowl predictions (Part 4- December 21st and 22nd)

Now that I'm fired up over Eastern Michigan's big win, let me see the bowl action we'll have today and tomorrow (All times are Eastern, and all games on ESPN):

Today:
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. South Alabama [9:00] (This bowl is a tricky one to pick for me. And it's all thanks to South Alabama. I mean, they only have 2 losses on the year [by a total of 5 points], and their running defense is awesome. Trouble is, their secondary is pretty average, and Western Kentucky LOVES to throw it all over the field. So will the Jaguars stop the Hilltoppers offense? And if they can't, can their offense keep up with WKU?)
My prediction: Western Kentucky 38-35 (I'm going for the upset here.)

Tomorrow:
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Baylor vs. Air Force [7:30] (Here's another scary bowl game for me. I mean, Baylor has been a disappointment this year at 6-6. But they ARE a favorite in this game against the Falcons, mostly because of QB Blake Shapen... and because they've had time to prep for the Air Force running attack.
However, Air Force's defense is awesome, and they did beat Louisville in a bowl game last year. Give me the Falcons!)
My prediction: Air Force 27-21

Wow. That was actually kinda quick. More bowl picks to come soon...