NCAA Football 2018 Bowl picks III

As I type this, I have lost the last three bowl games, and I am losing the Independence Bowl.  That might not be the best omen for typing this post, but I'm doing it anyway!

Sat Dec 29
Cotton Bowl - National Championship Semifinal game : #3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-0) v #2 Clemson Tigers (13-0) : I picked Clemson originally, but they are lacking some players due to drug problems.  Could that be enough for Notre Dame to win?  I'm going to stick with my original pick, but this one could seriously go the other way.  CLEMSON

Orange Bowl - National Championship Semifinal game : #6 Oklahoma Sooners (12-1) v #1 Alabama Crimson Tide (13-0) : The Tide are missing some players due to violations of team rules, but they have such a talented bench that it won't chance things much; it just might make the game a little closer.  ALABAMA

Mon Dec 31
Military Bowl: #15 Cincinnati Bearcats (10-2) v Virginia Tech Hokies (6-6) : It was a disappointing year for the Hokies this year.  How they made it to a New Years Eve bowl shows how highly people hold the program; their on-field performance certainly didn't earn it.  This should be an easy win for the Bearcats.  CINCINNATI

Sun Bowl: Stanford Cardinal (8-4) v Pittsburgh Panthers (7-6) : Pitt won the ACC Coastal division, but their non-conference performance was atrocious.  Somehow I see that repeating here.  Stanford has a tough year, but their talent is still intact, and they should outplay the Panthers.  STANFORD

Santa Clara Bowl: Michigan State Spartans (7-5) v Oregon Ducks (8-4) : The Spartans are often unpredictable, but they will be missing some key players who are skipping this bowl, which makes their attack less potent.  For the Ducks, they feel very comfortable with their offense now.  It took some time to get their this season, but now their attack is pretty fierce.  OREGON

Liberty Bowl:  Missouri Tigers (8-4) v Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-6) : Another 6-6 team who should be playing earlier, the Cowboys at least have a bit more going for them than the Hokies.  That still won't assure them a victory.  MISSOURI

Holiday Bowl: Northwestern Wildcats (8-5) v Utah Utes (8-4) : Northwestern didn't win a non-conference game, but they didn't have themselves coordinated yet.  They just got better as the season wore on.  That makes them a serious threat against Utah, who has a wide and diverse playbook.  If they can keep Northwestern on their toes, the Utes can win.  If Northwestern starts to figure them out, the Wildcats will prevail.  UTAH

Gator Bowl:  #25 North Carolina State Wolfpack (9-3) v Texas A&M Aggies (8-4) : NC State had an excellent season, and I see that extending to this bowl game.  The Aggies were too inconsistent to count on, while the Wolfpack showed strength.  Their defense is potent, and the Aggies tend to fold under stiff pressure.  NC STATE

Tues Jan 1
Outback Bowl: Mississippi State Bulldogs (8-4) v #19 Iowa Hawkeyes (8-4) : Both of these teams had strong games, and then would falter badly.  Who wins may depend upon which team shows up -- the talented team that often performs, or the bunch of bumblers who sometimes bubble up.  For a bowl game, I think both teams will make an effort to show up strong. For Iowa, that's a decent offense that has few turnovers matched with a strong defense.  The Aggies aren't too great on defense.  Their offense has flashes of brilliance, but they can't always sustain that.  IOWA

Fiesta Bowl: #16 LSU Tigers (9-3) v #4 UCF Golden Knights (12-0) : Once again, the playoff committee ignored the Knights.  At least this time there were three other unbeaten teams, so the slight isn't so obvious.  Still, it's enough to motivate the Golden Knights, who will go out and earn their second "National Co-Champion" designation.  UCF

Citrus Bowl: Kentucky Wildcats (9-3) v #9 Penn State Nittany Lions (9-3) : Despite their record, the Wildcats are not so good.  Their offense has holes, their record is padded by playing weak non-conference opponents.  Penn State, on the other hand, has strong squads at all phases, including special teams.  PENN STATE

Rose Bowl: #5 Ohio State Buckeyes (13-1) v #22 Washington Huskies (10-3) : Ohio State did not win many games in impressive fashion, but they won every game except one.  They start slow, but the second half is theirs to command.  The Huskies won the Pac-12, mostly on the strength of their defense.  The Buckeyes defense this year is not as strong as usual, but the offense makes dangerous.  OHIO STATE

Sugar Bowl: #18 Texas Longhorns (9-4) v #7 Georgia Bulldogs (11-2) : The Big XII winner and SEC winner face off in the Orange Bowl, and their runners-up face off here.  Unfortunately for the Big XII Conference, the SEC team is the clear favorite, and this one won't likely be as close as the Orange Bowl.  GEORGIA