Three games were cancelled last week due to COVID concerns, but at least the Conference Championship happened. Ohio State looked a bit flat, but they sparked in the second half (just as I said they would!) to win a defensively-dominant game.
Team Power Rankings [Last week's position]
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) [1]
2. Indiana Hoosiers (6-1) [2] : They did not play the last two weeks, but they are still in this position due to the tremendous defensive performances in the last two games they played
3. Northwestern Wildcats (6-2) [4] : They did a great job in slowing down the tremendous Buckeyes offense. They will sizzle in their bowl game!
4. Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2) [3] : Their last game was cancelled, but watch them in the bowls.
5. Penn State Nittany Lions (4-5) [7] : Utter dominant performance against Illinois! They wiped out the memory of their 0-5 start. They could probably win a bowl game, but the conference is sticking to their rules about teams with losing records being ineligible to play in postseason bowls.
6. Wisconsin Badgers (3-3) [8] : They won a close one against Minnesota to even their record and get to a bowl game
7. Maryland Terrapins (2-3) [6]
8. Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-4) [5]
9. Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-5) [11] : Nice win over Rutgers
10. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (3-6) [10]
11. Illinois Fighting Illini (2-6) [9] : They not only lost the game to Penn State, but they lost their coach, too.
12. Michigan State Spartans (2-5) [12]
13. Michigan Wolverines (2-4) [13]
14. Purdue Boilermakers (2-4) [14]
Bowl picks
Well, I'm doing this a little bit differently this year. Sometimes we have a couple of teams with losing records playing the bowls, as some conferences need to fill spots in the over-growing number of bowl games. This year, with so many bowls cancelling (some, like Santa Clara, because they are not allowed to play and gather), there were enough talented and qualified teams to fill them. However, we have WAAAAY too many teams who should not be playing in bowl games. Why? Because the SEC bribed bowl officials to ensure that their usual number of teams play in bowl games. As a result, we have FIVE SEC teams who are playing with losing records, three of them who failed to win more than three games! Also as a result, many teams from other conferences with winning records failed to play in a bowl. At least Army got their shot, filling in the slot in the Liberty Bowl when Tennessee had to cancel.
And that's the other thing -- I'm not sure how many of these bowls will actually play, and how many matchups will change. As such, I am limiting my picks to bowls that seem fairly certain to happen, and only have deserving teams playing. For the most part, that means BOTH teams are deserving, but I do pick one bowl with an undeserving SEC team, because it also features a Big Ten team, and I am picking all five bowls featuring Big Ten teams.
Dec 22
Potato Bowl -- Tulane Green Wave (6-5) v Nevada Wolfpack (6-2) : Congratulations, Tulane, but you are just overmatched in this game. The Green Wave won all of their non-conference games, but that's not a suitable measuring stick, as Nevada didn't play any non-conference games. The games they played, though, were defensive battles. They will pressure and hassle Tulane all game. NEVADA
Boca Raton Bowl -- UCF Golden Knights (6-3) v BYU Cougars (10-1) : Easy pick. While UCF typically does well in bowl games, BYU has been a powerhouse all season long. BYU
Dec 23
Montgomery Bowl -- Memphis Tigers (7-3) v Florida Atlantic Owls (5-3) : The Owls have a good defense, but they will have their hands full against the powerhouse offensive blitz of the Tigers. The Owls may keep it close early, but they will just get worn down by the Tigers. MEMPHIS
Dec 25
Camellia Bowl - Marshall Thundering Herd (7-2) v Buffalo Bulls (5-1) : Ooh, this should be our first close game. Both teams have strong defenses and effective offenses. The difference here just may come down game strategy, and I think Marshall has the edge on that. MARSHALL
Dec 26
Cure Bowl -- Liberty Flames (9-1) v Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (11-0) : Aside from the National Championship semi-finals, this might be the most anticipated bowl game. Two teams that normally struggle had a terrific 2020, and now they face off in what should amount to an epic battle. Both of these teams have dynamic offenses, so I expect lots of points to scored in this one. The difference might actually come down to special teams, a squad that the Chanticleers have the edge. COASTAL CAROLINA
First Responder Bowl -- Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (9-1) v UTSA Roadrunners (7-4) : The Roadrunners are a tricky team, but nobody gets down in the dirt and scraps better than the Ragin Cajuns. Their tenacity and sheer nose for the bowl will keep the pressure on the Roadrunners. LOUISIANA
Dec 29
Cheez-It Bowl -- Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-3) v Miami Hurricanes (8-2) : Turnovers have not been the star for Miami this year, because they haven't needed them. The offense finally looks like what they wanted three years ago. While the defense has taken a step backwards, they will be able to outscore the Cowboys. MIAMI
Alamo Bowl -- Texas Longhorns (6-3) v Colorado Buffaloes (4-1) : It is questionnable whether the Buffaloes will be able to play this game, so a replacement team will be needed. Whoever it will be, Texas will beat them. For Texas, this game is a matter of state pride, and they won't let any "foreign" school come into San Antonio and come out as winners. TEXAS
Dec 30
Mayo Bowl -- Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-4) v Wisconsin Badgers (3-3) : While these teams may LOOK evenly matched, the Badgers defense will ground the Demon Deacons. WISCONSIN
Music City Bowl -- Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2) v Missouri Tigers (5-5) : The Tigers won't be able to keep up with the Iowa offense, and the Hawkeyes defense will drag them down. IOWA
Cotton Bowl -- Oklahoma Sooners (8-2) v Florida Gators (8-3) : Oh, man, Florida looked so good against Alabama! I'd love to pick them, especially since the Big 12 had played so miserably in bowl games in recent years, but, like the Alamo Bowl for Texas, the Cotton Bowl Classic is the home of the Big 12 Champ, and they don't like anybody coming in and leaving with a victory. Florida could pull this one out, though, so don't miss a second of this game! OKLAHOMA
Dec 31
Arizona Bowl -- Ball State Cardinals (6-1) v San Jose State Spartans (7-0) : This has been an amazing year for the Spartans, so it would be completely unjust for them to lose their bowl game! Ball State may make it hard, but the Cardinals don't have the best record in bowl games, and I'm not sure they will be able to close this one if it is too close in the fourth quarter. SAN JOSE STATE
Liberty Bowl -- West Virginia Mountaineers (5-4) v Army Black Knights (9-2) : Army almost missed the chance to play in a bowl game, so you know they'll be hungry for this one. Their pounding ground game will wear out the Mountaineers defense. ARMY
Jan 1
Peach Bowl -- Cincinnati Bearcats (9-0) v Georgia Bulldogs (7-2) : I'd love to see the Bearcats complete this unbeaten season, but Georgia has such an excellent bowl record, because they always seem to save their best plays for the postseason. GEORGIA
Citrus Bowl -- Auburn Tigers (6-4) v Northwestern Wildcats (6-2) : With the strength of the Wildcats defense, I'm not sure Auburn will score more than 10 points. Northwestern will. NORTHWESTERN
Rose Bowl -- Alabama Crimson Tide (11-0) v Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-1) : The Irish have been great this season, and I'd love to see someone knock Alabaman off their perch, but the Irish don't have a great history with the playoffs. ALABAMA
Sugar Bowl -- Clemson Tigers (10-1) v Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) : Ohio State has the talent to beat Clemson, but they have to play better than they did in the Big Ten Championship Game. Their best bet would be to rattle Trevor Lawrence. He thinks he can do practically anything with the ball. If the Buckeyes can pick him off early, and get a second interception in the second half, they might get him angry enough and frustrated enough that he will get reckless with the ball. Otherwise, I'm afraid the Buckeyes will come up short. CLEMSON
Jan 2
Outback Bowl -- Ole Miss Rebels (4-5) v Indiana Hoosiers (6-1) : Seriously? No contest. INDIANA
Fiesta Bowl -- Oregon Ducks (4-2) v Iowa State Cyclones (8-3) : A picture of two teams with divergent paths this season. Oregon was a preseason favorite to win the Pac-12 who sort of floundered. Iowa State was expected to languish in the bottom half of the Big XII yet they nearly won the conference. While Oregon might fight to regain their glory, no team has been fiestier this season than Iowa State. IOWA STATE
Orange Bowl -- Texas A&M Aggies (8-1) v North Carolina Tar Heels (8-3) : The Aggies are angry that they were left out of the playoffs, but I don't think they could have beaten ANY of those four teams. This way, they finish on a win. TEXAS A&M
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