Well, we've had five teams drop out of bowl games due to COVID issues. Three of those five teams came from the ACC, showing that their looser vaccination and COVID regulations were a dumb idea. The Sun Belt and Conference USA have finished their bowl season. The American Athletic is the only conference unbeaten right now, but the Mountain West looks best with a 4-1 record. The MAC has won a couple of games to prevent an embarrassing bowl record.
Thurs Dec 30
Mayo Bowl : North Carolina Tar Heels (6-6) v South Carolina Gamecocks (6-6) -- It is always a bitter battle when North and South face each other! Both had weaker seasons than they expected, but the Tar Heels had some better performances. With some key players on each team sitting out, we're not sure how this one will come out, but I think the Tar Heels have a better bench and therefore a better slate of replacements. NORTH CAROLINA by four
Music City Bowl : Tennessee Volunteers (7-5) v Purdue Boilermakers (8-4) -- Purdue showed themselves to be a giant killer this season. Tennessee is no giant, but we know that Purdue will enter this bowl wanting to perform well. Purdue doesn't play too many bowl games, but they have a great bowl record, so when they do play, they do well. PURDUE by nine
Peach Bowl : #10 Michigan State Spartans (10-2) v #13 Pitt Panthers (11-2) -- The Spartans had a great year despite a sketchy offense, thanks to a powerful defense. How will Pitt handle that defense? They haven't had to face such a tough defense much this season, and it's harder to prepare for a defense than it is to prepare against an offense. I have to favor the Spartans, but if the Panthers offense gets a lead in the third quarter, the Spartans are not set up to come from behind. MICHIGAN STATE by six
Las Vegas Bowl : #24 Wisconsin Badgers (8-4) v Arizona State Sun Devils (8-4) -- The Badgers are a feisty team, not unlike their mascot, and the Sun Devils are working without some key players who have entered the transfer portal. WISCONSIN by 14
Fri Dec 31
This day's bowl games have faced some massive COVID problems, with one game lining up a replacement team and two other games in danger of cancellation.
Gator Bowl : #18 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (10-8) v Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-7) -- Rutgers was allowed to play when Texas A&M dropped out, but that isn't really an honor. The Rutgers offense can be powerful at times, but the Demon Deacons defense will shut them down. WAKE FOREST by 20
Sun Bowl : Washington State Cougars (7-5) v TBD -- I can't pick this, as I don't know who is playing. If the NCAA and Sun Bowl are smart, they will offer the game NOT to 5-7 also-rans but to teams whose bowl games were cancelled due to their opponent's reckless behavior (let's face it, we all know how to avoid catching COVID. These immature and irresponsible college students are simply ignoring those rules). My choice? SMU. A contest between the Mustangs and Cougars might be very interesting. The Central Michigan Chippewas, already in the state for the Arizona Bowl scheduled for later that same day, which is now in a precarious state with Boise State's withdraw, have offered to play Washington State. That would be a smart move, but then you'd need to either cancel the Arizona Bowl or get TWO teams for that bowl. I'd keep Central Michigan in the Arizona Bowl and invite Memphis to take Boise State's place. As teams get selected, I will provide picks for these two bowl games.
Cotton Bowl : #1 Cincinnati Bearcats (13-0) v #3 Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1) -- ESPN has claimed that a Cincinnati victory would "shock the world". WRONG! As all of you know, I have been ranking Cincinnati high all season, as they continued to shine. They didn't always win big, but neither did Alabama. Alabama lost to Texas A&M, and lucked out in two other games with questionable penalties, one in their favor and one not called against them. Alabama beat Georgia because of their history, but in this game, I have to favor the Bearcats. CINCINNATI by four
Orange Bowl : #4 Georgia Bulldogs (12-1) v #2 Michigan Wolverines (12-1) -- Michigan shocked Ohio State to get here, but the Buckeyes were relying more on their offense than their defense. Michigan has trouble with tough defenses, and none are tougher than Georgia. If their defensive coordinator had moved to his new job at Oregon, thus putting someone else in charge of calling the plays, the Wolverines might have had a chance. I don't think so now. GEORGIA by eight
Sat Jan 1
Outback Bowl : Penn State Nittany Lions (7-5) v Arkansas Razorbacks (8-4) -- Arkansas lost too many key players to transfer and COVID. Penn State is actually a good team, they just faced too much quality competition in the Big Ten. PENN STATE by ten
Citrus Bowl : #19 Iowa Hawkeyes (10-3) v Kentucky Wildcats (9-3) -- Iowa has a stifling defense that will frustrate Kentucky. IOWA by 13
Fiesta Bowl : #5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-1) v #8 Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-2) -- The Cowboys had a tremendous season, beating Oklahoma to reach the Big XII Championship, but Baylor surprised them there. Now they face the challenge of Notre Dame. The Irish have a decent defense, certainly better than that shown by Baylor for most of the season, so they might be able to repeat the same oppressive presence that shut down the Cowboys offense in the Big XII Championship. NOTRE DAME by six
Rose Bowl : #6 Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2) v #14 Utah Utes (10-3) -- This game will prove how weak the Pac-12 was this year, and how much improved the Buckeyes are from their game against Oregon. Utah beat Oregon handily, but they won't last here. The Buckeyes offense is oppressive, and while their defense is not as tough as it has been in previous years, it still has more talent than Utah. Utah's only advantage is that Ohio State's most reliable receiver, Chris Olave, is sitting out this bowl game. Guess he has no team spirit. Fortunately the Buckeyes have a good slate of receivers, and they'll spread the wealth. That might even be an advantage, as I'm sure Utah practiced ways to slow Olave and didn't focus as much on other players. OHIO STATE by 16
Sugar Bowl : #20 Ole Miss Rebels (10-2) v #7 Baylor Bears (11-2) -- Nobody gave Baylor much thought this season, and here they stand as Big XII Champions. Ole Miss has COVID concerns, while most of the Baylor squad will be active, so this will not be pretty. BAYLOR by 17
Tues Jan 4
Texas Bowl : LSU Tigers (6-6) v Kansas State Wildcats (7-5) -- I think by this point we will know if SEC can finish with a positive bowl record, which might inspire LSU. Since I don't think they will, I don't see much life from the Tigers. KANSAS STATE by 11
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