Home for the Holidays

December 30th offers 4 games, which should all pan out to be good ones. In the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, Army is representing the Armed Forces both off and on the field today. They have jumped out to an early 16-0 lead over SMU at the half. The second game of the day is the New Era Pinstripe Bowl featuring two 7-5 teams as Darren Sproles' Alma mater Kansas State takes on Donovan McNabb's Syracuse Orangemen (first two names that came to my mind ). Syracuse has had a rather pedestrian offense, averaging just 178 yards in the air, and 130 on the ground, but what they lack in offense, they make up for in D with the 13th best D in points allowed per game in the FBS. Kansas State has a solid rushing attack, so look for them to get their "feet in the water" with a lot of running plays to open the game. Kansas State takes a close one 24-20.

The third game, which also offers the longest bowl name with 6 words, UNC plays Tennessee in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl (say that 5 times fast). This one is interesting, because on paper, both teams look practically identical in terms of record, 7-5 & 6-6, avg points per game, average yards per game, etc. I think a huge factor will be the fact that Tennessee will be playing in their home state, but hey, its a bowl game, so who knows. The spread for this game is 0, so apparently Vegas thinks it will end in a tie (where was this spread during the MLB All-Star game a few years back?). My guess, the SEC team wins 25-21.

The 4th game of the day should be a good one, as UDub aka the University of Washington takes on the Cornhuskers of Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl. I am a little biased here because I was fortunate enough to be able to spend 2 months this summer playing baseball in Washington, and played with Jake Locker's cousin Brady (so vice versa, I am rooting for Brady Locker's cousin Jake, since Brade-O hated being called Jake's cousin) and my host family lived in Ferndale, WA which is Jake Locker's hometown, so Husky football and UW kind of grew on me. Washington will have their hands full as Nebraska looks like a clear winner on paper. In a classic bowl game thriller, I say UW some how, some way, wins 23-21 on a last second field goal.

Dec 29th Bowl Games

I have to give a Northrup Grumman Military Bowl shout out as there is a big NG base out here in Lancaster, CA. This game featured Maryland and Eastern Carolina. Maryland won big 51-20 earlier today. Running back Da'Rel Scott had 13 carries but accumulated 200 yards and 2 TD's in the process. His teammate, D.J. Adams, who is a freshman, scored 31% of the time he touched the ball today, as he scored 4 times on 13 carries. So basically the Terrapins scored more than ECU, and usually that is a good thing.

Illinois and Baylor are playing as I type in the Texas Bowl. One would imagine that Baylor would have the 'home field advantage' playing in their home state, but the Fighting Ilini have shown otherwise to start the game. Baylor had lost 3 in a row coming into today's game, and the slow starts have continued here. Look for quarter back Robert Griffin III to start throwing early and often to open the 3rd quarter.

In the final game of the day, Oklahoma State and Arizona square off tonight in the Valermo Alamo Bowl. After a hot start, Mike Stoops and company have lost its last 4 straight, including a double overtime loss to rival Arizona State to close the season. The number 14 ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys will bring their high powered passing attack (#2 passing offense in the FBS) into the Alamodome, so look for Ok State to get to an early lead and win this one 35-27.

The Easy to Pronounce AdvoCare V100 Independecne Bowl Game Preview

Today's game features two top running offenses as the Air Force Academy Falcons match up against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl Game in Shreveport, LA (If you can tell me what AdvoCare V100 does/is, you get bonus points). What is most intriguing about this game, is that it is the battle of #1 v. #2, running offenses that is. Georgia Tech comes in to today's game as the #1 ranked rushing attack averaging 327.0 yards per contest, and Air Force is literally right behind them at 317.9. What seems to be the be the x-factor, is when we look at the two teams strength of schedule. Air Force had 4 losses this year, but 3 of them came against teams ranked in the top 10 (TCU #5, Oklahoma #7, and Utah #8). Two of those games were decided by 5 points or less, which leaves me to believe that the Falcons can very much hold there own, and could get to an early lead against G. Tech. Not to mention AF has won 3 straight coming into this game. On the other sideline,Georgia Tech  played just one ranked team (#22 Virginia Tech) but only lost by 7. They are on a 1 game losing streak, as they lost the season finale rivalry game against Georgia 42-34.

It should be a vitamin rich and illegal substance free  football game (if you answered vitamin company in regards to AdvoCare, you take the cake on this one), and look for the gentlemen of the Air Force Academy to option their way to a 30-24 victory over GTech.