Bowl Weeks Part Two

If the beginning of bowl season is any indication of what's to come, I'm in for a rough time. Losing 5 of the first 6 games gives me no confidence in picking the rest of the bowls. It's just so hard to get a read on what will happen. The long layoff, the unfamiliar opponent, how a team handles the distractions of the bowl, a team's motivation and mental focus (are they just happy to be there and having fun, or focused on getting a win) - all these things are largely unseen and drastically swing the results. At least that's what I'm telling myself after dropping what appeared to be several gimme picks.

But everyone else is doing almost as horribly as I am. The leading entry in the Freshman Fifteen Bowl Mania group is 2 for 6. Maybe things will start to normalize this week.

Before racing through the January bowls (and I do mean racing through - with Christmas and the busiest week of work of the year upcoming - RADIATE09! - I don't have the requisite 2-3 hours to put together a decent post), here's my annual look at the top 5 bowl names. Will any manage to top the old Poulan/WeedEater Independence Bowl as the greatest bowl name of all time?

1. St. Petersburg Bowl presented by Beef 'O' Brady's

In a word, awesome. Captures the essence of tiny bowls: random company most people have never heard of, a desperate grab at publicity and income, and an awkward and moderately uncomfortable sounding name. In watching a few minutes of this game I learned that Beef 'O' Brady's is some sort of sports grill, a la Buffalo Wild Wings or Damon's. I also learned that it's affectionately known by its employees and clientele as "Beef's". That may be a slight improvement over the cumbersome and unappetizing title of "Beef 'O' Brady's", but it still sounds like either the nickname of a high school wrestler or the name of a bar from a straight-to-video college good-times movie. And I learned that while they had enough money to toss around to earn the right to tack their name on a bowl game, they didn't save enough to make a halfway decent commercial to accompany the game. Their commercial was an awkward hybrid of an Applebee's and Buffalo Wild Wings ad. I'm sure Beef 'O' Brady's is a perfectly fine place to get some man food and watch a game, but their whole bowl game hosting effort appeared to be a poorly thrown together customer grab. They do win the award for the best bowl name though!

2. Papajohns.com Bowl

Why the dot com? Why not simply the Papa John's Bowl? I know they've put some effort into the whole "order your pizza online" marketing strategy, but does it really warrant the name of a college bowl game? So many questions, so few answers.

3. Maaco Bowl Las Vegas

Why not the Maaco Las Vegas Bowl? Why would they insist on putting together a phrase that doesn't even come close to meeting English grammatical rules? At least throw a comma in there: Maaco Bowl, Las Vegas. This is probably the strangest name of them all. Maybe the Las Vegas tourism bureau just wanted to make sure the name stuck out and garnered just a little bit more publicity.

4. AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl

Multiple choice quiz: What is AdvoCare V100?

A) A type of oil filter

B) Medical Insurance

C) A multivitamin

D) The first ever 6-blade razor

Answer: C. You learned it here first. I'm almost positive of it.

5. San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl

I love this one for the fact that it has such a specific marketing audience: residents of San Diego County, California. Yet the company decided that paying for the naming rights of a national bowl game would be worth the money. How is that possible?

And now, on to what will likely amount to terrible picks:

21. Outback Bowl, Northwestern vs. Auburn

This is probably a huge mistake, to pick a Big Ten team to beat an SEC team, but Northwestern has flown under the radar all year and quietly have a good football team. Pat Fitzgerald is as solid a coach as you'll find. And Auburn was nothing special this year. Since upsets and the unexpected have already graced us with their presence, why not?

Northwestern 29, Auburn 24 CL: 7

22. Konica Minolta Gator Bowl, West Virginia vs. Florida State

Bobby Bowden undoubtedly is one of the greatest coaches of all time. He's won with class, humor, humility, and innovation; and he's shown loyalty to both players and school through his years at Florida State. As a Christian he's committed to something much higher than football, and his love of his players and care about their development supersedes his desire to win. He'll be missed in the world of college football after his retirement. But in no way does his leaving mean that the Seminoles deserve a New Year's Day Bowl invite. This was a team who was lucky to get to .500 and be invited at all! The matchup with West Virginia is poetic, as Bowden spent several years in Morgantown before heading south, but it's contrived and undeserving. And likely will net Bowden a loss in his final game. Why not just accept a bid to a lesser bowl and let Bobby go out on a high note?

West Virginia 31, Florida State 20 CL: 10

23. Capital One Bowl, LSU vs. Penn State

For the first time in the 2 year history of this blog, I'm picking against my alma mater. It stings, but I've got to go with head over heart. This does not in any way change my rooting allegiance or my passion as a Penn Stater, it's just a pick. Here's why I'm going this way: Darryl Clark's performance against top-level defenses. Ohio State and Iowa owned him this year, and USC had their way in the Rose Bowl last year. It would be difficult to pick against that trend. Clark has has a stellar Nittany Lion career, but he's still just not quite there when it comes to playing well and defeating strong defenses. Turnovers kill him. Penn State's defense will keep the game close, and could win it for the Lions, but in the end, I'm sad to say that Clark's tendency to turn the ball over will decide the outcome.

LSU 16, Penn State 10 CL: 15

24. Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi, Ohio State vs. Oregon

Oregon became a juggernaut after the debacle in Idaho on the first night of the season, and though Ohio State's defense is stout, it's hard to imagine them completely shutting down Oregon's potent running attack. If they stack the line, Jeremiah Masoli can beat them over the top. And Terrelle Pryor gets to spend all afternoon dreaming about what it would have been like for him to be at the helm of the Duck offense.

Oregon 24, Ohio State 21 CL: 12

25. Allstate Sugar Bowl, Florida vs. Cincinnati

My my, the coaching storylines that surround this one! Just a few hours ago Urban Meyer announced that the Sugar Bowl would be his last game as the Florida coach, citing health reasons and a decision to focus more on his faith and family. It's a shocking decision to be sure, and will most likely shake up the college football coaching tree for the next month. How it will affect the Florida team going into the Sugar Bowl remains to be seen, but my assumption is that Tim Tebow, ardent Meyer supporter and loyalist, will give his all to see Meyer take home a win in his last game. Meanwhile, Cincinnati players and fans are still smarting from the sudden and selfish departure of Brian Kelly to Notre Dame. Cincy will use the game to show that they're not the also-ran that Kelly treated them as, mostly to Kelly himself. But the Bearcats offense hasn't faced anything like the Florida defense all year.

Florida 31, Cincinnati 21 CL: 32

26. International Bowl, South Florida vs. Northern Illinois

How will South Florida play north of the border? They've been inconsistent, but talented, and should beat a mid-level MAC team without much trouble. But the gap between what should happen and what has happened has been a wide one thus far this bowl season.

South Florida 35, Northern Illinois 24 CL: 8

27. Papajohns.com Bowl, South Carolina vs. Connecticut

Going with the upset here, as Randy Edsall and UConn wrap up a season of rebound against another Gamecock squad that's fallen short of it's expected mark.

Connecticut 20, South Carolina 18 CL: 17

28. AT&T Cotton Bowl, Oklahoma State vs. Mississippi

Oklahoma State still hasn't beaten anyone of note this year, and that won't change when they meet Ole Miss in Dallas.

Mississippi 34, Oklahoma State 28 CL: 18

29. AutoZone Liberty Bowl, East Carolina vs. Arkansas

Arkansas' potent offense outscores solid C-USA champ and heady QB Patrick Pinkney.

Arkansas 45, East Carolina 35 CL: 23

30. Valero Alamo Bowl, Michigan State vs. Texas Tech

Texas Tech has quietly put together another good season for coach Mike Leach, and will close with 9 wins after beating disappointing Michigan State.

Texas Tech 33, Michigan State 17 CL: 29

31. Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Boise State vs. TCU

The most polarizing bowl - some love the matchup, some hate it and call it a cop out decision for the BCS to put these two non-BCS conference competitors together. But the Fiesta Bowl, not the BCS committee, ultimately made the choice, so they obviously felt it was a good enough matchup to throw their money behind it. TCU gets their time in the sun as their defense snuffs out Kellen Moore and the Bronco offense. But don't worry, Boise will be back and better next year. So might TCU.

TCU 30, Boise State 23 CL: 1

32. FedEx Orange Bowl, Georgia Tech vs. Iowa

Ricky Stanzi will be back for Iowa, but the game will be decided on the other side of the football. Can the Iowa defense stop the option? The result hinges there.

Georgia Tech 27, Iowa 21 CL: 14

33. GMAC Bowl, Central Michigan vs. Troy

This game has produced some wild results through the years, and could provide another very entertaining game. Troy has competed with some very good teams through the years (Ohio State, LSU last year), and though that's not been the case this season, the close to home cookin could give the Trojans the extra effort they need to push past a good Central Michigan team.

Troy 31, Central Michigan 27 CL: 3

Next: a week away, then a good, hard look at the national championship game, to be posted the night before. Until then, Happy New Year!

Bowl Weeks Part One

I know many coaches and players love the bowls (the swag they and their schools get probably has a lot to do with it), but I just can't seem to view them as anything more than glorified exhibition games. Only one truly matters, the rest are mini-vacations that enable 33 other teams to close their season on a high note. Moral victories for the most part - how many teams set out to become the Papajohns.com Bowl champion when spring practice starts?

But, the bowls are an enormous part of the fabric of college football, a tradition that is unique to this sport and one that is not likely to go away anytime soon. I need a bit of convincing to help me embrace the bowls, at least at a base level. So here is my attempt at finding the value in the bowl system, a silver lining of sorts.

1. Momentum

Yes, a win in the Brut Sun Bowl is not much more than a moral victory, but the bowls do offer teams a chance to grab some momentum heading into the off-season, momentum that can provide a springboard into the next year. It's amazing sometimes how a bowl win can start a sort of snowball effect of momentum that rolls through spring practice and into next August.

2. Extra Time

Time to practice, time to continue to gel as a team. This also pays huge dividends for teams, especially young ones, as they look to the future.

3. More Games

More college football, especially when you pair two teams not likely ever to meet under any other circumstances, can't be bad, right?

4. Speculation and Argument

Sure, a clear-cut, no-argument-necessary national champion would be nice. But who doesn't secretly love the constant squabbling and speculation that circles college football like a pack of vultures above an antelope carcass? The bowls, even with the BCS having made things a little clearer at the end of the season (a little, mind you), only prolong and even amplify the conversation.

That's about all I can come up with. Post a comment if you have some others to convince me with.

One more housekeeping note before I get to the picks. ESPN has once again unveiled their Bowl Mania game, which gives us - myself and you, faithful reader - a chance to compete together in our picks. Click on over to ESPN's Bowl Mania site, create an entry, and enter the Freshman Fifteen Group. Just search for "The Freshman Fifteen" among private groups, and join (password: fifteen). Make sure your entry is a "confidence points" entry. And only one entry per person - the phenomenon found here and in the NCAA Basketball Tournament of giving people umpteen chances to fill out brackets is ridiculous. Make your picks and stand by them!

And now on to the games. I'll be going in chronological order and referring to each bowl by it's official name, only to display how ridiculous some of these names are (more on that next week). I'll also give you my confidence level (CL) - numbered 34 as "most confident" and 1 as "least confident", as per ESPN's Bowl Mania.

1. New Mexico Bowl: Fresno State vs. Wyoming

Also known as The Bowl No One Cares About (Version 1). Wyoming was expected to do no better than 8th in the Mountain West this year and somehow managed a bowl invite. They'll consider the season a success, regardless of the result here. Which is good, because they'll lose.

Fresno State 38, Wyoming 20 CL: 26

2. St. Petersburg Bowl Presented by Beef 'O' Brady's: Central Florida vs. Rutgers

This may be the best bowl name ever. How can anyone not laugh when reading the phrase "Beef 'O' Brady's"? Rutgers went 8-4 on what was almost certainly the easiest schedule in Division 1-A, but will be favored simply because they're in the Big East. UCF will pull the "upset" on the back of a home-field advantage of sorts, and by being well-seasoned by a difficult schedule (Miami and Texas out of conference, all 4 losses came to bowl teams).

Central Florida 27, Rutgers 21 CL: 11

3. R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Southern Mississippi vs. Middle Tennessee State

The Bowl No One Cares About (Version 2). There will be several who earn that distinction this week. Southern Miss brings offensive players of major conference talent to New Orleans (RB Damion Fletcher and WR DeAndre Brown), and the Blue Raiders won't have an answer for them.

Southern Mississippi 41, Middle Tennessee State 28 CL: 31

4. Maaco Bowl Las Vegas: BYU vs. Oregon State

The first of the many enticing matchups of the bowl season. It's a chance for the Mountain West to fire their first major cannon shot in their war to prove they belong as a BCS conference, and BYU has the firepower to do it. But Oregon State, as usual, has improved steadily through the season, and the Pac Ten has been underrated all year. Expect a big bowl season from the conference, starting on the swift feet of the Rodgers brothers, James and Jaquizz. The one advantage BYU will have is that they're far less likely to be distracted by the entrapments of Vegas. Unless they're not good Mormons. We'll see.

Oregon State 26, BYU 23 CL: 19

5. San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl: Utah vs. California

Did you know that it's POINsettia, not POINTsettia? Very strange and eye opening. It's currently unclear whether Jahvid Best will play, but it may not matter. Utah will end up connecting on their cannon shot - they have won 8 straight bowl games (that spells preparation, folks), and they've been Pac-Ten killers the past few years.

Utah 30, California 24 CL: 6

6. Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: Nevada vs. SMU

June Jones heads back to the islands, bringing an SMU team that's ecstatic to be back in a bowl for the first time in a quarter century. It's a great accomplishment for the program, and finally a step forward out of the dregs of their death penalty. But they'll be forced to defend a Nevada team with a quirky but extremely effective rushing attack, complete with three 1,000 yard rushers. They'll gash the SMU defense and roll up half a hundred on the Mustangs.

Nevada 51, SMU 34 CL: 33

7. Little Caesars Bowl: Marshall vs. Ohio

The Bowl No One Cares About (Version 3). It'll be a sort of regional rivalry game in Detroit, as Marshall and Ohio reside only 79 miles from one another. It'll also probably be the least watched bowl game, certainly outside of southeast Ohio and western West Virginia. Ohio is my pick - I actually saw a bit of one of their games this year and they weren't half bad!

Ohio 20, Marshall 15 CL: 24

8. Meineke Car Care Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. North Carolina

One of the better and more underrated bowl matchups. Both teams have potentially big years in them next year, and the winner likely will reap huge benefits in next year's preseason rankings. Pitt is the better team this year and ought to win - they have balance and are solid in every area of the game. North Carolina has shown flashes of brilliance (wins over Virginia Tech and Miami in a 3 week stretch), but lack the consistency of Pitt.

Pittsburgh 31, North Carolina 24 CL: 4

9. Emerald Bowl: Boston College vs. USC

Many think that USC will be so disgusted at the notion of playing in a bowl on December 26 that they won't show up with any kind of focus or intensity. I'm inclined to think the opposite, that the Trojans will come north to San Francisco with a vendetta - to run Boston College off the field and make the statement that they'll not see the Emerald Bowl or any similar bowls again anytime soon. Look for a big game from Matt Barkley and Joe McKnight, and some tweaking on defense that will bring back some of the ferocity, intimidation, and strength that's been severely lacking at USC all year. I'm so confident that USC will show up angry and focused that I'm making it my most confident pick.

USC 38, Boston College 14 CL: 34

10. Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl: Kentucky vs. Clemson

Clemson, anomaly as they are, probably won't fare any better against Kentucky than they did against their SEC brethren, South Carolina. And so will end another disappointing season for the Tigers. The opposite will be true for Kentucky, who overachieved to go 8-4 and make a bowl in what looked to be a down year.

Kentucky 35, Clemson 31 CL: 27

11. Advocare V100 Independence Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Georgia

Like USC, Georgia is unaccustomed to playing in middle-tier bowls like this one. Will they show up motivated? They'd better - as Texas found out, the Aggies can move the ball on anybody. They just have issues with stopping people, and that will make the difference in what looks to be a shootout.

Georgia 42, Texas A&M 35 CL: 20

12. Eaglebank Bowl: UCLA vs. Temple

Temple, feelgood story of the season, would love to tie a nice bow on it with a bowl win. The Owls last won a bowl 30 years ago. But, as mentioned earlier, the Pac Ten is tougher than people think, and though UCLA nearly got elbowed out of a bowl at the expense of Army, they'll have too much for Temple to handle.

UCLA 34, Temple 17 CL: 13

13. Champs Sports Bowl: Miami (FL) vs. Wisconsin

Tough assignment for the Badgers, having to go to Florida to face a very good Hurricanes team who's poised and ready to use this game as a springboard to a top 5 ranking to start next season. The Badgers are mediocre and won't keep up with Jacory Harris and Miami.

Miami (FL) 33, Wisconsin 16 CL: 25

14. Roady's Humanitarian Bowl: Bowling Green vs. Idaho

The Bowl No One Cares About (Version 4). Idaho edged out Wyoming and Temple for the least likely bowl entrant of the season, and happens to get to play close to home, down the road in Boise. The Vandals skidded to the finish line, losing 4 of their last 5 and giving up loads of points. But I'm going to pick them, they're probably the most excited Humanitarian Bowl entrants of all time. And that's worth at least 2 touchdowns.

Idaho 45, Bowling Green 42 CL: 2

15. Pacific Life Holiday Bowl: Arizona vs. Nebraska

Because I'll likely never again have the opportunity to comment on it, let me say that the Pacific Life commercial that always airs during ABC's college football broadcasts is perhaps the strangest commercial I've ever seen. You probably know the one: a montage of whales frolicking in the open sea, leaping, slapping tails against the surface, triumphantly exhaling a stream of water from their blow holes - all set to a corny college-band like tune. No narration. No indication that Pacific Life deals in the insurance business. Just jumping whales and a goofy song. I believe that the marketing agency must have come up with the idea during take-your-daughter-to-work day - it's the type of thing a room full of 9 year old girls would come up with. So the whale montage hosts a decent bowl matchup - Arizona vs. Nebraska. Lots of people will be high on Nebraska after their near takedown of mighty Texas, but don't forget that this team doesn't have an offense. It's Ndamukong Suh and the defense, a good kicking game, and nothing else. Arizona has the defense to keep the Cornhuskers from eking out points, and Nebraska's defense can't possibly play to the level they did against Texas - that was their Super Bowl.

Arizona 17, Nebraska 10 CL: 22

16. Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl: Houston vs. Air Force

Air vs. Ground. Houston and their pass-happy offense against the steady beat of the Air Force triple option. Air Force will do a good job keeping the ball out of Case Keenum's hands, but it won't matter much - Houston can score in bunches, at anytime, from any place on the field.

Houston 37, Air Force 31 CL: 28

17. Brut Sun Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Stanford

Oklahoma is another team looking to move past 2009 and get a good jump on 2010. They'll struggle with Toby Gerhart but still have more talent than Stanford, even in a down year.

Oklahoma 34, Stanford 24 CL: 9

18. Texas Bowl: Navy vs. Missouri

In a world of bowl names that get as specific as "San Diego County Credit Union", the Texas Bowl stands alone, generically promoting the entire state of Texas, hill country to gulf coast and everywhere in between. God bless you, Texas Bowl, you are a beacon of counter-culturalism.

Missouri 31, Navy 28 CL: 21

19. Insight Bowl: Minnesota vs. Iowa State

I have nothing good to say about this game. Two mediocre teams, one forgettable game.

Minnesota 23, Iowa State 13 CL: 16

20. Chick-fil-A Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee

The Chick-fil-A Bowl annually produces one of the best matchups of bowl season, and this one, though not as exciting as recent Chick-fil-A Bowls, is interesting nonetheless. The two schools are surprisingly close to one another and the crowd should be about an even split. Virginia Tech has the better team, but they're known to lose to lesser opponents, and Tennessee's defense could give Tyrod Taylor fits. The Vols keep things close until Virginia Tech salts it away late.

Virginia Tech 21, Tennessee 13 CL: 30

Next: a look at the January Bowls (minus the National Championship), to be posted sometime between Christmas night and January 27. And don't miss the new sidebar item to be added, chronicling the Bowl Mania standings of the Freshman Fifteen group. Riveting stuff!

Merry Christmas to all - may your celebration of the holiday be filled with meditation on the amazing reality that God entered the creation He made in the most unlikely of ways, in a stable in a forgotten town, with almost no recognition or fanfare.

The Freshman Fifteen Fifteen Superlatives

There's a lull in the college football universe this week, as only Army-Navy and the Heisman trophy presentation blip onto the radar this Saturday, a week away from the beginning of bowl season. I'll get down to bowl picks next week, and I'll be inviting you, faithful readers, to compete with me in an ESPN Bowl Mania group. I'll also go head-to-head with fellow blogger, sports fan, and friend, PJ Walk of the cleverly titled "PJ's Sports Blog".

This week, admittedly a week to fill space, I'll give out my own mini-awards, the Freshman Fifteen Fifteen Superlatives of the season. I won't be directly picking a Heisman winner or the Army-Navy contest (Navy by 2 TD's) as part of my official record. I can't just pick one game - it's the Freshman FIFTEEN, it would just go against principle.

And without further ado, here are the Freshman Fifteen Fifteen Superlatives of the season:

1. Most Surprising Team

Surprising as in, "I'm shocked this team did so well", not "I can't believe how bad they are". That's the next superlative. This award goes to the Cincinnati Bearcats, who improbably defended their Big East crown with a resounding 12-0 march. Their award - face an angry Tim Tebow and Florida in SEC territory. Possibly without their coach (more on that later). Good luck. Cincinnati was picked by most to be a middle of the road Big East team as they faced the task of replacing 10 defensive starters. Their offense would be good, it was reasoned, but can the defense keep up? They did, barely at times, and they were also helped by the offense putting up stratospheric numbers. The Bearcats capped their memorable season with a one point win at Pitt, in which they scored 4 second half TDs to come back from a 21-point deficit.

Honorable Mention: Temple, Idaho, Stanford

2. Most Disappointing Team

As dismal as Notre Dame's season turned out to be, they don't merit this award because I had a hunch they'd not be what everyone touted them to be. No, this one goes to a top 5 team who fell hard and never were able to pick themselves back up. Victims of a nasty injury bug and tough early losses (total margin of defeat in first 3 losses: 5 points), the Oklahoma Sooners underwent their most disappointing campaign in recent memory. They were supposed to be neck and neck with Texas, and it was considered a coin flip as to who would win the Big 12 and represent the conference in the BCS title game. But their season proves that sometimes you're just 2 injuries away from mediocrity.

Honorable Mention: USC, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Notre Dame, Florida State

3. Most Predictable Team

Meaning, the team that did just about as everyone expected them to, nothing more, nothing less. It's pretty difficult to pick, but I'm going with Oregon State. As per their pattern, they plodded out of the gate, losing 2 of their first 4, both at home, before ripping through the rest of their schedule, losing only to USC and Oregon in close games on the road. And as usual, they rest in the top 3 of the Pac Ten standings. Again.

Honorable Mention: Penn State, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Boise State, Troy, Auburn, Utah

4. Most Invisible Team

This award goes to the Marshall Thundering Herd, who stealthily creeped to a 6-6 record and an invitation to the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl. Bet you can't name 3 of the 6 teams they've beaten? I certainly can't!

Honorable Mention: Wake Forest, Northern Illinois, Hawaii

5. Most Snakebitten Team

The Connecticut Huskies 5 losses came at a grand total of 15 points, and they suffered a tragic and heartbreaking loss when DB Jasper Howard was murdered on campus. If that's not a runaway winner of the "Most Snakebitten" award, I don't know what is. Credit Randy Edsall and his team for not folding up the tent mid-season. The Huskies valiantly rallied to win their last 3, including an OT win at Notre Dame, to lock up a bowl bid. They were able to see adversity turn into strength and perseverance into character, as is so often the case in trying situations. Seems like there's a biblical principle in there somewhere.

Honorable Mention: Mississippi State, LSU, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma

6. Most Entertaining Team

Perhaps giving Notre Dame their very own TV package isn't such a bad idea after all. Ten of the twelve games the Fighting Irish played were decided by 7 points or less, and two of them went to overtime. In many of those games they had fourth quarter leads, only to give them away; and in others they roared back from sizable deficits only to fall slightly short. Add to that resume the fact that their offense boasted future pro's Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate, and Michael Floyd, and the result is a team that played watchable and entertaining games all year. The fact that they ended up 4-6 in those close contests is a big reason why Charlie Weis got the boot.

Honorable Mention: Connecticut, LSU, Arizona, Oregon

7. Least Entertaining Team

Contrast Notre Dame with Oklahoma State, who played just 2 games that ended in a margin of victory of 7 points or less. Win or lose, a game with the Cowboys in it was going to end with an uninteresting second half. Consider that fact before tuning into the Cotton Bowl, where they play Mississippi, another team with the habit of blowout wins or losses (also 2 for 12 on one-possession games).

Honorable Mention: Mississippi, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, anyone from the Sun Belt or MAC

8. Most Wasteful Team

What I mean by "most wasteful" is this: doing the least with the most fully stocked cupboard. It's a close parallel to "most disappointing", but sometimes teams with armfuls of talent are given more modest expectations. Exhibit A is the Illinois Fighting Illini. Anticipation was that Illinois could compete for the Big Ten's third or fourth place, perhaps press the big boys a bit, but were generally expected to fall somewhere in the middle of the pack. They failed even to reach that. And they really weren't even close. This with a team stocked with prime recruits from the past 3-4 years. Ron Zook showed at Florida that he could recruit with the best but couldn't match it on the field, and his tenure at Illinois is only reinforcing that sentiment.

Honorable Mention: Florida State, Notre Dame, Colorado, Georgia

9. Most Thrifty Team

The opposite of most wasteful, this team did the most with the least. Welcome to the Freshman Fifteen, Temple Owls! Temple once occupied the lowest rung of the Division 1-A ladder, getting ignominiously kicked out of the Big East and nearly abandoning football altogether. At it's lowest point, getting recruits to come to Philadelphia was all but impossible. Who would want to play for a team that was kicked out of a conference for how pathetic the program was? And now the Owls have emerged, after a few years of steady improvement, with a breakout 9-3 year that nearly ended in a MAC title. Expect recruiting to come a little easier, and expect Al Golden to land a job at a major conference school within the next two years, possibly within the next 2 months as the chain of coaching changes that will be set off by the Notre Dame hire will be far-reaching.

Honorable Mention: Iowa State, TCU, Boise State, Northwestern, Navy, Army

10. Most Outstanding Player

Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh probably won't win the Heisman, but he was the most dominant player any time he stepped onto the field this year. His performance against Texas will be remembered for decades, even in defeat, but he wreaked havoc like that all season long. The fact that he did what he did against Texas, on that stage, only cements his legacy of dominance.

Honorable Mention: C.J. Spiller, Colt McCoy, Toby Gerhart

11. Most Outstanding Coach

Lots of candidates abound: Brian Kelly of Cincinnati, Randy Edsall of UConn, Gary Patterson of TCU, Jim Harbaugh of Stanford. But I'm going with the "other" Kelly - Chip Kelly of Oregon. After the near-meltdown at Boise State to open the season, many rookie coaches wouldn't have been able to rally their teams to a productive season. But he handled the LaGarrette Blount situation marvelously, managed to gain his team's focus, and Oregon rose head and shoulders above a very good Pac Ten conference.

Honorable Mention: see above

12. Most Sleazy Coach

I created this category just for Brian Kelly of Cincinnati. How can you openly lust after another school's head coaching position while your team is in the midst of the program's best season ever? How can you even interview for the open position while your undefeated team prepares for the biggest game in school history? What is the reaction of Cincinnati fans to this? The players? Do they view him as a hero, or a jerk? We all know Cincinnati isn't one of college football's glamour schools, but the way Kelly is unabashedly treating the program like second-class citizens has to cause them to bristle even a bit, doesn't it? Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino were vilified by the fan bases of many, but Kelly's handling of the Notre Dame situation - like a dog drooling over a Milk Bone held tantalizingly before it, eyes following its every move - has to rank at or near the same level. If I were the Bearcats administration I'd do Kelly the favor of showing him the door right now. And if I were the Notre Dame administration, I'd think long and hard about hiring someone who would show that degree of brazenness and poor class. There has got to be a place for integrity and character, especially among the coaches who's first job it is to influence and mold the lives of the young men they're privileged to mentor.

13. Most Likely to Succeed

In the bowls, that is. Texas Tech faces a Michigan State squad decimated by suspensions in the Alamo Bowl on January 2. Even with those players, Michigan State would face a tall order, given the mediocrity of their season and the shoddy Big Ten bowl reputation. The Red Raiders should win easily.

Honorable Mention: Miami (FL), Virginia Tech, Ohio

14. Least Likely to Succeed

Again, in bowl season. And no, I'm not going to just flip the coin over and say Michigan State. Though that would be easy. No, this honor goes to Tennessee, who face a Virginia Tech team who's played in Atlanta once this year already and is significantly more talented than the Volunteers.

Honorable Mention: Marshall, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Iowa, Middle Tennessee State, SMU, Army (if qualified)

15. Most Enticing Bowl Matchup

Disclaimer: I'm not picking the National Championship Game, because that's naturally the most enticing, being the only one that truly matters. This pick comes from the remaining 33.

At first glance I thought the bowl slate was lacking, considering the relatively even playing field we've had all season. But after a few more looks, there are some really nice matchups out there. The bowls did a good job at matching teams with the same or very similar records. The only unjust selection, in my opinion, was the Gator Bowl taking Florida State. Not even Notre Dame gets to play on New Year's Day at 6-6. I know it's Bobby Bowden's last game and it will be the sad end of a great legacy, but couldn't that just as easily happened in the Emerald Bowl, against USC no less? The Gator Bowl threw on-field results out the window just to get a tailor-made matchup. Boo. As for "most enticing", the candidates are many: LSU-Penn State, Oklahoma-Stanford, Ohio State-Oregon, Florida-Cincinnati, Texas A&M-Georgia. But I'm going with the surprise pick of Pitt-North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Both teams will have talent returning next year and could rest in the preseason top 15, so this could be a preview of a BCS bowl next year. And it should be very entertaining, as both offenses will be able to put up points. For the first time in your life, make it a point to catch at least some of the Meineke Car Care Bowl!

Honorable Mention: see above

Next: we kick off the bowls with a prediction of the December bowls

Saturday Postgame: Week 14

An assortment of thoughts and observations from a Championship weekend of fantastic games and crazy finishes:

There was certainly a buzz surrounding the 5 biggest games of the weekend, the ones deciding major conference championships. More than any other weekend of the year there was a sense of expectancy and tension that's been missing most Saturdays this season. It was refreshing and made the games more dramatic. Also, sometimes they call me "Captain Obvious".

On Wednesday I made an analogy comparing this week's shock potential to the awestruck surprise that hits a person when they first arrive at the Grand Canyon's edge, after little to no warning from the surrounding landscape. Little did I know that the biggest shock would be produced by Alabama crushing Florida. Many predicted Alabama to win, but no one, repeat, no one, envisioned the Crimson Tide rolling over the Gators in the way they did this afternoon. From start to finish, Alabama dominated in every phase of the game. Defense, quarterback play, game plan, intensity, interior line play - the Crimson Tide had the upper hand in it all. Their 17-play, 88-yard game clinching drive was astounding to watch. The Florida defense, ranked in the top 5 in the country, was absolutely dominated during the drive, as Alabama ran inside run after inside run, daring the Florida defense to be more physical than them. The Tide threw 3 passes in those 17 plays. There's nothing more demoralizing to a defense than being unable to stop runs up the middle. It was a bit like watching the heavyweight champion get knocked around in the 11th round, followed by a standing 8-count and a TKO. Mark Ingram dealt the kill shot. And Greg McElroy becomes one of the top 5 QB's in Alabama lore. One more game winning drive like that and he's close to folk hero status in the state of Alabama.

Speaking of shock value, we were about one foot - the distance between the football and the goal post on Hunter Lawrence's last second kick - from the most shocking result of the season, one that would have been the equivalent of a 7.8 Richter scale earthquake on the college football landscape. But Lawrence was as clutch as can be, Vinatieriesque even, in nailing the pressure-packed kick. What a game that turned out to be, and nearly became the latest Big 12 Championship game to produce a season-altering upset. Nebraska's defense produced what was essentially a no-hitter, with a suffocating defensive line and a ballhawking secondary. One of the best overall defensive performances ever. Had they held on to win, comparisons would have to be made to Penn State's 1986 Fiesta Bowl performance, when they shut down Heisman winner Vinny Testaverde and Miami's prolific offense. The Cornhusker offense had 5 first downs! And it took a last second 46-yard field goal for them to be beaten. Wow.

Did Colt McCoy have one of the biggest brain farts ever when he let the clock run down nearly to zero at the end of the game? Or is he one of the coolest customers ever in pushing things that close. Did he learn something from their loss to Texas Tech last year, when Harrell hit Crabtree with one second left on a deep ball, when a simple field goal would have sufficed? McCoy's near-blunder would have made Les Miles look like Socrates.

Ndamukong Suh is a beast. A defensive lineman with 4.5 sacks is unheard of. If he's not the first player taken in next year's NFL draft, consider that team moronic. That pick should be automatic.

It's hard not to feel bad for Tim Tebow. It seemed inevitable that he'd win a third national championship, possibly a second Heisman, and earn a spot amongst the greatest players in college football history, certainly the greatest of the past 20 years. But perhaps we all got carried away with the superlatives, and on my part, carried away with the assumption that Tebow could simply will his team to win. The better team won today, and Tim Tebow couldn't do anything about it. He'll still go down as the best player of his generation and remains one of the best leaders of all time. That status was cemented long ago. And don't expect him to wilt from here on out, he's got his priorities in line - just take a look at the Bible verses he jots onto his eye black to remind you of that - and he'll bounce back quickly.

Speaking of feeling bad, you have to feel awful for Pitt's holder Andrew Janocko, whose bobbled snap led to a missed extra point that ended up being the deciding one point deficit in the Panthers' heartbreaking loss to Cincinnati. He's certainly not the reason the team lost - the defense had a chance to stop Cincy and Pitt blew a 21 point lead - but Janocko will go down as the goat. He'll bounce back too - he's a good kid and Dave Wannstedt will coach him through it.

I think Brian Kelly is being a bit too flippant in "entertaining" the notion of taking the Notre Dame job (his words). He may deeply desire the job, but he's at the helm of an undefeated team, one that was nearly in the national championship game. His talk of considering the job leads you to believe that he'd take it even before Cincinnati's bowl game. Imagine if he left a national championship team before the championship tilt?

Pitt's Dion Lewis had 47 carries today! I can't remember a back ever toting the ball that many times. And he's not a big dude. He'll need the month off before their bowl game.

Isn't it amazing that of the 5 major conference championship games, only Florida-Alabama was a blowout? Every other game was decided on the last possession.

The weirdest and wildest finish all season happened in Champaign, Illinois. In case you missed it: Fresno State scored (on a ridiculous effort, mind you) with 2 seconds remaining to cut Illinois' lead to 52-51 (this was football, not basketball). An extra point, and they're in overtime. But Pat Hill sent the offense back out to win it then and there. Bold move, but a smart one considering the fact that neither team could stop the other all day. Fresno's QB couldn't find an open receiver, scrambled, got some heat, and was forced to heave the ball toward a well-covered receiver. Then the craziness ensued. The ball was tipped and deflected directly to an offensive lineman who was smartly trailing the play, who gathered it into his stomach and crammed his way into the end zone for the most unlikely of 2-point conversions.

USC's fourth loss gives them a 5th place tie in the Pac Ten. My, how the mighty have fallen. Won't it be nice to see USC in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas, or the prestigious Emerald Bowl? (Giggling)

In the department of "Hilarious", Notre Dame decided that it wouldn't accept a bowl invitation, the reason given for the decision being "unique circumstances". The spin is that the search for Charlie Weis's replacement is underway and would preclude the Irish from playing another game. That's true, although something tells me it isn't the only reason Notre Dame will be staying home this Christmas. The Fighting Irish have a lot of pride, and going to a place like Toronto for a bowl would be, in their minds, beneath the prestige of their program. They're unwilling to admit that their program hasn't been among the top 25 in the nation for over a decade. Open your eyes, Irish - your decision to stubbornly remain independent in a world of conferences has hurt you much more than you realize. If the Irish were smart, they'd find an up-and-coming coach (not a huge name), and make a beeline to join the Big Ten as soon as possible. No matter how much they think they can sustain themselves at a high level while being independent, it's not going to happen. They may have a good year here and there, but they need a conference as much as the Big Ten needs them. It probably won't happen, but it should.

After a fairly dull season, these last 2 weeks have more than made up for it. Not in the way of BCS-destroying upsets, but in the way of immensely entertaining games and chaotic, wild finishes. There were more than a dozen memorable games that went down to the very end, many having a direct affect on the BCS bowl structure. Not much changed in the way of the final outcome, but wow, was it fun to watch on the way there. College football lived up to the hype these last 2 weeks. Should be a great bowl season (although I still have a hard time looking at bowls as anything more than meaningless exhibitions, save one).

BCS Bowl forecast:

National Championship: Alabama v. Texas

Rose: Oregon v. Ohio State

Sugar: Florida v. Boise State

Fiesta: TCU v. Cincinnati

Orange: Georgia Tech v. Penn State

Heisman top 5 forecast:

1) Mark Ingram

2) Colt McCoy

3) Toby Gerhart

4) Ndamukong Suh

5) Tim Tebow

Next week: a week off from predicting to review the regular season through a list of superlatives.

Week 14: Championship Week

Most visitors to the Grand Canyon approach the chasm from Flagstaff, to the south, via U.S. route 180. A drive on that road is a strange one. It's a pretty boring trip - the scenery isn't much to look at in the hour or two before you arrive at Grand Canyon National Park - but as you travel it there is a palpable sensation growing in your gut that something amazing is coming. And that it's very odd that there are no signs of it yet. Just flat, boring desert scenery. Then, you arrive at the canyon and you can't believe that this massive gulch seems to just appear in the ground, out of nowhere, with virtually no warning. The only reason you would know it's there before you get within a quarter-mile of it is because the map, the signs, and the National Park Service tell you it's there. When you're driving that lonely road, it becomes difficult to believe.

That scenario describes what could come about this college football season. So far, it's been a pretty flat, boring two-lane highway through the desert. Nothing much to look at, a few interesting happenings and small surprises along the way. But, if you've been a fan of college football for long enough, you have a palpable sense of something large and seismic about to happen. Like the Grand Canyon appearing out of nowhere, shocking you and causing you to stare in amazement and say "Wow!" There have been very little in the way of signs to say that it will happen, but chances are it will. It's just the way college football is, and those who follow it closely know that. This past weekend could have been the arrival at the national park gate - some distant glimpses of an amazing sight beyond - and this weekend could be our arrival at the canyon's edge.

The reason being that this championship weekend has more conference championships on the line than any before it. Five of the six BCS conferences will decide their champion in winner-take-all games: the three with formal championship games, plus de facto championship games in Eugene, Oregon and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There is great uncertainty in who will play in the BCS games, and by reciprocation any of the bowl games. There is the very real possibility that TCU, from the Mountain West conference, could occupy a spot in the national title game after it's all said and done. Will we step back on Saturday night and exclaim, "Wow!", or will the long flat road continue? Only time will tell. Here's one man's prediction on what will happen.

1. SEC Championship: Florida vs. Alabama

I can't ever remember a game being this inevitable from so early in the season. By early October you just knew an undefeated Florida would play an undefeated Alabama for the SEC title. And now it's finally here. There are probably tons that could be said about this one, but for me it comes down to Tebow. He's such an intense competitor and incredible leader that I can't see Florida losing this game while he's at the helm. The loss of Carlos Dunlap (suspended for a DUI arrest - moronic move) will hurt, but even without him Florida's defense ought to be able to contain what can be a sluggish Bama offense. Mark Ingram's 32-yard lemon at Auburn ought to be a concern for Crimson Tide fans. Greg McElroy cannot carry his team to victory against the Florida defense, or in a duel with Tim Tebow. And while it will be difficult, I do expect Tebow to find ways to move the ball and score on Alabama's top-flight defense. It will be hard-hitting, intense, and memorable, but in the end last year's result will be repeated.

Florida 24, Alabama 16

2. Big 12 Championship: Texas vs. Nebraska

Nebraska may be able to slow down the white-hot Texas offense, but the Huskers are ranked 92nd in the country in total offense. Not a good number when you're facing a very good Texas defense. Even if Nebraska manages to keep McCoy and the Longhorns under 30, they'll still face an uphill battle. I think this could get out of hand early.

Texas 38, Nebraska 13

3. ACC Championship: Georgia Tech vs. Clemson

Any sheen or luster on this game tarnished quickly last Saturday, as the SEC asserted itself quite rudely against the ACC's best offering. But a conference champion will still be crowned and a BCS bowl berth given out. Clemson came back from 21 down at Georgia Tech earlier this year, only to fall by a field goal late. The Tigers are better team than when they played that game, and I'm not sure Georgia Tech is. The Yellow Jackets couldn't keep the Georgia running attack off the field last week, and C.J. Spiller is more talented than any back the Bulldogs had. Clemson pulls the upset and makes me look like a genius with my preseason pick of them to win the ACC.

Clemson 31, Georgia Tech 27

4. Oregon State at Oregon

It's safe to say that this is the biggest Civil War game ever. Never before have the two Oregon schools met with a Pac Ten title on the line. Maybe the country will take notice of one of the most underrated rivalries in college football. It's Auburn-Alabama lite. I've said all year that Oregon is the class of the Pac Ten, and in spite of the yearly rise of Oregon State from mediocrity to the top third of the Pac Ten, the Ducks are my pick. Home field advantage and a brutal running attack will be too much for the less-talented Beavers.

Oregon 35, Oregon State 24

5. Cincinnati at Pittsburgh

Cincinnati's last 3 results: 47-45 win over UConn, 24-21 win over WVU, 49-36 win over Illinois. All at home. Those do not look like the results of an undefeated conference winner. They look like the results of a team that peaked too early. Cincy's schedule is soft, with two current ranked teams on the slate: Oregon State and West Virginia. This is definitely their toughest test of the year, and they're not playing at the same level they once were. Their offense is still very productive and hard to stop, but the defense seems to have become the inexperienced, untested bunch everyone thought it would be when the season began. If it becomes a shootout, Pitt can keep up - their offense is balanced and will use lots of clock, and Cincy will struggle to stop them.

Pittsburgh 31, Cincinnati 28

6. C-USA Championship: Houston at East Carolina

The major conferences aren't the only ones with championships to decide this weekend. Houston and their fast break offense rolls into Greenville, NC, in what amounts to be a road game. Tough break. Houston may have put up some silly numbers all year, but they've been more than shaky on defense and have had several too-close-for-comfort games. Their record of 10-2 isn't a true reflection of how good they are. Patrick Pinkney and East Carolina can and will score, and will pull a minor upset.

East Carolina 38, Houston 35

7. MAC Championship: Ohio vs. Central Michigan

Tim Tebow light, Dan LeFevour, is more experienced and talented than anyone on Ohio's roster. He'll power the Chippewas to the conference title.

Central Michigan 30, Ohio 20

8. West Virginia at Rutgers

Rutgers has been an odd team this year. Their non-conference schedule is abysmal and gives you nothing to evaluate them by. They blew out South Florida, got blown out by Syracuse, and gave Pitt all they could handle. They're clearly better at home than away. All marks of youth and inexperience. But they are at home this week, and that could be trouble for West Virginia. WVU has played pretty much to the level of their competition, and could be due to stumble after last week's win. Things often change drastically from week to week in college football, and just because the Mountaineers put up an inspired effort to beat Pitt doesn't mean they'll put forth the same effort at Rutgers.

Rutgers 24, West Virginia 23

9. Arizona at USC

ESPN's Pat Forde noted that USC's offensive and defensive units both rank in the 40's nationally. Very un-Trojanlike. What that tells me is that the Trojans maybe aren't as good as their record indicates. And Arizona always plays USC tough. An Arizona upset means that USC is staring at the Emerald Bowl.

Arizona 27, USC 20

10. California at Washington

The Golden Bears put a nice bow on their turnaround - they were crushed by both USC and Oregon, then fell flat on their faces at home against Oregon State a few weeks later. Since that loss they've beaten two excellent teams, Arizona and Stanford.

California 28, Washington 13

11. South Florida at Connecticut

One gets the sense that UConn's win at Notre Dame was the breaking of a glass ceiling. They proceeded to stamp 56 on Syracuse a week later and seem to have ended their season-long habit of losing close games. They win a close one this time, and honor the memory of Jasper Howard with a home win to close out the season.

Connecticut 23, South Florida 17

12. New Mexico State at Boise State

The punctuated slate of games means I'm left picking such games as these. An upset here is about as likely as Tiger Woods inexplicably crashing his car into a fire hydrant and a tree while pulling out of his own driveway at 2:30am. Oh wait...

Boise State 59, New Mexico State 21

13. Wisconsin at Hawaii

The first of a pair of Big Ten vs. WAC showdowns. The Big Ten gets the nod in this one, not so sure about the next.

Wisconsin 33, Hawaii 20

14. Fresno State at Illinois

Fresno State loves to go on the road and beat big name programs, and they've already come close twice this year, losing in OT at Wisconsin and narrowly missing a big upset at Cincinnati. Because Pat Hill and his gang relish these opportunities, they'll be far more ready for this game than Illinois, in spite of the early (9:30am Pacific Time) kickoff. Illinois just wants the season to be over.

Fresno State 24, Illinois 17

15. Florida Atlantic at Florida International

My once a year Sun Belt conference game pick, which happens on this weekend of the season every year. Trust me, it's out of necessity only - I know nothing of the Sun Belt hierarchy. Florida International is at home and I like picking home teams. They have made some slow improvement over the past few years too, they once were the worst team in Division 1-A. And Isiah Thomas is their head basketball coach, that's got to count for something, right? Maybe a successful extra point?

Florida International 21, Florida Atlantic 20

Next: a Saturday evening visit to the Grand Canyon