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SPECIAL REPORT…UPDATED LOOK AT THE BOWLS by The Gold Sheet’s Bruce Marshall
It’s not too early to begin talking about the bowl games, the subject of which will become more pronounced with each successive week.
There are a few recent developments which figure to reverberate into the postseason. In particular, a few conferences, including the Pac-12, figure to be unable to fill their allotment of postseason slots with bowl-eligible teams. There’s also the matter of the service academies, specifically Army and Navy, neither of which appears on course to secure respective slots in the Kraft Fight Hunger (West Point) or Military (Annapolis) bowl slots. The possibility thus arises that stray Mid-American and Sun Belt entries could be filling those open bowl slots. Are you ready for Eastern Michigan performing at a bowl near you?
We’ll be updating this list periodically through November both here in Extra Points as well as on our website at www.goldsheet.com. And, of course, we reserve the right to change any of these forecasts as we go along. But for now, here’s our best postseason projections.
NEW MEXICO (Dec. 17 at Albuquerque, Mountain West vs. Pac-12): Wyoming vs. Eastern Michigan…Here is one of those spots where the Pac-12 might not be able to fill its allotment of bowl berths. At the moment, we’re not convinced any among Cal, Washington State, or UCLA can get the required six wins for postseason eligibility. We’re not sure about Wyoming from the Mountain West , either, especially since the Cowboys need seven wins to qualifty because of a pair of triumphs over FCS opposition (Weber State and Texas State). But last week’s win at San Diego State, and games upcoming with wretched new Mexico and sagging Colorado State, make us believe Wyo gets to 7 wins. This could be the spot where the EMU Eagles land in the postseason for the first time since 1987.
FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO (Dec. 17 at Boise, MAC vs. WAC): La Tech vs. Ohio…The WAC might also have trouble filling its bowl slots, especially since Fresno needs 7 wins to get eligible (it plays 13 games this season). Which is why we suspect Sonny Dykes’ La Tech, which could be a candidate for a switch to another bowl, gets the call from the Potato Bowl to oppose Frank Solich’s Ohio U.
NEW ORLEANS (Dec. 17 at New Orleans, Sun Belt vs. CUSA): ULL vs. East Carolina…The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns have been a surprise for new HC Mark Hudspeth and would be a popular pick for the nearby Superdome date. Ruffin McNeill’s ECU needs to split its last four games tro get bowl-eligible.
BEEF O’BRADY’S ST. PETERSBURG (Dec. 20 at St. Pete, Big East vs. CUSA): South Florida vs. UCF…Might as well make this a regional affair to help the gate at The Trop, featuring two nearby entries that have disappointed in the last month and will be competing against one another soon enough in the Big East.
POINSETTIA (Dec. 21 at San Diego, WAC vs. Mountain West): Nevada vs. San Diego State…Nevada appears on its way to the WAC crown and would not mind the trip to San Diego as a reward. The hometown Aztecs help the draw at Qualcomm Stadium.
MAACO LAS VEGAS (Dec. 22 at Las Vegas, Mountain West vs. Pac-12): TCU vs. Utah…Before TCU leaves for the Big XII, it gets a reminder of its days in the Mountain West in what could also be a trip down memory lane for Utah, now campaigning in the Pac-12.
SHERATON HAWAII (Dec. 24 at Honolulu, WAC vs. CUSA): Hawaii vs. SMU…Perhaps one of the more-colorful bowl matchups if SMU HC June Jones returns to his old haunt in Honolulu for a date vs. his former employer Hawaii. This would be a very tough ticket at Aloha Stadium.
INDEPENDENCE (Dec. 26 at Shreveport, ACC vs. Mountain West): Virginia vs. Arkansas State…Virginia gets bowl-eligible with two more wins which could come in upcoming games vs. Maryland and Duke. We’re predicting a horse-trade of sorts with the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco involving Mountain West Air Force to fill at-large spot in that game for Sun Belt Arkansas State.
LITTLE CAESAR’S (Dec. 27 at Detroit, MAC vs. Big Ten): Toledo vs. Iowa…The Hawkeyes have slipped way down the Big Ten bowl ladder thanks to last week’s loss at Minnesota and might not do better than the pizza bowl in Detroit. Nearby Toledo from the MAC would also be well-supported at Ford Field.
BELK CHARLOTTE (Dec. 27 at Charlotte, ACC vs. Big East): Wake Forest vs. West Virginia…This one used to be known as the Meineke, which has switched allegiance (more on that in a moment). We noted last year how much the Big East bowl assignments drop after the BCS slot; this might be the most-desirable of the available lot for WVU if it doesn’t win the league. Meanwhile, we think Jim Grobe can steer Wake to six wins and a postseason return.
MILITARY (Dec. 28 at Washington, D.C, ACC vs. Navy): NC State vs. Northern Illinois…Navy’s spot in this bowl is in real jeopardy unless the Mids can sweep their last four games. Otherwise, this game at RFK Stadium likely has to seek a MAC foe to face one of the available ACC bowl-eligibles, perhaps NC State, which needs wins in three of its last four to qualify.
HOLIDAY (Dec. 28 at San Diego, Big XII vs. Pac-12): Texas A&M vs. Oregon…Oregon risks missing out on the BCS entirely if it can’t beat Stanford on November 12 at Palo Alto, and likely ends up in San Diego if it doesn’t. A&M’s BCS hopes were dashed several weeks ago.
CHAMPS SPORTS (Dec. 29 at Orlando, ACC vs. Big East): Florida State vs. Notre Dame…FSU’s BCS hopes are minimal, although the Noles are playing better lately. Notre Dame is also out of the BCS mix but uses its Big East connections to land this spot in Orlando.
ALAMO (Dec. 29 at San Antonio, Big XII vs. Pac-12): Kansas State vs. Arizona State…Likely Pac-12 South winner ASU is still hoping it can sneak into the BCS, but ti would have to upset Stanford or Oregon on the road in the conference title game to do so. K-State’s BCS hopes are also likely dashed after last week’s loss to Oklahoma.
ARMED FORCES (Dec. 30 at Dallas, BYU vs. CUSA): BYU vs. Tulsa…BYU’s new nomadic existence as an independent will have the Cougs rotating among several lower-tier bowls in upcoming years. Are they sure they don’t want to join some league? Tulsa’s season has gotten back on course after a brutal September slate (Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Boise State…whew!).
YANKEE PINSTRIPE (Dec. 30 at Bronx, NY, Big East vs. Big XII): Rutgers vs. Missouri…Rutgers needs only one more win for bowl eligibility and would be a rather popular regional choice for the short trip to the Bronx. Curious New Yorkers can also get a look at this Missouri team causing all of the fuss in the Big XII and SEC.
MUSIC CITY (Dec. 30 at Nashville, SEC vs. ACC): Mississippi State vs. Miami-Florida…Provided MSU can win the Egg Bowl vs. Ole Miss on Nov. 26, it should get the six wins needed for eligibility. Miami’s postseason star has faded after last week’s loss to Virginia.
INSIGHT (Dec. 30 at Tempe, Big Ten vs. Big XII): Illinois vs. Baylor…The Illini had bigger and better bowl dates in mind until the recent 3-game losing streak. Baylor might not like the idea of a rematch vs. the Illini, which rolled over the Bears 38-14 in the Texas Bowl last December.
MEINEKE CAR CARE TEXAS (Dec. 31 at Houston, Big XII vs. Big Ten): Texas Tech vs. Penn State…Note that Meineke has switched allegiance from Charlotte to Houston for this year’s bowl sponsorship. We suspect Penn State is about to hit a few road bumps and close its season on a losing streak, reducing it to this date in Houston. Will Joe Paterno’s coaching career end in Texas? Bipolar Texas Tech needs one more win vs. a tricky November slate to get bowl eligible.
SUN (Dec. 31 at El Paso, ACC vs. Pac-12): Clemson vs. Washington…Of course, at this moment, Clemson folks think the Tigers are BCS-bound, but we think this is a more-likely destination in El Paso. U-Dub’s longshot hopes in the Pac-12 North were ended Oct. 22 at Stanford, but the Huskies can still earn this nice assignment in El Paso.
LIBERTY (Dec. 31 at Memphis, CUSA vs. SEC): Southern Miss vs. Vanderbilt…The likely CUSA title game between Houston and USM could be a very good one; if the Cougs win and finish unbeaten, they have a chance at a BCS at-large. In which case the Golden Eagles slot into Memphis to face James Franklin’s surprising Vandy, which appears capable of two more wins needed for eligibility.
KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER (Dec. 31 at San Francisco, Army vs. Pac-12): Air Force vs. Syracuse…Since we are unsure if Army or an 8th Pac-12 team become bowl-eligible, expect Air Force to take the military slot in a deal with the Mountain West’s spot in the Independence Bowl. Syracuse could be tempted with a trip to San Francisco to fill the opening created by the Pac-12.
CHICK-FIL-A (Dec. 31 at Atlanta, ACC vs. SEC): Georgia Tech vs. Florida…The Jackets would be a popular local pick at the Georgia Dome, with the GT campus only about ten minutes away. Atlanta is also within easy reach of Gainesville and countless Florida fans.
TICKETCITY (Jan. 2 at Dallas, CUSA vs. Big Ten): UTEP vs. Ohio State…Maybe not what Ohio State has in mind for a bowl game this season, but a 4 or 5-loss Buckeyes squad might not warrant much better. UTEP could fill CUSA’s spot in Dallas.
OUTBACK (Jan. 2 at Tampa, Big Ten vs. SEC): Michigan State vs. South Carolina…MSU’s Legends Division hopes in the Big Ten took a real hit at Nebraska last week. likely sending the Spartans to one of these New Year’s games in Florida. Which is where Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina is also likely to land.
CAPITAL ONE (Jan. 2 at Orlando: Big Ten vs. SEC): Georgia vs. Nebraska…Each still has a shot at the BCS by winning respective conference title games, but we think Orlando or Tampa on New Year’s is more likely. Rematch of the 1969 Sun Bowl, won by Nebraska 45-6.
GATOR (Jan. 2 at Jacksonville, Big Ten vs. SEC): Wisconsin vs. Auburn…Two weeks ago, Wisconsin was dreaming of the BCS. But a pair of gut-wrenching last-second losses likely has the Badgers bound for somewhere in Florida on new Year’s Day instead. Auburn also likely to land in the Sunshine State on New Year’s with nowhere else to go thanks to the top-heavy SEC West. By the way, we like the new sponsor name for this one…Taxslayer.com.
ROSE (Jan. 2 at Pasadena, BCS vs. BCS): Boise State vs. Michigan…This would be a nice consolation prize for Boise should it stay undefeated yet miss out on the BCS title game. Brady Hoke’s exciting Michigan is re-positioned to claim the Big Ten crown after recent developments in the league.
FIESTA (Jan. 2 at Glendale, AZ, BCS vs. BCS): Oklahoma vs. Houston…Here’s our answer to the question if we think Houston qualifies for the BCS if it stays unbeaten. Oklahoma is going to need Stanford to lose to have a shot at the BCS title game.
SUGAR (Jan. 3 at New Orleans, BCS vs. BCS): Oklahoma State vs. LSU…If LSU loses at Alabama there will be cries for a BCS title rematch, but it won’t happen if Stanford or Oklahoma State stay unbeaten. Otherwise, maybe. This assignment suggests we believe OSU stumbles in the “Bedlam” regular-season finale vs. Oklahoma.
ORANGE (Jan. 4 at Miami, BCS vs. BCS): Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati…The Orange is left with an ACC-Big East match this year and what would be a rematch of the Jan. 1, 2009 Orange Bowl when Brian Kelly was still coaching the Bearcats. A feather in Butch Jones’ cap to get Cincy to its third BCS date in four years.
COTTON (Jan. 6 at Arlington, TX, Big XII vs. SEC): Texas vs. Arkansas…This rivalry always stirs the emtoions as it recalls the bygone era of the Southwest Conference and of course the unforgetable 1 vs. 2 showdown at Fayetteville in 1969. Ask Joe Paterno if he recalls that one.
BBVA Compass (Jan. 6 at Birmingham, Big East vs. SEC): Louisville vs. Tennessee…Louisville is no guarantee to get bowl-eligible, although we think the Cards can find two more wins in their schedule. The SEC might not be able to fill this slot unless Tennessee can win three of its last four games, otherwise perhaps a MAC (Western Michigan?) or Sun Belt entry might earn an invitation.
GODADDY.COM (Jan. 8 at Mobile, Sun Belt vs. MAC): FIU vs. Temple… This would actually be a decent matchup, although most guys will tune in for all of the commercials featuring GoDaddy girls Danica Patrick and Jillian Michaels, plus, if rumor is correct, US soccer goalie and DWTS flame Hope Solo.
BCS TITLE GAME (Jan. 9 at New Orleans, BCS vs. BCS): Alabama vs. Stanford…By our current reckoning, these are going to be the two biggest names remaining undefeated when it comes time to announce this matchup. Unless there’s an upset in the SEC title game, in which all bets are then called off.
Bruce Marshall’s FREE NCAAF articles can be found right here at www.aasiwins.com. Visit www.aasiwins.com for all your FREE NCAAF winners, news, articles, and updates.
