Joseph D'Amico

Late December: The Best Time for Bowling! by Jim Feist

As 2012 draws to a close, we find ourselves smack in the middle of the bowls. You shouldn’t be bowled-out, either, as the bowls slowly build to the crescendo that is the Alabama/Notre Dame showdown.

Poinsettia Bowl (Thurs, Dec. 20): The Poinsettia Bowl pits San Diego State’s powerful rushing offense, averaging 229 yards per game, against a BYU defense allowing just 14.7 points per game (5th in the nation). The Cougars (7-5) have balance on offense behind senior QB James Lark (8 TDs, 0 INTs) and freshman RB Jamaal Williams (744 yards). Lark didn’t play much until the regular season finale when he threw 6 TDs against New Mexico State. They lost three games to ranked teams, including a 17-14 defeat to national championship participant Notre Dame. Four of the Cougars’ five losses were by six points or fewer. BYU is 11-2 under the total against a team with a winning record. The Aztecs (9-3) finished the regular season on a seven-game winning streak to share the conference title with Boise State and Fresno State. SDSU has an incredible backfield punch of sophomore Adam Muema (1,355 yds) and senior Walter Kazee (822), but their defense allowed over 37 points four times. San Diego State is just two years removed from its last Poinsettia Bowl appearance, a 45-17 victory over Navy in 2010. The Cougars are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 bowl games.

St. Petersburg Bowl (Fri., Dec. 21): Central Florida (9-4) claimed its fourth Conference USA East Division title since joining the league in 2005. The offense is potent averaging 35.2 points with sophomore QB Blake Bortles (22 TDs, 7 INTs) and senior RB Latavius Murray (1,035 yds, 5.8 ypc). They impressed in a 31-16 loss to Ohio State with 352 yards, forcing 3 Buckeye turnovers (it was 17-10 at the half). The Knights are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 games following a loss. Their defense will get all it can handle against a Ball State (9-3) team that averages 35 points and over 214 yards rushing and passing behind junior QB Keith Wenning (22 TDs, 10 INTs) and power soph RB Jahwan Edwards (1,321 yds, 6.1 ypc). Its only losses came to then-No. 12 Clemson, BCS-bound Northern Illinois and No. 25 Kent State. The defense allows 31.5 ppg. The Cardinals are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 non-conference games, but are 0-6-1 straight up in bowl games and in their first since 2008.

Las Vegas Bowl (Sat, Dec. 22): Boise State (10-2) makes it third straight trip to this bowl game, and fourth trip in three years to Sam Boyd stadium in Las Vegas. Boise lost the opener to Michigan State (17-13) but has won 10 of 11 since with one of the top defenses in the nation allowing 14.9 points (6th). The offense averages 30.4 points behind junior QB Joe Southwick (17 TDs, 7 INTs) and senior RB D.J. Harper (1,065 yds). The Broncos are 4-0 ATS in their last four bowl games, 10-4-1 under the total in non-conference games. Washington (7-5) didn’t have the explosive offense many expected behind junior QB Keith Price (18 TDs, 11 INTs), averaging just 23.8 ppg, but an improved defense (23.8 ppg allowed) with a new DC. The Huskies are 15-6-1 ATS in their last 22 games on fieldturf. The high point of the season came when it defeated Pac-12 champion Stanford 17-14 at home. But the last game was a stunning 31-28 loss to Washington State in the Apple Cup rivalry game as 14-point chalk, the lowlight of an uneven season. Boise State demolished Arizona State 56-24 in last year’s Las Vegas bowl.

Hawaii Bowl (Mon, Dec. 24): A pair of dynamite passing teams meet in Hawaii as SMU battles Fresno State. Fresno (9-3) brings a wide-open passing attack that is 12th in the nation averaging 40.3 points and 322.6 yards passing behind junior QB Derek Carr (36 TDs, 5 INTs). Yes, he David Carr’s brother, who also went to Fresno. Throw in RB Robbie House (1,468 yards, 5.5 ypc) and this offense is potent, while the defense allows 22.3 ppg. The Bulldogs are on a 13-3 ATS run and 20-8 ATS on fieldturf. SMU (6-6) also knows something about throwing the pigskin for Coach June Jones averaging 29.5 points and 237.3 yards passing, led by junior QB Garrett Gilbert (14 TDs, 13 INTs) and senior RB Zach Line (1,207 yds). Gilbert played as a freshman with Texas in the national title game against Alabama three years ago. The Mustangs were 1-4 on the road, getting beat by 22, 25 and 35 points, along with an ugly 27-26 loss at Tulane as 18-point chalk.

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