SB Nation - Troy Trojans

Fortune Teller: 2009 Bowl Predictions (Part 1)

Brian @ BCI — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:16:14 -0000

For the third straight year, we preview the upcoming college football postseason. Here are our picks for bowls 1-17, which takes you from the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque to El Paso, Texas for the Sun Bowl.

Leave your thoughts on any of the first 17 matchups below.

New Mexico (December 19)

Matchup: Fresno State (8-4) vs. Wyoming (6-6)
The Line: Fresno State -11.5

The Lead: Wyoming makes only its second trip to a bowl this decade while Fresno State makes its 9th bowl appearance in the last 10 years. Fresno State returns to New Mexico for the second straight year (losing to Colorado State 40-35 last year).

Brian Pick: Fresno State -11.5
Jeff Pick: Wyoming +11.5

St. Petersburg presented by Beef ‘O’ Brady’s (December 19)

Matchup: UCF (8-4) vs. Rutgers (8-4)
The Line: Rutgers -2.5

The Lead: Rutgers just making a bowl game game is no longer exciting for their players and fans who had higher hopes coming into this season than to finish 3-4 in the Big East. UCF meanwhile will be playing less than three hours from their campus and should be thrilled to be there.

Jeff Pick: UCF +2.5
Brian Pick: Rutgers -2.5

R + L Carrier New Orleans (December 20)

Matchup: Southern Miss (7-5) vs. Middle Tennessee (9-3)
The Line: Southern Miss -3.5

The Lead: Southern Miss returns to the New Orleans Bowl for the second straight year. Last year, Southern Miss blocked a field goal in overtime to defeat Troy 30-27 in one of the more entertaining 2008 bowl games. Middle Tennessee State is one of the hottest teams in the country, having won 6 straight and reaching the 9 win plateau for the first time since joining Division I-A in 1999. Southern Miss has a perfect 3-0 record in the New Orleans Bowl.

Brian Pick: Southern Miss -3.5
Jeff Pick: Southern Miss -3.5

MAACO Las Vegas (December 22)

Matchup: Oregon State (8-4) vs. BYU (10-2)
The Line: Oregon State -2.5

The Lead: BYU was on top of the world after beating Oklahoma to start the season. Oregon State was on top of the college football world in the final Thursday night of the season when playing Oregon for the Pac-10 title. Things didn't work out as either team had hoped from those points on though and they both fell to the pre-Christmas Las Vegas Bowl. Oregon State has plenty to prove though as they attempt to beat BYU, TCU and Boise State in the next 11 months and serve as the non-BCS school killer.

Jeff Pick: Oregon State -2.5
Brian Pick: Oregon State -2.5

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia (December 23)

Matchup: Utah (9-3) vs. California (8-4)
The Line: California -3

The Lead: With BC losing to Vanderbilt last season, Utah now owns the longest active winning streak in bowl games, having won their last 8 games including last year’s Sugar Bowl over Alabama. Cal is riding a seven game streak for bowl apperances, the longest in school history.

Brian Pick: Utah +3
Jeff Pick: Utah +3

Sheraton Hawaii (December 24)

Matchup: Nevada (8-4) vs. SMU (7-5)
The Line: Nevada -15

The Lead: This game features a very good WAC team against a very good C-USA team but does that mean that they are actually good teams? It's tough to say. Neither team has a very impressive win this season and both seemed to lose all their games when they had opportunities to prove themselves. Will anyone watch the Christmas Eve game in Hawaii? Other than Brian?

Jeff Pick: SMU +15
Brian Pick: Nevada -15

Little Caesars (December 26)

Matchup: Marshall (6-6) vs. Ohio (9-4)
The Line: Ohio -2.5

The Lead: This game renews a rivalry game between the two schools located only 80 miles apart. Ohio and Marshall used to compete in the Battle for the Bell which is set to be renewed in 2010. Ohio leads the all-time series 29-17-6, however Marshall has won 8 of the last 10 matchups between the two geographic neighbors.

Brian Pick: Ohio -2.5
Jeff Pick: Ohio -2.5

Meineke Car Care (December 26)

Matchup: Pittsburgh (9-3) vs. North Carolina (8-4)
The Line: Pittsburgh -3

The Lead: What a disappointing finish to the season for Pittsburgh. Pitt lost to their backyard brawl rival West Virginia before losing to Cincinnati in a de-facto Big East Championship game. The Panthers led the entire game against Cincinnati but could not finish so now instead of the Orange Bowl they get a trip to Charlotte to play North Carolina in a "road" bowl game. Good luck getting your team fired up for this one, Dave!

Jeff Pick: North Carolina +3
Brian Pick: Pittsburgh -3

Emerald (December 26)

Matchup: Boston College (8-4) vs. USC (8-4)
The Line: USC -9

The Lead: The 8-4 Eagles travel to San Francisco for the second time this decade to take on the 8-4 USC Trojans. This is the first time in seven years that USC hasn’t played in a BCS bowl game (5 Rose Bowls, 2 Orange Bowls). Good news for the Eagles is the last time Pete Carroll found himself in a non-BCS bowl game, the Trojans lost 10-6 to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. You don't think we would pick against BC now, do you?

Brian Pick: Boston College +9
Jeff Pick: Boston College +9

Gaylor Hotels Music City (December 27)

Matchup: Kentucky (7-5) vs. Clemson (8-5)
The Line: Clemson -7.5

The Lead: If Boston College's 2008 performance in the Music City Bowl is any indication of how Clemson might play this year after the disappointing ACC Championship Game, it's is going to be tough to watch for Tiger fans. But after losing to South Carolina, the ACC really doesn't need Clemson, or any of its top programs, to lose to mediocre SEC teams. Clemson ticket sales for the bowl have been soft but hopefully Dabo can rally this team to victory.

Jeff Pick: Kentucky +7.5
Brian Pick: Clemson -7.5

AdvoCare V100 Independence (December 28)

Matchup: Texas A&M (6-6) vs. Georgia (7-5)
The Line: Georgia -7

The Lead: Georgia wraps up an otherwise disappointing, up-and-down season in Shreveport, Louisiana. For every quality win for UGA, there seemed to be an equally puzzling loss this year. Defeat Arkansas, get crushed at Tennessee. Defeat Auburn, lose to Kentucky at home, come back and defeat in-state rival Georgia Tech. Texas A&M has had a similar up-and-down season, but seemingly backed into the postseason having lost 3 of their last 4 games.

Brian Pick: Georgia -7
Jeff Pick: Georgia -7

EagleBank (December 29)

Matchup: UCLA (6-6) vs. Temple (9-3)
The Line: UCLA -4

The Lead: UCLA had to wait to see the result of the Army-Navy game before getting officially invited to this bowl game. In the bowl's second season, I don't imagine that their will be much hype this year compared to last year's geographically favorable matchup of Wake Forest vs. Navy. Look for Temple to surprise some people and possibly knock off a BCS school in this one.

Jeff Pick: Temple +4
Brian Pick: Temple +4

Champs Sports (December 29)

Matchup: Miami (Fla.) (9-3) vs. Wisconsin (9-3)
The Line: Miami -3

The Lead: This year’s Champs Sports Bowl is a matchup of 9-3 ranked teams. Both teams are coming off strong finishes, each winning 4 of their final 5 games. Wisconsin finished the season with a 51-10 drubbing of Hawaii on the road, while Miami took care of USF 31-10. Miami is 2-0 all-time in the Champs Sports Bowl. Wisconsin played in Orlando last season, losing to Florida State 42-13. This is the last year the Big 10 will be represented in this bowl as the Big East will send a team to face an ACC opponent starting next season.

Brian Pick: Miami -3
Jeff Pick: Miami -3

Roady’s Humanitarian (December 30)

Matchup: Bowling Green (8-5) vs. Idaho (7-5)
The Line: Idaho +1.5

The Lead: Another game that might set an attendance record this season but not the kind of record that you want to be setting if you are putting this bowl together. Boise fans might already be on their way to the Fiesta Bowl so even getting a few locals to come out for this game will be difficult. Bowling Green has a pretty good WR, and Idaho plays home games in a dome. That's all I have for this one.

Jeff Pick: Bowling Green -1.5
Brian Pick: Idaho +1.5

Pacific Life Holiday (December 30)

Matchup: Arizona (8-4) vs. Nebraska (9-4)
The Line: Arizona -1.5

The Lead: Arizona - having defeated the Trojans 21-17 to move to 6-3 in conference - will represent the Pac-10 as its #2 team in the Holiday Bowl. Nebraska won the Big 12 North, finishing the season at 9-4, 6-2 in conference. The Cornhuskers are coming off a heartbreaking 13-12 loss to Texas in the Big 12 Championship Game.

Brian Pick: Arizona -1.5
Jeff Pick: Nebraska +1.5

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces (December 31)

Matchup: Houston (10-3) vs. Air Force (7-5)
The Line: Houston -4.5

The Lead: The mighty Houston Cougars who knocked off Oklahoma State at home are only 4.5 point favorites against Air Force? Oh right, we later found out that Oklahoma State was not nearly as good as anyone thought the would be and failed to make a push for a BCS bowl by nearly losing to Colorado and then getting destroyed by Oklahoma to end the season. Air Force had another nice season but only managed a 1-5 record against bowl bound teams this season.

Jeff Pick: Air Force +4.5
Brian Pick: Houston -4.5

Brut Sun (December 31)

Matchup: Oklahoma (7-5) vs. Stanford (8-4)
The Line: Oklahoma -8

The Lead: This should be an intriguing matchup between the unstoppable force (Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart and the 15th ranked Stanford Cardinal offense) and the immovable object (Oklahoma's 7th ranked defense). Oklahoma has had an otherwise disappointing season, that is, up until they put a 27-0 hurtin' on in-state rival Oklahoma State in Bedlam. Stanford may or may not be playing without the services of starting freshman quarterback Andrew Luck.

Brian Pick: Stanford +8
Jeff Pick: Oklahoma -8

If College Football Had a Playoff: #16 Troy @ #1 Alabama

Jeremy Mauss — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:00:25 -0000

by Dave Martin - AP

View full size photo »

So, starting each week day from now till the title game a 'What if Playoff' will occur here with readers voting on who should win the matchup.

Today's would be Sun Belt champion Troy @ Alabama. An upset is unlikely, but the way Troy plays against big time competition who knows how close this game would be. Yes, a playoff would feature home teams by the upper seed to give them an advantage for a better season. The bracket and stats on each team are listed below.

Just make sure to vote and the winner moves onto the next round. Voting is open for 24 hours, and look for these to be posted each day at 12 eastern time.

#16 Troy Stats

Passing

		Passing									Rushing					Sacks
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Sack	YdsL
Levi Brown	12	60.0	248	386	64.2	3264	272	8.5	19	5	46	19	1.6	.400	1	-	-
Dantavious Parker	9	50.0	10	19	52.6	87	9.7	4.6	0	0	28	154	17.1	5.5	2	-	-

Rushing

		Rushing					Receiving
	G	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD
Levi Brown	12	46	19	1.6	.400	1	0	0	0	0	0
Jason Bruce	10	2	11	1.1	5.5	0	20	260	26	13	2
Maurice Greer	10	34	244	24.4	7.2	3	6	59	5.9	9.8	0
DuJuan Harris	12	137	471	39.3	3.4	8	23	193	16.1	8.4	1
Josh Jarboe	8	2	9	1.1	4.5	0	14	236	29.5	16.9	1
Jerrel Jernigan	12	34	227	18.9	6.7	1	62	947	78.9	15.3	4
Nathan Nolin	2	1	9	4.5	9	0	0	0	0	0	0
Dantavious Parker	9	28	154	17.1	5.5	2	0	0	0	0	0
Chip Reeves	11	3	9	.800	3	0	22	363	33	16.5	3
Austin Silvoy	10	1	-15	-1.5	-15	0	13	182	18.2	14	0
Shawn Southward	12	100	574	47.8	5.7	10	10	94	7.8	9.4	0
D.J. Taylor	3	8	71	23.7	8.9	0	0	0	0	0	0

Receiving

		Receiving
	G	Rec	Yds	Y/G	AVG	TD
Travis Boyd	2	3	41	20.5	13.7	0
Jason Bruce	10	20	260	26	13	2
Jonathan Chandler	1	0	0	0	0	0
Patrick Cherry	11	20	260	23.6	13	1
Andrew Davis	8	13	149	18.6	11.5	2
Tebiarus Gill	11	44	553	50.3	12.6	6
Maurice Greer	10	6	59	5.9	9.8	0
DuJuan Harris	12	23	193	16.1	8.4	1
Josh Jarboe	8	14	236	29.5	16.9	1
Jerrel Jernigan	12	62	947	78.9	15.3	4
Zack Marcum	12	33	315	26.3	9.5	1
Chip Reeves	11	22	363	33	16.5	3
Austin Silvoy	10	13	182	18.2	14	0
Shawn Southward	12	10	94	7.8	9.4	0
Cornelius Williams	11	18	320	29.1	17.8	2

Kicking

		Field Goals								PAT
	G	0-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+	FGM	FGA	PCT	XPM	XPA	PCT	pts
Sam Glusman	5	-	-	-	-	-	7	9	80.0%	9	9	100.0%	30
Michael Taylor	8	-	-	-	-	-	9	10	90.0%	38	40	100.0%	65

#1 Alabama Stats

Passing

		Passing									Rushing					Sacks
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Sack	YdsL
Star Jackson	2	70.0	13	18	72.2	116	58	6.4	0	0	6	3	1.5	.500	0	-	-
Greg McElroy	13	93.0	192	315	61	2450	188.5	7.8	17	4	47	110	8.5	2.3	1	-	-

Rushing

		Rushing					Receiving
	G	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD
Demetrius Goode	3	16	108	36	6.8	0	0	0	0	0	0
Terry Grant	7	40	166	23.7	4.2	3	3	47	6.7	15.7	0
Mark Ingram	13	249	1542	118.6	6.2	15	30	322	24.8	10.7	3
Star Jackson	2	6	3	1.5	.500	0	0	0	0	0	0
Julio Jones	12	2	4	.300	2	0	42	573	47.8	13.6	4
Marquis Maze	10	4	7	.700	1.8	0	30	519	51.9	17.3	2
Greg McElroy	13	47	110	8.5	2.3	1	0	0	0	0	0
Trent Richardson	13	126	642	49.4	5.1	6	14	107	8.2	7.6	0
Roy Upchurch	10	46	290	29	6.3	2	12	72	7.2	6	1

Receiving

		Receiving
	G	Rec	Yds	Y/G	AVG	TD
Earl Alexander	3	4	52	17.3	13	0
Michael Bowman	1	1	7	7	7	0
Preston Dial	3	3	25	8.3	8.3	0
Brandon Gibson	2	2	25	12.5	12.5	0
Terry Grant	7	3	47	6.7	15.7	0
Darius Hanks	9	17	272	30.2	16	3
Mark Ingram	13	30	322	24.8	10.7	3
Julio Jones	12	42	573	47.8	13.6	4
Marquis Maze	10	30	519	51.9	17.3	2
Mike McCoy	3	10	149	49.7	14.9	1
Colin Peek	10	26	313	31.3	12	3
Trent Richardson	13	14	107	8.2	7.6	0
Brad Smelley	5	7	50	10	7.1	0
Roy Upchurch	10	12	72	7.2	6	1
Michael Williams	2	3	29	14.5	9.7	0

Kicking

		Field Goals								PAT
	G	0-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+	FGM	FGA	PCT	XPM	XPA	PCT	pts
Jeremy Shelley	1	-	-	-	-	-	0	1	0	1	1	100.0%	1
Leigh Tiffin	13	-	-	-	-	-	29	33	90.0%	39	42	90.0%	126

Poll

Who wins this matcup?

Ranking The 2009-2010 Bowls: Part 1

Mark Kieffer — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:10:59 -0000

Everyone and their grandma has been ranking the bowls......Except for me. So I figured that I should jump in on all the fun, and talk about the 2nd season of College Football: "Bowl Season".

Now, I am in the camp of those who think there are just way too many bowl games. I'm not going to lie. It takes quite a bit to get me hyped up for a bowl game. To be honest, almost every year I set out to try and watch every bowl game, and every year I end up watching a handful of bowls, but mostly college basketball.

This year, I'm not making any promises like that, especially when it's quite possible I'll be going down to Tempe for the bowl game. At the same time, I will make the effort of watching a handful of games, and I figured I would share my process of elimination with you, by doing a countdown of bowl games that I am looking forward to most.

In Part 1 of this three part series, I'm going to countdown the 14 bowls that I find the least exciting. I'd characterize this group by saying that I could watch some of these games, but I'm certainly not rearranging my life to watch them. I can safely say that if I somehow did not watch a single game from this group, I wouldn't be too disappointed.

#34: New Orleans Bowl (Southern Miss vs. Middle Tennessee State), 12/20/2009, 7:30pm CST, ESPN

I have absolutley no reason to get excited about this game at all. I thought Southern Miss would be a better team than they were, but they ended up being just another 7-5 midmajor. If you're hardcore, on paper these teams look pretty even in regards to scoring. It could be a close game. Accuscore has Southern Miss as a 54% favorite. Whatifsports.com has Southern Miss, just edging the victory as well. Fortunatley for me, the Vikings play the Panthers on that Sunday night, so I will be watching that as well.

#33: New Mexico Bowl (Fresno State vs. Wyoming), 12/19/2009, 3:30pm CST, ESPN

There have been years in the past, when I've flicked on the game, because it's the 1st one in the season, and it's been a bit of a novelty. Usually, I can't watch past the 1st quarter. This year, I will probably try and attempt the same thing, but will end up doing something else. Not a knock on Fresno State which is a decent team, but moreso on Wyoming. On paper, this has the makings of a blowout. With Fresno State, you have one of the best offenses in the nation, averaging 436 yards/game and about 34 points scored. With Wyoming, you have one of the worst offenses, averaging 298 yards/game, and about 17 points scored.

#32: Little Caesar's Bowl (Marshall vs. Ohio), 12/26/2009, Noon CST, ESPN

What ranks this game here as opposed to last, is probably the fact that Marshall has a new head coach from the regular season now. Since there is a "craziness" possibility to this game, I may watch the first few series.

#31: Hawaii Bowl (Nevada vs. SMU), 12/24/2009, 7pm CST, ESPN

The biggest thing this game has going for it, is that there is no College Basketball at all that night, no other College Football that night, and no NBA either. There is a Chargers vs. Titans game on the NFL Network, but that's it as far as sports go. People wanting their sports fix might be tuning into this one. Or maybe they will do something with their families on Christmas Eve (for those that celebrate it).

#30: GMAC Bowl (Central Michigan vs. Troy), 1/6/2010, 6pm CST, ESPN

This actually is a decent matchup among mid-majors. It really is. The biggest problem with this bowl is that it's sandwiched right between the Orange Bowl and the BCS Championship Game. I might watch some of it, as I wait for the Iowa State vs. Duke game, but that's about it.

#29: St. Petersburg Bowl (UCF vs. Rutgers), 12/19/2009, 7pm CST, ESPN

I know Rutgers is 8-4, but they went 3-4 in the Big East. Also, this is practically a homegame for UCF. Just not a lot about this game to sell me on.

#28: EagleBank Bowl (UCLA vs. Temple), 12/29/2009, 3:30pm CST, ESPN

Can't say much about this one, other than I'm probably not going to watch it.

#27: International Bowl (South Florida vs. Northern Illinois), 1/2/2010, 11am CST, ESPN2

I don't think I've ever watched the International Bowl and this matchup isn't really changing the chances of that happening for me.

#26: Armed Forces Bowl (Houston vs. Air Force), 12/31/2009, 11am CST, ESPN

The thick of the CUSA schedule exposed Houston as a paper tiger, it could be a close game. It is an interesting matchup in Houston has the best pass offense in the nation, while Air Force has the best pass defense in the nation. There's not enough there for me to take an interest, especially if I'm in Tempe getting ready for the Insight Bowl.

#25: Alamo Bowl (Michigan State vs. Texas Tech), 1/2/2010, 8pm CST, ESPN

Michigan State is a disappointment this year. I think many thought they had an outside shot to compete for the Big 10, and instead they finish 6-6. To add insult to injury, they also suspended 8 guys and kicked 2 off the team for some off the field drama. There's no reason why Texas Tech shouldn't roll this team by 21.

#24: Meineke Car Care Bowl (Pitt vs. UNC), 12/26/2009, 3:30pm CST, ESPN

On paper, Pitt should roll UNC. I just wonder how they will play coming off that disappointing loss to Cincy. It seems like when a team gets snubbed or loses a tough championship game like that, they don't come in ready to play.

UNC is just manic with their play. Some weeks they look great and beat Virginia Tech, while others they are losing to NC-State. Overall, I see the makings of a potentially sloppy game

#23: Humanitarian Bowl (Bowling Green vs. Idaho), 12/30/2009, 3:30pm CST, ESPN

Watch the weather forecast for this one. If it's a clear, calm day, it's going to be a shootout with my man Freddie Barnes tearing it up, and I'm going to want to watch it! If it's blizzard conditions, or just a day condusive to running the ball a lot, this bowl belongs in the #34-30 range.

#22: Music City Bowl (Kentucky vs. Clemson), 12/27/2009, 7:30pm CST, ESPN

C.J. Spiller is the reason to watch this game. If you haven't seen him play before this would be a good spot to see him as I have a feeling he'll have a big game in this one. Kentucky has a bad rush defense. That said, I see this as a Clemson romp, so I'm not exactly expecting a good game from this one.

#21: Papajohns.com Bowl (South Carolina vs. UConn), 1/2/2010, 1pm CST, ESPN

South Carolina really perplexes me. Spurrier is supposed to be this offensive genius, but South Carolina seems to have had sucky offenses since he took over. I'm rooting for UConn in this one. With everything they've gone through this season, how nice would it be to see the Huskies get a bowl victory?

In Part 2 of this series, I will count down the next tier of bowl games in terms of what I'm looking forward to. Look for that on Tuesday. In the meantime, feel free to join in on the conversation.

3rd Annual Rock M Nation Bowl Pick 'Em Contest

The Beef — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 04:00:18 -0000

UPDATE: BUMPED BACK TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE. PICKS ARE DUE AT NOON TOMORROW.

That's right loyal readers...the Bowl Pick 'Em Contest is back for its third season.

It is simple to participate. Simply reply to this thread with your picks. You will need to pick both against the spread, as well as the over/under, so you will have two picks per game. The spreads are LOCKED, so a movement in the line will not be taken into account. The spreads are courtesy of bookmaker.com because...well...that's the one I could find (and unless otherwise noted) They also represent where the lines were when they opened, which was a week ago (had to wait for Army/Navy to be played to determine Eagle Bowl and Texas Bowl line)

Our winner from last year is FSUncensored, who went 39-27 to win by three games over The Cool Alonzo and myself. All time, MU 1839 (our first winner) holds the best two-year record at 18 games over .500 (74-56). Of the "couples" category, The Beef and Tailgate Queen came out 3 game ahead of Bill C and Bill C's wife last year, tying their annual battle at 1-1. Overall, the contest generated a won-loss record of 1066-1244 for a not so good percentage of .461. Over the two years, we currently sit at 1711-1879 for a winning percentage of .477. Yes...I've kept track.

Picks are due by noon on Saturday, December 19th (since the first games are later that evening). Picks are lined up after the jump.

As for prizes...1st prize will get you the Rock M Nation T-shirt of your choice, unless RPT (who somehow is the keeper of the purse strings around here) decides we want to pony up some additional swag.

Anyway, we had a good time with this last year with 35 participants (up from 20 the first year) and somehow I am thinking we are going to have a FEW more than that :-) Come one, come all (and that certainly includes non-Rock M regulars...anyone from SB Nation is welcome to participate)...make me work hard at this. If you were here last season and have changed names, just let me know and I will do my best to give you your two or three-season score when all is said and done as well. I will also be adding a couple set of special picks. We will have the "coin-flip" picks, where each pick will be decided by heads or tails. I will also compile the "Consensus" picks, which will be the most popular pick on each game, to see how RMN did as a community (in the majority at least).

New Mexico

Fresno State -10 1/2 vs. Wyoming

Over/Under - 55 1/2

St. Petersburg

Rutgers -2 vs. UCF

Over/Under - 44 1/2

New Orleans

Sothern Miss -3 1/2 vs. Mid Tenn St.

Over/Under - 59

Las Vegas

Oregon State - 1 1/2 vs. BYU

Over/Under - 60 1/2

Poinsetta

Cal -3 vs. Utah

Over/Under - 53 1/2

Hawaii

Nevada -14 vs. SMU

Over/Under - 73 1/2

Little Caesers

Ohio -2 vs. Marshall

Over/Under - 50

Meineke

Pitt -3 vs. UNC

Over/Under - 44 1/2

Emerald

USC -9 vs. BC

Over/Under - 45 1/2

Music City

Clemson -7 vs. Kentucky

Over/Under - 52 1/2

Independence

Georgia -7 vs. Texas A&M

Over/Under - 64

Eagle Bank (LSVC odds)

UCLA -4 vs. Temple

Over/Under - 46 1/2

Champs Sports

Miami (FL) -3 vs. Wisconsin

Over/Under - 56

Humanitarian

Bowling Green PK vs. Idaho

Over/Under - 68 1/2

Holiday

Arizona -1 vs. Nebraska

Over/Under - 41

Armed Forces

Houston -5 vs. Air Force

Over/Under - 61

Sun

Oklahoma -9 1/2 vs. Stanford

Over/Under - 56 1/2

Texas (LVSC odds)

Mizzou -6 vs. Navy

Over/Under - 54

Insight

Minnesota -3 vs. Iowa State

Over/Under - 48

Chick-Fil-A

Va Tech -4 1/2 vs. Tenn

Over/Under - 50 1/2

Outback

Auburn -8 vs. Northwestern

Over/Under - 54 1/2

Gator

West Virginia -2 1/2 vs. Florida St.

Over/Under - 60 1/2

Capital One

Penn State -3 vs. LSU

Over/Under - 44

Rose

Oregon -3 1/2 vs. Ohio State

Over/Under - 51 1/2

Sugar

Florida -10 vs. Cincy

Over/Under - 55 1/2

International

South Fla. -6 1/2 vs. No. Illinois

Over/Under - 50

PapaJohns

South Carolina -4 1/2 vs. UCONN

Over/Under - 53

Cotton

Ole Miss -3 vs. Okie State

Over/Under -  50 1/2

Liberty

Arkansas -7 1/2 vs. East Carolina

Over/Under - 63 1/2

Alamo

Texas Tech -7 vs. Michigan St.

Over/Under - 60 1/2

Fiesta

TCU -7 vs. Boise St

Over/Under - 54

Orange

Ga Tech -4 vs. Iowa

Over/Under - 51

GMAC

Central Mich -4 vs. Troy

Over/Under - 64

BCS Champ

Alabama -5 1/2 vs. Texas

Over/Under - 45

Saying Good-bye to Taylor Mays...

Paragon SC — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:00:25 -0000

More photos » by Amy Sancetta - AP

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Even though there will be a bowl game to play after today's season finale against Arizona there is no question that many of us will miss Taylor Mays...

One person who will be looking for a big game today against Arizona is senior safety Taylor Mays.

Mays has been one of the most recognizable players in the program in the is four years at USC. There was no question that he is a tremendous talent.

Freakish is a word that comes to mind.

But to me the term that most describes him is "physically complete."

Mays is a hybrid player...you can either play him at safety or move him to linebacker...but no matter where you put him he will be a force and he will be successful.

It wasn't a matter of whether Mays would have been a first-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft but how high he would have gone. Even Pete Carroll might not have put up a fight (OK, maybe a small one, but it wouldn't have been Sanchez-sized).

But Mays decided to come back, seeking self-improvement and citing unreached goals. Based on the way the season has turned out, the question had to be asked:

Did he ever second-guess himself?

Mays says he never did.

"I don't regret coming back," the two-time All-America safety said. "It's kind of been perfect, the amount of time I've been here.
"I feel like I learned more about football. I learned how to play safety. I learned what the best safeties do in every situation. Working with Coach Carroll and Coach (Rocky) Seto, mentally I've been able to take my game to the next level."

Outside of not playing for an MNC there will be a few that will say that Mays coming back was a mistake. I don't, it is amazing how Mays has been maligned in some circles. He could have left last season for the NFL for some big money but he enjoyed college life, promised to finish school and get his degree and wanted to continue to play at USC.

A cursory look at Mays' season could lead to a different conclusion. He isn't a finalist for any of the major defensive awards. USC has three losses – its most in the past eight seasons. And Mays has only one interception.

But his contributions aren't easily quantifiable. This is how Carroll described the way Mays has improved:
"He's made it in what he's seeing. He's able to diagnose what's going on really well. He's in really good command of the system such that he can correct guys, position guys, place guys in the right spots, give the heads-ups and alerts – the kind of awareness that's necessary for really being a contributing factor to other guys' play."

There was a lot of pre-season hype about just how good Mays and what his impact would be as the leader of the defense. The USC secondary was going to look very different with all the shuffling of players, but once CB Shareece Wright became academically ineligible that changed things around significantly and I think it showed on the playing field.

As a 3-year starter and as the fastest guy on the team Mays was the last line of defense out there. It changed his role but I also think there is some legitimate criticism that Mays' tackling technique could use some improvement. I think he would be better served to wrap guys up instead of always going for the big hit.

There are some saying that Mays staying probably hurt his draft stock for 2010...

But for Taylor Mays, the pre-draft roller-coaster ride started 11 months ago when the two-time All-American safety made the surprising announcement that he was returning to USC for a fourth and final season.

"It's funny," Mays said this week. "I've been, what's the word? Scrutinized."

Picked apart might be more accurate.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Mays was projected as a possible top-five pick in 2009, a key player for a dominant defense who was too physically gifted for teams to pass up.

As he prepares for today's game against Arizona, his last appearance at the Coliseum, Mays' stock has fallen, though not precipitously.

NFL scouts cite a lack of interceptions. They question his hands, tackling and playmaking skills.

The Seattle native's play this season has elicited criticism from media and fans, and even earned him an unnamed, and unflattering reference in the congressional record regarding late hits.

Well, criticism from the media and fans is immaterial.

Regardless, the extra year definitely gave him more experience for him to take to the next level and whatever flaws there may be in his game the coaches at the next level will work those out...Mays has too much talent and potential not too improve his game.

No one really knows what NFL teams need what, so I think it is very premature to say that his prospects aren't as good as they were last year. I see no reason not to think that he won't have a solid NFL career...but we have to get through today (and the bowl game) first.

Part of Mays' struggles this year were because of the knee injury that he suffered against Ohio St. I do think that the injury was a direct result of a poor tackling technique and it probably affected Mays' quality of play all season. Of course there was the one play that Mays made against Jahvid Best when he ran Best down to deny him a first down up at Berkley.

Mays will go down in USC history as one of the great Trojans. He has meant so much to this program and he has represented it very well. He has always been one of my favorites in this incredible run that Pete Carroll has had.

Lets hope he goes out with a bang!

2009 Bowl Projections - Post Week 13

Bama Hawkeye — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:29:09 -0000

Everything is clear. Some things are clear as crystal. Others are as clear as mud. But make no mistake, the situation is clear.

TCU will go to the BCS. The BCS Championship? Only with a couple of upset losses.

On the crystal side, the SEC Champ will play Texas, Cincinnati, or TCU in the BCS Championship Game. I think that's the order, too. If Texas beats Nebraska, they'll go. If not, Cincy is next in line. After playing the Pitt, they'll move ahead of TCU in the standings. Should the Bearcats fall to the Panthers, I think TCU gets their chance. I do not see a repeat of the SEC Championship game. Not with one viable undefeated team in the clubhouse and two more approaching 18. All in all, the 10 BCS teams are pretty safe bets. I've mentioned some alternatives, but I think that there are only 15 teams in play for the 10 spots.On the mud side, look at the SEC after the top 4 teams are placed. That's right, six 7-5 teams.

This Week's Articles

JerDogg finally admits that Minnesota just ain't that good.

Graham ranks the Big Ten quarterbacks for their 2009 performance.

Greg discusses the future of Tate Forcier and moving Denard Robinson to WR.

Good luck making any sense of it. I took my best shot, but you can feel free to speculate in a different direction. If you're counting, there are four open bowl spots for at large teams. 9 win MTSU and 7 win Bowling Green and Northern Illinois will take three of the spots. That leaves room for one 6-6 team to go to Mobile, Alabama to play the top choice from the MAC. My guess is that it's UCLA.

Full projections of all of the Big Ten, BCS, and every other bowl game after the jump.

Remember the rules.

These are projections. I am taking into account what will happen in future games, not assigning teams based upon current standings.
The best teams don't always go to the best games. In the end, butts in the seat and eyes to the television are the biggest factors.
The order of BCS selection is 1) Replacement for #1 Team; 2) Replacement for #2 Team; 3) Orange Bowl; 4) Fiesta Bowl; 5) Sugar Bowl.
The Champs Bowl picks its Big Ten team ahead of the Alamo Bowl this year.
For the full rules on BCS selections, look here.

			The SEC Champion will finish Number 1 in the BCS. Texas will finish #2 if they beat the Huskers. If they lose, Cincinnati will finish #2 with a win over PItt. If Texas and Cincy lose, TCU will slide into the number two spot.
			Beware of Clemson. Aren't they most dangerous after losing a game they have no business dropping? If Clemson wins the ACC, the Orange Bowl will likely take Cincinnati over a regular season rematch.
			Oklahoma State's loss means that the second Big Ten BCS team will be in Arizona, not Florida. If the Huskers upset Texas, Nebraska will be here, Texas will be selected by the Orange, and the Fiesta will still get a Big Ten team (and Boise will be left out). And yes, it very well could be Penn State over Iowa. If it was the Orange making the decision, it probably would be. But I'm still thinking that the Fiesta goes black and gold (and $green$).
			The only way that this isn't the SEC Runner-Up versus the Big East Champ is if Clemson or Nebraska pulls the upset.
			Ohio State has punched their ticket. The winner of Oregon/Oregon State will do the same. It says here that the Ducks win and head to Pasadena.
			LSU slips back into Orlando after Ole MIss lays an Egg against Mississippi State. From the Big Ten, this will be the loser of the behind the scenes battle between Iowa and Penn State.
			Is there any chance that this could be Northwestern? Maybe if Wisconsin loses at Hawaii, but I still have a hard time seeing the Wildcats winning that tiebreaker. Picking Tennessee here establishes them as the most desirable of the SEC's 7-5 mob.
			I think Clemson gets this bid after Virginia Tech and Miami.
			Yes, I think that 7-5 Oklahoma is selected over 8-win Missouri and Texas Tech. If good-MSU and good-OU show up, this could be a great game. If one of the schools brings their bad squad, it could get ugly.
			I don't see this matchup going well for the Gophers. Then again, if it was OU or Texas Tech, I don't know that it would go much better.
			Another Big Ten-less Motor City Bowl.
			When you can't get to six wins, you know that you'll spend the season On the Couch with the Queso Bowl (now sponsored by Ro*Tel).

			Kudos to Wyoming for getting bowl eligible.
			The bowl will want a Florida connection if it can get it.
			Troy has clinched their trip back to New Orleans. ECU makes for a great matchup.
			BYU makes their 122nd consecutive trip to Las Vegas. Oregon State will be a great match for them there.
			I expect the Mountain West to arrange their alignment to give their big three the best games possible.
			Both teams say that they'll play "anytime, anywhere." Time to prove it.
			This will be Pitt or West Virginia from the Big East. For the second year in a row, Tar Heel fans should fill the seats.
			Bowden's last stand in that hotbed of college football --- San Francisco?
			Boston College is always a tough out in a bowl game. This should be no exception.
			Independence Bowl selects its Big 12 team ahead of the Texas Bowl this year. I think they take the team that gave Texas a battle over the team that beat Nebraska. My guess is that it's a choice between Kentucky and South Carolina on the SEC side.
			If Army defeats Navy in two weeks, they'll replace Marshall.
			Idaho is happy enough to go bowling. I'm sure that staying close to home is all right with them.
			Navy has clinched this bid. On the Big 12 side, it will be whoever is left between Iowa State and Texas A&M.
			Could the Cotton take Nebraska over Oklahoma State? Yes. Especially if the Huskers show well in a loss to Texas.
			The Ponies are another team that won't mind the quick commute for the bowl game.
			Should be a fun game.
			Georgia brings the crowd, while Miami brings the sizzle.
			It's an old fashioned Big East battle. Notre Dame's 6th loss means that the Gator Bowl can't pick the Irish. My guess is that West Virginia will head to Jacksonville if Cincinnati beats Pittsburgh (and the Mountaineers beat Rutgers). If the Panthers win, Cincy heads here.
			Still weird to see Temple in a bowl.
			I've got South Carolina as the last choice out of the SEC. It has as much to do with geography as anything else.
			Yes, this could be Nebraska over Okie State. I suppose that one of those seven win SEC teams could be chosen here too. When push comes to shove, I think that the teams with the best records get chosen.
			Think that Arkansas will bring some fans to Memphis? I have Houston beating ECU. The C-USA champ automatically goes here.
			GMAC gets first choice from the MAC. Not champion, first choice. I project that's CMU, regardless of what happens elsewhere. It looks like it will come down to UCLA or Notre Dame to fill an empty ACC slot With the firing/hiring going on in South Bend, I expect the Irish to decline a bid.

Non-Automatic Qualifying Conference Races

utesfan100 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:52:38 -0000

So on Sunday I broke down the automatic qualifying conference races as part of my BCS analysis. For completeness I will now present the conference races for all remaining conferences.

None are anywhere near as tricky to discern as the PAC 10 was this week.

C-USA:

East:

The ECU and the UAB both control their own fate. S. Miss and UCF are still potential candidates for the championship game.

ECU wins if:

They beat S. Miss and UAB
They beat S. Miss and UCF beats UAB
They beat UAB and Tulsa beats S. Miss

UAB wins if:

They beat ECU and
- UAB beats UCF
- S. Miss beats ECU and Tulsa beats S. Miss and Tulane beats UCF

S. Miss wins if:

They beat ECU and Tulsa and UAB beats ECU or UCF

UCF wins if:

All of the following occur:

They beat UAB and Tulane
ECU loses to S. Miss and UAB
Tulsa beats S. Miss

West:

SMU wins if:

They beat Marshall and Tulane
Houston loses to Memphis and Rice
SMU splits with Marshall and Tulane and Houston splits with Memphis and Rice

Houston wins if:

They beat Memphis and Rice and SMU loses to Marshall or Tulane
They beat Memphis or Rice and SMU loses to Marshall and Tulane

MAC:

North:

C. Michigan and N. Illinois both control their own fate.

C. Michigan wins if:

Beat N. Illinois
Beat Ball State and Ohio beats N. Illinois

N. Illinois wins if:

Beat C. Michigan and
- Beat Ohio
- Ball State beats C. Michigan

South:

Temple and Ohio control their own fate.

Temple wins if:

They beat Ohio
Beat Kent State and N. Illinois beats Ohio

Ohio wins if:

Beat Temple and
- Beat N. Illinois
- Kent State beats Temple and loses to Buffalo

Kent State wins if:

Beat Temple and Buffalo and Ohio beats Temple but loses to N. Illinois

MWC:

TCU wins outright if:

beat Wyoming and New Mexico
beat Wyoming or New Mexico or the Utah-BYU winner loses to SDSU or Air Force respectively.

TCU wins a share if:

beat Wyoming or New Mexico
the Utah-BYU winner loses to SDSU or Air Force respectively

BYU wins outright if:

Beat Air Force and Utah and TCU loses to Wyoming and New Mexico

BYU wins a share if:

Beat Air Force or Utah and TCU loses to Wyoming and New Mexico

Utah wins outright if:

Beat SDSU and BYU and TCU loses to Wyoming and New Mexico

Utah wins a share if:

Beats SDSU and BYU and TCU loses to Wyoming or New Mexico

Air Force wins a share if:

Beats BYU and TCU loses to Wyoming and New Mexico and Utah loses to BYU or SDSU

Sun Belt

Troy wins if:

Beat Florida Atlantic or LA Lafayette
The LA Monroe Middle Tennessee St. winner loses to LA Lafayette or Arkansas St. respectively.

LA Monroe wins if:

Beat Arkansa St. and LA Monroe and Troy loses to Florida Atlantic and LA Lafayette

Middle Tennessee St. wins if:

Beat LA Lafayette and Middle Tennessee St. and Troy loses to Florda Atlantic and LA Lafayette

WAC

Boise St. has won the WAC outright.

WWAHT Blogpoll Ballot Week 11 - revised

Sam @ WWAHT — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:31 -0000

More photos » by Matt Sayles - AP

I really made Stanford this good?!

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Rank	Team	Delta

1	Alabama
2	Texas
3	Florida
4	TCU
5	Boise State	1
6	Cincinnati	1
7	Georgia Tech	1
8	Pittsburgh	1
9	Ohio State	2
10	Stanford	11
11	Oregon	1
12	LSU	1
13	Wisconsin	9
14	Oklahoma State	5
15	Iowa	2
16	Penn State	1
17	Virginia Tech	3
18	Miami (Florida)	8
19	Clemson	4
20	Houston	9
21	North Carolina
22	Oregon State	3
23	Arizona	5
24	Southern Cal	10
25	Nebraska
Last week's ballot

Dropped Out: Utah (#16), Tennessee (#24).

Southern Cal is simply not the Southern Cal we're used to. I have no clear explanation for it from an outside perspective. Regardless, however much pleasure you take from each of their losses should be tempered by the fact that, um, they beat us. When they get trucked at home by the Furd of all teams, it does not reflect well on Ohio State. There are two ways we can go with this: Southern Cal has genuinely regressed from the season, while Ohio State has improved, and thus, there isn't much to fret about. That, or Southern Cal was simply never very good, and our loss to them may actually end up being one of the most disappointing losses of Jim Tressel's tenure. This was the year to beat them, and he didn't. That hurts.
That being said, it could end up being that USC lost to one awful team (Washington) and a couple of very, very good ones; both Oregon and Stanford look like juggernauts, and with their twin blowouts of the Trojans, have complete shifted the dynamic in the Pac-10. These next few weeks will be very interesting, as one of these two teams - or perhaps some dark horse, if all hell breaks loose - will be the Buckeyes' opponent in the Rose Bowl.
Cincinnati has never really impressed me in blowing out scrubs like Louisville and Miami, while eeking out games against iffy West Virginia, Fresno State and UConn teams. It seems "Ohio's BCS team" is not particularly strong on defense, and someone is going to make them pay. It won't be Illinois this week, but Pitt looms in early December. Even if the Bearcats navigate their schedule undefeated, whoever awaits them in the BCS will surely shred them.
Pittsburgh doesn't move up because no one ahead of them deserved to move below them. Each took care of business.
Remember last year, when the top two conferences in the country were the SEC and the Big 12, no questions asked? How can you look at the Big Ten and the Big 12 this year, and see much of a difference at all? Texas is clearly championship-caliber, but the rest of the league is by-and-large miserable. I don't mean to get into any conference pissing contests, but the BXII has not gotten any crap for league-wide sub-par play while the Big Ten still gets it weekly (and perhaps deservedly so). Is it really all because they have Texas?

2009 Bowl Projections - Post Week 11

Bama Hawkeye — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:06:46 -0000

The Pac-10 is the best conference in college football.

There. I said it. It seems weird, but no other conference goes 6 deep with quality teams. Oregon, Stanford, USC, Arizona, California, and Oregon State give the Pac-10 depth that no one else can match. I will readily admit, that Oregon, the likely champ, does not compare to Floribama or Texas. It may not be as good as Ohio State, Cincinnati, or Georgia Tech for that matter. But when the other Pac-10 teams match up with the other conferences in bowl games, I expect to see an outstanding league record.

In the Big Ten, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Northwestern seem pretty well locked into their slots. It would take a huge chain of events to move them. I expect to see more movement of their opponents than of them as we go forward. There will be an Iowa/Penn State decision to be made, and don't expect the answer until December 6th. Unless Michigan shocks Ohio State next weekend, Michigan State and Minnesota can make their hotel reservations, too. Full projections for the Big Ten, BCS, and all other bowls after the jump.

Remember the rules.

These are projections. I am taking into account what will happen in future games, not assigning teams based upon current standings.
The best teams don't always go to the best games. In the end, butts in the seat and eyes to the television are the biggest factors.
The order of BCS selection is 1) Replacement for #1 Team; 2) Replacement for #2 Team; 3) Orange Bowl; 4) Fiesta Bowl; 5) Sugar Bowl.
The Champs Bowl picks its Big Ten team ahead of the Alamo Bowl this year.
For the full rules on BCS selections, look here.

			Did you see anything yesterday that changed this matchup? I didn't.
			With no traditional power or huge traveling fan base available, maybe the Orange Bowl takes TCU as the top ranked unbeaten team? The TCU defense against the Tech offense would be fun to watch.
			I am presuming that after the polls come out tomorrow, Iowa will be no lower than 17 in the BCS standings. If that's the case, a 10-2 Iowa will likely be in the Top 14 by the final rankings. I'm projecting that the Fiesta picks Iowa over 10-2 Penn State. If you want to argue otherwise, be my guest. It'll be a tough call. As for the other spot, does the Fiesta take a 10-2 Oklahoma State team (assuming that they win in Norman)? Maybe. But I'm guessing that they look to 13-0 Boise instead.
			Still think that this will be the SEC Championship loser versus the Big East champion. Pittsburgh is sure giving me pause...
			Congratulations, Ohio State. Now win.
			Again, if you want to flip Iowa and Penn State, be my guest. LSU is a lock for Orlando.
			I don't see any way in which Wisconsin moves from this spot. I think a 9-3 Iowa or Penn State squad gets selected ahead of the Badgers. I'm going with 7 win Tennessee over 7 win Georgia, 7 win Auburn, and 7 win Arkansas.
			Congratulations to Northwestern on reaching 7 wins. The fact that none of the teams below you accomplished that means that you get a great bowl matchup. Getting the 8th against Wisconsin won't move you up any further.
			6-6 Michigan State goes to San Antonio. If Sparty can upset Penn State, they'll go to Orlando for the Champs Bowl instead. Expect to see the Oklahoma/Texas Tech winner here.
			Barring an upset of Iowa, which would bump the Gophers over a 6-6 Michigan State, or a Wolverine win that sends the Gophers to Detroit, Minnesota is headed back to the desert for the third time in four years.
			Unless Michigan wins, this game goes unfilled by the Big Ten. Again.
			At this point, Indiana, Illinois, and Purdue have guaranteed themselves a winter without a bowl game. Michigan can reach 6 wins if they can pull the upset over the Rose Bowl bound Buckeyes on Saturday. If they do, they'll get the best bowl slot available for a 6-6 team (likely the Alamo Bowl). I'm not counting on it. I think that all four of these teams will be On the Couch with the Queso Bowl (now sponsored by Ro*Tel).

And now we add the other 23 bowl games...



			SMU controls its own destiny to win C-USA West. I think that they do, but they lose to ECU in the championship game. Troy has made this their annual winter home.
			BYU will be asked to go to Las Vegas every time they can. Oregon State is a good matchup.


			10-2 Pitt may be the biggest loser in the bowl pairings. With Notre Dame not earning a BCS bid, they'll go to the Gator Bowl and push all of the Big East teams down a rung. Pitt deserves better than this.
			Florida State will need to beat Maryland to keep their bowl streak going (you don't think they'll win in Gainesville do you?). Stanford stays close to home for a nice matchup.
			This would be a great matchup. Why doesn't this game happen during the regular season from time to time?
			Iowa State could get out to the Insight Bowl if they upset Mizzou next weekend.
			The ACC can't fill this spot. Ohio's 7 wins will get them a bid somewhere. I'm saying that somewhere is DC.
			The current projections have room for one 6-6 team. It's UCLA, and they will head north to the blue turf.
			Navy has clinched this bid. Will pent-up Aggie fans travel to Houston? I suspect they will.
			Stanford may end up with a better record, but this would be a dream matchup in San Diego.
			Houston is going to need help to win the Western Division of C-USA. I don't think that they get it. The good news is that they get a great matchup in Ft. Worth.
			Texas Tech fits well here. Look for the Cal/Stanford winner to be their opponent.
			Chick-Fil-A will have its choice of the Hokies, Clemson, and Miami. Clemson/Auburn wouldn't be a surprise either.
			Even Notre Dame haters would love a good Catholics vs. Convicts game.
			This would be a really good game. The MAC champion is not tied to any one game, and I suspect the league will try to get them a good matchup.
			6-6 Kentucky gets the SEC's last spot. The Big East places teams, and they'll want one of their better teams to face an SEC member.
			The Cowboys have cemented their place as second best in the Big 12. Auburn's loss to Georgia moves Ole Miss to a return trip to Dallas.
			Houston's loss sets up an ECU/SMU C-USA title game. I've got ECU winning and going back to Memphis. The Liberty Bowl is happy to have Arkansas.
			UL-M replaces the ACC, which can't fill its last two spots. A seven win ULM team will get chosen above a more (TV friendly" 6 win team.

Don't Bet On It!: Around the SEC

T Kyle King — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:52:13 -0000

I started with the national games of interest this week, so now I need to circle back around to look at the Southeastern Conference slate. My 6-1 ledger in last week’s league picks left me at 57-10 for the fall, but, honestly, I should’ve gone 7-0 against last Saturday’s sorry schedule, so my usual disclaimer still stands: Don’t Bet On It!

Each of the following games will take place on Saturday because this isn’t the Mid-American Conference, dang it:

Kentucky Wildcats at Vanderbilt Commodores: The battle for eleventh place on my SEC Power Poll ballot kicks off in Nashville when the Bluegrass State Felines visit the Music City Sailors. I’m not going to mince words here: Vanderbilt is so bad that the ‘Dores lost by a double-digit margin to Georgia. Clearly, Kentucky will emerge victorious.

Troy Trojans at Arkansas Razorbacks: The Hogs host the Trojans for the third time in the last four years this weekend after having won the 2007 battle 46-26 and lost the 2006 meeting 50-14. Of course, that 2006 game was against the Southern California Trojans, so this represents a bit of a step down in weight class. I like Arkansas to take care of Troy, who is, after all, just one guy.

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at LSU Tigers: I would make a joke about this being a battle for local bragging rights, but, when you look at the other programs aspiring to be the Bayou Bengals’ Pelican State rival, you realize Louisiana Tech really is the prime contender. With apologies to Derek Dooley, Louisiana Tech ain’t that much of a contender. Louisiana State’s dominance of Bulldog squads this season continues.

Alabama Crimson Tide at Mississippi St. Bulldogs: Both teams wear maroon, once employed Sylvester Croom, and are pleased with where their current head coaches have gotten them, but there the similarities end. Dan Mullen has done a fine job, but he hasn’t done a fine enough job to beat ’Bama. In his defense, though, any Mississippi State coach who had done a good enough job to beat ‘Bama probably was cheating his hindquarters off.

Tennessee Volunteers at Mississippi Rebels: Apparently, a stricter truth-in-advertising statute went into effect in the Magnolia State on November 1. Prior to that point, almost all of the teams Ole Miss faced were, to put it bluntly, lying. The Vanderbilt Commodores are not, in fact, high-ranking naval officers. The Auburn Tigers and Memphis Tigers are really human beings rather than large jungle felines. The Arkansas Razorbacks are people rather than pigs in need of a veterinary spinal dermatologist. Since Halloween, though, the Rebs have played two teams who were honest about their mascots. As I was informed repeatedly, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks hail from a home town founded by actual lumberjacks. Likewise, it turns out that the Tennessee Volunteers are not paid staff members. Much to my annoyance, the Big Orange will wallop the Rebels on the road.

Florida Gators at South Carolina Gamecocks: Don’t be alarmed, but, when Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer meet at midfield for the postgame handshake, the South Carolina Department of Homeland Security will upgrade the SOB Alert Level to Condition Orange. Actually, I heard that the two coaches had made a private bet on this game. If the Sunshine State Saurians win, Darth Visor will retire from coaching and become a full-time amateur golfer; if the Palmetto State Poultry win, Corch Meyers will take the Notre Dame job. I’m not saying that’s true; I just read it on Bleacher Report. Anyway, I’ll be rooting for South Carolina, but I’m picking Florida.

For my final forecast, I predict that I will be wrong on 50 per cent of the foregoing prognostications. Why am I so willing to bank on my own inaccuracy? Because I know to follow the advice you should have sense enough to take: Don’t Bet On It!

Coming Soon: National Game of Disinterest.

Go ‘Dawgs! Auburna delenda est!