GBMW: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Bowl Preview

Posted at 4:00pm -- 12/22/2009

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

This is the title, of course, of a favorite Christmas/holiday song performed by many artists over the years. One tenet that makes this season so attractive and enjoyable, along with the obvious and important reasons, is the bowl season that slowly, and somewhat deliciously, squeezes the last drop out of the college season. Collectively, the two weeks of bowl games can be wonderful. Individually, 50 percent of teams win, leaving a warm glow and a holiday wish fulfilled for the faithful. Conversely, fifty percent of teams lose, leaving just the opposite effect. Unfortunately, some allow the taste to be bitter for an extended time period. Then, of course, there are the fans of teams that did not make a bowl game. These fans hopefully are already over the associated disappointment and can just enjoy every game with little emotional attachment.

Recently, there has been loud banter about the number of bowl games and the question has been placed forward for consideration as to whether or not too many bowl games inhabit the college landscape.

Bah, humbug to that point of view. The argument may be placed upon us all that college football bowls have incurred an oversaturated effect that wears down the American sporting fan. Not if you are a fan of a particular 6 and 6 team that is delighted to go anywhere to play anyone. Some of the best games involve the “little guys” fighting their butts off and enjoying every second of the experience. The cities that host the bowls still do nicely and pulling the plug on a majority of the smaller bowls would sap local money as well as the megabucks placed forward by bowl corporate sponsors.

The biggest benefactors, taking away the economics, are the players. The author was lucky enough to be a part of the excitement of two NCAA regional events and a College World Series. Money cannot buy those memories. The players are well treated and some communities, like El Paso and Pasadena, have made good memories a guarantee.

The common fan can get an overdose, but it is a sweet overdose since the reality is known by all that soon the shouting will be over and the college football universe will cease to exist, excepting board sites, for eight long months.

So, everyone enjoy this time while you can and savor the fun, competition, and surprises that the bowl season always brings forth.
GBMW thought you might enjoy a little preview that is written in a different mode; no bold predictions of winners, but instead predicting the enjoyment factor.

Saturday, December 19th already provided two nice games as a kickoff. The Wyoming team won a thriller in double overtime against Fresno State. Fresno was the favorite, and, as is the habit of the Bulldogs, another way was found to disappoint the fan-base. I have recently seen Wyoming play live and the WAC team is fun to watch, as are most WAC and Mountain West teams. Wyoming has a freshman quarterback that reminds the author very much of Tate Forcier. Austyn Carta-Samuels is the name of the young qb and thought of what Tate would look like on a smaller stage constantly flashed through the cerebrum between the dozen or so functional neurons. This young qb had one advantage that Tate did not enjoy this year; his offensive tackles provided him the leverage to extend the pocket or break contain. This luxury was infrequent for Tate during the Big Ten season.

Rutgers once again showed that solid, basic football is still a good thing in soundly beating UCF. The occasionally maligned Coach Schiano had Rutgers ready. A point of note: this is an example of the match-ups the Big East has used the last few years to achieve the mantle of bowl champion.

Simply put, the current Florida State team, Northern Illinois, and UCF are not the equivalent of the competition other conferences will face. Now granted, West Virginia may have hit bad timing on playing Florida State as the Seminoles may be higher than a kite half-way to Mars. That game could be something, and bitterness over recent events abounds in Seminole country. Connecticut is playing South Carolina. U Conn is a decent team, but the old ball coach has a team that is only about 10 points behind the elite level teams of the SEC. The real questions may be how much golf will the old ball coach play this month and how serious is he concerning winning a bowl game?

The day after Christmas, North Carolina plays Pitt. The ACC was beat up recently when the teams ventured out of conference. Pitt is the tougher team, but NC is well coached and has more options on offense. North Carolina may have to gamble quite a bit to stop Pitt’s excellent run game. Then we will all see what happens and who adapts best. On paper, Pitt is the favorite. But we all know about paper and bowl game success.

Cincinnati is an eleven-point dog to Florida. This looks like a sucker bet on the surface, and the line may shift upward. What can happen when a team has lost its main architect and soon will lose the builder of the architecture? Anything can happen, anything from a blood bath to a bunch of undersized guys on defense fighting for their lives and succeeding. Tebow will not let the Florida team fall asleep and Urban will have no empathy for UC’s plight.

And so, as one might suspect, the Big East games have been selected as being the most intriguing conference match-ups of the bowl season. Now, let us go on to a quick summary of other bowl game possibilities.
The most enjoyable games to watch regardless of any or all factors:

Tuesday, December 22- BYU and Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl

Wow, BYU is always an A+ in bowl game entertainment, providing some of the best games ever over the last 35 years. Usually the games are high scoring and close. Add in Oregon State’s offense to the mix and ladies and gentlemen watch this game!!! Max Hall is one of the best pocket passers in college football and plays in the line of all great Cougar quarterbacks. BYU has a big line that can pass defend and a plenty good enough running game to keep a team honest. Oregon State will be by far the fastest team on the field and if the basic read plays are busted up the middle, look out, the end zone is the destination. Here is a team in Oregon State that is near the level of USC and Oregon. BYU is a team that beat hated rival Utah, still a very good team. The fact that BYU has been kicked around lately by TCU should provide a really good hint whether TCU is good (they are).

Thursday, December 31- Stanford and Oklahoma in the Sun Bowl

Okie does indeed need a bowl win, but still this game means more to Harbaugh and the Cardinal. Stanford will run its version of the Incredible Hulk, Toby Gerhart, full-speed ahead. This game will be fun for Stanford; can the same be said for Oklahoma?

Games of interest due to offense and more offense:

See BYU and Oregon State above-

Thursday, December 31- Air Force and Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl

Will Houston have a problem? Both teams will have a problem stopping the other. This may be Madden style football at its best. The author boldly predicts no shutout in this game. This is still a good but not great Air Force team, one that plays like an academy team should, with discipline and a premium placed on decision-making. Houston can score on about anyone this side of the NFL.

Games of interest due to defense more than offense:

All right all you professed defensive gurus, who salivate watching linebackers stuff run after run and seeing pass after pass falling incomplete. Here is to those of you who do truly believe the punt is the most important play in football; this is your choice of games.

Wednesday, December 30- Nebraska and Arizona in the Holiday Bowl

This bowl is famous for offensive fireworks and the track is fast for the players. Once upon a time this was BYU’s private invite bowl. This game has the makings of a defensive marvel and matches the famous black-shirt and desert-swarm defenses against one another. Making his game even more interesting is the not-so-secret reality that neither team possesses a premier offense.

Thursday, January 7- Texas against Alabama in the National Championship Game

Yes indeed, there will be points scored, but only because these teams have superior athletes on both sides of the ball. Put on the helmet tight if you wish to run the ball. Both sides may take the first half in sizing up the other team and then placing the final strategies in place for the second half. Both coaches are chess players who play for second half success.
Games of interest due to opposing styles:

Saturday, January 2- Michigan State and Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl

Bullyboy versus the wild and wacky is not far off when describing this game. One coach is very close to the vest in his style and one invents on the spot and lets it all hang out. Years ago, Penn State beat Ty Detmer and BYU in the last minute or so of a typical 40 plus points BYU game. Joe said, “I never want to go through anything like that ever again.” Detmer was held to a mere 450 yards or so of passing yardage, a shut out in his book.

Coach Dantonio may feel the same way if Texas Tech has its stuff together. The zone blitz package of MSU against the quick patterns of Texas Tech presents opportunities for big plays and unexpected interceptions by defenders being in the right place at the right time. This will be an every-down chess match in the opposing coaching booths. MSU can do more than run, do not discount the ability and arm strength of the two-headed quarterback system going on in East Lansing.

Friday, January 1- Ohio State against the Ducks of Oregon in the Rose Bowl

Too bad Ohio State did not wait until New Year’s Day to wear the so-called 1950’s throwback uniform. Then maybe the first college football beauty pageant could be held. Egads!!! The rumor has been floated around town by the Columbus media that this is the game that all the extra and special plays will be unleashed by the Buckeyes on the non-suspecting Ducks. This is the game where T. Pryor will run for 300 yards and a new era of offensive football will be unveiled. The source of that rumor was the Ohio State staff and the willing messengers were the close-in-tow local stations and “newspaper.” Will Oregon believe any of this and spend valuable time covering bases for any and all possibilities? The author doubts this very much. Ohio State will test Oregon’s run defense and try and get one score up and play Tressel-ball, until the time is needed for Plan B. Ohio State will focus 12 defenders on Oregon’s unreal quick quarterback, Jeremiah Masoli. If Ohio State stops him, Oregon likely has no Plan B. This is a different spread than the usual run-read series version. The word has been put out all year that Oregon cannot pass well. Good enough might be the proper response to that claim.

Monday, January 4- Boise State against TCU in the Fiesta Bowl

Are you thinking that the BCS stiffed these two teams by placing them opposite each other, insuring that at least one unwelcome gatecrasher goes home a loser? You may well be right. The BCS committee stiffed America’s viewers as well by not allowing both teams to go against the anointed and truly invited teams. But what this game presents is a true showcase for the best in defensive coaching against the innovative point machine. Let us all hope that this game is close and everyone has a wow effect afterwards.

Games that should be evenly matched, fun, and competitive:

That means both teams show up and play an enjoyable game for all to watch

Saturday, January 2- East Carolina against Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl

Few teams play harder and enjoy bowl competition more than the Pirates. Big-boy teams try and stay away from East Carolina. Make no mistake, Mallett possesses an absolute weapon, namely his right arm, and his mechanics, very good in high school, have returned to better proficiency this past year under Bobby Petrino. Can East Carolina put some pressure on Mallett? If not, Arkansas will easily win.

Friday, January 1- LSU against Penn State in the Capitol One Bowl

Both of these teams are solid, but not quite good enough to be classified as an elite team of 2009. This is a very good barometer of next-tier SEC quality versus next-tier Big Ten quality. The deciding factor may be quarterback play.

Thursday, December 31- Navy against Missouri in the Texas Bowl

Why us, is what the Missouri staff is saying. Navy is hard to prepare for and hard to defend. Now factor in that many will mock the program if Missou loses to a service academy. Navy plays pure football and is a credit to college sports. The academic program of the Naval Academy is rated, by some, as being first among all universities. Navy will show up and the Missouri coaches know this absolute truth.

Games where who shows up may be the biggest factor (Snooze Alert) no dates or info is presented

Southern Cal against Boston College

Texas A&M (crushed by the Texas lose) against Georgia (bad season)

A match-up of teams made for each other:

Thursday, December 31- Minnesota against Iowa State in the Insight Bowl

Egads, I say again, Egads!!! There goes the excuse that the Big Ten gets unfavorable match-ups. This is a potential not much on the D side game that may end up amusing us all.

Finally, two games that could very much surprise us all, so tune them in and give them a chance.

Saturday, December 26- Ohio against Marshall in the Little Ceasar’s Pizza Bowl

Here are two teams that have had bad blood, sometimes really bad blood, for about 50 years. Marshall, historically, was several times a MAC member and was once tossed out of the mighty Mac. Marshall is not a friend to OU, or to any MAC team. Coach Solich would love to have his Christmas wish granted for one final bowl victory. But OU took a real hit with key injuries in the win against Temple and also in the subsequent championship game against Central Michigan. The Bobcat defense is better than that of the team that went bowling a couple of years ago.

Wednesday, January 6- Troy against Central Michigan in the GMAC Bowl

Many across the nation will mockingly dismiss this game from the viewing schedule. That might be a mistake. Central has a great all-purpose quarterback in Dan Lefevour and Troy has athletes that the NFL already knows about. Central almost always provides entertainment value.
We at GBMW hope you enjoyed this somewhat different bowl preview. More importantly enjoy all the games.

Written by Doc4blu

Go Blue -- Wear Maize!