FOOTBALL: Gridiron picks go bowling
December 14, 2008
Week 16 Standings:
1. Corey Aldritt (99-31, 9-1)
T2. Chris Conetzkey/Nate Sandell (93-37, 6-4)
T2. Luke Plansky (93-37, 7-3)
4. Matt Gubbels (91-39, 7-3)
BCS Games
BCS National Championship — Jan. 8
Oklahoma vs. Florida
Nate: Florida — Finally, a championship worth watching. Florida squeaks by with a win.
Corey: Oklahoma — The Sooners will prove that they belong in the championship game.
Luke: Florida — Senior QB vs. a sophomore in the big game. If the Gators can tackle, their defense can keep up.
Matt: Florida — In a matchup of two great offenses, the Gator defense will win this one.
Fiesta Bowl — Jan. 5
Texas vs. Ohio State
Nate: Texas — The Longhorns show the nation what we’ve all known — Ohio State doesn’t deserve to play in big games.
Corey: Texas — The Longhorns will take out their frustrations of not being in the BCS title game by putting up 50 on Ohio State.
Luke: Texas — The Longhorn defense can disrupt and disarm the Buckeye running game.
Matt: Texas — Ohio State gets killed in a bowl game for the third straight season.
Sugar Bowl — Jan. 2
Alabama vs. Utah
Nate: Utah — If the Utes go undefeated do you think Mercury Morris and the ‘72 Dolphins will protest?
Corey: Alabama — Game will be close but Alabama wins late.
Luke: Alabama — Utah played a decent schedule, but the Tide are SEC-tested.
Matt: Alabama — The Tide will bounce back from their loss to Florida and roll the undefeated Utes.
Orange Bowl — Jan. 1
Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati
Nate: Cincinnati — The Bearcats get the surprise win, but both teams leave at leave at half to reenact scenes from “Miami Vice.”
Corey: Cincinnati — Was I sleeping when Cincy turned into a good football program?
Luke: Cincinnati — Bearcats continue their rise among the ranks of top football programs.
Matt: Virginia Tech — Who would have thought a Hokie was a bird?
Rose Bowl — Jan. 1
USC vs. Penn State
Nate: USC — The neutral site may hurt the Trojans … oh wait a minute. False.
Corey: USC — The one bowl game that stays the same — USC rolls [insert Big 10 team here].
Luke: USC — Any team that loses to Iowa can’t beat USC.
Matt: USC — News flash … the Big Ten is overrated.
Other games:
EagleBank Bowl — Dec. 20
Wake Forest vs. Navy
Nate: Navy
Corey: Navy
Luke: Wake Forest
Matt: Navy — The Midshipmen will take down the Demon Deacons for the second time this season.
New Mexico Bowl — Dec. 20
Colorado State vs. Fresno State
Nate: Fresno State
Corey: Fresno State
Luke: Fresno State
Matt: Fresno State — I can’t bet against Pat Hill in a bowl game.
Las Vegas Bowl — Dec. 20
BYU vs. Arizona
Nate: Arizona
Corey: BYU
Luke: BYU
Matt: BYU — The Cougars gamble late and win their fourth straight Las Vegas Bowl.
St. Petersburg Bowl — Dec. 20
South Florida vs. Memphis
Nate: South Florida
Corey: South Florida
Luke: South Florida
Matt: South Florida — Matt Grothe and the Bulls are pretty much playing at home.
New Orleans Bowl — Dec. 21
Troy vs. Southern Miss
Nate: Troy
Corey: Troy
Luke: Troy
Matt: Troy — The Trojans nearly beat LSU in Baton Rouge.
Poinsettia Bowl — Dec. 23
TCU vs. Boise State
Nate: TCU
Corey: Boise State
Luke: TCU
Matt: TCU — A good defense usually beats a good offense, but if we had the right system (playoff), Boise State would be playing for the national title.
Hawaii Bowl — Dec. 24
Notre Dame vs. Hawaii
Nate: Hawaii
Corey: Notre Dame
Luke: Notre Dame
Matt: Notre Dame — The Irish will find a way to win, but my, how the mighty have fallen.
Motor City Bowl — Dec. 26
Florida Atlantic vs. Central Michigan
Nate: Central Michigan
Corey: Central Michigan
Luke: Central Michigan
Matt: Central Michigan — Dan LeFevour is one of the best quarterbacks no one knows about.
Champs Sports Bowl — Dec. 27
Florida State vs. Wisconsin
Nate: Florida State — Of the two games played in Orlando, this one is like the fat kid who got picked last in dodgeball. Florida State wins, propelled by the home state advantage.
Corey: Wisconsin — Just a gut feeling here, but the Badgers usually play well in bowl games.
Luke: Florida State — I don’t like the Badgers.
Matt: Florida State — Winner of this game gets a free pair of shoes.
Emerald Bowl — Dec. 27
Miami (Fla.) vs. California
Nate: Miami
Corey: California
Luke: Miami
Matt: California — I can’t in my right mind ever pick Miami.
Meineke Car Care Bowl — Dec. 27
North Carolina vs. West Virginia
Nate: West Virginia
Corey: North Carolina
Luke: North Carolina
Matt: North Carolina — First one to be able to wash and wax their car wins.
Papajohns.com Bowl — Dec. 29
Rutgers vs. NC State
Nate: Rutgers
Corey: Rutgers
Luke: Rutgers
Matt: Rutgers — The Scarlet Knights are one of the hottest teams in the country right now.
Independence Bowl — Dec. 28
Louisiana Tech vs. Northern Illinois
Nate: Northern Illinois
Corey: Louisiana Tech
Luke: Louisiana Tech
Matt: Northern Illinois — This may win the award for most boring bowl game.
Alamo Bowl — Dec. 29
Northwestern vs. Missouri
Chris: Missouri — I’ll take “The Big Ten is Terrible” for $500, Alex.
Corey: Missouri — This will just be a laugher, Missouri should pummel the Kitty Cats.
Luke: Missouri — Tigers’ offense reappears after disappointing finish.
Matt: Missouri — I can’t pick a Big Ten school in a bowl game, either.
Texas Bowl — Dec. 30
Western Michigan vs. Rice
Nate: Rice
Corey: Rice
Luke: Western Michigan
Matt: Rice — Owls WR Jarrett Dillard will play on Sundays next year and people will finally get to see him play.
Holiday Bowl — Dec. 30
Oklahoma State vs. Oregon
Nate: Oklahoma State — Not even their new customized Nike jerseys can help the Ducks.
Corey: Oklahoma State — The Big 12 has a history of beating overrated Pac-10 teams in this game.
Luke: Oklahoma State — OSU offense wins a shoot-out.
Matt: Oklahoma State — Dez Bryant is a BAMF.
Humanitarian Bowl — Dec. 30
Maryland vs. Nevada
Nate: Nevada
Corey: Nevada
Luke: Nevada
Matt: Nevada — I can’t wait to watch the “Smurf turf” in HD.
Armed Forces Bowl — Dec. 31
Air Force vs. Houston
Nate: Air Force
Corey: Air Force
Luke: Houston
Matt: Air Force — The Falcons will fly away with the win in this one.
Sun Bowl — Dec. 31
Pittsburgh vs. Oregon State
Nate: Pittsburgh
Corey: Oregon State
Luke: Oregon State
Matt: Pittsburgh — The Panthers will help expose how down the Pac-10 is this year.
Music City Bowl — Dec. 31
Boston College vs. Vanderbilt
Nate: Boston College
Corey: Boston College
Luke: Boston Colleg
Matt: Boston College — Vanderbilt lost six of its last seven games.
Chick-fil-A Bowl — Dec. 31
Georgia Tech vs. LSU
Nate: LSU
Corey: Georgia Tech
Luke: LSU
Matt: Georgia Tech — The Yellow Jackets’ running game is just unbelievable to watch.
Insight Bowl — Dec. 31
Minnesota vs. Kansas
Nate: Kansas — Unlike their last Insight appearance, the Gophers won’t have the chance to blow a 31-point lead.
Corey: Kansas — Minnesota peaked about two months ago.
Luke: Kansas — The Gophers have lost their last four games.
Matt: Kansas — I wonder if Mangino has even eaten Gopher.
Outback Bowl — Jan. 1
Iowa vs. South Carolina
Nate: Iowa — Hawkeye players blow out SC after they man the canons of the pirate ship in the end zone.
Corey: Iowa — Iowa’s offense is better than South Carolina’s, which isn’t saying much.
Luke: Iowa — The Gamecock offense won’t stay on the field long enough to give their defense a chance.
Matt: Iowa — The Gamecocks’ only chance in this game is if the Hawkeyes actually throw the ball.
Gator Bowl — Jan. 1
Clemson vs. Nebraska
Nate: Clemson — Tommy Bowden leads his team to victory … too soon?
Corey: Nebraska — Nebraska quietly made a New Year’s Day bowl.
Luke: Nebraska — The Huskers are better on both lines.
Matt: Nebraska — Remember when Husker DL Ndamukong Suh stepped on Cody Hawkins of Colorado? That was awesome.
Capital One Bowl — Jan. 1
Michigan State vs. Georgia
Nate: Georgia — While the Spartans get destroyed on the field, fans will be inundated with signs to vote for Cy in the Capital One Mascot Challenge.
Corey: Georgia — Funny that Georgia was the preseason No. 1 team.
Luke: Georgia — The Bulldogs have flopped on the big stage this season, but are just too talented.
Matt: Georgia — This one comes down to quarterback play, and let’s face it, Brian Hoyer is terrible.
Liberty Bowl — Jan. 2
East Carolina vs. Kentucky
Nate: East Carolina
Corey: East Carolina
Luke: East Carolina
Matt: East Carolina
Cotton Bowl — Jan. 2
Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss
Nate: Texas Tech — Graham Harrell rips apart Ole Miss’ secondary as he envisions them as the Heisman voters.
Corey: Texas Tech — The Red Raiders got jobbed worse than Texas.
Luke: Texas Tech
Matt: Texas Tech — This will be America’s last chance to see Michael Crabtree catch passes from Graham Harrell.
International Bowl — Jan. 3
Connecticut vs. Buffalo
Nate: Buffalo — This is more a punishment than a vacation.
Corey: Buffalo
Luke: Buffalo
Matt: Buffalo — Turner Gill seems to have the magic right now.
GMAC Bowl — Jan. 6
Tulsa vs. Ball State
Nate: Ball State
Corey: Ball State
Luke: Ball State
Matt: Ball State — The first team to 50 wins this one.