FOOTBALL: Gridiron picks go bowling

Daily Staff

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.