The playoff bowl games will also include the four bowl games which are not one of the two semifinal games. This season, the two semifinal bowl games are the Rose and Sugar Bowls. The other bowls part of the college football playoff (or at least selected by the playoff committee) are the Fiesta, Orange, Cotton and Peach Bowls. The rest of them will be predicted right here, other than the Outback Bowl since Auburn is a part of that one. We enter bowl season with a 342-130 record following an 11-4 final regular season week. Having done pretty well throughout the regular season, we're hoping to carry that momentum into bowl season.
New Orleans Bowl: Nevada vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (at Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana)
Did a little bit of research and I think these two teams are very similar. Both are offenses that will rely on the run game for most of the production and are about dead even in terms of passing, points scored and points allowed per game. Almost scary if you ask me. Louisiana-Lafayette should have somewhat of a "homefield advantage" given that New Orleans is just a two hour drive for the Cajuns. But I like Nevada in a tight one since they play in the better conference and have shown pretty darn well in their tougher matchups this season. They lost to Fiesta Bowl participants Arizona and Boise State by a combined 12 points. The Rajun Cajuns, on the other hand, generally got blown out by the best non-Sun Belt teams they fared against in Louisiana Tech and Boise State.
My Call: Nevada 33, Louisiana-Lafayette 30
New Mexico Bowl: Utah State vs. UTEP (at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Unlike in the New Orleans Bowl, what I think we have here is a game between two games that are not very much alike at all. UTEP ranks 120th in the country in terms of passing yards per game, is 70th in the country in points per game scored and 82nd in points allowed. What saves them is a run game led by El Paso's own Aaron Jones' 1233 yards and 11 TDs ranked 34th in the nation. Utah State has a very average offensive team in general, ranking middle of the pack when it comes to rushing and 84th in passing yards per game. What saves these guys is their defense which ranks 21st in the country, allowing just under 21 per game. This seems like a bad matchup for the Miners. They're going up against a rush defense which ranks 26th in the FBS, so you know the Aggies will commit to stopping the run and force a UTEP pass game which has shown next to nothing all year long to beat them. Utah State is gullible through the air, ranking just 76th in terms of yards allowed per game, but UTEP doesn't seem like the type of team who will take advantage. Aggies by a couple scores.
My Call: Utah State 31, UTEP 20
Las Vegas Bowl: Colorado State vs. #22 Utah (at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada)
Colorado State will have to make do without coach Jim McElwain, who is now the head coach of the Florida Gators. That said though, I still think they're the better, more balanced team in this game. Both have strong run games, but the Rams have a legit NFL prospect under center in QB Garrett Grayson. When Dee Hart isn't being handed the ball, Grayson will air it out to receiver Rashard Higgins, who was second in receiving yards in the country only to Amari Cooper. Utah will try countering this with Nate Orchard, who registered 17.5 sacks (good for second in the country) and 20 tackles for loss.
My Call: Colorado State 29, Utah 27
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Western Michigan vs. Air Force (at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho)
Albertsons Stadium... seriously, Boise State? Way to sell out to the corporate sponsor there, guys. Anyway, looking at the numbers of these two teams, I love that Western Michigan is very balanced offensively. They can beat teams both with the run and the pass, ranking in the top 40 in the FBS in both categories. This is as opposed to Air Force who is 8th in yards per game rushing but 118th in yards per game passing. On defense, I'd rank the two essentially even. Air Force gets a bit more pressure on the QB (32 sacks to 27 for WMU), but the Broncos have also recovered more fumbles and caught more interceptions. I'm gonna take Western Michigan due to their offensive balance and the fact that they rank in the top 40 in terms of run defense. If they can at least contain the Falcons run game, they should win.
My Call: Western Michigan 38, Air Force 35
Camellia Bowl: Bowling Green vs. South Alabama (at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama)
Kind of a home game for South Alabama. No, they won't be in their home stadium, but it's not far... just a two and a half hour drive from Mobile to Montgomery. The Jaguars don't score a ton of points at just a shade over 22 a game and are only 100th in the FBS in terms of passing yards per game, but they do run the ball pretty well; ranking top 50 in the FBS and play decent enough defense, ranking middle of the pack. Bowling Green has a pretty good offense but a God awful defense which ranks 109th in terms of points per game given up. This is a tough call. I'm gonna take Bowling Green just because I believe in the Mid-American Conference more than I believe in the Sun Belt, but this one could just as easily go the other way.
My Call: Bowling Green 41, South Alabama 38
Miami Beach Bowl: BYU vs. Memphis (at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida)
Memphis is a team I really like. They have a solid rushing attack, don't beat themselves with mistakes and boast a fantastic defense. Brigham Young has bounced back from a four game slide in the middle of the season, but didn't really beat anybody of real note in the process. The best win of their last four minus Taysom Hill was a win over a Cal team that is home for the holidays. Memphis probably won't put a ton of points on the board, but I think provided they stay true to their formula which worked well enough to winning a share of the American Athletic Conference, they can and will beat BYU.
My Call: Memphis 27, BYU 23
Boca Raton Bowl: Marshall vs. Northern Illinois (at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida)
Don't like Memphis? Well this should be a good game for you to watch since I don't foresee either defense really being able to slow down the offenses. Marshall is led by NFL prospect Rakeem Cato at QB, but they can hand it off to Devon Johnson and be just as explosive. Drew Hare leads the Northern Illinois attack. The sophomore may not have big passing numbers, but he limits the mistakes with just two interceptions thrown and also adds a dimension with his legs, rushing for 850 yards and 8 touchdowns on the season. Marshall's defense does a nice job of getting into the backfield, as they have five guys with at least 9.5 tackles for loss. I'll take the Thundering Herd to find a way behind senior Rakeem Cato.
My Call: Marshall 37, Northern Illinois 31
Poinsettia Bowl: Navy vs. San Diego State (at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California)
No need to say this is kind of a home game for San Diego State as they'll get to play this game in their home stadium. How nice it must be to be them, right? With Navy, you know exactly what you're going to get. They aren't gonna throw the ball very much, but they'll run that crazy triple option offense and just dare your defense to stop it. This formula has worked well for the Midshipmen as they're averaging 33 points a game. The Aztecs allow just 14 points per game defensively, which is good for 20th in the FBS, so that creates an interesting matchup. Although they only rank 42nd in terms of rush yards per game allowed, so I do think Navy could find some success, especially since the triple option isn't easy to prepare for. Like Navy, San Diego State also relies on their rushing attack, but in a more conventional style. I'm gonna take the Aztecs because it's essentially a home game for them and I trust their defense more than I trust Navy's to eventually slow a running game down to a certain extent.
My Call: San Diego State 35, Navy 31
Bahamas Bowl: Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky (at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas)
Winners of bowl season regardless of the outcome of the game? These two teams. Who wouldn't want to spend Christmas Eve in the Bahamas? If you love passing, Western Kentucky may turn into your favorite team. They're number one in the country in terms of passing yards per game. QB Brandon Doughty has thrown for over 4300 yards and 44 touchdowns on the season. They can also get it done in the running game behind Leon Allen. Problem is these guys can't stop anybody, allowing over 39 points per game. Central Michigan is much better defensively, allowing just a shade over 23 points per game, but they don't have a very good offense... only scoring a shade over 25 a game and they don't really stand out for their rushing or passing attack. Gonna throw the dart and take the Hilltoppers. This goes against my usual take the better defense mantra, but crazy things can tend to happen during bowl season. So why not?
My Call: Western Kentucky 49, Central Michigan 45
Hawaii Bowl: Fresno State vs. Rice (at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii)
Two more winners of bowl season regardless of the outcome; spending Christmas Eve in Hawaii is a nice deal for these two clubs. Personally, I like bowl games myself, but I will say if you're one of those people who thinks there are a few too many bowl games, you'd best make your case here where a 6-7 Fresno State team is participating. Doing a bit of research, I noticed these two teams are quite similar in the number of yards the run and pass for per game as well as the number of points they score and allow per game. In a case like this, I'm gonna go with the team in the better conference and the one that should have the best player on the field. That's Fresno State in both cases. The Mountain West is better than Conference USA and WR Josh Harper should be the best player on the field.
My Call: Fresno State 38, Rice 30
Heart of Dallas Bowl: Louisiana Tech vs. Illinois (at Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas)
Illini coach Tim Beckman did just enough to save his job; getting them to this bowl game. They will do battle against a Louisiana Tech team that fell just short in the Conference USA Championship Game against Marshall. The Bulldogs have a strong offensive team that ranks 13th in the nation in terms of points per game, averaging 37.5 points per contest. They get to go against an Illinois team that gave up nearly 34 points per game. I see a huge day for QB Cody Sokol and Co en route to a double digit victory.
My Call: Louisiana Tech 38, Illinois 28
Quick Lane Bowl: Rutgers vs. North Carolina (at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan)
Big 10 vs. the ACC at the home of the Detroit Lions. UNC is like the ACC's version of Western Kentucky; they score a lot of points and give up a lot of points. They should be successful against a Rutgers team that gives up nearly 31 points per game. Although Rutgers doesn't have a particularly explosive offensive team, they should be able to score on a Tar Heel defense that gives up nearly 39 points a game. This game will likely come down to whether UNC's gambling defense pays off or whether Rutgers can get pressure up front defensively. I wouldn't bet on either of these teams nor would I be surprised if this goes to OT... I'll pick Rutgers.
My Call: Rutgers 43, North Carolina 40
St. Petersburg Bowl: NC State vs. Central Florida (at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida)
It'll be an easy hour and a half trek for UCF to St. Petersburg from Orlando. Plus they also bring an outstanding defense to the stadium, one that gives up just a shade under 18 points per game. NC State brings a solid rushing attack and although QB Jacoby Brissett may not put up the flashiest numbers, he doesn't make a lot of bad throwing decisions; having just 5 interceptions on the season. Between what I expect could be at least a slight homefield advantage for the Knights and having the better defense, I'll go with them by a field goal. They'll definitely want to keep this one in the low-to-mid 20s though. A higher scoring game would likely favor NC State.
My Call: Central Florida 23, NC State 20
Military Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech (at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland)
Contrast of styles will go at it in this one. Virginia Tech has a stout defense but an offense that can look downright horrendous at times while Cincinnati can put up the points but can have issues when it comes to stopping opposing offenses. I'm not fond of the Bearcats defense, but am even less fond of Virginia Tech QB Michael Brewer. He makes so many mistakes that he's too difficult to trust. Plus the Bearcats aren't bad at rushing the QB, so they could make him hurry some throws. It'll be up to Cincinnati's offensive line to buy enough time for their QB in Gunner Kiel. Virginia Tech provides a nice challenge in that regard as they come into this game with 44 sacks on the season, which is good for fourth in the FBS. Saw a prediction on this game on another site that I liked, so I think I'll go with something very close to it.
My Call: Cincinnati 28, Virginia Tech 24
Sun Bowl: Duke vs. #15 Arizona State (at Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas)
Defense will need to keep an explosive ASU offense in check for Duke if they are to have a shot in this one. Their offense isn't what I would classify as terrible, but I also wouldn't classify it as likely to beat this Sun Devil team in a shootout. Here's what I believe will happen... Duke will come in well prepared and won't quit. ASU is gonna have to come ready or else they could find themselves being a disappointment for a second straight bowl season. But I think they'll do just enough to make last year's loss to Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl a (somewhat) distant memory.
My Call: Arizona State 30, Duke 24
Independence Bowl: Miami (FL) vs. South Carolina (at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana)
You never want to finish a season below the .500 mark. That's what will happen for the loser of this game as both teams enter with a 6-6 record. The major problem for South Carolina this season has been their defense. That was somewhat understandable given the losses of guys like Jadeveon Clowney among others, but 31 points per game couldn't have been expected. As far as Miami goes... well, I just think they're mired in mediocrity. That said, they do have a couple of high level NFL players on both sides of the ball. Offensively, they're led by running back Duke Johnson and on defense, it's Denzel Perryman leading the way. I really don't know about this game either, it's mediocrity all the way around. Changed my mind... taking the Canes instead
My Call: Miami (FL) 34, South Carolina 30
Pinstripe Bowl: Boston College vs. Penn State (at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York)
Protecting talented QB Christian Hackenberg is what it'll come down to for Penn State offensively if they want to have a chance on that side of the ball. Unfortunately, they've done a pretty awful job of that all season long as he's been sacked 42 times. Boston College QB Tyler Murphy is like a poor man's Nick Marshall (had to throw this one in there as an Auburn fan). He's not a terrific passer, but he sure can make a lot of big things happen with his feet, as he's run for over 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season. Keeping him in the pocket will be a key for Penn State defensively. Boston College does a decent job at getting after the QB, they've accumulated 30 sacks on the season. There won't be many points scored in this one. I'll take Boston College thinking Murphy will bust a couple big runs to make just enough of a difference.
My Call: Boston College 13, Penn State 10
Holiday Bowl: Nebraska vs. #24 USC (at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego)
Fiery Bo Pelini has been fired by Nebraska and is now the head coach at Youngstown State. Being a consistent 9 or 10 win guy with a consistent 4 losses per season just wasn't good enough in Lincoln. We'll see over time if new coach Mike Riley can produce better. For now though, the Huskers will sink or swim offensively with running back Ameer Abdullah. The senior running back has rushed for over 1500 yards and 18 touchdowns on the season. USC is a bit more balanced offensively, Javorious Allen can rush for plenty of yards, but they tend to ride the arm of QB Cody Kessler a bit more. He threw for over 4300 yards and 36 touchdowns with only 4 interceptions. USC does a solid job against the run, ranking 27th in the FBS. I expect they'll stack the line and try making Nebraska QB Tommy Armstrong beat them with his arm. He won't do that. USC takes it.
My Call: USC 31, Nebraska 23
Liberty Bowl: Texas A&M vs. West Virginia (at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee)
One of the more exciting games of bowl season could be taking place right here as it could result in a possible scoreboard explosion. Senior QB Clint Trickett will not be back under center for the Mountaineers, and his replacement will love slinging the ball to his top receivers, Mario Alford and Kevin White. The latter has a very good chance of being a first round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Meanwhile, Texas A&M and talented freshman QB Kyle Allen will be looking to build a little momentum towards next season. Another thing the Aggies will be able to hang their hats on is freshman defensive lineman Myles Garrett being a nightmare for the West Virginia offensive line. The Aggies don't have a very good defense as a whole, but he's the real deal. Now with Trickett out, I have adjusted my prediction as such. I still think West Virginia will put up a good amount of points, but those few points less make the difference.
My Call: Texas A&M 34, West Virginia 31
Russell Athletic Bowl: Oklahoma vs. #17 Clemson (at Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida)
Got a game here where one team will be getting its usual starting QB back while the other will be without theirs. Oklahoma sophomore Trevor Knight will be back after missing the final three regular season games. Clemson freshman starter DeShaun Watson recently had surgery to repair a torn ACL. That will be a smart move for them in the long term, but will very likely hurt their chances in this bowl game as senior Cole Stoudt has been nothing short of awful as Watson's fill-in. That said, the Tigers do have one of the nation's top defenses at their disposal (led by the outstanding Vic Beasley and coordinated by ex-Sooners defensive coordinator Brent Venables) and will be going up against what should be a rusty QB. And even if Knight wasn't rusty, he never really carried the momentum from last year's Sugar Bowl where he played so well against Alabama into this season. If Watson were playing, I'd be taking Clemson without hesitation. I just don't have enough faith in Stoudt even though Oklahoma hasn't looked brilliant themselves this season and probably won't look brilliant in this one either. A lower scoring affair seems about right.
My Call: Oklahoma 21, Clemson 20
Texas Bowl: Arkansas vs. Texas (at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas)
Like the dilemma facing Miami and South Carolina in the Independence Bowl, Texas and Arkansas are both in a situation where they have to win in order to avoid having a losing season. It's kinda tough to say which team took a tougher path to get here. Probably Arkansas due to the quality of the competition, but their paths weren't too unfamiliar. Texas was at 3-5 not long ago, which meant there was a distinct possibility of no bowl game at all. But they rattled off three straight wins over Texas Tech, West Virginia and Oklahoma State before losing to TCU in the finale to get themselves the necessary six wins needed for bowl eligibility. Arkansas was sitting at 4-5 and starring at a tough road to hoe to get to a bowl game, but consecutive shutout home victories against LSU and Ole Miss before a loss in the finale to Missouri got them their necessary six wins. Neither of these teams will be putting up big totals through the air. The Razorbacks appear to have an edge in the running game; as they have two backs in Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins who both rushed for over 1000 yards and ran for 11 and 12 TDs, respectively. I expect a very physical game and expect Arkansas to win.
My Call: Arkansas 24, Texas 13
Music City Bowl: Notre Dame vs. #23 LSU (at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee)
Notre Dame may be the team that's most glad the regular season is over and bowl season is here. Even after the tough loss to Florida State, the Irish were very much in the hunt for at least one of the playoff games if not the actual four game playoff itself. But they lost their last four games to end the season and will end their 2014 in Nashville, instead. It'll be the last game for senior QB Everett Golson, although he will split the reps with sophomore Malik Zaire. Loss of key personnel seemed to catch up to LSU and head coach Les Miles a bit this season; and they ended the year at 8-4, 4-4 in SEC play. Nashville got about as good a matchup as they could have possibly hoped for as both the Irish and Tigers will bring a lot of fans to them to Nashville. It'll be an interesting matchup between two units that struggled a lot of the season. Notre Dame's defense struggled mightily down the stretch while a young LSU offense had its struggles throughout the course of the season. Nothing would really surprise me here... in a throw of the dart, I'll take LSU by a field goal.
My Call: LSU 23, Notre Dame 20
Belk Bowl: #21 Louisville vs. #13 Georgia (at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina)
Couple of my least favorite teams going at it here. Other than Alabama, Georgia is likely the second most disliked team amongst Auburn fans. Normally, I wouldn't care a whole lot about Louisville, but now that Bobby Petrino is their head coach, they're right up there amongst my top 6 most hated college football teams. Anyway, with all this in mind, I don't want to spend too much time analyzing this one. Louisville's offense was inconsistent all season, but they seemed to show some improvement over the last three games. Their defense is one of the best in the country but will have a chore in trying to slow down Georgia running back Nick Chubb, who I personally think is better than the more hyped Todd Gurley, who won't be playing in this game because of a torn ACL. I think Georgia has the better team, but they can be very up and down. For example, they crushed Auburn but got crushed by a pretty average Florida team. I guess I'll take Georgia since I do believe they're the better team, but not with a ton of confidence.
My Call: Georgia 24, Louisville 21
Foster Farms Bowl: Maryland vs. Stanford (at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California)
Another game where one team will essentially be playing what amounts to a home game as the Stanford campus is essentially about a 25 or so minute drive from Levi's Stadium. This is as opposed to College Park (home of the Terps), which is nearly 3000 miles away. No, Maryland won't drive to Santa Clara, they'll fly, but if you're Maryland, you have to love another road game. Looking at this game, I see a fairly low scoring affair. The Stanford offense has struggled some during the season, but have made up for it with a defense that's second in the FBS in terms of points allowed per game. Between that and what should be a homefield advantage, I'll take Stanford.
My Call: Stanford 24, Maryland 19
Citrus Bowl: #25 Minnesota vs. #16 Missouri (at Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando)
Gotta admit that having watched Missouri this year, I've come away very unimpressed at times. However, they may have a team they match up very well against in this bowl game. Minnesota's passing attack is virtually non-existent, it ranks 124th in the FBS at a shade of just over 131 yards per game. They are going to sink or swim with their rushing attack. It's led by running back David Cobb who rushed for 1545 yards and 13 scores on the season as well as QB Mitch Leidner, who was most effective with his legs, rushing for 11 scores. Minnesota's defense is solid overall in terms of points per game, allowing 23.4 points per game, but they aren't particularly wonderful when it comes to stopping either the run or the pass. Plus they don't get a ton of pressure on the QB, registering just 24 sacks as a team. Missouri, on the other hand, has registered 42 sacks as a team. They're led by Markus Golden and Shane Ray, who combined for 22.5 sacks and 37 tackles for loss. It's been a better combination than even the pass rush combo of Michael Sam and Kony Ealy was for the Tigers a year ago. Between the great pass rush and Minnesota's one dimensional offense, I'll take Mizzou. They may not light it up on the scoreboard, but I think they'll get the job done.
My Call: Missouri 24, Minnesota 17
Armed Forces Bowl: Houston vs. Pittsburgh (at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas)
Case Keenum's Houston Cougars are a long way away from this game. This Cougar team relied on a defense that ranked 11th in FBS in points allowed per game at 19.5 to get to this game. Pittsburgh has relied on a couple outstanding offensive skill players in running back James Connor who bruised his way to 24 TD rushes and sophomore WR Tyler Boyd, whose sophomore season basically duplicated his freshman season. Outstanding left tackle T.J. Clemmings has been a big part of the Panthers offense, protecting the QB and opening up holes for Connor. I'm leaning towards Pittsburgh in this one, winning in what may be a semi-road game.
My Call: Pittsburgh 26, Houston 24
TaxSlayer Bowl: Iowa vs. Tennessee (at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida)
Youth vs. Experience. A young Vols team will look to gain momentum into the 2015 season while a more experienced Hawkeye team is looking for some of their seniors to finish off their careers the right way. One of those Iowa seniors is senior left tackle Brandon Scherff, who seems very likely to be a top 10 to 15 selection come the 2015 NFL Draft. After looking over all the stats which I am too lazy to post into this game's preview, I honestly have no idea who I think is gonna win. I do think this will be more of a low scoring game... so with a throw of the dart, I'll take the Vols.
My Call: Tennessee 20, Iowa 17
Alamo Bowl: #14 UCLA vs. #11 Kansas State (at Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas)
UCLA has been sort of an enigma this season. They can have games such as against ASU and USC where they look like one of the best teams in college football and then struggle with lesser teams and lay eggs against Oregon and Stanford that make you wonder what the heck is going on with them? Meanwhile, Kansas State had a very nice season, although they did lose to the three best teams on their schedule (Auburn, Baylor, TCU). Although I like this Kansas State team, I'm not sure how well they match up with this Bruins team. UCLA's offensive line has looked vulnerable at times this year, but K-State doesn't get a ton of pressure on opposing QBs (just 24 on the season) and they're very one dimensional offensively, they don't run the ball well at all. I dunno how well that's gonna work here. I'll take UCLA because of all this and the fact that they are more legitimately and athletically talented, but the Wildcats are very well coached and will make em earn it.
My Call: UCLA 27, Kansas State 21
Cactus Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Washington (at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona)
Been a roller coaster of a ride for Oklahoma State this season. They began the year 5-1, the one loss being a very hard fought loss against Florida State on a neutral field. It looked like we wouldn't be talking about them being in danger of missing out on a bowl game, but then came a five game losing streak and a do or die 'Bedlam' game with in state rival Oklahoma just to make a bowl game. The Cowboys won in overtime and they are here. It's sorta been the same way for their Northwest counterpart Huskies. Although Washington may not have always looked wonderful, they also started the season at 5-1 before losing four of their next five games. However, they bounced back and won their last two games to get to 8-5 and get themselves here. Okie State doesn't really do anything wonderfully and I think the Huskie defense led by first team All-American Danny Shelton will be the difference and win this game for them.
My Call: Washington 28, Oklahoma State 20
Birmingham Bowl: Florida vs. East Carolina (at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama)
Hard to believe I still have yet to get this pick in. Well, I'll do it now. Florida fired head coach Will Muschamp (who went to be Auburn's defensive coordinator) and brought in Jim McElwain from Colorado State to replace him. This will also be Dante Fowler's last game for the Gators, as the junior will depart for the NFL afterwards and is looking like he'll be an early first round selection. East Carolina will have a hard time dealing with him and a very tough Gator defense, but they do have QB Shane Carden and a prolific passing game at their disposal. Carden is seen as more of a mid-to-late round pick in this upcoming draft, but he's had an excellent career at ECU and will be looking to cap it off the right way. I'll take the Pirates by a field goal. I don't see either offense putting up many points, but I have more faith in Carden and ECU to put up more than I do in UF's offense.
My Call: East Carolina 23, Florida 21
GoDaddy Bowl: Toledo vs. Arkansas State (at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama)
Last non-playoff bowl game for me to analyze will be the GoDaddy Bowl. Having a look at some stats, I don't see the defenses being very successful. This should be a wild affair. Toledo has an excellent offense that scores over 34 points per game and is led by a very strong rushing attack. Same story for Arkansas State; they score about 36 points per game and have the 22nd ranked run attack in FBS. Two more areas these teams are similar in is having not so stout defenses. The Red Wolves struggle mightily in stopping the run; which should play very much into Toledo's hands. Although the Rockets rank 18th in FBS in terms of rush yards allowed per game, part of me wonders if that's because teams just choose to pass on them at will given how much their pass defense struggles. The Rockets rank 122nd in terms of pass yards allowed per game. Good news for Arkansas State is they do a better job of getting after the QB and forcing turnovers. Bad news is they'll be without a very key contributor; redshirt freshman Ja'Von Rolland-Jones. He was a first-team All-Sun Belt selection, recording 8 sacks and 12 tackles for loss on the season. This one's tough... I'll go with Toledo due to said key contributor not being available for the Red Wolves and the fact that the Rockets should be able to control the pace of the game with their running game.
My Call: Toledo 38, Arkansas State 35
No comments:
Post a Comment