Bowl Game Challenge - Last chance to sign up - due Friday

[SlowwHand]

Why don't we save a little time, and you just hand me the award now?

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by Ming


Nahhhh.... look a little closer. I added my pick in bold after the teams listing so it looks like I did. Most of you just bolded the team you wanted.

Mea culpa.

[Ming]

Great... Eight people signed up already, and still plenty of time for others to join in.

[Deity Dude]

Re: Anybody up for a Bowl game challenge?

Originally posted by Ming

Friday, Dec. 22
NEW ORLEANS BOWL - New Orleans, LA
Rice 5 Troy

Saturday, Dec. 23
PAPAJOHNS.COM BOWL - Birmingham, AL
South Florida 4 East Carolina

NEW MEXICO BOWL - Albuquerque, NM
NEW MEXICO 3½ San Jose State

ARMED FORCES BOWL - Fort Worth, TX
Utah 1½ Tulsa

Sunday, Dec. 24
HAWAII BOWL - Honolulu, HI
HAWAII 8 Arizona State

Tuesday, Dec. 26
MOTOR CITY BOWL - Detroit, MI
Central Michigan 10½ Middle Tennessee State

Wednesday, Dec. 27
EMERALD BOWL - San Francisco, CA
UCLA 4½ Florida State

Thursday, Dec. 28
INDEPENDENCE BOWL - Shreveport, LA
Oklahoma State 2 Alabama

TEXAS BOWL - Houston, TX
Rutgers 7½ Kansas State

HOLIDAY BOWL - San Diego, CA
California 5 Texas A&M

Friday, Dec. 29
MUSIC CITY BOWL - Nashville, TN
Clemson 10 Kentucky

SUN BOWL - El Paso, TX
Oregon State 3 Missouri

LIBERTY BOWL - Memphis, TN
South Carolina 6½ Houston

CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL - Orlando, FL
Maryland PK Purdue

INSIGHT BOWL - Tempe, AZ
Texas Tech 6½ Minnesota

Saturday, Dec. 30
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL - Charlotte, NC
Boston College 6½ Navy

ALAMO BOWL - San Antonio, TX
Texas 10½ Iowa

PEACH BOWL - Atlanta, GA
Virginia Tech 2½ Georgia

Sunday, Dec. 31
MPC COMPUTERS BOWL - Boise, ID
Miami (Florida) 3½ Nevada

Monday, Jan. 1
COTTON BOWL - Dallas, TX
Auburn 2½ Nebraska

OUTBACK BOWL - Tampa, FL
Tennessee 4 Penn State

CAPITAL ONE BOWL - Orlando, FL
Arkansas 1½ Wisconsin

GATOR BOWL - Jacksonville, FL
West Virginia 7 Georgia Tech

ROSE BOWL - Pasadena, CA
Southern California 1 Michigan

FIESTA BOWL - Glendale, AZ
Oklahoma 7½ Boise State

Tuesday, Jan. 2
ORANGE BOWL - Miami, FL
Louisville 10 Wake Forest

Wednesday, Jan. 3
SUGAR BOWL - New Orleans, LA
Louisiana State 8½ Notre Dame

Saturday, Jan. 6
INTERNATIONAL BOWL - Toronto, Canada
Cincinnati 8 Western Michigan

Sunday, Jan. 7
GMAC BOWL - Mobile, AL
Southern Mississippi 6½ Ohio

Monday, Jan. 8
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - Glendale, Ariz.
Ohio State 7½ Florida

OK since I couldn't figure out how to sign myself off and signmy son in he will use my password.

Deity Lad's picks are
troy
S fla
NM
Utah
Haw
CMU
UCLA
Ala
Rut
Cal
Clem
Mis
S C
Mary
TT
Navy
Tex
VT
Mia
Aub
Tenn
Ark
WV
Mich
Ok
Wake
LSU
Cin
S Miss
O St
Tie Breaker = 47

[SlowwHand]

Troy smokes Rice.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Only Dan, Deity Lad, and I got Troy right. They played some big teams tight earlier in the year and impressed me.

[SlowwHand]

They both played big teams.

[Dis]

I believe BYU stomped Oregon in the Las Vegas Bowl. I'm just happy I avoided the traffic. It was sold out.

[reismark]

I usually only concern myself with the BCS games (it's too time-consuming to properly analyze all the others) and as for those, I'm taking the underdogs across the board this year.

USC/Michigan is the only coin flip from a spread standpoint, and while usually USC gets up for games like this, their tendency to play down to opponents is scary. Not only have they not faced a defense like Michigan's all year, but I think Michigan has too many weapons (especially in the passing game with guys like Manningham and Breaston) for USC's own defense to control for four quarters. I also prefer the motivation of "proving that we were screwed" (Michigan) to "proving that we're not choke artists" (USC). I think it's tight in the first half but the Wolverines pull away early in the second half and win by 14.

Oklahoma will most likely beat Boise State (having Adrian back is a tremendous boost), but keep in mind that Boise is better at stopping the run, technically has the better RB in Ian Johnson, and airs out the ball much more efficiently than the Sooners do. Don't forget: The last time a widely-discredited minor or "low major" conference team got overlooked, West Virginia ambushed Georgia two years ago, and Oklahoma doesn't have a home-field advantage. The game's going to ride on which team is better at keeping the other team's offense off the field, and I see it coming down to a late field goal, which means the Broncos cover.

Rutgers provided the blueprint for beating Louisville back in November: Throttle their passing game, wear them down with the run and make key throws when you need to. Wake Forest plays like a lighter version of Rutgers in that respect, with the key difference being that their passing game is better equipped to exploit the Cardinals' weakness. The trade-off, though, is the Deacons aren't quite as adept at preventing the flip situation than Rutgers was. It's going to come down to which secondary steps up and elevates their game. Louisville probably wins (I'll say by 7), but the double-digit spread and Wake's superior motivation are enough for me to take a flyer on them.

No other team played a tougher schedule than LSU this year (I believe they ended up with a ridiculous five games against top 10 teams), so it's easy to get a bead on how they perform when faced with a tough test. They're the epitome of the "bend-don't-break" philosophy - do what it takes to win and not much more. This game plays out to me as a "last team with the ball wins" scenario, and 8 1/2 points is just too much for me to take in that situation, especially since LSU has been caught napping a couple of times this year already against teams not as strong offensively as Notre Dame. I think we'll see another one of those and the Irish pull it out by 4.

The national championship game presents a similar situation. Florida is just not one those teams that rolls over and plays dead. Their one loss is misleading because the final margin was created by a onside-kick return for a TD. They've got the defense to hang with Ohio State (tenth overall in yards per game), and their offense will be not be anything like the Buckeyes have ever seen, because their personnel (Leak and Tebow) gives Urban Meyer the opportunity to really play some tricks that no one will have seen yet this season. Most likely, the favorite will once again prevail... but there ain't no way it'll be by more than 7.

[mrmitchell]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Only Dan, Deity Lad, and I got Troy right. They played some big teams tight earlier in the year and impressed me.

I was going to go for Troy, but only in the hope that it would make Arkansas's opener against them next season look better.

[rah]

Time to post my results

Friday, Dec. 22
NEW ORLEANS BOWL - New Orleans, LA
Rice 5 Troy RICE LOSS 0-1

Saturday, Dec. 23
PAPAJOHNS.COM BOWL - Birmingham, AL
South Florida 4 East Carolina South FLorida WIN 1-1


NEW MEXICO BOWL - Albuquerque, NM
NEW MEXICO 3½ San Jose State NEW MEXICO LOSS 1-2

ARMED FORCES BOWL - Fort Worth, TX
Utah 1½ Tulsa Tulsa LOSS 1-3

Sunday, Dec. 24
HAWAII BOWL - Honolulu, HI
HAWAII 8 Arizona State HAWAII WIN 2-3

Tuesday, Dec. 26
MOTOR CITY BOWL - Detroit, MI
Central Michigan 10½ Middle Tennessee State Central Michigan WIN 3-3

More to come.

Wednesday, Dec. 27
EMERALD BOWL - San Francisco, CA
UCLA 4½ Florida State UCLA Lose 3-4

Thursday, Dec. 28
INDEPENDENCE BOWL - Shreveport, LA
Oklahoma State 2 Alabama Alabama Lose 3-5

TEXAS BOWL - Houston, TX
Rutgers 7½ Kansas State Rutgers Win 4-5

HOLIDAY BOWL - San Diego, CA
California 5 Texas A&M California Win 5-5

Friday, Dec. 29
MUSIC CITY BOWL - Nashville, TN
Clemson 10 Kentucky Kentucky Win 6-5

SUN BOWL - El Paso, TX
Oregon State 3 Missouri Missouri Win 7-5

LIBERTY BOWL - Memphis, TN
South Carolina 6½ Houston South Carolina Win 8-5

CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL - Orlando, FL
Maryland PK Purdue Purdue loss 8-6

INSIGHT BOWL - Tempe, AZ
Texas Tech 6½ Minnesota Minnesota Win 9-6

Saturday, Dec. 30
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL - Charlotte, NC
Boston College 6½ Navy Boston College Loss 9-7

ALAMO BOWL - San Antonio, TX
Texas 10½ Iowa Texas Loss 9-8

PEACH BOWL - Atlanta, GA
Virginia Tech 2½ Georgia Georgia Win 10-8

Sunday, Dec. 31
MPC COMPUTERS BOWL - Boise, ID
Miami (Florida) 3½ Nevada Miami Loss 10-9

Monday, Jan. 1
COTTON BOWL - Dallas, TX
Auburn 2½ Nebraska Nebraska Loss 10-10

OUTBACK BOWL - Tampa, FL
Tennessee 4 Penn State Penn State Win 11-10

CAPITAL ONE BOWL - Orlando, FL
Arkansas 1½ Wisconsin Wisconsin Win 12-10

GATOR BOWL - Jacksonville, FL
West Virginia 7 Georgia Tech West Virginia Loss 12-11

ROSE BOWL - Pasadena, CA
Southern California 1 Michigan Michigan Loss 12-12

FIESTA BOWL - Glendale, AZ
Oklahoma 7½ Boise State Boise State WIN 13-12

Tuesday, Jan. 2
ORANGE BOWL - Miami, FL
Louisville 10 Wake Forest Louisville

Wednesday, Jan. 3
SUGAR BOWL - New Orleans, LA
Louisiana State 8½ Notre Dame Louisiana State

Saturday, Jan. 6
INTERNATIONAL BOWL - Toronto, Canada
Cincinnati 8 Western Michigan Cincinnati

Sunday, Jan. 7
GMAC BOWL - Mobile, AL
Southern Mississippi 6½ Ohio Southern Mississippi

Monday, Jan. 8
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - Glendale, Ariz.
Ohio State 7½ Florida Ohio State

TIE BREAKER = Total Points in BCS Champ Game
51


Win one, lose one so an interestesting tale of mediocrity.

Currently 13-12 with 5 to go.

[SlowwHand]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Friday, Dec. 22
NEW ORLEANS BOWL - New Orleans, LA
Rice 5 Troy LOSS

Saturday, Dec. 23
PAPAJOHNS.COM BOWL - Birmingham, AL
South Florida 4 East Carolina LOSS

NEW MEXICO BOWL - Albuquerque, NM
NEW MEXICO 3½ San Jose State WIN

ARMED FORCES BOWL - Fort Worth, TX
Utah 1½ Tulsa WIN

Sunday, Dec. 24
HAWAII BOWL - Honolulu, HI
HAWAII 8 Arizona State WIN

Tuesday, Dec. 26
MOTOR CITY BOWL - Detroit, MI
Central Michigan 10½ Middle Tennessee State LOSS

3-3
----------------------------------------
Wednesday, Dec. 27
EMERALD BOWL - San Francisco, CA
UCLA 4½ Florida State LOSS 3-4

Thursday, Dec. 28
INDEPENDENCE BOWL - Shreveport, LA
Oklahoma State 2 Alabama LOSS

TEXAS BOWL - Houston, TX
Rutgers 7½ Kansas State

HOLIDAY BOWL - San Diego, CA
California 5 Texas A&M


-----------------------------------------

Friday, Dec. 29
MUSIC CITY BOWL - Nashville, TN
Clemson 10 Kentucky

SUN BOWL - El Paso, TX
Oregon State 3 Missouri

LIBERTY BOWL - Memphis, TN
South Carolina 6½ Houston

CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL - Orlando, FL
Maryland PK Purdue

INSIGHT BOWL - Tempe, AZ
Texas Tech 6½ Minnesota

Saturday, Dec. 30
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL - Charlotte, NC
Boston College 6½ Navy

ALAMO BOWL - San Antonio, TX
Texas 10½ Iowa

PEACH BOWL - Atlanta, GA
Virginia Tech 2½ Georgia

Sunday, Dec. 31
MPC COMPUTERS BOWL - Boise, ID
Miami (Florida) 3½ Nevada

Monday, Jan. 1
COTTON BOWL - Dallas, TX
Auburn 2½ Nebraska

OUTBACK BOWL - Tampa, FL
Tennessee 4 Penn State

CAPITAL ONE BOWL - Orlando, FL
Arkansas 1½ Wisconsin

GATOR BOWL - Jacksonville, FL
West Virginia 7 Georgia Tech

ROSE BOWL - Pasadena, CA
Southern California 1 Michigan

FIESTA BOWL - Glendale, AZ
Oklahoma 7½ Boise State

Tuesday, Jan. 2
ORANGE BOWL - Miami, FL
Louisville 10 Wake Forest

Wednesday, Jan. 3
SUGAR BOWL - New Orleans, LA
Louisiana State 8½ Notre Dame

Saturday, Jan. 6
INTERNATIONAL BOWL - Toronto, Canada
Cincinnati 8 Western Michigan

Sunday, Jan. 7
GMAC BOWL - Mobile, AL
Southern Mississippi 6½ Ohio

Monday, Jan. 8
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - Glendale, Ariz.
Ohio State 7½ Florida

TIE BREAKER = 50

[SlowwHand]

Good running game for UCLA, but they couldn't stop Florida St. passing for anything.

[Ming]

Re: Anybody up for a Bowl game challenge?

SCORES TO DATE
The team that won vs the spread is bolded. I will start checking peoples picks later today or tommorrow and post the current standings then.

PLAYED GAMES

Friday, Dec. 22
NEW ORLEANS BOWL - New Orleans, LA
Rice 5 Troy

Saturday, Dec. 23
PAPAJOHNS.COM BOWL - Birmingham, AL
South Florida 4 East Carolina

NEW MEXICO BOWL - Albuquerque, NM
NEW MEXICO 3½ San Jose State

ARMED FORCES BOWL - Fort Worth, TX
Utah 1½ Tulsa

Sunday, Dec. 24
HAWAII BOWL - Honolulu, HI
HAWAII 8 Arizona State

Tuesday, Dec. 26
MOTOR CITY BOWL - Detroit, MI
Central Michigan 10½ Middle Tennessee State

Wednesday, Dec. 27
EMERALD BOWL - San Francisco, CA
UCLA 4½ Florida State

Thursday, Dec. 28
INDEPENDENCE BOWL - Shreveport, LA
Oklahoma State 2 Alabama

TEXAS BOWL - Houston, TX
Rutgers 7½ Kansas State

HOLIDAY BOWL - San Diego, CA
California 5 Texas A&M

Friday, Dec. 29
MUSIC CITY BOWL - Nashville, TN
Clemson 10 Kentucky

SUN BOWL - El Paso, TX
Oregon State 3 Missouri

LIBERTY BOWL - Memphis, TN
South Carolina 6½ Houston

CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL - Orlando, FL
Maryland PK Purdue

INSIGHT BOWL - Tempe, AZ
Texas Tech 6½ Minnesota

Saturday, Dec. 30
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL - Charlotte, NC
Boston College 6½ Navy

ALAMO BOWL - San Antonio, TX
Texas 10½ Iowa

PEACH BOWL - Atlanta, GA
Virginia Tech 2½ Georgia

Sunday, Dec. 31
MPC COMPUTERS BOWL - Boise, ID
Miami (Florida) 3½ Nevada

Monday, Jan. 1
COTTON BOWL - Dallas, TX
Auburn 2½ Nebraska

OUTBACK BOWL - Tampa, FL
Tennessee 4 Penn State

CAPITAL ONE BOWL - Orlando, FL
Arkansas 1½ Wisconsin

GATOR BOWL - Jacksonville, FL
West Virginia 7 Georgia Tech

ROSE BOWL - Pasadena, CA
Southern California 1 Michigan

FIESTA BOWL - Glendale, AZ
Oklahoma 7½ Boise State

GAMES STILL TO BE PLAYED

Tuesday, Jan. 2
ORANGE BOWL - Miami, FL
Louisville 10 Wake Forest

Wednesday, Jan. 3
SUGAR BOWL - New Orleans, LA
Louisiana State 8½ Notre Dame

Saturday, Jan. 6
INTERNATIONAL BOWL - Toronto, Canada
Cincinnati 8 Western Michigan

Sunday, Jan. 7
GMAC BOWL - Mobile, AL
Southern Mississippi 6½ Ohio

Monday, Jan. 8
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - Glendale, Ariz.
Ohio State 7½ Florida
TOTAL POINTS =

[rah]

Figures, one minute after I post my update, MING posts the scores. That would have been much easier.