Every week I will be putting up an updated bowl prediction out there. It will include all the BCS and Big Ten bowls. Every few weeks I will include all of the bowls. The selection order for the BCS is:
1) National Championship
2) National Championship
3) Bowl that lost a representative to the first NC pick
4) Bowl that lost a representative to the second NC pick
5) Fiesta Bowl
7) Orange Bowl
BCS National Title Game: Alabama v. OregonTruth be told this is a total shot in the dark. I like what Oregon brings back on offense but their defense is still suspect. Alabama has several key players to replace including Greg McElroy, Julio Jones, and Mark Ingram and must get through another brutal year in the SEC West. The national title chase is going to be a wild ride this year and I expect this will change quite a bit.
Rose Bowl Game: Ohio State v. Texas A&MThis is where things get interesting. I am not sold on Ohio State but it is hard to really pick anybody else here with the Big Ten looking like a grindhouse this year. Texas A&M receives an at large bid for me because I think they can pull out a solid record with the Horns still down and with Oklahoma State's defense still being pretty bad. The Aggies get my vote to finish here as Oregon's replcement. This would have been Notre Dame but the ide of Chip Kelly rotating QB's does not inspire my confidence in the Irish.
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma v. NebraskaI really think the Huskers have a shot at an at large bid or even the Big Ten Title if they get their offense straightened out. The Sooners are the runaway favorite to win the Big XII but I am a lot less certain on that than everyone else seems to be. You know the Fiesta Bowl would jump at this if they were given the opportunity.
Allstate Sugar Bowl: LSU v. Florida State That's right, no undefeted non-AQ's this year. I don't see Boise State going undefeated in the MWC and it would shock me if TCU got out unscathed before bolting to the Big East. If neither of those teams go undefeated I think the Sugar opts for the second place Seminoles to face the home town Tigers. LSU is a crapshoot but really there will almost definetly be a second SEC team here. FSU sneaks in after falling in the ACC title game to the most underrated team in the country right now.
Discover Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech v. West VirginiaFrank Beamer's squad loses the program's all time winningest QB in Tyrod Taylor, but I still think the Hokies, and their bevy of returning starters, are posied to win the ACC crown. They will head to Miami to face the Mountaineers who I think will win the Big East, if more by default more than anything else.
Capital One Bowl: Wisconsin v. South CarolinaFrom here on out the Big Ten is a crapshoot. I am not big on Wisconsin this year but with two teams in the BCS from the Big Ten I think the Badgers slide in here despite a worse record than Michigan State. South Carolina looks to be pretty good next year but I am going to put them here for now and wait until they prove my real opinion of them right or wrong before changing their placement.
Outback Bowl: Michigan State v. GeorgiaI honestly think the Gators end with around the same record but they were here last year. The Bulldogs will bring a big crowd and which I think will offset the number of dissapointed MSU fans. Sparty could rise or fall from this perch prett quickly but right now I don't have neough faith in them to fail or to succeed to justify moving them from here.
Insight Bowl: Penn State v. MissouriThe Tigers get another trip to Tempe when the Alamo Bowl opts to pick the hometown Longhorns over them. The Outback Bowl might consider picking up the well traveling Nittany Lion fanbase again but I kinda doubt it. I want to put Penn State higher but until their offense proves to be nything better than a giant ball of suck I don't think it is justifiable.
Gator Bowl: Iowa v. FloridaIt would be strange to see the Gators forgoe the Chick-Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta but another down year and their athletic department may choose to accept a Gator Bowl bid to ensure that they don't have to have their fans travel as far and can sell more tickets. Iowa is an enigma right now but I think a 7-5, 8-4 type season is fair and that would put them here over the Wolverines who were here last season.
Meineke Texas Bowl: Michigan v. BaylorI think the Wolverines will do pretty well in their first season under Brady Hoke and could potentially leap much higher into the rankings. I think Baylor will be a decent team again this year but I still don't see them getting to the Holiday Bowl over either Texas Tech or Kansas State (it will be one of the two). The Texas Bowl goes with the Bears again since I think the Red Raiders are headed to the Holidy Bowl.
TicketCity Bowl: Illinois v. SMUConference USA gets this bid in odd numbered yers rather than the Big XII so I think it will be SMU. Illinois will struggle a bit this year but I still think they manage to get a nonconference sweep which should get them to seven wins.
Little Caeser's Pizza Pizza Bowl: Northwestern v. Miami (OH)Northwestern falls here only because of their lack of a strong fanbase. I think they finish around 8-4 with 9-3 being possible but that doesn't mattter in selecting bowl bids. On the bright side for Wildcat fans, facing the MAC champion may be their most realistic shot at their first Bowl win in over half a century.
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