Week 2 Bowl Projections

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
6) Sugar Bowl
7) Orange Bowl

BCS National Championship Game: Alabama v. Oregon

Stat of the weekend: Alabama defeated Michigan by the same score LSU defeated North Texas.  The Crimson Tide looked dominant but more importantly the rest of the SEC (except LSU) looked pretty mediocre.  Arkansas can score but it is hard to envision them beating Bama and, while LSU could the division, I just don't think anyone else in the SEC is going to be consistent enough to topple the Tide.  Oregon's score was misleading unless you watched the game.  The Ducks let the gas off late and allowed the Red Wolves to get closer.  I still don't see anyone beating Oregon this season.

Rose Bowl: Wisconsin v. USC

Sometimes you have to ignore opening week games.  The Badgers' game against UNI wasn't pretty, but let's reserve judgement on Wisconsin until we see them play a little more.  Nothing has changed my opinion of USC.  The Trojans have little depth and I think it costs them a shot at the national title.

Sugar Bowl: LSU v. Oklahoma State

Virginia Tech is a possibility here as the ACC runner up but they were in the Sugar Bowl last season.  Enter Big XII runner up Oklahoma State who quietly put on a show this week in Stillwater.  I still think West Virginia's defense is going to cost the Mountaineers against the upper level Big XII teams.  The Cowboys have not been tested yet but I think they are capable of getting to the BCS for a second straight year.  LSU gets the next SEC slot over SEC East champ Georgia

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma v. Nebraska

I still don't see a reason the Huskers won't get at least ten wins and that makes them a no brainer at-large selection (I am reversing my opinion on Notre Dame a little bit who is good but maybe not BCS good).  The rematch of a historical rivalry between the Big XII champion Sooners and the Big Ten runner up Huskers would be great television.

Orange Bowl: Florida State v. Louisville

No change here but I do think it is worth noting that Florida State did suffer some significant injuries against Murray State (most notably star DE Brandon Jenkins).  Nothing definitive on how long people will be out but if FSU has injuries pile up like they did last year then it could really affect the Noles chances of an ACC title run.

Capital One Bowl: Michigan v. Georgia

As bad as Saturday nights loss was, it is still hard to see the Wolverines not end up at within at least a game of arch rival Michigan State.  The Spartans have played Georgia in a bowl game twice in the last few years including last year in the Outback Bowl.  MSU has also played in Orlando twice in the past few years and had another tip to Florida last year for their bowl game.  Michigan jumps Sparty here and they face the SEC East champion Bulldogs.

Outback Bowl: Iowa v. South Carolina

A rare double jump for the Spartans as the Outback Bowl doesn't want the same team twice in a row.  Iowa can't be completely judged on its' opener and the Hawkeyes still have a chance to get enough wins to make this plausible.  South Carolina is still my pick here but keep an eye on the Missouri Tigers who could reasonably be the second best team in the SEC East.

Gator Bowl: Michigan State v. Missouri

The Spartans aren't going to fall past here and I think there will be some significant gnashing of teeth about being jumped by teams they beat for the second year in a row.  I am replacing Florida with Missouri here only because I am not convinced the Gators will be very good this year.  It is still early but I think the SEC will send Missouri or Tennessee here before the Gators return for the second year in a row.

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl: Purdue v. Kansas State

The Boilermakers make their first appearance on this list with a solid bowl position.  They get a rematch from the 1998 Alamo Bowl where the Boilermakers (led by Drew Brees) knocked off the Michael Bishop led Wildcats who were inches awa from competing for a national title. 

Texas Bowl: Minnesota v. Texas Tech

If there is one conference that remains an enigma it is the Big XII.  The Red Raiders fall into that middle tier of bowl teams and I think they are placed here. Minnesota may have  needed 3OT to defeat UNLV, but there were many moments in that game where the gophers showed flashes of being a pretty good team.  They will surprise teams in the Big Ten and I think they end up here.

Ticket City Bowl: Illinois v. Tulsa

Tulsa still sits here but I am a little less bullish on them after they were beat soundly in the second half by Iowa State.  Illinois is the Big Ten's last bowl eligible team but this could just as easily be Northwestern.  I am putting the Illini here because they will have a better defense but if Nathan Scheelhasse has an injury ridden year the Illini will have trouble getting six wins.

Little Caeser's Pizza Pizza Bowl: Northern Illinois v. Utah State

I left out Northwestern but based on what I saw against Syracuse the Wildcats may very well be a 5-7 team. Northern Illinois has an athletic defense and I think it leads them to the MAC championship.  I still have Utah State here as an at large 7-5 team.