Bowl Mania Day 13

Record: 15-10
BCS Games: 1-1

International Bowl- Northern Illinois v South Florida

Northern Illinois has seen its fair share of tough losses this season. It started week one with an eight point loss to Wisconsin. It continued week four with a three point loss to Idaho and came to a frustrating head during a 20-19 loss to Toledo. The point? They aren’t quite there yet, but they are close.

The Huskies score a lot of points. Averaging roughly 30 points a game while rushing for 202 a contest will prove difficult to stop for any defense. Running back Chad Spann ran for 945 yards and 19 touchdowns, while Me’Co Brown added 645 yards and four touchdowns.

The Husky defense finished second in the MAC, allowed just 21 points per game. Watch out for Jake Coffman. Coffman, a junior, had 7 ½ sacks this season.

South Florida is a hard team to figure out. Early in the year, they looked like they might have a shot at becoming that third team in the mix in the Big East. After being crushed by Pitt and Cincinnati (clearly the class of the conference), the Bulls knocked off #21 West Virginia. Then came the most perplexing loss of the season.

A 31-0 loss at Rutgers saw the Bulls run for less then a yard per carry against the Scarlet Knights. Two picks by B. J Daniels and South Florida headed to the bus without their pride or their top 25 ranking. They ended the season on a two game loosing streak with losses to Miami and Uconn.

I can’t pick a team in a bowl situation that is this unpredictable. The defenses are almost identical and the Northern Illinois offense is better. South Florida will have trouble scoring in the one.

The Pick: Northern Illinois

Pappajohns.com Bowl- South Carolina v Connecticut

You have to feel for Connecticut. No team should ever have to go through what they went through this season. The death of a teammate is something you just can’t prepare for. After three heart wrenching losses following the death of Jasper Howard, Uconn reeled off three consecutive emotional wins.

The team runs the ball extremely well. Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon combined for 27 touchdowns this season. Todman racked up 1152 yards and Dixon had 967. The Huskies will have to rely on the running game because the quarterback situation is not “bowl-winning material”. Both Cody Endres and Zach Frazer (Notre Dame transfer) struggled with interceptions this year.
South Carolina can stop the run. In an upset win over #18 Clemson to end the year, the Gamecocks held C.J Spiller to only 18 yards. They held the entire Clemson team to only 48 yards. But stoping the run, while it has happened, isn’t a guarantee for Steve Spurriers club. Against Alabama, Heisman winner Mark Ingram tore South Carolina up for a career day. But then again, that was Mark Ingram

South Carolina will need to play tight defense because they have the second worst scoring offense in the country. I think they will score just enough, though, to come out on top.

The Pick: South Carolina

Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma State v. Mississippi

I loved Mississippi this year. I liked Jevon Sneed to have a Heisman caliber year. I liked the Rebels to win the SEC west and prime themselves for a showdown with Florida in the SEC championship game. I liked them to finally get that BCS at-large birth. Didn’t quite turn out that way for good ol’ Eli Manning’s alma matter.

They suffered an early loss to South Carolina. Jevon Sneed struggled with interceptions and Alabama out classed them in almost every way. Running back Dexter McCluster had some monster games down the stretch, but struggled to find a rhythm early in the season and missed the Northern Arizona game. McCluster ran for 985 yards and six touchdowns.

Oklahoma State’s season was eerily similar. They came in with big dreams, lost to Houston early, and just missed getting back to where they started the year, finishing 2009 ranked 19th in the country.

But that’s not to say that the Cowboys don’t have a legitimate excuse for the late season failings. Star receiver Dez Bryant was suspended by the NCAA mid-season because he hung out with Dion Sanders. (Stupid Dez, everyone knows that the NCAA doesn’t allow thinking about an NFL career during the season. Come on!)

Quarterback Zac Robinson threw 15 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. Keith Totson ran for over 1000 yards and 11 touchdowns. The defense is good against the run, allowing under a 100 yards a game. This will be key. Assuming the Cowboys shut down McCluster, I don’t trust Jevon Sneed to beat Oklahoma State by himself. Never trust a man with 20 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

Best part about this game? Pat Summeral on the call…Oh, Pat….

The Pick: Oklahoma State

Alamo Bowl- Texas Tech v Michigan State

Hey, I wonder how Texas Tech will play when there’s not a fear of torture after the game? This is one of the cases where I expect a team to play well after loosing a coach. My guess, based on comments after Mike Leach was fired earlier this week, is that his players were none to fond of everyone’s favorite pledge master coach.

They talked about relief. They talked about relaxation. They said all the things that will probably lead to a big outburst in the bowl game. And don’t forget, this is still the run and shoot offense (just today, all of the running and shooting will be on the field).

Just like you would expect a Texas Tech quarterback to do, Taylor Potts threw for over 3000 yards and 20 touchdowns. The team scored 440 points this season and nearly forty points per game. Nine receiver caught 20 or more passes.

Some have said that the Texas Tech offense is lost without Mike Leach. I don’t think you will see that until next year. The players are the same, the assistants are the same and I think its pretty clear that they all hated Leach. To me, that’s a recipe for some Michigan State hurtin’.

Michigan State is also involved in some controversy. 11 players were suspended for roles in a dorm room brawl. This, plus the fact that they allowed 1500 yards to their last three Big 10 opponents spells bad day for Michigan State.

The Pick: Texas Tech

One More for the Road-

The Pick: Arkansas

Related posts:

1. Week Six Picks!
2. Bowl Mania Day 6
3. Bowl Mania Day 15
4. Week One Quick College Football Picks
5. Bowl Mania Day 10