Record 3-3

Worn out from the holidays? A little too much family in your house during the last two days? Well, like it always seems to do (for me anyway), sports have come to rescue you from the holiday whiplash. More specifically, college football. Because what clears the head of an overworked and under slept football fan more than a college bowl triple header?

Nothing.

Little Caesars Bowl- Marshall vs Ohio- Ok, so the day starts off slow, but what do you expect- it is only December 26th. This one is a major offensive mismatch. Ohio outscored Marshall by almost eighty points this season. Quarterback Theo Scott threw for over 2000 yards and 19 touchdowns this season. They have a two headed receiving attack with a now-healthy Lavon Brazil and Taylor Price. Brazil is a dynamic return man. He averages over fifteen yards per punt and led the nation in punt return touchdowns with three. Ohio won nine games this year and kept things close with a good Central Michigan team in the Conference-USA championship game.

Marshall doesn’t have a ton to look forward to. They are a team working with an interim coach who, insiders say, is not expected to keep the job after the bowl. Interim coaches in bowl games can go one of two ways. One, the team can play inspired football to stick it to the past coach who left or lobby for the interim coach to get the full time gig (Bill Stewart anyone?) Two, the team can lay down and die because what’s the point? This situation reeks of scenario number two.

The only saving grace for Marshall may be running back Darius Marshall. Marshall (the man) ran for over 1000 yards this season and found the end zone 11 times. With Ohio giving up over 150 yards per game on the ground if Marshall (the school) can ever get him going, this one may carry some interest into the fourth quarter.

But even if Darius Marshall makes an impact, I can’t see the Thundering Herd stopping the Ohio offense.

The Pick: Ohio

Meineke Car Care Bowl- #17 Pittsburgh v. North Carolina- In a way, Pittsburgh is avenging two bad losses in this one. First, one of the worst losses you will ever see in the final game of the year against Cincinnati. After being absolutely dominant all day in what amounted to the Big East championship game, Pittsburgh collapsed in the fourth quarter and lost by a point.

Think about that feeling.

21 point lead entering the fourth quarter. You can smell a BCS bowl and a team with a coach who has practically run for another head coaching position that week snatches it away on your home turf. The bleepin Bearcats are going to a BCS bowl and you’re not. And for the second consecutive year, to boot. Ouch

Second, returning Pitt players surely haven’t forgotten the Brut Sun Bowl last year. The Panther defense played almost as good as a football team can and a measly second quarter Oregon State field goal is the difference in the game. That had to sting.

The Sun Bowl didn’t make quarterback Bill Stull a lot of friends, either. Coming into 2009, their were a lot of questions about whether an offense without Lesean McCoy could survive. I, myself, didn’t see the Panthers as a team who would have a shot at the Big East title in the final game of the year. But as hard as this is to believe, the Pitt offense may be better this season.

Bill Stull emerged as a competent quarterback, throwing twenty one touchdown passes and over 2400 yards. Freshman Dion Lewis has been fantastic. LeSean McCoy who? Lewis ran for over 1000 yards and 16 touchdowns. He is the kind of back who can flat out take games over.

The Pitt offense scored over thirty points six times this year and under 20 twice. But they may have found their match. UNC has an excellent defense. They allow under 17 points a game a flirted with allowing under 200 points this season. However, I think they can be had. They allowed 30 points in a loss to Florida State. Pittsburgh’s offense is better then Florida State. They allowed 24 points to Miami. I know people love Jacory Harris, but Pitt’s offense is on par with Miami’s.

I think Pitt will be able to hold down a UNC offense that they outscored by over 100 this season and win a low scoring affair.

The Pick: Pittsburgh

Emerald Bowl- Boston College vs #24 USC- USC isn’t used to this. Frankly, neither am I. Writing about USC before the first of the year just seams wrong. I predicted a down year. But isn’t a down year for USC nowadays like a BCS at-large bid or something? I mean, the Emerald Bowl? Really?

That being said, I still think this is a quick down swing. Even in a getting-better Pac-10, I like USC to be a top five team all next season. But it brings up an interesting question. Even though it’s a young team, how pumped up can the USC Trojans get to play Boston College on Boxing Day? Don’t think the pump up factor is a big one? Think about how many teams have been screwed out of a national championship bid and lost their bowl game? It almost happened to Texas last year. Think about teams that lost BCS bids this year in excruciating fashion and then got trounced in their bowl game.

Looking at you, Oregon State.

So what will that get us tonight? I think a close game is in the cards, but I just can’t pick Boston College to beat anyone good. They finished 8-4, sure. But that was 8-4 in the A.C.C.

The A.C.C was the worst of the BCS conferences this year. I will fight anyone on that.

Anyone.

B.C’s most impressive wins came against FSU and Central Michigan. Clemson beat them by three scores. Virginia Tech beat them by thirty four. UNC scored 31 points on them. Enough said. USC’s lack of interest keeps the game watch-able, but the Trojans prevail.

The Pick: USC