ShareThisWho said all bowls are created equal? We did, especially when you're trying to pick winners for all 34. So let's get to it (all rankings Associated Press).
SATURDAY:
New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque
Wyoming (6-6) vs. Fresno State (8-4).
Whenever we hear New Mexico we think of the old "McCloud'' TV series starring Dennis Weaver. Strange, yes.
Fresno State, 39-17.
St. Petersburg Bowl in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Rutgers (8-4)vs. Central Florida (8-4).
Knights coach George O'Leary was Notre Dame coach for a day before a phony resume sank him. This bowl doesn't really complete the comeback.
Rutgers, 24-20.
SUNDAY
New Orleans Bowl
Middle Tennessee State (9-3) vs. Southern Miss (7-5)
Not only is Blue Raiders QB Dwight Dasher really good but he has a festive holiday name.
Middle Tennessee, 37-31
TUESDAY
Las Vegas Bowl
No. 15 BYU (10-2) vs. No. 16 Oregon State (8-4)
In the only matchup of ranked teams in the first 12 bowls, the Beavers' two-man gang of the Rodgers brothers (RB Jacquizz and WR James) is pure delight to watch.
Oregon State, 27-20.
WEDNESDAY
Poinsettia Bowl, in San Diego
No. 23 Utah (9-3) vs. California (8-4)
Prior to start of Utes' nation's best 8-bowl winning streak, Utah had just three postseason wins in 106 years of football.
Utah, 24-16
CHRISTMAS EVE
Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu
SMU (7-5) vs. Nevada (8-4).
Wolfpack's relentless rushing attack (led nation in rushing at 362 ypg) spoils Mustangs' first bowl trip since pre-Death Penalty days (1984).
Nevada, 44-38
DECEMBER 26
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in Detroit
Ohio (9-4) vs. Marshall (6-6).
Thundering Herd coach Mark Snyder was so excited about his team playing in the former Motor City Bowl that he resigned on Nov. 30.
Ohio, 23-17
Meineke Bowl, in Charlotte, N.C
North Carolina (8-4) vs. No. 17 Pittsburgh (9-3)
The poor Panthers: kick an extra point or bat down a pass and they're in a BCS game instead of mufflering it up here.
North Carolina, 27-22
Emerald Bowl, in San Francisco
Southern Cal (8-4) vs. Boston College (8-4), 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
If Trojans are motivated, they win easily. We don't think they will be.
Boston College, 30-27
DECEMBER 27
Music City Bowl, in Nashville, Tenn.
Clemson (8-5) vs. Kentucky (7-5)
Under Rich Brooks, Wildcats have won bowls last three seasons, which equals UK's bowl win total the previous 55 years.
Clemson, 34-17
DECEMBER 28
Independence Bowl, in Shreveport, La.
Texas A&M (6-6) vs. Georgia (7-5).
Aggies played nobody (86th toughest schedule in nation) while Bulldogs' defense (164 points given up in five losses) may have driven mascot UGA VII to an early grave.
Georgia, 38-30
DECEMBER 29
EagleBank Bowl, in Washington, D.C.
Temple (9-3) vs. UCLA (6-6)
Owls will be sky high for first bowl trip in 30 years (second in school history). Alas, emotion isn't enough.
UCLA, 20-16
Champs Sports Bowl, in Orlando, Fla.
No. 14 Miami (9-3) vs. No. 24 Wisconsin (9-3)
Entertaining game will hinge on QB play. Hurricanes Jacory Harris (23 TD passes, 17 ints.) is a bit better than Badgers Scott Tolzien (16-10)
Miami, 35-20
DECEMBER 30
Humanitarian Bowl, in Boise, Idaho
Bowling Green (7-5) vs. Idaho (7-5)
Nothing says meaningless postseason football like the blue turf in Boise. Vandals got to their first bowl in 11 years with 1-4 finish while surrendering 250 points.
Bowling Green, 45-38
Holiday Bowl, in San Diego
No. 20 Nebraska (9-4) vs. No. 22 Arizona (8-4)
Cornhuskers think they got jobbed by timekeeper in 13-12 loss to Texas in Big 12 title game. Real crime that night was their offense (106 total yards).
Nebraska, 17-10
NEW YEAR'S EVE
Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas
No. 19 Stanford (8-4) vs. Oklahoma (7-5).
Raise your hand if back in August you had the Sooners playing here and their foe as the only team ranked. Anyone?
Oklahoma, 26-21
Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas
Air Force (7-5) vs. Houston (10-3)
Rematch of last year's game when Falcons held Cougars QB Case Keenum to "only'' 252 yards in 34-28 loss.
Houston, 39-28
Texas Bowl, in Houston
Missouri (8-4) vs. Navy (9-4)
Tigers have far better athletes but Midshipmen's tricky option attack is great equalizer.
Missouri, 28-27
Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz.
Minnesota (6-6) vs. Iowa State (6-6)
Somebody has to win the worst postseason matchup.
Minnesota, 35-21
Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta
No. 12 Virginia Tech (9-3) vs. Tennessee (7-5)
Win gives Hokies sixth straight 10-win season, which surprisingly is six more than big-talking Vols coach Lane Kiffin has.
Tennessee, 23-20
NEW YEAR'S DAY
Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla.
Northwestern (8-4) vs. Auburn (7-5)
Wildcats haven't won a bowl game since 1949. The streak lives on.
Auburn, 31-25
Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
No. 11 Penn State (10-2) vs. No. 13 LSU (9-3)
Joe Paterno's 23-11-1 bowl record is best among active D-I coaches.
Penn State, 24-13
Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.
Florida State (6-6) vs. No. 18 West Virginia (9-3)
Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden, he of the 20-9-1 bowl record, says farewell. How's that for incentive for FSU?
Florida State, 35-30
Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
No. 8 Ohio State (10-2) vs. No. 7 Oregon (10-2)
With no SEC foe haunting them, you've got to like the Buckeyes' chances in a big bowl.
Ohio State, 27-23
Sugar Bowl in New Orleans
No. 5 Florida (12-1) vs. No. 4 Cincinnati (12-0)
Can you imagine the weeping if the Gators lost Tim Tebow's final game?
Florida, 31-20
JANUARY 2
International Bowl, in Toronto
South Florida (7-5) vs. Northern Illinois (7-5)
Let's hope Canada doesn't hold this against us in the next free trade talks.
South Florida, 28-17
Cotton Bowl, in Dallas
No. 21 Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Mississippi (8-4)
Cowboys make fourth straight bowl appearance for first time ever. They've averaged 38 ppg in winning two of last three.
Oklahoma State, 38-30
PapaJohns.com Bowl, in Birmingham, Ala.
Connecticut (7-5) vs. South Carolina (7-5)
Having overcame numerous injuries and the stabbing death of CB Jasper Howard, Huskies are most resilient team in nation.
Connecticut, 24-17
Liberty Bowl, in Memphis, Tenn.
East Carolina (9-4) vs. Arkansas (7-5)
Razorbacks QB Ryan Mallet has fun auditioning for NFL scouts.
Arkansas, 41-34
Alamo Bowl, in San Antonio
Michigan State (6-6) vs. Texas Tech (8-4)
Spartans arrive minus 10 players who capped off the team banquet with a brawl at a nearby frat house. Not what you call ideal bowl preparation.
Texas Tech, 45-27
JANUARY 4
Fiesta Bowl, in Glendale, Ariz.
No. 6 Boise State (13-0) vs. No. 3 TCU (12-0)
Bigger stakes for rematch of last year's Poinsettia Bowl, won by Horned Frogs, 17-16. More scoring, same result.
TCU, 31-24
JANUARY 5
Orange Bowl in Miami
No. 10 Iowa (10-2) vs. No. 9 Georgia Tech (11-2).
Hawkeyes won lots of close games (4-1 in games decided by 3 points or less) but haven't faced anything like Yellow Jackets' triple option (307 ypg rushing, second in nation).
Georgia Tech, 33-25
JANUARY6
GMAC Bowl, in Mobile, Ala.
No. 25 Central Michigan (11-2) vs. Troy (9-3)
For second time in four years, Chippewas play in bowl without their coach (Butch Jones) who followed Brian Kelly's steps to Cincinnati.
Troy, 29-26
JANUARY 7
BCS National Championship Game, in Pasadena, Calif.
No. 1 Alabama (13-0) vs. No. 2 Texas (13-0).
Will Heisman bowl jinx strike Crimson Tide RB Brian Ingram? Look for low-scoring, grind-it-out game with 'Bama's defense just a tiny bit better.
Alabama, 17-13.
(E-mail John Lindsay at lindsayj(at)shns.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
