I say, let every team play in a bowl game.
That"s right, I think we need more bowl games because 41 is not enough in my book. If the NFL can have three teams tied for the lead of the NFC East with a 5-7 record and host a home game in the playoffs, why do we want to keep a 5-7 team out of going to Detroit in late December? Or Shreveport for New Years? If you're bad, you should be sent to out of town cold fronts for the holidays. The Russians do it all the time, sending bad hockey teams to Siberia.
Just think, we could match two 0-12 teams in the Toilet Bowl, and I bet somebody would watch to see who gets that elusive single win. There are enough sports networks on TV out there that one of them would pick it up. So why stop at 41? Eighty-two of 128 D-I teams get in, so what's another 40 or so?
My editor asked me to pick a selective number of games, because he felt sorry for me to have to pick all 41. So he picked 36 of the top 41 games. Thanks for the break! I'm going to get him back. I'm going to do all the games, and make him read and edit the whole card! Take that!
EDITOR'S NOTE: I asked the big man to pick roughly 32 games. Not 36. :)
DECEMBER 19th
Cure Bowl - Shouldn't this be the last game on the card? Cure us of red-eye and insomia from watching the last 40 games. This one is in Florida. Georgia State versus San Jose St. SJSU is one of those 5-7 teams, so can't pick them on principle. Go Ga. State plus the 9 1/2.
Gildan New Mexico Bowl - In Albuquerque, home of most of the witness protection program members. New Mexico has been in the program for years, just escaped to play in first bowl in years, taking on Arizona. Wildcats one of the underachievers of the year. Bob Davie coaches the Lobo's which lost to Tulsa. Arizona with the "I don't care attitude." Lobos plus the 11 1/2.
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl - BYU going to Vegas. Interesting. Think about it. Utah and BYU less than 50 miles apart, but never play each other until now. BYU lost coach to Virginia. Take Utah - 3 1/2.
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl - Appalachian St. versus Ohio. Believe it or not, Frank Solich is still coaching. App St. in first ever D-I bowl game. Take Ohio plus 9 1/2.
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl - Arkansas St versus La. Tech. "No comment" bowl of this season. La Tech plus 1 1/2.
DECEMBER 21st
Miami Beach Bowl - Western Kentucky versus South Florida. I bet South Florida kids are all kinds of excited about bussing to game from their own campus. Great bowl trip. Hilltoppers get it done - 3 1/2.
DECEMBER 22nd
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl - Mashed or fried? Maybe twice-baked? Akron versus Utah St. I don't know, and I don't care. Go with Utah St. It has a Tulsa connection with head coach. Utah St - 6 1/2.
Marmot Boca Raton Bowl - Game played on polo field. Really. Boca Raton, Florida. Temple versus Toledo. May actually be a good game. You may recall, Toledo beat Arkansas and Temple was unbeaten until they lost a squeaker to Notre Dame. Go Temple - 1 1/2.
DECEMBER 23rd
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl - Boise St versus Northern Illinois. Boise had bad year for them, and N. Illinois usually plays well in post season because they always feel slighted. Take N. Illinois and +7 1/2.
GoDaddy Bowl - Dumbest commercials ever made in the history of television by GoDaddy, and they have bad game to go along with it. Bowling Green - 6 1/2 over Georgia Southern.
DECEMBER 24th
Popeyes Bahamas Bowl - Players should be well prepared for this one. Women on the beach, sun shining, volleyball nets out there, not to mention the drinks with umbrellas. Western Michigan versus Middle Tennessee St. Have to go with MTSU +2 1/2, my wife's alma mater.
Hawai'i Bowl - Cincinnati versus San Diego St. Cincinnati had a bad year for them, and will not take this game seriously. San Diego St. not distracted by surroundings. They are from San Diego for crying out loud. SDSU +2 1/2.
DECEMBER 26th
St. Petersburg Bowl - Marshall versus Connecticut. Starting to see why people say there are too many bowls. Marshall wins - 4 1/2.
Hyundai Sun Bowl - Now we are starting to get into games us geezers have heard of. Good ol' El Paso, Texas. Miami and Washington St. Mike Leach has turned Washington St. around in a hurry. Miami stinks. Take Leach - 1 1/2.
Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl - Southern Miss and Washington - From all those who have attended this game, it could be the worst bowl ever. Old Cotton Bowl with no State Fair. No atmosphere. Complete downer. Huskies by an eyelash so take S. Miss and the 8 1/2.
New Era Pinstripe Bowl - Indiana and Duke. Great. Two basketball schools playing a football game in the most famous baseball stadium in the world. Go figure. They have it all covered. Duke wins with three in the bottom of the 9th to win, 17-15.
Camping World Independence Bowl - The last time I went to Shreveport for this game was 1989. Tulsa got screwed by refs and lost to Oregon in the coldest game I have ever covered. And I worked in Green Bay. I am not kidding. THE coldest. I hate Shreveport. and I hate it for TU to have to play Virginia Tech in Frank Beamer's final game as head coach. Sentimental Hokies win, but maybe TU can beat the spread of 14 1/2.
Foster Farms Bowl - I can see Nebraska playing in this one, but UCLA? Foster Farms Bowl? I hope they make Bruins players take part in cow-milking contest in some of those pre-game activities. Nebraska wins the pre-game farm games, but UCLA wins the football game. UCLA - 6 1/2.
DECEMBER 28th
Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman - How do you pick against Navy in Military Bowl versus Pitt. Navy minus 5 1/2.
Quick Lane Bowl - This game in Detroit, might as well be Siberia, or Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Central Michigan vs 5-7 Minnesota who fired all their offensive coaches. Cent. Michigan gave Oklahoma St. handful in first game of season. Gophers seem a bit confused these days, Go Chippewas +5 1/2.
DECEMBER 29th
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl - Again, you pick against Air Force in this one, you are asking for it. You get 6 1/2 vs weakening California team.
Russell Athletic Bowl - Baylor versus North Carolina. Baylor folded like a cheap suit at the end of the season. Expect #1 QB Seth Russell back for Bears, but North Carolina no slouch. Take Tarheels plus 3 1/2.
NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl - Colorado St. versus Nevada. Two Mountain West teams playing in the bowl game. Nice scheduling. MWC Commish blowing his stack over this, and he is the one who promoted for more bowl games. Now he wants less. Nevada finished second in this league so take them plus 3 1/2.
AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl - LSU vs Texas Tech - I suggest Texas Tech onside kick every time they score, and never punt. Their defense can't stop anybody anyway, so why waste downs and possessions. Go for it every time. LSU running back could gain over 500 yards against this defense, a defense that has fired three of its coaches for this game. LSU - 7 1/2.
DECEMBER 30th
Birmingham Bowl - No truth to the rumor the Iron Bowl has finally rusted to the ground. Auburn has had the off year, not much of a travel experience for these guys, while Memphis gets to play another SEC school, albeit without its head coach Justin Fuente, who left for Va. Tech. Taking a chance, taking Memphis +2 1/2
Belk Bowl - Need a belt, go to Belk. Need shoes, go to Belk. Want a good game, don't go to Belk. This game doesn't float my boat. NC State plus 7 1/2.
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl - Texas A&M and Louisville. Rumor was Music City Bowl wanted Arkansas versus Louisville, but Hogs head honchos said no because they didn't want to play Bobby "Playboy" Petrino. Can't blame them there. So we have Aggies and Cardinals. A&M minus 2 1/2.
Holiday Bowl - USC versus Wisconsin. Toughest game to call. Don't know where the heads of these kids will be for this one. USC seems better on paper. Go USC minus 2 1/2.
DECEMBER 31st
Capital One Orange Bowl - OU versus Clemson. Oklahoma faithful who think they owe Clemson a whoopin' after last year's debacle, not so fast my friend. Clemson is 13-0 for a reason, and OU lost the "no respect " card when Vegas made Sooners favorite. Will have more on this game as the week goes on. For now, Clemson plus 3 1/2.
Goodyear Cotton Bowl - Alabama versus Michigan St. Alabama always gets overrated in these games, and the 9 1/2 is nuts. Alabama may win the game with Henry at running back, but Spartans can play physical too. Take Spartans plus the 9 1/2.
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl - Houston vs Florida St. Seminoles easy - 7 1/2.
JANUARY 1st
Outback Bowl - Northwestern and Tennessee - Wildcats getting 9 1/2 and will cover vs Volunteers. Tennessee beat a bunch of rumdum SEC teams late to run the record to 8-4.
Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl - Michigan vs Florida. Final 3-0, Florida.
BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl - Ohio St vs Notre Dame - Best game outside the playoffs. Think Notre Dame has overall better talent right now, although they are really banged up. Urban Meyer is great coaching these games, and Brian Kelly may have NFL on his mind by the time this game comes around. Buckeyes - 4 1/2
Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual - Stanford vs Iowa - Stanford with a last second field goal. Take Iowa + 6 1/2.
Allstate Sugar Bowl - Oklahoma State vs Ole Miss - If Pokes can get healthy, meaning a playable QB Rudolph, OSU wins games. If not, Go Rebels. Hate to be elusive here, but that is how I see it. OSU without healthy Rudolph...no shot. OSU plus 6 1/2.
JANUARY 2nd
Taxslayer Bowl - IRS keeping a close eye on profits for this game. Georgia vs Penn St. Georgia getting 6 1/2 seems too good to be true, and probably is. Penn State wins game, but not by 6 1/2.
AutoZone Liberty Bowl - Arkansas vs Kansas St. - Hogs light up with the running game against a sub-par Wildcats team. Arkansas -13 1/2.
Valero Alamo Bowl - TCU vs Oregon - Both Boykin and Doctson expected to be healthy for Frogs, but Oregon one of those teams folks don't want to play right about now. Ducks beat Frogs on lily pad, actually in the Alamodome.
Motel 6 Cactus Bowl - Arizona St. vs West Virginia - Most intriguing part of this game. Head coaches hate each other. Too bad neither team is good enough to run it up on the other. Look for some illegal blocking along the way...and pay attention to the post-game hand shake, if there is one. Graham vs Holgorsen. Should be a beauty. Arizona St wins - 1/2
That is all..Thank goodness..enjoy and hope you have your sanity by the time this is all over.
