College Football Bowl Projections 2011: Offbeat, Underdog Predictions for All 35
Oklahoma vs. LSU in the BCS National Championship Game. The favorites rule the roost, get the job done as predicted and play for the title. Chalk reigns.
Boring!
You have read—and will read—hundreds of those bowl predictions. How about a curveball or two? Yes, we're still in early April (and Kevin Youkilis is still hitting under .200, but we won't discuss that now), but now is as good a time as any to let the underdogs off the leash a little bit.
So, for your amusement, here's how the 2011-12 bowl season could play out.
Note that the intent of the slideshow is to go over each bowl game and make a projection that would be interesting, offbeat, or an upset. Each projection is a separate entity. This slideshow is not meant as an attempt to predict what the exact matchups of every 2011-12 bowl will be. Thus, you'll find the same teams mentioned in a number of different bowls. Heck, you'll see a repeat of at least one game (Nebraska vs. Missouri) at least once. That's intentional. That's what "offbeat" means :)
New Mexico Bowl (WAC vs. MWC No. 4/5): Fresno State vs. San Diego State
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For those of us looking for storylines, conference realignment is the gift that keeps on giving. How do you make the New Mexico Bowl interesting? Pit a team leaving a conference (Fresno State, one of three heading to the MWC after 2011) against one of their future conference-mates.
Humanitarian Bowl (WAC vs. MAC No. 3): Buffalo vs. Louisiana Tech
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Admittedly, some of these will be a bit of a stretch. Representatives from the Mid-American Conference and the Western Athletic Conference here? Buffalo, NY and Ruston, LA; neither team terribly western nor mid-American.
New Orleans Bowl (C-USA No. 2-6 vs. SBC No. 1): UCF vs. FIU
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Lesser-tier bowl. Two Florida teams. Relatively short travel time. New Orleans. This matchup has the potential for a great atmosphere if not a great game.
St. Petersburg Bowl (C-USA No. 2-6 vs. Big East No. 6): UCF vs. South Florida
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Yes, we just mentioned UCF a slide earlier. But remember that the Golden Knights are trying very hard to get into the Big East conference. A game like this, against a fellow Florida school, could make for a nice preview of a fascinating rivalry.
Poinsettia Bowl (WAC vs. MWC No. 2): TCU vs. Boise State
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TCU has sparked some extraordinarily hard feelings by bolting the Mountain West for the Big East. The conference has already responded by moving the TCU-Boise State game from Fort Worth to Boise, basically to punish the Frogs. A chance for Boise to give a parting gift to TCU, even in a lesser bowl such as this, would be fascinating.
Hawai'i Bowl (WAC vs. C-USA No. 2-6): Hawai'i vs. SMU
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Interesting because it's the last time (absent a conference tie-in switch) that Hawai'i will play in the Hawai'i bowl? Nah. Interesting because it's June Jones going up against his former team? Definitely.
Little Caesar's Bowl (B1G No. 8 vs. MAC No. 2): Nebraska vs. Ohio
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For Nebraska, playing in the Little Caesar's Bowl would be a disaster in and of itself. But to see Bo Pelini go up against Frank Solich's Bobcats—and for Pelini to coach against the guy who he credits for starting his college coaching career—would be amazing.
Independence Bowl (ACC No. 7 vs. MWC No. 3): Duke vs. Temple
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This would be an amazing basketball game, or at least would have been at one point.
Champs Sports Bowl (Big East No. 2/ND vs. ACC No. 3): Notre Dame vs. BC
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Seeing these two Catholic schools meet up, with the history and rivalry between them, always sets up a fascinating contest.
Insight Bowl (Big 12 No. 4 vs. B1G No. 4-5): Missouri vs. Nebraska
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Get used to seeing Nebraska in the "interesting matchup" category. With all the bad blood raised during Nebraska's swan song in the Big 12 last year, it's likely that no team felt more aggrieved from NU's departure than Missouri. After all, it was Mizzou that thought they had the B1G invitation sewn up, only to have it snatched away by the Red Menace. This contest could look much more like a fistfight than a football game.
Military Bowl (ACC No. 8 vs. Navy): Georgia Tech vs. Navy
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Paul Johnson and his Yellow Jackets go up against his former team to see who runs the triple option better. If you were a fan of football circa 1978, you're really rooting for this matchup.
Texas Bowl (Big 12 No. 4 vs. B1G No. 4-5): Missouri vs. Nebraska
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I know, I know. It's the second time you've seen this matchup. But trust me, this would be good. One of the worst parts of Nebraska's departure from the Big 12 was the death of a budding rivalry between these schools that could have matched some of the best in the country. You're guaranteed an amazing show any time you put these two schools on the same field.
Alamo Bowl (Pac-12 No. 2 vs. Big 12 No. 3): Colorado vs. Texas
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Doesn't have quite the same juice as Nebraska-Missouri, but a renewal of an old Big 12 rivalry always has the chance to be interesting.
Armed Forces Bowl (C-USA No. 2-6 vs. MWC No. 4-5): Houston vs. Air Force
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Hey! How about that? A game that's interesting for the on-the-field story! Houston's air-it-out attack against Air Force's option game would be an amazing clash of styles to watch.
Pinstripe Bowl (Big 12 No. 7 vs. Big East No. 4): Kansas vs. Syracuse
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Again, great basketball game. Give me a break; there are 35 of these bowls. Sometimes you have to make do.
Music City Bowl (SEC No. 7 vs. ACC No. 6): South Carolina vs. Clemson
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South Carolina-Clemson might be the meanest, nastiest rivalry you've never heard of. Putting this bowl game together would make for great television.
Holiday Bowl (Pac-12 No. 3 vs. Big 12 No. 5):Oregon vs. Oklahoma State
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Not going back to the Colorado well this time. Instead, it would be an amazing battle between two incredibly powerful offensive teams, and two schools backed by incredibly wealthy benefactors. The interviews with Phil Knight and T. Boone Pickens would be worth the price of admission.
Belk Bowl (ACC No. 5 vs. Big East No. 3):West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech
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Admittedly, this matchup in a newly-named bowl would be a bit of a letdown for both teams. But a cross-border showdown might help make the matchup a little more interesting.
Sun Bowl (ACC No. 4 vs. Pac-12 No. 4):USC vs. Miami (FL)
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Yes, this game would hinge on USC being successful in their appeal against the NCAA sanctions they currently face. But this game would bring a lot of history, with the premier team of the 1980's facing the premier team of the 2000's.
Liberty Bowl (C-USA No. 1 vs. Big East 5/SEC 8-9):Southern Miss vs. Mississippi
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An intra-state matchup you wouldn't otherwise get to see a lot, with two teams trying to get a foothold back into the national spotlight.
Chick-Fil-a Bowl (ACC No. 2 vs. SEC No. 5):Florida vs. Florida State
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Does this even need an explanation?
TicketCity Bowl (C-USA No. 2-6 vs. B1G No. 7):SMU vs. Wisconsin
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Again, for Wisconsin to be in this game means the Badgers had a (for them) disastrous season. Still, a matchup between SMU's air-raid assault and Wisconsin's heavy-package ground game would make for an interesting contrast in styles.
Outback Bowl (B1G No. 3 vs. SEC No. 3):LSU vs. Nebraska
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In addition to the potential of a fantastic game, LSU is also one of the schools Nebraska fans fear could lure Bo Pelini away from Lincoln. Seeing the schools meet up on the field -- perhaps as a job interview -- would make the game all the more enticing.
Captial One (SEC No. 2 vs. B1G No. 2):Alabama vs. Michigan State
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Nick Saban heading back to where he had coached before. The athletic prowess of Alabama against the gritty toughness of Michigan State. Should be a great game, right?
Jan. 01, 2011, Capital One Bowl: Alabama 49, Michigan State 7.
Well, maybe the rematch would be better.
Gator Bowl (B1G No. 4-5 vs. SEC No. 3): Ohio State vs. Florida
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This rematch of the 2007 National Championship game would be interesting, in part because the edge in terms of athletes would appear to be with Ohio State this time around. Assuming there were no tattoo parlors in the news beforehand, the game would be a blast.
Rose Bowl: Iowa vs. Stanford
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How about this for an underdog story? Iowa comes off a terrible off-season, including having 13 players hospitalized after a school-sponsored workout. The Hawkeyes use that as fuel, win the B1G conference, and face another smash-mouth, fundamentally-sound team in Stanford.
Sugar Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Notre Dame
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The Bulldogs are a pre-season top 25 pick for the first time in quite a while. If you're looking for an underdog in the SEC to root for, you could do far worse than the kids from Starkville. And a matchup between Mississippi State and college football blue-blood Notre Dame, in the heart of SEC country, would make for a wild show.
Orange Bowl:Florida State vs. Michigan
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Talk about a great matchup of traditional powers that had waned. If a resurgent Florida State under Jimbo Fisher won the ACC, and a resurgent Michigan under newly-minted head Wolverine Brady Hoke got a BCS at-large bid, the Orange Bowl could very well be billed as a test for which of these programs would be national championship contenders in 2012-13.
Fiesta Bowl: Iowa State vs. Pittsburgh
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Might be the biggest of the underdogs I've got on the list, but hear me out. For two years running, other coaches have stolen the Big 12 Coach of the Year award from Paul Rhoads at Iowa State. Yeah, the sledding gets tougher now that the 'Clones have to play all of the former Big 12 South teams. But if there's anyone that deserves the kind of recognition a shock BCS berth would give, it's Rhoads.
GoDaddy.com Bowl (SBC No. 2 vs. MAC No. 1):Florida Atlantic vs. Miami (OH)
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The program that Howard Schnellenberger built goes up against the program he brought to national prominence in the 1980's.
Wait, that's Miami of Ohio?
Never mind.
Seriously, that's the best I've got on this one.
Cotton Bowl (Big 12 No. 2 vs. SEC No. 3-4):Texas A&M vs. Arkansas
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If (when) the Big 12 completes its' dissolution, one likely scenario is Texas A&M tiring of getting the short end of the deal with big brother Texas and bolt for the SEC. This game would be filled with irony, then, as Arkansas leaving the then-SWC was what initiated that conference's demise and the creation of the Big 12.
Compass Bowl (SEC No. 8-9 vs. Big East 5/C-USA 3-4):South Florida vs. Florida
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You don't think upstart South Florida wouldn't love a chance at the big-time instate rival Florida Gators? You don't think that game would be full of intensity? You don't think that game would be a blast to watch?
I would respectfully dissent from your viewpoint, while respecting your right to hold it.
Fight Hunger Bowl (Pac-12 No. 6 vs Army):Arizona State vs. Army
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This game would be worth watching for the moving memorials to former Arizona State player Pat Tillman, who gave up the NFL to join the Army after 9/11 and was killed in action in Iraq.
The game itself likely wouldn't live up to that tribute, unfortunately.
BCS National Championship:Boise State vs. Oklahoma
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This game would have everything. We would see school from a non-BCS conference finally making it to the top of the ladder and getting a shot at the shiny crystal football. And we would see a rematch of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, arguably the most exciting BCS bowl game in history. Who wouldn't watch this?
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