2011 Bowl Schedule: Times and Predictions for Each BCS Bowl Thriller

New Year’s Eve fireworks will pale in comparison to the rockets that will explode in the five BCS bowl games.

Get excited; all of the boring bowls are almost over (apologies to Washington-Baylor). The nation’s top teams (well, most of them) will face off against each other to decide which squads are truly worthy of elite status.

Here are predictions for each bowl with a complete schedule below:

Rose Bowl – No. 10 Wisconsin vs. No. 5 Oregon

This will without a doubt be the most fun game to watch of the whole bowl season.  Russell Wilson and Montee Ball vs. LaMichael James and De’Anthony Thomas; no game features more playmakers.  The Rose Bowl could seriously have its own SportsCenter Top 10 dedicated to it for all of the amazing plays that are going to be executed.

In a game of lightning strikes, but the most defensively sound team, not the flashiest, will shine brightest.

Prediction: Wisconsin by 3

Fiesta Bowl – No. 4 Stanford vs. No. 3 Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State should have New Year’s Day off this season, but they got screwed over by the BCS.  They beat more ranked teams than Alabama and will storm into the Fiesta Bowl with fire in their eyes.  Stanford possesses a monstrous offensive line and of course there’s that guy named Andrew Luck, but the Cowboys have too much offensive firepower for the Pac-12 champs that were lucky enough to dodge USC a second time to keep pace.

Prediction: Oklahoma State by 7

Sugar Bowl – No. 13 Michigan vs. No. 11 Virginia Tech

VT may be ranked ahead of Michigan, but the Wolverines are favored for a reason: Virginia Tech shouldn’t have received an at-large bid.  Despite not defeating a team that finished the year ranked all season long, the Hokies will face off against Denard Robinson and company anyway.  Tech surrendered 217 rushing yards in the ACC Championship Game so you know Shoelace is going to put on a show.

Prediction: Michigan by 13

Orange Bowl – No. 23 West Virginia vs. No. 15 Clemson

I apologize for lying to you in the headline because this game won’t be a thriller…unless you’re a Clemson fan.  West Virginia wouldn’t have even been considered for a BCS at-large bid, but the Mountaineers snuck into the Orange Bowl because they were the best of the worst that happened to be the Big East this season.  The combination of WVU’s 62^nd-ranked defense and all of Clemson’s playmakers isn’t a good one for the Mountaineers.

Prediction: Clemson by 17

BCS National Championship – No. 1 LSU vs. No. 2 Alabama

If you’re a fan of defensive struggles, then the BCS just gift-wrapped you the greatest two-week-late Christmas present ever.  LSU and Alabama field the top two defenses in the country and each side is loaded with NFL prospects.  This game may put you to sleep if you thought Washington-Baylor was the greatest thing ever, but make sure your alarm clock is set for around 11 p.m. EST because the finish will be a can’t-miss.

Prediction: Alabama by 3 in OT

2011-2012 Bowl Schedule

Date	When	Where	Bowl	Matchup	Network
1/2	5 p.m. EST	Rose Bowl: Pasadena, California	Rose Bowl presented by Vizio	Wisconsin vs. Oregon	ESPN
1/2	8:30 p.m. EST	University of Phoenix Stadium: Glendale, Arizona	Tostitos Fiesta	Stanford vs. Oklahoma State	ESPN
1/3	8:30 p.m. EST	Louisiana Superdome: New Orleans Louisiana	Allstate Sugar	Michigan vs. Virginia Tech	ESPN
1/4	8:30 p.m. EST	Sun Life Stadium: Miami, Florida	Discover Orange	West Virginia vs. Clemson	ESPN
1/9	8:30 p.m. EST	Louisiana Superdome: New Orleans, Louisiana	Allstate BCS National Championship Game	LSU vs. Alabama	ESPN

David Daniels is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels