BCS Bowl Predictions: How Every BCS Bowl Will Shake Out

With the majority of non-BCS bowls having already been played, anticipation is mounting for the five marquee games of the season. Starting on Jan. 2 and culminating in the National Championship Game, the sports world will be fixated on college football.

There have already been tons of intriguing and entertaining bowl matchups, but they simply cannot compare to the BCS slate that is on tap. While most are eagerly awaiting LSU vs. Alabama for all the marbles, there are four other BCS battles that should be excellent in their own right.

The hallmark of a good bowl is that it features evenly-matched teams, and on paper that is the case with every BCS bowl. Most bowls this season have been very tightly contested, and it doesn't seem as though that will change when the big guns come to play.

Here are my predictions for how every BCS bowl will play out.

Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Oregon

In what could end up being the best game of the entire bowl season, the PAC-12 Champion Oregon Ducks will take on the Big Ten Champion Wisconsin Badgers in the Rose Bowl. Both teams went 11-2 on the season and were largely dominant, although they got the job done in very different ways.

The contrasting styles of Oregon and Wisconsin should certainly clash in what will be an exciting game. The Ducks are all about speed as they run the spread option at a break-neck pace.

Quarterback Darron Thomas, along with running backs LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas, lead perhaps the most explosive offense in the nation.

Wisconsin can put some points on the board as well, but they prefer to slow the pace and possess the ball. Running back Montee Ball had a monster year with over 1,700 yards and 38 total touchdowns, while quarterback Russell Wilson can air it out when needed.

The Ducks have been susceptible to giving up big running plays on defense, and because the Badgers are significantly better in that regard, I like them to pull off the slight upset.

Prediction: Wisconsin 38, Oregon 35

Fiesta Bowl: Stanford vs. Oklahoma State

When two of the highest-scoring offenses in college football meet up, it is almost guaranteed to be a fun game, and that is what will happen when the No. 3 Oklahoma State Cowboys face the No. 4 Stanford Cardinal in the Fiesta Bowl.

The Cowboys may feel like they got snubbed in terms of a National Championship berth, but this is probably the second-biggest bowl of the season.

If not for a shocking late-season loss to Iowa State, Oklahoma State would likely be playing LSU, with Alabama facing Stanford. The Cowboys have to remain focused on the task at hand, though, and can't worry about what-ifs.

Oklahoma State has an extremely dangerous spread passing attack that prominently features quarterback Brandon Weeden and wide receiver Justin Blackmon.

Stanford probably doesn't have the overall talent Oklahoma State does, but it does have the best quarterback in college football in Andrew Luck. With Luck likely entering the NFL Draft, I expect a massive effort out of him in his final collegiate game.

The Cowboys' secondary has shown weaknesses all season long, and I think Luck will exploit them in a shootout victory.

Prediction: Stanford 45, Oklahoma State 41

Sugar Bowl: Michigan vs. Virginia Tech

While the Sugar Bowl will feature the two final at-large teams in Michigan and Virginia Tech, it is an interesting matchup that rivals any other bowl.

The Wolverines made major strides in their first year under head coach Brady Hoke, while the Hokies were a dominant force in the ACC all season before ultimately falling to Clemson in the title game.

Everyone talks about dual-threat quarterback Denard Robinson when it comes to Michigan, but the Wolverines truly hung their hats on defense this season.

The team was night and day defensively from 2010 to 2011 as they ranked seventh in total defense this year after a truly atrocious effort last year. They have developed into a complete team under Hoke.

The Hokies beat every team on their schedule not named the Clemson Tigers this season, and while not winning the ACC was a disappointment, Virginia Tech stayed true to its usual formula.

Virginia Tech was eighth in total defense and led offensively by running back David Wilson. Because the Hokies lack explosion, though, I give the Wolverines the edge in this contest.

Prediction: Michigan 24, Virginia Tech 17

Orange Bowl: West Virginia vs. Clemson

I think it's fair to say that of all the BCS bowls, the Orange Bowl featuring West Virginia and Clemson is the least talked about. The game will boast two very exciting and diverse offenses, however, so it should be a good one.

While each team was beaten three times on the year, they won the Big East and ACC, respectively, so neither squad is a pushover.

Jokes will be made about the Big East since it doesn't measure up to the other power conferences, but the Mountaineers are a solid team regardless.

While defense is undoubtedly their Achilles' heel, they have a very high-powered offense under head coach Dana Holgorsen. Quarterback Geno Smith has thrown for nearly 4,000 yards on the season and he has two 1,000-yard receivers.

Clemson is incredibly similar in a lot of ways, as their defense allows almost exactly as many points per game as West Virginia's. The Tigers also run a spread offense, led by quarterback Tajh Boyd.

I believe the X-factor in this game, however, will be freshman wide receiver Sammy Watkins. With 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns, he is already one of the best pass catchers in the nation and will make his presence known in the Orange Bowl.

Prediction: Clemson 35, West Virginia 31

BCS National Championship: Alabama vs. LSU

If you feel like you've seen this before, it's because you have.

For the second time this season, the No. 1 LSU Tigers will do battle with the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide. The first game was of the utmost importance as it ultimately determined who would represent the SEC West in the SEC Championship Game.

The stakes couldn't be any higher this time around, though, as the winner will be crowned the best team in college football.

This game is in stark contrast to every other BCS bowl, as the focus will be much more on defense than on offense.

When these two teams met in early November, the final score was 9-6 in favor of LSU. Great defense and ineptitude on offense played a major role in the game. Also, the biggest difference was LSU's ability to make their field goals, while the Tide missed several.

While both offenses ranked highly in terms of scoring, neither is explosive enough to do much in this game. Because of that, I think special teams will again be the story.

The Tigers hold the advantage in every conceivable way in that regard, particularly in the return game. I fully expect Heisman Trophy candidate Tyrann Mathieu to make a big play en route to an LSU win.

Prediction: LSU 17, Alabama 13