College Football Bowl Predictions 2012: Teams That Will Roll Through Their Bowl

Bowl Season means bold predictions and with intriguing match-ups on the slate from now until ‘Bama faces Notre Dame in the BCS National Championship game, there’s no better time for crystal ball-gazing than now.

The 2012 season showcased the return of Notre Dame (among other storylines) and the Fighting Irish’s placement in the National Title game is nothing short of a surprise to college football fans.

And though Alabama is favored with a 10-point lead, No. 1 ranked Notre Dame is still in position to upset SEC football.

Coach Brian Kelly has his players buying into the hype, having returned his team to national prominence in just three seasons. He’s inspired stellar play from his team, including an Heisman-worthy performance from Manti Te’o.

The Fighting Irish are one win away from restoring the glory its alumni know all too well. And Nick Saban is fighting for Just Another National Championship (and probably a job in the NFL). Expect Notre Dame to upset the world.

In a parallel reality, the matchup at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl might have been this year’s National Championship. Oregon and Kansas State were both on track for a shot at the BCS Title, but both teams suffered key losses to Stanford and Baylor, respectively.

But Oregon has been on a surge and the Ducks have exhibited near-limitless potential for the last few seasons, including their last shot at the BCS Title.

Kansas State QB Collin Klein finished third in Heisman Trophy voting this year. Expect the talented quarterback to see pressure from Oregon linebacker Dion Jordan and cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, who terrorized quarterbacks all season.

Propelled by the running prowess of Kenjon Barner, the Ducks will end Kansas State’s stellar season on a sour note.

It’s Tiger versus Tiger in the Georgia Dome as No. 9 LSU faces No. 14 Clemson in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl on New Year's Eve.

LSU, which seems to flip-flop with Alabama every year for SEC dominance, has a stingy defense facing one of the most high-octane offenses in college football.

Tajh Boyd has led Clemson to a 10-win season, throwing 34 TDs for 3550 yards in the process. In fact, Clemson only scored less than 35 points in just two of their games.

Louisiana State has only allowed 16.9 points on average this season, but they’ve yet to see a QB as elusive as Boyd this season. Clemson will win, not by much, but an upsets an upset.