College Football Bowl Picks 2013: Predictions for Best Remaining Non-BCS Games
There have been six bowl games played thus far in the college football postseason, so as the holiday action on the gridiron continues, there are still plenty of marquee matchups to look forward to.
And those don't even include the BCS bowls. A number of ranked teams will be doing battle within the next couple of weeks and should make for some compelling entertainment.
Below is a look at the best non-BCS games left on the schedule and predictions for them, along with a list of picks for every remaining contest.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Note: Team statistics are courtesy of NCAA.com. Individual defensive statistics were obtained via CFBStats.com.
Chick-fil-A Bowl (Dec. 31, 2013): No. 21 Texas A&M vs. No. 24 Duke
The good news is that sophomore sensation Johnny Manziel has had some time to recuperate from putting the Texas A&M program on his back.
Manziel succeeded in compensating for a horrendous defense for much of 2013, but his performance dropped off in the final two contests—both Aggies losses.
As if the outlook couldn't get any worse for the No. 105-ranked Texas A&M defense, freshman middle linebacker Darian Claiborne won't be making the trip to Atlanta's Georgia Dome due to a suspension.
Duke is no cakewalk, either, because the Blue Devils—the loss in the ACC title game to No. 1 Florida State aside—have improved a ton this season and have enough weapons on offense to be a force in this game.
Wide receiver Jamison Crowder (96 receptions, seven touchdowns) is a dynamic punt returner in addition to being an amazing target for QB Anthony Boone.
However, with the time Manziel has had to mend and with this being his last chance at making an impression on NFL scouts, expect the Johnny Football legend to grow in one (probably) last virtuoso performance in an Aggies victory.
Prediction: Texas A&M 38, Duke 31
Capital One Bowl (Jan. 1, 2014): No. 9 South Carolina vs. No. 19 Wisconsin
Speaking of top-flight prospective NFL players getting their last chance to impress evaluators, that goes for some notable players in this bowl game and obviously Gamecocks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
The 6'6", 275-pound freak of an athlete has had a bit of a lackluster 2013 campaign (35 total tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble). This matchup presents a chance to go out with a bang.
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah weighed in with a Dec. 9 piece discussing the top bowl games NFL scouts will be keeping an eye on:
"Now that he's had time to rest and heal, will Clowney show improved effort? I'm not that concerned about the drop in Clowney's production. He still puts his imprint on every game because opposing teams devote extra resources to slowing him down. However, I am a little concerned about the up/down motor he's displayed.
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Not only is Badgers QB Joel Stave deceptively elusive, but he also has one of the most consistent, sizable offensive lines protecting him. Plus, Stave has the electric running back tandem of Melvin Gordon and James White to hand the ball to.
A big loss for South Carolina is that of Damiere Byrd, the team's second-leading receiver who averaged 17.6 yards per catch on 33 receptions this season.
The onus will be even more on Gamecocks running back Mike Davis to carry the load offensively, but Wisconsin has the sixth-ranked rush defense in the country, while USC's is 33rd.
Given the depth of the Badgers backfield with White, Gordon and even freshman Corey Clement (515 yards, seven TDs), this physical Big Ten foe has all the elements to knock off its SEC adversary in Orlando.
Prediction: Wisconsin 24, South Carolina 20
Cotton Bowl (Jan. 3, 2014): No. 8 Missouri vs. No. 13 Oklahoma State
Until the SEC Championship Game loss to Auburn, Mizzou hadn't lost a game all season with senior James Franklin under center.
That game wasn't Franklin's fault, either, because he was unable to play defense and threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns while running for 62 yards and another score.
There is a bit of a geographic advantage for the Cowboys, who will have the benefit of closer proximity in playing at the Dallas Cowboys' NFL stadium.
Oklahoma State is coming off a crushing loss in Stillwater to Oklahoma, though, so it will be interesting to see how Mike Gundy's bunch responds to the adversity.
The inconsistent accuracy of Cowboys QB Clint Chelf showed itself against the Sooners, and he won't have a much easier time when he goes up against the likes of Kony Ealy, Michael Sam and a terrifying Tigers front seven.
Mizzou got lit up on the ground by Auburn and will be eager to prove itself on this grand stage and justify its status as still being a top-10 team—even after this massive turnaround catalyzed by head coach Gary Pinkel.
Cornerback Justin Gilbert is a great player, but the Cowboys' 86th-ranked pass defense is a sign of their overall shaky secondary. Gilbert alone won't be enough to account for the Tigers' plethora of sizable targets in L'Damian Washington (6'4", 205), Dorial Green-Beckham (6'6", 225) and Marcus Lucas (6'5", 220).
Combine that with the balance provided by Franklin's mobility and running back Henry Josey (13 rushing TDs), and the Tigers have too much firepower for Oklahoma State to keep up with.
Prediction: Missouri 35, Oklahoma State 17
| Little Caesar's Pizza: Pitt vs. Bowling Green | Dec. 26, 6 p.m. | Panthers |
| Poinsettia: Utah State vs. No. 23 Northern Illinois | Dec. 26, 9:30 p.m. | Huskies |
| Military: Marshall vs. Maryland | Dec. 27, 2:30 p.m. | Terrapins |
| Texas: Syracuse vs. Minnesota | Dec. 27, 6 p.m. | Golden Gophers |
| Fight Hunger: BYU vs. Washington | Dec. 27, 9:30 p.m. | Huskies |
| Pinstripe: Rutgers vs. Notre Dame | Dec. 28, Noon | Fighting Irish |
| Belk: Cincinnati vs. North Carolina | Dec. 28, 3:20 p.m. | Bearcats |
| Russell Athletic: Miami vs. No. 18 Louisville | Dec. 28, 6:45 p.m. | Cardinals |
| Buffalo Wild Wings: Michigan vs. Kansas State | Dec. 28, 10:15 p.m. | Wolverines |
| Armed Forces: Middle Tennessee vs. Navy | Dec. 30, 11:45 p.m. | Midshipmen |
| Music City: Ole Miss vs. Georgia Tech | Dec. 30, 3:15 p.m. | Rebels |
| Alamo: No. 10 Oregon vs. Texas | Dec. 30, 6:45 p.m. | Ducks |
| Holiday: No. 14 Arizona State vs. Texas Tech | Dec. 30, 10:15 p.m. | Sun Devils |
| AdvoCare V100: Arizona vs. Boston College | Dec. 31, 12:30 p.m. | Wildcats |
| Sun: Virginia Tech vs. No. 17 UCLA | Dec. 31, 2 p.m. | Bruins |
| Liberty: Rice vs. Mississippi State | Dec. 31, 4 p.m. | Bulldogs |
| Chick-fil-A: Texas A&M vs. Duke | Dec. 31, 8 p.m. | Aggies |
| Gator: Nebraska vs. No. 22 Georgia | Jan. 1, Noon | Bulldogs |
| Heart of Dallas: UNLV vs. North Texas | Jan. 1, Noon | Mean Green |
| Capital One: No. 9 South Carolina vs. No. 19 Wisconsin | Jan. 1, 1 p.m. | Badgers |
| Outback: Iowa vs. No. 16 LSU | Jan. 1, 1 p.m. | Hawkeyes |
| Rose: No. 5 Stanford vs. No. 4 Michigan State | Jan. 1, 5 p.m. | Cardinal |
| Fiesta: No. 15 UCF vs. No. 6 Baylor | Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m. | Bears |
| Sugar: No. 11 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Alabama | Jan. 2, 8:30 p.m. | Crimson Tide |
| Cotton: No. 13 Oklahoma State vs. No. 8 Missouri | Jan. 3, 7:30 p.m. | Tigers |
| Orange: No. 12 Clemson vs. No. 7 Ohio State | Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m. | Buckeyes |
| BBVA Compass: Vanderbilt vs. Houston | Jan. 4, 1 p.m. | Cougars |
| GoDaddy: Arkansas State vs. Ball State | Jan. 5, 9 p.m. | Cardinals |
| BCS National Championship: No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 2 Auburn | Jan. 6, 8:30 p.m. | Seminoles |
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