Bowl Games 2014-15: Schedule and Predictions for Biggest Playoff Snubs
The inaugural College Football Playoff certainly increased the drama throughout the regular season, but it was also the cause for an excessive amount of debates regarding which teams were actually the most deserving to end the season within the Top Four.
Since Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and Ohio State were handpicked by the selection committee as the nation's representatives in the two semifinal contests, other teams such as Baylor, TCU and, to a lesser extent, Michigan State were considered snubs by many fans and some analysts.
So, which bowls were those squads awarded? Well, they all made out fairly well. Baylor and Michigan State will actually be facing off in the Cotton Bowl, and TCU will take on Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl. Those aren't bad consolation prizes.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
As bowl season continues, let's take an updated look at the remaining schedule and predict how those playoff snubs will fare in their respective postseason contests.
| Boca Raton Bowl | Marshall vs. Northern Illinois | Dec. 23 | 6 p.m. | ESPN | MAR -10 |
| San Diego County CU Poinsettia Bowl | Navy vs. San Diego State | Dec. 23 | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN | SDSU -2.5 |
| Popeyes Bahamas Bowl | Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan | Dec. 24 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | WKU -3 |
| Sheraton Hawaii Bowl | Rice vs. Fresno State | Dec. 24 | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Rice, -2.5 |
| Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl | Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech | Dec. 26 | 1 p.m. | ESPN | LT -6 |
| Quick Lane Bowl | Rutgers vs. North Carolina | Dec. 26 | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN | UNC -3 |
| BITCOIN St. Petersburg Bowl | NC State vs. UCF | Dec. 26 | 8 p.m. | ESPN | UCF -2.5 |
| Military Bowl | Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati | Dec. 27 | 1 p.m. | ESPN | CIN -3 |
| Hyundai Sun Bowl | Duke vs. Arizona State | Dec. 27 | 2 p.m. | CBS | ASU -7.5 |
| Duck Commander Independence Bowl | Miami (Fl.) vs. South Carolina | Dec. 27 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC | UM -3.5 |
| New Era Pinstripe Bowl | Boston College vs. Penn State | Dec. 27 | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN | BC -2.5 |
| National University Holiday Bowl | Nebraska vs. USC | Dec. 27 | 8 p.m. | ESPN | USC -7 |
| AutoZone Liberty Bowl | West Virginia vs. Texas A&M | Dec. 29 | 2 p.m. | ESPN | WVU -3.5 |
| Russell Athletic Bowl | Clemson vs. Oklahoma | Dec. 29 | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN | OU -3 |
| AdvoCare Texas Bowl | Texas vs. Arkansas | Dec. 29 | 9 p.m. | ESPN | ARK -6 |
| Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl | Notre Dame vs. LSU | Dec. 30 | 3 p.m. | ESPN | LSU -7.5 |
| Belk Bowl | Louisville vs. Georgia | Dec. 30 | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN | UGA -7 |
| Foster Farms Bowl | Maryland vs. Stanford | Dec. 30 | 10 p.m. | ESPN | STAN -14 |
| Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl | Ole Miss vs. TCU | Dec. 31 | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN | TCU -3 |
| Vizio Fiesta Bowl | Boise State vs. Arizona | Dec. 31 | 4 p.m. | ESPN | ARI -3 |
| Capital One Orange Bowl | Mississippi State vs. Georgia Tech | Dec. 31 | 8 p.m. | ESPN | MIST -7 |
| Outback Bowl | Wisconsin vs. Auburn | Jan. 1 | 12 p.m. | ESPN2 | AUB -7 |
| Goodyear Cotton Bowl | Michigan State vs. Baylor | Jan. 1 | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN | BAY -2.5 |
| Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl | Minnesota vs. Missouri | Jan. 1 | 1 p.m. | ABC | MIZZ -5 |
| Rose Bowl Game | Oregon vs. Florida State | Jan. 1 | 5 p.m. | ESPN | ORE -9 |
| Allstate Sugar Bowl | Alabama vs. Ohio State | Jan. 1 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN | ALA -9.5 |
| Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl | Pittsburgh vs. Houston | Jan. 2 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | PITT -3 |
| TaxSlayer Bowl | Iowa vs. Tennessee | Jan. 2 | 3:20 p.m. | ESPN | TENN -3.5 |
| Valero Alamo Bowl | Kansas State vs. UCLA | Jan. 2 | 6:45 p.m. | ESPN | UCLA -1.5 |
| Cactus Bowl | Oklahoma St. vs.Washington | Jan. 2 | 10:15 p.m. | ESPN | WASH -5.5 |
| Birmingham Bowl | Florida vs. East Carolina | Jan. 3 | 1 p.m. | ESPN2 | FLA -7 |
| GoDaddy Bowl | Toledo vs. Arkansas State | Jan. 4 | 9 p.m. | ESPN | TOL -3.5 |
| College Football Championship Game | TBD | Jan. 12 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN | TBD |
All game odds courtesy of Odds Shark and current as of December 22.
Peach Bowl
Ole Miss vs. TCU
We're about to find out what happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object. While that narrative has been played out more times than Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart," it certainly holds true to this impending contest.
Ole Miss doesn't feature the most prolific offense. In fact, it can be downright difficult to watch at times depending on the play of erratic quarterback Bo Wallace. However, the team does boast the nation's best scoring defense that allows an average of just 13.8 points per game.
The Rebels began the season with a bang, winning their first seven contests, but they quickly came back down to Earth, losing three of their next four and missing out on the College Football Playoff. Still, Ole Miss did finish the season with a flourish, defeating Mississippi State 31-17 and spoiling the Bulldogs' hopes of a playoff spot.
Ole Miss' stout defense was well on display during the Egg Bowl. It did allow 445 yards to the Bulldogs, but it took Mississippi State 84 offensive plays to rack up that number. That's an average of just 5.29 yards per play for one of the nation's most prolific offenses.
On the flip side, we have a TCU team that has been lighting up scoreboards all season long. Quarterback Trevone Boykin has been electrifying this season, passing for 3,714 yards and 30 touchdowns while rushing for another 642 yards and eight scores. He's been the catalyst of an offense that ranks second in the nation, scoring an average of 46.8 points per game.
But, can this offense flourish against that sturdy Ole Miss defense? The Horned Frogs probably won't hit their season average, but they're far too dynamic to be denied completely. Perhaps the more important question is: Can the Rebels offense generate points against the TCU defense?
After all, TCU isn't a slouch on the defensive side of the ball, ranking 17th in the nation and allowing an average of just 20.3 points per game. Ole Miss has struggled against better defenses, putting up a goose egg against Arkansas and scoring just seven points on LSU.
It's difficult to trust Wallace and Co. to get enough points on the board to outscore Boykin and TCU's dynamic offense, so the nod goes to the Horned Frogs here.
Prediction: TCU 27, Ole Miss 20
Cotton Bowl
Michigan State vs. Baylor
Here we have another example of that aforementioned narrative. The Spartans feature one of the nation's strongest defenses, ranking 13th and allowing just 19.9 points per game, while the Bears own the nation's most potent offense, averaging an impressive 48.8 points per contest.
Baylor's offense has been the only team capable of outscoring the Horned Frogs this season, defeating TCU by a score of 61-58 in a very entertaining shootout. Quarterback Bryce Petty continues to be one of the most prolific at his position in the nation, passing for 3,305 yards and 26 touchdowns while limiting his mistakes, tossing just six picks on the season.
He's surrounded by a bevy of playmakers, including two young wide receivers in Corey Coleman and KD Cannon, as well as reliable running back Shock Linwood, who has 1,226 yards and 16 touchdowns on the year, while averaging 5.1 yards per carry.
This well-balanced offense has led to the Bears ranking fifth in the nation in passing yards and 23rd in rushing yards. Their versatility and ability to strike quickly gives opposing defensive coordinators nightmares.
Although, if any team can handle Baylor's attack, it's Michigan State.
The Spartans have held eight of their 12 opponents to 17 points or fewer this season and rank 13th in scoring defense. Michigan State is extremely strong against the run, ranking sixth in the nation while allowing an average of just 97.5 yards per game. This team has the ability to shut down an opponent's ground game, forcing offenses to become one-dimensional.
Still strong against the pass, Michigan State ranks 26th in that department and has been impressive in denying passing touchdowns, giving up just 13 this year. The Spartans' ability to force teams into passing situations has resulted in ranking tied for third overall in takeaways with a total of 33 on the season—17 interceptions and 16 fumble recoveries.
The team's offense has capitalized on many of those turnovers, as quarterback Connor Cook, running back Jeremy Langford and wide receiver Tony Lippett have formed a dynamic trio has propelled this team to rank seventh in points scored with 43.1 per game.
But, here's the trouble for the Spartans: They've struggled against better offenses this season. The only two losses this team has endured in 2014 was to Oregon and Ohio State. The Ducks put up 46 points on Michigan State and the Buckeyes accumulated 49. Considering that Baylor has outscored both of those units this season, that's not a good omen for the Spartans.
Baylor has given up points to capable offenses this season, so expect Michigan State to keep this game close. However, due to the Spartans' defensive struggles against superior offenses, the Bears get the nod here and will come away with a close win.
Prediction: Baylor 34, Michigan State 31
All team statistics and rankings courtesy of NCAA.com and current as of December 22.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
