College Football Bowl Picks 2017: Predictions for Most Underrated Games on Slate
No matter what critics say, college football fans always look forward to bowl season.
While the College Football Playoff games will decide the National Championship, and the New Years Six bowls present a series of exciting matchups between prominent programs, there is a treasure trove of other bowl games that should be competitive, exciting and memorable.
Let's take a look at three of the more underrated bowl games on the docket.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
December 28: Camping World Bowl—Orlando, Florida
No. 22 Virginia Tech (9-3) vs. No. 19 Oklahoma State (9-3)
Time: 5:15 p.m. ET; ESPN
The Oklahoma State Cowboys have one of the most dynamic offensive teams in the nation, while the Virginia Tech Hokies are going to face a major challenge in trying slow down that attack.
Defensive coordinator Bud Foster is one of the top coaches in his position in the nation, and he will be put to the test by Cowboys quarterback Mason Rudolph.
Rudolph completed 297 of 457 passes for 4,553 yards with 35 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. His numbers were in the same neighborhood as Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma.
Foster has great respect for the Cowboys quarterback and believes he has an NFL future.
"He’s big, got a live arm, really accurate," Foster said, per Ricky LaBlue of TechSideline. "He’s strong, he’ll stand in the pocket and against a rush. But I think the NFL guys will like him a lot because he’s in that 6-4, 6-5 range and he’s a drop-back guy. He doesn’t run a lot. Not that he can’t, but he doesn’t do that, but he delivers the ball extremely well."
Running back Justice Hill is an excellent complement to Rudolph's passing. Hill ran for 1,347 yards with 14 touchdowns and averaged 5.5 yards per carry.
Wideouts James Washington and Marcell Ateman have both had sensational seasons. Washington has caught 69 passes for 1,423 yards with 12 touchdowns, while Ateman has 54 catches for 1,049 yards and eight touchdowns.
Virginia Tech quarterback Josh Jackson has been quite solid this season, but he is not as productive as Rudolph. He has completed 214 of 355 passes for 2,743 yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
His best receiver is Cam Phillips, who caught 71 passes for 964 yards and seven touchdowns. No Virginia Tech running back hit the 500-yard mark in yards gained.
Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds is the Hokies' defensive leader. He comes into the Camping World Bowl with a team-leading 102 tackles along with 14 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles. He is going to have to put serious pressure on Rudolph if the Hokies are going to win.
Oklahoma State is a four-point favorite according to OddsShark, and the total is listed at 63.
Predicted score: Virginia Tech 30, Oklahoma State 28
December 29: Music City Bowl—Nashville, Tennessee
Kentucky (7-5) vs. No. 21 Northwestern (9-3)
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET; ESPN
Why would a bowl game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Northwestern Wildcats be one of the more underrated bowl games?
Well, Northwestern might just be one angry team under head coach Pat Fitzgerald. The Wildcats may just be wondering why the Michigan Wolverines are playing on New Year's Day in the Outback Bowl against South Carolina while they are playing three days earlier in a less glamorous bowl game.
The Wolverines were 8-4 and lost their last two games, yet they qualified for a better bowl game.
Fitzgerald is not the type of coach who will let loose with public criticism. However, he could use it to inspire his team, telling his players that the powers that be don't think they are worthy of a New Year's Day game.
Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said that he did not make any calls on behalf of any conference member.
"Now, our staff has been involved with every bowl," he said, per Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune. "They talk all the time. But the athletic director is the advocate, not the conference. Some of it is in-person, some of it is video, some data. We encourage them to compete. But we’re not picking winners."
Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson has had a good-but-not-great year, completing 258 of 426 passes for 2,809 yards with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Thorson is not much of a running quarterback as he finished the regular season with 29 yards, but he had eight rushing touchdowns.
Justin Jackson is the key to Northwestern's ground game, as he rushed for 1,154 yards with a 4.5-yards-per-carry average and nine touchdowns. Jeremy Larkin added 391 yards and five touchdowns.
Bennett Skowronek is Northwestern's leading receiver, having caught 42 passes for 619 yards and five touchdowns.
Kentucky has an explosive running back in Benny Snell Jr., who has carried the ball 256 times for 1,318 yards with 18 touchdowns.
Snell clearly has a nose for the end zone, and quarterback Stephen Johnson can take some of the heat off the running back. He completed 170 of 280 passes for 2,048 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Garrett Johnson is Kentucky's leading receiver with 46 receptions for 500 yards and two touchdowns.
OddsShark has Northwestern as a seven-point favorite and the total is listed at 51 points.
Prediction: Northwestern 27, Kentucky 24
December 30: Tax Slayer Bowl—Jacksonville, Florida
Louisville (8-4) vs. No. 23 Mississippi State (8-4)
Time: 12 noon ET; ESPN
This game represents the last chance to see 2016 Heisman Trophy winner and 2017 contender Lamar Jackson play quarterback for the Louisville Cardinals.
Jackson finished third in this year's voting to Mayfield, but his numbers were spectacular. He completed 241 of 399 passes for 3,489 yards while throwing 25 touchdown passes and six interceptions. He also rushed for 1,443 yards and had 17 more touchdowns on the ground.
Jaylen Smith caught 53 passes for the Cardinals that resulted in 873 yards and six touchdowns. Dez Fitzpatrick contributed 45 receptions for 699 yards and nine touchdowns.
The Bulldogs are a strong running team led by Aeris Williams and quarterback Nick Fitzgerald. Williams ran for 1,019 yards and five touchdowns, while Fitzgerald ran for 984 yards and 14 scores.
While the run is Mississippi State's primary weapon, Fitzgerald has thrown for 1,782 yards with 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Louisville is a 6.5-point favorite and the total is 62 points.
Prediction: Louisville 45, Mississippi State 24
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
