Cheers To the Last of This Year's BCS Mess: Some Bowl Projections

As the college football season nears the end of the regular season, the debate over the BCS heats up.

I’m not going to write about the flaws of the BCS—just predict the games that lie ahead.

BCS National Championship Game: Texas Longhorns vs. Florida Gators

Both teams will finish the year undefeated and win their respective conferences. Texas shouldn’t face too much of a challenge from Kansas, Texas A&M, and the winner of the Big 12 North.

Florida will have more difficulty defeating Florida State and Alabama, but I believe their team speed on both sides of the ball will prevail over the stout defense of ‘Bama.

Rose Bowl: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Oregon Ducks

Neither the Big Ten nor Pac-10 will produce a national champion; therefore the Rose Bowl contestants will be automatic bids from both conferences. Ohio State already smells the roses, and the students are already loading up their crossover SUVs with Keystone and Natty Ice.

Oregon will have their hands full with talented Arizona on the road and the interstate rivalry game with Oregon State at home. With LeGarrette Blount (Future Raider? He’d fit in nicely with coach Tom Cable) back in the lineup, Oregon will look to prove that its only conference loss to Stanford was a fluke.

Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Boise State Broncos

The ACC receives an automatic bid to this game, but the other team will be an at-large team. The Yellow Jackets are firing on all cylinders currently, bringing the option back the national spotlight. They will either face the Clemson Tigers, who they have already defeated, or Boston College in the ACC title game.

Boise State will finish the year undefeated. The Orange Bowl has the first selection of teams after replacements for the national championship game are selected, and the bowl committee will not be able to resist America’s sweetheart Boise State playing the high-flying offense of Tech.

Sugar Bowl: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Texas Christian Horned Frogs

Normally the SEC champ would be playing in this bowl, but Alabama will be a suitable replacement for the only team they lost to (Florida). TCU will finish the season without a loss and will be deserving of a spot in the BCS.

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Cincinnati Bearcats

Cincinnati will win the Big East after a challenging game against Pitt for the conference. Oklahoma State receives the last bid into the BCS, but only due to default because LSU cannot participate in the BCS (due to a max of two teams from a conference can be in the BCS).

—Matt Riege