Projecting the BCS Matchups: It's All Come Down To This

Now the college football season has ended, and we now know who will play in the five big BCS bowl games this year.

For six days, 10 of college football's elites will be slugging it out in physical affairs displaying the best that the nation has to offer.

And now, it's time to make some analysis and early predictions for the five BCS bowl games as they stand now on Dec. 6.

Citi Rose Bowl Game: Ohio State 34 - Oregon 32

Other than the national championship game, this matchup in Pasadena in the Granddaddy of Them All should be the most intriguing.

Oregon comes in as the flashy, trendy pick, riding a hot offense that can score on everyone and a unit that blew out the vaunted Trojans on national television a month ago.

But they have to leave the friendly confines to play an Ohio State team that is used to playing in these BCS games, though past history has not been kind to the Buckeyes.

No doubt all eyes will be on the Buckeyes' D versus Oregon's O, but ultimately an opportunistic defense will look to pounce on loose balls against an Oregon team that lately has had some trouble with ball security against Arizona and Oregon State.

Whichever team can establish dominance in the trenches could bring home the roses in a game with two completely different offensive styles: Oregon's highwire spread attack, and Ohio State's bread-and-butter pro-style offense.

And with the improvement Ohio State has made in big games, it's only a matter of time before they pull out a BCS win once again.

Allstate Sugar Bowl: Florida 45 - Cincinnati 17

Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators had a mission to go perfect, and win a national title unchallenged all year long. But the dream ended in shocking fashion in Atlanta Saturday night.

But they will return to New Orleans in the Sugar Bowl to face Cincinnati in an interesting showdown with another explosive offense in the Bearcats.

Cincinnati can put up points with anyone, but their defense has been very suspect in recent weeks.

And no doubt Florida has a defense the likes of which the Bearcats have not seen in the Big East.

This one could be a rough night for the Bearcats, although credit has to be given for the fact that they pulled off an undefeated season and raised questions about possibly being the best team in Ohio.

But very little can help Cincinnati pull off the upset in Tebow's final game, where he will make sure his team is ready to roll.

FedEx Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech 21 - Iowa 20

The triple option is back in style, as Paul Johnson brought a former afterthought of an offense to a BCS school and is now heading to Miami for a BCS spot.

Standing in their way is Iowa, a team that surprised everyone with their smothering defense and a flair for the dramatic.

Good news for Iowa is that QB Ricky Stanzi and RB Adam Robinson should be healthy, and the Hawkeyes will be as physical as possible.

But they have never faced an offense quite like Georgia Tech's, where assignments and discipline are more important than blowing people up at the line.

If Iowa can take the battle to Georgia Tech with a talented front seven and be physical, they can tilt the action in their favor.

But in the end, GT will be just too much and a rough November might have just drained the Hawkeyes of any magic.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: TCU 31 - Boise State 21

Phoenix welcomes the first BCS matchup featuring two mid-major teams in the Broncos and Horned Frogs, and the rematch of the bowl season a year ago.

Last year, TCU rode a lockdown rush defense effort to a 17-16 win in the Poinsettia Bowl.

2010 welcomes the same two teams with many of the same players in something we hardly ever see, a postseason rematch.

This time, both teams have been tremendous on both sides of the ball, and passed big OOC tests along the way (BSU over Oregon, TCU over Clemson).

But TCU might just be the most balanced team in the nation, led by Andy Dalton at the triggerman and a diverse ground game.

Boise State's QB Kellen Moore leads the highest scoring offense in the country back to the Fiesta Bowl where they won one of the greatest games in the history of college sports.

Ultimately, the balanced and battle-tested Horned Frogs have an edge and could put the Mountain West at 3-0, the only undefeated conference in the history of BCS bowls.

Citi BCS National Championship Game: Alabama 34 - Texas 21

Saturday showed us alot in college football:

-It showed that Alabama can dominate an elite team by sheer force of will and physical prowess.

-It showed that a strong pass rush with only four can slow down Colt McCoy and Texas for a considerable amount of a game.

But these were the two best teams in the country all year long, and the BCS got this matchup right, pitting the Crimson Tide and Longhorns against each other in Pasadena.

Everyone talks about Mark Ingram and the Alabama defense, but all eyes should be on Greg McElroy and his two best receivers, Julio Jones and Marquis Maze.

McElroy played an outstanding game, not turning the ball over against the Gators, and also making big plays all day long.

And on the flipside, Texas brings a tremendous blitzing attack that should challenge Alabama in the trenches in passing situations, and a secondary that can often hold its own.

And McCoy should not have a second bad game in a row, and his finale could be something that motivates his team similar to what Florida will have with Tebow leaving this year.

With all the weapons that McCoy and the Longhorns have in the passing attack, Texas will get some points.

But Alabama has been up against some good spread offenses in the SEC and knows how to defend them.

In the end, the physicality of the Tide is just too much for the Horns to handle and look for the national title to once again stay in the SEC.