2010 Bowl Games: Predicting the Scores of Each Pac-10 Matchup

Bowl season is here. Starting Saturday, 70 teams take the field in the next month to prove their power, and to gain the respect from the rest of the country. 

The past couple of years the SEC has been the big winner when it comes to bowl games, but this season may be a little different. 

The Pac-10 has not played well in the past decade or so, with USC carrying the conference on their back. Now, with USC out of the picture, what is going to happen?

How is Washington going to match up against a team that handed them a massive loss at the beginning of the season? Is Arizona really a national-level team? Can Stanford run the table being favored against Va Tech?

Most of all, can Oregon turn the tables, and take down the great Auburn Tigers in the natty?

We will see. Here are my predictions for the Pac-10 bowl games. 

Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma State-Arizona

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

TUCSON, AZ - DECEMBER 02: Wide receiver Juron Criner #82 of the Arizona Wildcats and David Roberts #81 celebrate after Criner scored a 28 yard touchdown reception against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the college football game at Arizona Stadium on

I have two reasons why the Wildcats do not stand a chance—Justin Blackmon and Kendall Hunter. 

The 'Zona defense is good, but it is not great, and to take Blackmon and Hunter out of the game requires a phenomenal performance by a great defense, and that just will not happen.

One of the top scoring offenses in the nation against a team that has lost four games in a row? I am a Pac-10 fan and I am all for the Wildcats winning this, but they truly do not stand a chance. 

Not enough firepower on offense for the Wildcats to make it a close one. 

Oklahoma State 49, Arizona 14

Holiday Bowl: Nebraska-Washington

Steve Dykes/Getty Images

EUGENE, OR - NOVEMBER 06: Linebacker Mason Foster #40 safety Nate Fellner #29 of the Washington Huskies tackle quarterback Darron Thomas #1 of the Oregon Ducks as Thomas crosses the goal line for a touchdown in the third quarter of the game at Autzen Stad

If you were not around at the start of the season, I will inform you of the beat-down that Nebraska gave Washington in the first couple games, at UW. 56-21.

That being said, it was the start of the season, and the Huskies have came a long way to end the seven-year disappearance from a bowl game, which may play as their own enemy. Nebraska is fired up after giving away the Big 12 title, and I just do not see them letting another game slip away. 

Now, I did not intend to say that the Huskies had a good chance to make this one a nail-biter, because in all honesty they don't. Washington has not done well against a run game, and this game will be no different. 

Nebraska 52, Washington 10

Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech-Stanford

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

PALO ALTO, CA - NOVEMBER 27: Andrew Luck #12 of the Stanford Cardinal in action against the Oregon State Beavers at Stanford Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

In contrasts to the first two Pac-10 bowl predictions, I see Stanford taking this one easily.

It will be a battle between the quarterbacks—Tyrod Taylor of Va Tech (ACC player of the year) and Andrew Luck of the Cardinal (second-place finish in Heisman voting)—and some are noticing a shootout that is waiting to happen. 

I see different.

The Cardinal are playing arguably the best football around, and I do not see a month break between games stopping the great play. Stanford's defense is highly underrated, and if you take out the 388 yards of rushing given up to Oregon, they average out around the top five rushing defenses in the country, and with Virginia Tech having plenty of guys who can run the ball, I see no contest between the two. 

Stanford takes the cake.

Stanford 41, Virginia Tech 10

BCS National Title Game: Auburn-Oregon

Steve Dykes/Getty Images

CORVALLIS, OR - DECEMBER 4: Running back Kenjon Barner #24 of the Oregon Ducks runs with the ball in the second quarter of the game against the the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium on December 4, 2010 in Corvallis, Oregon. The Ducks beat the Beavers

Here it is. The game that everyone has been wanting to see for weeks now. With questions of Oregon possibly losing to Arizona or Oregon State, and questions of Auburn losing to Alabama and South Carolina, both teams have conquered and are ready to battle in front of the whole country. 

As a Duck fan, I could not be more excited about this game. Not putting TCU or Boise State down, but I would have rather seen a Pac-10/SEC match up that is long overdue.

To say this game is out of reach for either team is far fetched beyond anything else. Both are great scoring offenses, both have a great rushing game, and the one who will take the title will be the one who passes the ball the best.

Cam Newton had not thrown over 25 attempts in a game before the SEC Championship Game, and Darron Thomas is not a true passing threat. It is between the QBs to take home the crown, because looking at the offenses that will step onto the field, both defenses will being looking for any way to get the ball back.

Normally, whoever controls the tempo or the time of possession will win it, but both offenses show no-huddle spread attacks that take only two or three minutes to drive 80 yards down the field.

If the game is within a touchdown, I would give it to Auburn. Other than that, the only team that I could possibly see winning by 20 or more is Oregon. 

Oregon 45, Auburn 35