College Football Predictions 2011: Picking the Winner of Every BCS Bowl Game
We're now a little less than 80 days from the start of the 2011 college football season so why not start predicting who's going to win it all.
Last year Auburn started off the season ranked outside of the top 15 in the country and ended up moving up all the way to No. 1, beating Oregon in the National Championship Game.
The official preseason rankings have not been released yet, but it's never too early to start looking at which teams can make a run at winning their conferences and a BCS Bowl Game.
Here are my picks for the match-ups and winners in every BCS Bowl Game.
Or Check out 6 surprise contenders in BCS Conferences!
Rose Bowl: Oregon Ducks over Wisconsin Badgers
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Oregon Ducks (PAC-12 Champion) vs. Wisconsin Badgers (Big Ten Champion)
Predicted Score: 35-21 Oregon Ducks
Last year's national championship runner-up, Oregon Ducks, will be good again in 2011.
The Ducks will have a great chance at competing for another national championship appearance. However, with a tough home season opener against LSU and a probable division-determining battle against Stanford on the road, it will be tough for Oregon to repeat their efforts from last year.
Oregon is returning their two biggest play makers in quarterback, Darron Thomas, and running back, LaMichael James as well as five other offensive starters.
The Wisconsin Badgers are also coming off a bowl game loss from a year ago, their's coming to the TCU Horned Frogs.
With Ohio State undergoing major program changes and Nebraska coming into a conference they are new to, Wisconsin is likely to be one of the favorites to win the Big Ten coming into the 2011 season.
The Badgers will be without their starting quarterback from 2010, but will be returning both of their running backs who combined for over 2,000 yards rushing last season.
This potential Rose Bowl matchup would feature two teams with opposing styles, but in the end I think Oregon's explosive offense would be too much for the Badgers.
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma State Cowboys over Boise State Broncos
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Oklahoma State (Big 12 runner-up) over Boise State Broncos (Mountain West Champion)
Predicted Score: 34-31 Oklahoma State
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are returning one of the best quarterback-wide receiver combinations in all of college football. Top wide receiver prospect, Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden will anchor an offense that is returning all but one starter from 2010.
With tough games against Texas A&M and Texas plus a season finale against Oklahoma, don't expect the Cowboys to win the Big-12. However, Oklahoma State should be around the 10 win mark by seasons end and be good enough to get an at-large bid for the Fiesta Bowl.
The Boise State Broncos are coming off a disappointing one-loss season that ended in an upset against Colin Kaepernick and the Nevada Wolf Pack.
Kellen Moore will be back for his senior season, but the biggest strength for the Broncos will probably be on the defensive side of the ball.
Boise State will play a pretty weak schedule with their biggest test coming against TCU in week eight, but the Broncos will be playing the game at home where they rarely lose.
Should these two teams meet in the Fiesta Bowl, look for a shootout that ends in a exciting fashion with a slight edge to Blackmon and the Cowboys.
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech Hokies over Pittsburgh Panthers
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Virginia Tech Hokies (ACC Champion) over Pittsburgh Panthers (Big East Champion)
Predicted Score: 27-13 Virginia Tech
Even with all the hype surrounding Florida State, the Virginia Tech Hokies will have a great opportunity to win the ACC and find themselves back in the Orange Bowl again. However, for Coach Frank Beamer and the Hokies two Orange Bowl losses in two years won't happen.
The strength of Virginia Tech's team will be in their receiving corp, who will return all of their starters from a year ago, lead by senior Jarret Boykin.
The Hokies will have to answer their quarterback question with the absence of Tyrod Taylor, but with all the experience at receiver, the transition should be easier than expected.
Virginia Tech's schedule isn't particularly difficult with their most difficult conference games against Clemson, Miami, and Boston College all at home.
The Pittsburgh Panthers, on the other hand, have one of the most difficult schedules in the Big East with non-conference games against Notre Dame and Utah as well as a road game against West Virginia.
Pitt's defense will likely be it's anchor with eight returning starters, lead by a linebacking corp that features three seniors.
In this matchup, the Hokies speed in the passing game will prove to be too much for Pitt.
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Sugar Bowl: Stanford Cardinal over Arkansas Razorbacks
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Stanford Cardinal (PAC-12 Runner up) over Arkansas Razorbacks (SEC Runner up)
Predicted Score: 31-24 Stanford
The Stanford Cardinal will give their try in the Sugar Bowl a year after defeating Virginia Tech in the 2010 Orange Bowl.
Andrew Luck returns to Stanford as one of the most talented players in all of college football. He will need to adjust to playing without his two favorite targets, receivers Ryan Whalen and Doug Baldwin though.
The situation that may give Stanford the most trouble, however, will be playing without coach Jim Harbaugh, who left for the NFL.
Despite these hurdles, Stanford can rely on Luck (get it?) as well as their secondary, which returns all but one starter.
Stanford will have a tough time beating Oregon and will be challenged by USC and Notre Dame, but look for the Cardinal to put together another great season in 2011.
The Arkansas Razorbacks are entering the 2011 season without their star quarterback, Ryan Mallet.
However, they will still be one of the most consistent offenses in all of the SEC with running back Knile Davis and a veteran receiving group who all are returning starters.
Arkansas doesn't avoid any tough SEC foe and a tough non-conference game against Texas A&M will certainly be challenging, but look for Arkansas to have another 10 win season in 2011.
Luck and the Cardinal will be too much for the Razorbacks in this offensive battle. Cardinal win the Sugar Bowl late.
BCS Championship Game: Oklahoma Sooners over Alabama Crimson Tide
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Oklahoma Sooners (Big 12 Champion) over Alabama Crimson Tide (SEC Champion)
Predicted Score: 20-17 Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Sooners are bringing back 17 players from a team that finished 10-2 last season with a dominating Fiesta Bowl victory over Connecticut.
Two of the most significant players coming back are quarterback, Landry Jones, and number one receiver, Ryan Broyles.
Remember when I said that Weeden and Blackmon were one of the best quarterback-wide receiver duos in the country? Well Jones and Broyles are the best.
The Sooners are also returning an impressive defense too, including linebacker Travis Lewis.
Oklahoma will be tested all season long, beginning with Florida State on September 17th and ending with a game against in state rival OSU on the road the final week of the season. However, the experienced and battle tested Sooners will have a great chance at beating them all in 2011.
Even with the key loses of Mark Ingram, Julio Jones and Marcel Dareus to the NFL, the Alabama Crimson Tide are returning one of the scariest teams in college football.
Trent Richardson will lead a reloaded offense and Mark Barron will highlight a defense that returns all but one starter.
The one glaring question for Alabama is at the quarterback position, but with an offense that relies heavily on its running game, an inexperienced quarterback shouldn't present much of a problem.
As good as Alabama will be on the defensive side of the ball, I think Oklahoma will be able to land some big passing plays throughout the game to give them a slight edge.
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