College Football: Weekly Bowl Projections for All 35 Games

Much of the first week of the 2011 college football season is in the books, and if this weekend has been any indication, we are in for an exciting season.

Teams like TCU, who were hoping to crash the BCS party again, had their hopes dashed by an upset in just the first game.

Then there are teams like Auburn, whose dreams of getting to another BCS championship were barely salvaged after their comeback against Utah State.

Although it's very early, bowl season will be here before we know it. So here are my bowl projections for the 2011 college football season.

Dec. 17 Gildan New Mexico Bowl: Wyoming vs. Washington State

The first bowl matchup of the season should pit two young teams in Wyoming and Washington State in the New Mexico Bowl.

Washington State has not been bowling in a while, but I think the Cougars will take a big step this season behind quarterback Marshall Lobbestael and their balanced running attack.

Although in a weaker conference, Wyoming should still be able to hold their own in this game after gaining some bowl experience two years ago. 

Dec. 17 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Bowling Green vs. Fresno State

Bowling Green will make some great strides this season. They have a high-powered offense that features a wide-open passing attack, but also a dominant running game.

Fresno State should take advantage of a weak Western Athletic Conference. The Bulldogs will be mostly defense-driven, but with an easy conference schedule, they should be able to be bowl eligible this season.

Dec. 17 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Troy vs Ohio

In a rematch of last year's New Orleans Bowl, the Troy Trojans will face off against the Ohio Bobcats.

Troy handled Ohio 48-21 last season, and with both teams looking to rebuild on offense, it could be a defensive battle this season.

And with Boo Jackson and Jerrel Jernigan out of this year's game, it will be interesting to see which player steps up for their respective teams.

Dec. 20 Beef O' Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl: Louisville vs Houston

In Charlie Strong's second year as head coach of Louisville, they will make a return to St. Petersburg for their bowl game.

Quarterback Will Stein will lead their passing attack, while the Cardinals' defense will continue to grow, especially under the coaching of Strong.

Houston should be an exciting team to watch as well, with Case Keenum returning for a sixth year after gaining a medical redshirt.

As long as Keenum is on the field, the Cougars will be a tough team to stop.

Dec. 21 S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl: S.D. State vs. Utah State

Expect San Diego State and Utah State to meet in the Poinsettia Bowl. 

The Aztecs have a great offensive duo featuring Ryan Lindley and Ronnie Hillman, and Utah State seemed like a different team against Auburn in the first week.

If these teams' first games were any indication, this bowl will feature a lot of points and a lot of yards.

Dec. 22 MAACO Las Vegas Bowl: TCU vs. Nevada

After suffering a loss to Baylor on Friday night, TCU's hopes of a BCS bowl bid are all but gone. So the Horned Frogs will have to settle with a trip to the Las Vegas Bowl.

Nevada has a lot of players to replace from last season, but with a weak conference in the WAC, they could have an easy road to be bowl—eligible again this season.

Expect TCU to win handily, though. They will be just too talented to lose to a rebuilding Nevada team.

Dec. 24 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: SMU vs Hawaii

Hawaii will make its almost annual appearance in the Hawaii Bowl once again this season. Making a return to Hawaii will be SMU's head coach, June Jones. 

Both teams will feature high-powered offenses, especially at SMU.

Quarterback Kyle Padron will command the Mustangs' offense and will see a lot of success this season.

It will be another game featuring high-octane offenses in Hawaii, something those fans have been accustomed to seeing over the last several years.

Dec. 26 AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl: Air Force vs. Boston College

Both Air Force and Boston College feature great running attacks, especially at Boston College. 

Montell Harris will be someone to watch in this matchup. Harris could be in contention for All-ACC honors once the season is done.

Air Force runs the option attack and should be a tough offense to stop. This game could come down to whichever defense can muster up a stop against these running attacks.

Dec. 27 Little Caesars Bowl: Western Michigan vs. Florida International

Western Michigan will come into Detroit with a successful season in the MAC under their belt. Alex Carder threw for 30 touchdowns in 2010, and I'm sure he will build on that number in 2011.

Florida International was in the Little Caesars Bowl last season and they should make a return trip to Detroit in 2011 as long as they can navigate their way through their Sun Belt schedule.

With Carder at quarterback for Western Michigan, though, I don't see how FIU can stop the Broncos' offense.

Dec. 27 Belk Bowl: Clemson vs. Rutgers

Clemson and Rutgers should provide an interesting matchup in this bowl game. 

Both Clemson and Rutgers got off to great starts in Week 1 and look to rebound from disappointing 2010 seasons.

Chris Dodd has shown flashes of excellence as Rutgers' starting quarterback and he has a reliable weapon in Mohamed Sanu.

Clemson still has some questions to answer on offense and they have a young defense, but the Tigers have some excellent athletes that could bring Clemson better success in 2011.

Dec. 28 Military Bowl: Miami vs. Navy

In what could be Miami's last bowl game for a few seasons, the Hurricanes should face Navy in the Military Bowl.

Navy has been pretty exciting to watch the past couple years, putting some great performances against Notre Dame and other teams.

But I think once Miami gets all of their players back from suspensions, their athletes will be too much for the Midshipmen.

I like the Hurricanes in this bowl game.

Dec. 28 Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl: Baylor vs. Washington

Behind Robert Griffin III, Baylor was able to upset TCU in just the first week of the season. If Griffin can stay healthy for the Bears, Baylor could certainly surprise the Big 12 this season by upsetting some teams. 

Washington should make a repeat visit to the Holiday Bowl after playing against Nebraska in this bowl game last season.

Chris Polk will be a dynamic player for the Huskies in the Pac-12, but the Huskies will hover somewhere around seven or eight wins this season as they attempt to move on without Jake Locker.

Dec. 29 Champs Sports Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Pittsburgh

Georgia Tech got their season off to a great start by putting up 63 points on Western Carolina. If the Yellow Jackets are to have any success this season, they will have to get their offense going quickly.

They lack the big-time players like Jonathan Dwyer and Josh Nesbitt, but their triple-option offense can fool any defense at any time.

Pittsburgh will have to replace Dion Lewis, but the Panthers seem to have his replacement already in line for a big year.

Ray Graham could very well be the best running back in the Big East by the end of the season, which would make this matchup between Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh an interesting one to watch at the end of December.

Dec. 29 Alamo Bowl: Missouri vs. Arizona State

The Arizona State Sun Devils are a popular dark horse pick to contend for a Pac-12 championship. The hype is mainly due to their high-powered offense, which got off to a hot start against UC Davis in ASU's season opener.

The Sun Devils put up 500 yards of offense in their first game, proving that their offense can live up to its billing.

Missouri, on the other hand, should have another outstanding season in the Big 12. The Tigers return key starters on offense in Michael Egnew and T.J. Moe.

With both of these players on offense, the Tigers should be very potent in their passing attack. Not to mention, they have a very underrated defense.

I expect a very exciting and high-scoring game between these two programs.

Dec. 30: Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl: BYU vs. Tulsa

In BYU's first season as an independent, the Cougars are slated to be in the Armed Forces Bowl this season.

And they could be a very tough opponent, too. Sophomore quarterback Jake Heaps has matured over the offseason and should shine in 2011. He was able to keep the Cougars in contention in Week 1 at Ole Miss and helped BYU pull off the upset. Heaps has the potential to be a very prolific college passer once his career is over.

Tulsa will also be able to score points at will in 2011. They featured one of the highest-ranked offenses in 2010, and the Golden Hurricane returns a majority of its starters. 

And don't forget, this is the same Tulsa team that defeated Notre Dame in South Bend just last season. So they certainly have the capabilities to beat a BYU team that is still in its growing stages.

Dec. 30: New Era Pinstripe Bowl: Syracuse vs. Kansas State

In a rematch of last year's Pinstripe Bowl, both Syracuse and Kansas State can expect to meet each other there again in 2011.

Syracuse will be the natural choice being so close to New York, since they will draw possibly the best crowd.

Kansas State should have another decent season in the Big 12, but they did not look good in their first game. The Wildcats only beat Eastern Kentucky 10-7.

But I expect Kansas State to get their act together quickly and put together a respectable record in 2011.

Dec. 30 Music City Bowl: Tennessee vs. NC State

I think Tennessee will find itself in the Music City Bowl for the second straight season. The Volunteers have some great young talent on offense in Tyler Bray and Justin Hunter. But they are also anchored by a tough running game featuring Tauren Poole.

However, I think the Vols are a year away from contending for an SEC East title and will have to be satisfied with another seven- or eight-win season.

NC State will be feeling the effects of Russell Wilson transferring, but the Wolfpack will have some experience with Mike Glennon leading the offense.

NC State's season really could go either way, but after an impressive Week 1 victory, the Wolfpack could be a solid second-tier ACC team.

Dec. 30 Insight Bowl: Ohio State vs. Texas Tech

It seems as if Texas Tech isn't missing a beat with a new quarterback at the helm. Seth Doege threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns in their season-opening victory.

As they have done for the past several seasons, Texas Tech will rely on their potent passing attack in order to have success this season in the Big 12.

And with all that Ohio State has been through in the offseason, the Buckeyes will still win around nine games this season.

Even with the distractions, the Buckeyes still have a lot of talent on the field. But with Joe Bauserman at quarterback, I don't think it will be enough for Ohio State to reach a better bowl game.

Dec. 31 Meineke Car Care Bowl: Texas vs. Michigan State

After a disappointing 2010 season, the Texas Longhorns will find themselves bowl-eligible in 2011. They just have too much talent and athleticism not to make a bowl two years in a row.

Plus, Garrett Gilbert should have a better season since it's his second year as a full-time starter. The Longhorns face a tough conference schedule, but you can never underestimate the coaching ability of Mack Brown. 

The Longhorns are still a year away from reaching the level that they are accustomed to, but they will be a very tough team to beat this season.

Michigan State did not impress me much in their season-opening game, as they looked sloppy against Youngstown State. But the Spartans will get it together.

However, I don't see them matching the record last season, so a late-December bowl seems to be in their future.

Dec. 31 Hyundai Sun Bowl: Notre Dame vs. North Carolina

Notre Dame fans won't like this prediction, but I also correctly called the South Florida-Notre Dame outcome. So maybe I'm just not popular with Notre Dame fans right now.

But the Irish struggled in their Week 1 game and I just don't understand all the hype about the Irish this season. They have some great players, but I have yet to see them play as a team for the past couple seasons.

It seems they always just have a couple bad losses on the schedule and I feel the same is in store for them in 2011.

North Carolina is coming off an offseason surrounded by allegations against their programs that caused their head coach to be let go. But the Tar Heels still have some excellent talent on their roster, especially on defense.

I think they can put together a respectable season in 2011 and earn themselves a bid in the Sun Bowl.

Dec. 31 AutoZone Liberty Bowl: East Carolina vs. Maryland

In a rematch of last year's Armed Forces Bowl, East Carolina will match up with the Maryland Terrapins.

Maryland expects to have another nine-win season this year, and with the competition in the ACC, I think that is a very real possibility for the Terrapins. 

Quarterback Danny O'Brien should put up huge numbers once again in 2011, and if they can beat Miami on Monday night, Maryland could be a surprise contender in the ACC.

East Carolina is no slouch, though. Dominique Davis is for real and South Carolina should know that by now after his performance against the Gamecocks.

Against Conference USA competition, Davis should match his 36 passing touchdowns and could possibly exceed that.

As long as Davis is out on the field for East Carolina, the Pirates will be a tough out for any defense.

Dec. 31 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Army vs. UCLA

After a tough loss against Houston, UCLA will have to bounce back quickly in order to contend with their Pac-12 schedule.

But UCLA has the experience to navigate their way through their division. Fortunately for them, their division will be pretty weak this season, and with USC not eligible for a berth in the Pac-12 Championship game, UCLA has even a better chance to reach the conference championship in 2011.

As always, Army will be a tough team to beat in this game. They were able to take care of a high-powered SMU offense in 2010, so expect Army to give UCLA a lot of trouble.

If the Bruins are unable to win their bowl game, look for head coach Rick Neuheisel to be on the hot seat.

Dec. 31 Chick-Fil-A Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina

Both of these teams have several talented young players, but I think both Virginia Tech and South Carolina are a year away from contending for a BCS bowl bid.

South Carolina showed its might by scoring 56 points against East Carolina, and the Hokies absolutely destroyed Appalachian State.

But it will come down to the final games in the schedule for both of these teams. In the end, I believe the winner of South Carolina-Florida will claim the SEC East.

Regardless of the winner, I think South Carolina's record will get them a Chick-Fil-A bowl bid, unless they do win the SEC Championship Game.

I think Virginia Tech will put a fine season together but come up short against FSU in the ACC Championship game.

Regardless, both of these teams should provide fans with a must-watch game during the bowl season in Atlanta.

Jan. 2 Ticket City Bowl: UCF vs. Iowa

This bowl will be an interesting matchup against a consistent Big 10 contender and a very young, up-and-coming football program.

Year in and year out, Iowa seems to be in the middle of the Big 10 discussion. And this year, the Hawkeyes have a very talented running attack. But the heart of the Hawkeyes has always been their defense, which will be the anchor for them this season.

UCF is quickly becoming a very talented football team behind the play of quarterback Jeff Godfrey. UCF continued their momentum from last season into their season opener by beating Charleston Southern 62-0.

This could be a very interesting bowl matchup come January.

Jan. 2 Outback Bowl: Florida vs. Northwestern

I see the Florida Gators returning to the Outback Bowl for the second straight season to face off against the Northwestern Wildcats.

Head coach Will Muschamp had a great debut in Gainesville, and the Gators showed they have lots of talent, especially in their front seven and in the running game.

But it will be tough for the Gators to make a BCS bowl in just their first year under new coaching and a new system on offense and defense.

Northwestern has slowly been growing into a talented football team. Always the bottom-feeder of the Big 10, the Wildcats have a lot to be excited about this season and it all starts with their quarterback Dan Persa.

He will be the key if Northwestern expects to make a splash in the Big 10 in 2011.

Jan. 2 Capital One Bowl: Arkansas vs. Michigan

This matchup features a potential Heisman Trophy candidate against arguably the best wide receiver group in the nation.

Denard Robinson has Michigan fans hoping for a very big season in 2011. Brady Hoke has rejuvenated that fan base and the Wolverines will reap the rewards.

Michigan seems much more balanced this year, and Robinson will be even better. The key will be if their defense can hold its own in the Big 10. They struggled mightily last season.

Arkansas seems to be the team no one is talking about. Tyler Wilson looked great in his first start against Missouri State and the offense performed well even without Knile Davis.

Look for these two teams to make a lot of noise in January.

Jan. 2 Gator Bowl: Auburn vs. Nebraska

Nebraska's first season in the Big 10 could be a very successful one. The Cornhuskers have a lot of depth on defense and they return their quarterback Taylor Martinez for his sophomore year.

Bo Pelini will have his players fired up for Big 10 competition and Nebraska should find themselves in a reputable January bowl game because of it. They could even contend for the Rose Bowl bid.

Auburn got off to a very shaky start against Utah State this weekend. It is clear this is not the same Auburn team from a year ago. But they can score a lot of points, and Michael Dyer is one of the best running backs in the nation.

Their big question will be defense and whether they can stop the passing game. But Auburn should be able to play itself into the Gator Bowl by season's end.

Jan. 2 Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Stanford

As of now, I think the Wisconsin Badgers will represent the Big 10 in this year's Rose Bowl. The addition of Russell Wilson will give them the boost they have been needing for some time now. And it showed in their season opener. 

Wilson adds a whole other dimension to their offensive scheme, which will be huge come conference play.

And on the other side, I think Andrew Luck will lead Stanford to the Pac-12 Championship. He is the best player in college football, and it's tough to imagine he can't lead them to the Rose Bowl this season.

Also, they feature running back Stefan Taylor, who could be the conference's best running back behind LaMichael James.

The Cardinal will be one of the best teams in the country this season.

Jan. 2 Fiesta Bowl: Boise State vs. Oregon

This may seem like an odd matchup, but I really do like these two teams to contend for a BCS bowl bid at the end of the season.

Although Oregon lost to LSU, I can't imagine they will fall far in the polls. I think it will come down to the Oregon-Stanford showdown in November, which could dictate a lot of what happens in these bowls.

Regardless, I think something will happen with the BCS over the course of the season and the Oregon Ducks could find themselves in a BCS bowl as an at-large team. Crazy, I know. But crazier things have happened.

Boise State looked really good in their season opener with a convincing defeat against Georgia. You have to believe they'll be the favorite in the rest of their games this season, which puts them in prime position to crash the BCS once again.

Jan. 3 Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Florida State

Perhaps one of the best bowl matchups could be between Alabama and Florida State.

Both of these teams are highly ranked at the beginning of the season, but I expect both of them to lose at least one game, maybe even two.

But FSU will still win the ACC Championship, and Alabama will be an at-large team.

Both teams are very defense-oriented, so I don't expect too many points to be scored in this game. But it would be one of the best games all season.

Jan. 4 Orange Bowl: USF vs Oklahoma State

Another team that no one is talking about is Oklahoma State. They have a very potent offense featuring Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon.

In their season opener, the Cowboys put up 61 points, and Weeden threw for over 350 yards. Certainly, their offense will continue to get better and will be a real force by the end of the season. I think Oklahoma State makes into a BCS bowl as an at-large team.

After beating Notre Dame, USF is my favorite to win the Big East, so they will be in the Orange Bowl. Skip Holtz has something brewing down at USF, and the Bulls are really playing well right now.

If B.J. Daniels can stay away from turnovers, the Bulls could have a special season.

Jan. 6 Cotton Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Texas A&M

Once again, Texas A&M will find itself in the Cotton Bowl, but this time against Mississippi State. 

Unfortunately for the Aggies, Mississippi State can run the ball very well, something they had trouble stopping when they played LSU in the Cotton Bowl last season.

Both Chris Relf and Vick Ballard can put up a lot of yards, and this Bulldogs team seems ready to make that next leap.

Be on the lookout for Mississippi State in this game.

Jan. 7 BBVA Compass Bowl: Georgia vs. West Virginia

Georgia's season did not get off to the start their fans were hoping for, but the Bulldogs are still a very talented team.

They showed flashes of what they could be against Boise State, but the defense will definitely have to get better if they want to contend in the SEC this season.

West Virginia will contend for another Big East title in 2011, but I think they will fall short to USF. Regardless, the Mountaineers will have another great season, especially behind quarterback Geno Smith.

A matchup between the Bulldogs and Mountaineers could have interesting consequences, especially for Georgia head coach Mark Richt. He could find himself without a job if he is not able to do some big things this season.

Jan. 8 GoDaddy.com Bowl: Miami (OH) vs. Middle Tennessee State

This bowl matchup will be a rematch of last year's GoDaddy.com bowl between Miami University and Middle Tennessee State.

With Miami getting the victory last season, MTSU will certainly be out for revenge. 

If MTSU wants to win this year, the defense will have to keep Miami's offense off the scoreboard. They gave up 35 points to the Redhawks, so that could be the one area MTSU will have to improve on. 

These two teams should provide a great and final game before the BCS National Championship.

Jan. 9: BCS National Championship: Oklahoma vs. LSU

Well, with the No. 1 team winning their first week's game, it is tough to not put them in the BCS National Championship. 

Oklahoma certainly looked like the No. 1 team against Tulsa. Landry Jones was on point and the rest of their team really got the Sooners off to a tremendous start.

LSU is my pick for the other berth in the championship game. The Tigers' defense absolutely stumped a potent Oregon offense and just really dominated the entire game.

They certainly will move up in the polls and with good reason. They had arguably the most impressive win in all of the Week 1 games.

This could be potentially one of the best BCS National Championships in recent memory.