2011 Bowl Projections: Underrated Teams Headed Towards Postseason Glory

Three teams are going to take out the frustration of being undervalued on their soon-to-be helpless bowl game opponents.

The following teams are all better than their ranking suggests. They will prove that in the postseason.

Georgia

Georgia has won 10 straight games, many of which were in the SEC, and yet they are only ranked No. 14. Their 0-2 start has dogged them in the rankings all season.

They now are staring at an SEC title game against LSU. If they win, they will no longer be underrated. However, let's make the safe assumption that they lose to LSU. This will have them headed towards a bowl game ranked around No. 15. Georgia is much better than No. 15. They are complete team with no holes.

The Bulldogs have a balanced offense with a diverse rushing attack. They've totaled 2,167 yards on the ground at 4.26 yards per carry. And, with their defense, this is all they need.

Georgia is 10th in the nation in points allowed. Teams are rushing for just 3.0 yards per carry on the Bulldogs. Opposing QBs have a rating of just 98.8 against this stiff defense. That defense is also at its best when it matters most. They have allowed just a 29.8 percent conversion rate on third down.s And they have collected 26 turnovers (17 interceptions and nine fumbles).

This team is playing top five football, yet they won't be anywhere near a BCS bowl game. Their opponents will be the victims of this lowly ranking.

Baylor

Robert Griffin III can lead his team to victory on any field at any time. The dynamic QB has thrown for 3954 yards, 37 TDs and just five interceptions. Griffin has been this good this year.

Despite these incredibly gaudy numbers, they are ranked just 17th in the nation. That low ranking is attributable to their three losses—three losses that came over a stretch of four games.

They have rebounded nicely from that stretch, putting up a combined 111 points in their last two games, and are now ranked sixth in the nation in scoring.

This offense is not just about Griffin's arm either. This is a balanced attack. They are 17th in rushing yardage.

Baylor's defense is highly suspect. They are 111th in points allowed per game, have allowed 5.26 yards per carry and allowed 29 touchdown passes. However, Baylor is likely to end up in a bowl with a team ranked below them, and that team will not be able to keep up with this offense.

TCU

The Horned Frogs started their season off with a loss to the aforementioned Baylor team, and their ranking never really recovered.

TCU did themselves no favors by losing their fifth game to Southern Methodist, but they have been unstoppable since. They have won six straight, including a huge upset of Boise State on the blue turf.

They are now 10th in the nation in points scored and 36th in points allowed. They have a strong running game and solid passing game. This is a balanced team that is getting better as the season has gone on.

They are now ranked 18th in the nation, and that is not reflective of how well they are playing.  The Horned Frogs are dominating the ground game on both sides of the ball. They are rushing for 5.6 yards per carry and allowed just 3.6 yards per carry.

They only have a game remaining against UNLV on their schedule, and assuming they win, that is not likely going to affect their ranking. That will leave TCU slipping into a bowl game with little fanfare against a less than dominant team.

They will crush that team.