2011 Bowl Matchups: Locks, Shockers and Predictions for All 35 Bowls

It's finally here. Bowl season. Thirty-five games showcasing 58 percent of the teams in showdowns from Albuquerque to New Orleans.

Games don't start for another two weeks and then lead up to the showdown in the Big Easy, "Game of the Century II" between Alabama and LSU, a short 35 days away.

Therefore, we'll have plenty of time to discuss every angle and facet of these games. But what jumps out right now? What are the locks and potential shocks of the bowl season? What should we be watching for in-between our last-minute trip to the mall and when we attend an over-priced venue for New Year's Eve and subsequently break our resolution three days later?

Read on.

Note: Spreads just came out about 20 minutes ago. Nearly all are available...if they aren't, I made a note. All are subject to change (and will).

Gildan New Mexico Bowl

Matchup: Temple (-6) vs Wyoming

Date: December 17 

Location: Albuquerque

Early Prediction: Lock: Bowl season will get off to a great start with two quality teams.

One year after mysteriously being left out of the bowl picture, Temple returns with an 8-4 record and an impressive rushing attack. Bernard Pierce has rushed for 1,381 yards and 25 touchdowns on the season. Additionally, the Owls are third in the nation in points allowed.

Wyoming is 8-4 as well, with all four losses coming against bowl teams (TCU, Boise, Utah State and Nebraska). They too favor the rush, but do it with a balance between RB Alvester Alexander and QB Brett Smith.

Both teams should be excited to be playing in the postseason. This is only the Owls' fourth bowl game ever, and only the third for the Cowboys since 1993.

One thing to always consider in games such as these is the location. New Mexico Stadium is high above sea level, something Wyoming is used to and Temple is not. Additionally, Temple has not played east of Indiana.

Still, I like Temple in this one. They should be able to run on Wyoming's 115th-ranked rush defense, no matter how high above sea level. Their defense gets enough stops, and the Owls win.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Matchup: Ohio vs Utah State (-2)

Date: December 17 

Location: Boise

Early Prediction: Lock: This logo makes me never want to eat a baked potato again.

Ohio blew a 20-point lead to Northern Illinois to lose in the MAC championship. Motivation will be a major concern as they travel across the nation to Boise on the heels of a heartbreaking loss.

Utah State had some bad luck early in the season; otherwise, we could be looking at them as WAC champs and a 10-win team. They showed tremendous resolve this year, winning five in a row after a rough start.

Ohio's rush defense has been hit or miss this season. They gave up 155 yards to NIU in the MAC Title Game and gave up a walloping 308 yards in a win against Temple. Utah State sports the nation's sixth best rushing attack. 

The Aggies don't pass the ball. They're 108th in the nation in pass attempts. One would figure this would benefit Ohio, as the Bobcats pass defense is worse than their rush defense.

Still, I like Utah State to build off their momentum, welcome Ohio to the West Coast and run the ball well enough to defeat the Bobcats. It is the Aggies' first bowl game since 1997.

Shock: I figured Utah State as an underdog before spreads came out, and thought by picking them, they would qualify as a shock. I guess the shock is that my shock won't be a shock.

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Matchup: San Diego State (-4.5) vs Louisiana-Lafayette

Date: December 17 

Location: New Orleans

Early Prediction: Lousiana-Lafayette is one of the surprise teams of the season, and their success has been rewarded with a bowl game in their own backyard.

San Diego State did not regress much with the departure of Brady Hoke. They're 8-4 again and still have one of the best running backs in the nation, Ronnie Hillman. Hillman has rushed for 1,656 yards this season and may be in line to break some all-time records in a couple of years if he stays healthy and productive.

It would be easy to say that SDSU will be able to run the ball and dominate the game, but don't underestimate the Cajuns. They're a well balanced team, which includes their rush defense. The linebackers and defensive backs are nearly all seniors and have shown the propensity to force turnovers.

I expect the Cajuns to be big underdogs, but they could hang tough. Will the senior leadership and proximity to home be enough to pull of an upset?

Lafayette plays their best game, but San Diego State is no slouch. They too are balanced, and will escape with a 27-21 win.

Beef O' Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl

Matchup: Florida International (-5) vs Marshall

Date: December 20

Location: St. Petersburg

Early Prediction: Lock: ESPN will boil this game down to a one-on-one matchup that isn't even a matchup. That is, FIU's T.Y. Hilton (WR) against Marshall's Vinny Curry (DE). Both men could be first-round picks in the NFL draft next season.

Both teams are battle-tested, having played strong competition out of conference (Marshall played West Virginia and Virginia Tech). Both Marshall and FIU beat Louisville, who would go on to tie for the Big East championship. What does that say about the quality of these teams?

While all eyes will be on Hilton and Curry (and with good reason), I think it's FIU's defense that wins the game. They haven't allowed more than 20 points since October 25.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl

Matchup: TCU (-12.5) vs Louisiana Tech

Date: December 21

Location: San Diego

Early Prediction: TCU needed Houston to lose the final week to be selected for the BCS. Houston lost, but TCU still didn't get into the top 16 and get selected.

Since the odds of them reaching the BCS to begin with were slim, I don't see the Horned Frogs coming into this game with an aura of disappointment. I expect them to be totally focused and ready to play.

Louisiana Tech is another surprising team this season. It would be easy to pick TCU in this game, but La. Tech took Mississippi State to overtime, lost to Houston by one and Southern Miss by two! That is pretty impressive in its own right.

LOCK: Bettors will heavily favor the Horned Frogs, a team in which they see a "BCS snub." The spread is too high as of now. TCU is the better team top-to-bottom, but La. Tech keeps it close in what will be only their third bowl game since 1990.

MAACO Las Vegas Bowl

Matchup: Arizona State vs Boise State (-13.5)

Date: December 22

Location: Las Vegas

Early Prediction: The MAACO Bowl would be surprised to get these two teams at the beginning of the year. Both teams figured to be BCS contenders. Instead, Boise slipped up against TCU, and ASU staggers in at 6-6 and without Dennis Erickson.

ASU has lost four in a row, all to inferior opponents. Boise lost to TCU, but it isn't as if they played poorly. TCU played a great game; Boise let it slip at the last second and then missed a game winning field goal.

Lock: ASU QB Brock Osweiler's height is mentioned 350 times during the game, so much that you will begin to believe that his name isn't Brock Osweiler, but "6'8" Brock Osweiler."

Lock II: Boise wins big.

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl

Matchup: Nevada vs Southern Mississippi (-5.5)

Date: December 24 

Location: Honolulu

Early Prediction: Lock: Continuing with the tradition of making food into a football, or a football into food, this logo actually makes me want pineapple...and I don't even like pineapple. 

Lock II: Southern Miss beats undefeated Houston to win the C-USA championship and is rewarded with the Hawaii Bowl? I know Hawaii is nice and all that, but I would have thought they would get into a better bowl.

Nevada is as good as you would expect in the running game, but have added a passing attack as well. What remains is to see the health of QB Tyler Lantrip. Lantrip missed a few games near the end of the season (including both losses), but played in the final game.

Only two teams really tried to run on So. Miss all season: UAB and Navy. Both were successful, and So. Miss fell to UAB while beating Navy.

Nevada may be able to run the ball a little bit on Southern Miss. Still, the Eagles should escape with a close win.

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl

Matchup: Missouri (-3.5) vs North Carolina

Date: December 26

Location: Shreveport

Early Prediction: Lock: Two underachieving 7-5 teams that at times both looked better than their final records would indicate.

All of Missouri's losses are to bowl teams, and they could have beaten Arizona State if Coach Gary Pinkel didn't ice his own kicker twice.

UNC won only twice since October 8 (Wake and Duke). In there was the low-point of the season, a 13-0 loss to rival N.C. State.

Lock: Missouri got better throughout the season. In the opener against Miami-Ohio, they looked lost entirely. QB James Franklin improved, and they have a solid defense. They will win this game.

Little Caesars Bowl

Matchup: Western Michigan vs Purdue (-1)

Date: December 27

Location: Detroit

Early Prediction: WMU won three of their final four games to become bowl eligible. Purdue went 3-3 down the stretch, but defeated Ohio State and Illinois.

Purdue will be without the services of their best offensive player, Ralph Bolden. The junior tore his ACL against Indiana and he is out for the season.

The Boilers will have a hard time slowing down WMU's offense. The combination of QB Alex Carder and WR Jordan White have proved to be too much for many defenses this season. White leads the nation in catches (127) and yards (1,646). Purdue's pass defense ranks 37th nationally, but has struggled against more prolific passing teams.

Shock: WMU wins their first bowl game ever (0-4).

Belk Bowl

Matchup: Louisville vs N.C. State  (no spread as of yet)

Date: December 27 

Location: Charlotte

Early Prediction: If you're wondering what Belk is, you're not alone. Apparently, they are a department store located in Charlotte. So the next time you're in Charlotte and desperately missing JCPenneys or Macy's, make sure to find a local Belk's.

N.C. State won three of it's last four to become bowl eligible, including an upset over No. 7 Clemson and a 20-point fourth quarter comeback against the Terps in the final game.

The Wolfpack's passing offense is improving, but the rush offense remains non-existent (or in the case of their -26 yard output against Cincinnati, worse-than-non-existent).

Louisville won five of six and tied for the Big East championship. Only a slip-up against Pitt cost the Cardinal a six-game winning streak and a sole championship. The defense is much improved under Charlie Strong, which resulted in the second-year coach receiving a contract extension.

Clearly, the matchup is the Wolfpack offense vs the Cardinal defense. Defense wins Belk Bowls. I'll go with the Cardinals.

Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman

Matchup: Toledo (-2) vs Air Force

Date: December 28

Location: Washington D.C.

Early Prediction: Lock: If Brent Musburger were to call the game, he would tell us all to get out our calculators. This one should be high scoring.

Air Force has the second-ranked rushing offense, while Toledo features a more balanced attack that has them ranked eighth in the nation in points scored.

Neither defense has anything worth writing home about, especially Toledo, who allowed 60 points plus twice this season (and somehow went 1-1 in those games). Air Force's defense struggled mightily early, but has improved as the season went on (although this could be a result of playing an easier schedule down the stretch).

Only four times have teams rushed 34 times or more against Toledo. All four times, the Rockets lost. It seems to be the magic number.

Lock of the bowl season: Air Force rushes more than 34 times in this game.

Air Force wins a high-scoring contest.

Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl

Matchup: Cal vs Texas (-3)

Date: December 28

Location: San Diego

Early Prediction: Lock: What happened to the Holiday Bowl? Throughout the 2000's, it routinely featured a matchup of two top-20 teams. The 2008 version featured a preview of things to come with a great game between Oklahoma State and Oregon. Now, we have Cal and Texas, two teams which combined to beat exactly zero ranked teams.

That's about all you can say about these teams. Both are 4-5 in their conference (which I think should prohibit teams from making a bowl, but that will never happen).

Overall, Texas' defense is a little bit better, and their rushing attack should be able to move the ball on the Bears. UCLA rushed for 294 yards on Cal, and Oregon rushed for 365.

Lock II: If Texas plays decent defense and hands the ball off every play, they should win.

Valero Alamo Bowl

Matchup: Washington vs Baylor (-10)

Date: December 29

Location: San Antonio

Early Prediction: Baylor continues to impress everyone in the nation. RGIII has established himself as a clear-cut Heisman finalist, if not the ultimate winner. The Bears won five in a row to close out the season and have wins over Texas, Oklahoma and TCU.

Washington looked like they were ready to turn the corner this season and challenge for the Pac-12. After winning five of their first six, they lost four of their final six, including an ugly loss to Oregon State.

Washington's defense simply isn't as good as one would have hoped; the pass defense coming in ranked 116th. When thinking of Baylor matching up against the Huskies, I have visions of Nick Foles, Zach Maynard and even Sean Mannion slicing up the defense through the air (oddly enough, Matt Barkley and Andrew Luck did not have huge passing numbers against Washington. Both USC and Stanford ran right at the Huskies and were successful...which isn't exactly better news for Huskies fans).

All due respect to Mannion, Foles and Maynard, but if they can do it, so can RGIII.

Baylor's defense isn't exactly great, but they have faced some prolific passing offenses. Keith Price and Nick Montana don't fit the same mold as the Big 12 quarterbacks. RB Chris Polk certainly can have an impact on the game, but will he be able to match Baylor's production?

Lock: Baylor wins.

Champs Sports Bowl

Matchup: Florida State (-3) vs Notre Dame

Date: December 29

Location: Orlando

Early Prediction: Lock: The announcers state that this was a "Game of the Century"...in 1993.

Both teams have to feel disappointed with the way things went this season. Both teams started in the top 15 and now both are 8-4 and unranked (at least in the BCS standings they're unranked, which as we all know are awesome rankings).

Notre Dame's passing offense has slowed slightly in recent weeks, and they aren't exactly turning the ball over any less than they did in the beginning of the season. On the year, they have defeated one ranked opponent (MSU).

FSU was theoretically eliminated from the ACC early, with losses to Clemson and Wake Forest. Regardless, they showed nice resolve, winning six of their last seven. But who have they beaten this year? They have beaten zero ranked teams.

Lock II: Call this the disappointment bowl. What many predicted to be a possible BCS game at the beginning of the season has turned into a combined 16-8 record with one combined win against ranked teams.

Each time I say "X should win," I remember that we have said it numerous times regarding that team this season and they came up short. "ND should beat USF," or "ND should beat Boston College big," while FSU "should beat Wake" or "should beat Virginia."

Still, I think the difference will be FSU's defensive line. I don't know if the Irish have an answer for Brandon Jenkins or Bjorn Werner. If they can get pressure on Tommy Rees, ND could be in for a long night.

Lock III: Whoever wins this game will act like they are a lot better than they really are.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl

Matchup: BYU (-2) vs Tulsa

Date: December 30

Location: University Park, Tex.

Early Prediction: Lock: It's a shame that only one service academy ended up being bowl eligible. As a result, we get what everyone thinks about when they think of the Armed Forces...Mormons and Tulsa, OK.

Lock II: If BYU's reason for going independent was to gain more notoriety, then they failed. BYU has gone a quiet 9-3 this season.

BYU was able to make up their own schedule this season. It's somewhat interesting, but it should be noted that they played five WAC teams, and the Cougars won all five.

Tulsa played a killer schedule early on, squaring off against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Boise State within the first month of the season. After their 1-3 start, they won seven in a row before falling to Houston.

I'd like to think Tulsa is the better team in this one and has played a tougher schedule to get here. Tulsa's offense isn't as prolific as it has been in the past, and BYU's defense is decent. Still, I like the Golden Hurricane to get it done here.

New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Matchup: Rutgers (-2.5) vs Iowa State

Date: December 30

Location: New York

Early Prediction: Lock: The bowl committee has to be happy to get Rutgers, by far the No. 1 fanbase of New York fans.

Iowa State went 6-6 on the year, 3-6 in the Big 12. Obviously, their marquee win was over Oklahoma State, but the Cyclones also played Oklahoma and Kansas State close in the past two weeks. This team is playing much better than the team that lost, 52-17, at Missouri earlier in the season.

Rutgers figured to get a piece of the Big East championship, but a final week loss to Connecticut derailed those hopes. Oddly enough, that would be the Knights' only bad loss of the season.

Lock II: Expect a game in the teens/20s. Rutgers ranks 12th in the nation in points allowed, while ISU allowed 31 points to OK State in two overtimes, 26 points to Oklahoma and 30 to Kansas State. The defense is playing much better.

This one could go either way, but I'll take Rutgers in a low-scoring close game.

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl

Matchup: Mississippi State (-6.5) vs Wake Forest

Date: December 30

Location: Nashville

Early Prediction: Even at 6-6, the Demon Deacons were a blown game against Clemson away from winning their division. WF has to be disappointed with the way the season ended. They won just once in their final five games, and that was against Maryland.

Miss. State is one of the more disappointing teams overall. After starting the season ranked nationally, they went on to win two SEC games. At 6-6, it's safe to say they would not be in a bowl game if not for the matchups against UAB, Tenn-Martin or Memphis (take your pick).

Lock: This could turn into a real stinker. Miss State will try to run; Wake will try to throw. Who will do it better? I'd like to think Mississippi State's defense is better in this one and makes the difference.

Mississippi State wins by a touchdown.

Insight Bowl

Matchup: Iowa vs Oklahoma (-16)

Date: December 30

Location: Tempe

Early Prediction: Lock: This is the highest point spread of all the bowl games.

Lock II: If Oklahoma decides to play, they will cover said point spread.

Lock III: If Oklahoma didn't show up to play against their in-state rivals with a trip to the Fiesta Bowl on the line...why would they show up to play in the Insight Bowl against Iowa?

You can deduce your own final score from the facts above. Even with the bad string of injuries they have suffered, Oklahoma is one of the most talented teams in the nation. They are capable of beating anyone.

Yet...they lost to Texas Tech, Baylor and Oklahoma State. The Cowboys made them look like a JV team.

Iowa is not as strong as past Iowa teams. They have one win over a ranked team (Michigan) and were out-gained in that game.

If Oklahoma cares enough to show up they will beat Iowa soundly. If not, anything can happen. After all, Iowa is better than Texas Tech.

Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas

Matchup: Texas A&M (-11) vs Northwestern

Date: December 31

Location: Houston

Early Prediction: Two 6-6 teams square off in one's backyard as the Northwestern Wildcats travel to Houston to take on the Aggies.

Texas A&M began the season ranked in the top 10, but struggled all season defensively. As a result, they find themselves at 6-6 and without the services of their head coach.

Northwestern rebounded from injuries and a tough schedule early to become bowl eligible. The Cats won four of their last five.

The game could easily turn into a shootout. Northwestern is a better team with Dan Persa under center, and the Aggies defense has been porous. If Texas A&M lines up and runs right at Northwestern, they should be able to move the ball.

I expect A&M to take a simplified approach, run the football and win this one...somewhere in the neighborhood of 42-31. Northwestern doesn't have the horses to stay in the race.

Autozone Liberty Bowl

Matchup: Vanderbilt (-2) vs Cincinnati

Date: December 31

Location: Memphis

Early Prediction: I expected myself to take Vanderbilt against 99 percent of the opponents they could possibly be matched up against in a bowl game. Does Cinci fall into the 99 percent or the one percent (topical joke)?

The main thing to keep an eye on is the health of Cinci QB Zach Collaros. Collaros broke his ankle, and the team suffered greatly without him, going 2-2. If he did not go down, the Bearcats would be playing in the Orange Bowl right now.

Cincinnati is a well-rounded team. Isiah Pead is a solid running back, and the defense allows only 20 points per game. They simply struggled to move the ball with Collaros out.

What can you say about Vanderbilt, other than that they continue to impress you week after week? I cannot say enough about the efforts of coach James Franklin and the complete overhaul of attitude and performance from the program.

If you have read any of my other articles, you know I have an affinity for Franklin, so I won't reiterate all of my points here, but I will urge everyone to watch this once again. That is a press conference following the game against Georgia on October 15.

Listen to him speak, especially at 1:44: "We're not going to take stuff from anybody. Anybody. No one. Those days are long gone, and they are never coming back. Ever."

Can you really be surprised that Vanderbilt is successful this season?

Lock: If Collaros plays, then this will be one of the best bowl games. I expect a low-scoring, physical football game. Vanderbilt should be excited to be back in a bowl game and welcome the challenge of playing co-Big East Champions.

I will take the Commodores in a close one.

Hyundai Sun Bowl

Matchup: Georgia Tech (-3.5) vs Utah

Date: December 31

Location: El Paso

Early Prediction: Utah comes in on the heels of a loss to Colorado and an overtime win against Washington State. Their marquee win came way back in September with a thorough domination against their rival BYU, 54-10. Since then, that Utah team has disappeared.

GT is their usual-selves. They are going to run the triple option, threaten you with a deep ball or two and play mediocre defense.

Utah has one of the nation's better rush defenses, allowing 2.97 yards per carry (ninth in nation). Clearly, that will be the matchup to watch.

Shock: If John White IV is healthy for Utah, then the Utes run the ball effectively against the Jackets and shut down GT's triple option attack. Utah wins (if White IV plays...he left in the third quarter against Colorado).

Lock: On at nearly identical times, I will watch the Liberty Bowl over this one.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl

Matchup: Illinois (-1.5) vs UCLA

Date: December 31

Location: San Francisco

Early Prediction: Despite being the first bowl game to host two teams that combined for a losing record, the Kraft Fight Hunger bowl has to be happy with their "Rose Bowl North" matchup. They will be getting two big name programs with two big alumni bases to square off on McCovey Cove on New Year's Eve.

UCLA has given up 99 points in the past two games. Illinois has scored 107 in their last seven games (15.28 per game). Something has to give.

Lock: We may see the fastest game of all the bowls, as both teams figure to come out and run early and run often. Illinois ranks 42nd in the nation in rushing offense, while UCLA ranks 30th.

Both teams will enter without their head coach. Ron Zook and Rick Neuheisel were fired within a few days of each other, and thus, both will enter with a interim coach. For UCLA, it's offensive coordinator Mike Johnson (who has also expressed interest in the head coaching job). For Illinois, it's defensive coordinator Vic Koenning.

Both teams should be happy with where they are headed. UCLA is 6-7 and had to ask for a waiver from the NCAA to even participate in a bowl. Illinois lost six in a row to close out the season and still are beneficiaries of playing on New Year's Eve in San Fran.

Even during the six-game skid, Illinois' defense has played average. They held the Badgers to 28 points (and were put in some bad spots) and held Penn State and Ohio State to 10 and seven, respectively.

In the end, I think that is what wins out. Illinois' defense is a better than UCLA's, and that's what gives them the win.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl

Matchup: Virginia vs Auburn  (no spread as of yet in this one)

Date: December 31

Location: Atlanta

Early Prediction: Lock: No one predicted this Chick-fil-A Bowl at the beginning of the season.

Despite winning the national championship last season, many doubted Auburn's ability to get back to a bowl game. They did...going 7-5 with a win over South Carolina.

No one expected Virginia to be in a bowl, much less one this prestigious. The Cavaliers controlled their own destiny down to the final week, but were destroyed by their in-state rival Virginia Tech. Now, they have to regroup.

Perhaps surprisingly, it is Virginia which comes in with the better defense of the two. Their front seven needs to take away Michael Dyer and force Clint Moseley to throw. The only time Dyer has rushed for more than 100 yards in the final seven games was against Ole Miss and Samford.

Shock: Virginia comes into Atlanta and out-physicals Auburn. They take away Dyer and make Moseley throw. RB Perry Jones re-emerges and has a big game. Virginia upsets Auburn.

Ticket City Bowl

Matchup: Houston (-9) vs Penn State

Date: January 2

Location: Dallas

Early Prediction: Many can blame the scandal for Penn State's struggles on the field in the final few weeks, but it was bound to happen. Penn State should have lost to Temple, should have lost to Illinois and could have lost to Purdue and Iowa. This team is lucky to be 9-3.

We all know about Houston. The Cougars feature a prolific passing offense and were one game away from playing in the Sugar Bowl. With a disappointing loss to Southern Miss (where they were destroyed), will they have motivation to go and play in the Ticket City Bowl?

Penn State did finish fifth in the nation in scoring defense and fifth in passing defense, but they didn't play anyone as good as Houston.

The key to the game will be PSU RB SIlas Redd. If he can effectively rush the ball, he'll do two things. For one, he'll obviously lead PSU to points, but secondly, he will keep the Cougars off the field.

Penn State has to be able to run the ball to beat Houston. I expect the Nittany Lion defense to get a few stops, but eventually, Houston will get their points on the board.

I'll take Houston in a close one.

Outback Bowl

Matchup: Michigan State vs Georgia (-2)

Date: January 2

Location: Tampa Bay

Early Prediction: Lock: MSU and UGA prove that bowl affiliations and rankings don't mean anything. Both teams were runners-up in their conference, yet will play in the Outback Bowl, which is allegedly the SEC No. 3 vs Big Ten No. 3.

All nonsense aside, expect a tough, physical, low-scoring football game.

Despite the 42-39 outburst in the Big Ten championship, MSU's identity is defense. The Spartans finished ninth in the nation in points allowed, 11th in pass defense and 12th in rush defense. Offensively, Le'Veon Bell has emerged as a suitable replacement to Edwin Baker who has been disappointing.

It was a tale of two halves for UGA in the SEC title game. We saw that the Dawgs were capable of playing very solid defense as well, but may lack playmakers on offense.

The Spartans came so close to winning the Big Ten championship and going to their first Rose Bowl in 24 years. They had beaten Wisconsin once this season, and if not for a running into the kicker penalty, they may have done it again. Will they be able to put the loss behind them?

Again, expect a low-scoring defensive battle. I'll take MSU, 17-13.

Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl

Matchup: Ohio State vs Florida (-2)

Date: January 2

Location: Jacksonville

Early Prediction: Lock: Taxslayer.com is beyond giddy with this matchup. It's safe to say that this game will ultimately be known as "Meyer Bowl," and the OSU coach's name will be brought up approximately 1,000 times, or every 15 seconds if the broadcast lasts four hours.

I like Ohio State in this game. I feel that the Buckeyes showed a lot of heart throughout the season and steadily improved. Once Miller became a full-time starter and Herron returned, OSU was playing as well as anyone in the Big Ten. Their last three losses came by a combined 15 points.

Florida has won twice since October began. Once was against Furman. The other was against a Vanderbilt team that outplayed them.

Lock: We see John Brantley and Jacoby Brissett at quarterback for the Gators. Neither will be very effective.

Shock: OSU wins. Shocking, as they are big two-point underdogs.

Capital One Bowl

Matchup: Nebraska (-1) vs South Carolina

Date: January 2

Location: Orlando

Early Prediction: If you're scoring at home, South Carolina didn't make the SEC East because they had to play Arkansas. They did not get to play Ole Miss the way in which UGA did, and as a result, UGA had a better record in the East despite losing to South Carolina.

This may be one of Spurrier's better coaching jobs. So often we see South Carolina enter a season with plenty of promise, only to fall short of expectations. All the reasons for such a repeat were there this season. QB Stephen Garcia was kicked off the team. Star RB Marcus Lattimore was lost for the season to injury. Star WR Alshon Jeffery suffered through inconsistency. Still, the Gamecocks are winners of 10 games for just the second time ever.

Nebraska continues to be inconsistent. They looked impenetrable against Michigan State, but they followed that effort up the next week with a home loss to Northwestern. Two weeks later, they were blown out by Michigan.

Lock: South Carolina is going to stuff the box and take away Nebraska's running game. They will challenge Taylor Martinez to throw against them.

Lock II: Just as in the Outback Bowl, expect a low-scoring physical battle.

I like the way Connor Shaw, Kenny Miles and Brandon Wilds have developed this season. I'll take South Carolina in this one.

Rose Bowl Presented by Vizio

Matchup: Oregon (-6) vs Wisconsin

Date: January 2

Location: Pasadena

Early Prediction: Oregon comes in as six-point favorites against the Badgers, the highest spread of any BCS game.

Many may have expected to see the Ducks as heavier favorites, but remember, this is a team that gave up 38 to USC in a loss and then gave up 31 to UCLA, both games at home.

Derron Thomas has improved as a passer, but Oregon will always be known for their high-octane rush offense. When LaMichael James went down with an injury, Kenjon Barner stepped in without missing a beat. They're talented on offense, simple as that.

Wisconsin's rushing attack may not be as sexy, but it is equally effective. Montee Ball rushed for 1,759 yards and 32 touchdowns on the season. Thirty two! Seriously, where is the Heisman consideration for this young man (To show how big of a joke the award is, in Mark Ingram's Heisman-winning campaign of 2009, he rushed for 1,658 yards and 16 touchdowns. He won. Ball likely won't be invited.)?

The difference in the game will come from Wisconsin's defense being vastly superior. The Badgers are sixth in the nation in points allowed, while the Ducks are 48th. I know that the Ducks have most likely played more prolific offenses, but watching both, it is clearly the case.

Critics of Oregon state that the Ducks cannot play against physical teams. They lost two years ago to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, they lost to Auburn last season and they lost to LSU this season. The argument is, if you line up with Oregon and play physical football, they will lose.

Lock: Wisconsin will play physical football with Oregon.

Shock: I suppose I'll label it as a shock, since they're underdogs, but I'll take Wisconsin to win this one. They're one of the most balanced teams in the nation with Russell Wilson at QB, a solid running attack and a great defense.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

Matchup: Stanford vs Oklahoma State (-3.5)

Date: January 2

Location: Glendale

Early Prediction: If Alabama is the second best team in the nation, I consider these teams to be 2a) and 2b). Many had reason to complain that Oklahoma State was not invited to the championship game, but no one seemed to care that Stanford was excluded.

Expect a great, high-scoring game in this one. OSU is second in the nation in scoring, Stanford, fifth.

Stanford has lost twice in the past two seasons, while Oklahoma State has lost three times in the same timespan.

Neither defense is spectacular, but neither is putrid, either. People need to remember there is a difference between good high-scoring games and high-scoring games. I expect this to fall into the former.

Lock: This will be the best bowl game of the season

Stanford plays a bit better defense down the stretch and are able to control the ball enough to keep OSU off the field. They win by three in Luck's final game.

Allstate Sugar Bowl

Matchup: Michigan (-1.5) vs Virginia Tech

Date: January 3

Location: New Orleans

Early Prediction: Shock: Virginia Tech in the BCS. Period. This is as shocking as anything that will happen during bowl season.

Shock II: No, seriously. VT, after not being discussed the entire season for anything, is in a BCS bowl.

Shock III: Michigan is in a BCS bowl.

It isn't as if many didn't see the Michigan BCS berth coming; it's just that they're undeserving. They had the same regular season record as MSU and lost to their rival.

But because MSU was "rewarded" with having to play Wisconsin again and lost, Michigan goes to the Sugar Bowl. They are ranked behind South Carolina, Boise State, Arkansas, Kansas State and Baylor, but because of rules and the fact that they are Michigan, they will be going to New Orleans.

Lock: Of any BCS game ever that featured an at-large bid, these two teams have the highest combined rankings of any.

Lock II: The lowest ranking of an at-large team in BCS history was the 2007 Illinois team, which was ranked No. 13. The next two were Notre Dame at No. 11 in both 2000 and 2006. Virginia Tech is ranked No. 11 this season, while Michigan is ranked No. 13.

Lock III: In other words, these are two of the worst at-large teams to ever be picked for the BCS. And on paper, this is one of the worst BCS matchups of all-time.

Virginia Tech didn't exactly look stellar against Clemson, but I expect their defense to neutralize Denard Robinson. If they make Michigan throw, they should be able to stop the Wolverines altogether. I'll take VT in a close one.

Discover Orange Bowl

Matchup: West Virginia vs Clemson (-3.5)

Date: January 4

Location: Miami

Early Prediction: For a more thorough breakdown of matchups to watch in this game, be sure to read this article.

Both teams have prolific passing offenses. Both teams are mediocre on defense. The onus will be on both defensive lines to generate pressure on the opposing quarterback. If Geno Smith and Tajh Boyd are given time to throw, both will pick apart the opposing secondary.

There will be plenty of speed on the field with Clemson WR Sammy Watkins and WV receiver Tavon Austin. Both players are capable of breaking a game wide open.

The key matchup will be WV's kick coverage against Watkins' return (he figures to be back there; he's rotated in and out). WV ranks 108th in the nation in yards allowed per return and have allowed two touchdowns. Watkins ranks near the top in kick return yards and had a game-changing return for a touchdown against Maryland.

I stated in the other article I was taking Clemson 38-35. I'll stick with that for now.

AT&T Cotton Bowl

Matchup: Kansas State vs Arkansas (-8)

Date: January 6

Location: Dallas

Early Prediction: Lock: Both teams are ranked higher than both Virginia Tech and Michigan. If Jerry Jones wanted the Cotton Bowl to eventually become a BCS Bowl then this would be exhibit B (exhibit A would be his stadium).

Arkansas has only two losses, which happen to be the teams playing for the national championship. They have shown they can win close games, beating Texas A&M by four, Ole Miss by four and Vanderbilt five.

Kansas State has a similar resume. Their losses were to two top quality teams in Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. They beat Baylor by one, Texas by four and Texas A&M by three in 4OTs!

That's about where the similarities end. We will see a contrast in styles as Arkansas' 13th ranked passing offense takes on Kansas State's 29th ranked rush attack.

Arkansas has been gashed on the ground before this season. They gave up 286 yards to LSU, 291 yards to Auburn and 381 to Texas A&M. These should all be red flags heading into their match-up with the Cats.

Likewise, Kansas State has been unable to stop the pass. They gave up over 500 yards to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and 461 to Texas Tech.

Long story short. Different styles. Both should be effective.

Arkansas will win in a shootout.

BBVA Compass Bowl

Matchup: SMU vs Pittsburgh (-7)

Date: January 7

Location: Birmingham

Early Prediction: Lock: This is a bit of a letdown following the previous few games we discussed.

Pitt won their final game to get to 6-6 to become bowl eligible. The week prior to that they were sacked 10 times against their rival West Virginia. On the season Pitt has allowed the most sacks of any team by far (56, Miami-OH is next with 47).

SMU didn't take the next step that many thought they would. Things started off great enough with a win over TCU and a 5-1 record. Since then they finished 2-4, their only wins coming against Rice and Tulane.

Turnovers have doomed the Mustangs. They are 22nd in the nation in passing but only 71st in scoring. Why? They finished in a tie for 114th with 31 turnovers lost.

I suppose it may come down to that. Which team shoots itself in the foot less. Will Pitt get sacked more or will SMU turn it over more.

With a slightly better defense, I'll take Pitt in a close one.

Godaddy.com Bowl

Matchup: Arkansas State (-1) vs Northern Illinois

Date: January 8

Location: Mobile

Early Prediction: The winner of the "logo that clearly had no thought put into it" goes to the penultimate game. It's just godaddy.com's existing logo with "BOWL" written underneath it. Did the organizers and creative forget they had to turn something in and then just scramble and sketch this out minutes before a deadline?

I love this match-up. The Sun Belt Champions square off against the MAC champions in Mobile in what should be a high-scoring game. You also have two mobile quarterbacks in NIU's Chandler Harnish and ASU's Ryan Aplin.

Arkansas State hasn't lost since September 17th, while Northern Illinois hasn't lost since October 1st.

Overall I think ASU is a little more balanced, plays a little bit better defense, and I think they'll get it done in Mobile.

Lock: The game is Sunday Night following Wildcard weekend in the NFL. This game will be better played than any of the four NFL games you'll see that weekend.

Allstate BCS National Championship Game

Matchup: LSU (-1) vs Alabama

Date: January 9

Location: New Orleans

Early Prediction: Lock: We have 35 more days until the championship is played. That's at least 8 days too many.

Lock II: No good can come from this match-up. If Alabama wins everyone will call for round III (and LSU may even win AP title still). If LSU wins, then many will argue that the Fiesta Bowl winner should have gotten a chance to play.

The teams haven't changed since a month ago. Same players. Same coaches. Both teams are healthy.

What won the game for LSU last time? Special teams. Where does their major edge still lie? Special teams.

Alabama will need a kicker if they want to beat LSU. You don't score touchdowns frequently enough against LSU to beat them without one. As we saw in "Game of the Century I," every point counts.

I'm not saying that Alabama will miss every field goal like they did in the first match-up. But as of right now, there's no reason to think they'll make them all either, is there?

"Lock III": LSU 20  Alabama 14