Bowl Projections: 5 Potential Matchups That Will Have the Biggest Spread

Bowl season is upon us and the projections will turn into bids in the next few days. The college football world is waiting for the final games to finish today so that the rankings can become clear and final tomorrow.

There will be some great bowl games that will make this season special. There are also sure to be some matchups that will finish with a major victory for one team or another. There is certain to be some big stinkers on the horizon, as the bowl season is saturated with games.

With the money and conference affiliations that bowls are driven by, too many games happen for quality football to happen on in every bowl game. Looking ahead, here are five possible matchups that could be real snoozers by the time the fourth quarter finishes.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl

Likely Matchup: 8-4 (5-3 MAC) Temple Owls vs. 6-7 (5-4 Pac-12) UCLA Bruins

The UCLA Bruins have fallen into a bowl game after appearing in the Pac-12 title game by default. The Bruins received a special release from the NCAA to allow them to play in a bowl game despite having a losing record.

The Bruins are not very good in any category and have recently lost their head coach, as UCLA told Rick Neuheisel to hit the streets. Temple is the seventh best rushing team in the country and have the third best scoring defense in the country. What a change it is to say this, but Temple should be heavily favored over UCLA.

The Bruins just don’t have the firepower or the leadership to pull off a victory in the bowl game. 

R + L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Likely Matchup: 6-6 (2-6 Big Ten) Illinois Fighting Illini vs.8-4 (6-2 Sun Belt) Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns

The Ragin’ Cajuns from Louisiana-Lafayette have not pulled off any big victories this season, but they have played consistently in conference. Their one game against a ranked opponent was against the 10-1 (7-1 Big 12) No. 3 Oklahoma State Cowboys, and the Cajuns got demolished.

Illinois, on the other hand, has played a rigorous Big Ten schedule that has led to losses against three nationally ranked teams. The Illini did start the season with a 33-15 win over 9-2 (7-0 Sun Belt) Arkansas State Red Wolves, the same Red Wolves team that beat Louisiana-Lafayette 30-21 just three weeks ago.

Illinois may have lost their coach and trended downward to finish the season, but the Illini would destroy the Ragin’ Cajuns in this bowl matchup. 

AT&T Cotton Bowl

Likely Matchup: 9-2 (6-2 Big 12) No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners vs. 10-2 (6-2 SEC) No. 12 South Carolina Gamecocks

Oklahoma looked to be losing control after a loss at home on October 22^nd. The Sooners have one of the best quarterbacks in the game with Landry Jones, but the Sooners lost big- play wide receiver Ryan Broyles to an injury against Texas A&M earlier in the season.

South Carolina has faced its own set of injuries and adversity with star running back Marcus Lattimore out for the season and lost Stephen Garcia, as he was dismissed from the team. South Carolina is a good football team, but Oklahoma is a extremely good.

I would expect Oklahoma to be a heavy favorite over the Gamecocks in the Cotton Bowl. 

S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl

Likely Matchup: 10-1 (5-1 MWC) No. 7 Boise State Broncos vs. 8-4 (6-1 WAC) Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Boise State fell from grace with their loss to earlier this season. No matter who the Broncos have on their side they have seemed to lose at least one game this season. This year they are likely to end up bowling in San Diego, where they will roll over the Bulldogs from Tech.

Boise State is a top 20 scoring defense as well as the sixth best scoring offense in football. Louisiana Tech has played good football this season, but they will be heavily outgunned in this matchup. 

Sheraton Hawai’I Bowl

Likely Matchup:  6-6 (5-3 C-USA) Marshall Thundering Herd vs. 6-5 (4-2 WAC) Nevada Wolfpack

The Thundering Herd have done well this season inside their conference but still have finished to only break even on the season. They have played two previous ranked opponents, and they lost a total of 65-13 in those contests.

Nevada has a very powerful and effective running game that will eat up a ton of yards on the ground. There will be no end in sight for the Thundering Herd, as the Wolfpack will likely have their way with the 84^th scoring defense in the country.