2011 Bowl Predictions: Michigan and Teams That Will Tank in the BCS

As much as the BCS may try to pair the best teams in college football in the most entertaining matchups, it's impossible for anyone to ensure that any given game will be close or exciting.

Well, they may still be exciting for the opponents of these three BCS-bound teams.

Michigan

While all the uproar is and will be focused on the BCS National Championship Game, perhaps the biggest travesty of all will be Michigan's inclusion in the "big dance."

Not that the Wolverines don't deserve some consideration for posting 10 wins, or that Brady Hoke isn't also due quite a bit of credit for turning Rich Rodriguez's leftovers into a cohesive competitive unit.

Rather, it's troubling to think that Michigan will garner consideration ahead of the likes of Kansas State, which played in a tougher conference and lost only to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State; Boise State, whose lone loss came by one point to a TCU team bound for the BCS; and, of course, Michigan State, to whom the Maize and Blue lost rather handily this season.

The Wolverines are sure to show their true colors wherever they end up, whether it be the Fiesta Bowl against Stanford or the Sugar Bowl against Alabama or TCU—all three of whom sport the sort of physical defenses that can and will shut down Denard Robinson.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin should have little trouble moving the ball against Oregon in the Rose Bowl. The bigger question will be: Can the Badgers do anything to stop the Ducks' prolific offense? And if not, will they be able to keep up with the Quack Attack?

I believe in Russell Wilson and Montee Ball, but I just don't think Bret Bielema's boys have enough speed to handle what Oregon brings to the table. 

If anything, 'Sconsin is a slightly slower mirror image of Oregon—a team with a dynamic backfield that's best suited to shootouts—which should play right into the Ducks' hands.

After all, the teams that have given LaMichael James and company the biggest fits over the years (Ohio State, Auburn, LSU) have been big, physical teams that punch you in the mouth at the point of attack.

The Badgers don't exactly play that way, at least not this year, which will make it difficult for them to keep pace in the "granddaddy of them all" once again.

West Virginia

If I ruled the world of college football, I'd kick the Big East out of the BCS...right before I'd institute a playoff system, of course.

I doubt I'm alone in either of those sentiments. Yet, given the current setup, West Virginia will sneak its way into the Orange Bowl to play Clemson in a game that will mean diddly squad to anyone outside of South Carolina or Mountaineer territory.

It'll mean even less to folks in Appalachia once they see what the Tigers do to their beloved team. Say what you want about Dabo Swinney's squad, but they sure stepped up their collective game against Virginia Tech to earn the ACC Championship.

Truth be told, the Hokies are a really good matchup for the Tigers, seeing as how they dominated Frank Beamer's boys twice this season.

And, frankly, neither of these teams has been at all impressive of late, with WVU winning its last three conference games by a total of seven points and Clemson losing three of four before Saturday.

Still, Tajh Boyd and the Tigers have shown that they're capable of doing great things against good teams when they're motivated and focused. As for Geno Smith and the Mountaineers, they'll have a tough time explaining how it is that they lost to Syracuse and Louisville, of all teams.