Sugar Bowl 2012: TV Schedule, Live Streaming, Radio, Game Time and More

The Michigan Wolverines and the Virginia Tech Hokies will meet in the 2012 Sugar Bowl in one of the more controversial BCS matchups of the college football season.

Not because these two won't produce a good game, but rather due to the debate about whether either team deserved selection over the likes of Michigan State, Boise State and Kansas State.

Nonetheless, the Sugar Bowl should make for an intriguing affair between two of the biggest brands in the sport and a thrilling undercard to the other big, debate-worthy bowl—BCS national championship game between LSU and Alabama.

Where: Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

When: Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 8:30 p.m. EST

Watch: ESPN

Key Storyline: Do Either of These Teams Really Deserve to Be Here?

As mentioned previously, the announcement that Michigan and Virginia Tech would play in the Sugar Bowl caused quite a stir, if not an outright uproar, across college football. The Wolverines were essentially selected over Big Ten rival Michigan State, which beat them soundly this season, 28-14, and came within three points of beating Wisconsin in a 42-39 thriller for the conference championship.

Meanwhile, the 11th-ranked Hokies, fresh off a 38-10 drubbing at the hands of Clemson in the ACC title game, got in ahead of No. 7 Boise State and No. 8 Kansas State. Frank Beamer's boys didn't pull off a single win over another team in the final BCS standings, while the Broncos had one and the Wildcats had two.

Hence, both Beamer and Brady Hoke, the first-year coach at Michigan, will be hearing plenty about their teams being unfairly ushered into the Sugar Bowl to sell tickets and fill hotel suites in the days and weeks leading up to the actual game.

BCS/Top 25 Implications: 

This game will essentially serve as an audition for each team's fitness in the national title conversation for next season. Michigan won't be the same without 10 of its current starters, but will have Denard Robinson back to dance around defenses in the Big Ten. Virginia Tech will be in much the same position, though the backfield tandem of Logan Thomas and David Wilson should return for another run at the ACC Championship.

What They're Saying:

You can bet there will be some bad blood shed on the field when Michigan and Michigan State meet at the Big House next season.

Spartans senior quarterback Kirk Cousins spoke out after the Big Ten title game about the Wolverines possibly earning a BCS bowl bid over his team, telling The Detroit News: 

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"Michigan sat on the couch and watched us. I don't see how you get punished for playing and someone else gets to sit on the couch and get what they want."

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Michigan may have been sitting back, but they weren't about to just take that sort of drubbing in the media. Wolverines senior defensive lineman responded to the attack with a few choice words of his own:

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"If he wants to go sit on a couch and watch us play in the Big Ten championship game then he can do that. We would have loved to trade places and have that chance and have that opportunity. All complaints aside, they had an opportunity to go the Rose Bowl, it was sitting right in front of them for them to grab and they didn't seize the opportunity. I think they'll do well in the Outback Bowl. Best of luck, best wishes. We're going to the Sugar Bowl and we're excited about it."

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Better get your tickets for October 20th now, lest you be left out of the grudge match that's sure to ensue in pursuit of the Paul Bunyan Trophy in 2012.

Meanwhile, Virginia Tech's best defense for questions about its worthiness seems to be the strength of its program over the years rather than what it's accomplished this season. Hokies athletic director Jim Weaver discussed the possibility of his school's football team playing in the Sugar Bowl on Sunday morning, telling HamptonRoads.com:

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"I think if you look at what our university brings and what the Virginia Tech football program brings, and not only this year, but over the last several years, the name that is built up, I think there are a lot of reasons why you’d like Virginia Tech in your bowl game."

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Frank Beamer echoed Weaver's words when asked to respond to the fact that his Hokies were picked over higher-ranked Boise State and Kansas State teams:

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"I think there are a lot of reasons why Virginia Tech would be an attractive team to a BCS bowl. Over the years, I think the Virginia Tech name has gotten to be a very good name.”

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Apparently, Shakespeare was wrong—that which we call a rose by any other name would NOT smell as sweet, at least not in the Sugar Bowl.

Michigan Player to Watch: QB Denard Robinson

When it comes to stopping Michigan, Denard Robinson's name is the only one you really need to know. Last year, he became the first player in NCAA history to accumulate at least 1,500 yards rushing and 1,500 yards passing. "Shoelace" regressed a bit as a junior, throwing for 1,958 yards, 18 touchdowns and 14 interceptions while running for another 1,117 yards and 16 touchdowns, though the end result—a 10-win season—was certainly worth the sacrifice.

Virginia Tech Player to Watch: RB David Wilson

Virginia Tech wouldn't be anywhere close to a BCS bowl without David Wilson. The ACC Player of the Year set the school's single-season rushing record in 2011 and currently ranks fourth in the nation with 1,627 yards on the ground. This could very well be the final game in a Hokie uniform for Wilson, as the junior has already submitted his paperwork for the NFL draft advisory board and figures to jump in, head-first, if he's given a satisfactory projection.

Key Matchup: Shoelace vs. VT's Linebackers

VT hasn't fared so well against dual-threat quarterbacks this season, namely Clemson's Tajh Boyd, who torched them for 240 yards and four total touchdowns in the ACC Championship Game.

Denard Robinson is far shiftier than Boyd, particularly with his feet. The task will fall to the linebacking trio of Jeron Gouveia-Winslow, Tariq Edwards and Bruce Taylor to keep tabs on Shoelace. Otherwise, the Hokies will be the ones tripping over themselves on the way to a big loss in the Sugar Bowl.

Prediction: Michigan 30, Virginia Tech 20

The Hokies won't be able to handle Robinson and Michigan's high-powered offense, thereby giving the Wolverines their first win in a BCS bowl since edging Alabama in the 2000 Orange Bowl.