College Football's Best and Worst Bowl Matchups

Best

1. Florida vs. Oklahoma

This contest has drawn praise from even the most ardent BCS critics and highlights an advantage the BCS two-team playoff has over an expanded playoff: It directly matches up the top two seeds, thus avoiding a Cinderella upset.

2. Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss

Texas Tech is a great team that should be playing in a BCS bowl.

Not only is Ole Miss the sole team to beat Florida, but the 8-4 Rebels were actually just a few plays away from being 11-1:

- lost to Wake Forest on a 41-yard field goal as time expired.

- lost to Vanderbilt when Rebels running back Dexter McCluster seemingly scored the go-ahead touchdown with 2:40 left but fumbled the ball away in the end zone.

- lost to Alabama on the road by four points when a late fourth quarter drive fell short.

3. Oklahoma State vs. Oregon

These might be the two most underrated teams in the country. The six combined losses between them were to Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, USC, Boise State, and Cal.

On the other hand, Oregon almost lost to three really bad teams, in Purdue, Stanford, and UCLA, while the Cowboys didn't even show up against Texas Tech and Oklahoma.

I guess they're in the Holiday Bowl for a reason.

4. Georgia Tech vs. LSU

Last year's Auburn/Clemson Chick-fil-A Bowl was my favorite bowl game. At the time, who knew how disastrous 2008 was going to be for those two programs?

I'm hoping this year's game will be as good as last year's. Georgia Tech finished the season looking like a very dangerous team, while LSU floundered at the end. Surely the Tigers can't be that bad. They took Alabama to overtime, didn't they?

Should be a good atmosphere again, with Georgia Tech at home and LSU a well-known team to knowledgeable and enthusiastic local SEC fans.

5. South Carolina vs. Iowa

If Illinois hadn't beaten them on a last second field goal, the Hawkeyes would have won their last six games. They knocked Penn State out of the NC game and obliterated Insight Bowl-bound Minnesota 55-0 in their final game of season.

South Carolina has one of the best defensive units in the country, and the Ole Ball Coach still has a little glamour left. Steve Garcia gets the start...might as well let Sergio Garcia take charge.

Worst

1. Alabama vs. Utah

This is ridiculous. The Tide should be playing Texas, USC, or Texas Tech

2. USC vs. Penn State

Almost as silly. Trojans should be playing Texas, Alabama, or Texas Tech

3. Texas vs. Ohio State

As bad as the other two games, really. Ohio State or Penn State should be playing Utah, or each other. Texas deserves better.

4. Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech

Do these two teams have one exciting or interesting player between them?

5. Maryland vs. Nevada

Why are they playing? If I had posted this before Christmas, Notre Dame vs. Hawaii would have won this spot.