2011 Bowl Games: Disappointing Teams That Will End End Season on High Note

When the season began, there were surely more than 10 teams that had hopes of making a BCS game. Still, only 10 teams can make it. 

Whether it was at the beginning or at some point throughout the season, these teams all had big BCS hopes. Those goals ultimately fell short. 

Still, they will finish the season 2011 on a good note with a win, even if it's not in a game that they had their sights set on.

Notre Dame (Champs Sports Bowl vs. Florida State. Thursday, Dec. 29 at 5:30 p.m. EST)

I'll start with a game guaranteed to give us one of these winners. Hopes were high in both South Bend and Tallahassee at the beginning of the season, but the production was not there. Both teams performed well at times, but were far too inconsistent to get near the BCS.

But I am not going to chicken out here. I am calling for Notre Dame to win this one. Their team has strong talent up and down the roster. Given a month to prepare, Brian Kelly will have his team ready to play the Seminoles.

This is not unlike their bowl game against Miami last year. Neither team was in a game that their program has grown used to, but the prestige of the two programs makes it hard to believe that either will take this one lightly.

The Champs Sports Bowl will have a similar result to what we had in the Sun Bowl last year when Notre Dame beat Miami. Michael Floyd will make the difference in this one.

Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Florida State 21

Boise State (Maaco Bowl Las Vegas vs. Arizona State. Thursday, Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. EST)

Unlike either Notre Dame or Florida State, Boise State was flat out robbed of a BCS game. A case could be made that TCU was as well, but the fact that they're a two-loss, non-BCS conference team makes me a little less sympathetic.

But the Broncos' one loss was to that TCU team, and it came by one point.

They will take their frustrations out on Arizona State in Kellen Moore's last game as a Bronco.

The Sun Devils lost each of their last four games, and none were to the Pac-12's top teams. It's hard to see them keeping it close against Boise State.

They won't. The Broncos will handily beat the Sun Devils. After the Sugar Bowl, we'll know that they belonged in the BCS.

Prediction: Boise State 38, Arizona State 10

Oklahoma (Insight Bowl vs. Iowa. Friday Dec. 30 at 10 p.m. EST)

Oklahoma is by far the most disappointing team of the season. They started the season No. 1. and won their first six games.

Heartbreakers to Texas Tech and Baylor hit the Sooners, but they had a chance to earn a BCS berth in Bedlam against Oklahoma State. It didn't work that well, as the Sooners fell 44-10 to their rivals in a game that honestly didn't feel that close. 

Their reward for a 9-3 season is a game against Iowa, who managed a .500 record against a horribly inconsistent Big Ten conference this season.

Despite Oklahoma's troubles, this one has blowout written all over it. When the Hawkeyes aren't at home, they have a hard time against good teams. The Sooners qualify, and this game is not in Iowa. 

Landry Jones is in what could be his last game with Oklahoma. He and his teammates will finish the season in style.

Prediction: Oklahoma 41, Iowa 20