2011 Bowl Predictions: Auburn and Disappointing Teams in Line for a Bowl Loss

With bowl season coinciding with the holiday season, it’s easy to get lost in the madness that is December and January.

For some teams like Auburn and Penn State who had disappointing seasons, this bowl season will be result in another loss to end the season.

All of the following teams had the talent to make a real impact on the BCS, but poor play against elite talent and plenty of hiccups along the way have them looking down the barrel of another loss.

Auburn—The Auburn Tigers were coming off a magical BCS Championship season, but they were exposed as the fraud they really are early in the season.

Without Cam Newton under center, the lack of talent on the team exposed just how overrated the team was in the preseason rankings this year. That’s what a national title will do.

Despite finishing at No. 25 in the polls—a spot the team did not deserve—the Tigers will lose in embarrassing fashion to a Virginia team that has everything to prove in what could be the biggest game in the school’s history.

Penn State—While the Penn State Nittany Lions' record of 9-3 looks impressive enough to warrant the status of an excellent season, this was anything but that for Happy Valley.

With the dark cloud from Jerry Sandusky and the firing of Joe Paterno looming large over the university, the ending of the season showed that it was affecting the play on the field.

The Nittany Lions will continue this season’s tradition of losing to every ranked team they face with another loss to the No. 19 Houston Cougars in the Ticketcity Bowl.

Arizona State—After beating  No. 21 Missouri 37-30 in overtime just two weeks into the season in a nationally televised Friday night game, the Arizona State Sun Devils were poised for a huge season.

The season was looking good for the Sun Devils, starting off with a solid 6-2 record before hitting the skids hard. Arizona State lost its last four games, and almost all of their losses were heartbreakers.

Now, the 6-6 Sun Devils have to play the 11-1 Boise State Broncos in what could be the most lopsided bowl of this entire year. Arizona State fans should avert their eyes from this beatdown.

Check back for more on the NCAA Football as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s College Football Page to get your fill of College Football.

Follow @Donald_Wood