2011 Bowl Games: 5 Matchups That Will Be Better Than Alabama vs. LSU

The BCS National Championship game will be a compelling matchup between two evenly matched teams. However, for those of you who hated LSU vs. Alabama part one, there are five other games that will be better than their rematch. 

AT&T Cotton Bowl: Kansas State Wildcats vs. Arkansas Razorbacks 

The Cotton Bowl this year features two teams that finished their seasons at 10-2. 

Both of these teams finished in the top half of the NCAA in average points per game, with Arkansas having the advantage scoring 37 points per game to Kansas State's 33. 

While their offenses may draw you into this game, both of these defenses could hold teams from scoring when they had to. Each had at least three games where they held teams to 14 points or less. 

This game will showcase two quarterbacks that can carry their teams to a big bowl victory. 

Arkansas is led by quarterback Tyler Wilson. Wilson led the SEC in passing yards with 3,422 and finished second in touchdowns with 22 and QB rating with 148.7. He led this Razorbacks offense to six wins of 40 or more points. 

Kansas State is led by quarterback Colin Klein. Klein may not have the same passing stats as Wilson, but he led the Big 12 in rushing touchdowns with 26 and finished fourth in rushing yards with 1,099. 

Rose Bowl Presented by Vizio: Oregon Ducks vs. Wisconsin Badgers

The Rose Bowl has two offensive teams that scored over 40 points per game this year. While the offenses dominated, Wisconsin held teams to 17 points per game and Oregon allowed only 24 points per game. 

This Rose Bowl has a chance to either be an insane shootout, where both teams put up 40 points, or a defensive struggle, where both teams only score 20 points. 

Either way, this game features four dynamic talents in quarterbacks Darron Thomas of Oregon and Russell Wilson of Wisconsin and running backs LaMichael James of Oregon and Montee Ball of Wisconsin. 

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Stanford Cardinals vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys

This game has NFL draft experts salivating at the mouth. We get to see two of the top picks in the upcoming NFL draft in Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, and Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. 

Both of these players will have a challenge in scoring against two defenses that allowed less than 25 points per game. 

Oklahoma State is fueled by the fact that they believe they should be playing LSU in the BCS National Championship game, while Luck will want to show everyone of his critics that he should be the No. 1 pick in the draft. 

This game will come down to either team making a dramatic drive to win the game with a touchdown. 

Capital One Bowl: Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks

The Capital One Bowl features two teams that were really good in their conferences, but finished second and third in their divisions. Both of these teams averaged 30 points per game, with South Carolina owning the average points allowed margin at 19 to 23. 

This game will be all about quarterbacks who are deadly runners more than they are passers. 

Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez and South Carolina's Conner Shaw, both had 12 passing touchdowns this year. However, Martinez owns the advantage in rushing touchdowns with nine to Shaw’s seven. 

These two teams will run the ball a lot, while trying to find cracks in each others stingy defense. 

Outback Bowl: Michigan State Spartans vs. Georgia Bulldogs

Michigan State and Georgia both narrowly missed out on playing in BCS bowl games when they lost their conference championship games. 

Both teams had offenses that scored 30 points or more, while having defenses that allowed less than 20 points per game. 

These two teams had impressive 10-3 records, while going 4-1 in their divisions and 7-1 in their conferences. Both of these teams were led by quarterbacks that do not get the respect they deserve in Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins and Georgia’s Aaron Murray. 

This game will see two teams that are mirror images of each other. They can either have a close finish of 21-20 or a wild offensive explosion of 38-35. Either way, this is going to be a great game. 

These five games will make those people who hated Alabama vs. LSU part one wish that any one of these games was for the BCS National Championship.

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