Midway point of the bowl season

Thus far the bowl season has been mediocre at best with most of us sleeping through the first half of the bowl season, many not even realizing some the bowl games had already been played. The second half got off to a great start with the WV/NC 31-30 game. Looking ahead, one bowl that could be another sleeper is the Alamo Bowl where #21 Missouri vs. #23 Northwestern, we’ll keep our eye on that. As the entire BCS Bowl system will be on trial this year if the BCS bowls don’t deliver great matchups we’ll focus on one at a time not so much based on what’s at stake as what will be some of the best games, and one of the most intreaging matchups we is in the Cotton Bowl where TTech and Ole’ Miss lockup. The only team to beat Texas (Texas Tech) meets the only team to beat Florida (Ole Miss). Graham Harrell meet Greg Hardy, Peria Jerry and Kentrell Lockett. Texas Tech has allowed only 11 sacks, tied for first among BCS conference schools. Texas Tech has opportunity to complete the most successful season in school history in a year it achieved its highest-ever ranking. To earn the record-setting victory, the Red Raiders will have to knock off a team that defeated the previous two national champions this season. In what could be one of the most entertaining games of this bowl season, the No. 8 Red Raiders and their high-powered offense will match up with the 20th-ranked Rebels. The ‘System needs to deliver or advocates of a playoff may gain some momentum along with the President elect.

Complete Bowl Schedule

BCS Games
Date Game Location TV Time Matchup
Jan. 8 BCS Miami FOX 8 p.m. Oklahoma (12-1) vs. Florida (12-1)
Jan. 5 Fiesta Glendale, Ariz. FOX 8 p.m. Ohio State (10-2) vs. Texas (11-1)
Jan. 2 Sugar New Orleans FOX 8 p.m. Utah (12-0) vs. Alabama (12-1)
Jan. 1 Rose Pasadena, Calif.ABC 5 p.m. Penn State (11-1) vs. USC(11-1)
Jan. 1 Orange Miami FOX 8:30p.m VA. Tech (9-4) vs. Cincinnati (11-2)

Non-BCS Games
Date Game Location TV Time Matchup
Jan. 6 GMAC Mobile, Ala. ESPN 8 p.m. Tulsa (10-3) vs. Ball State (12-1)
Jan. 3 International Toronto ESPN2 Noon Buffalo (8-5) vs. Connecticut (7-5)
Jan. 2 Liberty Memphis ESPN 5 p.m. Kentucky (6-6) vs. East Car. 9-4)
Jan. 2 Cotton Dallas FOX 2 p.m. Ole Miss. (8-4) vs. Texas Tech (11-1)
Jan. 1 Gator Jacksonville CBS 1 p.m. Clemson (7-5) vs. Nebraska (8-4)
Jan. 1 Capital One Orlando ABC 1 p.m. Georgia (9-3) vs. Mich. State (9-3)
Jan. 1 Outback Tampa, Fla. ESPN 11 a.m. South Carolina (7-5) vs. Iowa (8-4)
Dec. 31 Chick-fil-A Atlanta ESPN 7:30pm LSU (7-5) vs. Georgia Tech (9-3)
Dec. 31 Insight Glendale, Ariz. NFL Net 5:30pm. Kansas (7-5) vs. Minnesota (7-5)
Dec. 31 Music City, Nashville ESPN 3:30pm Boston College (9-4) vs. Vany(6-6)
Dec. 31 Sun El Paso, Tex. CBS 2 p.m. Oregon State (8-4) vs. Pitt.(9-3)
Dec. 31 Armed Forces FW, Tex. ESPN 12:30pm Houston (7-5) vs. Air Force (8-4)
Dec. 30 Holiday San Diego ESPN 8 p.m. Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Oregon (9-3)
Dec. 30 Texas Houston NFL 8 p.m. Rice (9-3) vs. Western Michigan (9-3)
Dec. 30 Humantrin Boise, Idaho ESPN2 4:30pm Maryland (7-5) vs. Nevada (7-5)
Dec. 29 Alamo San Antonio ESPN 8 p.m. Missouri (9-4) vs. Northwestern (9-3)
Dec. 29 Papajohns Birm. Ala. ESPN 3 p.m. NC State (6-6) vs. Rutgers (7-5)
Dec. 28 Ind. Shreveport, La. ESPN 8 p.m. Northern Ill.(6-6) vs. LA. Tech (7-5)
Dec. 27 Emerald San Francisco ESPN 8 p.m. Miami (Fla.) (7-5) vs. Cal (8-4)
Dec. 27 Champs Sports Orlando ESPN 4:30pm Wisconsin (7-5) vs. Fla St. (8-4)
Dec. 27 Meineke CC Charlotte ESPN 1 p.m. West Virginia (8-4) vs. N.C. (8-4)
Dec. 26 Motor City Detroit ESPN 7:30pm FLA. Atl.(6-6) vs. Cent. Mich. (8-4)
Dec. 24 Hawaii Honolulu ESPN 8 p.m. Hawaii (7-6) vs. Notre Dame (6-6)
Dec. 23 Poinsettia San Diego ESPN 8 p.m. Boise State (12-0) vs. TCU (10-2)
Dec. 21 New Orleans ESPN 8 p.m. Southern Miss (6-6) vs. Troy (8-4)
Dec. 20 EagleBank D.C. ESPN 11 a.m. Wake Forest (7-5) vs. Navy (8-4)
Dec. 20 Las Vegas Las Vegas ESPN 8 p.m. BYU (10-2) vs. Arizona (7-5)
Dec. 20 St. Petersburg, Fla. ESPN2 4:30pm Memphis (6-6) vs. South Florida (7-5)
Dec. 20 New Mexico Albuquerque. ESPN 2:30pm Col. St.(6-6) vs. Fresno State (7-5)

Bama’ gets knocked off top spot, BCS now a Soap-Box Derby

In the game that everyone across the football nation was watching, the SEC-Championship, the self proclaimed toughest division in college football put on a show worthy of the name. As Florida came from behind to beat the previously unbeaten Alabama Crimson Tide 31-20 in a game that may have been better suited to be the National Championship game. Coming back from deficits of 10-7 and 20-17 the Gators speed eventually took over in the forth quarter, outscoring the ‘Tide 14-0 to secure a 31-20 win. The Gators are peaking at the right time and look like the best team in the nation but, like everyone else, have a blemish on their record, and have an argument justifying their place in the NCG. Florida now looks poised for a showdown with Oklahoma and only after that game is played will we know if we have already witnessed the true National Championship.

Meanwhile, in the process of becoming the first school in 89 years to score 60 points in five consecutive games the Oklahoma Sooners not only captured the Big-12 title but secured a date in the National Championship Game with the afore mentioned Florida Gators. No one can dispute the offensive prowess the Sooners, but they give up a ton on defense and they may have to add a third digit to the scoreboard in Miami. As in prior years it’s ‘out of sight, out of mind’ and for the Texas Longhorns not playing on Saturday sealed their fate, as everyone’s still high from the ether of Oklahoma’s fireworks show and forgetting the fact that the ‘Horns beat them on a neutral field by double digits. If this game was played on opening day Bama would be back in the championship to face the Gators again but it’s not if, but when you lose.

Lastly, how good does USC’s defense look in a 28-7 rout of UCLA? (and that seven was due to a fumble on their own 20) Moreover, how would they do against the speed of the Gators or Sooners? A playoff would let us know but that will not happen, and we have thrown enough wood on the anti-BCS fire so let the chips fall where they may.

Big-12 a big reason why BCS is a big mess

With Oklahoma’s 61-41 victory over Oklahoma St. the BCS is in complete chaos with only one team, Alabama, having a clear claim to the thrown (please note that is subject to change after the SEC Championship game). In the end, of all of the one-loss schools that have a legitimate screaming argument, Texas’ is the loudest, haven beaten Oklahoma who jumped over them, head to head. However, one can argue they have become what they have beheld as the Big-12 had to go to the FIFTH tie-breaker to settle log jam at the top and of all things, it was the BCS RANKING! If the Big-12 doesn’t even settle their own conference via head-to-head competition then how can you expect the BCS? So that is some just reward for the Horns. Meanwhile the seat in the country aside from the 50-yard line at the SEC Champ, will be at the bar called the “Flora-Bama” on the border between the two states, where the winner punches their ticket to show and the loser, particularly if it’s Bama, still has as good a case as anyone for a re-match. Well, we’ve been screaming all year to settle this on the field, but opponents of the system will need to fix the mess within their own conferences before the country can expect the BCS to fix theirs. Who do you think should be playing in the NCG? Let us know here and in the NCAA chat rooms.