Friday, December 17, 2010

Game Predictions, Non-BCS Bowls, 2010

I took the week off last week from game predictions (the only game was the Army-Navy contest). I was 13-6 two weeks ago to finish the year 219-100 for the season. I had hoped to keep the wrong predictions under 100.

Bowl season kicks off Saturday. This week will be non-BCS bowl predictions. Then when we get a little closer, I will predict the BCS bowls.

As always, you are free to chime in with your picks, or at least where you agree or disagree, and we can discuss.

Saturday, December 18
New Mexico Bowl
Brigham Young vs. UTEP, 34-10 BYU
It will take a complete meltdown for BYU not to win this one.

uDrove Humanitarian Bowl
Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State, 45-17 Northern Illinois
Fresno State will not go 2-0 against the state of Illinois.

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Ohio vs. Troy, 34-27 Ohio
The Trojans are down this year.

Tuesday, December 21
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg
Southern Miss vs. Louisville, 28-17 Southern Miss
Southern Miss is one of the best kept secrets in the nation.

Wednesday, December 22
MAACO Bowl Las Vegas
Utah vs. Boise State, 40-17 Boise State
Boise State will look like the one that should be going to the Pac-12.

Thursday, December 23
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Navy at San Diego State, 31-28 San Diego State
Home field advantage wins this one.

Friday, December 24
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Hawaii vs. Tulsa, 45-27 Hawaii
This is a good Hawaii team playing at home.

Sunday, December 26
Little Caesars Bowl
Florida International vs. Toledo, 34-14 Toledo
Dream season ends sour for FIU.

Monday, December 27
AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl
Air Force vs. Georgia Tech, 28-17 Air Force
The Cadets will establish themselves as the best option team in the nation.

Tuesday, December 28
Champs Sports Bowl
West Virginia vs. North Carolina State, 38-24 North Carolina State
Breakout year for the Wolfpack.

Insight Bowl
Missouri vs. Iowa, 31-10 Missouri
I can’t imagine that Iowa even cares to be in this game.

Wednesday, December 29
Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Gruman
East Carolina vs. Maryland, 24-14 Maryland
Home field advantage for the Terps.

Texas Bowl
Illinois vs. Baylor, 38-31 Baylor
The Bears have so much more to play for than the Illini.

Valero Alamo Bowl
Oklahoma State vs. Arizona, 45-28 Oklahoma State
Justin Blackmon is unstoppable.

Thursday, December 30
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
Army at Southern Methodist, 34-17 SMU
SMU is clearly the better team.

New Era Pinstripes Bowl
Kansas State vs. Syracuse, 17-10 Kansas State
A win-win for both schools. Syracuse is back in a bowl, and K-State is back to respectable status.

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
North Carolina vs. Tennessee, 35-21 North Carolina
Both teams will be happy to get this season over.

Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl
Nebraska vs. Washington, 23-21 Nebraska
Even with no motivation, Nebraska is better than Washington

Friday, December 31
Meineke Car Care Bowl
South Florida vs. Clemson, 28-24 Clemson
Just a stab in the dark.

Hyundai Sun Bowl
Notre Dame vs. Miami (FL), 27-17 Notre Dame
Notre Dame on 3 game win streak, Miami 2 game losing streak and down a coach.

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Georgia vs. UCF, 28-17 UCF
UCF can lay a claim to best team in Florida with a win over the Bulldogs.

Chick-fil-A Bowl
South Carolina vs. Florida State, 38-21 South Carolina
The Gamecocks will be motivated enough to win 10 games for the first time since 1984.

Saturday, January 1
TicketCity Bowl
Northwestern vs. Texas Tech, 45-21 Texas Tech
Five of Northwestern’s wins have come by a combined 15 points.

Capital One Bowl
Alabama vs. Michigan State, 35-14 Alabama
Last time the Spartans played a team like Alabama, they were crushed by Iowa.

Outback Bowl
Florida vs. Penn State, 24-14 Penn State
Urban Meyer has packed it in.

Progressive Gator Bowl
Mississippi State vs. Michigan, 24-20 Mississippi State
Each team has a lot to play for. Better team will prevail.

Thursday, January 6
GoDaddy.com Bowl
Middle Tennessee vs. Miami (OH), 30-21 Miami (OH)
Miami has finished the year very strong, and surprising.

Friday, January 7
AT&T Cotton Bowl
LSU vs. Texas A&M, 35-17 LSU
The Tigers are a much stronger bowl team than the Aggies.

Saturday, January 8
BBVA Compass Bowl
Pittsburgh vs. Kentucky, 35-13 Kentucky
It’s been a disappointing year for Pitt, and now they are without a coach.

Sunday, January 9
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
Nevada vs. Boston College, 28-14 Nevada
Nevada can finish off this dream season with a win over a BCS AQ school.

3 comments:

  1. I think Florida might surprise you. Meyer may have "packed it in" but I think he is loved by his team, and they will want to win one more for him. That motivation might get Florida the victory.

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  2. You have a point, but this Florida team is bad. I don't think all the motivation in the world can get them past Penn State. This Penn State team has a lot to prove as well. They won't be lacking in motivation.

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  3. Not too shabby of a start, 2-1. I wasn't very far off on the Northern Illinois score either.

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