2005 Bowl Preview Series Part 5

MUSIC CITY BOWL
Minnesota vs Virginia

This could be another high-scoring contest brought to you by a Big Ten team, where the defenses took a big hit this season but still came out on top. Virginia held their own in a tough ACC this season, so both teams are battle tested going into this game. Minnesota has been in Nashville two of the past three seasons, so Glen Mason will have to do some serious work to get Golden Gopher fans to the game and to get the team fired up to play. Another interesting development is how Virginia has lost two coordinators and will be short on coaches for this game, so the players will have to rally around the temporary coordinators.

Minnesota is a much better team when they have the ball, and the powerful running game should make all the difference. RBs Laurence Maroney and Gary Russell bring a lot of heat behind All-American center Greg Eslinger, and neither back seems to tire through a long game due to the split workload. QB Bryan Cupito has quite a passing game as well to complement the second best rushing attack in the nation. Virginia is mediocre at best against the run, and their heralded linebackers will add to their high tackle total for the season when Maroney and Russell break through the D-Line. Look for Minnesota to score a lot of points and control the tempo with their run game.

Virginia has quite a task to keep up with Minnesota, but they can take heart in the fact that the Gophers give up a lot of points too. QB Marcus Hagans had a good season this year, but he also had 11 interceptions to go with a dozen touchdowns. Junior wideout Deyon Williams is his favorite target, and he should find openings all day against Minnesota. The key to this game will be establishing their own running game, which the Cavaliers have not done well at all so far. If the Cavs get behind and have to rely on the passing game only, Minnesota might win in a blowout.

Staff Predictions:
Jonathan	David	Reed	Cortney	Jeff
Minnesota	Minnesota	Minnesota	Minnesota	Minnesota

SUN BOWL
Northwestern vs UCLA

These teams took very different paths to get here, but both bring huge offenses in what is hailed as the high-scoring thriller of the bowl season. This game is what all college football fans love to watch: two teams with no defense rocking each other and making the scoreboard change every minute. Northwestern went 5-3 in a tough Big Ten this year, while UCLA dropped here after losing only to USC and Arizona in the Pac-10 (they missed out on league #2 Oregon). Both teams are motivated to be in this game, and both have something to prove. Let the fireworks begin!

When Northwestern has the ball, they will score at will. The Wildcats eighth ranked offense goes against UCLA's 108th ranked defense, and Brett Basanez, who leads the unit, is one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Tyrone Sutton leads the strong rushing attack for the Wildcats, and Basanez has many good receivers to throw to. UCLA will have to bring pressure from the linebackers, just as Ohio State used that type of defensive attack to hold the Wildcats to one touchdown in November. If UCLA stops Northwestern twice in this game, they have a good chance to win.

When UCLA has the ball, they will also score at will. The battle in this case is the nation's worst defense against a solid Pac-10 offense. Drew Olson was even better than Basanez this season, and he will continue his successful season in this game. Maurice Drew should have a field day running, but Northwestern has been battle tested against very good Big Ten rushing attacks all year. Just like UCLA's defense, if Northwestern gets two or more stops in this game, they have a great chance to win.

Staff Predictions:
Jonathan	David	Reed	Cortney	Jeff
Northwestern	Northwestern	Northwestern	UCLA	UCLA

INDEPENDENCE BOWL
South Carolina vs Missouri

Anybody in the SEC who missed Steve Spurrier, please speak up. The return of the ol' ball coach was very publicized, and Spurrier did not disappoint with a great season, and nearly a division title. Missouri played poorly against weak Big XII North competition, and they really do not look like a bowl eligible team. This could be motivation though, as USC gives Missouri a chance to win a little respect.

South Carolina did not put up many points this season, and part of the problem was the lack of a running game. QB Blake Mitchell has a great talent to throw to in freshman WR Sidney Rice, and they hooked up for 12 touchdowns this season. Spurrier may be better at drawing up plays to make quarterbacks famous, but he says he is committed to the run at USC. If running backs Mike Davis and Daccus Turman have any kind of good day rushing, it will take pressure off the passing game and the defense. The Gamecocks will not have to score a lot, but they will need to put up a few points and have long, effective possesions to help the defense in this one.

Missouri is led by QB Brad Smith again this season, and he was mentioned on the outside of many early season Heisman ballots. Unlike USC, Missouri has been very good running the ball, mostly with Smith. The Gamecocks have not seen any quarterback dual threats like this in the SEC, so their defense will have to stay as good as they were towards the end of the season. If Smith can get into open rushing lanes whenever the Gamecocks bring any kind of pressure, Missouri will have a great day offensively. We shall see if Smith has one more great game left in him in this one, and USC better not be caught lacking in preparation.

Staff Predictions:
Jonathan	David	Reed	Cortney	Jeff
South Carolina	South Carolina	South Carolina	South Carolina	South Carolina

PEACH BOWL
(#7) Miami vs (#12) LSU

The only matchup of two top ten nationally ranked teams outside of the BCS this year is in the Peach Bowl, and both of these squads are the cream of the crop. Miami looked great in every game except a costly loss to Georgia Tech at the end of the season, and they should probably be representing the ACC in the BCS. LSU recovered from Hurricane Katrina and an early season choke to Tennessee to become a national title contender before a disappointing shellacking at the hands of Georgia in the SEC title game. A battle of defenses, this one will be good to watch.

When Miami has the ball, LSU's defense, the fifth best in the country, will try to put pressure up front on Kyle Wright and his passing game. Wright has been erratic this season, so the key to Miami's game plan will be establishing the running game behind RB Charlie Jones. LSU has a great front seven, so UM might be able to pass over the defense in the middle of the field all day. Special teams returner Devin Hester will have to give the Hurricanes good field position if Miami hopes to be effective on offense.

LSU has a similar daunting task in facing the third best defense in the country. JaMarcus Russell is a talented quarterback, but he can be rattled just like Wright on the other side of the ball. The speedy secondary of Miami will challenge Russell to try and throw all game, and so I expect LSU to try and run the ball with Joseph Addai and Justin Vincent more than usual. LSU also has a quality kick and punt returner in Skyler Green, so this game could be a battle of special teams and defense. Though it isn't the BCS, the winner of this game cannot be too disappointed, as winning the Peach Bowl this year is quite an accomplishment considering the championship-caliber teams participating.

Staff Predictions:
Jonathan	David	Reed	Cortney	Jeff
Miami	Miami	Miami	LSU	Miami

2005 Bowl Preview Series Part 3

MOTOR CITY BOWL
Memphis vs Akron

The battle of Detroit brings us an interesting bowl matchup this season. Akron won the MAC title game in the dome a couple weeks ago, while Memphis struggled to get bowl eligible and give their NFL caliber running back a bowl send-off. Akron is in their first-ever bowl game, which should make up for them being the only bowl-eligible team to not go to make a postsesaon appearance last season. It should be very loud in Detroit, and I suspect the football will be a lot of better football than that of the pro team that calls Ford Field home.

When Memphis has the ball, there is no question what the game plan is: handoff to DeAngelo Williams bunches of times. Memphis ranks 115th in the nation in passing and 6th in rushing, and the vast majority of their offense runs through Williams, who has 1750 yards and 15 TD this season. The Memphis quarterbacks are not highly efficient, which has spelled trouble against teams who can stack eight guys in the defensive front and hold their own in the backfield. Akron is not great against the run, but their defense may have a shot considering how one-dimensional Memphis is. If Memphis gets out to a lead, then Akron is in trouble, with the defense getting more and more tired with every Williams carry.

Akron is the flip side of Memphis, as their mediocre offense is driven by their passing game instead of the running game. Luke Getsy has shined this season, throwing for exactly 3000 yards. WR Domenik Hixon makes most of the big yardage plays, but Jason Montgomery has just as many touchdowns this year and cannot be ignored. Their running game is not terrible, but the offensive line will have trouble opening holes as they have all year. Memphis has a good defensive backfield, but they will be tested by the high-powered passing offense. This could come down to whoever has the ball last because it will probably be a high scoring game.

Staff Predictions:
Jonathan	David	Reed	Cortney	Jeff
Memphis	Memphis	Memphis	Akron	Memphis

CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL
Clemson vs Colorado

And now we give you the Buffaloes! These amazing boys from Boulder tried in every way to give Iowa State the Big XII North Title, but they backed in with a 30-3 loss to Nebraska and then were rewarded with a second pounding from the Longhorns 70-3. All jokes aside, Colorado has some serious issues despite winning the weak Big XII North four of the last five seasons, and Gary Barnett has been axed already. Is there any way Colorado can bounce back from the end of the season, or will the no-show Buffaloes strike again? Before they are forgotten, there is that other team in the bowl, and Clemson was a couple overtimes and close games from 10-1 or 11-0. Even if Colorado shows up to play, this will be a tough test.

Charlie Whitehurst leads a good Clemson passing attack into this game, assuming he can get over his injury. The backup QB Will Proctor is competent, and Clemson will still be fine with him running the offense. The Tigers are a show of balance between run and pass, and their rushing attack is a close split between fantastic freshman James Davis and his co-rusher Reggie Merriweather. These guys bring a nice one-two punch to the Clemson offense, and Colorado will have to be ready for different running styles depending on who is in the game. Clemson might not put up huge numbers, but Colorado will have trouble stopping their balanced attack.

For Colorado, the balanced attack is led by QB Joel Klatt and RB Hugh Charles. These guys put up some good numbers early in the season, but as mentioned previously, the offense has not seen a touchdown in a month and a half. Clemson has a strong defense which has not been picked apart by any of the great ACC teams this season, and Colorado should not be much of a challenge. Sometimes a cornered team or offensive unit puts up a huge surprise when everything is falling apart around them, so you cannot count out Colorado until they lose on the field. One thing Colorado has going for them is Mason Crosby, arguably the best kicker in the country, and in a close game, the special teams advantage will help the Buffaloes.

Staff Predictions:
Jonathan	David	Reed	Cortney	Jeff
Clemson	Clemson	Clemson	Clemson	Clemson

INSIGHT BOWL
Arizona State vs Rutgers

Rutgers gets their first bowl bid in 30 years, and they are rewarded with a road game essentially. Arizona State may not have huge motivation considering they do not leave home for the bowl game, but the familiarity with the home field does have its advantages. This game has some of the best freshmen performers in the country all on one field. The question will be who will step up and lead their team to victory in what appears to be a game too close to call.

Arizona State lost a good starter in QB Sam Keller at midseason, but they found a future crown jewel in freshman Rudy Carpenter. Keegan Herring, another freshman, leads the Sun Devil rushing attack. These guys will keep Arizona State in Pac-10 contention for years to come, and their experienced offensive linemen help lead the unit. We also cannot forget about Derek Hagan, the great ASU receiver ending his career at home in this bowl game. The Sun Devils have the third best offense in the country, and Rutgers will be on their heels all day trying to stop this attack.

What Rutgers gives up on defense, they more than make up for on offense. Rutgers freshman RB Ray Rice will carry most of the weight in this game, but he has a capable backup in Brian Leonard and a decent passing attack to complement his game. The Arizona State defense has given up tons of points in the Pac-10 this year, so Rutgers may surprise with a lot of offense in this game. If the Scarlet Knights can dominate the time of possession and keep ASU's offense off the field, they have a good chance to bring back the victory to chilly New Jersey.

Staff Predictions:
Jonathan	David	Reed	Cortney	Jeff
Arizona State	Arizona State	Arizona State	Arizona State	Arizona State

MPC COMPUTERS BOWL
Boise State vs Boston College

From one home game to another, Boise State will defend the blue turf for another season in this bowl game. The Broncos had some rough spots this year, but Boston College gives them an opportunity to knock off a team at home who really wishes they were bowling somewhere else. BC was a couple mistakes away from winning the ACC's Atlantic division, and it has to hurt watching Florida State go to a BCS bowl game when they are arguably better. Boise State has won 31 straight at home, and BC has quite a challenge on their hands despite being the best team in this bowl in a few seasons.

Boise State scores a lot of points, and it all starts with their strong rushing attack of Lee Marks and Ian Johnson. Despite throwing a lot of interceptions in big games, QB Jared Zabransky is a solid starter who leads the high powered Bronco offense. Zabransky has some tall receivers to throw to, and Boston College will have trouble covering them. I expect Boston College to bring a lot of pressure to try and disrupt the passing game, so this is another game where the quick passes will be important to success.

Boston College is led by two signal-callers who split time, senior Quinton Porter and sophomore Matt Ryan. Both have been about as effective as the other, but Ryan led BC to a couple of late-season wins when they desperately needed them. L.V. Whitworth and Andre Callender split time rushing the ball, so Boise State has a few weapons to prepare for. The key to this game will be the battle in the trenches. Boise State has only lost games when they were knocked around by more athletic and bigger offensive and defensive lines (see Georgia game, for example), and BC has the right personnel to win that battle and perhaps the game.

Staff Predictions:
Jonathan	David	Reed	Cortney	Jeff
Boston College	Boise State	Boise State	Boston College	Boston College

2005 Bowl Previews Part 1

NEW ORLEANS BOWL
Southern Miss vs Arkansas State

The bowl has been moved to Lafayette, but that should not bother either of these teams since both were also affected by Hurricane Katrina this season. Arkansas State is the Sun Belt champion, finally knocking North Texas off the throne they held for four years. Southern Miss lost to five quality teams playing in bowl games this season, so they are perhaps a little underrated. Southern Miss also won this game last season by three touchdowns over North Texas, and they are pretty happy to be back in this bowl game.

Arkansas State likes to run the ball, and they have a great running back in Antonio Warren who leads the team with over 1000 yards this season. Southern Miss is quite the opposite, struggling to run the ball while passing fairly well. Arkansas State has been blown out by bad teams like Army, but they can hang with good teams as well if they can control the pace and gain a big time of possession advantage. Southern Mississippi is not bad against the run and has a strong linebacker corps which will have to step up to stop Warren. If USM can keep Arkansas State off the field, this game could turn into a blowout.

Unfortunately for Arkansas State, stopping Southern Mississippi will be a tough task. The defensive backfield has been suspect against good passing attacks this season, and that will not be acceptable in this game. The key will be getting pressure with blitzes at key times against the Golden Eagles to disrupt the passing game. I expect Southern Miss to break out a lot of screen passes and draws to keep Arkansas State guessing. Arkansas State can win this battle, but they need to step up in the backfield and call a great game defensively to keep their offense in the game.

Staff Predictions:
Jonathan	David	Reed	Cortney	Jeff
Southern Miss	Southern Miss	Southern Miss	Southern Miss	Southern Miss

GMAC BOWL
UTEP vs Toledo

Both of these teams had promising starts, but both lost opportunities at conference championships with late-season losses. This game might be as explosive offensively as the Sun Bowl which is getting all the attention, as both teams feature great quarterbacks and top-20 offenses. Mike Price returns to Alabama with a UTEP team he has absolutely rejuvenated in the past two seasons. These teams are good enough to be conference champions, and this game carries a lot of pride for the MAC, which has won this bowl game every year it has been played.

When Toledo has the ball, their attack is very balanced between rush and pass. Bruce Gradkowski can light up defenses with his sharp passing, and Toledo also will force the run to open up the passing game. UTEP looked bad against the mediocre offenses of SMU and UAB at the end of the season, but the defense was not helped by the turnovers the offense committed. Toledo has a lot of playmakers and good offensive schemes, and I expect UTEP will have trouble stopping the Rocket offensive attack.

UTEP has also had a prolific offense this season, but they are much more pass oriented behind their leader Jordan Palmer (Carson's younger brother). Toledo will be bringing pressure as they did in the MAC all season, so UTEP must be careful with the ball or else they will lose their third in a row, mostly due to turnovers. If UTEP holds onto the ball and establishes a little bit of a running threat, then the passing game will put up huge numbers against the Toledo secondary. As in many of the Miners' games this season, the race to 40 points will probably determine this game.

Staff Predictions:
Jonathan	David	Reed	Cortney	Jeff
Toledo	Toledo	UTEP	Toledo	Toledo

LAS VEGAS BOWL
BYU vs California

This bowl game features teams going in different directions. California struggled against every team except Stanford in the last half of their season, while BYU is riding a good finish after a 1-3 start. Both teams were on the verge of some big victories this season, and a win in this bowl game could make a good season for either squad.

BYU is one of the best ten passing teams in America this season, pushing their overall offense up to 13th nationally. John Beck threw for over 3000 yards this season, but the Cougars are far from one-dimensional. Curtis Brown rushed for almost 1100 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2005. California had some serious trouble stopping good offensive attacks in the Pac-10 this season, and they will have their hands full keeping BYU off the ball.

Cal's best defense might be their offense in this game. While BYU put up amazing numbers this season, the Bears have been no slouches with two rushers around 1000 yards and a decent passing attack. One concern is losing starting QB Ayoob before the Stanford game, but their backup Steve Levy ran a competent game against Stanford. BYU will have to make Levy uncomfortable, but that will be hard to do as they must stack their front 7 or 8 against the good Cal running attack. Expect California to play it conservative and try to grind out a victory against the Cougars with minimal opportunities to make mistakes. The more rest they give the Golden Bear defense, the more likely California will be celebrating a bowl victory.

Staff Predictions:
Jonathan	David	Reed	Cortney	Jeff
California	California	California	California	California

Season in Review

Now that the bowl season is set, we prepare for all the showdowns with a quick look back at the regular season. It was a great year, especially watching Texas and USC beat all comers, all year on their road to the Roses. The BCS got it mostly right this year, but the inclusion of Florida State makes me hate those conference title games. Still, all four games have intrigue, and the ratings will soar in the Fiesta and Rose Bowls.

ACC

Marcus Vick was the player of the year, leading Virginia Tech all the way to the ACC title game and the best conference record before getting knocked off by FSU. Hard to believe he had not started a college game before this season, at least after watching the Hokies dismantle many good defenses. Coach of the year honors go to Frank Beamer, for many of the same reasons as Marcus above. Beamer has proven everybody wrong who thought VT wouldn't be able to compete in the new superpower by bringing home the best conference record two years in a row. Expect Beamer to see more success in years to come, but Miami will not lie low for long.

Surprise of the year has to be Florida State knocking off Virginia Tech to go to the BCS. Disappointment of the year was FSU, but given their Orange Bowl appearance, I'll give this honor to Miami. Out of the big three, Miami was the only one to not make the ACC title game, and it happened because of bad losses to Georgia Tech and FSU. Had Miami taken care of business anything like they did in Blacksburg, they would be in the Orange Bowl playing Penn State.

Big XII

Vince Young has been a Heisman candidate all season, and if not for Reggie Bush, he might have locked it up with that drive at the Horseshoe in September. He will get his chance for revenge (assuming Bush takes home the hardware) against the last two Heisman Trophy winners in the Rose Bowl, as the Horns try to end USC's bid for a three-peat. Mack Brown gets coach of the year for finally bringing home his first conference title in 22 years and a second straight Rose Bowl appearance for a non-Rose Bowl affiliated school. He finally won the big ones, knocking off Oklahoma and Ohio State, and now he has one more huge hurdle.

Surprise of the year is the revival of Adrian Peterson after Oklahoma was off to a dismal 2-3 start. If not for some bad review against Texas Tech, OU would be the second best Big XII team with a six-game winning streak. The Sooners showed more heart of a champion this year with a 7-4 record than they did in last year's 12-0 season leading up to the slamming by USC. Disappointment of the year is Iowa State. For the second straight year, the Cyclones let the division title slip away in the last game. This year is especially painful, as ISU lost three of four conference games in overtime. They have to win the close ones against weak North teams to get a chance at the conference title, and they better hurry before the North finds a good team again.

Big East

Player of the year is Steve Slaton, and coach of the year is Rich Rodriguez. WVU did tie for the conference crown the past two years, but this year everybody said Pittsburgh and Louisville would smash the young Mountaineers. All WVU did was go 7-0 in conference and make the BCS with only one loss, that to a good Virginia Tech team on the road. Certainly this Sugar Bowl will be a tough challenge, but don't count out these young kids who may have a few more BCS berths in their future with play like this season.

Surprise of the year was Louisville squandering a 24-7 lead to WVU in the fourth quarter to lose in overtime 46-44. This was also the game of the year, as it would have given Louisville a BCS berth had they won. Disappointment of the year is a split between Louisville (with their high expectations) and Pittsburgh, but I give the nod to the bowl-ineligible Panthers. Guess those losses to Nebraska and Ohio University (the 4-7 Bobcats, not the BCS Buckeyes) hurt a little more now don't they?

Big Ten

Player of the year is A.J. Hawk of the co-champion Buckeyes. Sometimes high expectations are too hard to meet (see Ted Ginn Jr. for a Buckeye example from this year) in Columbus, but A.J. Hawk was the best defensive player in the country this season. The statistics are amazing, and Hawk is all over the field, either chasing down quarterbacks or running down receivers and running backs. Coach of the year is easily Joe Paterno. Only a year or two years removed from people saying he is too old for the college game, Paterno lead the Nittany Lions to their first conference title since 1994 and their first ever BCS appearance. One second in Michigan Stadium saved the BCS from the certain controversy three undefeated teams would have brought this season.

Surprise of the year was Purdue starting 0-5 in conference play, despite many people picking them to win the conference. Disappointment of the year could be Purdue, but I'll take the meltdown of Michigan State to miss bowl eligibility. They had Ohio State down 17-7 and the field goal unit on the field with a chance to really put a dagger in the Buckeyes going into halftime when they rushed the kick and only had ten men on the field. The ensuing block was a big part of the Buckeye's eventual 35-24 victory, and OSU did not lose another game while MSU won only one game, against lowly Illinois, the rest of the season.

SEC

Player of the year is D.J. Shockley from Georgia. If not for an injury and missing the Florida game, Georgia might be in the top five this season. With a big victory over LSU in the SEC title game, Shockley gets to end this season with two big games in Atlanta, the second the Sugar Bowl there in January. Coach of the year could go to Les Miles for sure, but Steve Spurrier gets the nod for making South Carolina a contender in his first year back at college. The Ol' Ball Coach has a lot of work to do, but Georgia and Florida have a lot of work to do if they hope to keep up in the future SEC East.

Surprise of the year was just how good LSU, Auburn, and Alabama were this season. Auburn is the best non-BCS team this season (sorry Oregon), and Alabama rode their defense to their best season in a decade. LSU overcame Hurricane Katrina and all the distractions to win the West and put the pride back in Louisiana. Disappointment of the year was Tennessee. Steve Spurrier's return always heralds bad news for Philip Fulmer, but usually not this bad. Tennessee lost bowl eligibility at the hands of their rival Vanderbilt; how the mighty preseason top five Volunteers fell from grace!

This season had a lot of great games. USC-Notre Dame, Ohio State-Texas, Ohio State-Michigan, Penn State-Michigan, Penn State-Ohio State, USC-Fresno State, Georgia-Auburn, and many others will fill our memories through the bowl season and off-season. I'm looking forward to a great bowl season!

Fitzy's Top 10 - Pre-Bowl Edition

1. Texas
2. USC
3. Penn State
4. Ohio State
5. Notre Dame
6. Auburn
7. Georgia
8. Oregon
9. West Virginia
10. Miami

Championship Week Preview

After watching a few great games such as Notre Dame beating Stanford and Connecticut topping South Florida last weekend, I am finally prepared to preview and watch some of the most important games of the season. This week will determine conference champions in three major and a couple mid-major conferences, and don't forget about a couple of good battles in the Big East and the Pac-10. Final exams are here before bowl season, so let's jump into the games I am looking forward to for this weekend.

West Virginia at South Florida

I start with the least important game I am previewing, as South Florida's loss last week locked up the BCS berth and outright BCS title for the Mountaineers. West Virginia has been rolling through the Big East since winning over Louisville in a huge comeback and losing to Virginia Tech out-of-conference, while USF has struggled every week, culminating in a loss to banged-up Connecticut on Saturday. Both teams have good rushing offenses, so I suspect this game to be a grinding, low-scoring affair. Expect WVU to run roughshod over the weak USF defensive front, leading them to a big victory. Slaton from WVU only needs 162 yards to reach 1000 on the season, a remarkable achievement for this offense. The key to this game for the Bulls is stopping White, the Mountaineer double threat QB. If they can contain White and Slaton and force White to throw, the Bulls could be in this game. I expect no letdown for the Mountaineers as they prepare for the probable Sugar Bowl appearance.

MAC Championship: Akron v. Northern Illinois

On Thursday night the MAC title will finally be decided between these unexpected division champions. Toledo's defeat of Bowling Green coupled with Akron and Northern Illinois wins last week set this game up instead of the preseason expectation of Bowling Green or Miami against the Rockets. Northern Illinois has had the best offense in the conference the past few weeks, and their defense has been strong as well. Akron may not play in a bowl if they lose this game, as a 6-6 record may be overlooked for Bowling Green and Toledo. The Zips have tons to play for and I think they will play a good game, but the fact that Akron cannot seem to run the ball (99th ranked nationally) will hurt them against the Huskies. Northern Illinois wins this one in a blowout and grabs another game in Detroit in December at the Motor City Bowl.

ACC Championship: Florida State v. Virginia Tech

Florida State comes into this game limping with a three game losing streak for the first time since the mid-80's. Virginia Tech has played very well since their loss to Miami, and they have certainly earned the division title with the Hurricanes slipping up to FSU and Georgia Tech. No team has looked as impressive as the Hokies this season (except for that nasty defeat by Miami at home) in this conference, and Florida State will be hard pressed to turn the ship around here. The special teams will be crucial, as Virginia Tech plays the field position and turnover battle to many victories. Florida State has a great passing game, while Virginia Tech has a great rushing attack. Assuming Marcus Vick shows up and plays well, the Hokies will control the clock and wear down the Seminole defense with long drives all day. Florida State could win this game if they play mistake-free (unlikely given their 18 interceptions thrown already this season), but I expect the Hokies to roll in this one, putting them in the Orange Bowl.

SEC Championship: Georgia v. LSU

Statistically, these teams mirror each other in almost every category. Georgia may have slipped up against Florida and Auburn, but those losses were by a combined five points. LSU would be fighting for a national championship had it not been for a fourth quarter collapse against Tennessee with the team just recovering at the beginning of the season from Hurricane Katrina and its after-effects. They could still make the Rose Bowl with a big win here and a Texas or USC loss this week (they would have to win convincingly to jump Penn State in the BCS standings), but the Sugar Bowl is motivation enough for these teams as the loser probably drops to the Cotton Bowl or Outback Bowl, and maybe even the Peach Bowl in Georgia's case. I think LSU will finish up the season with a close win here, perhaps overtime. This is the best game of the week, so don't miss out on the last SEC game of the season.

Game of the Week Final Record: 25-14 (2-1 last week)
We will see if I can beat this 64% winning percentage in the bowl season.

BCS Bowl Projections - Final

ROSE: USC v. Texas
ORANGE: Virginia Tech v. Penn State
FIESTA: Notre Dame v. Ohio State
SUGAR: LSU v. West Virginia

Fitzy's Top 10 - Week 14
1. Texas (11-0)
2. USC (11-0)
3. Penn State (10-1)
4. LSU (10-1)
5. Virginia Tech (10-1)
6. Ohio State (9-2)
7. Notre Dame (9-2)
8. Auburn (9-2)
9. Oregon (10-1)
10. UCLA (10-1)

Wrapping Up The Loose Ends

Thanksgiving weekend is upon us, and college football will share the spotlight all week with pro football showdowns. Rivalry week brought us many memorable moments, not the least of which being Joe Paterno capping off his Big Ten title with a win over Michigan State. Nittany Lion fans can start asking all the what if questions now as they were literally one second in Ann Arbor from an undefeated season. They did share the conference title with Ohio State, as the Buckeyes showed a lot of heart in coming back from a nine-point deficit in Michigan with seven minutes remaining. If it had not been for all the uncharacteristic Buckeye mistakes (which lost them games against national powers Texas and Penn State earlier this year), OSU would have made Michigan look bad. As it ended up, we had a classic closing weekend of Big Ten football.

Of course I do not want to lose sight of another couple games which made the weekend enjoyable. Reggie Bush forced USC past Fresno State in an exciting overnight shootout, while Auburn trampled all over Alabama. Georgia Tech ended any hope for Miami making the title game and probably knocked them out of the ACC title race as well. The Gator Bowl will be little consolation to the Hurricanes this season. One more rivalry game of note had Oregon stomping all over Oregon State, as the Ducks make one last claim at the final at-large BCS berth. The statements have been made, and the debate will rage on for a couple more weeks as college football wraps up the loose ends of this exciting season. Of course, there is still some football to preview for this weekend, so let's get into it now.

My first game of the week is Tuesday night's MAC battle between Toledo and Bowling Green. The crazy MAC race cleared up with four critical games last week, and this game is crucial to both team's hopes to make the MAC title game. Bowling Green would like nothing better than clinching a title game appearance against their hated rivals from half an hour up Interstate 75, while knocking Toledo out of the MAC race and probably out of a bowl game as well. Toledo had trouble defending Northern Illinois's rushing attack last weekend, and I think BGSU will run all over Toledo again this week. If Bowling Green gets an early lead, the Rockets will probably collapse, ending a disappointing November for Toledo. Falcons wins by 10 in this one.

A couple of southern ACC-SEC state bragging rights rivalries comprise the other two games of the week, the first being Georgia at Georgia Tech. All of a sudden after a trip to Miami, Georgia Tech ends Miami's ACC hopes and makes this game all the more interesting. This is just a tune-up for the SEC title game for Georgia, and the Bulldogs must not let the Yellow Jackets capitalize on mistakes like they did against Miami. Georgia is still recovering from their loss to Auburn, and I suspect they get back on top of things with a seven point win against their state rivals.

In some seasons, Florida and Florida State are playing for national title hopes at this point in the year. This year the Gators and the Seminoles bring identical records of 7-3 into this season-ending showdown, practically unacceptable for these two schools. Florida State has backed into the ACC title game, while Florida is also reeling from a loss to their old coach at South Carolina, which cost them the SEC title game. When faced with playing for just pride, Florida State has not come out swinging this season. The Swamp is no place to start slow, and I expect FSU to continue sliding in this one. Florida takes this battle by one, as I see it is too close to call!

Game of the Week Record to Date: 23-13 (3-0 last week)

Conference Race Breakdowns

ACC
Florida State has locked up the Atlantic and will probably now play Virginia Tech for the ACC title. If VT defeats North Carolina this week, the Hokies will win their division. If UNC wins this game and Miami defeats Virginia, then Miami will reclaim the division and play FSU.

Big XII
Texas has won the South and will play Colorado if the Buffaloes defeat Nebraska this weekend. If Colorado slips up, then Iowa State will go to play Texas assuming ISU wins against Kansas.

Big East
West Virginia's annual Backyard Brawl with Pittsburgh usually has title implications, but this year the game has no bearing at all on the conference race. Even if WVU loses to Pittsburgh, they can clinch the BCS berth with a win over South Florida next weekend. We must wait until next weekend to determine this title.

Big Ten
Conference play is over, and Penn State wins the BCS berth while sharing the title with Ohio State.

C-USA
UTEP seemed to have the division title wrapped up, but an upset loss at home against UAB puts them one loss away from losing the title. Should they lose at SMU this weekend, then Tulsa will play against Central Florida in the C-USA title game.

MAC
Both divisions are still up for grabs, but the race is clear now. Bowling Green can win the East with a win over Toledo or an Akron loss against Kent State. If Akron and Toledo win, then Akron goes to the MAC title game. In the Western division, Northern Illinois can win against Western Michigan to get into the title game. If Northern Illinois loses, then Toledo can get into the title game with a win over BGSU. If both lose, then Western Michigan will make the MAC title game.

MWC
TCU has won the conference by three games with their undefeated 8-0 conference record.

Pac-10
USC and UCLA will play for the conference title next weekend (which means we have the equivalent of seven conference title games next weekend), and they have an extra week to prepare for this battle with no conference games this weekend.

SEC
Georgia beat Kentucky this past weekend to clinch the East. LSU must defeat Arkansas at home this week to lock up a West title, as Auburn wins the West if LSU loses.

Sun Belt
Louisiana-Monroe can lock up the conference crown with a win against Louisiana-Lafayette this weekend. If Lafayette wins, then Arkansas State can win the conference title with a win at North Texas. If Lafayette and North Texas win, then Lafayette wins the conference title.

WAC
Fresno State will win the conference with a win against Nevada this weekend. If Nevada knocks off the Bulldogs, then a three-way split for the title is possible depending on how Fresno State and Boise State finish.

BCS Bowl Projections

Rose: USC v. Texas
Orange: Virginia Tech v. Penn State
Fiesta: Notre Dame v. Ohio State
Sugar: LSU v. West Virginia

The only change this week was replacing Miami with Virginia Tech as ACC champion. Miami and Alabama's losses have removed them from all BCS possibilities, leaving a race for the last at-large between Ohio State, Oregon, and Auburn, who have all finished their seasons. Although Oregon only lost to USC, and Auburn has been playing like a top-five team the past few weeks, I still think Ohio State is a more appealing matchup for Notre Dame, and the Buckeyes have good history with Tempe, winning two of the last three Fiesta Bowls. Let the debate begin this week and conclude in two weeks when the bowl matchups are set, but I highly doubt anybody will know for sure which of these three will take the berth. The only thing which could ruin this scenario is a loss by Texas or USC in their last games, thereby knocking out these three for the last at-large.

Fitzy's Top 10 - Week 13

1. Texas (10-0)
2. USC (11-0)
3. Penn State (10-1)
4. LSU (9-1)
5. Virginia Tech (10-1)
6. Ohio State (9-2)
7. Notre Dame (8-2)
8. Oregon (10-1)
9. Auburn (9-2)
10. UCLA (9-1)
Dropped Out: #3 Miami (8-2), #9 Alabama (9-2)

Rivalry Week - More Than Pride

This past week of college football was a great one as all the top SEC games turned into real classics, and the top six teams in that league are now pretty indistinguishable. This week brings us more rivalries than any other week of the season, but there is more riding on some of these games than usual. National title hopes may be lost, but conference races will conclude in the Pac-10 and Big Ten this week with a full slate of rivalries (except for the critical UCLA v. USC battle in December). There's lots to cover this week as I take on each conference and cover the race for its title, as well as my normal material, so let's jump in!

My first game of the week is Fresno State at USC. The Trojans have everything to lose, and the Bulldogs fear nothing and nobody. If Fresno State can keep it close like Notre Dame did, don't be surprised if there is a huge upset. USC has too many weapons however, and I do not expect the Bulldog defense to stop them. USC rolls to a 14 point win which is closer than it looks but good enough to keep USC at the top going into the UCLA game.

The Iron Bowl is certainly one of the best five rivalries in college football. This year Auburn and Alabama have lost to LSU, and this game is an elimination game in the conference race. Even the winner of this game still needs an unlikely LSU slip-up to make the SEC title game, but Alabama could be playing for the BCS after dropping from the national title picture last weekend. Auburn has shown a lot of heart in losses to LSU in overtime and last week against Georgia, so I would expect no different at home against their hated Crimson Tide rival. I'll take Auburn by 3 in OT!

Finally, we have one of the best rivalries in college football and perhaps all of sports: Ohio State at Michigan. Lloyd Carr has done well against the Buckeyes, but not in the past four years as Jim Tressel holds a 3-1 lead since 2001. Both teams looked very shaky at 3-3 and 3-2 early on, but both have won every game since then in pretty convincing fashion. Of course the Buckeyes are probably playing for a BCS at-large berth, but the team with more to lose has traditionally lost in this series. For the first time in recent memory, the Buckeyes come into Ann Arbor and look like they should roll over their rivals. This game will reveal the true character of both of these teams, and I expect Ohio State's offense to carry the team in an unexpected twist of fate. I'll take OSU by 17 in the game of the week.

Top 3 Games of the Week Record to Date: 20-13 (2-1 last week)

Conference Race Breakdown

ACC
Florida State has wrapped up the Atlantic division and has the week off to prepare for the Gators and their eventual ACC title game. The Coastal division is still up for grabs between Miami, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and Virginia. Virginia grabbed bowl eligibility against Georgia Tech last week, but the waters only get rougher as they take on Virginia Tech this week and Miami next week. Miami hosts Georgia Tech this week and could lock up the division with a win and a Virginia Tech loss. Virginia Tech needs Miami to lose this weekend or next weekend against North Carolina while winning out to win the division. It looks like Miami vs. Florida State for the title, but the games remaining will be tough.

Big XII
Only seven games remain over the next two weeks, and this conference is much like the ACC. In this case, the South division title has already been wrapped up by Texas, while Oklahoma and Texas Tech play for second place in the South this weekend. Missouri and Iowa State are a game behind Colorado in the North, and each team has one more game to play. Iowa State has the overall record tiebreaker if Colorado loses to Nebraska next weekend, but Colorado has the division in their hands.

Big East
West Virginia and South Florida control their own destiny, as they play each other on the last weekend of the season for the BCS berth in all likelihood. WVU has tough tests against the Bulls and Pittsburgh remaining, but the Mountaineers look like a good bet for the BCS at this point.

Big Ten
Penn State holds their own destiny with a trip to Michigan State remaining on the schedule. Win that game and they win the BCS berth, likely earning a trip to the Orange Bowl, if not the Rose Bowl with some upsets of teams in front of them. If Penn State loses, the winner of Michigan and Ohio State will go to the BCS as conference champion.

Conference USA
In the East division, Central Florida is one win over Rice away from a division title and a great turnaround from a 17-game losing streak which ended early this season. If they slip up unexpectedly, Southern Miss can take the division with wins over Memphis and Tulane in the next two weeks as they beat the Golden Knights head-to-head a few weeks ago. The West division is UTEP's to lose as they have a one-game lead and hold the tiebreaker with SMU and UAB remaining on the schedule. Tulsa is not mathematically eliminated, but they need to win their final game and hope UTEP loses twice to make the first ever CUSA title game.

MAC
This conference will have games on TV most nights over the next two weeks, and the drama is high as the races in both divisions are close. Bowling Green and Miami hold a one game lead on Akron and Ohio in the East, but the schedule is open for anyone to win the division. Miami still has Bowling Green and Ohio to play while BGSU plays Toledo as well. Ohio plays Akron this week in an elimination game. Here's what needs to happen for each team to win the division since it is complicated:

Bowling Green: defeat Miami and Toledo
Miami: defeat Bowling Green and Ohio (or defeat BGSU and have Akron defeat Ohio)
Ohio: defeat Akron and Miami AND have BGSU lose to Miami and Toledo
Akron: defeat Ohio and Kent State AND have Miami lose to BGSU and Ohio

Well if any of that makes sense, then here comes the West. Toledo holds a one game advantage over Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, but the Rockets still have tough games against NIU and BGSU left. Northern Illinois holds their own destiny as they play Western Michigan as well next week. Who knows which two of these seven teams will play in the MAC title game, but there should be plenty of drama in the remaining couple of weeks.

Mountain West
TCU has finished conference play and will sit around contemplating what might have been had they not lost to SMU after the big Oklahoma win.

Pac-10
USC only needs to defeat UCLA in three weeks to lock up the conference title and a BCS berth. If UCLA wins and Oregon defeats Oregon State, then a three-way title will cause UCLA to get the automatic berth into the BCS while Oregon gets left out in the cold. Oregon is still hoping for the at-large BCS berth.

SEC
In the East, Georgia can lock up the division title with a win over Kentucky this week. If they collapse against the Wildcats, then South Carolina and Florida would split the title with them, and Spurrier's Gamecocks would go to the SEC title game. In the West, LSU must defeat Mississippi and Arkansas to make the title game, while the winner of the Iron Bowl will be winning the West if the Tigers slip up.

Sun Belt
Louisiana-Monroe is 4-1 in conference play, while Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette are 4-2 going into the final two weeks of conference play. ULM can win the division if they defeat North Texas and ULL. Arkansas State also plays against North Texas and will hope for Monroe to lose twice for them to win the conference title.

WAC
Fresno State holds a 6-0 record after knocking Boise State into a 5-1 tie with Nevada and Louisiana Tech, but FSU still has Nevada and LA Tech left on their schedule after USC this week. Boise State hosts Idaho this week and then has to travel to Louisiana Tech in a conference elimination game next weekend. Nevada has a quick test against Utah State before FSU. Louisiana Tech holds their own destiny against FSU and BSU, so an interesting couple of weeks in this conference race as well.

BCS Bowl Projections

Rose: USC v. Texas
Orange: Miami v. Penn State
Fiesta: Notre Dame v. Ohio State
Sugar: LSU v. West Virginia

Only change from last week was replacing Virginia Tech with Ohio State. The Buckeyes look better than all their one-loss competitors (Alabama, Virginia Tech, and Oregon), and a win in Ann Arbor should help lock up a BCS at-large assuming no upsets of Texas or USC in the late weeks. Of course an Auburn win over Alabama would also make the Buckeyes more comfortable, but this debate will rage on as the final weeks of the season wind down.

Fitzy's Top 10 - Week 12

1. USC (10-0)
2. Texas (10-0)
3. Miami (8-1)
4. Penn State (9-1)
5. LSU (8-1)
6. Ohio State (8-2)
7. Notre Dame (7-2)
8. Virginia Tech (9-1)
9. Oregon (9-1)
10. Alabama (9-1)
Dropped Out: #9 Georgia (7-2)

BCS Picture Clearing Up

Another great week of conference play has passed us by, and this week cleared up the BCS bowl picture quite a bit. Virginia Tech and UCLA were forcibly removed from the national title race this week, and Alabama remains as the only undefeated on the outside looking in at Texas and USC. I think Miami is a better team than Alabama, but the Tide will certainly have a chance to prove me wrong with upcoming games against LSU and Auburn (and Georgia if both make it to the SEC title game). Texas and USC should continue their coast to the Rose Bowl with no huge bumps left in the road. The better question is how the other BCS bowls will shake out and what teams have a big bowl in their future.

The Pac-10 and Big XII champions will probably be in the Rose Bowl, so the Fiesta Bowl will get to have the first selection to replace Texas, who would normally be tied into Tempe, then the Orange Bowl, and then the Sugar Bowl. The SEC champion (either Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, or LSU) will make the Sugar Bowl, and the ACC champion (Florida State, Miami, or Virginia Tech) will make the Orange Bowl. There are four other spots remaining, one to be filled by the Big Ten champion (Penn State or Ohio State) and another to be filled by the Big East champion (West Virginia or South Florida). For the at-large teams, any team with nine wins who is in the final BCS top twelve is available for selection, while any team in the top four who is not a conference champion must be selected. Now with all that being said, how do I see the bowls at this point?

As mentioned previously, the Rose Bowl should pair USC and Texas. The Fiesta Bowl will probably snap up Notre Dame with the first at-large pick. I think Miami will win the ACC and end up in the Orange Bowl, and the Sugar Bowl will take LSU as the SEC champion. This leaves Penn State, West Virginia, and an at-large remaining, which could be Alabama, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Oregon, or Texas Tech. The Orange Bowl gets preference, and I think they will pair Penn State against Miami. Then the Fiesta Bowl will probably pair Virginia Tech against Notre Dame, which leaves the Sugar with LSU and West Virginia. I will try and update these bowl projections every week after my top ten, and it will be interesting to see how close I get now that the conference races are almost over. The at-large selections will be quite a fight between the SEC's second best team (which I project to be Alabama), Virginia Tech, Ohio State, and Notre Dame.

This week offers a few good games, and the best game of the week will probably be the SEC West showdown between LSU at Alabama. The Tigers have recovered from a shaky start to their season to beat quality teams like Florida and Auburn at home. This is LSU's final test, and the Tigers would have the inside track to the SEC title game if they win at Tuscaloosa. Alabama's offense has left a lot to be desired this week, and I do not know if their defense will be able to carry them through this game. The Tigers are playing better and must take the Tuscaloosa crowd out of the game early if they hope to win. I'll take LSU by ten in this one, removing one more undefeated from the national title race.

Another SEC showdown brings us our second game of the week when Auburn visits Georgia. Auburn cannot afford a loss if they want to stay in the SEC title picture, but Georgia is in the same boat with Florida breathing down their neck. Georgia has had two weeks to think about their loss in Jacksonville, and with D.J. Shockley back, I suspect the Dawgs are ready for a big win. You can never count Auburn out though, as the Tigers are still fighting for the outside chance at a BCS berth and have played well in pressure situations this season. I still think Georgia has had plenty of time to heal up and will be hungry for victory. Georgia by 17.

There are a few options for the third game of the week (including Florida vs. Steve Spurrier's South Carolina team and USC at California), but I have selected Northwestern at Ohio State as my third game of the week. Ohio State has found an offense after their loss to Penn State, and they have lived up to expectations by taking care of their business against weaker Big Ten foes in the past four weeks. Northwestern split a tough two weeks at home by losing to Michigan and creating a miracle comeback to defeat Iowa last week. Northwestern can still get a part of the Big Ten title with a win in Columbus and a little help from Michigan State against Penn State next weekend, so they have more to play for than just bowl position. You can never count out Northwestern; all their games have been crazy this season, which makes this an interesting battle. Oh, and don't forget Northwestern won in OT last season. But this is a much better Buckeye team. Ohio State keeps on trucking to Ann Arbor with a 20-point win this week.

Top 3 Games of the Week record to date: 18-12 (3-0 last week)

Conference Breakdowns

ACC
Florida State has nothing to play for against Clemson this week as they already are in the ACC title game, but don't expect FSU to give up a second loss in a row with Florida and Miami still looming in the next couple weeks. NC State can score a second straight huge road win against Boston College this week, and the Wolfpack needs to win if they wish to play in a bowl this season. Georgia Tech at Virginia is also important for conference and bowl positioning, despite both teams being out of the Coastal division race.

Big XII
Colorado has one final test in going to Ames to face Iowa State this week, but the Buffaloes should take care of business and make the title game to face Texas again in December. Texas A&M has their last legitimate chance to become bowl eligible against Oklahoma this week, as Texas in two weeks is not likely to give them win number six either. Texas Tech and Texas should continue to roll as they position themselves for the bowl season.

Big East
West Virginia travels to Cincinnati for a mid-week clash, and I don't expect the Mountaineers to hiccup in their last easy Big East game of the season (Pittsburgh and USF remain on the schedule). Pittsburgh at 4-5 must not slip up against Connecticut if they wish to have a chance at being bowl eligible if they beat WVU in the Backyard Brawl. Louisville has an interesting matchup against Rutgers, as both teams are bowl eligible and already have two losses in conference play.

Big Ten
All of a sudden, Iowa chokes on their Wildcat meal last week, and now they need a win at Wisconsin or against Minnesota to salvage bowl eligibility. I expect the shootout in Camp Randall this week to be a tough way to get win number six, so we may have to wait another week to see if the Hawkeyes will be bowling. Michigan State is the other team needing one more win for bowl eligibility, and this week's matchup at Minnesota could be a good one with all that as well as conference position on the line. Assuming the Buckeyes take care of business this week, the conference race will come down to an exciting couple of games next weekend.

MAC
The past two weeks have turned this conference race upside down, and I had the pleasure of seeing Toledo in person this past week as they picked apart Ohio in Peden Stadium. Toledo and Ohio, as well as four others, have the weekend off as they prepare to have mid-week showdowns next week. Central Michigan travels to Western Michigan trying to hold onto second place in the West after losing to Northern Illinois last weekend. Next week's games will really set the stage for who will be playing in the MAC title game, and this week is just preparation.

SEC
We've already mentioned the two huge games, and Florida at South Carolina is huge as well. Vanderbilt and Tennessee could set up a huge rivalry game with bowl eligibility on the line next weekend if they both take care of business against Kentucky and Memphis, respectively. Most eyes will be on this conference this week for good reason as this week is the final shakeout before the SEC title game is determined.

Fitzy's BCS Projections - Week 11
ROSE: USC v. Texas
ORANGE: Miami v. Penn State
FIESTA: Notre Dame v. Virginia Tech
SUGAR: LSU v. West Virginia

Fitzy's Top 10 - Week 11
1. USC (9-0)
2. Texas (9-0)
3. Miami (7-1)
4. Alabama (9-0)
5. LSU (7-1)
6. Penn State (9-1)
7. Ohio State (7-2)
8. Notre Dame (6-2)
9. Georgia (7-1)
10. Virginia Tech (8-1)
Dropped Out: #6 UCLA (8-1), #8 Florida State (7-2)