February 7, 2010
Hey, I won one of these finally. I was the only one to pick the Saints over the Vikings in the NFC Championship. That was enough to give me the one game edge over Ahad.
| Mike 7-4 |
| Ahad 6-5 |
| Matt 5-6 |
| Evan 3-6 |
Note: Evan didn’t make picks for the Sunday games in the Divisional Round.
February 5, 2010
Ahad: Let’s keep things simple once again. I went against the Saints in the conference championship game and I am going to do it again. The Colts are the better overall team. Pick: Colts
Matt: The Colts haven’t lost a game all season when they were playing to win the game. And they have Peyton Manning. They just have to avoid the turnovers that cost the Vikings their game against the Saints, because they will certainly be able to move the ball on the Saints defense. You can move the ball on the Colts D, too, but they are an underrated bunch. An unhealthy Freeney will certainly hurt the Colts pass rush. They can’t let Brees sit back there and pick them apart. I think it will come down to which QB plays the best. Brees is good, but he is no Peyton. Pick: Colts
Evan: I am really rooting for the Saints. I also think they are equally good on offense, but the Colts obviously have a better D. Defense wins championships. Pick: Colts, in a close one.
Mike: I’m right there with Matt. It comes down to the QBs and you can’t help but think that Peyton will come up where he needs to. The Saints may have the better receivers and backs, but the Colts have Peyton. I feel like I should be rooting for the Saints. The Colts just won not too long ago and the Saints have never been. Plus, it’s New Orleans. It’s going to be one of those games where once I start watching I will lean toward one team or the other. I have a feeling that team will be the Colts. Pick: Colts
January 23, 2010
Jets @ Colts, Sunday 3pm
Ahad: The Jets luck finally runs out. At some point Sanchez is going to make mistakes that will hurt his team. If the Colts defense plays as well as they did last week, they should have no problem beating the Jets. Pick: Colts
Mike: I’ve been proven wrong two weeks in a row with the Jets. In usual circumstances, I’d finally jump on over onto the bandwagon. This is no usual circumstance. Peyton is involved. Pick: Colts
Matt: How interesting is it that the AFC representative will be one of these two teams? The Jets beat the Colts in Week 16, but the Colts pulled their starters in the 3rd quarter. This should be a good chess match between two teams that are polar opposites in philosophy. The Jets are old-school: play tough defense and have a good running game. The Colts are built for speed and passing the ball. I really want to see the Manning versus Revis matchup. Will Manning throw his way? It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the Jets win this game, but I can’t see Manning losing. Pick: Colts
Evan: I had a text message draft all set to go last week picking the Jets and the Saint, but never sent it to Janke, so I guess I don’t get credit for picking that upset. I’m going to stick with the upset bandwagon though. Pick: Jets
Vikings @ Saints, Sunday 6:30pm
Ahad: I am going to keep it simple. This game will be decided by the defenses and the Vikings have the better defense. Pick: Vikings
Mike: The Vikings sure looked good last week. At least that is the impression I got from the final score. I’ve been with the Saints all year so I’m going to ride. One thought: Saints/Colts I don’t have a favorite, it’s fairly even. Vikings/Colts and I’ll be sporting a Peyton jersey. Mike: Saints
Matt: Do you even have a Manning jersey, Mike? I am with Ahad, I think the Vikings do have the better defense, but they haven’t always played as well on the road and they are hurt somewhat along their D-Line. The Saints will need to be able to run the ball. They are undefeated this season when running for more than 130 yards and 5-3 when running for less. It will be hard to do against the Vikings. Favre will have to avoid the killer mistakes he has made in the past, which he has not done much of this year. You can run on the Saints, so I think Adrian Peterson will be the key in this game. I expect a big game from him. Last team to have the ball wins? I am thinking so. I’ll be rooting for the Saints, but I think the Vikings will take it. Pick: Vikings
Evan: I’m very nervous about the prospect of Percy Harvin not playing. He is my favorite part of the Vikes. I’m hoping that this game will live up to the billing of a high scoring affair. In the end, I’m going with the old man and the better defense. Pick: Vikings
January 16, 2010
Cardinals @ Saints, Saturday 4:30pm
Mike: The Cards D struggled against the Packers. Have you heard about the Saints? Pick: Saints
Matt: Be prepared for another shootout. The Saints have not played well in a month and a half while the Cards ramped it up last week. Well, on offense anyways. Defense will again be optional this week. Turnovers will be key because I don’t see either defense stopping the offenses on a regular basis. The Superdome will be loud, but the Cards were good on the road this year. I’ll go with the playoff tested Cards. Pick: Cardinals
Ahad: I don’t think the Cards will be able to rise up again on a short week. Pick: Saints
Evan: Saints
Ravens @ Colts, Saturday 8:15pm
Mike: Two things: I don’t want to put too much in to that dominate Ravens game and I’m a little worried with how the Colts screwed up their resting of starters (I don’t have a problem with resting them, but usually they want to). i think those points level out the past few weeks. In that case, I have to trust in Peyton. Pick: Colts
Matt: You sure hope resting the starters and tanking down the stretch won’t hurt the Colts in this game. The Ravens only lost by two earlier in the season when playing in Indy. They were driving to win the game towards the end but Flacco threw an interception. They settled for too many FG’s in that game, and that certainly cannot happen this week. The Ravens will pose a problem with their run game, but I think Flacco will have to outduel Manning. I don’t see it happening. Like Mike said, trust in Peyton. Pick: Colts
Ahad: The Colts won’t spoon feed points to the Ravens with turnovers like the Pats did last week. This should be a close game, but in the end Manning will come through. Pick: Colts
Evan: Ravens
Cowboys @ Vikings, Sunday 1pm
Mike: You know who could really benefit from a week off? Farve. He got one last week. The whole Vikings team seemed to limp down the stretch. Coin flip. AP. Pick: Vikings
Matt: Much like Sports Guy’s Cousin Sal (who is a Cowboys fan) said, “Can I pay anyone to pick the Vikings in this game?” Mostly everyone out there is on the Cowboys bandwagon, and that makes me nervous. Granted, they are playing very well in all phases of the game. The Vikings had a Cowboy-like December and weren’t playing well on either side of the ball until they demolished the Giants to finish the season. This should be a tight game into the 4th quarter, so it will be up to which QB makes the big plays in the end. I think Romo outplays Favre, barely. Pick: Cowboys
Ahad: The Cowboys are a scary team right now. Look for the Vikings to try and establish the run to try and slow down the pass rush. If Ware and Spencer just tee off on rushing the qb, the Vikings will be in trouble. I think AP will be difference. Pick: Vikings
Jets @ Chargers, Sunday 4:40pm
Mike: Where last weekend we had 3 awful games and ended up with a classic, this week we could have 3 tight games followed by a clunker. The Jets need the same performance out of Sanchez. I don’t expect them to get it, but I didn’t expect it last week either. Pick: Chargers
Matt: I could easily see all of the road teams winning this week, but most people think this game is where it is least likely to happen. The Jets match up well with the Chargers actually. The Jets run the ball well, but the Chargers have had trouble stopping it. The Jets were #1 on defense, but they were vulnerable against the run, especially last week. Fortunately for them, the Chargers were one of the worst at running the ball, even with LT and Sproles. I think this will be another close game, but I think Sanchez will end up making the rookie mistakes he didn’t make last week. Rivers will have to be smart with the ball, especially with Revis locking up on Vincent Jackson. I think he gets the job done. Chargers win on a late FG. Pick: Chargers
Ahad: The Jets had their moment in the sun last week. The Chargers are the better team and will have no problem in this one. Pick: Chargers
Last Week
Matt 3-1
Everyone Else 2-2
January 9, 2010
Jets @ Bengals, Saturday 4:30pm
Ahad: The Bengals might as well have stayed home last week instead of going to New Jersey. They had nothing to gain in the game and pretty much gave it to the Jets to setup a rematch. The weather isn’t supposed to be good for this one, so look for the defenses and running games to dominate. The Jets defense is nasty and Revis is capable of shutting down any receiver one on one, but for some reason my gut feeling that you don’t win with rookie quarterbacks in the playoffs. At some point, Sanchez will have to make a play and will come up small. Pick: Bengals
Mike: Ahad mentioned my key point, but did it last. Sanchez is at QB. Pick: Bengals
Matt: Take 2. The Jets dominated last week but the Bengals didn’t really show up as they had nothing to play for really. The Bengals have lost 4 of their last 7 while the Jets come in winning 5 of their last 6. Both teams concern me on offense, but both defenses have been pretty stout throughout the season. With Ahad mentioning bad weather for this game, the team that can run the ball and play the best defense will win the game. Despite Sanchez’s inexperience, I am liking the Jets. The Bengals just don’t impress me all that much. Pick: Jets
Evan: The problem with the Bengals strategy last week is that it creates this culture of losing, that is not something you can just turn on and off. I think the Jets hear everyone saying how they are going to lose just because the Bengals actually want to win this week. I think the Jets running game wins this. Pick: Jets
Eagles @ Cowboys, Saturday 8pm
Ahad: Any momentum the Eagles had from their winning streak was crushed last week. The Cowboys dominated the game. The loss of Jackson at center was huge for the Eagles. The Eagles played poorly in all facets of the game and that is a huge reason for concern. There are a lot of problems that need to be fixed. I just don’t know how a team can fix all of those in a week. For the Eagles to win, they will have to be able to get lots of pressure on Romo and force him into turning the ball over. I just don’t know if that is going to happen. In 2 games this season against the Cowboys, the Eagles defense has not been able to get pressure. One would expect to see more blitzes, but quick hitting running plays can neutralize that. If the Eagles lose this game it might be the end of the McNabb era. The best scenario for the Eagles would be to get an early lead and then let the Cowboys beat themselves because of the pressure of not having won a playoff game since 1996. My head is telling me that Eagles cannot get things together in a week. Pick: Cowboys (Let’s make it clear that I am rooting for the Eagles).
Mike: Need to get Ahad talking? Bring up the Eagles. The hope is that they got a little behind and just gave up mentally. Right off the bat for the game last week I quickly was reminded that this Eagles D does not match up well with the Cowboys. The Eagles LBs are just weak against good TEs and it’s a concern when the RB gets to that second level. What surprised me last week was how much the Cowboys WRs got involved. The Eagles are still a good team overall and even terrible Eagles teams stood up to those Super Bowl winning Cowboys teams. I am going with Ahad’s thinking with the pick. Pick: Cowboys
Matt: Take 3. I am extremely nervous for this game. The fact that both of you picked the Cowboys makes even more nervous. All I know is that beating a team 3 times in one season is a tall task, even though history says otherwise. The game will be much more competitive than last week, so the Cowboys should be ready for the Eagles best shot. Obviously, there is the pressure of winning a playoff game for the Cowboys, but this team seems up to the task. I think it was clear this season, and particularly last week, that the Cowboys are a better team than the Eagles, and the Eagles just don’t match up well. The Cowboys just need to match the Eagles intensity and execute on both sides of the ball, and they should come out on top. Pick: Cowboys
Evan: Wow, somebody needs to pick the Eagles. I will fall on the sword: Pick: Eagles
Ravens @ Patriots, Sunday 1pm
Ahad: The Welker injury is huge. He is more important to that offense than Moss. This Patriots team is no where near as good as the ones from previous years. With that being said, they should be able to get by the Ravens who have struggled on offense. The only way the Ravens win is if Ray Rice goes crazy. Despite the Welker injury, the Pats survive this week. Pick: Pats
Mike: Brady back in the playoffs, it will be just like old times. Pick: Patriots
Matt: Take 2. The Ravens felt that they got robbed by the officials in the earlier matchup with the Patriots, so they are back for revenge. The injury to Welker is big as Ahad said, but apparently, Randy Moss has been hobbling around this week, too. It would seriously limit the Patriots passing game if he was less than 100 percent plus no Welker. I think the Ravens are the type of team that could pull off the upset here, but the Patriots and Tom Brady have been so tough at home. Ray Rice will get his yards, but Flacco will have to make a few plays in the passing game. I think the Ravens D will make a big play that will turn the game in their favor. Pick: Ravens
Evan: Pats will be firing on all cylinders. Flacco isn’t ready yet. Pick: Pats
Packers @ Cards, Sunday 4:40pm
Ahad: This Cardinals team is dangerous, especially at home. Warner is a proven playoff quarterback who will find a way to win this game. Green Bay has done nothing to impress me and I don’t like Rodgers. Pick: Cards
Mike: The Packers are going to get me but the Cards proved it last year and Warner has proved it plenty. Pick: Cardinals
Matt: Take 3 (they played in the preseason). Green Bay is a dangerous team, too. I think this may be the best game of the weekend. I think that Warner and Fitzgerald must play lights out to have a chance in this game. The Packers enter the postseason as possibly the 2nd hottest team in the league. They are clicking on all cylinders right now and are well balanced. The Cardinals have the experience from the playoffs last season, but I am having a hard time seeing them winning this game. The Packers take it and remain a darkhorse for the Super Bowl. Pick: Packers
Evan: I like Warner one more time, but this is it. Pick: Cardinals
January 4, 2010
TCU vs Boise St, Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (Jan 4, 8pm, Glendale, AZ)
Mike: The Secondary Bowl. Two teams playing their hearts out in a game that should matter, but it doesn’t. I actually know little about these teams. It’s TCU’s turn to be the mid-major that could (if only they had the chance). Pick: TCU
Ahad: This game doesn’t matter? That’s kind of rough. Boise has had their time in the spotlight. I like TCU in this matchup. Pick: TCU
Matt: I think this game does matter. It is just unfortunate that these teams didn’t get to play a team from a power conference or gain a spot in the Championship Game. Boise State has some nice memories from playing in the Fiesta Bowl a few years back, but like Mike said, it is TCU’s turn. I think they are the better team overall and will show it on the field. Pick: TCU
Evan: This game matters a lot. Here’s why – if this is a good, well-played game, the winning team is setting themselves to be pre-season top 5. Whether or not it is TCU or Boise, if either one of them start the year in the top 5 and duplicate the season they had this year, it will be difficult to keep them out of the championship game. Pick: Boise St
Georgia Tech vs Iowa, FedEx Orange Bowl (Jan 5, 8pm, Miami, FL)
Mike: I say that any matchup between GT and a decent team is going to be interesting. It’s hard to say how a team will handle the GT O. Iowa has a strong disciplined defense that could shut them down. The issue, as is usual for Iowa, is how will they score enough points to win. Pick: Georgia Tech
Ahad: The G-Tech offense will be tough for Iowa to stop. Iowa does have a talented defense that will have had plenty of time to prepare for the option attack. I just don’t think the Iowa offense will be able to keep up. Pick: G-Tech
Matt: This is just such an odd matchup that it is hard to predict. Iowa mostly overachieved this year but was able to make the big plays in the 4th quarter that turned the games in their favor. The thing that concerns me is the Georgia Tech defense. They didn’t always play that well throughout the season, so I think Iowa should be able to move the ball. I think the Iowa D will be able to keep the Tech option attack somewhat in check. If Iowa can consistently move the ball and put up points, I like them in this game. I just don’t see it happening. Pick: Georgia Tech
Evan: Iowa fans will turn Dolphin’s stadium into a field of dreams, it’s gonna be awesome baby! Pick: Iowa
Central Michigan vs Troy, GMAC Bowl (Jan 6, 7pm, Mobile, AL)
Mike: The most ridiculous bowl. Are they hoping someone confuses it for a BCS Bowl? Both teams went undefeated in conference. CMU held up better out of conference. Plus, Dan LeFevour wants you to know his name. Pick: Central Michigan
Ahad: Despite my dislike for directional schools, I will have to go with Central Michigan. Pick: Central Michigan
Matt: There needs to be some serious re-arranging of when bowl games are played next year. They should be played in order of importance or established tradition. This one needs to be pushed back to December. Onto the game, these teams had one common opponent this season: Bowling Green. Troy lost. Central Michigan won. That’s enough for me. Pick: Central Michigan
Evan: Chippewas all the way.
Alabama vs Texas, BCS Championship (Jan 7, 8pm, Pasadena, CA)
Mike: I don’t have much to say about this game. I’m unsure how much I will even watch. Bama Rolls in a fashion similar to a Tide. Pick: Alabama
Ahad: Texas has the better offense and Bama will be fighting the Heisman curse. Pick: Texas
Matt: Texas barely made it into this game, so they will be out to show they belong in it. Alabama has been the best team all season, and I don’t really see anything changing here. Pick: Alabama
Evan: Heisman curse, shmeisman curse. SEC wins its 4th straight BCS title. Pick: Bama
January 3, 2010
Giants @ Vikings, Sunday 1pm
Ahad: The Vikings are leaking oil. They can finish anywhere from 2nd to 4th in the conference. The Giants have nothing to play for and I believe Jacobs is not playing. Look for the Vikings to try and get things in the right direction for the playoffs and pull this one out. Pick: Vikings
Matt: What a disappointing season for the Giants. They just fell apart defensively. The Vikings need to get back on the winning track heading into the playoffs. The Giants will play hard but I think the Vikings will get the win. Pick: Vikings
Mike: The Viks may be falling apart, but at least they aren’t the Giants. I think that Panthers loss ended the year for the Giants. Pick: Vikings
Evan: Vikings are better and have motivation X2 = seeding, and the fact they have played like shite for the past month. Pick: Vikings
Steelers @ Dolphins, Sunday 1pm
Ahad: The Steelers will keep their faint playoff hopes alive. Pick: Steelers
Matt: These two teams need a win and some help to make the playoffs. The Steelers have a better chance to get in if they get the win. The Dolphins are going in the opposite direction right now losing two in a row. I say both teams trends continue. Pick: Steelers
Mike: I’ve been with the Steelers for a few weeks now. They’ll probably come up a bit short for the playoffs, but miracles happen, look at last year for the Eagles. Pick: Steelers
Evan: I agree, pick: Steelers
Packers @ Cardinals, Sunday 4:15pm
Ahad: Cards are playing for a shot at the 2 seed. I believe they can match up again next week in the first round of the playoffs. Either way, the Cards at home are tough to beat. Pick: Cards
Matt: These teams could play again next week, so it will be hard to pick based on who plays and just how much of their typical game plans they will show. I think both will play all out, though. I give Green Bay the slight edge. Pick: Packers
Mike: I’ve not been feeling the Packers this year and the Cards might just be getting hot again heading to the playoffs. Pick: Cardinals
Evan: This is a toss up for me. Do they both fight for the three seed, or take it easy and settle for the 4? I never thought I would say this – but I think the Cardinals experience beats the Pack. Pick: Arizona
Eagles @ Cowboys, Sunday 4:15pm
Ahad: The NFC East comes down to this and possibly the two seed in the NFC. The Eagles suffered a huge loss last week when Jackson went down with a torn ACL. He has been the anchor on the o-line all season. Cole is an adequate replacement, but the guards replacing Cole (Jean-Gilles and possibly Stacy Andrews) are definite downgrades. The Cowboys will look to take DeSean out of this game by taking away the deep ball and the possibility of the big play. They will have to get the ball into Celek and the running backs in the middle of field to open things up. The Cowboys defense has played well lately and will look to exploit the changes on the Eagles offensive line. This will be a close game that will probably be decided by turnovers. In that respect, the Eagles have had a lot more success than the Cowboys. Look for that trend to continue. Pick: Eagles
Matt: Nice write-up, Ahad. Should be another good one between these two. The Eagles just have to win to get the #2 seed. The Cowboys can get it with a win and some help. I almost prefer for Dallas to go on the road in the playoffs. They haven’t always been as dominant at home, but they do seem to get the job done on the road. I figured you 3 guys would probably end up going with the Eagles, so I will stick with my team. Pick: Cowboys
Mike: Ahad seems to be on top of things. At least Westbrook is back. McNabb just needs to keep his accuracy and not look like he did in the 2nd half last week. Matt knows us well enough. Pick: Eagles
Evan: I have to go back to picking the other team so as not to jinx the birds. I believe this has worked three weeks in a row. Pick: Cowboys
Bengals @ Jets, Sunday 8:20pm
Ahad: These teams could end up playing each other next also. The Jets are still fighting to get into the playoffs and need this victory a lot more than the Bengals do. For those reasons, the Bengals might keep things vanilla this week and rest some of their key players. Pick: Jets
Matt: The Jets just need to win to make the playoffs. That is kind of amazing to think about considering how inconsistent they were this year, mainly on the offensive side of the ball. They do a lot of things well that could give them the edge in a playoff game like play stout defense and run the ball well. The Bengals would like to get the #3 seed so they will be playing their main guys. It should be a low scoring game between two good defenses, but I like the Jets to come out on top. Pick: Jets
Mike: I’m confused how the Jets are in the hunt. I think they’ve just hit a lot of teams at the right time. That may be happening again with the Bengals. I just think the playoffs will be weakened by the Jets presence. Pick: Bengals
Evan: Bengals will run the 4 different plays all game. Pick: Jets
January 1, 2010
South Florida vs Northern Illinois, International Bowl (Jan 2, 12pm, Toronto)
Mike: Congrats guys, great season, you’re headed to Toronto for New Years. NIU is rolling into this bowl with two straight losses. Although they were on the road to the teams that made the MAC Championship Game. USF had nice wins against FSU and WVU and lost games you can’t really fault them for. Except for that 31-0 Rutgers loss, which still makes no sense to me. Still, the Big East is a much better conference. Pick: South Florida
Ahad: This has to be one of the worst bowl game locations. If you were in Florida, why would you want to go to Toronto? Despite that, I like South Florida in this matchup. A conference has to be pretty bad if you say it is worse than the Big East. Pick: South Florida
Evan: I’ve liked USF all year. Pick: Bulls
Matt: To me, it’s simple. South Florida played much tougher competition and played in a tougher conference than Northern Illinois. Of course, when I have stated this argument in previous bowl picks, it came back to bite me. I don’t think it will happen here. South Florida rolls. Pick: South Florida
Connecticut vs South Carolina, Papajohns.com Bowl (Jan 2, 2pm, Birmingham, AL)
Mike: Why the .com? What a rough season for UConn. Their biggest loss was by 4. 4! That happened against WVU and Rutgers. It’s surprising how close UConn came to being Cincy this year. South Carolina has the misfortune of playing in the SEC. The losses look like they were to good teams but they only played 2 ranked teams (Bama and UF) and obviously lost to them. I think this will be tight but I like UConn’s heart this year. Pick: Connecticut
Ahad: No love again for the SEC. (Just trying to get a reaction out of Evan.) Pick: UConn
Evan: Ahad, I have one question for you – do you respect wood? I’m pretty sure Spurrier has lost interest in football completely. I think this is a case where UConn outplays SC, but that does not show on the scoreboard. Pick: SC
Matt: UConn played every one tough all year but constantly came up on the short end of the score. I would love to see them get the win here. I just don’t think they will. Pick: South Carolina
Oklahoma State vs Mississippi, AT&T Cotton Bowl (Jan 2, 2pm, Dallas, TX)
Mike: I haven’t a clue here but Ok State didn’t have to do much to get their 9 wins in the Big 12. One ranked team on their entire schedule. Ole Miss at least beat LSU. I still haven’t a clue on this game. Pick: Mississippi
Ahad: Practically a home game for the Cowboys. Pick: OK State
Evan: What do you think? Ole Miss
Matt: Let’s see, Ole Miss came in an underdog last season in this bowl game when they played Texas Tech and ended up winning. They are a slight favorite this time around. If Snead can keep his turnovers limited, I like Ole Miss’ chances. OK State has not been the same without Dez Bryant. Pick: Ole Miss
East Carolina vs Arkansas, AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Jan 2, 5:30pm, Memphis, TN)
Mike: Right away this game doesn’t look to be at all interesting. Does anyone know anything about East Carolina since their hot start in 2008? This could be one of those cases where the lesser known team is pumped and shocks everyone. Could be. Pick: Arkansas
Ahad: Good thing Mallett left Michigan. Pick: Arkansas
Evan: I like Skip Holtz. Pick: Arkansas
Matt: I liked this Arkansas team this year. They played well, although it wasn’t exactly reflected in their record. East Carolina only had one real quality win this year, and that was against Houston in the finale. I think East Carolina keeps this one close into the 4th quarter, but Arkansas pulls away in the end. Pick: Arkansas
Texas Tech vs Michigan State, Valero Alamo Bowl (Jan 2, 9pm, San Antonio, TX)
Mike: I wonder if any bowl game has had a swing in picks like this one must be having. Michigan State is a pretty good squad and I probably would have been split before all the drama. I’m sure Mike Leach will land somewhere just fine. The only good that could come of this is if we could get Craig James off of ESPN. Pick: Michigan State
Ahad: Didn’t MSU suspend a bunch of players? Based on the comments from some of the players, they are relieved that the Mike Leach drama is over. Apparently this guy was nuts. The offense might struggle a little bit without the play caller, but Potts knows the offense well enough to keep things moving. Pick: Texas Tech
Evan: I say Tech bounces back from Leachgate. Pick: Tech
Matt: Since when is this game after New Years Day? Doesn’t make sense to me. This is another bowl game with all kinds of outside distractions. Michigan State did suspend about 8 of their players and then of course there is the whole Leach fiasco. I am with Mike in regards to Craig James. I hate that guy. Back to the game, I think the MSU defense will struggle against the Tech passing attack. Michigan State won’t be able to keep up on the scoreboard. Pick: Texas Tech
January 1, 2010
Northwestern vs Auburn, Outback Bowl (Jan 1, 11am, Tampa, FL)
Mike: If Texas owns NYE, Florida owns New Years Day. 3 of the 5 today in Florida. I’ve always liked the Outback Bowl for some reason. I think it’s the corporate sponsorship that somewhat fits as sounding like a real bowl. It’s also been that way for so long that I don’t remember what it was called before. As for the matchup. Really? The Big 10 nosedives after the top 4 (and to be fair and so Evan doesn’t get angry, the Big 10 top 2 aren’t in the same league as the SEC). Auburn could have had a solid season but stumbled in the middle of the year with 3 straight losses and then finished up with losses to Georgia and Bama. Still, it’s Northwestern. Pick: Auburn
Ahad: I show no love the SEC. Pick: Northwestern
Matt: I think Northwestern will have something to say in this ballgame. It will be closer than expected, but for Northwestern to win their first bowl game in 60 years, they will have to step up on defense. The defense will play better, but Auburn is just better. Pick: Auburn
Evan: Auburn
Penn State vs LSU, Capital One Bowl (Jan 1, 1pm, Orlando, FL)
Mike: Obviously I’ve thought about this one the most and don’t have a clue. What scares me is the LSU defense and how PSU reacts after getting knocked in the teeth early. Way too many games this year for PSU were close at the half until the other team wore down in the second half. That didn’t happen in the Iowa and OSU games when they played a competent opponent. I’m not sure how LSU is going to score if PSU doesn’t give them the chances. With Boone I think PSU can win the field position battle and the offense has had enough time to prepare. The offense was not a problem with over a month to prepare for USC last year, and that was a very good USC defense. Pick: Penn State
Ahad: PSU has come up small in big games this year. I don’t know too much about this LSU team, except that they are battling injuries at the running back position and the QB play has not been strong. The biggest question for me is if the PSU offense will show up, namely Clark and the offensive line. If they can protect the qb, the offense should be ok. Pick: PSU
Matt: The key to the game will be the PSU offensive line. They need to step up and run block and protect Clark. I am nervous about the speed on defense for LSU. I think lots of misdirection and screen passes will help slow them down. The defense will have to play better than in last year’s bowl game where they were absolutely exploited. LSU struggled on offense throughout the season, so it shouldn’t be as much of an issue this year. I expect a low scoring game, so turnovers will be a big player in the outcome. The PSU defense makes a big play late to seal the victory. Pick: Penn State
Evan: Boys, boys, boys…. nothing would give me greater pleasure than to tell you that Penn State has a chance in this game. You know they’re my second favorite team. Unfortunately, LSU is a good team that looked average in an above average league (this is the part where Ahad vomits). While both LSU and PSU are historically well-prepared for bowl games, LSU has more talent and is kind of honked that Bama is the new top dog in the west. They will play angry. Pick: LSU
West Virginia vs Florida State, Gator Bowl (Jan 1, 1pm, Jacksonville, FL)
Mike: Bowden’s last game. I think if this was the original scheduled exit for him I’d give a little more to the team rallying behind their leader theory. The way he is going out gives me more of a program in disarray feeling. I think this is a tight game but FSU is really a mediocre team that someone blew out BYU and got everyone (including me) thinking big. Pick: West Virginia
Ahad: Obviously the only story in this game is Bowden. FSU has been too inconsistent this year. Pick: WVU
Matt: Florida State shouldn’t even be in this bowl game. I am with Mike. I don’t buy into the rallying behind the leader theory at all. Florida State has been far too inconsistent all season. West Virginia will run all over them with Devine having a huge game. FSU will keep it close for a half, but West Virginia will run away late. Pick: West Virginia
Evan: What is funny is that Noel Devine went to high school in Fort Myers and was mentored by Deion Sanders, and now he will run wild all over Deion’s coach’s farewell game. Pick: West Virginia
Oregon vs Ohio State, Rose Bowl Game (Jan 1, 4:30pm, Pasadena, CA)
Mike: I’ve always enjoyed how they specify this as the Rose Bowl Game, as to not confuse it with the parade? Also, they classy it up and do the ‘Presented by’ for the sponsor. Now, I don’t want to get in too deep about this game. It’s the Ducks, and I always pick them wrong. It’s Ohio State, and they rarely win BCS games. Pick: Oregon
Ahad: No Big 10 love this time. Pick: Oregon
Matt: This game will not go in Ohio State’s favor if it turns into a shootout. Oregon has playmakers all over the field on offense. Oregon must pressure Pryor and have someone spying him because he will want to run. I actually like Ohio State’s chances in this game, but I don’t like Ohio State. I think Masoli will outplay Pryor. Pick: Oregon
Evan: I’m so used to Ohio State sucking in BCS games that it is like muscle memory when picking their games. Pick: Oregon
Cincinnati vs Florida, Allstate Sugar Bowl (Jan 1, 8:30pm, New Orleans, LA)
Mike: The only concern is that UF was distracted over the past week. It actually may have focused them on the game that no one in the UF community cares about after things settled down. I would have expected great things from Cincy if Brian Kelly were staying. Oh well. Pick: Florida
Ahad: All the talk of this game has been about the coaching situations at both schools. I think Florida rebounds from the SEC championship game and Tebow goes out with a win. Pick: Florida
Matt: I think this game is a slam dunk for Florida (watch, I will get burned for saying that). Both teams have issues with their head coach coming in, so there are lot of distractions out there. What this game really comes down to is defense. Both offenses can put up some points, but Florida’s defense is far superior to Cincy’s. Tebow goes out with a big game as Florida rolls. Pick: Florida
Evan: I’m usually nervous about picking Florida in big games, thinking I might jinx them, that is not the case here. I think UF whips Cincinnati up and down the field, eats their New Year’s Day Goose, and then makes love to the Bearcats cheerleaders. Pick: UF
December 31, 2009
Air Force vs Houston, Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (Dec 31, 12pm, Fort Worth, TX)
Evan: I like Air Force’s fight song, it’s catchy, and so are their receivers. Hey oh! Pick: Air Force
Mike: Houston has been unpredictable all year. I haven’t heard much about Air Force but they are impressive when you look at their losses: Minnesota, Navy, TCU, Utah, BYU. Minny is the only one I can really fault them for. I lean on stars in bowl games and I’m a big fan of Casey Keenum. Pick: Houston
Ahad: Terrible joke Evan. Just for that, I’m going with Houston. Pick: Houston
Matt: Intriguing game between the Houston high flying passing attack and Air Force’s #1 ranked pass defense. The key is Houston’s defense against the Air Force option attack because Houston will get their points on offense. Air Force keeps it close, but Houston will squeak out the win. Pick: Houston
Stanford vs Oklahoma, Brut Sun Bowl (Dec 31, 2pm, El Paso, TX)
Evan: Oklahoma needs to prove they are still relevant. Spiller used his bowl game to prove he was Heisman worthy. Toby Gerhart will do the same. Pick: Stanford
Mike: Does Texas own New Years Eve bowl games? 3 of the 5 are in the state. Here Oklahoma still lingers here. The OU defense could easily show up and shut down Gerhart. However, there’s no Bradford and the disappointed giant in a bowl game theory applies here. Pick: Stanford
Ahad: The Sooners have a lot to prove in this game. The defense will take care of business. Is there any doubt who I am picking in this one? Pick: Oklahoma
Matt: No, Ahad, there was no doubt from me. You always bet on Sooner. I think Oklahoma will exploit the leaky Stanford defense and their defense will be up to the task of stopping Gerhart and Co. Pick: Oklahoma
Missouri vs Navy, Texas Bowl (Dec 31, 3:30pm, Houston, TX)
Evan: I’m sticking with my service academies, and if you don’t it means you must hate America. Pick: Navy
Mike: What did Mizzou do all year? They lost each of their ranked games plus Baylor. The only Navy game I got to see a lot of was them barely beating ND, which does not qualify as impressive. If I have to flip the coin, and I guess I do. Pick: Navy
Ahad: I don’t want anyone to say I hate America. Pick: Navy
Matt: Well, I don’t hate America in case you were wondering, and I do like what Navy brings to the table. I just don’t see it being enough in this game. I will be rooting for them, though. Pick: Missouri
Minnesota vs Iowa State, Insight Bowl (Dec 31, 6pm, Tempe, AZ)
Evan: Golden Gophers vs the Cyclones. I didn’t even know Iowa state was bowl eligible. Pick: Minnesota
Mike: No thanks. Minnesota’s only double digit wins this year were over Purdue (15) and Northwestern (11). That’s with a schedule that included Syracuse and South Dakota State (beat both by 3). Iowa State had only one bright spot, but it’s very bright. That 9-7 shootout against Nebraska (most of those shots in the shootout were Nebraska to their own feet). This bowl is so unappealing they should have held it in November. Pick: Minnesota
Ahad: I have to show the Big 10 some love. Pick: Gophers
Matt: How do these two 6-6 teams have a bowl game so late in the bowl season? Wow, where to go with this one? Minnesota hasn’t shown much on offense recently, and that worries me in this game. That tempts me to want to go with Iowa State, but then again, we are talking about Iowa State. Pick: Minnesota
Virginia Tech vs Tennessee, Chick-fil-A Bowl (Dec 31, 7:30pm, Atlanta, GA)
Evan: I really want to stick with my SEC picks, yet Va Tech scares me. I think Kiffin has something up his sleeve. Pick: Vols
Mike: Finally something, no wonder it’s in primetime. Actually, scratch that. Tennessee does not appeal to me. They did have some close losses (2 points to Bama, 10 to UF) but they were losses. I’m crossing my fingers for a tight game, but I have to Pick: Virginia Tech
Ahad: I am going to continue to go against Evan. Pick: V-Tech
Matt: I like Virginia Tech, but I don’t think they’re as good as their record and rank indicate. They have been inconsistent at times, but so have the Vols. The Volunteers got off to a rough start but have been playing better down the stretch. Should be a good, close game, but I am gonna go with the slight upset. Pick: Tennessee
December 28, 2009
Texas A&M vs Georgia, Independence Bowl (Dec 28, 5pm, Shreveport, LA)
Ahad: I am going to go against Evan here. Pick: Texas A&M
Mike: I find it hard to support 6-6 bowl teams. However, Georgia was only a game away from that mark. Still, a non-conference loss to Ok State is a lot more appealing than anything A&M has to offer. A&M did have to play Ok State, but that’s a conference game for them. Pick: Georgia
Evan: How. Dare. You. Pick: UGA
Matt: Both teams have been very inconsistent this season but had good showings in their final regular season game, even though A&M lost. Both defenses are bad, but A&M’s is worse, so I give a slight edge to Georgia. Pick: Georgia
UCLA vs Temple, EagleBank Bowl (Dec 29, 4:30pm, Washington, DC)
Ahad: I am looking forward to this one. This is the type of game that will make Temple a legit program. Look for the Owls to bounce back after the disappointing performance in their last game. Pick: Temple
Mike: What an accomplishment to make it to the EagleBank Bowl. You get to travel to DC in late December and play on a Tuesday afternoon. Here again we have a 6-6 major conference team. Also a team with a more powerful program than Temple (but who doesn’t). The non-football factors I’m considering: UCLA may not be all that interested, they have to travel across the country, and it’s going to be just barely above freezing and breezy. Pick: Temple
Evan: I am not looking forward to this at all. Pick: UCLA
Matt: I am not looking forward to this game either. I haven’t seen Temple play really this season (I missed the PSU game), but I can’t picture them being able to beat UCLA. I do agree with Mike in that UCLA has several factors going against them and probably aren’t that motivated to play in this game. Temple will be super motivated but I don’t think it will be enough to get them the win. Pick: UCLA
Miami (FL) vs Wisconsin, Champs Sports Bowl (Dec 29, 8pm, Orlando, FL)
Ahad: Miami has too much talent and speed for the Badgers. Pick: Miami
Mike: Outside of that odd Northwestern loss, Wisconsin had a solid year. Almost identical to Penn State. Looking at the results, Miami had a nice year as well. Miami always seems to have the talent but usually will make the mistakes to beat themselves. Especially in games against solid opponents like Wisconsin. Pick: Wisconsin
Evan: Wisconsin always gets pumped for bowl games, especially when it’s in Florida and their fans get to escape the tundra. Pick: Wisconsin
Matt: Miami has more talent than Wisconsin, but the Badgers are more disciplined and don’t make the crippling mistakes Miami does. I think Wisconsin’s workman-like approach will outshine the flashiness of the U. Pick: Wisconsin
Idaho vs Bowling Green, Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl (Dec 30, 4:30pm, Boise, ID)
Ahad: Bowling Green
Mike: I’m going to have to defer to Ahad’s in-depth analysis. Even though the game is in Idaho I have no knowledge of them being any good. I don’t have much knowledge of BG being any good either. The only ranked opponent Idaho played was Boise St and they lost by 38. BG played them and only lost by 35. I think that makes things pretty crystal. Pick: Bowling Green
Evan: Bowling Green is going to rally behind their former Coach (like 7 years ago), Urban Meyer. Pick: Whatever Bowling Green’s mascot is.
Matt: Idaho has turned their program around and I think their coach was an early season coach of the year candidate before they lost a couple games in a row. I don’t know too much about Bowling Green, but I do like that Idaho will have the home crowd advantage. Pick: Idaho
Nebraska vs Arizona, Holiday Bowl (Dec 30, 8pm, San Diego, CA)
Ahad: Nebraska had a good showing against Texas, but I think that was a fluke performance by their defense. Suh is a big time player, but won’t be able to take this game over. Pick: Arizona
Mike: I like this one. Can Arizona score at all against Nebraska? I think the Nebraska D can put them in a potition to put some easy points on the board. Pick: Nebraska
Evan: I think Nebraska blew their wad against Texas. They won’t remember how to play that well again. Pick: Arizona
Matt: I can’t get the image of Nebraska’s defensive mauling of Texas out of my head. But can they put up some points? I think they force some turnovers and score enough to win. Pick: Nebraska