The College Football Year-End Review, Post-Bowl Post-Mortem...
...so, after taking a coupla days to digest the debacle, I am ready to finish up the college football season. Before the bowls, I was 197-136 overall, 163-115 in the Top 25, and 50-38 in the Big Ten. Can I get to 210 wins? Not likely, but we'll find out right now!
Poinsettia Bowl: Utah v. Navy--The pick: Navy by 3. The actual: Utah by 3. Well, it was an entertaining game to say the very least. 0-1
New Orleans Bowl: Florida Atlantic v. Memphis--The pick: Fla. Atlantic by 3. The actual: Fla. Atlantic by 17. Not as entertaining, but definitely a win, and I'll take all the wins I can get. 1-1
Papa Johns Bowl: Cincinnati v. Southern Miss--The pick: Cincy by 8. The actual: Cincy by 10. And there's 1 for the T25. 2-1, 1-0
New Mexico Bowl: New Mexico v. Nevada--The pick: New Mexico by 4. The actual: New Mexico by 23, and a shutout. Nice blowout bowl, but hey, it was a home game. 3-1, 1-0
Las Vegas Bowl: BYU v. UCLA--The pick: BYU by 6. The actual: BYU by 1. Well, I don't have to take too many more of these same-side losses. Just the ones here, and that's it! 3-2, 1-1
Hawaii Bowl: East Carolina v. Boise State--The pick: Boise State by 7. The actual: East Carolina by 3. Well, I guess they were too unassuming. 3-3, 1-2
Motor City Bowl: Central Michigan v. Purdue--The pick: Central Michigan by 3. The actual: Purdue by 3. And we start off the Big Ten portion of the Bowls with a...meh. 3-4, 1-2, 0-1
Holiday Bowl: Arizona State v. Texas--The pick: Arizona State by 3. The actual: Texas by 18. Okay, movin' on. 3-5, 1-3, 0-1
Champs Sports Bowl: Boston College v. Michigan State--The pick: BC by 5. The actual: BC by 3. Gah! 3-6, 1-4, 0-2
Emerald Bowl: Maryland v. Oregon State--The pick: Oregon State by 7. The actual: Oregon State by 7. Hey, rock star! 4-6, 1-4, 0-2, Noser count: 7
Texas Bowl: TCU v. Houston--The pick: Houston by 3. The actual: TCU by 7. Well, this one was again at least entertaining. 4-7, 1-4, 0-2
Meineke Bowl: Connecticut v. Wake Forest--The pick: UConn by 4. The actual: Wake by 14. Wow...I am really, really bombing here, aren't I? 4-8, 1-5, 0-2
Liberty Bowl: Mississippi State v. UCF--The pick: Mississippi State by 2. The actual: Mississippi State by 7. Well, at least I can call the upsets! 5-8, 1-5, 0-2
Alamo Bowl: Penn State v. Texas A&M--The pick: Penn State by 3. The actual: Penn State by 7. Okay, Big Ten is on the board. 6-8, 1-5, 1-2
Independence Bowl: Colorado v. Alabama--The pick: Alabama by 6. The actual: Alabama by 6. Ooh, now I'm a-smokin'. 7-8, 1-5, 1-2, Noser count: 8
Armed Forces Bowl: California v. Air Force--The pick: Air Force by 3. The actual: Cal by 6. As is befitting these two teams, it was a shootout and a slugfest. 7-9, 1-5, 1-2
Sun Bowl: South Florida v. Oregon--The pick: South Florida by 7. The actual: Oregon...by a lot. Well, apparently they have learned to cope without Dennis Dixon. Which is good for next year. 7-10, 1-6, 1-2
Humanitarian Bowl: Fresno State v. Georgia Tech--The pick: Fresno State by 3. The actual: Fresno State by 12. Okay, back to the win column. 8-10, 1-6, 1-2
Music City Bowl: Florida State v. Kentucky--The pick: Kentucky by 10. The actual: Kentucky by 7. Okay, so I got carried away with that angle. 8-11, 1-6, 1-2
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Clemson v. Auburn--The pick: Clemson by 4. The actual: Auburn by 3 in OT...8-12, 1-7, 1-2
Insight Bowl: Indiana v. Oklahoma State--The pick: Indiana by 5. The actual: Oklahoma State by 16. Okay, so the heart gave out. 8-13, 1-7, 1-3
Outback Bowl: Wisconsin v. Tennessee--The pick: Wisconsin by 4. The actual: Tennessee by 4. Another reverse Noser...8-14, 1-8, 1-4
Cotton Bowl: Missouri v. Arkansas--The pick: Mizzou by 7. The actual: Mizzou by 31. Hey, a T25 win! 9-14, 2-8, 1-4
Capital One Bowl: Michigan v. Florida--The pick: Florida by 6. The actual: Michigan by 6. And of course, when they have no reason to win...they do. 9-15, 2-9, 1-5
Gator Bowl: Virginia v. Texas Tech--The pick: Virginia by 5. The actual: Tech by 3. Okay, another Tech beat 'em...And down goes the pick machine. 9-16, 2-10, 1-5
Rose Bowl: USC v. Illinois--The pick: Illinois by 3. The actual: USC by a lot. Okay, Juice Williams: Fluke. 9-17, 2-11, 1-6
Sugar Bowl: Hawaii v. Georgia--The pick: Hawaii by 4. The actual: Georgia by a lot. Still doesn't shut up the playoff birds, for which I am grateful. Tweet. 9-18, 2-12, 1-6
Fiesta Bowl: West Virginia v. Oklahoma--The pick: Oklahoma by 12. The actual: West Virginia by a lot. I sense a theme in these BCS games...9-19, 2-13, 1-6
Orange Bowl: Kansas v. Virginia Tech--The pick: Va. Tech by 4. The actual: Kansas by 3. Well, at least this one was close...9-20, 2-14, 1-6
International Bowl: Rutgers v. Ball State--The pick: Rutgers by 4. The actual: Rutgers by 22. Hey, double digits! 10-20, 2-14, 1-6
GMAC Bowl: Tulsa v. Bowling Green--The pick: BGSU by 4. The actual: Tulsa by somehwere near a billion. 10-21, 2-14, 1-6
BCS National Championship: Ohio State v. LSU--The fearless prediction:
OHIO STATE 30, LSU 27
And the actual score:
LSU 38, OHIO STATE 24
So, to round up the bowl season...a dismal 10-22, 2-15 T25, and 1-7 Big Ten, to bring my final record to...207-158 overall, 165-130 in the Top 25, and 51-45 in the Big Ten. A pretty good start fizzles out at the end. Just like it seems everything I start does...
Oh well, glad that's over. Come back later when I'm probably gonna go Ausiello on you guys.
Poinsettia Bowl: Utah v. Navy--The pick: Navy by 3. The actual: Utah by 3. Well, it was an entertaining game to say the very least. 0-1
New Orleans Bowl: Florida Atlantic v. Memphis--The pick: Fla. Atlantic by 3. The actual: Fla. Atlantic by 17. Not as entertaining, but definitely a win, and I'll take all the wins I can get. 1-1
Papa Johns Bowl: Cincinnati v. Southern Miss--The pick: Cincy by 8. The actual: Cincy by 10. And there's 1 for the T25. 2-1, 1-0
New Mexico Bowl: New Mexico v. Nevada--The pick: New Mexico by 4. The actual: New Mexico by 23, and a shutout. Nice blowout bowl, but hey, it was a home game. 3-1, 1-0
Las Vegas Bowl: BYU v. UCLA--The pick: BYU by 6. The actual: BYU by 1. Well, I don't have to take too many more of these same-side losses. Just the ones here, and that's it! 3-2, 1-1
Hawaii Bowl: East Carolina v. Boise State--The pick: Boise State by 7. The actual: East Carolina by 3. Well, I guess they were too unassuming. 3-3, 1-2
Motor City Bowl: Central Michigan v. Purdue--The pick: Central Michigan by 3. The actual: Purdue by 3. And we start off the Big Ten portion of the Bowls with a...meh. 3-4, 1-2, 0-1
Holiday Bowl: Arizona State v. Texas--The pick: Arizona State by 3. The actual: Texas by 18. Okay, movin' on. 3-5, 1-3, 0-1
Champs Sports Bowl: Boston College v. Michigan State--The pick: BC by 5. The actual: BC by 3. Gah! 3-6, 1-4, 0-2
Emerald Bowl: Maryland v. Oregon State--The pick: Oregon State by 7. The actual: Oregon State by 7. Hey, rock star! 4-6, 1-4, 0-2, Noser count: 7
Texas Bowl: TCU v. Houston--The pick: Houston by 3. The actual: TCU by 7. Well, this one was again at least entertaining. 4-7, 1-4, 0-2
Meineke Bowl: Connecticut v. Wake Forest--The pick: UConn by 4. The actual: Wake by 14. Wow...I am really, really bombing here, aren't I? 4-8, 1-5, 0-2
Liberty Bowl: Mississippi State v. UCF--The pick: Mississippi State by 2. The actual: Mississippi State by 7. Well, at least I can call the upsets! 5-8, 1-5, 0-2
Alamo Bowl: Penn State v. Texas A&M--The pick: Penn State by 3. The actual: Penn State by 7. Okay, Big Ten is on the board. 6-8, 1-5, 1-2
Independence Bowl: Colorado v. Alabama--The pick: Alabama by 6. The actual: Alabama by 6. Ooh, now I'm a-smokin'. 7-8, 1-5, 1-2, Noser count: 8
Armed Forces Bowl: California v. Air Force--The pick: Air Force by 3. The actual: Cal by 6. As is befitting these two teams, it was a shootout and a slugfest. 7-9, 1-5, 1-2
Sun Bowl: South Florida v. Oregon--The pick: South Florida by 7. The actual: Oregon...by a lot. Well, apparently they have learned to cope without Dennis Dixon. Which is good for next year. 7-10, 1-6, 1-2
Humanitarian Bowl: Fresno State v. Georgia Tech--The pick: Fresno State by 3. The actual: Fresno State by 12. Okay, back to the win column. 8-10, 1-6, 1-2
Music City Bowl: Florida State v. Kentucky--The pick: Kentucky by 10. The actual: Kentucky by 7. Okay, so I got carried away with that angle. 8-11, 1-6, 1-2
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Clemson v. Auburn--The pick: Clemson by 4. The actual: Auburn by 3 in OT...8-12, 1-7, 1-2
Insight Bowl: Indiana v. Oklahoma State--The pick: Indiana by 5. The actual: Oklahoma State by 16. Okay, so the heart gave out. 8-13, 1-7, 1-3
Outback Bowl: Wisconsin v. Tennessee--The pick: Wisconsin by 4. The actual: Tennessee by 4. Another reverse Noser...8-14, 1-8, 1-4
Cotton Bowl: Missouri v. Arkansas--The pick: Mizzou by 7. The actual: Mizzou by 31. Hey, a T25 win! 9-14, 2-8, 1-4
Capital One Bowl: Michigan v. Florida--The pick: Florida by 6. The actual: Michigan by 6. And of course, when they have no reason to win...they do. 9-15, 2-9, 1-5
Gator Bowl: Virginia v. Texas Tech--The pick: Virginia by 5. The actual: Tech by 3. Okay, another Tech beat 'em...And down goes the pick machine. 9-16, 2-10, 1-5
Rose Bowl: USC v. Illinois--The pick: Illinois by 3. The actual: USC by a lot. Okay, Juice Williams: Fluke. 9-17, 2-11, 1-6
Sugar Bowl: Hawaii v. Georgia--The pick: Hawaii by 4. The actual: Georgia by a lot. Still doesn't shut up the playoff birds, for which I am grateful. Tweet. 9-18, 2-12, 1-6
Fiesta Bowl: West Virginia v. Oklahoma--The pick: Oklahoma by 12. The actual: West Virginia by a lot. I sense a theme in these BCS games...9-19, 2-13, 1-6
Orange Bowl: Kansas v. Virginia Tech--The pick: Va. Tech by 4. The actual: Kansas by 3. Well, at least this one was close...9-20, 2-14, 1-6
International Bowl: Rutgers v. Ball State--The pick: Rutgers by 4. The actual: Rutgers by 22. Hey, double digits! 10-20, 2-14, 1-6
GMAC Bowl: Tulsa v. Bowling Green--The pick: BGSU by 4. The actual: Tulsa by somehwere near a billion. 10-21, 2-14, 1-6
BCS National Championship: Ohio State v. LSU--The fearless prediction:
OHIO STATE 30, LSU 27
And the actual score:
LSU 38, OHIO STATE 24
So, to round up the bowl season...a dismal 10-22, 2-15 T25, and 1-7 Big Ten, to bring my final record to...207-158 overall, 165-130 in the Top 25, and 51-45 in the Big Ten. A pretty good start fizzles out at the end. Just like it seems everything I start does...
Oh well, glad that's over. Come back later when I'm probably gonna go Ausiello on you guys.