Bowl Watch
Note: only bowls and teams worth caring about.
Based on: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/football/ncaa/bowl.schedule/
Before guessing at bowl matchups, of course, we have to pick conference standings.
* denotes BCS berth.
ACC
*1. Miami (8-1, 11-1)
*2. Va Tech (7-1, 10-1)
3. Maryland (5-3, 7-4)
4. FSU (5-4, 8-4)
5. Boston College (4-4, 7-4)
6. Georgia Tech (4-4, 6-5)
7. Clemson (4-4, 6-5)
8. North Carolina (4-4, 5-6)
Big East
*1. West Virginia (7-0, 10-1)
2. South Florida (5-2, 7-4, tiebreaker over UL)
3. Louisville (5-2, 9-2)
4. Rutgers (4-3, 7-4)
5. Cincinnati (2-5, 4-7)
Big Ten
*1. Penn State (7-1, 10-1)
2. Ohio State (7-1, 9-2)
3. Wisconsin (5-3, 9-3)
4. Minnesota (5-3, 8-3)
5. Michigan (5-3, 7-4)
6. Northwestern (5-3, 7-4)
7. Iowa (4-4, 6-5)
8. Purdue (3-5, 5-6)
Big XII
*1. Texas (9-0, 12-0)
2. Texas Tech (6-2, 9-2)
3. Oklahoma (6-2, 7-4)
4. Colorado (6-3, 8-4)
5. Missouri (5-3, 7-4, tiebreaker over Iowa State)
6. Iowa State (5-3, 8-3)
7. Nebraska (3-5, 6-5)
8. Texas A&M (3-5, 5-6)
Pac 10
*1. USC (8-0, 12-0)
2. Oregon (7-1, 10-1)
3. UCLA (6-2, 9-2)
4. Cal (4-4, 7-4)
5. Arizona State (4-4, 6-5)
6. Stanford (4-4, 5-6)
SEC
*1. LSU (8-1, 11-1)
2. Auburn (7-1, 9-2)
3. Alabama (6-2, 9-2)
4. Georgia (6-3, 9-3)
5. South Carolina (5-3, 8-3)
6. Florida (5-3, 7-4)
7. Tennessee (4-4, 6-5)
8. Arkansas (2-6, 4-7)
Others of note:
*Notre Dame: 9-2
TCU, MWC (8-0, 10-1) - already finished
Fresno State, WAC (8-0, 10-2)
UTEP, CUSA (8-1, 11-1)
If those are the standings, these should be the matchups:
NEW ORLEANS BOWL: Sun Belt No. 1 vs. C-USA
Nobody cares.
GMAC BOWL: C-USA No. 2 vs. MAC
Nobody cares.
LAS VEGAS BOWL: MWC vs. Pac-10 No. 5
Nobody cares.
POINSETTA BOWL: MWC vs. at-large
Nobody cares.
FORT WORTH BOWL: C-USA No. 4 vs. Big 12 No. 8
Nobody cares, and Big 12 #8 won't be eligible.
HAWAII BOWL: C-USA No. 3 vs. WAC
Nobody cares.
MOTOR CITY BOWL: MAC vs. Big Ten No. 7
Nobody cares.
CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL: ACC No. 4 or 5 vs. Big 12 No. 7
Georgia Tech vs Nebraska - Nebraska is so overrated, and they're not even ranked. GT in a blowout.
INSIGHT BOWL: Pac-10 No. 4 vs. Big East (#4)
Cal vs Rutgers - What a snoozathon. Cal wins.
MPC COMPUTERS BOWL: WAC (#2) vs. ACC No. 6
Boise State vs Clemson - Boise State is not the same as they've been the last few seasons. Clemson's beaten some decent teams, they take this one.
ALAMO BOWL: Big 12 No. 4 vs. Big Ten No. 4
Colorado vs Minnesota - Remember the Alamo! This would be a good matchup. Minnesota has the #1 rushing attack, but CU's run defense has been superb. Still, I like the Gophers. CU's opposition has been either way over their heads or total crap; they aren't prepared for the big closely-matched game.
EMERALD BOWL: MWC vs. Pac-10 No. 6
Pac 10 #6 (Stanford) probably won't be bowl-eligible, unless they beat Cal. This gets a Nobody cares even if they are eligible.
HOLIDAY BOWL: Pac-10 No. 2 vs. Big 12 No. 3
Oregon vs Oklahoma - The nation's hopes of silencing the quacking hinge on an underachieving sophomore runningback. I believe, AP...
SUN BOWL: Big Ten No. 5 vs. Pac-10 No. 3
Michigan vs UCLA - This matchup is always hard for the Big 10, with the Pac 10 sending a team two seeds higher. Fortunately, Michigan is playing like the #3 team in the Big 10, and UCLA's defense can't stop anyone. Mich wins.
INDEPENDENCE BOWL: Big 12 vs. SEC
Iowa State vs Florida - Cyclones set themselves up well with a win over CU. Florida will be pissed after some losses and take this one to somewhat salvage Meyer's first season.
MUSIC CITY BOWL: SEC No. 6 or 7 (#7) vs. Big Ten No. 6
Tennessee vs Northwestern - I don't even know. Northwestern I guess. The only reason I'd even watch a game like this is because I'll probably be in Plano.
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL: ACC vs. Big East (#3)
Boston College vs Louisville - Louisville makes up for a disappointing season with a bowl win over an overrated BC team.
HOUSTON BOWL: Big 12 No. 5 or 6 vs. SEC
Missouri vs South Carolina - Funny seeing the ol' Ball Coach in a smaller bowl. SC wins.
LIBERTY BOWL: C-USA No. 1 vs. TBA
UTEP vs FSU - FSU's been losing to underdogs all season, but UTEP has yet to face a real team. Noles.
COTTON BOWL: Big 12 (#2) vs. SEC (#3)
Texas Tech vs Alabama - Offense vs defense. Defense wins.
OUTBACK BOWL: Big Ten No. 3 vs. SEC (#4)
Wisconsin vs Georgia - Rematch of last year's game. Georgia takes it easily.
GATOR BOWL: ACC No. 2 vs. Big East No. 2
Maryland vs South Florida - I don't even know what to think of this as late bowl game. USF wins.
CAPITAL ONE BOWL: SEC No. 2 vs. Big Ten No. 2
Auburn vs Ohio State - Bucks surprise a lot of doubters with a convincing win.
----------
BCS Bowls
----------
Okay, the BCS picking is a little drawn out. This is how it works.
The default matchups would be:
Rose: Pac 10 vs. Big 10
Fiesta: Big 12 vs. Other
Sugar: SEC vs. Other
Orange: ACC OR Big East vs. Other
Rose Bowl goes first this year and gets #1 and #2. (USC, Texas)
Then, bowls who had to give up their default team pick ONE team. (might have to be unaffiliated)
Fiesta picks NOTE DAME.
The Sugar Bowl automatically gets the SEC champ LSU.
The Orange Bowl picks between ACC and Big East, they pick MIAMI.
Then the three bowls all write their second pick, from remaining teams. In the event of a disagreement, they pick in the order:
Orange, Fiesta, Sugar. The teams remaining are Penn State, Va Tech, West Va.
Orange likely selects PENN STATE.
Fiesta picks VA TECH.
Sugar is left with WEST VA.
FIESTA BOWL: BCS vs. BCS
Notre Dame vs Virginia Tech - Vick makes mincemeat out of the Irish defense.
SUGAR BOWL: BCS vs. BCS
LSU vs West Va - another chapter in the saga to kick the Big Least out of the BCS. LSU would cruise.
ORANGE BOWL: BCS vs. BCS
Miami vs Penn State - a classic rivalry and a great matchup. Many people would expect Miami to win in a blowout, but I'm giving this one a "could go either way" but edge Miami.
ROSE BOWL: BCS No. 1 vs. BCS No. 2
USC vs Texas - Expect USC to put up 30 points on Texas's defense. The game hinges on whether that means 31 or 42, and whether USC's defense can stop Vince Young.
We'll see how things shape up as the season progresses.