So far, undefeated!
OK, I had to write this a day before the first bowl game, thanks to early press deadlines here at the Gazette.
Still, I’m feeling pretty good about my predictions, even if I’m not particularly sure about who my favorite college team is.
See, a few years back my alma mater (Western Washington University) decided to cut football. Not their coach or their season schedule — the entire program. Not that I am a big fan of Division II sports per se … but at least I’d have something to mull over with the Sunday paper.
Now I root for Huskies and Cougars and Eagles and most Pac-12 teams. It gets a little awkward at Apple Cup time, however, as half my family bleeds purple and gold, the other crimson and grey. Me? I’m Switzerland. (Plus, I prefer chocolate to Cougar Gold.)
Anyhow, on to round two of the college football bowl predictions:
Saturday, Dec. 26
St. Petersburg Bowl (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
Matchup: UConn vs. Marshall
Time, channel: 8 a.m., ESPN
The skinny: Marshall (9-3) finished second only to Western Kentucky in the C-USA standings while UConn (6-6) was in the middle of the American Conference pack. Both teams had surprisingly tough season schedules looking back. I generally don’t pick against a team with “Thundering Herd” for a mascot.
My pick: Marshall, 31-20
Hyundai Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas)
Matchup: Miami vs. Washington State
Time, channel: 11 a.m., CBS
The skinny: Ah, the first of two games local fans will be particularly interested in … that starts 20 MINUTES before UW’s? Seriously? In any event, WSU gunslinger Luke Falk will be fun to watch as the Cougs (8-4) look to knock off a Hurricane team (8-4) that won four out of five under an interim head coach.
My pick: WSU, 45-44
Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl (Dallas, Texas)
Matchup: Washington vs. Southern Miss
Time, channel: 11:20 a.m., ESPN
The skinny: The schedules don’t tell you much here, as Washington’s Huskies (6-6) had a much tougher road than Southern Mississippi (9-4), even if the Golden Eagles are C-USA West Division champs. UW played five ranked opponents this season (Southern Miss played none) and another against a then-unranked Oregon squad (the Ducks, who beat UW by six points, are No. 15 now).
My pick: UW, 31-17
New Era Pinstripe Bowl (New York, N.Y.)
Matchup: Indiana vs. Duke
Time, channel: 12:30 p.m., ABC
The skinny: What a matchup? Wait, this isn’t basketball? The Duke Blue Devils (7-5) have dropped four of five games — including a 35-point loss to UNC — while the Indiana Hoosiers (6-6) lost six of their past eight, needing two late-season wins to become bowl eligible. I predict many 3-pointers.
My pick: Duke, 33-30
Camping World Independence Bowl (Shreveport, La.)
Matchup: Tulsa vs. Virginia Tech
Time, channel: 2:45 p.m., ESPN
The skinny: Tulsa’s Golden Hurricanes — who thinks up these mascots anyway? — and Virginia Tech are both 6-6, but V-Tech’s Hokies are battle-tested and fairly balanced on offense, even if they aren’t the defense juggernaut they once were a decade ago.
My pick: V-Tech, 30-21
Foster Farms Bowl (Santa Clara, Calif.)
Matchup: UCLA vs. Nebraska
Time, channel: 6:15 p.m., ESPN
The skinny: Ah, a battle of two teams I really despise. Nebraska comes in with a 5-7 mark, but Big Red still has enough pull to land a bowl game. To be fair, they were the most unlucky team in the nation this year, losing five games of five points or less in excruciating fashion. Despite losses to USC and WSU in the past three games, UCLA (8-4) has to like this matchup. While both teams have great QBs, the Bruins have the edge at tailback with Paul Perkins (1,275 yards, 13 TDs).
My pick: UCLA, 28-24
Monday, Dec. 28
Military Bowl (Annapolis, Md.)
Matchup: Pittsburgh vs. (21) Navy
Time, channel: 11:30 a.m., ESPN
The skinny: Never pick against Navy’s Midshipmen (10-2), who bring crazy-talented QB Keenan Reynolds into the mix against Pittsburgh (8-4). Reynolds has about 1,100 passing and another 1,200 rushing. Plus, I’ve got Navy blood in the family.
My pick: Navy, 28-27
Quick Lane Bowl (Detroit, Mich.)
Matchup: Central Michigan vs. Minnesota
Time, channel: 2 p.m., ESPN2
The skinny: Minnesota’s Golden Gophers have a poor record (5-7) but they’ve had a tough schedule, playing five ranked opponents this season, three of them in the top five at the time (TCU, Ohio State, Iowa). Central Michigan (7-5) has the big passing attack numbers (3,700 yards from QB Cooper Rush) and a kind of home field advantage, but the Gophers get it done.
My pick: Minnesota, 41-24
Tuesday, Dec. 29
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth, Texas)
Matchup: California vs. Air Force
Time, channel: 11 a.m., ESPN
The skinny: I try to make it a rule: Never pick against the Pac-12. The conference is at times maligned for the fast, free-style of play and lack of clear-cut national title contenders, but they always seem to do well in the bowls. Cal (7-5) has QB Jared Goff, he of the 4,200 passing yards and 37 touchdowns that only Luke Falk can begin to mirror. Air Force (8-5) only played two teams of consequence this season — and lost them both.
My pick: California, 52-14
Russell Athletic Bowl (Orlando, Fla.)
Matchup: (10) North Carolina vs. (17) Baylor
Time, channel: 2:30 p.m., ESPN
The skinny: Ah, now we get into it, a pair of top-20 teams. After angling toward a playoff berth, Baylor (9-3) lost three of their final four games and had to deal with quarterback Seth Russell who fractured a bone in his neck. NC’s Tar Heels (11-2) were unbeaten in conference play, losing to only South Carolina (by four in the season-opener) and No. 1-ranked Clemson (by eight, in the regular season finale). UNC is healthier, even if they don’t have the football pedigree.
My pick: UNC, 35-31
Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl (Tucson, Ariz.)
Matchup: Nevada vs. Colorado State
Time, channel: 4:30 p.m., ASN
The skinny: In this matchup of rather middling, the Rams of Colorado State (7-5) top Nevada (6-6) on a late field goal.
My pick: Colorado State, 37-36
AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl (Houston, Texas)
Matchup: (20) LSU vs. Texas Tech
Time, channel: 6 p.m., ESPN
The skinny: You’d think Texas Tech’s Red Raiders (7-5) would have a kind of home field advantage, but TT’s Lubbock is 532 miles from the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl, Baton Rouge just 271 miles. LSU (8-3) is fewer miles away — and the Tigers have uber-coach Les Miles … and one of the best players in college football in Leonard Fournette (1,700 yards and 18 TDs rushing). Can’t pick against the Tigers here.
My pick: LSU, 37-31
Wednesday, Dec. 30
Birmingham Bowl (Birmingham, Ala.)
Matchup: Auburn vs. Memphis
Time, channel: 9 a.m., ESPN
The skinny: How tough is the SEC? Auburn finished 6-6 and is favored to beat Memphis — and finished dead last in the SEC West. Despite a so-so record, the Tigers went through the gauntlet with games against No. 2 Alabama (loss), then-No. 19 Texas A&M (win) and then-No. 13 LSU (loss). Memphis (9-3) played one top-20 team, topping Ole Miss.
My pick: Auburn, 44-13
Belk Bowl (Charlotte, N.C.)
Matchup: NC State vs. Mississippi State
Time, channel: 12:30 p.m., ESPN
The skinny: NC State’s Wolfpack (7-5) finished in the middle of the pack in the ACC. Mississippi State’s Bulldogs (8-4) did the same in the SEC West. Both beat teams they should have and lost games by healthy margins to ranked teams. The difference? Dak Prescott, the Bulldogs’ senior quarterback, who threw for 3,400 yards, 25 TDs and just four picks — and ran for 540 yards and another 10 scores.
My pick: Mississippi State, 38-27
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl (Nashville, Tenn.)
Matchup: Texas A&M vs. Louisville
Time, channel: 4 p.m., ESPN
The skinny: Like Auburn, Texas A&M (8-4) finished near the bottom of a tough SEC West conference. Louisville’s Cardinals (7-5) had a tough early season schedule (Clemson, Auburn), then tore it up late, winning five of their last six. This one’s a toss-up.
My pick: Texas A&M, 30-28
Holiday Bowl (San Diego, Calif.)
Matchup: (25) USC vs. Wisconsin
Time, channel: 7 p.m., ESPN
The skinny: What a weird season for USC (8-5): losing coach Steve Sarkisian, losing to Washington, losing to Stanford twice — and still winding up the Pac-12 South champ. Wisconsin (9-3) had a solid season and has a balanced offense and decent defense, but they lost every key game this fall and won’t have an answer for Trojan QB Cody Kessler in southern California climes. Also, never bet against the Pac-12.
My pick: USC, 29-10
Reach Sequim Gazette editor Michael Dashiell at editor@sequimgazette.com.
