2013-12-25 16:54

The Bowl-Season started and some games were really nice.

Let's have a look at the BLOCK OF GRANITE BOWL GAMES FOR WAVE 1

Saturday, December 21, 2:00 PM ET GILDAN NEW MEXICO BOWL
Washington State vs. Colorado State @ University Stadium, ALBUQUERQUE, NM
I picked Wazzou, but nobody can expect to pick a winner if one team decides to do suicide.
The games was basically over, Wazzou was leading 45-30 with 9:35 to go.
The teams went back and forth, and with 2:50 remaining, CSU did score for 45-37.
Uh .... Maybe not over?
WSU got the ball and marched down the field ... puh. FUMBLE!
The Rams recovered and scored in the ensuing drive.
Add a two-point conversion and we have a tied game.
On the next kickoff, Wazzou did return and FUMBLED AGAIN!
Colorado State was able to bring out the filed goal team and did hit the winner with time running out.
Washington State 45 - Colorado State 48 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 0-1

Saturday, December 21, 3:30 PM ET ROYAL PURPLE LAS VEGAS BOWL
#20 Fresno State vs. #25 USC @ Sam Boyd Stadium, LAS VEGAS, NV
I picked the Bulldogs, but USC did show they are a good PAC 12 team at least and Fresno State is a Mountain West team, still.
The game was never really close and at the end it was a disaster for Fresno State.
USC can now welcome their new head coach and hope for a restart.
Fresno State 20 - USC 45 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 0-2

Saturday, December 21, 5:30 PM ET FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL
Buffalo vs. San Diego State @ Bronco Stadium, BOISE, ID
Uih, the first right pick.
And San Diego was way dominant.
Really no chance for Buffalo, even when they had some scoring in the 4th quarter.
Buffalo 24 - San Diego State 49 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 1-2

Saturday, December 21, 9:00 PM ET R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL
Tulane vs. Louisiana-Lafayette @ MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME, NEW ORLEANS, LA
Hmmm . Nobody mentioned the error I hand in the text for this game.
At the end of the text I had the preview of last years games ....
This yeat I picked Tulane and they started bad. ULL did score 21 points before Tulanes HC did pull Joe Montanas son (who had a pick 6) and brought in another QB.
That one did help to tie up the game, but a crucial play in their own endzone did result in a bad throw of him, ULL did intercept the pass and did score a FG out of this.
Over 1:30 to go, Tulane did their final drive and came into FG range.
The Kicker did kick the ball for 48 yards, but was too wide left and missed the tying FG.
Louisiana-Lafayette won now 3 New Orleans Bowls in a row.
Tulane 21 - Louisiana-Lafayette 24 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 1-3

Monday, December 23, 2:00 PM ET BEEF 'O' BRADY'S BOWL ST. PETERSBURG
East Carolina vs. Ohio @ Tropicana Field, SAINT PETERSBURG, FL
This game was open until the beginning of the 4th quarter.
Ohio did kick the game leading FG for 17 - 20.
And then did someone knock on the door of ECU team zone and said "hey you? You let yourself get beaten by a MAC team? Really?"
ECU did score 20 unanswered points and did let Ohio not get into that game again.
East Carolina 37 - Ohio 20 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 2-3

Tuesday, December 24, 8:00 PM ET SHERATON HAWAII BOWL
Boise State vs. Oregon State @ Aloha Stadium, HONOLULU, HI
Aloha.
The latest Bowl did went as expected.
The Beavers were very good and the former HC of the Broncos was missed everywhere.
Boise State was not able to get their high octane offense on the field.
On the other hand did Oregon State play like there is no tomorrow.
Easy win for the team.
Boise State 23 - Oregon State 38 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 3-3

That's the first wave.
Now come the second wave of Bowl games.
I will put here 5 Bowl games, until Friday.

Let's have a look at the BLOCK OF GRANITE BOWL GAMES FOR WAVE 2

Thursday, December 26, 6:00 PM ET LITTLE CAESARS BOWL
Pittsburgh vs. Bowling Green @ Ford Field, DETROIT, MI
The once Motor City Bowl at the home of the Detroit Lions.
The Bowl itself is played since 1997.
This is played between a MAC team (very often the MAC Champion) and a Big Ten team, if enough teams are eligible.
If not, a Sun Belt Team can be chose.
A very strange thing happened this year, since the 8. Big Ten team was not available and a SBC team should have been taken.
There were plenty available, but the Bowl people took Pitt, from the ACC.
Don't ask me why they could do that.
Each team gets around 600.000$.
But no we have the MAC Champ vs a good ACC team.
Who will win?
I think Bowling Green as a real chance to win this.
They stunned NIU on the MAC final and they will give Pitt something to think about.
But Pitt could also get this one, since they have had their chances all over the season against bigger team, but were not able to win the close ones.
I give the Falcons my pick, I like their game.
Now I hope I'm right.

Thursday, December 26, 9:30 PM ET SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL
Utah State vs. #23 Northern Illinois @ Qualcomm Stadium, SAN DIEGO, CA
This is played on the homefield of the San Diego Chargers and the San Diego State Aztecs.
It is played since 2005 and each team gets around 500.000$.
It's a Bowl organized between the MWC (2. place until 2014) and different teams from different conferences each year, if they are eligible.
For this year Northern Illinois of the MAC was selected, since Army, who would have had a guaranteed place if eligible, failed to get the 6 wins.
The Bowl itself was played already 1952-1955 between western and Eastern Military Academies as a championship game.
It was then resurrected in 2005.
This year again the game will be fun to watch, since Utah State had a very nice season and Northern Illinois did almost win the MAC.
So it's 2. team from the MWC against 2. from the MAC.
Interesting is, that Vegas has Utah State as a small favorite in the game, but many people do believe Northern Illinois will win.
I for my part think that Utah State should win.
They were very good and the loss of Northern Illinois did show that the Huskies are not as the BCS Buster of last season.
Of cause the do have a chance, especially with their Heisman Finalist QB, but I think the Aggies will bring in enough defense to control that nice Huskies offense.
I pick the Aggies.

Friday, December 27, 2:30 PM ET MILITARY BOWL - PRES. BY NORTHROP GRUMMAN
Marshall vs. Maryland @ Navy Memorial Stadium, ANNAPOLIS, MD
Since 2008 this Bowl is played and has yet to find some kind of tradition.
It is meant to team up teams from the ACC versus CUSA or Navy, Army or Air Force.
If not enough teams of those conferences and service academies are eligible, they can chose other teams.
This year Marshall and Maryland were chosen, so the plan worked, not as it was last year.
For Maryland, it's almost a home game, since it is played in Maryland.
Each team gets around 1.000.000$.
Marshall did disappointed my in their last game against Rice.
So I'm not buying into that favorite role they got from Vegas here.
The only thing that's in for Marshall is, that they did win a few more games as a CUSA team.
But Maryland had to play some tougher teams, so ....
I'm leaning for Maryland here, but I think it will be close.
Anyway. My guts are saying Terrapins.

Friday, December 27, 6:00 PM ET TEXAS BOWL
Syracuse vs. Minnesota @ Reliant Stadium, HOUSTON, TX
Last season it was the MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL OF TEXAS.
Sounds like we got an upgrade this season, the sponsorship of Meineke Car Care did run out last season.
This is played at the home of the Houston Texans.
It's played since 2006.
The Big 12 should face up against a Big Ten Team here.
Well, this season, there were not enough Big Ten teams for all the Bowls, so an ACC team got the spot.
Each team gets around 1.700.000$.
I give Minnesota my pick.
This is a team on the rise and they played very good this season.
Syracuse did barely made it to the eligibility in the ACC.
No, the Gophers will win. Period.

Friday, December 27, 9:30 PM ET FIGHT HUNGER BOWL
BYU vs. Washington @ AT&T Park, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Another Bowl losing it's sponsor.
Since 2002 does this Bowl operate, even under different names.
It is played at the home of the San Francisco Giants (Baseball team)
This is a PAC 12 Bowl facing Navy, BYU or some teams from the ACC or MAC.
The PAC 12 team gets 1.000.000$ the other team only 850.000$.
If Washington wouldn't have lost it's coach, I would dhave picked the Huskies.
But now?
BYU did play some tough games and they CAN win this.
The biggest question will be, if the no leaderless Huskies will show up 100% or not.
Here is my theory: Sarkasian did not build a quitter team.
They have a familiar interims coach and will play against a not quite elite BYU team.
I think it will be close, but Washington will win.

‘Til next time
Jack6 on BLOCK OF GRANITE

Tags: Block of Granite