2014-01-02 09:48

Happy New year to all of you.
My picks did a bit suck, but that's how it can be in Football.

Let's have a look at the BLOCK OF GRANITE BOWL GAMES FOR WAVE 6

Wednesday, January 1, 12:00 PM ET TAXSLAYER.com GATOR BOWL
Nebraska vs. #22 Georgia @ Everbank Field, JACKSONVILLE, FL
After a scoreless quarter it got a bit less defense driven, but still conservative.
10-9 to the half was as close as anyone wishes a football game to be, I think.
Then got Georgia intercepted and Nebraska did translate that into a TD.
No big deal, still time to get over this.
Georgia did score a FG and did kick off.
They stopped the returner and even got a holding penalty against the Huskers.
Ball on the 5 yard line.
Georgia did swarm die line of scrimmage and brought down the ball carrier.
1 yards before their own endzone, even if the Bulldogs wanted a safety.
Well, next play then, right?
Wrong.
A deep pass and a great run after catch did result into the longest ever Pass TD in a Bowl game.
Suddenly Nebraska was leading 24-12.
Georgia scored a TD beginning of the 4th quarter, but was then unable to get anything real going, before they did one last time march down the field, with only a few minutes left on the clock.
A 4th and 3 in Huskers redzone was incomplete and that was that ....
A good ending for the Huskers.
The HC of them was questioned by the fans, I think he got a bit of support back.
Nebraska 24 - Georgia 19 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 15-9

Wednesday, January 1, 12:00 PM ET HEART OF DALLAS BOWL - PRES. BY PLAINSCAPITAL BANK
UNLV vs. North Texas @ Cotton Bowl, DALLAS, TX
Wow, here I was wrong, maybe worst pick of the Bowl season.
The game was open until the 4th quarter, but then did North Texas burst into a lead, UNLV was not able to top.
A very rare play could be seen in garbage time in the 4th.
After a TD, North Texas lined up for the extra point try.
They kicked, but the ball was blocked BEHIND the line of scrimmage.
In the confusion did a North Texas player pick up the ball and ran it into the endzone.
A valid 2-point-conversion for the Mean Green, since the ball did never crossed the LOS until the block and was allowed to be advanced.
Ha.
Still a bad pick.
UNLV 14 - North Texas 36 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 15-10

Wednesday, January 1, 1:00 PM ET OUTBACK BOWL
Iowa vs. #16 LSU @ Raymond James Stadium, TAMPA, FL
My first correct pick of the day.
Iowa was not able to get anything going on offense until they got a present by LSU.
The Tigers QB did throw a pick and one player did return the ball to the house.
Or he thought he did.
That idiot did DROP the ball on celebration right BEFORE the endzone.
Iowa was able to punch in the ball for the score, but I hope that defense player got the coach speech of his life.
Then did the game went back and forth with that score of 7-14 until LSU did score again late in the 4th to seal the deal.
Or not?
The ensuing kickoff was returned 96 yards, right before the endzone.
Later a TD for Iowa.
Onside kick and .... no good.
Sorry, no Cinderella story here.
Iowa 14 - LSU 21 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 16-10

Wednesday, January 1, 1:00 PM ET CAPITAL ONE BOWL
#19 Wisconsin vs. #9 South Carolina @ Florida Citrus Bowl, ORLANDO, FL
That one was way more interesting.
Good thing for South Carolina was, they had a QB willing to win.
It was his last game as Senior and we will see, where or if he will be drafted, but his final video is not a bad one.
He did run, pass and even CATCH a TD!
Wisconsin had some chances to stay in the game, but at the end Shaw was too much for them.
Wisconsin 24 - South Carolina 34 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 17-10

Wednesday, January 1, 5:00 PM ET ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO
#5 Stanford vs. #4 Michigan State @ Rose Bowl, PASADENA, CA
Ha! Please send 100 GREEN ROSES to Michigan!
First it looked like a Cardinals game.
10-zip in the first quarter.
But the Spartans did score a TD to cut the deficit to 3.
Stanford later grabbed a bad thrown pass (for a screen) of the Spartans for a pick-six. Uh oh.
But Michigan State was not impressed and scored right before the half to get back to the 3 points deficit.
Then they came out of the locker room and scored the tying FG.
After that ... all defense until at the start of the 4th quarter MSU did score a TD for the lead.
Stanford did kick a FG in the middle of the 4th quarter, but was NOT able to get any more points.
This great Spartans defense held them on 2 4th and something tries.
A well-earned win.
Stanford 20 - Michigan State 24 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 18-10

Wednesday, January 1, 8:30 PM ET TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL
#15 UCF vs. #6 Baylor @ University of Phoenix Stadium, GLENDALE, AZ
I will remember that one.
Who would have thought the Big 12 Champ would lose against the American Champ in a shootout?
I think nobody had UCF on the radar for anything before the season and now they did not only win the American, they did win a BCS Bowl.
And the desert of Phoenix must have been on fire.
1106 yards on combined total offense!
Defense was just not in the house.
UCF did play terrific and Baylor did just not play THAT good enough to keep up.
It was more or less an open game until UCF did score their last TD.
52:35 with 4:44 to go?
Baylor was able to score one more time but did not get the onside-kick and that was that.
First BCS Bowl participation for UCF, first win.
UCF 52 - Baylor 42 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 18-11

So much for the New Year’s Bowls.
A few more Bowls ahead, here are the next 3.

Let's have a look at the BLOCK OF GRANITE BOWL GAMES FOR WAVE 7

Thursday, January 2 2014, 8:30 PM ET ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL
#11 Oklahoma vs. #3 Alabama @ MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME, NEW ORLEANS, LA
Since 1935 is this Bowl played and they field it at the home of the New Orleans Saints.
This is a BCS Bowl.
Normally the SEC Champion plays here, but since years, the SEC-Champion plays in the BCS-Finals on a regular basis and the Bowl people can choose a different team, fitting the rules.
The second team also has to fit the rules.
Each team gets around 17.000.000$.
They picked again the highest SEC team beside Auburn playing for the national championship as SEC Champ, Alabama.
And they picked a Big 12 team.
This might get interesting.
I'm quite sure Alabama will win this, you don't beat Nick Saban easily, if he has so much time to prepare, but don't count out Oklahoma by default.
They are a very tough team and Bob Stoops has guided his team to more BCS Bowl games than any other coach so far.
But he is only 3-5 in those games.
How could Oklahoma win?
I think they need a very good offense performance and they need their defense front 7 to be brilliant.
Nothing more.
Too much from my point of view, so I pick the lame pick, Alabama.

Friday, January 3 2014, 7:30 PM ET AT&T COTTON BOWL
#13 Oklahoma State vs. #8 Missouri @ AT&T STADIUM, ARLINGTON, TX
This one exists since 1937.
It brings a Big 12 team against a SEC team.
Each team gets around 7.250.000$.
Just like last year does a Big 12 team meet a former Big 12 team. (last season it was Oklahoma vs Texas A&M)
Oklahoma State did start bad when they lost to West Virginia and when they lost to Oklahoma; the Big 12 title (a share) was out of reach.
Missouri did almost everything right, but lost to Auburn in the SEC Championship game and drop in the rankings so they did not get a BCS Bowl spot.
Now they can show they are the real thing.
I give the Tigers a small edge here, I think they are a bit better.
It will probably be a very close game and at the end ... Tigers win.

Friday, January 3 2014, 8:30 PM ET DISCOVER ORANGE BOWL
#12 Clemson vs. #7 Ohio State @ Sun Life Stadium, MIAMI, FL
This is played since 1935 and is fielded at the home of the Miami Dolphins and the Miami Hurricanes.
It is the ACC Champion against an at-large BCS worthy opponent.
This season the ACC Champion does play in the BCS Final, so the Bowl-guys were able to pick an at-large-team based on the rules.
Each team gets around 17.500.000$. (a BCS game)
It could get very interesting, or boring.
I pick Ohio State here because of Urban Meyer.
Give him time to prepare and I think it's hard to top him.
He lost his Big 10 Championship game and you can be sure he did treat his team that way.
They will be focused and they will be prepared.
The only thing that will help Clemson is a perfect game.
Good thing, Clemson CAN do that.
I just doubt they will.
Buckeyes win.

‘Til next time
Jack6 on BLOCK OF GRANITE

Tags: Block of Granite