2012-12-31 11:38

OK, the biggest Bowls are coming up and we are almost finished with the Bowl season.

The BLOCK OF GRANITE BOWLS FROM LAST WEEKEND

AdvoCare V100 INDEPENDENCE BOWL: Ohio vs Louisiana Monroe
Oh boy, that was a bad game by ULM.
Or a good game by Ohio.
The Bobcats did dominate the whole game and there was no light at the end of the road for the Warhawks.
Ohio did win big and my pick was bad.
45-14 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 5-6

RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL: Rutgers vs Virginia Tech
A defense dominated battle and at the end, VT took home a W in OT.
Rutgers lead the whole game until VT tied the game in the fourth.
Bad defense stand by Rutgers.
10-13 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 5-7

MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL OF TEXAS: Minnesota vs Texas Tech
I have to admit, the Gophers did show their teeth here but it was not enough.
A close game though out the whole gametime but at the end, the Red Raiders won by 3.
31-34 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 6-7

BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES BOWL: Rice vs Air Force
Rice DID play tough, and it was way tougher than Air Force did.
The Owls did dominate the second half and won this one.
Falcons Defense look bad and they better strengthen that part of their game next season.
33-14 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 6-8

NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL: West Virginia vs Syracuse
Ha Ha! A blind chicken does sometimes find a corn, too. Or something like that.
It was cold and snowy in New York and Syracuse did play waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better unter those conditions.
They basically stopped this dangerious Mountaineers offense and scored TWO safties!
How can you as a team called Mountaineers suck so much under snow conditions?
14-38 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 7-8

KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER BOWL: Navy vs Arizona State
There is not much to say.
The Sun Devils did basically slaughter the Midshipmen.
14 Points of Navy came in the fourth quarter when Arizona State did already celebrate the win.
28-62 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 8-8

VALERO ALAMO BOWL: #23 Texas vs #13 Oregon State
Oregon State did suck.
They basically had Texas the whole game under control, until it counted in the fourth.
Nice defense by Texas and bad execution by Oregon State.
31-27 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 8-9

BUFFALO WILD WINGS BOWL: TCU vs Michigan State
And this drove me mad.
TCU lead 13-0 at the half in a defense battle.
How can you lose such game in the second half?
Muffed punt anyone? Before your own endzone, anyone?
That punt returner should just be ashamed for the rest of his live.
At the end it was a field goal kicking competition, but that one muffed punt a the TD after that was the game changer.
16-17 -> Jacks Bowl Score: 8-10

Well, that was bad ..... Maybe I can pick better the next few days.

And now let’s take a look at the next upcoming games.

The BLOCK OF GRANITE BOWLS FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY

We are having 10 game on the years end and beginning of the next year.
I don't know why the do that, frm marketing point of view, this makes no sense.
So it must be tradition.

FRANKLIN AMERICAN MORTGAGE MUSIC CITY BOWL: North Carolina State vs Vanderbilt
This is played on Monday.
Since 1998 is this Bowl played and they field it at LP Field in Nashville, home of the Tennessee Titans.
The SEC send a team versus an ACC team.
Each team gets around 3.500.000$.
The Wolfpack has a 7-5 record and does only play here, because many ACC teams did play bad this season.
For the Commodores, this is homegame, since the University is also placed in Nashville.
They had an 8-4 record and are the favourite here.
I have to admit, I don't see much in NC State.
They did have one great win, against Florida State. The rest was average at best.
Vanderbilt did lose against the SEC big shots, but played good versus the other ones.
I expect them to play that way, while I expect NC State to play bad because they have to play with an interims coach.
So I pick Vanderbilt.

HYUNDAI SUN BOWL: USC vs Georgia Tech
This is played on Monday.
Since 1935 is this Bowl played!
It is now played in Sun Bowl Stadium since 1963 (home of the UTEP Miners) at El Paso, Texas.
It's a game PAC 12 vs ACC.
Each team gets around 4.100.000$.
I think this one is already over, before it started.
USC is 7-5 with losses against Stanford, Oregon, UCLA, Arizona and Notre Dame.
Georgia Tech is 6-7 (negative record!!!) with a highlight loss against Middle Tennessee from the SBC.
They lost every game against a worthy mid level opponent.
So I pick USC by a mile.

AutoZone LIBERTY BOWL: Iowa State vs Tulsa
This is played on Monday.
This one exists since 1959.
It's meant to play the CUSA Champion vs SEC #8. Since the SEC had not enough eligible teams, the Bowl guys picked a Big 12 team.
Each team gets around 1.700.000$.
Iowa State could win this one.
They are 6-6 but did beat Tulsa in the regular season.
Tulsa is 10-3 and CUSA Champion, but the two conferences are a bit apart in strength, so it is hard to compare their stats.
For me this is a decision made by gut feeling.
I think it is hard to beat a team in a season twice, so I pick Tulsa in a close game.

Chick-fil-A BOWL: #8 LSU vs #14 Clemson
This is played on Monday.
Since 1968 is this Bowl played and is now fielded in the Georgia Dome, home of the Atlanta Falcons.
It's a SEC vs ACC game.
The ACC team gets around 4.000.000$, the SEC team gets 2.900.000$.
This a game worth to watch.
I think this is one of the matchups Bowls were made for and here we have a very good one.
LSU is 10-2 and Clemson is 10-2, too.
LSU did lose against Florida and Alabama, Clemson did lose against Florida State and South Carolina.
All classy teams.
I think LSU has a small edge here, because Clemsons defense is a bit on and off.
LSU on the other hand has a very good defense, which might be able to control thaz nice Clemson offense.
So ... Tigers vs Tigers and a Tigers team will win.
LOL.
I pick LSU.

TAXSLAYER.com GATOR BOWL: Missisippi State vs #20 Northwestern
This is played on Tuesday.
Since 1946 is this Bowl played and is of cause played in Florida, at EverBank Field, Home of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
At the moment it is a SEC vs Big Ten Bowl.
Each team gets around 7.000.000$.
This will be fun.
The Bulldogs are a bit of a mystery here, since they started strong and then 3 in a row and at the end of the season against Ole Miss.
That 8-4 season is not bad, but I think Bulldogs-Fans were expecting more of them.
The Wildcats were 9-3 but they played a weaker schedule and did lose against the big shots of the Big Ten.
So?
Can this Big Ten team survive against a SEC team?
I don't think so.
I think the SEC magic will come out (as hard knocking defense) and will win the game.

HEART OF DALLAS BOWL: Purdue vs Oklahoma State
This is played on Tuesday.
This is very new, since 2011 is this Bowl played.
To confuse all it is played in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, the Stadium named after the event (which was moved to another stadium).
At the moment it is a Big 12 vs Big Ten Bowl.
Each team gets around 1.200.000$.
What can I say? This should be a beating the Boilermakers will get from the Cowboys.
I can't see Oklahoma State lose in this one.
Purdue was meant to be strong this year but finished 6-6 in a weak Big Ten year, while Oklahoma State did play 7-5 in a very strong Big 12.
So Cowboys win here.

OUTBACK BOWL: #10 South Caroliona vs #18 Michigan
This is played on Tuesday.
This is played since 1986 and is fielded at Raymond James Stadium, Home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the South Florida Bulls.
Another SEC vs Big Ten Bowl and each team gets around 6.900.000$.
South Carolina will be hard to beat here.
Michigan had some ups and downs, but for me it says a lot, when they lost on season opener against Alabama by a mile.
They were not ready and I think they will probably not be ready against the Gamecocks.
They have QB issues and the Gamecocks does have everything ready.
It will be a closer game, but the Gamecocks will eat that Wolverine alive.

CAPITAL ONE BOWL: #7 Georgia vs #16 Nebraska
This is played on Tuesday.
Since 1946 played, under different names. Thanks to sucking sponsors it is no longer the Citrus Bowl.
But is is still played in that stadium in Orlando, Florida.
SEC against Big Ten, again.
Each team gets around 4.550.000$.
Georgia did play in the SEC Championship game and lost.
Nebraska did play in the Big Ten Championship game and lost.
So they are in good company here, right?
I'm still mad at Nebraska, since the were soooooooooooo bad in that game against Wisconsin.
So who will win?
I say Georgia, since Nebraska did suck so much, but if (and that seems to be a big IF) they come out prepared and focus, this can be even and they can win.
But a team which comes out that bad in a damn Championship game .... forget it.
If Georgia not does field 11 UGAS (that Bulldog mascot) instead of players, they shoudl win against the Cornhuskers.

ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO: Wisconsin vs #6 Stanford
This is played on Tuesday.
The mother of all Bowls is played since ... 1902!
It was permanently installed in 1916 and is played since then.
Normally it is the Big Ten Champion vs the PAC 12 Champion.
Sometimes other teams come into this place, because one or both champs have to play in the BCS Finals, but very often do the champs meet here.
Each team gets around 18.000.000$. (it is a BCS game)
For Wisconsin, this is the third trip in three year.
They did wiggle themself into the Big Ten final, did beat a sloppy Nebraska team and here they are again.
They lost the last two Bowls.
Stanford did beat a very good UCLA team and is the favourite in this.
I can't see them lose here. But who knows.
If Wisconsin finds that energy they had in the Big Ten final, this will be nice.
I'm expecting a close game, with the Cardinals beating the Badgers.

DISCOVER ORANGE BOWL: #15 Northern Illinois vs #12 Florida State
This is played on Tuesday.
This is played since 1935 and is fielded at Sun Life Stadium, Home of the Miami Dolphins and the Miami Hurricanes.
It is the ACC Champion against an at-large BCS worthy opponent.
Each team gets around 17.500.000$. (a BCS game)
Welcome to the worst BCS-matchup ever.
I love Northern Illinois, but they are in no universe worth a matchup against a Florida State team.
They did come into this Bowl, because of some rules in the BCS-setup list, and rules are rules.
What i don't get is, why the Huskies were ranked by the humans that high?
For me this is over, before the first whistle was blown.
Seminoles in a one dimensional game.

‘Til next time
Jack6 on BLOCK OF GRANITE

Tags: Block of Granite