Monday, December 20
Winners and losers hard to figure
By John Lindsay
Scripps Howard News Service
Bowl games are like TV game shows. A certain segment of society
can't stand them. But more people watch and care.
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| TCU's LaDainian Tomlinson led the nation in rushing in 1999. |
It's like the puzzling success of "So You Want To Be A
Millionaire." Who thought 20 million viewers would put up with Regis
Philbin in prime time?
So knowing that even the two Christmas Day games will draw an audience, here's a quick look at who will win each game all the way to
Virginia Tech-Florida State for the national title Jan. 4.
Wednesday, Dec. 22
Mobile Bowl TCU (7-4) vs. East Carolina (9-2):The folks
on the Gulf Coast offer their inaugural game involving two teams with
purple as primary colors. Rallying after Hurricane Floyd ravaged their
campus in September, the Pirates have been a feel-good story. But
Horned Frogs RB LaDainian Tomlinson romped to a record 406 yards
against UTEP on his way to the NCAA rushing crown. He's the difference
here.
TCU 23, East Carolina 20.
Saturday, Dec. 25
Aloha Bowl: Arizona State (6-5) vs. Wake Forest (6-5): This one may not be worth throwing another log on the fire. Sun Devils RB J.R.
Redmond practices up for the NFL against a Demon Deacons defense that
gave up 31 points in one quarter to Duke.
Arizona State 38, Wake Forest 20.
Oahu Bowl: Oregon State (7-4) vs. Hawaii (8-4): The meek have
risen here. The Beavers haven't been to a bowl since the early days of
LBJ (1964 season) while the Rainbows entered the season on an 18-game
losing streak. Home-field advantage and a snazzy offense help Hawaii,
a 9-point underdog, pull the upset.
Hawaii 41, Oregon State 38.
Monday, Dec. 27
Motor City Bowl: Marshall (12-0) vs. Brigham Young (8-3):The ball will be in the air a lot with Thundering Herd QB Chad
Pennington (5th in the Heisman voting, 109 career TD passes) and
Cougars counterpart Kevin Feterik. But Marshall and its superior
defense have a point to prove after being overlooked by bigger bowls.
Marshall 35, BYU 27.
Tuesday, Dec. 28
Alamo Bowl: Texas A&M (8-3) vs. Penn State (9-3): A great game on
paper. The problem is these two combined to go 5-5 down the stretch,
including Penn State's first season-ending, three-game losing streak
since 1922. But Nittany Lions LB LaVar Arrington and crew want to send
off retiring defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky (32 years in Happy
Valley) in style.
Penn State 24, Texas A&M 6.
Wednesday, Dec. 29
Music City Bowl: Syracuse (6-5) vs. Kentucky (6-5): This would be great if it were basketball. Sadly, it's not. Coming in on a 1-4 skid, it gets worse for the Orangemen.
Kentucky 38, Syracuse 29.
Holiday Bowl: Kansas State (10-1) vs. Washington (7-4): Last year the Wildcats moaned about being snubbed by the BCS and promptly lost to Purdue in the Alamo Bowl. Their motivation is again suspect. But the Huskies woeful defense just won't allow a repeat loss.
Kansas State 41, Washington 35.
Coming from every corner of the globe
Thursday, Dec. 30
Humanitarian Bowl: Boise State (9-3) vs. Louisville (7-4): This will have more scoring than a lot of Big Ten hoops games. Watch Cardinals QB Chris Redman warm up for the NFL against the best player you've never heard of -- Broncos QB Bart Hendricks. The funky blue artificial turf adds to the viewing experience.
Louisville 54, Boise State 48.
Micronpc.com Bowl: Virginia (7-4) vs. Illinois (7-4): Rumors are
swirling that Cavs coach George Welsh, 66, may be considering
retirement. That will give RB Thomas Jones and his teammates extra
incentive against an Illini team just happy to be here.
Virginia 27, Illinois 21.
Peach Bowl: Clemson (6-5) vs. Mississippi State (9-2): Curiously, the Tigers are favored. But the Bulldogs want not only their first bowl victory under coach Jackie Sherrill (0-4) but their first 10-win
season since 1940.
Mississippi State 20, Clemson 16.
Friday, Dec. 31
Insight.com Bowl: Boston College (8-3) vs. Colorado (6-5):
Neither team beat anybody good this year. But the Buffs played in a
tougher league and should have beaten No. 3 Nebraska.
Colorado 31, BC 28.
Sun Bowl: Oregon (8-3) vs. Minnesota (8-3): A good matchup
featuring the Ducks sophisticated offense against the Golden Gophers
rugged defense. Again, playing in a nastier conference is the
difference.
Minnesota 24, Oregon 19.
Liberty Bowl: Colorado State (8-3) vs. Southern Mississippi
(8-3): Did you know that both the Rams and Eagles have won more games over the past four years than Notre Dame and USC? The Rams win a tight battle between two of the nation's most underrated programs.
Colorado State 20, Southern Miss 19.
Independence Bowl: Mississippi (7-4) vs. Oklahoma (7-4): The
final bowl game of the 20th century looks as flat as two-day old
champagne. We could have done better.
Mississippi 30, Oklahoma 24.
Saturday, Jan. 1
Outback Bowl: Georgia (7-4) vs. Purdue (7-4): In the first bowl game of the 21st century, Boilermakers QB Drew Brees has fun working over a Bulldogs' defense that got worse as the season went on.
Purdue 41, Georgia 31.
Cotton Bowl: Arkansas (7-4) vs. Texas (9-4): The superior Longhorns salvage some pride against the overmatched Razorbacks, who went 1-4 on the road this year.
Texas 35, Arkansas 14.
Gator Bowl: Georgia Tech (8-3) vs. Miami (8-4): Another contest where points will come fast and furious. Look for Yellow Jackets QB Joe Hamilton, the Heisman runner-up, to work some magic at the end.
Georgia Tech 41, Miami 40.
Citrus Bowl: Florida (9-3) vs. Michigan State (9-2): Steve
Spurrier's struggling offense simply cannot be this bad. The Spartans
think they deserved a better bowl than this.
Florida 29, Michigan State 19.
Rose Bowl: Stanford (8-3) vs. Wisconsin (9-2): Heisman-winner Ron Dayne and the rest of the Badgers run wild over a soft Cardinal defense, that gave up 69 points to Texas and 44 to San Jose State.
Wisconsin 38, Stanford 17.
Orange Bowl: Alabama (10-2) vs. Michigan (9-2): Arguably no one
was playing better than the Crimson Tide when the season ended. But
the layoff and a lingering knee problem for All-America offensive
tackle Chris Samuels won't help as underrated Wolverines QB Tom Brady
gets the job done.
Michigan 24, Alabama 21.
Sunday, Jan. 2
Fiesta Bowl: Tennessee (9-2) vs. Nebraska (11-1): A terrific
matchup of two powerhouses that met in the 1998 Orange Bowl. Gritty
Vols QB Tee Martin and his mates get revenge for the 42-17 shellacking
they took two years ago.
Tennessee 23, Nebraska 17.
Tuesday, Jan. 4
Sugar Bowl: Virginia Tech (11-0) vs. Florida State (11-0): Can
Florida State really blow three national-title games in the last four
years? Nope. Too much of Seminoles all-around talent WR Peter Warrick
coupled with Hokies' big-game inexperience makes for not much of a
finale.
Florida State 38, Virginia Tech 16.
(John Lindsay is a columnist for Scripps Howard News Service)
