2014 NFL Recap: Ten Pre-Season Predictions Nobody Made

Another NFL regular season is in the books, and we await another playoff run that looks fairly familiar.  The NFC is led by the Aaron Rodgers's Packers and the defending champion Seahawks.  The AFC is led by Tom Brady and Peyton Manning yet again, which appears destined for yet another AFC Championship showdown in Foxboro.  However, just like every season there were some great surprises throughout the season that no one could see coming.  So here are the ten pre-season predictions that no one made that actually ended up coming true.

10.  Tony Romo would get better in December instead of his usual collapse, leading one of the hottest teams into the playoffs.  Tony Romo has been made famous (or rather infamous) by the media for his epic collapses in the month of December, ruining any chances the Cowboys have at the playoffs every year.  This season the Cowboys started much stronger than usual, highlighted by earning the only win by a road team in Seattle (which happened to be where his late season woes started with a fumbled field goal snap).  However, everyone was waiting for Romo to go through his typical slump in December that could potentially cause the Cowboys their playoff spot again, and potentially cost Jason Garrett his job.  This year was different.  Romo got stronger, and led the team into the playoffs as division champ and many people's favorite pick to take the whole NFC.  Now the Romo collapse still might come in the playoffs, but he has avoided it so far.

9.  A Nebraska alum playing for the Detroit Lions would be suspended for stomping on an opposing player, and his name wouldn't be Ndomukong Suh.  The All Pro defensive tackle has been known as one of the NFL's bad boys ever since he entered the league out of Nebraska.  He has even been suspended in the past for stomping on an opposing player during a game.  So if a Nebraska alum playing for the Lions was going to get suspended for this same act, it would make sense that it would once again be a man named Suh, right?  Enter Dominic Raiola.  Raiola has been the starting center for the Lions for the last decade, and it would be this former Cornhusker that would be penalized for stupidity.  Now this doesn't mean Suh didn't try in the last game against the Packers...

8.  The Buffalo Bills would finish 9-7 led by Kyle Orton.  Last year, EJ Manuel was selected in the first round to be the quarterback of the future for the Buffalo Bills.  If they were going to make any strides in his sophomore year, Manuel was going to be the one leading the charge, right?  Enter Kyle Orton.  Orton was brought in to be a veteran mentor for Manuel, but after another slow start from their future of the franchise, coach Doug Marrone chose to switch gears to Orton.  This may have just been planned to be a short term solution to try and stabilize the offense, but then the team went on a run Buffalo hasn't seen in a decade.  With their two star running backs hurt, Orton led the Bills to their first winning season since 2004.  Although they fell short of the playoffs, the team made great strides forward, and it was Orton, not Manuel, that made it happen.

7.  The Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals would each play 4 quarterbacks throughout the season and both finish over .500.  Usually instability at the quarterback position leads to struggles as a team.  However, two teams this year defied those odds.  The Texans started the year with the Amish Rifle, Ryan Fitzpatrick.  He got off to a strong start, but was eventually benched for recently acquired Ryan Mallett.  Then Mallett got hurt, and Fitzpatrick came back in.  Then Fitzpatrick got hurt, and rookie Tom Savage was forced into action.  Not wanting to trust their season to a 4th round rookie developmental project, they signed Case Keenum, who unsuccessfully started games for them last year, off the Rams' practice squad.  Still, behind their defense and adequate quarterback play, they were able to finish 9-7 and one win away from the playoffs.

The Cardinals started the year hot with Carson Palmer at quarterback.  The game after he received a big contract extension, he had a season-ending injury.  Drew Stanton, one of the more respected backups in the league, was brought in.  Then he got hurt, which forced rookie Logan Thomas into action.  Not wanting to trust their season to a 4th round rookie developmental project, they signed Ryan Lindley, who unsuccessfully started games for them last year, off the Chargers' practice squad.  Still, behind their defense and adequate quarterback play, they were able to finish 11-5 and earn a Wild Card berth in the playoffs (although no one has much confidence in their chances).  Wow, those stories sound scarily similar.

6.  Super Bowl hero Percy Harvin would be traded away before mid-season, and the Seahawks would still be the #1 seed in the NFC.  In a move that shocked everyone around the league, only a year and a half after acquiring him, the Seahawks traded away the explosive Percy Harvin, citing team chemistry concerns.  Without Percy Harvin, the Seahawks wouldn't be able to repeat the success they had last year, right?  Enter Russell Wilson.  Wilson has continued to develop into a potential MVP candidate this year, leading the Hawks offense to scoring enough points to win with their dominant defense.  And Percy Harvin?  He was traded to the dumpster-fire that is the New York Jets and became what every offensive weapon for the Jets becomes: irrelevant.

5.  Two of the most productive and respected running backs of the last 5 years, Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson, would be suspended for the season for off-the-field issues.  The NFL has a problem with the law.  This is not a new concept, and Commissioner Roger Goddell is doing everything he can to control it.  The problem continued this year, but the surprise was who it involved.  Before this season, Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson were considered by many as two of the league's "nice guys."  No one could have predicted by the end of the season that these two high-character players would be suspended for the season for domestic violence cases.  They went from being the faces of their respective franchises to potentially never playing in the league again.

4.  The Washington Redskins will end the season with Colt McCoy as their most successful quarterback.  There were high expectations coming into the season for the Washington football franchise with offensive mastermind Jay Gruden taking over as coach.  He would be able to get RGIII back on track, right?  Well, after an early-season injury, RGIII was benched for Kirk Cousins, widely thought of as the best backup in the league.  After some struggles and an injury, Coach Gruden turned to all he had left, Colt McCoy.  With McCoy, he finally found some success as the team finally looked to be clicking.  If it wasn't for another injury, he would have been the starter for the rest of the year over his high-profile teammates.  McCoy ended the season with a QB rating 10 points higher than Griffin and Cousins, who both finished with the same rating.  Heading into the offseason, McCoy might be the quarterback most likely to be on the roster next year.

3.  The NFC South would be won with a losing record.  There are many stats with this division that no one could have predicted.  First, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earn the first pick in the draft with two of the best receivers in the league, a new coach, and a big offseason quarterback signing.  Next, the New Orleans Saints would miss the playoffs losing 5 straight games in the Superdome, thought to be one of the best home-field advantages in the league.  The Atlanta Falcons would finish with a 5-1 record in the division, but miss the playoffs with an overall 6-10 record.  They only won one game outside of their division!  And last, the Carolina Panthers would win the division with a 7-8-1 record, with Cam Newton missing a late season game due to injuries sustained in a mid-day car accident.  The league really has to get rid of the tie...

2.  The rookie quarterback with the most passing yards for the Cleveland Browns would be Connor Shaw.  Coming into this season, one of the biggest stories was the potential impact Johnny Manziel would have on the Cleveland Browns and the league in general.  The first slight surprise of the year was that Brian Hoyer beat out Johnny Football for the starting job in Cleveland.  Manziel would be in eventually though, right?  Well, behind Hoyer the Browns had a decent amount of success with Johnny seeing a couple plays here and there.  Near the end of the year, as the Brady-Backup Magic started to wear off of Hoyer, they decided to give Manziel a chance in Week 16.  In his first career start, Johnny Manziel proved to indeed to be too small for the NFL as he was knocked out of the game in the 2nd quarter.  Then Hoyer was injured later in the game.  Enter undrafted rookie Connor Shaw.  Shaw was signed off the practice squad to start Week 17 for lack of a better option.  Not only are these two rookies now tied in starts made in their career, but the efficient Connor Shaw, in that one game, earned more passing yards than the first rounder Manziel had in the other 15 games combined.  Who knows what the future of Manziel will be past this year, but no one would have thought the Connor Shaw star would shine brighter than the Johnny Football star for the Browns this year.

1.  The Kansas City Chiefs would not throw a touchdown pass to a receiver all season.  This has to be one of the most bizarre stats I have ever seen.  Alex Smith has always been considered a game manager, but the thought that no receiver caught a pass in the end zone all year is just ridiculous.  Now some touchdown passes were thrown to running backs and tight ends, but the only position whose primary job is to catch the ball never reached the end zone.  Maybe even more ridiculous is the fact that entering Week 17, the Chiefs still had an opportunity to make the playoffs.  They did their part, but didn't get the help they needed from other teams.  At one point, with Chase Daniel behind center, I thought the streak would end as Dwayne Bowe dove for the goal line, but he fumbled into the end zone.  With the recovery by Travis Kelce, the Chiefs got the touchdown and kept the streak in tact.  In a league where stat lines are looking more like video game numbers, where passing records seem to be broken every year, you can be sure something like this will not happen again for a long time.  However, I never thought it would happen this year, which is what puts this as the top prediction nobody made.

What do you think?  Any omissions?  Did anybody see any of these things coming?

NFL Mock Draft 2014

The NFL Draft is one of my favorite sporting events of the year. Making a mock draft is sometimes pointless because the draft is so unpredictable (except when it is in the form of that stupid Kevin Costner movie). There are trades and horrible picks that throw a wrench into even an NFL Draft Insider’s mock drafts. One thing we do know…there will be a QB, DE, or OT drafted first overall. Last time that didn’t happen? 18 years ago, Keyshawn Johnson. This year will continue that trend rule. Check out my soon-to-be irrelevant mock draft below and see what I project your favorite team to take in the first round, as well as a draft wish list for my world champion Seattle Seahawks (never gets old calling them that).

1. Houston Texans – Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina – He has been the consensus #1 pick since he did this. The Texans desperately need a quarterback, but they can get a totally solid NFL starter in the second round of this draft.

2. St. Louis Rams Atlanta Falcons – Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo – The Falcons are no stranger to trading up in the draft. This will likely be pretty expensive, but the team needs a linebacker. Mack is a future star in the league.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars – Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida – This would not be a really sexy pick at #3 for a team with a lot of holes, but UCF is only about 150 miles from Jacksonville, so I am sure there are a bunch of Bortles fans in the area. He could be the guy to take them to the top of that division, which is definitely winnable this year.

4. Cleveland Browns – Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M – The Browns are constantly looking for something to make them relevant, so their fans will be clamoring for Manziel when they realize he is available here. This will be their third QB taken in the first round since 2007.

5. Oakland Raiders – Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson – He is one of the scariest deep threats to come into the draft in several years. The Raiders love taking the combine freaks, but this guy also happens to be the best fit for their team. They can get their QB of the future later in the draft.

6. Atlanta Falcons St. Louis Rams – Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn – It would be scary for the Rams to pick up a few more picks for trading down and still getting the surefire left tackle they have been searching for the past decade.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan – Lewan is one of the top linemen in the draft, and the Buccs, while filling some holes in free agency, still are thin on the O-Line.

8. Minnesota Vikings Miami Dolphins – Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M – The Vikings have had a bunch of first rounders in the past few years, so a trade down here will be welcomed, mainly because they won’t want another Ponder-ish reach for a QB here. The Dolphins were close last year to making a playoff run, and while they addressed their O-line needs with Brandon Albert, they will jump at the chance to groom his heir at RT.

9. Buffalo Bills – Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M – Evans is that huge wide-out that is impossible to guard. They are going to need him if they want to score against that beefed up Patriots secondary.

10. Detroit Lions – Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama – The Lions are always in need of secondary help. Clinton-Dix is maybe the most talented one in this draft. Having a playmaker at that position can be a game changer for the annually tortured Lions D.

11. Tennessee Titans – Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State – With Alterraun Verner heading off to the Buccs, the Titans need to fill that gap. Gilbert is clearly the best corner in the draft, and picking him here makes so much sense that they probably won’t do it.

12. New York Giants – Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh – The Giants have several holes, but none more obvious that the defensive line. With the running games in that division, they need to beef up the interior. Donald was the best defensive player in the country as a senior.

13. St. Louis Rams Green Bay Packers – Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina – The Rams trade down again. With Jermichael Finley departing, the Packers are suddenly without their tight end of the future. Their receiving core has taken hits in the past couple years. Ebron will be a great addition to that offense.

14. Chicago Bears – CJ Mosley, ILB, Alabama – Mosley was one of the consensus top defensive players in the nation each of the past two years. The Bears need help on defense, and their long-term answer at their most storied position ought to be chief among them.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers – Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State – The Steelers have some secondary holes, and if they want a shutdown corner, Dennard is as good as it gets in this draft. He won’t be the playmaker that Gilbert will be, but he will be able to be on an island against most offenses.

16. Dallas Cowboys – Ra’Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota – Doesn’t he already sound like a Cowboy D-Lineman? The guy is an absolute beast, and like the Giants, they need some run stuffers in that division.

17. Baltimore Ravens – Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia – With the departure of Blind Right Side Michael Oher, the Ravens need to shore up the right side of the line, as well as the center position. Take the right tackle early, take the center later.

18. New York Jets – Odell Beckham, WR, LSU – The Jets just signed Eric Decker, but if they want Geno Smith to really mature, they need to surround him with at least as much talent as he had at West Virginia. Beckham is dynamic, and would be a great player for them.

19. Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings – Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State – A lot of people are projecting Carr to go in the top 10, but once you get past Bortles and Manziel, the signal callers will start to drop. This is a much better spot for their QB of the future to get selected.

20. Arizona Cardinals – Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville – Put Pryor in a secondary with the likes of Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson, and the Cardinals might suddenly have the second best secondary in the division (and entire NFL).

21. Green Bay Packers St. Louis Rams – Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State – The envied tall athletic receiver finds his spot on a team that has loaded up on that position in the past few drafts. With Benjamin, Bailey, Givens, Quick, and Austin at the slot, we are suddenly looking at a dynamic passing offense, barring Sam Bradford injuries, of course.

22. Philadelphia Eagles – Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA – Chip Kelly seems to love taking players he couldn’t get the best of in college, and this one would be no different. He is one of the most talented playmakers in the draft, and he is quite versatile. He is a perfect fit for that scheme.

23. Kansas City Chiefs – Xavier Su’a-Gilo, G, UCLA – He has been called the best guard prospect in several years, and the Chiefs are going to need to make up for losing some of their interior line to free agency. Seems like a rock solid fit.

24. Cincinnati Bengals – Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame – Their offensive line is far from great, and the versatile Martin would be a perfect fit and mini-steal at this stage in the draft.

25. San Diego Chargers – Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State – After an underwhelming season, Roby falls way further than he expected to a year ago. The Chargers need corner help, especially being the same division as the Broncos.

26. Cleveland Browns – Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State – The Browns are going to need some weapons for Manziel, and they might as well start with the stat machine and most dependable receiver in the draft. Cooks would be their top guy from day one.

27. New Orleans Saints Oakland Raiders – Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville – The Saints trade out of the pick since all of the first-round quality offensive linemen are gone. The Raiders take the nine-spot leap to get their new quarterback in training behind veteran Matt Schaub.

28. Carolina Panthers – Marqise Lee, WR, USC – With Steve Smith leaving town, they are going to need a new security blanket for Newton. Lee will be a stud from the moment he steps on the practice field…if he is motivated.

29. New England Patriots – Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame – An upgrade up front on defense will be a solid move for the Patriots. Their secondary seems to be in good hands now through free agency, they love drafting pass rushers, and now they can get one more run stuffer to secure that side of the ball.

30. San Francisco 49ers – Dee Ford, DE, Auburn – Defensive line depth never hurt anyone, especially with your prized possession DE getting arrested for acting like a terrorist at the airport. Ford would be a beast in that scheme.

31. Denver Broncos – Kyle Van Noy, OLB, BYU – He was one of the most dynamic linebackers in the nation two years ago, so he certainly has the talent to get taken in the first round. They spent a bunch of money on all defensive positions other than LB, so this seems like a great choice for the Super Bowl runner-up.

32. Seattle Seahawks – Demarcus Lawrence, DE, Boise State – He is a furious pass rusher, and with Chris Clemons departing with the rest of Seattle’s free agents to Jacksonville, this seems like the biggest position of need for the team. It would be a mild reach, but they are not opposed to shaking it up in the first round.

Seattle Seahawks: Draft Suggestions/Wish List

Round 1, Pick 32 – Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State – The Hawks need a big bodied wide receiver who can make plays downfield and catch the ball in traffic. Robinson was the only weapon on Penn State, and he still dominated most games. Resigning Sidney Rice does not bode well for drafting a WR in round 1, but I can dream.

Round 2, Pick 64 – David Yankey, G, Stanford – Ever since we lost Steve Hutchinson, we have been searching for the long term answer at left guard. Yankey had a brilliant career in Palo Alto, and would be a slight reach, but we won’t have a chance to get him when we pick again in 68 picks. Best case scenario: we trade down into the beginning of the third to pick up a late round pick vacated by the Terrell Pryor deal, and select Yankey there.

Round 4, Pick 132 – Matt Patchan, OT, Boston College – With Breno Giacomini heading off to the Jets, there is a void at right tackle. We have a couple guys who can step up into that spot, but competition there will be great. Getting the left tackle who opened up holes for 2000 yard rusher Andre Williams seems like a dynamite choice in the 4^th round.

Round 5, Pick 146 – Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon – He may be a pain off the field, but he is incredibly versatile and would be an asset on our offense. He is an amazing athlete at the tight end position, and taking him could finally mean the end of Anthony McCoy in Seattle.

Round 5, Pick 172 – Trai Turner, G, LSU – He is a developmental guard, perfect for Tom Cable. He played in a pro-style offense in college, and coming out as a redshirt sophomore means that he has the confidence in himself to step up. He will not be asked to play this year, but having that O-line depth is always good.

Round 6, Pick 208 – Ciante Evans, CB, Nebraska – Losing Walter Thurmond leaves an opportunity to groom the next great slot corner. Having seen every game that Evans played in college, I can honestly say that he is one of the great shutdown nickel backs I have seen at the college level. He would be a steal at pick 208.

POTENTIAL UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS TO PURSUE

QB: Casey Pachall, TCU – He had his off the field issues, but he is a gamer. If he had remained clean throughout his college days, then he would be a draftable player. Bring him into camp and let him prove that he belongs in the league.

RB: Adam Muema, RB, San Diego State – Remember this? It was the strangest story of the combine, and even though he has since said he is done playing football, I am sure we can invite the nutcase to camp. It would be a very Carroll-ish thing to do.

WR: Alex Neutz, Buffalo – He had a very productive career for Buffalo, and he has great NFL size. He was really reliable in big games, and he was the only real receiving threat on the squad.

TE: Jacob Pedersen, Wisconsin – He would be a nice fit for the Hawks. He is a lot like Zach Miller and Luke Willson, so adding a practice squad guy to wait in the wings would be beneficial.

DE: Jake Metz, Shippensburg – He has the right size, he was his small conference’s defensive player of the year, and recorded 11 sacks as a senior. We have hit on a few small school guys, so he would be worth the invite.

OLB: Kyler Elsworth, Michigan State – He had that amazing play at the end of the Rose Bowl, diving over the line on fourth down to win the game for the Spartans, he was on people’s radars. He wasn’t a combine invite, so he is going to have a chip on his shoulder, as he did throughout college. He is going to be motivated and has a good chance to make a roster somewhere.

S: Mycal Swaim, Eastern Michigan – 6’4’’ 212 pounds. He would fit right in on this team. Recently, we have basically been redshirting rookies, so placing him on the practice squad and learning play the position from Kam Chancellor would be ideal.

Thoughts? Comments? What do you want your team to go after in the draft?

2013-2014 College Football Bowl Preview

There are some extremely interesting matchups this bowl season, the final one of the dreaded BCS era. For each game, I will give a couple brief thoughts, my predicted winner and confidence level (35 is most confident), as well as my interest level on a scale of 1-10. Clearly, some of the games hold more weight than others, but bowls are bowls. I would watch every one of them if possible. I love this time of year. Read up!

GILDAN NEW MEXICO BOWL – December 21, 11:00AM ESPN

Colorado State vs Washington State (-4)

Breakdown: Yes, the Cougars are bowl eligible for the first time in a decade, but they got one of the weakest matchups we could have asked for. We want Mike Leach in a bout with another riverboat gambler, but instead we get Colorado State, who lost their season opener to a terrible Colorado team. How many tickets to this game can possibly be sold in New Mexico?  This promises to be a high scoring affair, though, but only if CSU star tailback Kapri Bibbs is healthy.

Winner (Confidence): Colorado State (8)

Interest Level: 3/10

ROYAL PURPLE LAS VEGAS BOWL – December 21, 12:30PM ABC

USC (-6) vs Fresno State

Breakdown: This is a very cool matchup of Golden State teams. The Trojans have had a well documented coaching debacle throughout the season, ending with their interim coach quitting before the bowl game. How inspired will this team be? Will Marqise Lee use this favorable matchup as one final showcase for the NFL scouts? Fresno State scores in bunches, and their QB Derek Carr is right there with the elite NFL prospects as well. This game will have about a billion points scored, but I feel like the Fresno has a bit more motivation in this, missing the BCS due to one loss…in which they scored 52 points on the road.

Winner (Confidence): Fresno State (10)

Interest Level: 7.5/10

FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL – December 21, 2:30PM ESPN

Buffalo (-1.5) vs San Diego State

Breakdown: Buffalo was had one of the most impressive turnarounds outside of Auburn in the nation. In 2011, they were an uncompetitive 3-9. Last year, 4-8. Now, they are 8-4 and nearly won their division. They get rewarded with…the Potato Bowl. San Diego State had a pretty good season, but it was really up-and-down. They get blown out by Eastern Illinois, beat Boise State, play close against awful New Mexico State and Hawaii. I suspect that the Aztecs, despite playing in familiar surroundings, will get blown off the blown off the ball by the Buffalo o-line and Branden Oliver will have a monster game.

Winner (Confidence): Buffalo (22)

Interest Level: 1.5/10

R&L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL – December 21, 6:00PM ESPN

Tulane (PK) vs Louisiana-Lafayette

Breakdown: I am intrigued by this game for really no other reason than we get to see in-state rivals playing in their home state. Ordinarily, when a team plays near home, the outcome of the bowl game is somewhat predetermined. Here, we get a very intriguing matchup where motivation will be the deciding factor. I think that Tulane (2-10 last year), who was clearly in the better conference, will want to show the nation that their hot start was not a fluke. It will be a nail-biter, but I got the Green Wave.

Winner (Confidence): Tulane (17)

Interest Level: 6/10

BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S BOWL – December 23, 11:00AM ESPN

Ohio vs East Carolina (-14)

Breakdown: Here, we have a couple non-AQ usual suspects battling it out in Florida. Ohio had a ton of returning talent, but they had a letdown year. East Carolina has a high-powered offense and an underrated defense that held Virginia Tech to just 15 points. I expect Shane Carden and Justin Hardy to hook up for a trio of touchdowns and roll all over that putrid Bobcat defense. If Beau Blankenship can get his act together and run the ball effectively for Ohio, however, this game could remain close.

Winner (Confidence): East Carolina (26)

Interest Level: 4/10

SHERATON HAWAII BOWL – December 24, 5:00PM ESPN

Oregon State (-3) vs Boise State

Breakdown: This game has no shortage of intrigue. We have the Beavers, who opened the year with a loss to FCS Eastern Washington, but then went on somewhat of a roll behind Biletnikoff winner Brandin Cooks and the arm of Sean Mannion. Boise State had an average year by their standards, mainly because their defense could not stop anyone. They also lost their coach, so how prepared will this team be without the best bowl game coach in the nation? They are very familiar with playing in Hawaii, but in bowl games, the stars show up. Cooks will go off like usual, but look for RBs Storm Woods and Terron Ward to put up the big numbers against that weak Boise front. This will be high scoring and close. I can’t wait to see this.

Winner (Confidence): Oregon State (14)

Interest Level: 9/10

LITTLE CAESARS BOWL – December 26, 3:00PM ESPN

Pittsburgh vs Bowling Green (-6)

Breakdown: This is a nice matchup. Bowling Green won the MAC in a shocking blowout win over Northern Illinois, but when they played BCS competition, they lost 63-30. This is not a great Pittsburgh team, but if I have learned anything watching bowl games, dominate defensive linemen take over bowls. Aaron Donald, the unbelievable DT for the Panthers, won the Outland, Bednarik, Nagurski, and Lombardi awards. He will take over this game and prevent that powerful Falcon offense from really getting going. BG also has 5^th best scoring defense in the nation, so expect an ugly game in Detroit.

Winner (Confidence): Pittsburgh (21)

Interest Level: 7/10

SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL – December 26, 6:30PM ESPN

Utah State vs Northern Illinois (-1.5)

Breakdown: Here, we have a classic matchup of strength vs strength. Northern Illinois has one of the most amazing offenses in the nation, and Utah State has one of the stingiest defenses out there. The Huskies are coming off an ugly loss in the MAC Championship Game, and Utah State nearly took down Fresno State for the MWC title. If Chuckie Keeton were healthy for Utah State, then this would be no contest. Since his injury, the Aggies have looked human, but like last year, in which they dominated their bowl game, they are just a better overall team than their opponent. This is bound to be a close game, but Utah State is playing closer to home, and Lynch already got his Heisman invite. I got the Aggies in a highly entertaining game that may well be the best of all the non-BCS games.

Winner (Confidence): Utah State (19)

Interest Level: 9/10

MILITARY BOWL – December 27, 11:30AM ESPN

Marshall (-3) vs Maryland

Breakdown: Marshall is probably the better team in this game, but Maryland is playing basically at home. The Terrapins started the season looking like a contender, but then fell off after that 63-0 loss to Florida State. Marshall finished winning 5 of their last 6, and they do have Rakeem Kato, one of the coolest QBs in the country. This is a decent matchup, but I feel like the team playing at home is going to be the deciding factor. The Marshall passing game will get slowed down a bit by the weather as well. Expect a low scoring affair.

Winner (Confidence): Maryland (5)

Interest Level: 5/10

TEXAS BOWL – December 27, 3:00PM ESPN

Syracuse vs Minnesota (-4.5)

Breakdown: Syracuse has a history of screwing up people’s seasons, but this Minnesota team is special. They are not the most talented team, but their defense is dominant. Their offense gets it done, especially since David Cobb’s emergence as their go-to tailback. The game being played in Texas is random, so there is no impact of weather or potential home crowd. The Gophers are the better team, and they will win this game.

Winner (Confidence): Minnesota (25)

Interest Level: 4.5/10

FIGHT HUNGER BOWL – December 27, 6:30PM ESPN

Washington (-3) vs BYU

Breakdown: These teams have played each other quite a bit over the years, but this matchup is different. Coach Sarkisian left for USC, so he doesn’t get to coach against his alma mater. This BYU team has a power running game, and they have hung with teams and been a much better Independent than I expected. Washington has more talent and are being coached by legendary Husky Marques Tuiasosopo for the game. Expect that offense to get going quick, and watch Bishop Sankey have one more huge game before jumping to the NFL. Watch out for Cougars QB Taysom Hill, who could very well shred the stout Husky D. This will be a fantastic game to watch in San Francisco, with the two schools being basically the same distance from the game. It is the perfect neutral site.

Winner (Confidence): Washington (4)

Interest Level: 8/10

NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL – December 28, 9:00AM ESPN

Rutgers vs Notre Dame (-15.5)

Breakdown: I am going against my rule of always picking the home state team. Rutgers is simply not a good team, and this Notre Dame squad has beaten a few of the best teams in the country. There is also a huge contingent of Irish fans in New York, so Rutgers will likely not outdraw ND in ticket sales. The Irish defense will destroy that streaky Rutgers offense and win this game comfortably.

Winner (Confidence): Notre Dame (29)

Interest Level: 4/10

BELK BOWL – December 28, 12:20PM ESPN

Cincinnati vs North Carolina (-3)

Breakdown: I have no idea what to expect from these teams. Cincinnati nearly won the AAC after losing their starting QB and losing to South Florida, one of the worst teams in the nation. North Carolina started 1-5 and finished 5-1. UNC lost their season finale to Duke, while Cincinnati lost their chance at the conference title in the last week. UNC probably has more upside, but I really have no idea what this game will look like. It is a coin flip if there ever was one.

Winner (Confidence): Cincinnati (1)

Interest Level: 3.5/10

RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL – December 28, 3:45PM ESPN

Miami vs Louisville (-3)

Breakdown: This is another case where I had to go against my home state rule. Louisville has appeared bored since they lost to UCF, but they haven’t lost since. Miami has appeared pedestrian at best since getting obliterated by Florida State. The Cardinal are simply a better team, and if Teddy Bridgewater wants to go pro, he can have a big game against this defense. I expect him to.

Winner (Confidence): Louisville (12)

Interest Level: 7/10

BUFFALO WILD WINGS BOWL – December 28, 7:15PM ESPN

Michigan vs Kansas State (-3.5)

Breakdown: This is a great matchup for such a lower-level bowl game. The teams appear to be mirrors of each other. The Wildcats had a commendable season after their Heisman finalist Colin Klein graduated. Michigan looked terrific early on, but then they stumbled and hit rock bottom midseason. They are coming in with some confidence after their effort against Ohio State. They are certainly more explosive than K-State. There will be no defense played in this game, but Michigan has more weapons.

Winner (Confidence): Michigan (16)

Interest Level: 7.5/10

BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES BOWL – December 30, 8:45AM ESPN

Middle Tennessee State vs Navy (-6)

Breakdown: This is just one of those games where there are very few pulls. The quarterbacks are dynamic, especially Keenan Reynolds, who set the single season QB rushing TD record. Navy just never really has great bowl games. Logan Kilgore is a fine player as well, but his senior year has been as great as we would have expected going in. Unless Reynolds goes off, this is bound to be the most forgettable bowl game of the season.

Winner (Confidence): Middle Tennessee State (7)

Interest Level: 2/10

FRANKLIN AMERICAN MORTGAGE MUSIC CITY BOWL – December 30, 12:15PM ESPN

Mississippi (-3) vs Georgia Tech

Breakdown: Here, we get a cool matchup of unique offenses. Ole Miss has had a Jekyll and Hyde-type of season, but last year’s bowl game showed that they can be tough to prepare for. Georgia Tech ended the year on somewhat of a roll when Vad Lee and David Sims really started playing well. The Yellow Jackets have a better defense, so the option team will probably have more success on the ground than the straight spread team. That is only a guess, though. This is a really interesting game.

Winner (Confidence): Georgia Tech (3)

Interest Level: 7.5/10

VALERO ALAMO BOWL – December 30, 3:45PM ESPN

Texas vs Oregon (-14)

Breakdown: Here, we have two teams that do not want to be where they are at. Oregon was not pleased with the Rose Bowl…so how does the Alamo Bowl taste? DAT sucks, bro. Texas was an in-state rivalry game away from the Fiesta Bowl, but here they sit in an ugly game that they have little chance of really competing in. The only thing going for them is that they are playing in Texas. With Mack Brown on his way out, the team may be uninspired. They could get a bit of “win one for the Gipper” as a sendoff to their National Title winning coach, but I doubt it. This one could get ugly very quick, since Texas has one of the worst run defenses in the nation.

Winner (Confidence): Oregon (27)

Interest Level: 6/10

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY BOWL – December 30, 7:15PM ESPN

Texas Tech vs Arizona State (-14)

Breakdown: This is a very strange game that I cannot get a read on. I figured that the Sun Devils would beat Stanford at home for the Pac-12 title, but they got steamrolled. ASU has looked amazing at times this year, but with Marion Grice banged up, the team is more one-dimensional. Texas Tech started off hot this year before basically imploding. The team seems like it could come up with some exotic offensive game plan with all that time to prepare. I am not confident in this one. There will definitely be a bunch of points down there in San Diego.

Winner (Confidence): Arizona State (9)

Interest Level: 8/10

ADVOCARE V100 BOWL – December 31, 9:30AM ESPN

Boston College vs Arizona (-7.5)

Breakdown: In this game, we have an awesome matchup of the two best running backs in the nation. Ka’Deem Carey is electric for the Wildcats and dominated the Pac-12 for the second consecutive year. Andre Williams, obviously, had one of the elite seasons for a running back in college football history. He is the only weapon that BC has on offense, and he still rolled up over 2000 yards, most of which were in the second half of the year. Big time players show up in big games. Look for Williams to put a stamp on his historic season and lead the Eagles to victory behind a 200+ yard game.

Winner (Confidence): Boston College (13)

Interest Level: 8.5/10

HYUNDAI SUN BOWL – December 31, 11:00AM CBS

Virginia Tech vs UCLA (-7)

Breakdown: UCLA is a troubling team. When they are at their peak, they might be the best team in the country. They have been up-and-down, though. This is a favorable matchup. The Bruins might not be able to really open it up against a pretty strong Hokies defense, but they should be able to shut down Logan Thomas and company without too much trouble. Watch this game to see a whole lot of Myles Jack, one of the most versatile and exciting players in college football. He will be a Heisman frontrunner heading into next season.

Winner (Confidence): UCLA (32)

Interest Level: 7/10

AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL – December 31, 1:00PM ESPN

Mississippi State (-7) vs Rice

Breakdown: Rice is coming into the game hot after taking apart a really good Marshall team for the C-USA title. Mississippi State really has not recorded a quality win. Their best win may have been the ugly Egg Bowl victory over Ole Miss. The only reason Bulldogs are favored is because they are in the SEC. Rice is a better team. They showed they can play with the big boys when they put 31 on Texas A&M to start the year.

Winner (Confidence): Rice (20)

Interest Level: 6/10

CHICK-FIL-A BOWL – December 31, 5:00PM ESPN

Duke vs Texas A&M (-12)

Breakdown: Here, we have a mismatch. We saw what Duke is really like when they play outside of the soft ACC. They are an intriguing team just because they won 10 games and that never happens. The Aggies are not coming in felling good, necessarily, after getting dismantled by Missouri. This is, in all likelihood, Johnny Manziel’s last college game. He will leave his mark. This should get out of hand pretty quick, but it will probably be entertaining.

Winner (Confidence): Texas A&M (33)

Interest Level: 5/10

TAXSLAYER.COM GATOR BOWL – JANUARY 1, 9:00AM ESPN2

Nebraska vs Georgia (-9)

Breakdown: It is always unfortunate when we get a rematch of the previous year’s bowl season. Last year, Nebraska and Georgia came in healthy, and we got a shootout. This year, both teams’ quarterbacks are out for the year and are a shell of their former selves. Georgia has more talent and is deeper, so they should not have too many problems beating the Huskers and whoever they start at QB. Ameer Abdullah will have a day for the Big Red, but it will not be nearly enough to keep up with the Bulldogs.

Winner (Confidence): Georgia (30)

Interest Level: 5/10

HEART OF DALLAS BOWL – JANUARY 1, 9:00AM ESPNU

UNLV vs North Texas (-6.5)

Breakdown: This is the biggest mismatch of the bowl season. UNLV played in a weak Mountain West and got destroyed by every good team on their schedule. They finished the season on a good note, but they are going to Texas to play a feisty team from Texas. The Mean Green have a top 10 defense and a very balanced offense. They should be able to force UNLV into passing situations, which is not good news for the Rebels. North Texas scores on defense consistently. This is an absolute no-brainer. NOTE: I always seem to miss my top confidence game, but I can’t get this one wrong...right?

Winner (Confidence): North Texas (35)

Interest Level: 4/10

CAPITAL ONE BOWL – JANUARY 1, 10:00AM ABC

Wisconsin (PK) vs South Carolina

Breakdown: I really like this matchup. I can already picture how this game is going to go. Wisconsin will outplay South Carolina in almost every way, but South Carolina will somehow have more points at the end of the game. Sound familiar? It should, if you have seen any Cocks game during the Connor Shaw era. The running game for the Badgers is seemingly unstoppable when they commit to it (which didn’t happen in their embarrassing season-ending loss to Penn State). South Carolina has a good running game of its own, led by 1000 yard rusher Mike Davis. This will likely be a very entertaining game, one of the best on New Year’s Day.

Winner (Confidence): South Carolina (28)

Interest Level: 9/10

OUTBACK BOWL – JANUARY 1, 10:00AM ESPN

Iowa vs LSU (-7.5)

Breakdown: This game has my attention for some reason. LSU was a really interesting team for most of the season. Heading into their bowl without senior QB Zach Mettenberger is troubling, but it levels the playing field with ground-and-pound Iowa. The Hawkeyes have had a solid season and a nice turnaround from last year. LSU has NFL players all over its offense, but its defense is rebuilding. If Iowa can control the clock, which it does better than almost any other team, it has a tremendous chance of winning. I just seem too much firepower for the Bayou Bengals.

Winner (Confidence): LSU (18)

Interest Level: 8/10

ROSE BOWL GAME – JANUARY 1, 2:00PM ESPN

Michigan State vs Stanford (-4.5)

Breakdown: This is the best game of the season. We have two teams that are committed to being NFL-style teams. They have stout defenses, especially the nation’s best one in Michigan State. Stanford has had a couple cases where they were not able to really control the line of scrimmage, which is what Sparty does game in and game out. I like their chances of winning, but it is so hard to predict a Cardinal loss. I really do not want to pick a side here. I just want to enjoy what will likely be the roughest and most beautiful display of pure football this season.

Winner (Confidence): Michigan State (2)

Interest Level: 10/10

TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL – JANUARY 1, 5:30PM ESPN

UCF vs Baylor (-17)

Breakdown: I like this game in theory. UCF has had itself an incredible debut BCS conference season. That is without question. They also had some very close calls with some awful teams. Baylor, with the exception of a couple games late in the year, could do whatever they wanted on offense. The Bears should be able to score 60 on UCF, who doesn’t have much on the defensive side. They do have an offense of their own, but it will not be enough against a solid Baylor D. I want to watch these offenses, but this game should not be closer than 4 touchdowns.

Winner (Confidence): Baylor (31)

Interest Level: 8/10

ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL – JANUARY 2, 5:30PM ESPN

Oklahoma vs Alabama (-15)

Breakdown: This is one of those games that seem so obvious that I almost picked the other way. These types of games always destroy confidence pickers. Oklahoma has almost nothing on offense. They road one player to a Bedlam victory, a game they had no business winning or even competing in. Alabama is still probably the best team in the country, but how much do they want to play in the Sugar Bowl? They have lost to Utah in a BCS game in the past in which they just didn’t show up. The Crimson Tide are superior in every way, and I just cannot seeing one of college football’s greatest champions AJ McCarron going out with a loss.

Winner (Confidence): Alabama (34)

Interest Level: 5/10

AT&T COTTON BOWL – JANUARY 3, 4:30PM FOX

Oklahoma State vs Missouri (-1)

Breakdown: I love this matchup of old Big 12 schools. Missouri got shredded in the SEC Championship game by a creative offense, and that is exactly what Oklahoma State sports. The Pokes have had their troubles with consistency all year. They have more talent than Missouri, but that really doesn’t matter in most bowls. This game is going to be an offensive shootout. I trust Mike Gundy more than Gary Pinkel, plus Missouri’s letdown of missing out on the BCS Championship Game is greater than OK State’s letdown of missing playing UCF in the Fiesta.

Winner (Confidence): Oklahoma State (24)

Interest Level: 8.5/10

DISCOVER ORANGE BOWL – JANUARY 3, 5:30PM ESPN

Clemson vs Ohio State (-3)

Breakdown: This is a game that features two teams that cannot feel too good coming in. Everyone had Clemson finally winning another Palmetto Bowl, but they got taken apart again. Ohio State has been exposed defensively each of their last two games. Urban Meyer is typically a fantastic postseason coach, though. Tajh Boyd dominated last season in the Chick-fil-A Bowl against LSU. Both teams should be well prepared and hungry…at least I hope so. I want this to be a great game.

Winner (Confidence): Ohio State (11)

Interest Level: 9/10

BBVA COMPASS BOWL – JANUARY 4, 10:00AM ESPN

Houston vs Vanderbilt (-3)

Breakdown: I do not really know what to say about this game. Houston looked decent until they played the best 3 teams in the AAC, which they lost to in consecutive weeks. Their best game was probably their close loss to either BYU or Louisville. They did stun Rice early in the year. They are capable of playing a good game, especially defensively. Vanderbilt had high hopes, and even though they won 8 games, they were not great. They did not really have any quality wins, unless you count the depleted Georgia team. The Commodores will win because they have some real talent on offense and a great coach, but I do not really need to see this game. It is bound to be pretty bad.

Winner (Confidence): Vanderbilt (23)

Interest Level: 1/10

GODADDY BOWL – JANUARY 5, 6:00PM ESPN

Arkansas State vs Ball State (-9)

Breakdown: Games like this one are hard to predict. Ball State should be the clear favorite after taking their conference, but this game is the day before the championship game. Arkansas State lost another coach to a better job, which usually plays in the favor of the team with the vacated coaching spot. I think this will be a close game, but Ball State has too much firepower offensively. The QB-RB-WR combo of Keith Wenning, Jahwan Edwards, and Willie Snead is one of the best in the nation. I expect them to probably win, but I just cannot fully trust the MAC.

Winner (Confidence): Ball State (6)

Interest Level: 4.5/10

VIZIO BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – JANUARY 6, 5:30PM ESPN

Auburn vs Florida State (-8.5)

Breakdown: Finally we arrive at the one everyone wants to see. We get to see one of the most dominant regular season teams in recent memory against a team of destiny if there ever was one. Auburn’s running game seems impossible to stop, but only if you watched the SEC Championship Game. They had to be far more balanced against Georgia the game before, a game that I still cannot believe they escaped from. The team simply has no defense either. Florida State has yet to really be tested. That is not to say they haven’t played anyone, but they just haven’t played in a close game. So, if this one is looking like a nail-biter, I am not really confident in freshman Heisman winner Jameis Winston to be able to score when he needs a score. I do trust that NFL defense, however. I expect a pretty good game with a big stop or turnover late forced by the ‘Noles. FSU takes the title 30-23.

Winner (Confidence): Florida State (15)

Interest Level: 10/10

Thoughts? Predictions? Your confidence picks? Hit me up in the comments!