2009-2010 College Football Bowl Predictions

My copy of Sporting News preseason college football magazine arrived last Thursday. So, far the following are my predictions. However, I've been known to change my predictions.

New Mexico Bowl
12/19
Colorado State vs. Ohio

magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl
12/19
Florida Atlantic vs. Wisconsin
Both teams will be at-large teams after the Big East and C-USA failed to have enough representitives bowl eligible.

R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
12/20
Troy vs. UAB
This will be a rematch from the Sept. 19 matchup in Troy.

MAACO Bowl Las Vegas
12/22
Air Force vs. Northwestern
Northwestern will earn the at-large bid because the Pac-10 will not have enough bowl eligible teams.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Arizona State vs. Utah

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Hawaii vs. UCLA

Motor City Bowl
12/26
Minnesota vs. Western Michigan

Meineke Car Care Bowl
12/26
Rutgers vs. Miami

Emerald Bowl
12/26
Oregon State vs. Clemson

Music City Bowl
12/27
Vanderbilt vs. Florida State

Independence Bowl
12/28
Colorado vs. Georgia
I'm predicting a down year for Georgia in 09. I'm predicting they'll go 6-6 entering this bowl. However, this season could mirror that of the 06 season. That year, Georgia went 9-4 after beating Virginia Tech in the Peach Bowl. If you recall, Georiga started Matt Stafford as a true freshman. He struggled heavily, and was benched for Joe Cox and Joe Tereshinski. This year, Cox could be benched for either Logan Gray, or true freshmen Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger.

EagleBank Bowl
12/29
Navy vs. NC State

Champs Sports Bowl
12/29
Michigan vs. North Carolina
I'm predicting both teams will go 8-4 this year entering this bowl game. I feel the addition of Tate Forcier and the growth of younger players will pay off this year.

Roady's Humanitarian Bowl
12/30
Nevada vs. BYU

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
12/30
USC vs. Kansas
I'm probably way off base with half of this prediction. However, I'm willing to give the Pac-10 the benefit of the doubt as a legitimate power conference. USC should not win the conference after losing 8 starters on defense, the starting qb, starting receiver, the kicker, and punter. It's true they have an experience backfield, O-line, and a couple of receivers, but I'm predicting Oregon wins the conference. Cal will finish second. I will say that if USC wins the Pac-10 this year, they will keep winning the conference at least for the next decade.

Texas Bowl
12/30
Baylor vs. Southern Miss
With super soph Robert Griffin and experienced starters on offense and defense returning, how can anyone not pick Baylor (yes BAYLOR) to not go to a bowl game. Art Briles made the Golden Bears competitive for the first time in years in his first year. Although they went 4-8 last year, Baylor took UConn, Missouri, and Texas Tech to the wire last year. With each team losing key players, Baylor will probably be favored in each game.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
12/31
TCU vs. Tulsa
I'm predicting this game could be similar to the Alabama-Utah game last year because I think TCU could very well go 12-0 this year. Unfortunately, they'll probably be passed over for BCS busters Boise State and Notre Dame (read BCS predictions below). Alabama wasn't the same squad after losing to Florida in the SEC Championship. They simply weren't up to the "consolation game". TCU, who has been knocking on the BCS door for the past decade, could have a let down if they're passed over for a BCS spot. Nontheless, I think they will go 12-0 and further fuel the argument for a playoff (read more below).

Brut Sun Bowl
12/31
California vs. Texas Tech
I think Cal will lose only one game this year, but it won't be to USC. I think Oregon will take them down in Eugene in a battle of the best two running backs in the league. This is a tough prediction to make because the Sun Bowl, like several others, could take a team from two conferences. I like a rematch from the 2004 Holiday Bowl. That year, Cal lost once to USC, but was passed over in a BCS bowl. The result? A 45-31 blowout which saw Sonny Cumbie go 40-60 for 520 yards, three touchdowns, and zero picks. Could history repeat itself this year?

Insight Bowl
12/31
Michigan State vs. Nebraska
This bowl is typically a coach's worst dream because this bowl is usually one of two games aired on the NFL Network. How the NFL can air a college bowl game is still beyond me. That's like ESPN classic airing episodes of Leave it to Beaver (one of my favorite shows by the way). This could possibly hurt recruiting because most people will not see games of teams from different time zones. With each bowl game airing on television, a potential prospect could fall in love with a team and decide the coach's offense/defense is to his liking.

Chick-fil-A Bowl
12/31
Wake Forest vs. Tennessee
Yes, Wake Forest lost Alphonso Smith, Aaron Curry, and Sam Swank, but on paper, the Coastal Division appears to be awful. Wake Forest will survive a roller coaster ride that will be similar to the one last year. However, they'll fall to Virginia Tech in the ACC championship game. Tennessee, on the other hand, will go 8-4 in the regular season, and will at least show promise in Lane Kiffin's first year in Knoxville. This will be due to question marks to UCLA, South Carolina, and Georgia. If each team proves me wrong and exceeds my expectations, then the Vols will go 5-7.

Outback Bowl
1/1
Arkansas vs. Illinois
Most people would think I'm nuts for this prediction. Arkansas and Illinois? That's right. The Baby Razorbacks will grow up this year. With Ryan Mallet or Tyler Wilson at the helm, and Michael Smith, who overcame the shadow of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, at running back. This year looks pretty good for the Hogs. I think they could win as many as 10 games this year. I feel they'll go 8-3 going into their annual contest with LSU. That game could go either way. Illinois, on the other hand, will go 9-3 in the regular season, and erase the dismal 5-7 campaign from a year ago.

Konica Minolta Gator Bowl
1/1
Georgia Tech vs. West Virginia
This will be a rematch of the 2007 Gator Bowl game which saw West Virginia edge the Yellow Jackets 38-35. This will also mark West Virginia's first bowl without Pat White. This game looks mighty interesting with running backs Jonathan Dwyer, Roddy Jones, and Noel Devine going head-to-head.

Capital One Bowl
1/1
LSU vs. Ohio State
Another rematch. This one will be a rematch of the 2008 BCS National Championship game. Both teams lost a lot of talent, but still have a few veterans left over from the title game.

International Bowl
1/2
Cincinnati vs. Central Michigan

AT&T Cotton Bowl
1/2
Alabama vs. Oklahoma State
I'm predicting Bama will end the season 10-2. Oklahoma State will end the year 11-1 (more on this in the BCS Championship Game description).

Papajohns.com Bowl
1/2
Pittsburgh vs. Maryland
Maryland gets this game because SEC will not have enough to fill its' allotment.

Autozone Liberty Bowl
1/2
Houston vs. Kentucky

Valero Alamo Bowl
1/2
Kansas State vs. Minnesota
Kansas State will go 7-5 upon Bill Sndyer's return to Manhattan. Win number seven will be a victory at home over a rebuiling Missouri squad.

GMAC Bowl
1/6
Buffalo vs. East Carolina

BCS Bowls
Rose Bowl presented by Citi
1/1
Oregon vs. Penn State
Penn State wins the Big 10 by default. Oregon finally dethrones USC. (read comments on the Holiday Bowl)

Allstate Sugar Bowl
1/1
Ole Miss vs. Boise State
Ole Miss will be 12-1 entering this contest. Boise State will be 13-0. This game will once again pit a little guy vs. the SEC to try to add fuel to the fire about a playoff. Of course, it'll be asking too much of the non-BCS schools to stack their non-conference schedule when they know fully well they're conference isn't up to par with other conferences. Take Boise's 2009 schedule for instance, they play Oregon, Miami-Ohio, Bowling Green, and Tulsa. Bowling Green hasn't played really well in about five years. Tulsa will not play at the same level they played last year. Miami-Ohio is going through transition. So, that leaves a home opener against potential Pac-10 champ Oregon. In my opinion, the toughest game on their schedule by far. Of course, they have decent conference teams such as Hawaii, Nevada, and Fresno State who could win seven to nine games.
This schedule, like Notre Dame's 2009 schedule, will not cut it this season. It's way, way, way, way, way, way, way, way, way, way too easy. After the massacre at Georgia a few years ago, I can understand why they'd be hesitant to play any tough teams on a consistant basis. It's a shame because I think Boise is a talented team, but we'll never know until they decide to stack the non-conference schedule.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
1/4
Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma
Both teams will enter this contest 11-1. Notre Dame will make it to the game because the BCS guarantees them a bid with a top eight finish in the BCS rankings and considered if they're in the top 12. Speaking of cupcake schedules, a home opener against a decent Nevada team will suffice. The next four are against Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, and Washington. All four teams are currently in the process of rebuilding. USC is a very tough test. Boston College an Washington State are rebuilding. Navy is a decent game. Pittsburgh and UConn are question marks. Stanford is a lousy game to schedule.

FedEx Orange Bowl
1/5
Virginia Tech vs. South Florida
Virginia Tech will have talent, but USF will win because only West Virginia will pose as a legitimate threat this year.

BCS National Championship Game
1/7
Florida vs. Texas
I've been going back and forth between Texas and Oklahoma. My conclusion. Like last year, the Big 12 South will experience a three way tie. Oklahoma will lose to Texas, but beat Oklahoma State in the regular season finale. Texas will beat OU, but lose to Oklahoma State on Oct. 31. Oklahoma State will go 11-0 before losing to OU in the season finale. Given the BCS track record, Texas would not drop below Oklahoma after the loss to OSU. OSU would drop below Texas after the loss in the last game of the season. This would put Texas in the Big 12 Championship game against Kansas. A win would put Texas in the title game. I feel the BCS would not drop Texas behind OU because of Oklahoma's track record of choking in the BCS games, the potential repeat of the same two teams (assuming Florida takes care of business and does not overlook an opponent), and the record of not putting the right team in (see BCS controversy last year with OU going to championship game over Texas despite Texas beating OU, Nebraska beating out Oregon in 2001 despite not qualifying for the Big 12 championship game and losing their regular season finale by 26, and Florida State edging out Miami for a spot in the 2000 Championship game despite Miami beating the Noles earlier in the season).
I predicted Florida would run the table, and beat an undefeated Ole Miss squad in the 2009 SEC Championship game. Because I'm a Gator fan and believe in my team's dedication, I'll predict UF downs Texas in Los Angeles.

So there you have it. My complete list of predictions. As I stated earlier, they are bound to change, but I'll leave the list alone for right now.