2013-14 Bowl Game Picks

[PhilJr]

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Colorado St vs Washington St

Points For
CSU (35.3)
WSU (29.8)

Points Against
CSU (28.6)
WSU (31.2)

Offense
CSU (28th)
WSU (53rd)

Defense
CSU (79th)
WSU (102nd)


10* Colorado St +5 (2:05 PM)

The biggest factor in most of these Bowl games is finding out which team is motivated. Usually one is happy to be here and one isn't. In this game though, you have 2 teams very happy to be playing. Wash St seems to have a decided advantage vs the Rams pass defense but Colorado St is a very balanced team and they also have a big advantage when on offense. Unlike Wash St, they will not be one dimensional in this game. They can beat you with the pass or with Bibbs running. I really like the Rams here. I think they have the better offense and the better defense. I also like the fact that they are real close to Home and they should have the fans in their corner for this one. Colorado St 38 Wash. St 31



GOOD LUCK

good back door, those are fun

[wayne1218]

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Pittsburgh vs Bowling Green

Points For
Pitt (26.0)
BG (35.4)

Points Against
Pitt (27.2)
BG (14.8)

Offense
Pitt (104th)
BG (23rd)

Defense
Pitt (42nd)
BG (8th)

5* Bowling Green -5 (6:05 PM)

The Falcons have a stout defense and a Top 25 offense to go with it. They have won their L5 games by an average of 35.8 ppg. They are not just winning, they are smothering teams on both sides of the ball. In their last game they handed N. Illinois their first loss, by 20 points on this same field in Detroit. Needless to say, they will be comfortable playing here. Pittsburgh may hang around for a while but in the end, the Falcons are too good. Bowling Green 34 Pittsburgh 20



GOOD LUCK

[wayne1218]

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Utah St vs Northern Illinois

Points For
USU (32.6)
NI (41.6)

Points Against
USU (17.3)
NI (25.4)

Offense
USU (60th)
NI (5th)

Defense
USU (12th)
NI (91st)


3* Utah St +2 (9:35 PM)

Something isn't right about this game. I (like many) filled out my Bowl pool picks and I chose N. Illinois to win this game. I can't change that pick but i'm going to change it here. Utah St has an excellent defense and it is the kind of defense that can slow QB Lynch down. They specialize in stopping the run and that is what Lynch does best. N. Ill played in a BCS Bowl game last season and they almost played in another one this year if it wasn't for losing their Conference Title game. That is their only loss of the season and they are playing a (8-5) Aggies team that lost their All Conference QB for the year, halfway through the season. And the line is only 2? This line opened at -2/-2.5 and in most places it is down to -1/-1.5, and that is with the public pounding the favorite at around a 70% rate. The line opens pretty low and everybody pounds the favorite and the line is dropping? Utah St went (5-2) without Keeton and I think they will be ready to go in this game too. This game has "Sucker Bet" written all over it based on where all the sharp money is going. Either i'm the sucker or the large majority of the public will be. Utah St 30 N. Illinois 27



GOOD LUCK

[wayne1218]

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Marshall vs Maryland

Points For
Marshall (43.0)
Maryland (26.7)

Points Against
Marshall (23.2)
Maryland (24.8)

Offense
Marshall (13th)
Maryland (77th)

Defense
Marshall (34th)
Maryland (37th)


5* Maryland +2 (2:35 PM)

I like the Terps here playing in a virtual home game. Marshall has the better record but it was built against much lighter competition. Each of these teams only had 1 win this season against a team playing in a Bowl game and the numbers for the Marshall offense/defense would look much different if they played the Maryland schedule. Numbers aside, the Terps have a better defense and with a healthy CJ Brown, they can match Marshall on that side of the ball too. In a minor upset ..... Maryland 31 Marshall 26



GOOD LUCK

[wayne1218]

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Syracuse vs Minnesota

Points For
Syracuse (22.8)
Minnesota (26.4)

Points Against
Syracuse (26.1)
Minnesota (22.3)

Offense
Syracuse (87th)
Minnesota (107th)

Defense
Syracuse (39th)
Minnesota (41st)


5* Minnesota -5 (6:05 PM)

Based on the numbers above, Minnesota should win this game 26-22. These teams played last year and Minnesota won by 7. Syracuse no longer has QB Nassib after he was drafted in the NFL. Minnesota now has QB Nelson under center and RB Cobb in the backfield. Neither of which played last season. Simply put, Syracuse is not as good as the 8 win team led by Nassib last year and Minnesota looks a lot better than they did a year ago. Minnesota had some good late season wins over Penn St, Northwestern and Nebraska and they fought hard against a couple of really good teams in late season losses too. They lost 20-7 vs Wisconsin in a hard fought battle and 14-3 at Michigan St in the season finale. This Gophers team is tough and tested. On the other side you have a (6-6) Syracuse team without a big signature win and in those 6 games they lost, they lost BIG by an average of 29.1 ppg. Minnesota is too good not to end the season on a high note here. Minnesota 27 Syracuse 13



GOOD LUCK

[wayne1218]

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Washington vs BYU

Points For
Wash. (38.5)
BYU (31.3)

Points Against
Wash. (23.4)
BYU (21.3)

Offense
Wash. (8th)
BYU (14th)

Defense
Wash. (50th)
BYU (52nd)


5* Washington -3 (9:35 PM)

On paper these teams are almost a mirror image of each other. A few things point to Washington for me though. BYU is (1-5) Ats outside of Provo. Not the same team on the road. I also think the Washington led Price/Sankey combination leads the better offense on the field. Defense looks somewhat like a wash but BYU has some key players on that side of the ball that are banged up right now and that could spell trouble for the Cougars. Washington 34 BYU 26



GOOD LUCK

[aces r wild]

GL with all your plays Wayne!

[Sirporkie]

GL Wayne! Merry Christmas

[wayne1218]

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Rutgers vs Notre Dame

Points For
Rutg (27.4)
ND (27.1)

Points Against
Rutg (29.8)
ND (22.9)

Offense
Rutg (87th)
ND (75th)

Defense
Rutg (69th)
ND (45th)


5* Rutgers +14 (12:05 PM)

Notre Dame has played quite a few close games this season. They had 9 of their 12 games decided by 11 or less points. That includes 7 games decided by a touchdown or less. They played good teams close and they did the same with some bad teams too. Playing up or down to their competition seems like a trend this season. I'll take the points in a virtual home game for Rutgers. Notre Dame 30 Rutgers 23



GOOD LUCK

[wayne1218]

Cincinnati vs North Carolina

Points For
Cin. (33.3)
NC (32.2)

Points Against
Cin. (19.5)
NC (25.1)

Offense
Cin. (20th)
NC (44th)

Defense
Cin. (9th)
NC (71st)


5* North Carolina -2.5 (3:25 PM)

Records are a little deceiving here. The Bearcats numbers were built versus inferior opponents this season. Cincinnati beat 1 team all year with a winning record, UNC beat 2. The Bearcats schedule was very weak. They only played 2 teams all season with a winning record. They played bad teams and they did what they should have and beat them. UNC started the season (1-5) but they finished strong (5-1) to end the season. UNC lost 6 games this season and all of them were to Bowl teams. Cincinnati lost 3 games and 2 were to teams with a losing record. I like UNC to pull out a close win in front of the home crowd in Charlotte. UNC 37 Cincinnati 31



GOOD LUCK

[wayne1218]

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Miami vs Louisville

Points For
Miami (35.9)
Louis. (35.1)

Points Against
Miami (26.0)
Louis. (12.4)

Offense
Miami (39th)
Louis. (34th)

Defense
Miami (80th)
Louis. (2nd)


5* Louisville -3.5 (6:50 PM)

Much of the talk this year was about Louisville and their weak schedule. They did beat 3 teams this year with a winning record and that is 2 more than the 1 team Miami beat. The 'Canes have struggled since the loss of RB Johnson (1-3 Ats). It was a huge loss and a big blow to the Miami offense. It has made defending them that much easier on defense. Miami is (1-4) Ats in their L5 Bowl games and Louisville is (12-2) Ats in their L14 vs the ACC. Louisville 31 Miami 24



GOOD LUCK

[wayne1218]

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Michigan vs Kansas St

Points For
Mich. (33.8)
K St (33.4)

Points Against
Mich. (26.5)
K St (23.7)

Offense
Mich. (84th)
K St (71st)

Defense
Mich. (35th)
K St (38th)


5* Michigan +6 (10:20 PM)

Shane Morris gets the start at QB for Michigan. He was one of Brady Hoke's prized recruits as the 8th ranked QB coming out of High School. He has been practicing with the 1st team for almost a month and Devin Gardner was (1-4) in his L5 starts anyway. Why not? I think Morris plays well and Michigan gets the Win. Michigan 27 Kansas St 24



GOOD LUCK

[wayne1218]

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Middle Tenn. St vs Navy

Points For
MTSU (30.9)
Navy (34.3)

Points Against
MTSU (26.4)
Navy (25.9)

Offense
MTSU (63rd)
Navy (62nd)

Defense
MTSU (65th)
Navy (62nd)


10* MTSU/Navy (O56.5) -110 (11:50 AM)

Both of these teams are great at running the ball and horrible at stopping the run. Navy ranks 2nd rushing and MTSU ranks 25th. They are 84th & 85th in stopping the run on defense. I expect plenty of points in this one. Both teams have been clicking on offense in the last 5 weeks. Navy has averaged 42.0 ppg. and MTSU 42.6 ppg. Navy 41 MTSU 34



GOOD LUCK

[wayne1218]

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Mississippi vs Georgia Tech

Points For
Miss. (30.4)
GT (36.6)

Points Against
Miss. (24.2)
GT (22.7)

Offense
Miss. (22nd)
GT (41st)

Defense
Miss. (43rd)
GT (22nd)


5* "7 PT." Teaser = Georgia Tech (+10.5) - (O49.5) -130 (3:20 PM)

GT is the more efficient team on offense. You can see that by the numbers above. They earn less yards each game but they score almost a TD more per contest. On defense they are better. The Rebels have struggled versus some top defenses and on grass. Both of which are facing them here. I do expect both teams to get near their averages and it should be a close game. Tease it and give me the DD cushion. Mississippi 31 Georgia Tech 30



GOOD LUCK

[wayne1218]

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Texas vs Oregon

Points For
Tex. (31.2)
Ore. (46.8)

Points Against
Tex. (25.5)
Ore. (21.6)

Offense
Tex. (53rd)
Ore. (2nd)

Defense
Tex. (63rd)
Ore. (49th)


5* Texas +14.5 (6:50 PM)

This is one of those motivational games. Oregon had their sight set on a BCS Title game. It didn't happen and I am not sure they care much about this one. They didn't look like the same team after losing to Stanford. If their heart was in this game and they played at their best, they could easily win by 21 or more. I just don't see the desire there though. On the other side you have a Texas team playing in their home State and for a coach on his way out. We know one thing, they do want this game, BADLY, for their coach. Oregon 38 Texas 33



GOOD LUCK