🏈 PJ'S Post Season Picks

[psychojoe]

The Pinstripe Bowl

Boston College versus Penn State

This game has the distinction of having the lowest over/under line I have seen all season, 40 points. The line setters are not expecting an offensive shoot out, as the records of these two teams reflects. Thee Eagles have the better of the two offenses in my opinion, and it is a run oriented attack that tries to control the clock. I will probably watch a good bit of this one, just because I like old school football. If you need to see offense watch another game.

PJ's Pick - Boston College 21 Penn State 17

 

[psychojoe]

Holiday Bowl

Nebraska versus Southern Cal

Two of the more storied programs in college football meet in San Diego for this one. Nebraska cones in at 9-3, minus its volatile former head coach, Bo Pellini, who was fired at seasons end. Pellini has a fractious personality, but he wasn't terrible record wise. Perhaps that embarrassing game against Wisconsin was what led to his firing. Or maybe the Huskers are continuing their quest for another Tom Osborne.

This one figures to be high scoring, Nebraska's offense is headlined by exciting running back Ameer Abdullah, who played his prep football in my part of Alabama. Southern Cal brings its high powered offense to the game, and has its own thousand yard rusher. In the spirit of the season I will be charitable and say that they each have average defenses. If you like defense watch the Pinstripe Bowl, but if scoring is your thing, stay with this one.

PJ's Pick - Southern Cal 38 Nebraska 35

 

[psychojoe]

Liberty Bowl

Texas A & M versus West Virginia

These teams appear to be evenly matched. Both had some big time highs as well as some really low moments this season, and each oof them limped home 7-5. Normally I would like the Mountaineers because f their experienced hand at quarterback, but we all know now that Clint Trickett has ended his career as a player because of concussions. To me that tilts this one towards the Aggies..

PJ's Pick : Texas A&M 31 West Virinia 24

 

[psychojoe]

Russell Athletic Bowl

Clemson Versus Oklahoma

This one is an interesting matchup. The Sooners lofty aspirations at the beginning of the season quickly came back down to earth, as their defense proved to be somewhat leakier than expected. Their offense displayed a new phenom freshman running back, and an injury prone Trevor Knight, who has been cleared to play in this game. Meanwhile, Clemson turned out to be nowhere near the offensive juggernaut that they were last season, but have shifted gears nicely and displayed a very good defense.

Oklahoma has put points on the board against every opponent, but the stop 'em side of things let them down in their biggest games. With Knight available, they should do so again. Their defense allowed opponents to score thirty or more points six times during the season. I expect to see a lot of scoring in thi one.

PJ's Pick : Oklahoma 34 Clemson 31

 

[psychojoe]

Texas Bowl

Arkansas versus Texas

This was once one of the premier games in the country, back when the old Southwestern Conference was one of the better leagues in the country. In the last few years both programs have experienced bumps, but seem to be resurging under new leadership. Charlie Strong has Texas at least tackling well on defense, but their offense had a lot of trouble in keeping up with the high powered attacks of the rest of the Big 12. Arkansas struggled mightily in the early going of their second season of Bielema ball, but they righted the ship, and by the end of the season they were the opponent no one wanted to see. This one features two pretty good defenses, and a pretty good offense versus not much offense at all. At the end of this one the cry of Woo Pig Sooey will be heard in Texas once again.

PJ's Pick: Arkansas 28 Texas 21

 

[psychojoe]

Music City Bowl

Notre Dame versus LSU

Whatever karma the Irish had going this year went away on that Saturday night in Tallahassee when the zebras , correctly in my opinion, ruled that their end of the game pick play was indeed pass interference. They stumbled to the end of the season and ended up being humiliated by arch rival USC.Meanwhile, LSU showed that they were still formidable on defense, even as they were offensively challenged much of the season. This one looks like the good times will be rolling for the Tigers at the end, as they rev up their run offense.

PJ's Pick: LSU 28 Notre Dame 20

 

[psychojoe]

Belk Bowl

Georgia versus Louisville

The big question to be answered here is which Georgia team will show up. It could be the team that began the season blowing out Clemson, hammered Missouri in Columbia, and waxed Auburn. They have also revealed that they are capable of finding ways to lose to mediocre South Carolina and Florida teams. The guess here is that the 'good dawgs' will show up.

PJ's Pick : Georgia 31 Louisville 21

 

[psychojoe]

Foster Farms Bowl

Stanford versus Maryland

Stanford's run near the top ended this season, mainly due to their run heavy offense becoming turnover prone. This cost them some potential big wins against quality opponents. Their stout defense kept them in almost all of their games, but they were unable to close the deal at winning time. Maryland's first year in the B1g showed them t be an average-spell that mediocre- B1g team. This one could be dullsville, but I do like the Cardinal to prevail.

PJ's Pick: Stanford 24 Maryland 17

 

[psychojoe]

Peach Bowl

Ole Miss versus TCU

This one just helps to settle a question regarding just how good the Big 12 is. The Horned Frogs thought, with some justification, that they deserved a seat at the table in the first ever playoff football feast. Blame who you will, they were denied this opportunity. This defense is not a great one by Gary Patterson's past standards, but by ordinary Big 12 measurements it is quite good. When you combine that with an explosive offense, well you can understand why TCU, absent that fourth quarter melt down against Baylor, would have been a perfect 12-0.

Ole Miss presents one of the toughest defenses in all of D-1. They are fast, athletic, and reasonably deep. This unit has been so good that Coach Freeze has abandoned his usual HUNH style of offense in order to play to the stronger unit. This became apparent especially after Laquan Treadwell went down. He was everything to the Ole Miss offense that Amari Cooper has been to Alabama. They were lost at sea on offense in losses to LSU and Arkansas, but found something in time to dominate cross state rival Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl.

Ole Miss has not faced an offense as speed oriented as TCU this season, but athletically and scheme wise they are well equipped to do so. Will the Rebels play well enough to win, and go through the off season thinking 'if only Treadwell hadn't gotten hurt' or will TCU emerge after this one saying 'see, we should have been in the playoff' ...those are the questions that will be answered in this one.

PJ's Pick - Ole Miss 31 TCU 30

 

[psychojoe]

Fiesta Bowl

Boise State versus Arizona

There were years when Boise could sneak up on opponents in big games, even big bowl games -take that Oklahoma- but they are now on everyone's radar. This year, in their only encounter with a 'Power Five' opponent they faded away in the fourth quarter and lost to Ole Miss 35-13. Their best win was a mid season victory over Utah State. Arizona, meanwhile, had a strong 10-3 record, which included an early season win over Oregon, than a blowout loss to the Ducks in the conference championship game. The Wildcats will show that they deserve their seat in one of THE SIX BIGGEST BOWL GAMES.

PJ's Pick- Arizona 34 Boise 24

 

[psychojoe]

Orange Bowl

Georgia Tech versus Mississippi State

This is a very intriguing matchup. ACC runner up Georgia Tech taking on the cow bell ringers. I get a headache just thinking about the noise level. Dome. Some of the advantage that Tech has in running an offense that no one else does is neutralized because State has had a long time to get ready for this game. Not all of it, however, because it is hard for scout team players to actually replicate the speed and precision with which Tech runs its triple option. While Tech is holding its head high after its gallant effort against FSU in the ACC title game, the bulldogs are smarting not only over their fade from their number one ranking, but also their fold against arch rival Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl.

My gut feeling on this one is that the smash mouth style attack of the Bulldogs will be too much for the Tech defense to handle, especially since they are used to dealing with the finesse offenses of the ACC.

PJ's Pick- Mississippi State 27 Georgia Tech 21

 

[psychojoe]

Outback Bowl

Auburn versus Wisconsin

Records wise, these two look evenly matched. Matchup wise it is a different story. Wisconsin does have a great running back in Melvin Gordon, and a powerful running game. While the Boogs have not excelled on the defensive side of the ball, their vulnerability has been in the passing game, and Wisconsin barely acknowledges that the forward pass is a legal play. They don't have the speed or the athleticism on defense to slow down Auburn's offense. There will be lots of scoring in this one. Auburn defends the run just well enough to keep Wisconsin from matching them score for score.

PJ's Pick - Auburn 45 Wisconsin 35

 

[psychojoe]

Cotton Bowl

Michigan State versus Baylor

This is a most interesting matchup, with two teams who definitely had their chance to make the final four. Baylor has won by outscoring the other guys. Michigan State put a lot of points on the board themselves, and had a D'Antonio trademark tough defense. The Spartans were severely burned on defense by the two best offenses that they played, Oregon and Ohio State, and Baylor may be better offensively than either of these teams. I expect an entertaining track meet, and while watching TCU carve up Ole Miss right now, I expect the Bears tp get the better of it.

PJ's Pick - Baylor 49 Michigan State 45

 

[psychojoe]

Citrus Bowl

Missouri versus Minnesota

If you had told me before the season started that you expected Minnesota and Missouri to be playing in a New Year's Day bowl game you would have gotten a lot of my Bama Bucks. These two teams flew under the radar for most of the year, then won down the stretch. Both teams have shown an ability to make plays late in close games. Look for mobile QB Maty Mauk to give the Tigers a small edge in this one.

PJ's Pick - Missouri 27 Minnesota 24

 

[psychojoe]

Rose Bowl

FSU versus Oregon

This is a classic matchup. Last year's Heisman winner versus the current one. The statistically dominant Ducks against the defending, and unbeaten national champs. The guys that put every game out of reach early versus the guys who find ways to win late. Marcus versus Jameis, with both teams chanting 'We want Bama'.

It would be easy to say that FSU'S luck will run out and Oregon will win and move on. yet there is that intriguing factor that FSU has found the offense it needed to win in the fourth quarter, and has grown confident in its ability to do so. I like Oregon to win, but if they have a chance to put the 'Noles away and don't do it, FSU can move on.

PJ's Pick - Oregon 34 FSU 27

 

[psychojoe]

Sugar Bowl

Alabama versus Ohio State

Many of the talking heads on ESPN are saying that the legumes are capable of beating the Tide. Perhaps they are right, but these analysts are predicting that a slow footed pocket passer such as Cardale Jones will be able to burn us on deep throws in the same way that mobile quarterbacks Nick Marshall and Maty Mauk did. I find this a doubtful proposition. Their 'ifs' also include the Buckeyes moving the football on the ground. Since they are now forced into a tailback oriented run game, rather than the read option game, that is even more doubtful against the run stuffers on our front seven. Their is even talk of their all B1g corner slowing down Amari Cooper, even though Florida's all world corner Vernon Hargreaves could not do it.

I do not doubt that Urban has recruited very well at OSU, but we still have a definite edge in overall talent and depth. If it comes down to a game of field goals they may have an edge, but I don't expect that.

PJ's Pick - Alabama 38 Ohio State 21

 

[psychojoe]

Championship Game

Ohio State versus Oregon

If it were any team but Ohio State and any coach but Urban, it would be difficult to pull against them. First team QB and Heisman candidate hurt before the season starts, so the talented freshman steps in and leads the team to the edge of the conference championship. Before the championship game the freshman goes down, leaving the little used third stringer to start and play well in winning the conference championship, then take down the number one seed in the playoffs. If a writer wanted to make a movie with this script it would be rejected as being too hokey for Hollywood. If it had not really happened before our eyes we would never have believed that it could happen.

Now Cardale steps into the Arena one more time, this time for the biggest prize of the season. The Mighty Ducks are lurking on thee other side. While a duck isn't a fierce fighter as such things go in the animal world, it should be good enough to take down Urban and his fighting legumes.

PJ's Pick - Oregon 42 Ohio State 31

 

[rick4bama]

I one of the 10 thing to do then watch the game. The number one thing is that I don't have cable. I'm sell upset that the Water Bowl was on cable. But with ABC and ESPN Being own together I guess it was about time it come to this.

 

[rick4bama]

sorry posting on my phone and the screen is crack. It should have said Sugar Bowl not water but after that game to me it was a water Bowl.