December 29
Champs Sports Bowl (Orlando, FL): Florida State vs. Notre Dame 5:30 (ESPN - Joe Tessitore and Rod Gilmore, SR: Holly Rowe): This game would have been exciting if it took place 15 years ago. In 2011 though I wouldn't waste much time watching two disappointing teams try to salvage their season. It is funny though looking back at Florida State who were at one point a national title contender. That lasted for like a week.
Alamo Bowl (San Antonio, TX): Baylor vs. Washington 9:00 (ESPN - Dave Pasch and Chris Spielman, SR: Quint Kessenich): This will be your last chance to watch the electrifying Robert Griffith III in college. It's been a pleasure watching RG3 this season keeping all college football fans on the edge of their seats. Hopefully he has one last spectacular game left in him for college football fans.
December 30
Armed Forces Bowl (Dallas, TX): BYU vs. Tulsa 12:00 (ESPN - Dave Neal and Andre Ware, SR: Cara Capuano): The Cougars finally started winning and looking less stagnant on offense once Riley Nelson was inserted into the starting quarterback's job. Tulsa is another team that is fun to watch on offense. They have two running backs who rushed for over 800 yards and a QB that threw for over 2,800 yards. Too bad this is a noon game on a Friday.
Pinstripe Bowl (New York City, NY): Rutgers vs. Iowa State 3:20 (ESPN - Chris Fowler and Jesse Palmer, SR: Tom Rinaldi): I'm rooting for Rutgers in this bowl game simply out of spite for Iowa State. If it wasn't for the Cyclones, we wouldn't have a rematch in the title game. So yes I'm going to be petty and root for Rutgers in this game.
Music City Bowl (Nashville, TN): Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State 6:40 (ESPN - Mark Jones and Ed Cunningham, SR: Jeannine Edwards): I love college football and will watch a lot of these bowl games, but there are too many bowl games. Because there's too many bowl games a lot of .500 teams sneak into the games. Case in point is this year's Music City Bowl featuring two teams with .500 records. Sorry but I don't want to see two mediocre teams.
Insight Bowl (Tempe, AZ): Oklahoma vs. Iowa 10:00 (ESPN - Sean McDonough and Matt Millen, SR: Heather Cox): Oklahoma imploded so badly against Oklahoma State that I would be afraid to bet money on the Sooners in this game. That being said, all what Oklahoma has to do is shut down either Marvin McNutt or Marcus Coker and you make Iowa completely dependent on the run or pass. Iowa isn't deep enough to be one dimensional.
December 31
Meineke Car Care Bowl Of Texas (Houston, TX): Texas A&M vs. Northwestern 12:00 (ESPN - Bob Wischusen and Brian Griese, SR: Eamon McAnaney): Another bowl game featuring .500 teams. Seriously there are way too many bowl games. And if A&M wasn't participating in this game would anyone show up to this bowl game? There needs to be at least five less bowl games with teams required to be at least over .500 to participate in these games.
Sun Bowl (El Paso, TX): Georgia Tech vs. Utah 2:00 (CBS - Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson, SR: Tracy Wolfson): At least both of these teams have a record over .500 but they're still mediocre teams. The only reason to watch this game is too see Georgia Tech coach in El Paso, Texas. Paul Johnson that close to the Mexico border could be glorious. I wouldn't be surprised if a headline pops up on ESPN.com saying "Georgia Tech coach kills two Mexican drug dealers."
Liberty Bowl (Memphis, TN): Vanderbilt vs. Cincinnati 3:30 (ABC - Dave Lamont and Ray Bentley, SR: Quint Kessenich): Congrats Cincinnati for being the team I had no idea was that good. Cincinnati is 9-3 on the year with veteran quarterback Zach Collaros leading the team. Meanwhile Vanderbilt is just in their second bowl game in 100 years (rough estimate). Not a bad job James Franklin. Too bad Maryland didn't need you this year, Randy Edsall took care of everything.
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl (San Francisco, CA): UCLA vs. Illinois 3:30 (ESPN - Carter Blackburn and Brock Huard, SR: Shelley Smith): Call this game the interim bowl since both of these teams fired their head coaches so interim coaches will be coaching this game. Once again I would like to point out that both of these teams are mediocre but since there are too many bowl games they both get to play in a bowl game.
Chick-fil-A Bowl (Atlanta, GA): Virginia vs. Auburn 7:30 (ESPN - Brad Nessler and Todd Blackledge, SR: Holly Rowe): Virginia is this year's ACC team that has the pleasure of being thrashed by a SEC team in the Peach Bowl. So enjoy the free Chick-Fil-A and a tour of Atlanta, Cavaliers. You know what you must do Auburn. Make it quick and painless.
January 2
TicketCity Bowl (Dallas, TX): Penn State vs. Houston 12:00 (ESPNU - Clay Matvick and Danny Kanell, SR: Allison Williams): Congrats Houston! You went from playing in a BCS game to playing Penn State in the old Cotton Bowl. Quite the fall. Also I wouldn't be surprised at all if Houston lost this game. That's usually how it works. Lose a crushing conference title game and then lose your bowl game.
Outback Bowl (Tampa, FL): Georgia vs. Michigan State 1:00 (ABC - Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden, SR: Lisa Salters): Congrats Sparty. You beat Michigan in the regular season and yet they play in a BCS game while you get to play in the Outback bowl with fellow conference championship loser Georgia. Sparty is primed for a letdown just like Houston in their bowl game. You can see it coming from a mile away.
Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, FL): Ohio State vs. Florida 1:00 (ESPN2 - Mike Patrick and Craig James, SR: Jeannine Edwards): This game is surrounded by awkwardness. Ohio State wants revenge for the 2007 national title beatdown by Florida. The Gators want revenge because Urban Meyer stayed retired for less than a year and then took the Ohio State job. Then what makes all of this juicy is the fact this game will be played in the Gators backyard. I would venture to guess that Urbs won't be 1,000 miles near Jacksonville on the day after the New Year's.
Capital One Bowl (Orlando, FL): Nebraska vs. South Carolina 1:00 (ESPN - Joe Tessitore and Rod Gilmore, SR: Quint Kessenich): The Crazy Pelini Bros vs The Old Ball Coach. Also I find it ironic that Spurrier's team will be playing in the bowl game he used to make fun of Tennessee for always playing in, the Citrus Bowl. You can't spell Citrus without USC.
January 6
Cotton Bowl (Arlington, TX): Kansas State vs. Arkansas 8:00 (Fox - Gus Johnson and Charles Davis, SA: Tim Brewster): Gotta love the fact they're playing this game six days after the first of the year. Also you gotta love the teams that will be participating in this game. KState is one of the more fun teams to watch on offense. Ditto for Arkansas. What will be interesting to watch is will KState have a letdown game after finishing 6th in the country but didn't get a BCS bowl invite.
January 7
BBVA Compass Bowl (Birmingham, AL): Pittsburgh vs. SMU 1:00 (ESPN - Mike Gleason and John Congemi, SR: Eamon McAnaney): Nothing says excitement like two mediocre teams playing in the dilapidated Legion Field playing in front of maybe 10,000 fans with Mike Gleason and something called John Congemi calling the game for ESPN. Feel the excitement!
January 8
GoDaddy.com Bowl (Mobile, AL): Northern Illinois vs. Arkansas State 9:00 (ESPN - Rob Stone and Danny Kanell, SR: Cara Capuano): How the hell does Alabama receive two bowl games in late January? I know ESPN created a lot of these bowl games simply for programming, but there isn't a poker tournament or a college basketball game that can be shown instead?
Mike Gleason and something called John Congemi calling the game for ESPN
ReplyDeleteMike Gleason and John Congemi work the Saturday afternoon Big East games of the week in the Big East area. If I actually took the time to watch these games, I think I would complain about them as much as RJBO does Michael Reghi.
As for the GoDaddy.com Bowl, all I can say is a MAC team is involved. Don't under-estimate the awesomeness of high-scoring MACtion.
I honestly have no idea what to expect out of Penn State and Houston. Both teams could have the proverbial let down as both probably felt they deserve a better bowl (Penn State got passed over for the Gator Bowl, Insight Bowl, and Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas; Houston's 1st loss was their final game). Penn State's offense is verging on terrible. Houston allowed Southern Miss to score an orgy of points. Houston and Case Keenum throw the ball a lot. Penn State has one of the top notch FBS pass defenses. This just feels like a game where one team will blow the other out, just not quite sure who will be on what side yet.
ReplyDeleteall I can say is a MAC team is involved. Don't under-estimate the awesomeness of high-scoring MACtion.
ReplyDeleteVery true Justin. I take back everything I said.