Finally the SEC Bowl Season Begins

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
Wednesday, Dec. 31, Noon ESPN
Air Force vs. Houston
Houston favored by 3
Perhaps the most common sense match-up of all the bowls - an military institution takes on a local Texas school. Both teams make their second appearance in the bowl, and one will finally break through with a win.

Houston really should have played for the C-USA championship and I think they are much better overall than Air Force (which isn't going too far out of the limb considering they have considerable more talent). But I always like pulling for the service academies in bowl games, and it would just be wrong to go against Air Force in this game.



Brut Sun Bowl
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2 p.m. CBS
Pittsburgh vs. Oregon State
Oregon State favored by 3
Something I've wondered for years: during the entire season, CBS covers the SEC, yet in the bowl season, they pick up the PAC-10/Big East Sun Bowl. I don't really get that. Shouldn't CBS buy up the rights to cover an SEC Bowl? Well, at least the Northeast and West Coast will have to handle the horrible analysis of Gary Danielson and the blubbering of Verne Lundquist.

Oregon State was a win over Oregon away from winning the Pac-10 title and playing in the Rose Bowl. The Beavers kept their lead over USC for the majority of the season, somehow winning each week up until the Civil War. Interesting, if the Beavers wouldn't have blown the season opener to Stanford, then that Oregon game wouldn't have mattered. But it's probably better that they lost, since now we'll get Penn State vs. USC instead of a rematch of the Nittany Lions September blowout over OSU

This game should be pretty good. Pitt rebounded after the early season loss to Bowling Green to finish 9-3, including wins over South Florida, Notre Dame and West Virginia, to finish tied for second in the Big East. But I stuck with the Beavers, though I only put six points on it.



Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. ESPN
Boston College vs. Vanderbilt
Boston College favored by 4
OMG! VANDY! BOWL GAME! After a lifetime drought, the Commodores finally get that elusive sixth win and get a bowl invite ... and for all their trouble ... all their hard work ... all their clawing ... they get an invite to glorious, wonderful ... NASHVILLE! Congrats, 'Dores, but, um, since we don't really have an athletic department, or an athletic budget, we're going to need you to stay in your dorms. And the title sponsor is cutting back... so your pregame meals are going to be at Rand. Congrats again!

Maybe the local fans will be confused and think that its a Wednesday Titans game. That'd be an advantage for Vandy, since they're already used to playing in front of another team's fans.





Insight (Copper) Bowl
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 5:30 p.m. NFL Network
Minnesota vs. Kansas
Kansas favored by 10
I still hate you NFL Network... but I'll watch this... but I hate you even more for it... and I'll change the channel as soon as Kansas runs the Gophers into the ground and the Peach Bowl starts.

Auburn John's Expert Prediction: Kansas -17







Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ESPN
No. 13 Georgia Tech vs. LSU
Georgia Tech favored by -4
Finally, a non-sarcastic HOORAY!

So we're having a party at the house for New Year's and I can't be happier that Georgia Tech facing LSU will face off during the festivities (I'd say it'd be better than Auburn playing in it again, but I guess I'd rather Auburn being anywhere than sitting at home). I can't imagine a better ACC-SEC match-up in the Peach Bowl.

Georgia fans mocked the Paul Johnson hire a year ago, and I told a few that his option offense would give teams a lot of trouble. I didn't really think that Johnson would have the breakout year that he did, almost playing in the ACC title game and breaking the UGA-strangehold. The option is just so hard to prepare for; with so few teams now running it, there is just no way to simulate it in practice.

The LSU program is being run into the ground, but not enough people are noticing it. Les Miles has slowly allowed for the wall around Louisiana to be broken down and all the talent that Nick Saban accumulated is quickly diminishing. Texas, Ole Miss, Florida and Alabama are pilfering the state's talent. Les is going to have the team back to those Gerry DiNardo / Curly Hallman days before long.

A lot of people are beginning to think that the Tigers have the speed and athleticism to stop the Tech ground attack. I remember that being said about Florida and Nebraska in the late 90's. While Nesbit is no Tommy Frazier, LSU - a team that appeared to play with less and less fundamentals as the season went on - is still going to have trouble covering the option. I can't see Tech losing this game.