2012-13 College Football Bowl Preview (Part II)

Here is the second installment of my College Football Bowl Preview series (all times Eastern):


The Independence Bowl: Friday December 28th, 2:00 pm.
Ohio (8-4) vs Louisiana-Monroe (8-4) - Both these teams had some of the biggest upsets of the year: Ohio took down Penn State, and Louisiana-Monroe won a thriller against Arkansas. Led by dual-threat quarterback Kolton Browning, UL-Monroe is one of the most exiting teams to watch in football.  After starting 7-0, Ohio lost 4 of their last 5, including their last 3 games of the year.  Straight Up Pick: Ohio


The Russel Athletic Bowl: Friday December 28th, 5:30 pm.
Rutgers (9-3) vs Virginia Tech (6-6) - Virginia Tech had a huge letdown this year, coming in with big expectations, but barely managing to become bowl eligible.  Virginia Tech has the ability to play better than their record suggests.  It all comes down to the decision making of junior quarterback Logan Thomas. Meanwhile, Rutgers was one of football's biggest surprises before they lost their last two games after coming so close to a possible BCS bowl bid. Straight Up Pick: Rutgers.

The Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas: Friday December 28th, 9:00 pm.
Minnesota (6-6) vs Texas Tech (7-5) - Minnesota has reached their goal of getting to a bowl game.  The only problem is it's against Texas Tech who boasts the number 2 ranked passing offense in the nation.  Minnesota has won games this year by playing good defense, but that will be very difficult in this game.  Texas Tech is much the more seasoned unit, having played 6 ranked teams this year, and beating 2 of them.  Their only other loss was against a very good Baylor team who had just knocked off #1 Kansas State. Straight Up Pick: Texas Tech.


The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 11:45 am.
Air Force (6-6) vs Rice (6-6) - Both of these teams finished their season in opposite ways.  Air Force finished by losing 3 of their last 4 games, their unique triple-option attack failing them down the stretch.  Rice, on the other hand, had to win their last 4 games to become bowl eligible, and they were able to do just that.  Rice is very balanced in all aspects of the game, while Air Force relies on their running attack to generate enough points to win.  Straight Up Pick: Rice.

The New Era Pinstripe Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 3:15 pm.
West Virginia (7-5) vs Syracuse (7-5) - Usually when these teams meet it's on the hardwood, not the gridiron.  West Virginia seems to have steadied the ship after a 5 game losing streak in the middle of the year by winning their last two.  Syracuse boasts several quality wins over the likes of Louisville and Missouri.  Both of these teams score lots of points, and I'm still not sure if West Virginia fields a defense.  Straight Up Pick: West Virginia.


The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 4:00 pm.
Navy (8-4) vs Arizona State (7-5) - Navy brings one of the nation's top 10 running games into this game.  They finished the year on a 7-1 run, capping off the year with a 17-13 victory in the Army-Navy game.  Arizona State brings in a very balanced team.  They limit opponent's opportunities and take care of the football on offense.  All of their loses this year came against top level competition, while Navy had a couple of games where nothing clicked and they lost to someone they shouldn't have. This is the type of game where you have to throw records out the window.  Straight Up Pick: Arizona State.

The Valero Alamo Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 6:45 pm.
#23 Texas (8-4) vs #13 Oregon State (9-3) - Oregon State was not on very many people's radars going into this season.  But after rattling of impressive victory after impressive victory, they finished the year with a great record and a high ranking.  Oregon State has a very good defense and passing offense, something they will try to utilize against a Texas secondary that has been susceptible to the big play.  Texas went into the year with huge expectations and came out with what many call a disappointment (and a quarterback controversy). What was to be a top ranked defense turned out to be not as good as advertised.  Both of these teams will scheme very well and try to play to the other's weaknesses.  Straight Up Pick: Oregon State.


The Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl: Saturday December 29th, 10:15 pm.
TCU (7-5) vs Michigan State (6-6) - Both of these teams are 2-3 against ranked teams.  Both have had quarterback problems.  TCU kicked starter Casey Pachall off the team, and Michigan State has had to deal with the woes that accompany starting a true freshman.  It seems like TCU has found an answer at quarterback in freshman Trevone Boykin, who since becoming the starter has played exceptionally well.  Michigan State hasn't found any answers on the offensive end this season, but the defense is anther story.  They have the number 10 scoring defense in the country, giving up an average of 16.3 points per game.  Straight Up Pick: TCU.

The Music City Bowl: Monday December 31st, 12:00 pm.
North Carolina State (7-5) vs Vanderbilt (8-4) - North Carolina State is in a tough situation, facing a good Vanderbilt team with a new coach.  Having fired Tom O'Brien, NC State hired Dave Doeren from Northern Illinois.  But NC State did have some high points this year, including a comeback 17-16 win over then #3 Florida State.  Vanderbilt, on the other hand, is riding just about as much momentum as one team could possible have.  They were just 2-4 to start the year, but finished strong with 6 straight victories, 4 of them coming against SEC opponents.  Straight Up Pick: Vanderbilt.

The Hyundai Sun Bowl: Monday December 31st, 2:00 pm.
Southern California (7-5) vs Georgia Tech (6-7) - The USC Trojans had everything going their way.  A #1 ranking, a quarterback projected to win the Heisman, and pick by almost every expert to reach the national championship game.  The only problem for USC was that all of this was preseason.  They had an okay year for a team without all the hype that USC had gotten, with 4 of their 5 losses coming to ranked teams. Georgia Tech has had their share of issues too: A defense that can't stop anyone, and losses to the likes of Middle Tennessee  BYU, and Miami.  But through the luck of bad seasons, self imposed bowl bans, and the luck of being in the easy division, Georgia Tech found themselves in the ACC Championship against Florida State.  They made a game of it, but lost 21-15.  Both of these teams have something left to prove, and both of their coach are beginning to feel a little warmth under their chairs.  Straight Up Pick: Southern California.

The AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Monday December 31st, 3:30 pm.
Iowa State (6-6) vs Tulsa (10-3) - It's a rarity that a two teams play each other in the same season.  Usually that second game takes place in a conference championship game.  But on September 1st in Ames, Iowa, Tulsa and Iowa State took the field against each other.  Tulsa jumped out to a 16-7 lead, but Iowa State took control by scoring 24 unanswered points, eventually cruising to a 38-23 victory.  Both teams played well from that point on, with Tulsa winning Conference USA, and Iowa State struggling a bit to a 3-6 record in the Big 12.  Who will win the rematch? Straight Up Pick: Iowa State.




The finale (Part III) is coming up soon.  Also: don't miss the exclusive BCS National Championship Preview coming your way soon. Enjoy the football! 'Til next time.

Can You Feel the Madness?

It's in the air. It's that time again. It's March Madness!

This is my favorite time of year. I also say that phrase about five other times when different sports go down to the wire.  But this has to be the best. In less than a month, 1 team out of 68 will be crowned NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball Champions.  But just as those teams are about to embark in a month of mayhem to see who comes out on top, you are also most likely eyeing a struggle of your own: the bracket. Whether it's with your co-workers, friends, schoolmates, or family, you have to win! However, that's a lot easier said than done. The key to picking a winning bracket, is not only picking the winner, but making sure one of your final four teams doesn't get upset.  Here is where I come in.  This is a list of 10 potential sleeper teams, or teams that could pull off an upset or two, and maybe even become the next Butler:

Wichita State (27-5):
Not a true sleeper team, getting a 5 seed, but the Shockers are a team that I believe can go far in the tournament. They have a very winnable matchup against 12 seed VCU, and would play the winner of Indiana, and New Mexico State. They finished ranked number 16 in the AP Poll, and boast a 16-2 record in the very difficult Missouri Valley Conference.  The Shockers are a veteran team with great senior leadership, led by Joe Ragland's 48% from behind the arc.  This balanced attack can adapt to any style of play: they can slow it down, run-and-gun, or pound it into the paint.  They have good wins against Creighton, UNLV, and a 17 point thrashing of Davidson. This is a scary team to play.

Colorado (23-11):
Colorado was not supposed to get into the tournament after an up and down year in the Pac 12. But they went on an absolute tear in the Pac 12 tournament, beating Arizona for the title, and earning an automatic bid. This team is a sleeper simple because they are hot.  After winning a tight contest against Oregon, they beat favorite Cal by 11, playing their way to an 11 seed.  They play a streaky UNLV team in the first round.  If Colorado can contain the potent play of UNLV forward Mike Moser, and continue their hot shooting, it might be their time to pull an upset or two.

South Dakota State (27-7):
The Jackrabbits, a 14 seed, champions out of the Summit League, are the perfect team to pull an upset. They have an incredible guard in Nate Wolters, who averages 21.3 points, and 6.0 assists per game. Though he only shoots 24% from three point, the rest of the team nails 43% from deep.  The Jackrabbits do lack in size in the post, but they have a tantalizing matchup with Baylor. Baylor is a very good and athletic team, but they have been plagued by inconsistency, especially in big games.  South Dakota State, with their solid guard play, could be the perfect team to take advantage of this. They only allow 57.3 points a game, and they must slow it down like that if they are to beat Baylor.

Long Beach State (25-8):
I absolutely love this team. They have the perfect combination of good shooting guards, and big men that can run the floor.  As a 12 seed, they played one of the toughest schedules in the nation, having a "go anywhere, play anybody" mentality. This has paid off, as they went 15-1 in Big West play.  They are battle tested, and will not be intimidated by big games, or tough opponents. They beat Pittsburgh and Xavier, and played Kansas, UNC, and Louisville tough. They play New Mexico, a 5 seed, in the first round. New Mexico is a ferocious squad, who attacks the boards very well. Can Long Beach State prevail, behind the dynamic guard play of Casper Ware and Larry Anderson.

Davidson (25-7):
To say that the Wildcats can shoot the three is an understatement. They are one of the better three point shooting teams in the country, and are also a very clutch free throw shooting team as well.  They beat Kansas by 6 on the road, which was the highlight win of their season. But it took them 2 overtimes to beat Western Carolina in the Southern Conference Championship. Another good strength of Davidson is their ability to rebound, averaging 38.9 per game, which is good for 19th in the country. But all of that is about to be tested, when they take on 4 seed Louisville, fresh of a victory in the Big East tournament.  But as we well know, a team that can shoot the three is always capable of an upset!

Colorado State (20-11): 
The Rams have squeaked their way into the tournament, receiving an 11 seed, out of an unusually good Mountain West Conference. They had an 8-6 conference record, with good wins against UNLV, San Diego State, and New Mexico. They don't have much of a post presence, but can knock down the three. Led by Wes Eikmeier, they are one of the better three point shooting teams in the country, and one that you can never count out of a game.  However, they are taking on one of the best three point shooting teams in the country, Murray State, who finished the season 30-1. Can Colorado State stick with the Racers long enough to pull off an upset? We will see!

Southern Mississippi (25-8): 

The Golden Eagles, a 9 seed out of Conference-USA, have plenty of late game experience. They have had 5 overtime games, with two going into double overtime. One of these double overtime games was a loss to Murray State. They play Kansas State for their first game, and are liable to take down anyone with their outstanding depth. They have six players that score between 9.5 and 12.2 points per game. But will this balanced attack be enough to knock off the Wildcats? 

Montana (25-6):

The Grizzlies, or "The Griz" as they are known, have played their way to a 13 seed, strutting a 15-1 conference record in the Big Sky. They have won their last 14 games, and are a solid all-around team. They -have size in 7-footer Derek Selvig, but have yet to face a test. They are getting one in their first game, however. The Wisconsin Badgers, out of a very good Big Ten Conference, will take on the Griz. Wisconsin, however, has been prone to upsets in the last few years. They play a very slow pace. Can the Griz, an unknown, pull off the upset? 

Creighton (28-5): 
They Bluejays have had a great year, and come into the tournament red hot as an 8 seed.  Creighton has won their last 7 games to cap off a 14-4 season within the Missouri Valley Conference, led by the dynamic play of coach's son, Doug McDermott. They are the nation's most accurate shooting team at 50.9%. They have good leadership and experience, with wins against Wichita State, San Diego State, and Long Beach State. They get 9 seed Alabama in the first round, with the winner taking on (probably) UNC. Creighton has the ability to play with a team like that, but they have to keep McDermott out of foul trouble and play solid ball down to the wire.

NC State (22-12):
The Wolfpack are pumped and ready to go, getting an 11 seed after a 9-7 campaign in the ACC. Led by C.J. Leslie, the Pack look to knock off San Diego State.  They made a good run in the ACC tournament, beating Boston College and Virginia before losing a heartbreaker to UNC. Leslie fouled out with 8 minuets to play, and the Wolfpack were unable to hold on against UNC's late game surge. Richard Howell is a great compliment to Leslie, and Scott Wood adds a deadly three point shot.  NC State is definitely a team that could go deep into the tournament if they get hot at the right time.

Well there you have it. 10 sleepers that may just surprise a few folks this year.  If you have any last minute questions, please use the comment section below. I will get back to you as soon as possible. Normally I would ramble on and on here about how Spring Training has started (see I just did it), and other sports, but all I can focus on is college basketball.  'Til next time.