We all know Florida State will meet Auburn in the BCS National Championship game, but now the rest of the bowl schedule is also finalized.
We list the teams playing in each bowl game, what time each game is on and which channel you can find it. It’s no surprise that ESPN carries most of the bowl games.
We also list the handful of bowl-eligible teams that did not receive a bowl bid.
Where did Oregon, Oklahoma State, Ohio State and Alabama fall after late-season losses?
Auburn just had one of the most improbable last-second victories over a #1 ranked team in college football history. Is that enough hyperbole for you?
Auburn ran back an Alabama missed field goal 100+ yards as time expired to win the game. They now find themselves in the SEC Championship title game next week.
Earlier in the day, Florida State easily beat Florida and Ohio State squeaked by Michigan. As it stands right now, those two teams would be playing in the BCS Championship game in Pasadena, California.
The ACC and Big Ten are two of the weakest BCS conferences this year. So, are we really going to see a Florida State/Ohio State BCS Championship game?
If Auburn and Ohio State both win next week, could Auburn leapfrog Ohio State in the BCS Standings?
Well, yesterday’s games really put a wrench all bowl projections written last week. Baylor, Oregon and Texas A&M’s losses rearranged a half dozen bowl games and moved Arizona State, Oklahoma State and Missouri up a few spots.
There are 35 bowl games this year, so 70 spots are up for grabs. Not every team that wins six games will play in a bowl game. As of today, 66 teams are already eligible, with most teams still one regular season game left.
We project the teams that will play in all 35 bowl games this year as of November 24th, 2013. Many bowl games are shaping up to be fun to watch…but a few bowls are looking bad, really bad.
We can’t wait to pick these games against the spread…that will come much later.
We are in the homestretch of the college football regular season. Some teams are still in the hunt for a national championship, but most are just playing to get in a prime bowl game…or trying to earn a sixth win to just be bowl-eligible.
There are 35 bowl games this year, so 70 spots are up for grabs. Not every team that wins six games will play in a bowl game. As of today, 65 teams are already eligible, with most teams still having two games left.
We project the teams that will play in all 35 bowl games this year. Many bowl games are shaping up to be fun to watch. We can’t wait to pick these games against the spread…that will come much later.
I’ve had a very successful college football season. The spreads have been easy to work with and the favorites have covered in a lot of games I picked. Notre Dame has been fairly dependable to cover the spread (except last week), so their game against Boston College looks like a quality play in Week 11.
Will Oregon State keep surprising Vegas? They have done very well in the Pac-12 against the spread. They are on the road and play in Palo Alto on Saturday. Is Stanford up to the task of stopping the Beavers from winning a moneyline play?
We breakdown the bets and pick some NCAA college football games against the spread.
Florida State (-14.5) at Virginia Tech (+14.5) – My pick is Virginia Tech +14.5
Both of these teams are under .500 against the spread this season. I think this line is too high for Florida State to cover on the road. Blacksburg is a tough place to play at night. Even though VT is having a down year, the crowd will be into this one.
Louisville (-3) at Syracuse (+3) – My pick is Louisville -3
Louisville is coming off a tough loss to Cincinnati. They will be motivated to keep their great season alive. Syracuse is no pushover, but Louisville is 14-4 ATS (against the spread) in their last 18 road games.
Massachusetts (+17) at Akron (-17) – My pick is Akron -17
This game will be ugly. UMass has yet to win a game and Akron has only one win under their belt. In their last three games, UMass has been outscored 136-7. Akron will cover in this contest.
Arizona State (+9) at USC (-9) – My pick is USC -9
USC is coming off of two losses against Pac-12 opponents…in games they could have won. The are coming into this game with a chip on their shoulder. ASU is a good team, but I see USC winning this game large.
Notre Dame (-19) at Boston College (+19) – My pick is Notre Dame -19
The Fighting Irish know they are lucky to come out of last week’s game unbeaten. They were leapfrogged by Oregon in the BCS polls and need to start winning games with extra style points. I don’t expect Notre Dame to lay off the accelerator in this contest. I know 19 points is a big number to cover on the road, but I expect them to cover the spread.
Wyoming (-1) at New Mexico (+1) – My pick is Wyoming -1
I have long had a love affair with the Wyoming Cowboys…from a betting standpoint. I spent most of the 2009 betting with them and I had a nice season. They are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight road games. New Mexico is an improved team, but Wyoming will leave Albuquerque with the upset.
West Virgina (+7.5) at Oklahoma State (-7.5) – My pick is Oklahoma State -7.5
I have been burned by West Virginia too many times this season. They are coming off three losses in which they looked pedestrian at times. Oklahoma State is 8-1 ATS at home following a loss. I trust them much more than the Mountaineers at this point in the season. The O/U is currently 79, which could easily be blown out of the water by the beginning of the fourth quarter.
Texas A&M (+14) at Alabama (-14) – My pick is Texas A&M +14
Texas A&M and Alabama both have close games against Oregon this season. The Aggies have done very well against the SEC this season. They are an unfamiliar opponent and have taken advantage of the unknown. They had a stretch in the middle of the season that was rough, but rebounded in the last three weeks. If Texas A&M can get their passing game going again, this game could be very close.
Mississippi State (+14.5) at LSU (-14.5) – My pick is LSU -14.5
MSU haven’t played very well the last two games. They were down to Texas A&M by five touchdowns by halftime. LSU is coming off a tough loss to Alabama last week. They always play every team well and never play down to the other team’s talent. LSU should have this spread covered by halftime.
Vanderbilt (+3) at Mississippi (-3) – My pick is Mississippi -3
Ole Miss is 7-2 ATS this season. Vegas and the betting community doesn’t seem to give them much respect. Vanderbilt has looked impressive the last two weeks, but it was against winless UMass and a Kentucky, who look like a high school team. This is close to a lock, since this line should stay around -3, with the public looking at the box scores from the last two Vandy games.
The betting lines are courtesy of Sportsbook.ag. These picks are for entertainment purposes.
Ohio State faces USC this weekend and things could be getting pretty hot under Jim Tressel’s sweater vest. The last top 10 team that Ohio State beat was Michigan in November of 2006. They have been spanked in their last few bowl games and didn’t win at home against Penn State last year. This USC game is more than just a circled game on their schedule, for Jim Tressel, it could be for his job.
Jim Tressel’s approval rating in Columbus has been near 75-80% for nearly his entire tenure as football coach of Ohio State. He won a National Championship right away when he took over and he’s been a good ride. They have been a staple in BCS bowl games since it’s incarnation and he’s kept his nose clean when it comes to NCAA infractions. Why am I saying that he’ll be on the hot seat? It’s not only me, the local ESPN radio affilate here in Columbus has also brought it up. They say if he loses to USC, his approval rating would drop below 50% for the first time. We all know, once the approval rating drops below half, something little can sway people to the most popular side of the argument.
If Ohio State loses to USC and it’s close, even closer than their bowl game against Texas last year, I think he’ll be fine. He’ll be fine until the Buckeyes go to Happy Valley and play Penn State on the road. If they lose both of those games, they could be in danger of not making a BCS bowl game. There are a lot of good teams this year and especially in smaller non-BCS conferences. BYU and Boise State already have a pretty good win on their resume and there’s 12 more weeks of college football left.
I’m not saying that Jim Tressel will get fired if they lose to USC and Penn State this year, but it will be the first time this discussion will be taking place. If they lose to Michigan at the end of the year, the discussion could turn into screaming. The pressure will be turned up to win next season, since Terrelle Pryor could leave after next season, since he would be 3 years removed from high school. If Pryor puts up big numbers, he’ll be taken in the first round because of his athleticism and upside. Tressel would be left with another young quarterback and would have to start over. Troy Smith isn’t walking through that door. Ted Ginn isn’t walking through that door. A.J. Hawk isn’t walking through that door. 
I have lived in Columbus, OH for three years and this will be my fourth football season that I will experience here. My first year here was when Ohio State played Michigan as the #1 vs. #2 teams in the country. Since it was a home game, this town was completely nuts. I couldn’t even use my cell phone, since so many people crammed into the city for the game. This year’s team is by far the worst Ohio State team in the last four season, even if die-hard Buckeye fans won’t admit it.
A lot of hype will surround Columbus on September 12th. The USC Trojans come here to play Ohio State, but both teams will only be a skeleton of themselves. USC and OSU lost most of their starters and will still be getting used to each other by the time they play. Ohio State is expecting a break-out season from Terelle Pryor, but they will definitely miss Chris Wells. Boom Herron and Brandon Saine will do their best to duplicate the impact Beanie had on move the chains, but it will be a huge task. Pryor may have to use his feet to gain yards, even more than last year. They also lose Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline to graduation/draft, two veteran targets will be missed. Dan Sanzenbacher and DeVier Posey will be the go-to receivers and if Ray Small can develop any offensive game, they may start to click by the time Big Ten season begins.
The defensive side of the ball could be the Buckeyes best attribute. I am looking for a big year from safety Kyle Coleman. I’m not saying that ’cause I’m friends with his brother and have met him on many occassions, he’s a great safety and is a playmaker. He will have to make plays in the secondary, since Malcolm Jenkins is no longer out there to intercept passes. They won’t miss Donald Washington, since he didn’t do much in college, but was still drafted early in the NFL Draft. They will miss James Laurenitis and Marcus Freeman from their linebacking corpse. Tyler Moeller, Ross Homan, and Austin Spitler will have to mature in a hurry. Luckily for them, when they play USC, they will be breaking in a new QB.
Ohio State is either a 10-2 or a 9-3 team this year. Their losses will be at the hands of USC and Penn State. The bubble loss could come against Illinois, they had a bad year last season, but Ron Zook has recruited well the last two seasons. You would think that those players will have to mature this season. The Big Ten is down again this year and a 10-2 or 9-3 season could land them in the Rose Bowl, if Penn State is playing for the National Championship. I think Penn State will have a good team, it just depends how down the Big Ten really is. If they lose one game this year, it could knock them down pretty far in the polls and a weak Big Ten schedule would make it hard to make a jump up.
I know that I am going to get grilled by Ohio State fans, since they are extremely rabid and passionate. A 10-2 or 9-3 season wouldn’t be a bad season for this team. They are very young and it is something that they could build upon for the 2010-11 season. If Ohio State could pull off a win against USC, then the season could change and they could yet again be vying for a spot in the BCS Championship game. A lot will be determined by the game on September 12th, but which team will fall down to normal expectations and which team will be catapulted into the elite.
After losing to Boston College 17-0 last week, the only positive news about Charlie Weis and Notre Dame came from the Athletic Director with the deadly “vote of confidence.” I can’t remember the last time I heard so much negative press about Notre Dame, oh wait, last week! Charlie Weis is approaching the Tyrone Willingham range at Notre Dame and is approaching Bob Davie range.
As you read this post, I would like to like everyone know that I am a Notre Dame fan, but I am rational. My hometown is less than an hour away from South Bend and all my friends back home have been suicidal the last two seasons. I have lived in Columbus, OH the last three football seasons and it’s amazing to live in a city that could possibly be more insane about college football than Notre Dame fans, 9 out of 10 cars in this city have some sort of Brutus or Buckeye decal in the window or personalized license plate. I need to figure out why Notre Dame is so bad and try and debunk some of the “theories” why Notre Dame looks like a team full of Rudys. Here are some of the theories and my rebuttal.
Five-Star recruits go to colleges with warm weather. I do admit that this theory has some weight to it, but still not true. Elite players go to warmer weather to play in the SEC, Big 12, and USC. Notre Dame recruited Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate, and Michael Floyd, players that were highly-recruited and would garner playing time on many top 25 teams in the country. I’m not sure that warm weather is the only reason they choose those places, most likely reason is that they want to be on a winning and competitive program. I can also add that the weather in South Bend, IN and Columbus, OH are comparable and Ohio State still recruits a top-ten class every year. Columbus may be maybe five degrees warmer with a little less snow, but the city itself helps recruits players to OSU. South Bend wouldn’t exist of Notre Dame wasn’t there, it’s solely dependent on the university to maintain the city, the same cannot be said for Columbus, OH.
The schedule is too difficult at Notre Dame. Over the last few seasons, the schedule at Notre Dame has slowly looked more like a non-conference schedule at North Dakota St. If you add teams like North Carolina, Duke, Syracuse, and Washington and you subtract games against Ohio State, Georgia Tech, BYU, and Penn State, you will win more games. Even if Notre Dame went 11-1 this season with their only loss coming against USC, they wouldn’t even be in the top 10 in the BCS with their weak schedule. You could argue that dumbing down the schedule at Notre Dame could hurt recruiting, since their not playing against the same caliber of teams as past Notre Dame squads.
Notre Dame needs a new coach. Really? You think you could get a better coach than Charlis Weis? I think Notre Dame fans have amnesia. The last two coaching searches held by Notre Dame came with about denials each and one coach who they canned after the press conference for a botched resume. No one wants to coach at Notre Dame. I’m sure they would try and go after Mike Leach, Jon Gruden (for the third time), Turner Gill, Bob Stoops, and maybe even Brady Hoke from Ball State, but would end up with the Offensive Coordinator at some SEC team that wouldn’t get any other coaching offers. I know whatever is going on at Notre Dame is broken, but starting all over again isn’t always the answer. I would give Coach Weis the rest of this season and the next, if things aren’t improved, I think he should be canned. An improvement would be a top 20 BCS ranking, not a BCS bowl game kind of an improvement like most Notre Dame fans would be looking for.
Here is my theory to help Notre Dame restore its former glory. Notre Dame needs to join a conference. The Big Ten would love to add Notre Dame, even though Notre Dame’s loyalty for all other sports would be Big East, but Big East football is barely above the Sun Belt in ability. Notre Dame lacks rivalries that help draw excitement. The USC rivalry is an historically great rivalry, but to be a rival, the games have to be competitive. The only competitive USC/Notre Dame the last ten years was the game that ended with “The Bush Push.” Notre Dame already plays Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue every year, but with Ohio State so close and with some great match-ups over the last twenty years between the schools, it could help create/restore a rivalry. Notre Dame have always seen itself as the “top dog” in college football and even has its own rules in the BCS when it comes to BCS bowl games, but it’s time to put its ego aside and do what’s best for the program.