Bowl Preview & Picks, pt.1

Temple's Bernard Pierce

1. Gildan New Mexico Bowl

Temple (8-4, 5-3 MAC) vs. Wyoming (8-4, 5-2 MWC)
Owls' ground game and defense are too much for the Cowboys.  Temple's Bernard Pierce comes into the matchup with 25 rushing touchdowns and will likely be the difference in the game.  Temple wins 21-17.

2. Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Ohio (9-4, 6-2 MAC) vs. Utah State (7-5, 5-2 WAC)
Frank Solich and the Bobcats are coming off a tough loss in the MAC Championship game and will want to end the season on a high note, with the program's first bowl victory.  Ohio wins 31-24.

3. R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
San Diego St. (8-4, 4-3 MWC) vs. UL-Lafayette (8-4, 6-2 Sun Belt)
The Ragin' Cajuns travel a couple of hours down I-10 to take on the Aztecs.  The Cajuns and their fans are extremely excited to be in a bowl for the first time as a FBS member.  That excitement and  fan support as well as an opportunistic defense that forces turnovers will lead the Cajuns to a big win.  Cajuns win 35-31.

FIU's T.Y. Hilton

4. Beef O'Brady's Bowl St. Petersburg
Florida International (8-4, 5-3 Sun Belt) vs. Marshall (6-6, 5-3 C-USA)
T.Y. Hilton is the real deal at receiver for FIU and he wants to go out with a bowl victory. Marshall needed a near miracle to even become bowl eligible.  Golden Panthers win 34-20.

5. San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
TCU (10-2, 7-0 MWC) vs. Louisiana Tech (8-4, 6-1 WAC)
Both teams were likely disappointed when TCU was not taken in the BCS.  The Bulldogs best season in quite a while gets them a date with a TCU team that last year was winning the Rose Bowl.  TCU has a nasty defense and quarterback Casey Pachall continues to improve.  Horned Frogs win big, 38-17.

6. MAACO Bowl Las Vegas
Arizona State (6-6, 4-5 Pac-12) vs. Boise State (11-1, 6-1 MWC)
Kellen Moore enters his final game as Bronco's quarterback as the winningest quarterback in NCAA history.  ASU fired Dennis Erickson and has now brought in the now almost universally-loathed Todd Graham.  It seems as though the Sun Devils have absolutely no positive momentum.  I'll take the program who regularly exceeds expectations over one who never lives up to them.  Boise State wins 38-24