Bowl Preview & Picks, pt.2

Austin Davis of Southern Miss

7. Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Nevada (7-5, 5-2 WAC) vs. Southern Miss (11-2, 6-2 C-USA)
This will mark the final time Southern Miss will be led by Larry Fedora as he is moving on to North Carolina.  The Golden Eagle offense led by Austin Davis will go up against the #2 defense in the WAC.  Advantage goes to the defense facing a team dealing with the disappointment of losing their coach and not receiving a Liberty Bowl invite.  Nevada Wolfpack wins 34-17.

8. AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl
Missouri (7-5, 5-4 Big 12) vs. North Carolina (7-5, 3-5 ACC)
Missouri visits SEC country for their last bowl game as a member of the Big 12 Conference.  Neither of these teams is especially exciting, but I'll go with the team that has the more stable situation.  Mizzou wins 24-10.

9. Little Caesar's Bowl
Western Michigan (7-5, 5-3 MAC) vs. Purdue (6-6, 4-4 Big Ten)
The Boilermakers completely turned their season around to make it to a bowl game.  The Broncos have one of the most exciting offenses in the country but they have struggled against Big 10 teams in the past, losing six straight including at Michigan and Illinois this season.  I'll go with the Big 10 team.  Purdue wins 41-28.

Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater

10. Belk Bowl
Louisville (7-5, 5-2 Big East) vs. NC State (7-5, 4-4 ACC)
The Cardinals are a young team that has overcome a 2-4 start to make the Belk Bowl to face the Wolfpack of NC State.  Charlie Strong's bunch seem to be getting better and better each week and I'd look for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to have a big game.  Cardinals win 31-20.

11. Military Bowl
Toledo (8-4, 7-1 MAC) vs. Air Force (7-5, 3-4 MWC)
Over the past month nobody has been scoring more than the Toledo Rockets and they've been doing it both rushing and passing.  The Falcons have been putting up points recently but it's because of their option attack which averages 320 yards per game.  The Rockets lost their head coach to Illinois but promoted offensive coordinator Matt Campbell to head coach.  Falcons won't be able to stop the Rockets.  Toledo wins 48-24.

12. Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl
California (7-5, 4-5 Pac-12) vs. Texas (7-5, 4-5 Big 12)

The Bears offense has really come on strong lately and Texas has really shown no reason for someone to believe in them.  That being said the Longhorns have won seven of their last nine postseason games and I'm going to take them again.  Texas wins 24-20.

Bowl Preview & Picks, pt. 1

No time for the movies?

   If you're like me and don't go to the movies that often check this out.  Looks like I need to add a few movies to my netflix.


2011: The Cinescape from Matt Shapiro on Vimeo.

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

Sam Hurd is an idiot

Chicago Bears wide receiver Sam Hurd was arrested on federal drug charges Wednesday night after attempting to buy 5 to 10 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 lbs of marijuana from an undercover agent.

This is a guy who in July signed a 3 year contract worth $2.5 million+ with a $1.3 million signing bonus.  I hope it was all worth it Mr. Hurd because I've got news for you.

Check out ESPN.com's story for more on Mr. Hurd's drug empire.

Todd Graham makes Nick Saban look like a decent person

  University of Pittsburgh players are pretty furious after Todd Graham texted them to tell them he was no longer their coach as he was accepting the head coaching position at Arizona State University.

College football is all about money and while we've come to expect dishonesty from coaches like Bobby Petrino, Lane Kiffin and Nick Saban, Graham's low-class exit has set the bar even lower.

Graham has made a career of only staying a short while in one place as he spent one season as head coach of Rice, four seasons at Tulsa and now just one season at Pitt before bolting to the desert to take over the Sun Devils.

Just three weeks ago three Pitt assistants accepted positions at Arizona under Rich Rodriguez, a move that led Graham to call them "mercenaries."  I sincerely hope that Rich Rod destroys this douchebag every opportunity he gets.

After watching the way Arizona State conducted their coaching search and the way they screwed over June Jones it seems as though Todd Graham and Arizona State is a perfect match.

So here's to you Todd Graham.  May you enjoy 3 win seasons and accepting a coordinator position in the Sun Belt Conference in a couple of seasons.

Indiana Hooters beat Kentucky

   Just in case you missed the exciting game between Kentucky and Indiana this weekend, we'll let 9News in Denver's Ashton Altieri fill you in on what happened.

LSU's Mathieu & Claiborne lock down All-America team

  Tyrann Mathieu and Morris Claiborne, teammates at LSU, became the first pair from the same squad to claim the cornerback spots on the AP All-America team.  They were joined on the first team by LSU punter Brad Wing, while offensive guard Will Blackwell received second-team honors and defensive end Sam Montgomery made the third team.

Heisman trophy winner Robert Griffin III was named first-team quarterback while Heisman runner-up Andrew Luck was on the second-team.  The other Heisman finalists, Trent Richardson and Montee Ball were both named to the first-team.

LSU's National Championship Game opponent Alabama placed four on the first-team with offensive tackle Barrett Jones, linebacker Dont'a Hightower and safety Mark Barron joining Richardson.

First Team

Offense

QB: Robert Griffin III, junior, 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, Baylor 

RB: Montee Ball, junior, 5-11, 210, Wisconsin; Trent Richardson, junior, 5-11, 224, Alabama 

WR: Justin Blackmon, junior, 6-1, 215, Oklahoma State; Robert Woods, sophomore, 6-1, 180, Southern California 

TE: Dwayne Allen, junior, 6-4, 255, Clemson 

OT: Barrett Jones, senior, 6-5, 311, Alabama; Matt Kalil, junior, 6-7, 295, Southern California 

OG: David DeCastro, senior, 6-5, 310, Stanford; Kevin Zeitler, senior, 6-4, 318, Wisconsin 

C: David Molk, senior, 6-2, 286, Michigan.

Defense

DE: Melvin Ingram, senior, 6-2, 276, South Carolina; Whitney Mercilus, junior, 6-4, 265, Illinois 

DT: Devon Still, senior, 6-5, 310, Penn State; Jerel Worthy, junior, 6-3, 310, Michigan State 

LB: Luke Kuechly, junior, 6-3, 237, Boston College; Jarvis Jones, sophomore, 6-3, 241, Georgia; Dont'a Hightower, junior, 6-4, 260, Alabama 

CB: Morris Claiborne, junior, 6-0, 185, LSU; Tyrann Mathieu, sophomore, 5-9, 175, LSU 

S: Mark Barron, senior, 6-2, 218, Alabama; Bacarri Rambo, junior, 6-0, 218, Georgia.

Special Teams

P: Brad Wing, freshman, 6-3, 184, LSU 

K: Randy Bullock, senior, 5-9, 212, Texas A&M 

All-purpose player - Sammy Watkins, freshman, 6-1, 180, Clemson.

Second Team

Offense

QB: Andrew Luck, junior, Stanford 

RB: LaMichael James, junior, Oregon; David Wilson, junior, Virginia Tech 

WR: Ryan Broyles, senior, Oklahoma; Kendall Wright, senior, Baylor 

TE: Tyler Eifert, junior, Notre Dame 

OT: Jonathan Martin, senior, Stanford; Nate Potter, senior, Boise State 

OG: Will Blackwell, senior, LSU; Austin Pazstor, senior, Virginia 

C: Peter Konz, junior, Wisconsin.

Defense

DE: Frank Alexander, senior, Oklahoma; Vinny Curry, senior, Marshall 

DT: Joe Vellano, junior, Maryland; Derek Wolfe, senior, Cincinnati 

LB: Courtney Upshaw, senior, Alabama; Lavonte David, senior, Nebraska; Manti Teo, junior, Notre Dame

CB: David Amerson, sophomore, North Carolina State; Dre Kirkpatrick, junior, Alabama; S: Markelle Martin, senior, Oklahoma State; Antonio Allen, senior, South Carolina.

Special Teams

P: Ryan Allen, junior, Louisiana Tech

K: Caleb Sturgis, junior, Florida

All-purpose player - Joe Adams, senior, Arkansas.

Third Team

Offense

QB: Matt Barkley, junior, Southern California 

RB: Ronnie Hillman, sophomore, San Diego State; Bobby Rainey, senior, Western Kentucky 

WR: Jordan White, senior, Western Michigan; Patrick Edwards, senior, Houston 

TE: Coby Fleener, senior, Stanford 

OT: Levy Adcock, senior, Oklahoma State; Cordy Glenn, senior, Georgia 

OG: Ryan Miller, senior, Colorado; Gabe Ikard, sophomore, Oklahoma 

C: Grant Garner, senior, Oklahoma State.

Defense

DE: Sam Montgomery, sophomore, LSU; Andre Branch, senior, Clemson 

DT: John Simon, junior, Ohio State; Fletcher Cox, junior, Mississippi State 

LB: Tank Carder, senior, TCU; Sammy Brown, senior, Houston; Emmanuel Acho, senior, Texas 

CB: Nigel Malone, junior, Kansas State; Brodrick Brown, junior, Oklahoma State 

S: Josh Bush, senior, Wake Forest; George Iloka, senior, Boise State.

Special Teams

P: Shawn Powell, senior, Florida State 

K: Quinn Sharp, junior, Oklahoma State 

All-purpose player - Tavon Austin, junior, West Virginia.