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

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