December Bowl Games Preview

            All that’s left in the 2011 college football season are the bowl games. December 17^th kicks off the beginning of bowl season and it all concludes January 9^th when the national championship game is played. In this post I’ll preview all of the December bowl games. Check back in a couple of weeks for a January preview.

Gildan New Mexico Bowl

Wyoming Broncos (8-4) vs. Temple Owls (8-4)

Dec. 17, 2:00 p.m.     

            The Broncos come into the game after having a surprisingly good season. They have a solid offense, but their defense is what costs them games. They rank 115^th nationally in rush defense, giving up 230 yards per game. That’s not good news when they’re about to face a great running team.

            The Owls are led by running back Bernard Pierce who had a great year. Pierce earned a spot on the All-MAC first-team as he rushed for 1,300 yards and 25 touchdowns. The work from him has elevated the Owls to rank 7^th nationally in rushing offense. The Owls’ weakness comes at the quarterback position though. They have gone through three different quarterbacks this season and it is still in question who will start the game.

My pick: Temple
Update: Temple wins 37-15

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Ohio Bobcats (9-4) vs. Utah State Aggies (7-5)

Dec. 17, 5:30 p.m.

            The Bobcats were the runner up in the MAC Conference. Their strength lies in its rushing attack, which is ranked 24^th nationally. Running back Donte Harden leads the team in yards and carries, but he’s not far ahead of quarterback Tyler Tettleton.  Plus, two other players have rushed for more than 400 yards.

            Utah State won seven games this season for the first time since 1993. They have a powerful rushing attack as well, as they rank 6^th nationally in rushing yards. They have two players that have more than 100 carries and 700 rushing yards. Whoever wins this game, it will be because of the strength of the running game.

My pick: Ohio
Update: Ohio wins 24-23

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

San Diego State Aztecs (8-4) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (8-4)      

Dec. 17, 9:00 p.m.

            The Aztecs come into the game with a depleted wide receiver corps, which has forced them to rely on their running back, Ronnie Hillman. Hillman has produced though. He has 1,656 yards and 19 touchdowns, thanks in part to his very talented offensive line.

            The Ragin’ Cajuns are under the helm of first-year coach Mark Hudspeth who has led his team to a great season.  Hudspeth made the move early in the season to replace the original starting quarterback with Blaine Gautier. Gautier responded by throwing for more than 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns with just 5 interceptions.

My pick: San Diego
Update: Louisiana-Lafayette wins 32-30

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl

Florida International Golden Panthers (8-4) vs. Marshall Thundering Herd (6-6)

Dec. 20, 8:00 p.m.

            Florida International recorded their best season in school history and is playing in a bowl for just the second time. The Panthers got some national attention when wide receiver T.Y. Hilton put up great numbers in the beginning of the season. Hilton finished the year with 950 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. FIU has a solid defense that ranks 16^th in points allowed.

            Marshall had to win two straight to become bowl-eligible and they did just that. The Herd are winning games because of their defense. They are lead by two outstanding players, Vinny Curry and Rashad Jackson. Curry is a defensive lineman that had 11 sacks and 21 tackles for losses. Jackson recorded nine pass breakups and four interceptions.

My pick: Florida International
Update: Marshall wins 20-10

San Diego Country Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl

TCU Horned Frogs (10-2) vs. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (8-4)

Dec.  21, 8:00 p.m.

            The Horned Frogs had a great season, but it’s hard to wonder “what if?” Their only two losses came by a combined nine points and if they could have won those they would be playing in a BCS Bowl. They got to 10 wins with stellar quarterback, Casey Pachall. Pachall has thrown 24 touchdowns to just six interceptions and has completed 68% of his passes. TCU also has a strong running game that is split between three different players, who all have over 600 rushing yards.

            Louisiana Tech is the 2011 WAC Champion, a title it hasn’t earned since 2001. They have a very young team, as only four starters from 2010 returned to the team. The Bulldogs strength is defense, which has played lights-out nearly the entire season. They have not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 10 of their games, recorded 20 interceptions, and ranked 11^th in the nation in turnover margin.

My pick: Louisiana Tech gets the upset
Update: TCU wins 31-24

MAACO Las Vegas Bowl

Arizona State Sun Devils (6-6) vs. Boise State Broncos (11-1)

Dec. 22, 8:00 p.m.

            The Sun Devils had a great start to the season and were 6-2, and then it all went downhill. They lost four straight and ended up firing their head coach. If they come into this game unfocused or without motivation, they will get destroyed by the Broncos. That is completely possible since everybody, from the players to the fans, are looking to next season and who will be the next coach. Even if ASU plays their best game, it doesn’t compare to BSU’s best game.

            I have been drinking the Broncos’ Kool-Aid since 2007, but the past two years it has been pretty hard to support them. In both seasons, they have lost a game on a last-second field goal. Boise is lead by senior quarterback Kellen Moore. Moore has been stellar his entire career, and there is no way he goes out a loser.

My pick: Boise wins big
Update: Boise St. wins 56-24

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl

Nevada Wolf Pack (7-5) vs. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (11-2)

Dec. 24, 8:00 p.m.

            Nothing says “Merry Christmas!” like a college football game played 3,000 miles away.  Nevada finished 13-1 last year, but this year has been a far cry from that. They started 6-3 and in control of the WAC, but a brutal four-game stretch left the Pack 7-5. Starting quarterback, freshman Cody Fajardo, has completed 71% of his passes and has thrown for 1,647 yards and six touchdowns. Fajardo also ran for 680 yards and 11 touchdowns. Their offense ranks 8^th nationally and rushing offense ranks 5^th nationally.

            The Eagles stunned the college football world when they blew out then-ranked #6 Houston and won the Conference-USA Championship. This is the tenth straight year the Eagles are playing in a bowl game. The streak continues in large part to the outstanding play of quarterback Austin Davis. Davis has threw for 28 touchdowns and 3,331 yards, both are single-season school records.

My pick: Southern Miss
Update: Southern Miss wins 24-17

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl

Missouri Tigers (7-5) vs. North Carolina (7-5)

Dec. 26, 5:00 p.m.

            This is the last game for Missouri as part of the Big 12, as next season they move to the SEC. On offense they have dual-threat quarterback James Franklin, but he has struggled since the team’s leading rusher got injured. Still though, the Tigers have the 12^th most productive offense in America. Defensively, the Tigers have played adequately, but never outstanding.

            The Tarheels had a rough 2010 season and this year wasn’t much better. Head coach Butch Davis was fired just days before the season began, but interim coach Everett Withers kept the program headed in the right direction. They started 5-1, but their success dwindled as they began to play tougher competition. North Carolina has some very talented players, so it has to be disappointing for their fans they finished with just seven wins.

My pick: North Carolina
Update: Missouri wins 41-24

Little Caesars Bowl

Western Michigan Broncos (7-5) vs. Purdue Boilermakers (6-6)

Dec. 27, 4:30 p.m.

            The Broncos have a prolific offensive attack that ranks within the top 20 nationally in passing, passing efficiency, and scoring. Their quarterback Alex Carder and wide receiver Jordan White are two of the best duos in America. White leads the nation in total receiving yards, total receptions, and receptions per game. Carder threw for 20 touchdowns and more than 3,000 yards.

            If you look up the word “inconsistent” in the dictionary, you may see a picture of the Boilermakers. They never once won two games in a row and only had one two-game losing streak. They had great performances against Penn State and Ohio State but got beat by Rice. Purdue can sometimes struggle on offense, where they split quarterback play between Robert Marve and Caleb TerBush. On defense, they are led by lineman Kawann Short, who is one of the best in the Big 10.

My pick: Western Michigan

Update: Purdue wins 37-32
Belk Bowl

Louisville Cardinals (7-5) vs. NC State Wolfpack (7-5)

Dec. 27, 8:00 p.m.

            Louisville started 2-4, but they came together to finish stongly and look to continue that success in this game. The Cardinals have a young team, but showed a lot of maturity in they way they never gave up on their season. Louisville’s defense ranks 24^th nationally in yards allowed and 14^th in points allowed.

            The Wolfpack have definitely had their ups and downs. They beat rival North Carolina, then lost to Boston College, and next week blew out Clemson. They are a pretty average team though, as their offense ranks 93^rd nationally in total yards and the defense ranks 39^th in total yards given up.

My pick: Louisville
Update: NC State wins 31-24

Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman

Toledo Rockets (8-4) vs. Air Force Falcons (7-5)

Dec. 28, 4:30 p.m.

            Toledo is bowling for the second straight year as they are coming off a great year where they went 7-1 in MAC play. The Rockets utilize a two-quarterback system with Terrance Owens and Austin Dantin. They also have offensive weapons Eric Page and Adonis Thomas. Page is an all-purpose player who sees time as a wide receiver, running back, punt returner, and kick returner.

            Air Force is led by quarterback Tim Jefferson who has won a school record 28 games. He’s also the head of the nation’s No. 2 rushing attack, an attack that averages 320 yards per game.  Jefferson isn’t just a runner though, as he has thrown for 12 touchdowns in 2011.

My pick: Toledo wins in a shootout
Update: Toledo wins 42-41. That would constitute as a shootout

Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl

California Golden Bears (7-5) vs. Texas Longhorns (7-5)

Dec. 28, 8:00 p.m.

            Cal has relied on its running game and stout defense to get to a bowl game this year. Their quarterback Zach Maynard has had good games, but he had a slew of bad games too.  Cal ranks 38^th nationally in passing yards and 48^th in rushing yards, and their total defense is ranked 26^th. It’s not that the Bears are a bad team; they’ve just played a lot of teams that are better.

            Texas is coming off one of the worst seasons in school history and nobody expected much of them this year.  A 7-5 record isn’t exactly the standard Texas has set for itself, but it’s not so bad for a team that’s in a rebuilding year. The Longhorns split quarterback time between three guys, but the two that stood out were David Ash and Case McCoy. It is likely that head coach Mack Brown will use this game to decide who will be the quarterback next season.

My pick: California
Update: Texas wins 21-10

Champs Sports Bowl

Florida State Seminoles (8-4) vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-4)

Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m.

            Both programs began the season with BCS expectations, but neither could live up to those expectations and end up here. The Seminoles struggle on offense and rank 99^th in the country in rushing yards and 111^th in sacks allowed. They are playing strong on defense though. That unit is ranked in the top 10 in sacks, tackles for losses, scoring defense, rushing defense, and total defense.

            Ah, Notre Dame. When the Irish were good, they were good. When the Irish were bad, they were bad. Against Michigan State, Purdue, and Air Force, Notre Dame played spectacularly on both sides of the ball. Against USC, Michigan State, and USF, Notre Dame played awful.  There are talented players on both sides of the ball, and if they come out ready to play they can beat just about anybody, including FSU.

            I will have a more detailed preview of this game posted later.

My pick: Notre Dame of course
Update: Florida State wins 18-14

Valero Alamo Bowl

Washington Huskies (7-5) vs. Baylor Bears (9-3)

Dec. 29, 9 p.m.

            The Huskies had to find a way to replace their star quarterback Jake Locker after he left for the NFL. Not many people thought they would have found it so fast with the emergence of Keith Price. Price actually put up better numbers than Locker did last season. The Huskies biggest flaw is their defense, which ranks 94^th in yards given up and 99^th in points allowed. That’s not good news to hear when you’re about to face a Heisman Trophy winner.

            The Baylor Bears are lead by Robert Griffin III, the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner. Griffin is one of the most exciting players to watch in all of college football. He has had to do mostly everything on his own, because the Bears defense has struggled all season. Griffin does have help on offense. That comes from receiver Kendall Wright and running back Terrance Ganaway. Both are two of the best in the Big 12.

My pick: Baylor
Update: Baylor wins 67-56

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl

BYU Cougars (9-3) vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricanes (8-4)

Dec. 30, Noon

            The Cougars struggled at the beginning of the season with Jake Heaps as quarterback. In week 5, he was replaces by Riley Nelson, who led the team to a victory and remained the starter for the rest of the season. On defense, the best player was Kyle Van Noy, who led the team with 10 tackles for loss, five sacks, and three interceptions.

            The Hurricanes may have had the toughest out-of-conference schedule of any team in America. Their four losses were against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Boise State, and Houston. All are Top 15 teams. Tulsa has a strong running game led by Ja’Terian Douglas who averages 204 yards a game. The running game also gets some help from the passing of quarterback G.J. Kinne, who has thrown for 25 touchdowns and averaged 250 yards each game.

My pick: Tulsa
Update: BYU wins 24-21

New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-4) vs. Iowa State Cyclones (6-6)

Dec. 30, 3:20 p.m.

            Rutgers went 4-8 last year and was picked by most experts to finish dead last in the Big East Conference. Instead they went 8-4 and were a win away from clinching the conference championship. On offense, the Knights have wide receiver Mohamed Sanu who finished the season with 109 receptions, the second-highest total nationally. Rutgers defense was the best in the Big East and linebacker Khaseem Greene led the conference in tackles.

            The Cyclones biggest win this season came against Oklahoma State, who entered the game undefeated and the #2 team in the country. The Cyclones don’t have any highly-talented players, but they have a group of guys that play physical and play as a team.

My pick: Iowa State
Update: Rutgers wins 27-13

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl

Mississippi State Bulldogs (6-6) vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6-6)

Dec. 30, 6:40 p.m.

            The Bulldogs are only in this bowl because they are in the SEC. Their only wins came against opponents with a combined record of 25-46. They rank 92^nd in passing yards and 45^th in rushing yards. Their defense is the strength of the team and the only thing that has kept them competitive.

            Wake Forest started 5-2 and had a great chance at winning the Atlantic Division in the ACC. They then lost four of their last five and barely maintained bowl-eligibility. Quarterback Tanner Price improved dramatically as the season went on and finished with 2803 yards and 20 touchdowns.

My pick: Wake Forest
Update: Mississippi State wins 23-17

Insight Bowl

Iowa Hawkeyes (7-5) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (9-3)

Dec. 30, 1:00 p.m.

            The Hawkeyes are back in the Insight Bowl for the second-straight year. They offense have a triple threat attack in quarterback James Vandenburg, receiver Marvin McNutt, and running back Marcus Coker. The defense hasn’t been too outstanding, and that may cost them in this game.

            The Sooners started the 2011 season as the No. 1 team in the country. That ranking, and their season, went down the drain after a loss to Texas Tech. After that game Oklahoma lost two of their last five. Their team relies on the arm of quarterback Landry Jones, who’s passing game is ranked 4^th in the nation.

My pick: Iowa gets the upset
Update: Oklahoma wins 31-14

Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas

Texas A&M Aggies (6-6) vs. Northwestern Wildcats (6-6)

Dec. 31, Noon

            The Aggies struggled to win every game that was close. Five of their six losses came by an average of 3 points. Needless to say, they are a much better team than what their record indicates. The Aggies offense is ranked 7^th in the nation, and 11^th in points scored.  Quarterback Ryan Tannehill has plenty of options, including Ryan Swope and Jeff Fuller. However, like most Big 12 teams, their weakness is on defense.

            Northwestern is in a bowl-game for the fourth consecutive season, but have yet to win one since 1949. The Wildcats will have the best player on the field playing for their team, and that’s quarterback Dan Persa. He lead the Big 10 in passing yards and completed 74% of his passes.

My pick: Northwestern
Update: Texas A&M wins 33-22

Hyundai Sun Bowl

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-4) vs. Utah Utes (7-5)

Dec. 31, 2:00 p.m.

            Georgia Tech is the only team besides the military academies to use an option offense. They have the 3^rd best rushing attack and are 19^th in total points scored. Their leading rusher is also their quarterback, Tevin Washington. Because of their option attack, Tech gets in trouble when they are losing and forced to throw the ball. They rank 112^th in passing yards.

            2011 was the first year in the Pac 12 for Utah. They got off to a very rough start as they went 0-4 in their first four conference games. However, they were still in the hunt for a division title until the final week of the season when they lost to Colorado. The Utes have a solid team, especially on defense, which ranks 19^th in points allowed.

My pick: Utah
Update: Utah wins 30-27

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Cincinnati Bearcats (9-3) vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (6-6)

Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m.

            The Bearcats were flying high as they got off to a 7-1 start and were in control of the Big East. In the game against West Virginia, quarterback Zach Collaros broke his ankle and the Bearcats came crashing down. They lost that game and then lost the next week to Rutgers. Cincinnati trudged on though. Their defense finished the season with 44 sacks and 106 tackles for loss. Collaros is expected to play in the bowl game by the way.

            Vandy is heading to a bowl game for just the fifth time in school history. The Commodores lost four of their games by an average of 4 points, so this is a team that could have easily won 9 or 10 games. The offense really improved when Jordan Rodgers took over at quarterback in Week 7. Running back Zac Stacey and wide receiver Jordan Matthews are two of the best weapons the SEC and really made Rodgers’s job easier.

            This may be the most underrated of all the games played before the January bowls.

My pick: Cincinnati
Update: Cincinnati wins 31-14

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl

Illinois Fighting Illini (6-6) vs. UCLA Bruins (6-7)

Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m.

            Illinois started 6-0 and looked like a serious contender for their division title. They then self-destructed and lost their final six games. That resulted in the firing of head coach Ron Zook. Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase was unable to produce any kind of offense as the Illini only scored 66 points in their final six games. The Illini have been strong on defense though. Defensive end Whitney Mercilus leads the nation in sacks and forced fumbles.

            UCLA heads into this bowl game with a losing record and an interim coach. The Bruins have a strong running game, ranked 30^th nationally, but have failed to balance their attack with a strong passing game. Defensively, they are awful. In their last three games they have given up 144 points.

            This may be the most dismal bowl game of all them.

My pick: Illinois
Update: Illinois wins 20-14

Chick fil-A Bowl

Virginia Cavaliers (8-4) vs. Auburn Tigers (7-5)

Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m.

            This is the palette cleanser for the Illinois-UCLA game. Virginia had a great season and nearly won their division. The Cavaliers’ strength is with their defense, which is full of veteran players. They ranked 29^th nationally in total defense, and 32^nd in points allowed. On the offensive side, the best unit is the offensive line. They have been able to open huge holes for the running game, which averages 165 yards a game.

            Nobody expected the Tigers to match the success they had last year (a national championship), as they had to replace the best player in college football last year and just about everybody on defense. Auburn had a good start to season and went 4-1. But as the season wore on, the players began to wear down and play with less physicality. They have shuffled through three quarterbacks, but finally settled on sophomore Clint Moseley. The Tigers are not great on any side of the ball, but they do have the talent to win this game.

My pick: Virginia
Update: Auburn wins 43-24

Pacers off-season

            The Pacers have a lot of momentum and optimism heading into the 2011 season. One of those reasons is that they made the playoffs last season for the first time in long time. Moreover, they did under the helm of first-year coach Frank Vogel. Vogel is back, along with just about every player from last season, and is ready to make the next step toward being one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

            The city is also buzzing with excitement because the Pacers have a nice chunk of money to use on a big-name free agent. In the past couple of seasons, the Pacers’ front office has been working diligently to be in this exact situation. They have a young team that is poised to have a successful season but still have money to sign a great player.

            
            The positions that really need depth are the center and power forward spot. As of the Pacers’ first official practice of the season on Friday, the Pacers only had three big men under contract. Those guys are Tyler Hansbrough, Roy Hibbert, and Tyren Johnson (a guy who will be dropped once the season starts). This will be Hibbert’s fourth season and Hansbrough’s third. Both players have really improved over the years, but Hansbrough hasn’t reached the level he needs to be at to be a dominant starter.

            The Pacers’ front office was really chasing Denver Nuggets’ power forward, Nene. Nothing has been officially announced with Nene, but it seems like Nene will not be signing with the Pacers. Two other players the team could go after are Carl Landry and David West.  Both are proven, starting power forwards who would greatly improve the Pacers frontcourt.  

            
            Now onto what the Pacers have actually done so far this season. They signed center Jeff Foster to a two-year contract. Foster has played his entire career for the Pacers and has said that he wants to finish his career playing for the blue and gold. It’s great to have Jeff who is a pretty good player and a good backup to Hibbert. The Pacers also released veteran guard Mike Dunleavy. Dunleavy has been a huge contributor to the Pacers defense the past four seasons, but there are plenty of players that can fill the hole Mike leaves.

Here is the Pacers’ current roster, as of 12/11/2011:

PG- Darren Collison

PG- George Hill

PG- A.J. Price

SG- Paul George

SG- Brandon Rush

SG- Dahntay Jones

SG- Lance Stephenson

SF- Danny Granger

PF- Tyler Hansbrough

PF- James Posey

C- Roy Hibbert

C- Roy Hibbert

The starting five will likely be Collison, George/Hill, Granger, Hibbert, and Hansbrough.

            
            The schedule for the Pacers 2011-2012 season was also released last week. The Pacers, like all NBA teams, will play 66 games. 13 of those will be divisional games against Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, or Milwaukee.

             
            Here are some notable games in the first three months of the season:

Dec. 26^th- vs. Detroit

Jan. 4^th- at Miami

Jan. 11^th- vs. Atlanta

Jan. 14^th- vs. Boston

Jan. 22^nd- at L.A. Lakers

Jan. 25^th- at Chicago

Feb. 3^rd- at Dallas

Feb. 7^th- vs. Utah

Feb. 14^th- vs. Miami

            I will have a preview of the Pacers season once all the wheelin’ and dealin’ gets done and we get closer to the start of the regular season.

UPDATE: Just minutes after posting this, the Pacers announced they have signed David West to a two-year contract. West will likely become the starter and move Hansbrough to the bench.

College Basketball news

            In the past couple of weeks, two teams have really proved that they are the frontrunners for winning the national championship. #1 Kentucky is 8-0 and has victories over Top 10 teams Kansas and North Carolina. The Wildcats are one of the youngest teams not just in the nation, but in the Top 25. Out of their 13-man roster, only four players are seniors or juniors. #2 Ohio State is also 8-0 and has wins against Florida and Duke. They are lead by one of the best players in the country, Jared Sullinger. #3 Syracuse is 8-0 but their only real test has been against Florida. They don’t play another team ranked in the Top 25 until January, so we won’t know how good this team really is for awhile.

             

             Now, onto my Indiana teams power rankings.

Indiana Hoosiers (8-0)

Best wins: Evansville, Butler, at NC State

Worst losses: None

            The Hoosiers are 8-0 for the first time in a long time. They have six players that are averaging more than 9 points a game. The best of these is freshman Cody Zeller. Zeller is about the only thing that’s different from last year’s roster, but it’s obvious what can kind of a difference he’s making. The Hoosiers aren’t going to win the Big 10 this year, but they won’t be bottom-dwellers anymore. Indiana hosts the #1 Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday in a game that could put the Hoosiers program back on the national scene.

Purdue Boilermakers (8-2)

Best wins: Iona, Temple, Miami (Fl.)

Worst losses: #15 Alabama, #8 Xavier

            No Boilermakers fan wants to believe this, but Purdue has really struggled this year and are not the team they were expected to be. They beat powerhouse programs (sarcasm) High Point and Iona by only one point. If that news wasn’t bad enough, Robbie Hummel went down in the game against Xavier with leg cramps. Hummel is one of the best players in the country, but nearly every season has been cut short because of injuries. Purdue is a one-man team that relies on Hummel. If he endures another season-ending injury this team is doomed. They are only going as far as Hummel carries them.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-4)

Best wins: Sam Houston State, Detroit, Bryant

Worst losses: #10 Missouri, Georgia, Maryland

            I don’t where to begin with the team. The Irish got off to a 4-0 start by playing cupcake teams like Sam Houston State and Bryan. In their first real game of the season, they get demolished by Missouri and lost by 29 points. Then their best player, Tim Abromitis, went down with a season-ending injury in the game against Georgia. Since then, the Irish have looked awful. They lost to #22 Gonzaga by 30 points and lost to Maryland by 7 points. There are still some winnable games before conference play starts, but I don’t see the Irish even making it to the NCAA Tournament this year.

Valparaiso Crusaders (6-2)

Best wins: Akron, Duquesne, Butler

Worst losses: Arizona, #2 Ohio State, IPFW

            The Crusaders are lead by juniors Kevin Van Wijk, Ryan Broekhoff, Matt Kenney, and sophomore Jay Harris. Those four have combined for 65% of the team’s points and 60% of rebounds. Their goal of winning the conference championship took a big step forward when Valpo beat Butler last week in overtime. They still have four very winnable games before conference play starts.

Indiana State Sycamores (6-2)

Best wins: Eastern Illinois, Ball State, Texas Tech

Worst losses: Minnesota, Boise State

            Unlike some of the other teams in Indiana and America, the Sycamores are lead by experienced, senior players. Their three highest scorers, all seniors, are Jordan Printy, Dwayne Lathan, and Carl Richard. The Sycamores don’t rank in the top 100 of any significant statistical category, but they don’t have to when they play a weak schedule. The Sycamores only real test before conference play is a home bout against mediocre Vanderbilt.

Butler Bulldogs (4-5)

Best wins: Chattanooga, Savannah State, Gardner-Webb

Worst losses: Indiana, Valpo, Evansville

            It is obvious that this is not the same Bulldogs team we have become accustomed to over the last two years. These Bulldogs are struggling on both sides of the ball, especially offense. They rank 212^th nationally in points scored per game. Coach Brad Stevens has a heck of a challenge getting his team to perform better by the time conference play starts. If anybody can do that though, it’s Stevens.

IPFW Mastodons (4-3)

Best wins: Nebraska-Omaha, South Dakota Coyotes, Valparaiso

Worst losses: #8 Xavier, Iowa, UMKC,

            Even though this team beat Valpo, I’m not ready to put them ahead of the Crusaders (That sounds crazy, I know, but let’s see how the season plays out). The Mastodons are playing good basketball though. They rank 47^th in points per game nationally, and 2^nd in their conference. Their leading scorers are junior Frank Gaines and senior Trey McCorkle. McCorkle is also averaging 7.3 rebounds a game and has a free throw percentage of 81.

Ball State Cardinals (5-2)

Best wins: IUPUI, Texas Southern, Tennessee-Martin

Worst losses: Arizona, Indiana State

            I have heard a couple announcers on ESPN say the Cardinals are a good team and they have a decent chance of beating Butler on Saturday.  I don’t what games these announcers are watching but the Cardinals have done nothing to impress me. Those three best wins I listed came against teams that have a combined record of 4-16. Ball State’s only opponent of note the rest of the season is Butler. Nobody in their conference is currently ranked.

Evansville Purple Aces (3-4)

Best wins: Butler, Oakland City, Alabama State

Worst losses: Indiana, Illinois-Chicago, Texas-Christian

            I have a friend that attends Evansville, and it seems like the school treated the Butler game like the Super Bowl. So if you throw out that game, the Purple Aces have beaten nobody of significance. Luckily for them, they have no tough opponents until conference play starts on Dec. 29^th.

IUPUI Jaguars (2-8

Best wins: Anderson (IN), Texas Southern

Worst losses: Arkansas-Little Rock, Eastern Michigan, Ball State

            I said before the season that the Jaguars have really struggled the past few seasons. It appears this year will be no different.

       

NFL Season Winding Down

            There are just four weeks left in the NFL regular season, but the playoff picture is still pretty murky. The top seeds in each conference are pretty much solidified, but the wild card race is wide open. In this post I’ll go through the top teams in both conferences and explain how they got to the position they’re in, and how they can make the playoffs. The teams are listed in order of seeding if the playoffs started today.

AFC

New England (9-3)

The Patriots don’t do anything too spectacular, except score a ton of points and just win. Neither of those is new with the Pats though, esp. since they have one of the best quarterback-coach tandems in the league. The Patriots only have one tough game left so they should be able to finish with at least 11 wins and claim the number one seed

Final four games: at Washington, at Denver, vs. Miami, vs. Buffalo

Baltimore Ravens (9-3)

The Ravens are almost the exact opposite of the Patriots. While the Patriots average 31.4 points a game, the Ravens average just 24.6. The Ravens defense, however, has only allowed the opposing team to score more than 20 points only four times this season. The Ravens have some work to do to maintain their #2 seeding. They should be able to handle Indy and Cleveland, but San Diego and Cincinnati are fighting for their playoff lives and could present the Ravens with some problems.

Final four games: vs. Indianapolis, at San Diego, vs. Cleveland, at Cincinnati

Houston Texans (9-3)

This team can just not catch a break. First they lost their best wide receiver, Andre Johnson, to an injury. Then their best defensive lineman, Mario Williams, got hurt. Then their starting quarterback, Matt Schaub, endures a season-ending injury. Just when you think it can’t get any worse, their second-string quarterback gets hurt. Now the Texans are playing with their third-string rookie quarterback, T.J. Yates. They have a tough road ahead, but fortunately for them they should win their weak division, which would give them a #3 or #4 seed.

Final four games: at Cincinnati, vs. Carolina, at Indianapolis, vs. Tennessee

Denver Broncos (7-5)

There can’t be anybody, except maybe Tim Tebow, who would have thought this team would be in this position after they got blown out by the Detroit Lions in Week 8. Everybody criticized Tebow because “he couldn’t throw” and said the Broncos would never succeed with Tebow as the quarterback. Since that game, the Broncos have won five straight, including wins against the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers, and have hushed most of the naysayers. Although the only thing that has changed for the Broncos since their 1-4 start is Tim Tebow becoming the starting quarterback, they are winning games because of their stellar defense and run game. Denver has a tough road ahead if they want to make the playoffs.

Final four games: vs. Chicago, vs. New England, at Buffalo, vs. Kansas City

Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3)

The Steelers are a great team, as usual, but they play in the same division as the Ravens. It also doesn’t help the Steelers that they have lost to the Ravens twice. The Steelers hopes of a division title are all but gone, but they can still make it in to the playoffs as a wildcard. Their only tough game left is a trip to San Fran, but even if they don’t win that game they should win their other three.

Final four games: vs. Cleveland, at San Francisco, vs. St. Louis, at Cleveland

Cincinnati Bengals (7-5)

As tough it is for the Steelers to be in the same division as the Ravens, try being the Bengals. The Bengals are a decent team, but they have only beaten one team with a winning record. They are lead by rookies Andy Dalton and A.J. Green and a pretty good defense. The Bengals are going to have tough time keeping this final seed for the playoffs, but they are helped by a not so hard schedule. They should be able to go 2-2 and sneak into the playoffs with a 9-7 record.

Final four games: vs. Houston, at St. Louis, vs. Arizona, vs. Baltimore

Tennessee Titans (7-5)

This is a team that, like the Bengals, has taken advantage of a pretty easy schedule so far. They have beaten only two teams with winning records, one more than the Bengals. The Titans will most likely split their final games and go 2-2 to finish 9-7, like the Bengals. If that happens they will not make the cut for the playoffs.

Next four games: vs. New Orleans, at Indianapolis, vs. Jacksonville, at Houston

Oakland Raiders (7-5)

The Raiders hit a rough patch in Week 7 when they started recently-acquired quarterback, Carson Palmer. Palmer lost the game that week and the next one. The losses suddenly spurred talks that the Raiders made another bad decision by picking up the former pro-bowler. After those two losses, Palmer has gone 3-1 and led Oakland to a 7-5 record. The Raiders could still win their division, but they’ll need to keep winning and hope the Broncos start losing.

Final four games: at Green Bay, vs. Detroit, at Kansas City, vs. San Diego

New York Jets (7-5)

The only other team that has been on more of a roller coaster ride this season is the Dallas Cowboys. Here’s how their season has been so far: won two games, lost three, won three, lost two, and then won two. Through those ups and downs the Jets have played great at times and. At other times they made you wonder how a team could play so good, and then play so bad. If any team is going to win the rest of their games and break into the Top 6 to make the playoffs, it’s going to be this team. However, if any team is going to flop over and lose the rest of their games, it will be this team.

Final four games: vs. Kansas City, at Philadelphia, vs. New York Giants, at Miami.

NFC

Green Bay Packers (12-0)

There isn’t a lot to say about the defending Super Bowl Champs. They are the best team in the NFL and are playing even better than last season. The Packers really remind of the Colts a few years ago. They have one of the best offenses in the league and are led by the best quarterback in the league. However, they have one of the worst rushing offenses and defenses. Plus, they are never considered “the best team” because people are still infatuated with the New England Patriots. I hope the Pack finish 16-0 and shut up all those Pats fans.

Final four games: vs. Oakland, at Kansas City, vs. Chicago, vs. Detroit

San Francisco 49ers (10-2)

As surprising as the Denver Broncos have been, this team has been 10x more surprising. Jim Harbaugh has really worked miracles to get this team to where they are. A lot of analysts say they take advantage of their weak division, but only three of their wins have come against division foes. The 49ers have beaten the Bengals, Lions, and Giants. Two of those games they had to travel over 2,000 miles to get there. The final obstacle in the 49ers path is a trip to Pittsburgh. If they win that game they should be considered a legit threat to win the Super Bowl.

Final four games: at Arizona, vs. Pittsburgh, at Seattle, at St. Louis

New Orleans Saints (9-3)

The Saints have really begun playing excellent football. In the past four games, they have won by a combined score of 133-88. Drew Brees and the rest of his offense are playing as well as the Packers right now. Plus, they have a defense that is playing nearly as well. Remember in Week 1 that the Saints went toe-to-toe with the Packers at Lambeau and only lost by a touchdown. That was the first game of the season, but we could see a rematch of that game in the NFC Championship.

Final four games: at Tennessee, at Minnesota, vs. Atlanta, vs. Carolina

Dallas Cowboys (7-5)

It is nearly impossible to guess what Cowboys team you’re going to get from week to week (this seems to be a common theme for all the teams in the NFC East). Somehow the Cowboys beat San Francisco, but lose to Arizona.  It should give the team, and hopefully Tony Romo, some confidence to know that they control their own destiny. All they have to do is keep on winning and they will win their division.

Final four games:  vs. New York Giants, at Tampa Bay, vs. Philadelphia, at New York Giants

Chicago Bears (7-5)

Just a few weeks ago the Bears appeared to be Super Bowl contenders. They were playing great on both sides of the balls and dominating opponents. Then their quarterback, Jay Cutler, got hurt in Week 11. The Bears were able to rely on running back Matt Forte in Week 12 to keep them in the game, but when he got injured last week, the offense could produce nothing. Now the Bears are scrambling to try and right the ship to stay in the playoff picture. What looked like a manageable schedule a few weeks ago now looks like a gauntlet.

Final four games: at Denver, vs. Seattle, at Green Bay, at Minnesota

Atlanta Falcons (7-5)

The Falcons were the top team in the NFC last year and finished 14-2. So it wasn’t that outrageous that many people considered this team to be Super Bowl contenders before the season started. Obviously those were expectations the Falcons couldn’t handle. The Falcons could easily win three of their last four games and jump the declining Bears. The only difficult game left in the schedule is a trip to New Orleans.

Final four games: at Carolina, vs. Jacksonville, at New Orleans, vs. Tampa Bay

Detroit Lions (7-5)

This is a team that has slowly become more unglued with each passing week. It all started in Week 6 when they lost to the San Francisco 49ers. After the game, head coach Jim Schwartz had a near fist fight with 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh. After the next game, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan accused the Lions defensive lion of playing dirty. Not that big of a deal, right? Everybody plays a little dirty. Well it got more than “dirty” on Thanksgiving when defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh  slammed his foot onto the head of a Green Bay Packers player. The Lions lost that game and the next one to fall to a 7-5 record after starting 5-0. The Lions will have a tough going if they expect to jump the Falcons and Bears.

Final four games: vs. Minnesota, at Oakland, vs. San Diego, at Green Bay

New York Giants (7-5)

About the only hope the Giants have of making the playoffs is winning their division, which would mean beating the Cowboys this week and in the final week of the season. The Giants have an absolutely brutal schedule for the final nine weeks of the season. They started at New England and then went to San Francisco. Next was a home game against Philadelphia, then a game at New Orleans, and finally a home game against Green Bay. The only game they’ve won out of those was the one against the Patriots.

Final four games: at Dallas, vs. Washington, vs. New York Jets, vs. Dallas

It's Bowl Game Time!

            It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

            
            Yes people, it is bowl season! 35 bowl games jammed into just 24 days. There are plenty of great matchups that all lead up to the national championship game on January 9^th. Here’s a rundown of all the bowl games. I will have a more in-depth preview of the bowls in about a week or two.

Gildan New Mexico Bowl- Dec. 17^th: Temple Owls (8-4) vs. Wyoming Cowboys (8-4)

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl- Dec. 17^th: Ohio Bobcats (9-4) vs. Utah State Aggies (7-5)

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl- Dec. 17^th: San Diego State Aztecs (8-4) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (8-4)

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl- Dec. 20^th: Florida International Golden Panthers (8-4) vs. Marshall Thundering Herd (6-6)

San Diego Country Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl- Dec. 21^st: TCU Horned Frogs (10-2) vs. Louisiana Tech (8-4)

MAACO Las Vegas Bowl- Dec. 22^nd: Arizona State Sun Devils (6-6) vs. Boise State Broncos (11-1)

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl- Dec. 24^th: Nevada Wolf Pack (7-5) vs. Southern Miss (11-2)

Advocare V100 Independence Bowl- Dec. 26^th: Missouri Tigers (7-5) vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (7-5)

Little Caesars Bowl- Dec. 27^th: Western Michigan Broncos (7-5) vs. Purdue Boilermakers (6-6)

Belk Bowl- Dec. 27^th: Louisville Cardinals (7-5) vs. NC State Wolfpack (7-5)

Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman- Dec. 28^th: Toledo Rockets (8-4) vs. Air Force Falcons (7-5)

Bridgepoint Educated Holiday Bowl- Dec. 28^TH: California Golden Bears (7-5) vs. Texas Longhorns (7-5)

Champs Sports Bowl- Dec. 29^th: Florida State Seminoles (8-4) vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-4)

Valero Alamo Bowl- Dec. 29^th: Washington Huskies (7-5) vs. Baylor Bears (9-3)

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl- Dec. 30^th: BYU Cougars (9-3) vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricanes (8-4)

New Era Pinstripe Bowl- Dec. 30^th: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-4) vs. Iowa State Cyclones (6-6)

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl- Dec. 30th: Mississippi State Bulldogs (6-6) vs. Wake Froest Demon Deacons (6-6)

Insight Bowl- Dec. 30^th: Iowa Hawkeyes (7-5) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (9-3)

Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas- Dec. 31^st: Texas A&M (6-6) vs. Northwestern Wildcats (6-6)

Hyundai Sun Bowl- Dec. 31^st: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-4) vs. Utah Utes (7-5)

AutoZone Liberty Bowl- Dec. 31^st: Cincinnati Bearcats (9-3) vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (6-6)

Chick-fil-A Bowl- Dec. 31^st: Virginia Cavaliers (8-4) vs. Auburn Tigers (7-5)

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl- Dec. 31^st: Illinois Fighting Illini (6-6) vs. UCLA Bruins (6-7)

-No games on New Year’s Day. Since it is on Sunday there will be NFL games.

TicketCity Bowl- Jan. 2^nd: Houston Cougars (12-1) vs. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-3)

Outback Bowl- Jan. 2^nd: Michigan State Spartans (10-3) vs. Georgia Bulldogs (10-3)

Capital One Bowl- Jan. 2^nd: Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-3) vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (10-2)

Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl- Jan. 2^nd: Ohio State Buckeyes (6-6) vs. Florida Gators (6-6)

Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio- Jan. 2^nd: Wisconsin Badgers (11-2) vs. Oregon Ducks (11-2)

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl- Jan. 2^nd: Stanford Cardinal (11-1) vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-1)

Allstate Sugar Bowl- Jan. 3^rd: Michigan Wolverines (10-2) vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (11-2)

Discover Orange Bowl- Jan. 4^th: West Virginia Mountaineers (9-3) vs. Clemson Tigers (10-3)

AT&T Cotton Bowl- Jan. 6^th: Kansas State Wildcats (10-2) vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2)

BBVA Compass Bowl- Jan. 7^th: SMU Mustangs (7-5) vs. Pittsburgh Panthers (6-6)

GoDaddy.com Bowl-Jan. 8^th: Arkansas State Red Wolves (10-2) vs. Northern Illinois Huskies (10-3)

Allstate BCS National Championship Game- Jan. 9^th: LSU Tigers (13-0) vs. Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1)

            There you have it, folks. It’s not quite March Madness but it is still exciting.

Weekend Review

            This past weekend was one of the most action-packed sports weekend in a long time. There was big news and big games for just about every sport in America.

           

            The biggest stories came from the college football world, where all the bowl game matchups were finalized, and it was decided Alabama and LSU will compete for a national championship. A huge debate is still raging on because many people, me included, feel like Oklahoma State deserved a spot in the national title game. Many fans and analysts are using this situation as a rallying cry for a playoff system to be created.

           

            In the NFL, the Packers had to fight until the last second to defeat the New York Giants to remain undefeated. Tim Tebow and his Denver Broncos are 7-5 and leading their division. When Tebow took over as quarterback about a month ago, nobody believed this team would be where they are. I know I sure didn’t. It’s important to remember that although Tebow is doing a good job, his defense and running game have significantly improved since the beginning of the season. Plus, the Colts almost beat the Patriots, but didn’t and fell to 0-12.

             
            In college basketball, #1 Kentucky defeated #4 North Carolina in one of the most exciting regular season games ever. Indiana University is also making news by starting out at 8-0 and preparing for that Kentucky when they come to Bloomington on Saturday. #2 Ohio State had a huge win against then Duke. Ohio State and Kentucky appear to be the two best teams in America.

            
            In the racing world, Penske Racing released driver Kurt Busch because of too many on and off-track altercations. In the IndyCar world, the Newman/Haas racing team declared they would not be able to participate in the 2012 season because of insufficient funds. Newman/Haas has the second-most wins in open-wheel history.

            
            MLB is in the middle of the off-season, but this is the time of the year when some of the biggest news is made as teams are forking over big money to sign big-name free agents. The Florida Marlins have already signed all-star shortstop Jose Reyes, and are looking to sign first baseman Albert Pujols. First baseman Prince Fielder is also looking for a home after he decided to leave the Milwaukee Brewers.

            
            Finally, the NBA is gearing up for the start of training camps on December 9^th. All of the trading talks have already begun and the leading free agent is Chris Paul. Paul has already said he does not want to play for his current New Orleans team, so where will he end up? Many believe he will sign with the New York Knicks, or possibly the Miami Heat. Another big name player on the market is Rajon Rondo. There are rumors that the Indiana Pacers are thinking about obtaining Rondo. I’ll believe that when I see.

            
            In local news, the Marian University Knights were one win away from playing in the NAIA College Football Championship, but they lost in the semi-final game on Saturday. It was officially announced that Madonna would be the halftime performer for Super Bowl XLVI. Awesome. The Big 10 Championship was played at Lucas Oil Stadium last Saturday night. The Wisconsin Badgers defeated the Michigan State Spartans to win the title. This was also the final run-through or big event before the Super Bowl is played here in Indy, which is now just 60 days away.

            I will have stories this week on the NFL season thus far, college basketball, and the bowl games.

Big 10 Championship

            The inaugural Big 10 Football Championship will be played Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium. The two teams going for the championship is the #13 Michigan State Spartans and the #15 Wisconsin Badgers. Whoever wins the game not only gets the title of best team in the Big 10 but also the chance to play in the Rose Bowl.

            These two teams met back in October when Wisconsin traveled to Michigan State. The game was won by the Spartans because of a successful 50-yard Hail Mary pass that would make Doug Flutie proud. As you could tell by that game and their current rankings, both teams are pretty equal. The game on Saturday will probably be another nail-biter.

            The Michigan State Spartans are 10-2, their only losses coming at Notre Dame and at Nebraska. Their best wins came at home against Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa. The Spartans rank 64^th in total offense, 43^rd in total points scored, 3^rd in total defense, and 6^th in total points allowed. I am shocked at how average their offense is. Senior quarterback Kirk Cousins is coming off a solid 2010 season and seemed poised to be one of the best passers in the country. Obviously he has been far from spectacular. The spectacular part of Michigan State has been their defense, which is the best in the Big 10.

            The Wisconsin Badgers come into this game with a 10-2 record, but their only losses came in dramatic fashion. I’ve already talked about their loss to Sparty. The other loss came at Ohio State when the Buckeyes scored a touchdown in the final minute of the game. Wisconsin ranks 12^th on total offense, 4^th in total points scored, 7^th in total defense, and 4^th in total points allowed.  I thought this was one of the best teams before the season and I still believe they’re one of the Top 8 teams. They are easily the best two loss team. It’s easy to say, but if they would have stopped Ohio State and Michigan State on their final drives, Wisconsin would be 12-0 and a game away from playing in the national championship.

            These teams are pretty equal, but I would give a slight edge to Wisconsin since their offense is a little more explosive than Michigan State’s. This should be a very close game, just like their meeting earlier in the season was. Remember, whoever wins not only claims the Big 10 Championship, but also the chance to play in the Rose Bowl Game.

Predicted score: Wisconsin-30, Michigan State-28

            The game is played at 8:15 this Saturday and will be aired on FOX.

UPDATE 12/4/2011: Wisconsin has defeated Michigan State 42-39 to claim the Big 10 Championship. The Badgers will be heading to the Rose Bowl Game. The Spartans' bow destination is unknown.