Bowl Preview IV

[cubuffsman78]

Here's the fourth installment. I'll post the BCS games early tomorrow morning.

What is New Year’s Day without bowl games? Seriously, would the holiday even feel the same? It wouldn’t for me.

I know I’m a bowl-crazed sports guy who won’t stop blatantly using his section in the Herald to support his addiction, but I seriously wouldn’t enjoy New Year’s without the traditional Jan. 1 bowl games.

For most, New Year’s brings thoughts of new beginnings or partying until the sun comes up. Well, I’m too busy following sports for anything to seem new and I despise alcohol. So for me, New Year’s makes me think of cotton, roses, sugar, gators and credit cards.

Honestly, the only party I’m caring to see around New Year’s is the Fiesta Bowl. I’ll get my fill of alcohol thanks to hundreds of beer commercials that will be broadcast throughout the day. That’s the closest I come to imbibing the brutal substance, anyway.

My hangover occurs once the bowl season is complete. There’s a bit of a lull for me that first day after the BCS Championship game.

No longer will there be a football game on every night of the week. It changes my lifestyle completely. Although, some would argue that the change is for the better.

Is it really that obvious I’m single?

Oh well, here’s a look at Tuesday’s non-BCS bowls. Happy Bowl Da ... I mean, Happy New Year’s Day everybody.


Gator Bowl

Texas Tech (8-4) vs. Virginia (9-3)

Noon Tuesday (CBS)

Last bowl appearances: Texas Tech 44, Minnesota 41 (OT) (2006 Insight); Virginia 34, Minnesota 31 (2005 Music City).

Top 2008 draft prospects: Texas Tech – WR Danny Amendola, S Joe Garcia, CB Chris Parker; Virginia – DE Chris Long, TE Tom Santi, OG Ian-Yates Cunningham.

Synopsis: There’s no secret to what Texas Tech is going to try and accomplish offensively. The Red Raiders are first nationally in passing offense and dead last in rushing.

Quarterback Graham Harrell has thrown for more yards than anyone else in the country and is fifth in passing efficiency. Harrell’s favorite target is playmaking wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

Crabtree, a redshirt freshman, has set freshman records in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. Not bad for a player who was originally being recruited by Tech to play basketball for Bobby Knight. Opposing defenses know where Harrell wants to throw and still can’t stop him.

However, neither of those players are the biggest key for who wins this game. Instead, the pressure is on the Tech offensive line, which will face the best pass rush it’s seen this season.

Virginia has the best pure pass rusher in the country in defensive end Chris Long. Long, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Howie, has 14 sacks and 19 tackles for loss this season. He does this in a 3-4 defense, which generally prevents defensive ends from racking up large sack numbers.

Long isn’t a one-man crew, either. Linebackers Clint Sintim and Jeffrey Fitzgerald had eight and six sacks, respectively.

However, Tech is 17th in the country in sacks allowed — a remarkable accomplishment considering how often the Red Raiders throw the football. The key is a quick release and Harrell’s ability to read defenses before the snap.

Prediction: Texas Tech 30, Virginia 24 — Long is going to make his presence felt on the Red Raiders, but I don’t it will be consistent enough. Expect the Cavaliers to register a defensive touchdown and they’ll have to if they want to stay in this game.

Virginia’s offense is one of the worst in the country, ranking 100th in total yards.

As soon as Tech gets Virginia’s pass rush contained, the Cavs will be exposed badly. Their pass defense can be made very suspect when Long and company can’t get to the quarterback.

Crabtree isn’t the only difference maker at receiver for Tech, either. Senior Danny Amendola is a player much in the form of for Red Raider Wes Welker. Amendola is a smaller wideout, who always finds the open spot in a defense. He’s a 1,000 yard receiver as well and can hurt opponents as soon as they forget about him.


Cotton Bowl

Missouri (11-2) vs. Arkansas (8-4)

10:30 a.m. Tuesday (FOX)

Last bowl appearances: Oregon State 39, Missouri 38 (2006 Sun); Wisconsin 17, Arkansas 14 (2006 Capital One).

Top 2008 draft prospects: Missouri – TE Martin Rucker, CB Darnell Terrell, WR Will Franklin, OC Adam Spieker, RB Tony Temple, DT Lorenzo Williams; Arkansas – RB Darren McFadden (Jr.), RB Felix Jones (Jr.), WR Marcus Monk, DT Marcus Harrison, FB Peyton Hillis, OG Robert Felton, CB Matteral Richardson.

Synopsis: Missouri is playing in its first New Year’s Day postseason game since the 1972 Fiesta Bowl and the Tigers probably feel slighted by it being in Dallas instead of Arizona or Florida.

No team was stiffed more by the BCS than Missouri. The Tigers’ only two losses came to Oklahoma, which many feel is the best team in college football. Then, they defeated the Kansas Jayhawks late in the year, yet, Kansas got the BCS nod over Missouri.

I can understand the argument for Kansas being in the BCS since it is a one-loss team, but the loss to Missouri sticks out. Both can’t be in the BCS because one conference can’t have three representatives and Oklahoma is an obvious choice to be a participant since the Sooners are the Big 12 champs.

It comes down to the selection processes and the Orange Bowl wanted Kansas over Missouri, despite the Tigers being ranked higher in the final BCS poll. I don’t see the appeal of Kansas over Missouri given the star talent the Tigers possess.

Chase Daniel finished fourth in Heisman trophy voting and is probably the top contender in preventing Florida’s Tim Tebow from winning the award again next season. Daniel is fourth in the nation in total offense. He’s not the most exciting weapon for the Tigers either.

That title goes to Jeremy Maclin, who plays a variation of a wingback in Missouri’s spread offense. Missouri tries to get Maclin touches in a variety of ways. He’ll catch the ball, carry it and return punts and kickoffs. He’s second nationally in all-purpose yardage with 209 a game.

Even then, Maclin isn’t the most exciting player on the field. Arkansas’ Darren McFadden is the best NFL prospect in the nation. McFadden has all the talent of Adrian Peterson without the injury history. He’s finished second in the Heisman voting the past two seasons.

As if McFadden’s lightning isn’t enough, the Hogs also put the speedy Felix Jones in the backfield. Jones is just as fast as Maclin and he’s likely to score once he gets into the open field.

Prediction: Missouri 37, Arkansas 34 — There will be plenty of offense in this game. Both defenses will struggle to get stops, but Missouri will get more.

The Tigers finished 25th nationally in run defense, but they are privy to giving up big plays both on the ground and in the air.

The biggest difference in this game is that Arkansas is a one-dimensional offense. Missouri can run or pass successfully.


Outback Bowl

Wisconsin (9-3) vs. Tennessee (9-4)

10 a.m. Tuesday (ESPN)

Last bowl appearances: Wisconsin 17, Arkansas 14 (2006 Capital One); Penn State 20, Tennessee 10 (2006 Outback)

Top 2008 draft prospects: Wisconsin – DT Nicholas Hayden, WR Paul Hubbard, OC Marcus Coleman, PT Kenneth Debauche, PK Taylor Mehlhaff, QB Tyler Donovan; Tennessee – QB Erik Ainge, S Jonathan Hefney, OG Eric Young, TE Chris Brown.

Synopsis: It’s not the players on the field who will make the biggest difference in this matchup, but instead the ones who won’t be allowed to play.

Tennessee will be without five players, who were declared academically ineligible for the Outback Bowl. Three starters are included amongst the five — middle linebacker Rico McCoy, defensive tackle Demonte Bolden and wide receiver Lucas Taylor. Two of the three are statistical leaders for the Volunteers. McCoy is the team’s second-leading tackler and Taylor tops the Vols in receiving yards with 1,000 and catches with 73.

Wisconsin is also wondering if its top offensive weapon will be on the field. Sophomore running back P.J. Hill is a star, but has been bothered with deep leg bruise over the last month of the season. The Badgers are saying Hill is 100 percent, yet he won’t start. That raises questions to his health in my mind.

Prediction: Tennessee 34, Wisconsin 17 — Hill’s presence now becomes an x-factor. If the big, bruising back is healthy, then it makes no sense to not give him as many touches as possible. If the Badgers decide to not do that, then it’s a terrible coaching mistake. Hill is the best player in this game.

Unless Wisconsin Head Coach Greg Bielema is trying to play head games with Tennessee’s Phil Fulmer, expect the Vols, who are playing great football over the past month, to roll past the Badgers.

However, if Hill plays, then Wisconsin could come away with the victory.


Capital One Bowl

Michigan (8-4) vs. Florida (9-3)

Noon Tuesday (ABC)

Last bowl appearances: USC 32, Michigan 18 (2006 Rose); Florida 41, Ohio State 14 (2006 BCS Championship).

Top 2008 draft prospects: Michigan – LB Shawn Crable, S Jamar Adams, RB Mike Hart, QB Chad Henne, WR Mario Manningham (Jr.), OT Jake Long, OG Adam Kraus, DE Tim Jamison, DT Terrance Taylor (Jr.); Florida – DE Derrick Harvey (Jr.), WR Andre Caldwell, S Tony Joiner, OC Drew Miller, OT Phillip Trautwein.

Synopsis: The talk in Ann Arbor, Mich., right now is all about the hiring of Rich Rodriguez as head coach. However, Rodriguez won’t be coaching against Florida, so Wolverines’ fans will have to wait until next year to see a revamped offense.

No matter what the future might promise, the present is a Michigan team getting ready to face the type of athlete at the quarterback position that has haunted them all season.

Appalachian State’s upset victory of Michigan in the first week of the season was well covered and set the tone for the wildest season in college football history. The reason the Wolverines struggled stopping Appalachian State was because of dual-threat quarterback Armanti Edwards.

The following week, Dennis Dixon led a similar Oregon offense easily past Michigan. In the Capital One Bowl, the Wolverines will face one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks to ever play the game.

Heisman-winning quarterback Tim Tebow became the first quarterback to ever pass for at least 20 touchdowns and run for another 20 scores.

The hardest part of trying to defend the Florida offense is as soon as a team focuses on Tebow, the speedy Percy Harvin makes them pay for it.

Prediction: Florida 38, Michigan 24 — Florida’s defense isn’t as strong as it was last season and Michigan will be able to expose it for some big plays. Michigan receiver Mario Manningham could have a big night against a subpar Gators’ secondary.

Still, Florida will be able to thwart Michigan’s offensive attack enough to allow Tebow and company to gain an advantage. The Wolverines have had the potential to have one of the top offenses in the country this year, but have failed to live up to expectations due to injuries and a lack of consistency in the passing game.