Favorite Bowl Matchup?

[Eric]

Not including the bowl containing your home team, what is your favorite bowl pairing? Here are my three favorites:

1. Toledo vs. Florida International - I plan on going to the game this year for the heck of it. I'm really starting to like what Tim Beckman is doing and I think we may be witnessing the beginning resurrection of a usual non-BCS powerhouse in Toledo. Florida International is very interesting considering how they managed to win enough games to get bowl eligible as Sun Belt champions. The Golden Panthers made the FBS leap in 2005 and Mario Cristobal has done a fabulous job of changing the losing culture there. This team was very close to picking off Maryland, Rutgers, Texas A&M, and Pittsburgh this year so I think this game will be a real challenge for Toledo.

2. Wisconsin vs. TCU - Obviously this one is probably the biggest matchup for the non-BCSers and it is the platform to state their case. Wisconsin is playing about as well as any team in the nation right now sitting at 11-1 with some major blowouts along the way. Their backfield is so young with Montee Ball and James White to go along with Clay and I have no idea how TCU will keep them in check. While their defense is great statistically, this is their first huge test and I'm really anxious to see how they deal with the power game of Wisconsin. I think TCU will represent the MWC well, but I don't plan on them winning his game.

3. Hawaii vs. Tulsa - If you want to talk about a shootout, this is the game. Tulsa's offense has been absolutely on fire and Kinne should torch the Warriors for at least 350 yards passing. What I like so much about Tulsa's offense is how spread out the production is. There's no one definitive source for all of the rushing and receiving yards because the offense is so deep. Hawaii on the other hand is on fire as well and the only team to have defeated Nevada in 2010. If you haven't seen Moniz at QB and Salas and Pilares at WR, you should definitely check this one out. There should be, at the minimum, 85 combined points in this one and at least 900 total yards.

[Eric]

Other things I am looking for:
What will all ACC teams do in the bowl games?
Can the Big East have a good bowl showing to redeem the conference?
How badly does Boise State beat Utah? Maybe hang 75 on the Utes.
Does Alabama get up for the Spartans?

Great thread!

I don't know how the Big East will do this year. In my picks, I only took Pittsburgh out of the Big East. But at the same time, I'm really iffy on Southern Miss and NC State (Southern Miss is my 1 point pick, I think I have NC State 7). Clemson and Oklahoma will more than likely take care of business.

[Dossenator]

Well, I am most excited about the Sugar Bowl (Eric said we could not pick our hometown teams though)....if I had to pick three other bowls that really grab my attention they would be:

1. Cotton Bowl: LSU vs Texas A&M (LSU the SEC #3 vs maybe the best team in the Big XII...hey Texas A&M beat both OU and Nebraska this year). From what I have read this is an old rivalry and should make for a great game, in a great stadium, with a great atmosphere. This is also a bowl featuring two teams that Arkansas beat this season.

2. BCS National Championship Game: What will the over/under be....100+. If you like offense this could be a good one to watch. I think the cheaters...I mean Auburn wins....and in a few years has to forfeit the trophy and all their W's. For now it makes for a good matchup, but I think Cam will not be stopped.

No other game really stands out...don't get me wrong, I will watch a lot of bowl games. But outside the Sugar Bowl and the two above I will not be upset if I happen to miss any of them.

Other games with more than average interest:
1. Capital One Bowl: Bama vs Michigan State
2. Gator Bowl: Mississippi State vs Michigan
3. Chick-fil-a Bowl: Florida State vs South Carolina
4. Valero Bowl: Oklahoma State vs Arizona
5. Insight Bowl: Iowa vs Missouri
6. The rest of the bowls featuring SEC teams

[Eric]

The Cotton Bowl is really torturing me in the picks section. That's such a typical game where the heavily favored SEC team loses to an upstart/hot school that you get the sense is barely good enough to come through with a victory. Then again, I also am picking against every Big 10 team on New Year's besides Wisconsin all with 20+ points on the line apiece. Odds are the Big 10 steals one of those games like they usually do. I just have no clue whether it will be Michigan, Michigan State, or Penn State (I severely doubt Northwestern can topple Texas Tech).

[Dossenator]

The Cotton Bowl is really torturing me in the picks section. That's such a typical game where the heavily favored SEC team loses to an upstart/hot school that you get the sense is barely good enough to come through with a victory. Then again, I also am picking against every Big 10 team on New Year's besides Wisconsin all with 20+ points on the line apiece. Odds are the Big 10 steals one of those games like they usually do. I just have no clue whether it will be Michigan, Michigan State, or Penn State (I severely doubt Northwestern can topple Texas Tech).

I am with you on the Cotton Bowl pick. I am going with LSU...I gave LSU a measly 4 in the confidence pick game.

[billybud]

1...Oregon vs Auburn.....The two offenses should be fun to watch.

2...Arkansas vs Ohio State...Mallett against a very good defense

NOT FSU vs South Carolina....a bad match up this year. Garcia at QB with giant receivers and Lattimore in the backfield. A bad mix for the Noles who haven't really figured out playing Stoops zone D. South Carolina should win handily.

3...VT vs Stanford...East coast vs west. A good throwing team can move up and down the field on VT. And, I noticed that VT can't mount much of a pass rush.

[armchairqb]

1. Wisconsin vs. TCU - The Badgers have had three different rushers with 100 yard games this season and they can throw it well enough if they need to. Wisconsin got better as the season went on (after the State loss) , which doesn't bode well for TCU. If TCU loses by 10 in this game, no one needs to give them any grief about their season. SD State wasn't exactly chopped liver.

2. Michigan State vs. Alabama - Nick Saban coaches against a team that he used to coach for which is now coached by one of his former assistants. Michigan State's improvement and issues surrounding it has been a great story this season. The bowl season is usually the only time you see the Big Ten and SEC actually play each other.

3. Nebraska vs. Washington - The Huskers walloped the Huskies during the regular season at Washington. As the season has gone on, there are times when the Huskers have played like "husks". I'm interested in how Washington plays in this revenge matchup.

[donovan]

UConn going to a BCS Bowl......it says it all....what a joke college football has become.

[billybud]

I love the UConn-Oklahoma match. It gives all us teary eyed lovers of an underdog someone to cheer for.

We need a match like this every year. Go Huskies...Mush!

[Jason G]

I like the Texas bowl between Illinois and Baylor. Also, for once I really like most of the BCS matchups. A one loss Stanford team travelling to the Orange Bowl is the kind of thing I love about the bowl system.
Also, really looking forward to the Pinstripe Bowl, football in Yankee Stadium could be interesting. The Big Apple at the holidays is an awesome destination. It should be special for the Kansas State fans because it could be a very rare and special opportunity to see Gotham at a special time of year, and for Syracuse its a return to bowling!

While I think it is cool for a school like TCU to be in the Rose Bowl evry once in a while I wish they were playing somebody, ANYBODY, other than Wisconsin. I think they could hang with anybody else but the physical size difference in the trenches may prove to be too unmanagable for the Horned Frogs.

[GoBoilers]

#1 Will always be the Rose Bowl. Been to the "bowl" 3 times but, only once for a game. It's a beautiful setting. If any of you even remotely think you would go sometime-GO! The parade is also the Mother of all Parades! Worth seeing. So Wisky vs. TCU is it.

#2 Will always be the National Championship because it is! Go somebody. Thinks I am going to root fer Oregon because Auburn is a CHEATER! I have already tried and convicted them!

#3 Ohio St vs. Arkansas because I wanna see some good football and this game may help define whether the Big Ten was better or worse than the SEC.

[RazorHawk]

#1 Will always be the Rose Bowl. Been to the "bowl" 3 times but, only once for a game. It's a beautiful setting. If any of you even remotely think you would go sometime-GO! The parade is also the Mother of all Parades! Worth seeing. So Wisky vs. TCU is it.

#2 Will always be the National Championship because it is! Go somebody. Thinks I am going to root fer Oregon because Auburn is a CHEATER! I have already tried and convicted them!

#3 Ohio St vs. Arkansas because I wanna see some good football and this game may help define whether the Big Ten was better or worse than the SEC.

Not sure one game will prove anything.

[billybud]

In the SEC vs Big Ten Bowls...Ohio State will be the only team favored.

Bama vs Michigan St.....Bama favored by 11
If Bama beats Michigan State than we would have a three loss SEC team beating a one loss Big Ten team....not good for Big Ten bragging rights.

Penn State vs Florida in "Disappointment Bowl....Fla favored by 7
A match up of proud programs having a down year...but both are similarly situated in their conferences. Florida wins this game.

Miss St. vs Michigan....MSU favored by 6
Quick...hit your friends up for loans and put it on MSU before the line changes.

Ohio State vs Arkansas...Ohio State favored by 3
A one loss co champ Big Ten team vs a two loss SEC team. This should be the best match although Michigan State vs Bama may come close.

[Jason G]

In the SEC vs Big Ten Bowls...Ohio State will be the only team favored.

Bama vs Michigan St.....Bama favored by 11
If Bama beats Michigan State than we would have a three loss SEC team beating a one loss Big Ten team....not good for Big Ten bragging rights.

Penn State vs Florida in "Disappointment Bowl....Fla favored by 7
A match up of proud programs having a down year...but both are similarly situated in their conferences. Florida wins this game.

Miss St. vs Michigan....MSU favored by 6
Quick...hit your friends up for loans and put it on MSU before the line changes.

Ohio State vs Arkansas...Ohio State favored by 3
A one loss co champ Big Ten team vs a two loss SEC team. This should be the best match although Michigan State vs Bama may come close.

Four matchups between ANY two conferences in one bowl season is way too many.