College Football Extra – Touchdown Tom’s Bowl Game Preview
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Gee the Bowl Games are Terrific


Oh, there’s no place like a bowl game for the Holidays

Your 2015 Bowl Game Preview

It’s the holidays. It’s the bowl season. It’s time to sit back, relax and take in 41 football games. That’s right, between December 19 and January 11 there are 40 bowl games and one national championship game. Talk about bingeing on football….well, why not?

The bowl season begins Saturday afternoon – morning if you are on the West Coast – December 19 with the New Mexico Bowl. Sounds like a good time to have a Sonoran Dog or two, or three, while you are watching the game. If you don’t know what a Sonoran Dog is, you can Google it.

After 14 days, the bowls come to an end with the Cactus Bowl on the night – late at night if you are on the East Coast – of January 2. Those of you living east of the Rockies will need a midnight snack for this one. Since we wind up where we began – in the Southwest – sounds like a Sonoran Dog or two, or three, is appropriate again. However, those of you living east of the Mississippi can have a Medianoche or two, or three. If you don’t know what a Medianoche is, you can Google it.

Then, just when you thought it was all over, there is one more game – the big one, the national championship game. But you’ll have to wait nine more days – until January 11 – for this one. And guess where it takes place? That’s right, in the Southwest. So make sure you still have enough ingredients for a Sonoran Dog or two, or three.

After the championship game, you can hibernate for a couple months until March Madness. And guess where the Final Four takes place in 2016? That’s right. You guessed it – in the Southwest.

But back to the business at hand – the bowl games. There are two new bowls this year – the Cure Bowl in Orlando and the Arizona Bowl in Tucson. The busiest day for the bowls is Saturday, December 26 – the day after Christmas. There are six bowl games on the 26th. That’s going to be one of those noon to midnight days or 9 to 9 if you live on the Left Coast.

The 2015 bowl season commences on December 19 with five games. The first of the five is the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque between Arizona (6-6) of the Pac-12 and New Mexico (7-5) from the MWC. The Wildcats and the Lobos went in opposite directions this season. Arizona, anticipating a strong season, witnessed it dissipate into a mediocre season as a result of multiple injuries to key players on both offense and defense. The Wildcats should benefit from the layoff. Arizona’s coach, Rich Rodriguez interviewed for and was offered the South Carolina job. But he turned down the offer. Meanwhile, New Mexico was a pleasant surprise in 2015. The Lobos won more games than they were supposed to win – several more. Arizona and New Mexico each have two of the worst defenses in the country. However, the Wildcats counter with one of the country’s best offenses – passing and running. The Lobos have a good rushing offense. Arizona’s best win this season was over Utah. New Mexico had good wins over Boise State and Air Force. If you like offense, this one should be fun – a high–scoring game.

Next up on the 19th is the Las Vegas Bowl matching Utah (9-3) from the Pac-12 against BYU (9-3) an Independent. This game pits two big intrastate rivals who didn’t meet this season. The Utes experienced a better than expected season. They were 6-0 at mid-season before losing three of their last six games. Utah’s best wins were over Michigan and Oregon. On offense, the Utes are fair. On defense, they are strong against the run, but weak against the pass. BYU began the season 2-2, but won seven of its last eight games. The Cougars are lead by quarterback Tanner Mangum. He passed for 3,062 yards this season. BYU has a good passing offense, but is weak on the run. The Cougars are fair on defense. BYU’s best wins were over Nebraska, Boise State and Cincinnati. The rivalry aspect makes for a good game. Interesting twist to the game: Utah coach Kyle Whittingham is considered to be a candidate for the opening at BYU.

The third game on December 19 pairs Appalachian State (10-2) of the Sun Belt against Ohio (8-4) from the MAC in the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. Appalachian State, always a feisty team, has a sturdy defense. On offense, the Mountaineers are strong on the ground and weak through the air. Finishing 2nd in the Sun Belt Conference, Appalachian State’s best win was over Georgia Southern – 31-13. Ohio can be stubborn on defense. The Bobcats are fair-to-midland on offense. Ohio’s best wins were over Marshall, Akron and Northern Illinois. The Bobcats are coached by Frank Solich in his 11th season.

The next game is in Orlando, pitting Georgia State (6-6) from the Sun Belt against San Jose State (5-7) of the MWC in the inaugural Cure Bowl. Georgia State didn’t qualify for a bowl until its last game of the season. The Panthers upset Georgia Southern, 34-7. It was a surprising season for Georgia State. The Panthers were picked to finish 11th and last in the Sun Belt. Instead, they finished in 4th place. Georgia State is weak on defense. But the Panthers have an outstanding passing game under quarterback Nick Arbuckle. Arbuckle passed for 4,160 yards in 2015. After a 2-6 start, Georgia State came on strong at the end of the season, winning its last four games. San Jose State was one of three teams to qualify for a bowl with a 5-7 record. The Spartans qualified because its football team has a strong Academic Progress Rate (APR). On defense, San Jose State is 2nd in the country in passing yards allowed. The Spartans are fair on offense. San Jose State best win was over New Mexico. Arbuckle should light up the scoreboard.

The final game on the first day is the New Orleans Bowl between Arkansas State (9-3) of the Sun Belt and Louisiana Tech (8-4) from C-USA. Arkansas State won the Sun Belt Conference championship. The Red Wolves are fair on defense and have a strong running game on offense. Arkansas State is led by a talented quarterback – Fredi Knighten. The Red Wolves best win was over Appalachian State, 40-27. Arkansas State comes into the game riding an eight-game winning streak. Louisiana Tech is led by former Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel. Driskel passed for 3,568 yards this season. On defense, the Bulldogs are strong against the run. On offense, they are good at passing and weak at running. Louisiana Tech’s best win was over Middle Tennessee. I can see lots of points on the board in this game.

After a day off, the bowl season resumes on December 21 when South Florida (8-4) from the AAC and Western Kentucky (11-2) of C-USA clash in the Miami Beach Bowl. South Florida was a surprise team in 2015. Going into the season, everyone thought Willie Taggart would be fired by the end of the season. Taggart was definitely on the hot seat. Four weeks into the season, it didn’t look good for the Bulls or Taggart. South Florida was 1-3. But then something happened and USF went 7-1 in its last eight games. The best wins were over Connecticut, Temple and Cincinnati. The Bulls have a decent defense and a strong running game on offense. Western Kentucky won the Conference USA championship. The Hilltoppers have one of the strongest passers in the country. Brandon Doughy passed for 4,594 yards this season. That’s a good thing because the Hilltoppers don’t have a running game. They don’t have a defense either. WKU’s best wins were over Vanderbilt, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee and Marshall. I’m still not sure why they call this the Miami Beach Bowl since the game is played nowhere near the beach.

The first of two bowls on December 22 is the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise, Idaho, between Akron (7-5) of the MAC and Utah State (6-6) from the MWC. Akron is coached by Tommy Bowden – for what that’s worth. There’s not a lot you can say for the Zips. They did have a good defense against the run. But Akron’s offense is bad and the team had no good wins this season. The Zips did turn themselves around. After starting 3-5, they finished the season at 4-0. There’s not a lot you can say about Utah State either. But the Aggies did have a few good wins over Boise State, Colorado State and Nevada. Utah State’s offense is weak. The Aggies defense was good against the passing game. This could be a low scoring game in Boise.

The second game on December 22 pits Temple (10-3) from the AAC against Toledo (9-2) of the MAC in the Boca Raton Bowl in, where else, Boca Raton, Florida. Temple finished 24th in the College Football Playoff Poll and won the East Division of the AAC. The Owls had a good season. They played Notre Dame down to the final seconds in a 24-20 loss to the Irish. Temple was 7-0 going into the Notre Dame game. The Owls had good wins over Penn State, Cincinnati, Memphis and Connecticut. Temple has a good defense against the pass and the run, but the Owls offense is so-so. Temple linebacker Tyler Metakevich won the Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation’s best defensive back. Toledo also had a good season. The Rockets started out 7-0 and were ranked in the polls. Then Toledo went 2-2 in its final four games. Interestingly, the Rockets played the four toughest teams in the MAC in those last four games. The Rockets have a good offense and a good defense against the run. Their passing defense is a little weak. Toledo had good wins over Arkansas, Iowa State, Arkansas State, Central Michigan and Bowling Green. This game could be a defensive battle.

Moving to December 23, Boise State (8-4) of the MWC and Northern Illinois (8-5) from the MAC hook up in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego. This wasn’t one of Boise State’s better seasons. Still the Broncos are a formable team. Boise State started out 5-1. Then they were 3-3 in their final six games. Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien had 2,973 yards passing. Boise State is respectable on both offense and defense. The Broncos best wins were over Washington and Colorado State. Northern Illinois won the West Division of the Mid-American Conference. The Huskies have a respectable offense and an average defense. NIU’s best wins were over Toledo and Western Michigan. Both teams should enjoy the San Diego weather.

The other game on December 23 is the Go Daddy Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, matching Bowling Green (10-3) from the MAC against Georgia Southern (8-4) of the Sun Belt. Bowling Green won the Mid-American Conference championship. The Falcons are lead by quarterback Matt Johnson. Johnson passed for 4,700 yards. The Falcons have one of the top offenses in the country – 3rd in passing (377 yards per game), 4th in total yards (561 per game) and 5th in points scored (44 per game). Defense is the Falcons weakness. Bowling Green had good wins over Akron, Ohio, Western Michigan and Northern Illinois. The Falcons won 9 of their last 10 games. Georgia Southern was No. 1 in the country in rushing – averaging 356 yards per game. Matt Breida rushed for 1,540 yards. But the Eagles were the worst team in passing – averaging 62 yards per game. They are a decent team, all around, on defense. Georgia Southern’s best win was over Western Michigan. This game will be battle between Bowling Green’s passing and Georgia Southern’s rushing.

The first of two bowls on Christmas Eve pairs Middle Tennessee (7-5) of C-USA against Western Michigan (7-5) from the MAC in the Bahamas Bowl. The last time Middle Tennessee was in a bowl – two years ago – the Blue Raiders lost to Navy. The Middle Tennessee players behaved so bad during the game – personal fouls, unsportsmanlike conduct, cheap shots – the school had to apologize to the Naval Academy after the game. Last year the Blue Raiders qualified for a bowl but didn’t receive an invitation. Nobody wanted them. Let’s hope they learned their lesson. The Raiders are led by quarterback Brent Stockstill. Stockstill passed for 3,666 yards this season. Middle Tennessee has a good passing offense, but has no rushing offense. Conversely, the defense is good against the run, but worthless against the pass. The Raiders best win was against Marshall. After a 1-3 start, Western Michigan finished strong, winning 6 of its last 8 games. The Broncos are solid on offense. Quarterback Zach Terrell passed for 3,225 yards. WMU is somewhat weak on defense. The Broncos best wins were over Central Michigan, Ohio and Toledo. This could be a high-scoring game.

The other game on Christmas Eve is the Hawaii Bowl from Honolulu between Cincinnati (7-5) from the AAC and San Diego State (10-3) of the MWC. This bowl is a real put down for San Diego State. The Aztecs won the MWC and they are sent to a crappy bowl against a third rate team from the AAC. Cincinnati was a big disappointment this season. The Bearcats were supposed to win the AAC East Division. They weren’t even close. On offense, the Bearcats are 4th in the country in passing (374 yards per game) and 5th in total yards (560 per game). But on defense, Cincinnati is one of the worst in the country in all phases. The Bearcats best wins were against Miami (Florida) and Connecticut. After a slow start at 1-3, San Diego State turned around things and finished 9-0. The Aztecs have a good ground game, averaging 236 yards per game. Much of that is thanks to running back Donnel Pumphrey who rushed for 1,554 yards this season. The Aztecs are better on defense – 5th against the run (112 yards per game), 5th in total yards allowed (288 per game) and 13th in passing yards allowed (177 yards per game). The Aztecs best wins were over Utah State, Colorado State, Nevada and Air Force. This game will boil down to Cincinnati’s passing against San Diego State rushing.

The first of the six games on December 26 matches Marshall (9-3) of C-USA against Connecticut (6-6) from the AAC in the St. Petersburg Bowl in Florida. Nine games into the season, Marshall was 8-1. Then the Herd went 1-2 in their last three games. In general Marshall was very average on offense and defense, although the defense was 14th in the country in points allowed (19 points per game). The Herd’s best win was over Southern Miss – 31-10. On offense, Connecticut is one of the worst teams in the country – rushing and passing. The Huskies are better on defense. Like Marshall, UConn was good on defense in points allowed – 17th in the country at 20 points per game. The Huskies best win was a big upset over Houston – 20-17. This game could end up being a low-scoring affair.

Second on December 26 is the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, featuring Miami (Florida) (8-4) from the ACC against Washington State (8-4) of the Pac-12. Seven games into the season, Miami was 4-3. Coach Al Golden was fired. After Golden was terminated, the Canes finished 4-1. On offense, Miami is one of the best teams in the country passing and one of the worst rushing. On defense, the Canes are one of the best against the pass and one of the worst teams against the rush. Miami has a good quarterback in Brad Kaaya. Kaaya passed for 3,019 yards this season. Miami’s best wins were over Virginia Tech, Duke and Pitt. The ACC referees gave them their win over Duke. Washington State was one of the biggest turnaround teams in the country this season. The Cougars started out 2-2, including an opening loss to Portland State. Then their fortunes turned as the Cougars won 6 of their last 8 games. Wazzu had one of the best passers in the country in Luke Falk. Falk passed for 4,266 yards. As a result, the Cougars were 1st in the country in passing yards (397 per game). Ironically, they were the worst team in the country in rushing (80 yards per game). Wazzu is not good on defense. Wazzu’s best wins were over Oregon, Arizona and UCLA. The Cougars only lost to Stanford by 2 points. This game is going to be a passing festival, with lots of points scored.

Next is the Heart of Dallas Bowl in Texas between Southern Miss (9-4) from C-USA and Washington (6-6) of the Pac-12. Southern Miss has a good quarterback in Nick Mullens. He passed for 4,145 yards this season. As a result, the Eagles averaged 328 yards per game, passing. They were 10th in total yards per game, averaging 520. The Eagles were average on defense. Their best win of the season was over Louisiana Tech – 58-24. After beginning the season at 3-3, the Eagles won 6 of their last 7 games. Washington’s best wins during the season were over Utah State, USC, Arizona and Washington State. In general, the Huskies were poor on offense, but pretty good on defense. The Huskies probably have too many horses for Southern Miss to compete in this contest.

From Dallas, the action moves to New York City for the Pinstripe Bowl, pairing Duke (7-5) of the ACC against Indiana (6-6) of the Big Ten. Duke got off to a great start this season, going 6-1. Then the Dookies lost 4-straight games, before bouncing back to win their final game. The Dookies were an average team on offense and defense. Their best win was over Virginia Tech. Duke actually beat Miami (Florida). However, due to several blown calls by the ACC officials on the last play of the game, Miami was awarded the victory. Indiana has one of the best offenses in the country combined with one of the worst defenses. The Hoosiers are led by quarterback Nate Sudfeld who passed for 3,184 yards, and running back Jordan Howard who rushed for 1,213 yards. Indiana had a strange season. The Hoosiers won their first 4 games, lost their next 6 games and won their final 2 games. Indiana’s best win was over Western Kentucky. This could be a high-scoring game.

Still on December 26, Tulsa (6-6) of the AAC tangles with Virginia Tech (6-6) from the ACC in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana. Tulsa is an exciting team on offense. The Golden Hurricane average 330 yards a game passing and 503 total yards a game. The passing is handled by quarterback Dane Evans. This season, Evans passed for 3,958 yards. On defense, Tulsa is about as bad as you can get. Tulsa’s best win was over New Mexico – 40-21. Virginia Tech suffered this season on offense. It was almost non-existent. The defense, however, was another story. The Hokies were strong on defense. They were 9th in the country in passing yards allowed (174 per game). Tech’s best win was over NC State – 28-13. The game will mark Frank Beamer’s swan song coaching Virginia Tech. Even with a weak offense, the Hokies will over power Tulsa’s weak defense.

The last bowl game on December 26 is the Foster Farms Bowl in Santa Clara, California, pitting Nebraska (5-7) from the Big Ten against UCLA (8-4) of the Pac-12. Nebraska is another one of those three 5-7 teams that were allowed into a bowl game so that all the bowls could fill their spots. Like the other two 5-7 teams, Nebraska was selected because of its good Academic Progress Rate. The Huskers are smart football players. Nebraska had a strange season. The Huskers suffered their first five losses by a combined 13 points. The other two losses were by 8 and 10 points. So no one beat the Huskers bad. Nebraska was very average on offense. Quarterback Tommy Armstrong threw 16 interceptions. On defense, the Huskers were excellent against the rush and terrible against the pass. Against the rush, they were 8th in the country (114 yards per game). Against the pass, they gave up 289 yards per game. Nebraska’s best wins were over Southern Miss and Michigan State. The Huskers were the only team to beat Michigan State. UCLA began the season 4-0 and then went 4-4 after that. The Bruins mix a pretty good offense with an average defense. Quarterback Josh Rosen passed for 3,350 yards. The Bruins best wins were over BYU, Arizona, California and Utah. This is going to be an interesting game. But the Bruins passing attack may give them the advantage.

Following a break in action on December 27, the bowl activity resumes on December 28 with the Military Bowl in Annapolis, Maryland, between Navy (9-2) from the AAC and Pitt (8-4) of the ACC. Navy gets to play on its home field in this bowl. By the time the game is played, the Middies will either be 10-2 or 9-3. They still have one more game against Army. With its triple option running game, Navy has a potent rushing attack. The Middies are 2nd in the country in rushing (331 yards per game). They are 126th in passing. The defense is strong against the running game and weak against the passing game. Navy had a great season, finishing 21st in the College Football Playoff Poll. The Middies best wins were over Connecticut, Air Force, South Florida, Memphis and Tulsa. Navy is led by an outstanding quarterback – Keenan Reynolds. Pitt had a surprising season, finishing much better than expected. The Panthers are not overwhelming on offense, but they do have a substantial defense. The Panthers best wins were over Akron, Virginia Tech, Duke and Louisville. Pitt will have lots of time to prepare for Navy’s offense. Still, the home field should give Navy an advantage.

The other game on December 28 pairs Central Michigan (7-5) from the MAC against Minnesota (5-7) of the Big Ten in the Quick Lane Bowl from Detroit. Central Michigan is led by quarterback Cooper Rush. He had 3,708 yards passing this season. The Chippewas have a good passing attack, but otherwise are weak on offense. They do play good defense. CMU’s best wins were over Northern Illinois and Akron. Minnesota is the third of three 5-7 teams that were allowed into bowl games. The Gophers have one of the worst all-around offenses in the country. The defense was good against the pass, but weak elsewhere. Minnesota’s best wins were over Colorado State and Ohio. This game is up for grabs. Central Michigan’s strength on offense plays into Minnesota’s strength on defense.

Four games are slated on December 29, the first of which is the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas, featuring Air Force (8-5) of the MWC against California (7-5) from the Pac-12. Air Force won the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference. Like the other service academies, Air Force was strong on rushing and weak on passing in its offense. The Falcons were 3rd in the country in rushing (323 yards per game). Air Force also had a good defense. The Falcons best wins were over Utah State and Boise State. California is led by one of the top passers in the country. He is quarterback Jared Goff. Goff passed for 4,247 yards this season. As a result, Cal was 5th in the country in passing (369 yards per game) and 8th in total yards (524 per game). Unfortunately for the Golden Bears, their defense was porous. Cal’s best wins were over San Diego State, Washington, Washington State and Arizona State. Goff’s passing may be too much for Air Force.

Next on December 29 is the Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando between North Carolina (11-2) from the ACC and Baylor (9-3) of the Big 12. North Carolina is ranked No. 10 in the College Football Playoff Poll. The Tar Heels were one of the surprise teams of 2015. After losing their first game, the Tar Heels went on to win the remaining 11 games on their schedule. UNC is led by quarterback Marquise Williams and running back Elijah Hood. Williams had 2,825 yards passing and Hood had 1,345 yards rushing. The Tar Heels have a solid offense and a good defense for the most part. UNC’s defense is weak against the run, giving up 218 yards per game. The Tar Heels best wins were over Pitt, Duke, Miami (Florida), Virginia Tech and NC State. Baylor is ranked No. 17 in the College Football Playoff Poll. The Bears started out 8-0. Then the team was hit by a rash of injuries. Baylor went 1-3 in its final four games. Baylor’s offense was 1st in the country in total yards (605 per game). The Bears have a potent offense coupled with an average to below average defense. Baylor’s best wins were over Texas Tech, West Virginia, Kansas State and Oklahoma State. This should be a high-scoring game.

From Texas, we move over to Arizona on December 29 where Colorado State (7-5) of the MWC battles Nevada (6-6) of the MWC in the Arizona Bowl in Tucson. The Arizona Bowl is the other new bowl game this year. It’s so new that it’s not on television. Well, not on network TV. And it’s so new, or bad, that the bowl invited two teams from the same conference. Last year, Colorado State was coached by Florida coach Jim McElwain. This season the Rams were coached by former Georgia offensive coordinator and quarterback Mike Bobo. The Rams have an average offense and an average defense – although the defense was better against the pass than against the run. CSU’s best wins were against Air Force and New Mexico. Nevada was fairly weak on offense and defense – in all phases. The Wolfpack’s best win was against New Mexico. Colorado State and Nevada are from different divisions in the MWC and did not play during the season. In spite of all the brouhaha, this could be a fun game. But you may not see it.

The last bowl on December 29 matches LSU (8-3) of the SEC against Texas Tech (7-5) from the Big 12 in the Texas Bowl in Houston. LSU is ranked No. 20 in the College Football Playoff Poll. The Tigers almost lost their coach at the end of the season. Les Miles was thrown under the bus by Joe Alleva, the school’s athletic director. But at the last minute, Alleva pulled Miles out from under the bus. What a circus! The Tigers got off to a great start, winning their first 7 games. Then they fell apart, losing 3 of their last 4 games. LSU is led by running back Leonard Fournette. Fournette rushed for 1,741 yards this season – not bad. LSU is good on offense, except for passing. The Tigers are average on defense. The Tigers best wins were over Mississippi State, Auburn, Florida and Western Kentucky. Texas Tech had an up-and-down season. The Red Raiders are led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes and running back DeAndre Washington. Mahomes passed for 4,283 yards and Washington rushed for 1,455 yards. As a result, Tech had one of the best offenses in the country – 2nd in points scored, passing yards and total yards. Conversely, the Red Raiders had the worst defense in the country. Tech’s best wins were over Arkansas and Kansas State. This game will be a battle between Fournette’s running and Mahomes’ passing. No, Swamp Mama won’t be there. But she’ll be watching.

The first game on December 30 is the Birmingham Bowl in Alabama, pitting Auburn (6-6) from the SEC against Memphis (9-3) of the AAC. This will be a home game for Auburn. It was a very disappointing season for Auburn, to say the least. Many thought the Tigers would win the SEC and be in the playoffs. Instead, Auburn finished at the bottom of the SEC West. The Tigers were terrible on both offense and defense, but the defense was worse – 90th in the country in rushing yards and total yards allowed. They weren’t much better in passing yards allowed. Auburn’s best wins were over Louisville and Texas A&M. Memphis, on the other hand, had a good season, although not quite as good as expected. Picked to win the AAC West, Memphis finished third in the division. Still it was a good year for the Tigers. Memphis has a strong quarterback in Paxton Lynch. He passed for 3,670 yards. The Memphis offense was strong – 13th in the country in passing yards and total yards. But the Memphis defense was generally bad. Memphis began the season at 8-0, but then lost 3 of its last 4 games. Memphis’ best wins were over Bowling Green, Cincinnati, South Florida, Ole Miss and Tulsa. Memphis’ offense will give Auburn’s defense a test.

From Alabama, we head a little north to the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina – a game between Mississippi State (8-4) of the SEC and NC State (7-5) from the ACC. Miss State is led by its versatile quarterback Dak Prescott. Prescott passed for 3,413 yards this season. As a result, the Bulldogs offense was strong passing, but weak rushing – very weak. The lack of a running back cost Miss State its losses. On defense, the Bulldogs were very average. The Bulldogs best wins were over Southern Miss, Auburn, Louisiana Tech and Arkansas. NC State has a capable quarterback in Jacoby Brissett. Generally, when Brissett is good, he’s really, really good. But when he’s bad, he’s really, really bad. Brissett is a former Florida quarterback. It seems like former Florida quarterbacks are playing everywhere. NC State was just average on offense, but much better on defense. The Wolfpack were 19th in the country in total yards allowed (333 per game). NC State began the season 4-0, but only won 3 of its final 8 games. The Wolfpack had no good wins. Prescott will remind Brissett of how good the SEC is.

The third bowl on December 30 comes from Nashville where Louisville (7-5) from the ACC and Texas A&M (8-4) of the SEC meet in the Music City Bowl. Louisville began the season 0-3. Then the Cardinals won 6 of their last 8 games. Louisville’s offense was below average, but the defense was pretty good. The Cardinals were 13th nationally in total yards allowed (324 per game) and 15th in rushing yards allowed (119 per game). Louisville’s best win was over NC State – 20-13. In some respects, Texas A&M had a disappointing season. A little more was expected of the Aggies. A&M was below average on offense, but had a pretty good defense, especially in passing yards allowed. The Aggies were 4th in the country (162 yards per game). However, A&M was one of the worst teams in the country in rushing yards allowed (206 per game). The Aggies best wins were over Arizona State, Nevada, Arkansas and Mississippi State. A&M began the season hot at 5-0. But then the Aggies finished the season at 3-4. Louisville ended the season on a positive note, while Texas A&M ended the season on a negative note. It makes for an interesting bowl game.

And last on December 30 is the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, pairing USC (8-5) of the Pac-12 against Wisconsin (9-3) from the Big Ten. USC is led by quarterback Cody Kessler. Kessler passed for 3,315 yards this season. The Trojans offense was a little better than average, while the defense was a little worse than average. USC’s best wins were over Arizona State, Utah, California, Arizona and UCLA. The Trojans won the Pac-12 South Division. Wisconsin was supposed to win the Big Ten West Division. But the Badgers fell short of that. Wisconsin has a terrible offense, yet one of the best defenses in the country. The Badgers were 1st in points allowed (14 per game), 3rd in total yards allowed (268 per game), 4th in rushing yards allowed (99 per game) and 6th in passing yards allowed (169 per game). That’s a stingy defense. The Badgers had no good wins, while losing to the three good teams they played. Wisconsin’s defense could give USC fits.

New Year’s Eve opens with the Peach Bowl in Atlanta – Florida State (10-2) from the ACC taking on Houston (12-1) of the AAC. The Peach is a New Year’s 6 bowl. Florida State almost lost its coach at the end of the season. Jimbo Fisher wanted to go to LSU, but changed his mind at the last minute. The Noles were led by running back Dalvin Cook. Cook had 1,658 yards rushing this season. In spite of Cook, the Noles were not exceptional on offense. Just barely above average. FSU’s strength was on its defense where the Noles were 5th in points allowed (16 per game) and 15th in total yards allowed (328 per game). The Noles began the season at 6-0. Then dropped 2 of their remaining 6 games. FSU’s best wins were over South Florida, Miami (Florida), Louisville, NC State and Florida. Houston, the AAC champion, was the highest-ranked of the Group of 5 teams in the College Football Playoff Poll at No, 18. That’s why the Cougars are in the Peach Bowl. Houston had an exceptional year. Just one slip up at Connecticut kept the Cougars from a perfect record. Houston is strong on offense – 12th in the country in points scored (41 per game). Houston’s defense is good too. The Cougars were 10th in rushing yards allowed (116 per game). But Houston is bad in pass defense. Houston’s best wins were over Louisville, Tulsa, Cincinnati, Memphis, Navy and Temple. This should be an interesting game. The Cougars will test the Noles.

From Atlanta, the action moves to Florida for the first of the playoff semifinals – Clemson (13-0) from the ACC against Oklahoma (11-1) of the Big 12 in the Orange Bowl in Miami Gardens. Clemson, the ACC champion, is the only undefeated team in the country. The Tigers finished No. 1 in the Playoff Poll. The Tigers are led by quarterback and Heisman finalist Deshaun Watson. Watson passed for 3,517 yards this season. Clemson also has an outstanding running back in Wayne Gallman. Gallman rushed for 1,319 yards. Clemson not only has one of the best offenses in the country, but also one of the best defenses too. The Tigers average 511 total yards per game – 12th best in the country. On defense, they hold opponents to 297 total yards per game – 7th best in the country. Clemson’s best wins were over Louisville, Notre Dame, Miami (Florida), NC State, Florida State and North Carolina. The referees helped them out on the North Carolina win. Oklahoma, the Big 12 champion, is No. 4 in the Playoff Poll. The Sooners are loaded with talent on offense, beginning with quarterback Baker Mayfield. Mayfield had 3,389 yards passing this season. Then the Sooners have not one but two good running backs – Samaje Perine (1,291 yards rushing) and Joe Mixon (749 yards rushing). The Sooners are outstanding on offense. They are 3rd in the country in points scored (46 per game) and 7th in total yards (543 per game). The Sooners are not bad on defense – not the best, but not bad. Oklahoma’s best wins were over Akron, Tulsa, West Virginia, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State. Oklahoma’s only slip up was the strange loss to Texas. Clemson gave Oklahoma a spanking in the Russell Athletic Bowl last year. So this game should be very interesting.

The night cap on New Year’s Eve is the other playoff semifinal game – No. 2 Alabama (12-1) from the SEC against No. 3 Michigan State (12-1) of the Big Ten in the Cotton Bowl from Arlington, Texas. Alabama, the SEC champion, is led by running back and Heisman finalist Derrick Henry. Henry rushed for 1,986 yards this season. The Tide has a solid quarterback in Jake Coker. In spite of Henry, the Tide is just better than average on offense. Other than Henry, they don’t overwhelm you. But on defense, Alabama is the best in the country. Nobody can run on the Tide. Opponents are limited to 74 yards per game. And Alabama only gives up 15 points per game. The Tide comes into the contest riding a 10-game winning streak. Their one loss was back on September 19. Alabama’s best wins were over Wisconsin, Middle Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Tennessee, LSU, Mississippi State, Auburn and Florida. Michigan State, the Big Ten champion, is led by a consistent and dependable quarterback – Connor Cook. Cook passed for 2,911 yards this season. The Spartans are stronger on defense than they are on offense. As an offensive unit, State is no better than average. But as a defensive unit, the Spartans are one of the better teams in the country. They are stingy against the rush, giving up 114 yards per game. State is a little wimpy on its pass defense. Michigan State’s best wins were over Western Michigan, Oregon, Air Force, Central Michigan, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and Iowa. The lone slip up for the Spartans was a crazy one-point loss to Nebraska. In eight games against former assistants, Nick Saban has never lost. Spartans coach Mark Dantonio is a former Saban assistant.

The first bowl of 2016 is the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida, between Northwestern (10-2) of the Big Ten and Tennessee (8-4) from the SEC. Northwestern had an exceptional season. It began with the Wildcats season opening upset of Stanford. Northwestern went on to a 5-0 record. Then the Wildcats lost two-straight games and it looked like the bottom was falling out. But they turned it around and closed out with a 5-game winning streak. The Wildcats are led by running back Justin Jackson. Jackson rushed for 1,344 yards. Other than rushing, Northwestern is not a good team on offense. But the Wildcats are excellent on defense. Good against the run and the pass. Northwestern’s best wins were over Stanford, Duke, Penn State and Wisconsin. Tennessee’s season began on a dismal note. After 7 games, the Vols were 3-4. But Tennessee finished on a 5-game winning streak. The Vols are so-so on offense. The running game is better than the passing game. On defense, the Vols are slightly better than average. Tennessee’s best wins were over Bowling Green and Georgia. This could be a low-scoring affair.

From Tampa, we move up I-4 to Orlando for the Citrus Bowl, matching Michigan (9-3) of the Big Ten and Florida (10-3) from the SEC. Coach Jim Harbaugh had an impressive first year at Michigan. After an opening loss at Utah, the Wolverines won 5-straight games. They were 4-2 in the second half of the season. Michigan is led by quarterback Jake Rudock. Rudock passed for 2,739 yards. The Wolverines have a below average offense, but their defense is one of the best in the country – 3rd in passing yards allowed (159 per game), 4th in total yards allowed (282 per game) and 11th in points allowed (18 per game). Michigan’s best wins were over BYU, Northwestern and Penn State. Florida is a very similar team to Michigan. The Gators were playing for a first-year coach – Jim McElwain. And McElwain had an impressive first year. Like Michigan, Florida has a terrible offense, even worse than the Wolverines. And like Michigan, Florida has a crack defense, probably better than the Wolverines. Florida’s best wins were over Tennessee, Ole Miss and Georgia. This game may be won on a field goal. But if that’s the case, Michigan will win. Regardless, it’s going to be a low-scoring game, if either team scores at all.

Next up is the first of three-straight New Year’s 6 bowls on January 1. The game pits Notre Dame (10-2) an Independent against Ohio State (11-1) of the Big Ten in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona. Notre Dame is led by quarterback DeShone Kizer. Kizer passed for 2,596 yards this season. The Irish have a solid, well-balanced offense. They are as good rushing as they are passing. Notre Dame averages 472 yards per game and 35 points per game. The Irish defense is reasonably good. Notre Dame’s best wins were over Navy, USC, Temple and Pitt. The Irish lost two games by a total of 4 points – 2 points to Clemson and 2 points to Stanford. Combined, Clemson and Stanford only had 2 losses. At preseason, Ohio State was favored to repeat as national champions. But the Buckeyes didn’t even make the playoffs. They didn’t win their conference. But they came about as close as you can come. Ohio State lost one game – their 11th game of the season – by 3 points. The Buckeyes are led by running back Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott rushed for 1,672. Ohio State is also led by their quarterback du jour – Cardale Jones or, if you like, J.T. Barrett. The Buckeyes have a good offense, but its strength is the running game. Ohio State has an outstanding defense. The Buckeyes limit opponents to 14 points a game. The Buckeyes best wins were over Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Penn State and Michigan. This game has two fairly equal offenses, but one much better defense – Ohio State’s.

The second New Year’s 6 bowl on January 1 is the Rose Bowl – the granddaddy of them all – from Pasadena, California, between Stanford (11-2) from the Pac-12 and Iowa (12-1) of the Big Ten. Stanford, the Pac-12 champion, is led by running back and Heisman candidate Christian McCaffrey and quarterback Kevin Hogan. McCaffrey rushed for 1,847 yards this season. He is also quite an all-purpose runner – receiving passes, returning kickoffs and punts. Hogan passed for 2,644 yards. Stanford’s offense is good, especially in the running game. The Trees average 38 points a game. Stanford’s defense is a little better than average. It’s okay but not great. The Trees are better against the run than the pass. Stanford’s best wins were over USC (twice), Arizona, UCLA, Washington, Washington State, California and Notre Dame. The Trees lost two games – one by 2 points and the other by 10 points. Iowa went through the season undefeated, before losing to Michigan State by 3 points in the Big Ten Championship game. Iowa is average on offense. The Hawkeyes strength is its defense. The defense often sets up scores for the offense. Iowa’s defense is 9th in the country in rushing yards allowed (115 per game) and 15th in the country in points allowed (19 per game). The Hawkeyes best wins were over Pitt, Wisconsin and Northwestern. Stanford’s offense will test Iowa’s defense in this one.

The third and last New Year’s 6 bowl of the day is the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans between Oklahoma State (10-2) from the Big 12 and Ole Miss (9-3) of the SEC. Oklahoma State was 10-0 this season before losing its last two games. During the season, the Cowboys were led by quarterback Mason Rudolph. Rudolph passed for 3,591 yards. But Rudolph suffered a foot injury near the end of the season and may not play in the Sugar Bowl. Quarterback J.W. Walsh is a capable and experienced backup. On offense, the Cowboys have a strong passing game and a weak running game. Okie State is 7th in the country in passing yards (358 per game) and 9th in points scored (42 per game). On defense, the Cowboys are hurting. Their defense is one of the worst in the country in all aspects. Okie State’s best wins were over Central Michigan, Kansas State, West Virginia, Texas Tech and TCU. Had it not been for that crazy over-the-head lateral by Arkansas, Ole Miss – not Alabama – would have won the SEC East and Ole Miss – not Alabama – would have played Florida for the SEC championship. But that crazy over-the-head lateral enabled Arkansas to upset Ole Miss. The Black Bears are led by quarterback Chip Kelly. Kelly passed for 3,740 yards. The Ole Miss offense is heavily oriented to the pass and weak on the run. The Bears were 10th in the country in passing yards (334 per game). The Ole Miss defense is good against the run and bad against the pass. The Bears were 102nd in the country in passing yards allowed (256 per game). Ole Miss’ best wins were over Alabama, Texas A&M, Auburn, LSU and Mississippi State. This could well be a high-scoring game as the two passing attacks take advantage of the weak passing defenses.

January 2 is the last day of the bowl games. The first of the four bowls on January 2 is the TaxSlayer (former Gator) Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, pairing Penn State (7-5) from the Big Ten against Georgia (9-3) of the SEC. Penn State comes into the game, riding a three-game losing streak. In general, the Nitts were not impressive this season. Particularly disappointing was quarterback Christian Hackenberg. Penn State has one of the worst offenses in the country. On the brighter side, Penn State’s defense was not all that bad. In fact, for the most part, they were pretty good – 11th in the country in passing yards allowed (175 per game) and 14th in the country in total yards allowed (325 per game). Penn State’s best win was over San Diego State. Georgia has to be coming into the game with mixed emotions over the firing of 15-year coach Mark Richt. The impact of Richt’s departure on the game remains to be seen. Georgia had a disappointing offense in 2015. Other than the running game, it simply wasn’t that good. The picture was brighter on the defense. The Dawgs had one of the best defenses in the country. They were 1st in passing yards allowed (147 per game). Georgia’s best wins were over Auburn and Georgia Southern. Two good defensive teams with two weak offensive teams makes for an interesting game. Or perhaps a boring game. But Georgia’s offense is better.

Next up on January 2 is Kansas State (6-6) of the Big 12 competing with Arkansas (7-5) from the SEC in the Liberty Bowl from Memphis, Tennessee. This is not one of Bill Snyder’s better teams at Kansas State. The Wildcats are weak on offense and weak on defense. There is just not much positive you can say about them. The Wildcats began the season 3-0, then proceeded to lose 6-straight games. They finished the season like they started it – 3-0. K-State’s best wins were over Louisiana Tech and West Virginia. Arkansas’ season started out on the wrong foot. The Razorbacks were 2-4 after six games. Then Arkansas got on the right foot and finished strong, going 5-1. Quarterback Brandon Allen and running back Alex Collins lead the Razorbacks. Allen passed for 3,125 yards and Collins rushed for 1,392 yards. Arkansas had a solid offense, well-balanced passing and running. The Razorbacks defense was good against the run and bad against the pass. Arkansas’ best wins were over Tennessee, Auburn, Ole Miss and LSU. Arkansas’ offense should take control in this game.

From Memphis, we travel down to San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl between Oregon from the Pac-12 (9-3) and TCU (10-2) of the Big 12. Oregon had a strange season. The Ducks struggled for about six weeks – going 3-3. They were settling in on new quarterback Vernon Adams, who was injured during some of those weeks. After that, Oregon was back to normal – finishing up 6-0. In addition to Adams, Oregon is led by running back Royce Freeman. Freeman rushed for 1,708 yards. The Ducks, as usual, had another outstanding offense – 5th in rushing yards (288 per game), 6th in total yards (549 per game) and 6th in points scored (44 per game). The defense was a different matter. Oregon had one of the worst defenses in the country. Oregon’s best wins were over Georgia State, Washington, Arizona State, California, Stanford and USC. TCU started off hot, winning its first eight games. Then quarterback Trevone Boykin was hampered by lingering ankle injuries. The Frogs lost 2 of their last 4 games. Boykin passed for 3,574 yards. Running back Aaron Greene rushed for 1,171 yards. TCU has one of the best defenses in the country. The Frogs were 3rd in total yards (565 per game). On defense, the Frogs were very average – not the worst, not the best. TCU’s best wins were over Texas Tech, Kansas State, West Virginia and Baylor. The Frogs lost to Oklahoma by one point. This should be a fun matchup between two awesome offenses coupled with below par defenses. But of the two, TCU has the better defense.

And finally, the bowl season comes to a close on the night of January 2 with the Cactus Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona, between West Virginia (7-5) of the Big 12 and Arizona State (6-6) from the Pac-12. This game basically will be a home game for Arizona State. West Virginia’s season was a season of streaks. The Mountaineers started out 3-0. Then they went 0-4. Then they went 4-0, before losing their last game. The Mounties were led by running back Wendell Smallwood. Smallwood rushed for 1,447 yards. Quarterback Skyler Howard passed for 2,613 yards. But Howard was up and down. When he was up, he was really, really good. When he was down, he was really, really bad. WVU had a good offense. They were 16th in the country in rushing (236 yards per game). On the defensive side, WVU was a little better than average. It was a decent defense, better than the Mounties have had in recent years. West Virginia’s best wins were over Georgia Southern and Texas Tech. Arizona State had a disappointing season. At preseason, many thought the Sun Devils would win the Pac-12 – at least the Pac-12 South. The Sun Devils were 4-2 at one point. Then they lost four of their last six games. ASU is led by quarterback Mike Bercovici. Bercovici passed for 3,436 yards during the season. The Sun Devils are reasonably good on offense. On defense, they are reasonably bad, except for yards against the run (127 per game). ASU’s best wins were over New Mexico, UCLA, Washington and Arizona. Two good offenses, working on two weaker defenses. But the Sun Devils have the weaker defense.

That’s it for the 40 bowls. But there is one more game – the most important one of all, the national championship game. College Football Playoff’s National Championship game takes place on Monday, January 11, at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The game will pair the winner of the Oklahoma-Clemson game against the winner of the Michigan State-Alabama game. Get those Sonoran Dogs back out.

So if you watch all those games on TV, it comes out to 144 hours – or 6 days – of football viewing. That’s a lot of Sonoran Dogs and Medianoches.

Hope you get to attend a game, but if you can’t be at a bowl game….

For the Holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home

Touchdown Tom
December 11, 2015
www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com