College Football Extra – Touchdown Tom’s Bowl Game Preview
Here come the bowl games,
Here come the bowl games
Right down football lane
Mayfield and Rudolph and all the quarterbacks
Pullin’ on the reins
Cowbells are ringin’, fans are singin’
All is merry and bright
So hang your pennant and say your prayers
’Cause Nick Saban is coming to fight
Your 2017 Bowl Game Preview
Yes, it’s that time of the year. The regular season is over. The bowl season is upon us. Some teams made it to a bowl. Some teams didn’t. Some teams qualified and weren’t selected.
This season there are 39 bowls – 39 bowls plus the national championship game. That makes for 40 postseason games.
The 39 bowls are one less than last year. During the off-season, the Poinsettia Bowl went belly up – kaput. The San Diego-based bowl was around for only 12 seasons, from 2005 to 2016.
Navy won the inaugural Poinsettia Bowl in 2005. The Middies beat Colorado State, 51-30. Last season, BYU won the last Poinsettia Bowl. The Cougars beat Wyoming, 24-21.
Another bowl almost went under, but it moved to a new location instead. After three years in Miami, Cubans don’t like football, the Miami Beach Bowl has moved to Frisco. No, not San Francisco – Frisco, Texas. I know.
Obviously, being in Frisco, the bowl can’t be called the Miami Beach Bowl. Now, it is simply known as, what else – the Frisco Bowl. Actually, it never should have been called the Miami Beach Bowl in the first place. The bowl wasn’t played in, on or near Miami Beach.
So, 78 teams are playing in bowls this season. Actually, 81 teams qualified, but three teams failed to receive an invite – Buffalo, Western Michigan and UT-San Antonio. I’d say those three schools need to hire a public relations firm to improve their image.
As far as numbers go, the ACC placed the most teams in bowls with 10 – 71.4% of its members. But the Big 12 placed the highest percentage of its members in bowls with 80% – 8 of 10 teams from the Big 12 are playing.
The worst participation is from the MAC and the Sun Belt with only five teams each from those conferences – 41.7% of their members. After the ACC, the Pac-12 and SEC each have 9 teams playing in bowl – 75% of Pac-12 members, but only 64.3% of SEC members.
The first bowl games are played this Saturday, December 16 – five games on tap opening day. The last bowls are played Monday, January 1 – five games on tap on the final day. Then the national championship game is played a week later on January 8.
So with that said and done, let’s get on to a preview of all 39 bowls.
The New Orleans Bowl gets the extravaganza kicked off on December 16 with Troy (10-2) from the Sun Belt Conference against North Texas (9-4) of Conference USA. Troy comes into the game riding a 6-game winning streak. Although the Trojans are good on offense, they played better on defense. Troy held its opponents to 17.5 points a game (11th in the country) and 116.8 rushing yards per game (15th in the country). Troy is coached by Neal Brown who is an up-and-comer. Brown is a candidate to be coaching a bigger school in the near future. In his third year with the Trojans, Brown is 20-5 the last two years. North Texas won the West Division of C-USA. Before losing to Florida Atlantic in the conference championship game, the Mean Green were riding a 5-game winning streak. North Texas has a weak defense, but the Mean Green can score some points on offense. They are averaging 35.9 points a game (20th in the country). They are 21st in passing yards, averaging 291 a game. Sophomore quarterback Mason Fine passed for 3,749 yards this season, completing 64.3% of his passes. Second-year coach Seth Littrell is turning the program around, going from 5-8 last year to 9-4 this year. North Texas’ offense will give Troy’s defense a challenge.
Next up on December 16 is the Cure Bowl from Orlando, matching Georgia State (6-5) from the Sun Belt Conference against Western Kentucky (6-6) of C-USA. Under first-year coach Shawn Elliott, Georgia State performed better than expected this season. The Panthers finished fourth in the Sun Belt Conference. Georgia State’s best production came in its passing game. The Panthers were 31st in the country, averaging 270.2 yards a game. Conversely, Western Kentucky performed worse than expected this season. The Hilltoppers were favored to win the East Division of C-USA. They finished tied for third in the Division. The Hilltoppers strength was passing. Quarterback Mike White threw for 3,826 yards, averaging 333.7 yards a game. White completed 65.6% of his passes. WKU’s rushing game was weak, averaging only 66.9 yards a game. The Hilltoppers were weak on defense too. There will be a lot of passing yards in this contest.
The third bowl on December 16 is the Las Vegas Bowl, pitting Boise State (10-3) of the Mountain West Conference against Oregon (7-5) from the Pac-12. Boise State’s strength this season was on its defense. The Broncos held opponents to 336.7 total yards per game – 22nd best in the country. They were 20th in the country in rushing yards allowed – 125.8 yards per game. Champions of the MWC, Boise State won eight of its last nine games. Oregon will be playing the game without its coach, Willie Taggart. After just one season in Eugene, Taggart left at the end of the season to become the head coach at Florida State. The Ducks’ strength was offense. Running back Royce Freeman rushed for 1,475 yards. Oregon scored 36.7 points a game and was eighth in the country in rushing, averaging 268 yards per game. This game will match Oregon’s offense against Boise State’s defense. But it’s unknown how the Ducks will perform under an interim coach.
The New Mexico Bowl from Albuquerque is next, with Marshall (7-5) from C-USA taking on Colorado State (7-5) of the MWC. Marshall surprised folks this season, playing better than expected. At one point, the Thundering Herd were 6-1. Then they lost four of their last five games. Marshall’s strength was its defense. The Herd was 17th in points allowed – 19.2 a game, and 19th in rushing yards allowed – 125.4 yards a game. Marshall is under eight-year coach Doc Holliday. Colorado State has a potent offense and a bad defense. On offense, the Rams are led by senior quarterback Nick Stevens who passed for 3,484 yards and senior running back Dalyn Dawkins who rushed for 1,349 yards. CSU was 10th in total yards, averaging 501.8 yards a game and 23rd in passing yards, averaging 290.3 yards per game. In his third year, Mike Bobo, former Georgia quarterback and offensive coordinator, is the coach of the Rams. Colorado State will test Marshall’s defense.
The last bowl on December 16 is the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama, matching Middle Tennessee (6-6) of C-USA against Arkansas State (7-4) from the Sun Belt. Middle Tennessee was a disappointment in 2017. The Blue Raiders were an up-and-down team. They weren’t particularly good on offense or defense, but better on defense. Arkansas State finished second in the Sun Belt Conference. The Red Wolves are strong on offense. Junior quarterback Justice Hansen passed for 3,635 yards. He completed 63.7 % of his passes. Arkansas State was 6th in passing yards, averaging 341.2 yards a game, and 11th in total yards, averaging 498.4 yards per game. The Red Wolves’ offense might be more than the Blue Raiders can handle.
On December 19, Florida Atlantic (10-3) from C-USA meets Akron (7-6) of the Mid-American Conference in the Boca Raton Bowl in Florida. Lucky Florida Atlantic – the Owls get to play a bowl game on their home field. The Owls had a lucky season too, performing much better than predicted. FAU were the champions of C-USA. Under first-year coach Lane Kiffin, FAU had a strong offense, especially on the ground. The Owls were 6th in the country in rushing yards, averaging 283.1 yards a game. They were also 9th in points scored, averaging 39.8 points a game. The foundation of the ground game is sophomore running back Devin Singletary. Singletary rushed for 1,794 yards. Akron also performed better than expected this year. The Zips won the East Division of the MAC. Akron wasn’t particularly good on offense or defense, but the Zips won the games they had too. Akron is coached by Terry Bowden who is winding up his 6th year with the Zips.
The following day, SMU (7-5) of the AAC goes up against Louisiana Tech (6-6) from C-USA in the Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas. Just this week, SMU lost its coach to Arkansas. Chad Morris is replacing Bret Bielema in Fayetteville. The Mustangs have a strong offense and a pathetic defense. They gave up 35.5 points a game. But on offense they were 8th in the country in points scored, averaging 40.2 points a game. Most of that was on passing, as SMU was 16th, averaging 308 yards a game passing. Sophomore quarterback Ben Hicks passed for 3,442 yards. Louisiana Tech was a disappointment in 2017. The Bulldogs were picked to win the West Division of C-USA. Instead, they finished fourth in the Division. Louisiana Tech was kind of average on offense and defense. That was the basis of their problem. The Bulldogs are under fifth-year coach Skip Holtz, son of Lou. SMU’s offense appears to be too strong for Louisiana Tech.
Continuing, on December 21, Florida International (8-4) from C-USA meets Temple (6-6) of the AAC in the Gasparilla Bowl in St. Petersburg, Florida. Under first-year coach Butch Davis, FIU was a big surprise in 2017. The Panthers finished second in the East Division of C-USA. FIU wasn’t particularly strong on offense or defense. The Panthers were just a gutsy football team. Temple is a better football team than its 6-6 record indicates. The Owls lost three games by 7 points of less. Temple is under first-year coach Geoff Collins, who was Florida’s defensive coordinator for two years under Jim McElwain. This bowl is a good matchup.
Two bowls are set for December 22. First up is the Bahamas Bowl in Nassau between UAB (8-4) of C-USA and Ohio (8-4) from the MAC. Talk about surprises, UAB was one of the biggest in the country. The Blazers just resumed football this season after suspending the program for two years. Not much was expected from UAB this season. The Blazers achieved their 8-4 status mostly on pretty good defense. However, freshman running back Spencer Brown rushed for 1,292 yards on offense. Ohio was supposed to win the East Division of the MAC. Instead, the Bobcats finished second in the Division. Under 13th-year coach Frank Solich, Ohio played pretty good on offense and defense. On offense, the Bobcats were 14th in points scored – 38.9 points a game, and 17th in rushing yards – 245.8 a game. On defense, Ohio was 10th in rushing yards allowed – 111.5 yards a game.
Second on December 22 is the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise, matching Central Michigan (8-4) from the MAC against Wyoming (7-5) of the MWC. Central Michigan was a better team than expected this season. The Chippewas finished second in the West Division of the MAC. CMU was rather average on offense and defense. Senior quarterback Shane Morris passed for 2,908 yards. The Chippewas finished the season on a five-game winning streak. A lot was expected from Wyoming in 2017, especially from junior quarterback Josh Allen. But Allen didn’t have a stellar season and then he missed a couple games with a shoulder injury. So Wyoming’s defense stepped up to the occasion. The Cowboys’ defense was 5th in passing yards allowed – 160.7 yards a game; 13th in points allowed – 17.8 points a game, and 21st in total yards allowed – 332.8 yards a game.
Three games take place on December 23, beginning with the Birmingham Bowl in Birmingham, Alabama, between South Florida (9-2) of the AAC and Texas Tech (6-6) from the Big 12. As goes Quinton Flowers so goes South Florida. The senior quarterback led the Bulls in rushing with 972 yards and passed for 2,600 yards. On offense, USF was 9th in totals yards – 508.6 per game; 9th in rushing yards – 265.4 a game, and 15th in points scored – 38.3 points a game. The Bulls’ defense wasn’t bad either. They were 22nd in rushing yards allowed – 126.4 a game and 28th in total yards allowed – 342.5 a game. South Florida began the season 7-0, then went 2-2 in its final four games. USF is under first-year coach Charlie Strong. Texas Tech was up-and-down in 2017. At one point, the Red Raiders lost 4-straight games. Tech was lousy on defense, giving up 31.8 points a game. Tech’s strength was on offense. The Red Raiders, under fifth-year coach Kliff Kingsbury, were 11th in passing yards – 326.8 a game; 18th in total yards – 468.4 a game, and 26th in points scored – 34.3 points a game. Senior quarterback Nic Shimonek passed for 3,547 yards. He completed 68.2% of his passes. Look for a high-scoring affair in this one.
Next, the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas, between Army (8-3) an Independent and San Diego State (10-2) of the MWC. Army had an exceedingly good season. Depending on their outcome against Navy tomorrow, the Cadets will either be 9-3 or 8-4 going into the bowl. Army was No. 1 in the country in rushing yards, averaging 368.1 yards a game. Senior quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for 1,472 yards. Going into the Navy game, Army has won six of its last seven games. The Cadets aren’t overpowering on defense. But on the other hand, they play pretty good defense. San Diego State is an interesting team. On offense, the Aztecs have one of the best runners in the country in Rashaad Penny. He rushed for 2,027 yards. The Aztec offense was 12th in rushing yards, averaging 252.8 yards a game. But San Diego State’s overall strength was on its defense. The Aztecs were 8th in rushing yards allowed – 110.8 a game; 11th in total yards allowed – 304.5 a game, and 15th in points allowed – 18.4 a game. San Diego State began the season winning its first six games. After losing two in a row, the Aztecs finished the season on a four-game winning streak. San Diego State is under seventh-year coach Rocky Long.
The final game on December 23 is the Dollar General Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, with Toledo (11-2) of the MAC meeting Appalachian State (8-4) from the Sun Belt. Toledo won the MAC championship. The Rockets have a potent offense and an average defense. The offense was led by senior quarterback Logan Woodside and senior running back Terry Swanson. Woodside passed for 3,758 yards, while Swanson rushed for 1,319 yards. On offense, Toledo was 8th in total yards – 511.2 yards a game; 11th in points scored – 39.2 points a game, and 20th in passing yards – 291.9 yards a game. Appalachian State wasn’t particularly strong on offense or defense. But they weren’t particularly bad either. The Little Mountaineers achieved their 8-4 record on gutsy play and making few mistakes. Appalachian State comes into the bowl on a three-game winning streak.
Christmas Eve the Hawaii Bowl takes place in Honolulu, pitting Fresno State (9-4) from the MWC against Houston (7-4) of the AAC. Under first-year coach Jeff Tedford, Fresno State surprised the MWC, winning the West Division. The Bulldogs were picked to finish at the bottom of the Division. Fresno State didn’t have much of an offense this season, but the Bulldogs played good defense. They were 9th in points allowed – 17.2 a game; 14th in rushing yards – 116.6 a game, and 16th in total yards allowed – 319 a game. Under first-year coach Major Applewhite, Houston had an up-and-down season. The Cougars weren’t particularly good on offense or defense, but they weren’t particularly bad either.
Three games are on tap the day after Christmas, starting with the Heart of Dallas Bowl, pitting West Virginia (7-5) of the Big 12 against Utah (6-6). Without quarterback Will Grier, West Virginia is hopeless in this game. Grier is out with a broken finger. The Mountaineers were one of the worst teams in the country on defense, giving up 31.6 points a game. The offense had some good numbers, but those were under Grier. Backup quarterback Chris Chugunov couldn’t hit the broadside of a red barn. Utah, an up-and-down team, isn’t in much better shape. The Utes defense is better than it offense, which only makes matters worse for WVU. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, finishing his 13th year in Salt Lake City, is 10-1 in bowl games.
Up next, the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit, matching Northern Illinois (8-4) from the MAC against Duke (6-6) of the ACC. Northern Illinois finished tied for second in the West Division of the MAC, thanks to playing some good defense. The Huskies were 11th in rushing yards allowed – 112.2 yards a game; 18th in total yards allowed – 328.4 yards a game, and 26th in points allowed – 20.8 points a game. At one point in the season, NIU was 6-2. Then the Huskies went 2-2 in their final four games. Oddly enough, Duke achieved its 6-6 record based on its defensive play. The Dookies were 12th in passing yards allowed – 174.8 yards a game; 25th in total yards allowed – 338.8 yards a game, and 25th in points allowed – 20.8 a game. The Dookies were pretty weak on offense. Duke began the season 4-0 and then went on a six-game losing streak. This game will be a defensive battle.
The Cactus Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona, follows, pitting Kansas State (7-5) of the Big 12 against UCLA (6-6) from the Pac-12. Kansas State suffered a number of quarterback injuries during 2017. The Wildcats ended the season playing their third-string quarterback. With a 3-4 record after seven games, K-State finished the season winning four of its last five games. The Wildcat defense was 18th in the country in rushing yards allowed, holding opponents to 121.8 yards a game on the ground. UCLA coach Jim Mora was fired at the end of the season. The Bruins were supposed to be better than they were. They were good on offense. Junior quarterback Josh Rosen passed for 3,717 yards. He completed 62.5% of his passes. The Bruins were 5th in passing yards, averaging 345.3 yards a game. They were 20th in total yards, averaging 465.7 yards a game. But UCLA’s defense was one of the worst in the country. They gave up 36.8 points a game.
December 27 is a busy day with four bowls. The first one on the 27th is the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana, between Southern Miss (8-4) from C-USA and Florida State (6-6) of the ACC. Southern Miss was fair on offense, but stronger on defense. The Eagles were 17th in total yards allowed – 321.9 yards a game. They were also 24th in passing yards allowed – 189.8 yards a game. Southern Miss’ strong point on offense was senior running back Ito Smith. Smith rushed for 1,321 yards. The Eagles finished the season on a three-game winning streak and winning six of their last eight games. Florida State was one of the most disappointing teams in the country in 2017. At preseason, the Noles were picked to finish 3rd in the country – 2nd by some. Granted had quarterback Deondre Francois not had a season ending injury in the first game, FSU probably would have finished better. In spite of the 6-6 record, the Noles played good defense. Their weakness was definitely on offense. FSU finished the season on a three-game winning streak. FSU coach Jimbo Fisher left for Texas A&M after the season.
Boston College (7-5) of the ACC is matched against Iowa (7-5) from the Big Ten in the Pinstripe Bowl in New York City. Four games into the season, Boston College was hopeless. The Eagles were 1-3. They were just 2-4 after six games. Then the Eagles won five of their final six games. BC was fair to midland on offense and defense. The highlight of the offense was freshman running back A.J. Dillon. Dillon rushed for 1,432 yards. BC was 24th in rushing yards, averaging 224.2 yards a game. The Eagles are coached by fifth-year coach Steve Addazio. Iowa was an up-and-down team stronger on defense than offense. The Hawkeyes were 20th in points allowed – 19.9 points a game. The highlight of Iowa’s season was the 55-24 win over Ohio State. The Hawkeyes shocked the country with that win. Kirk Ferentz finished his 19th season coaching Iowa.
Next on the 27th is the Foster Farms Bowl in Santa Clara, California, featuring Purdue (6-6) of the Big Ten against Arizona (7-5) from the Pac-12. Purdue was a pleasant surprise this season. Under first-year coach Jeff Brohm, the Boilers were a better team than they were predicted to be. And Purdue was better on defense than they were on offense. The Boilers were 18th in the country in points allowed, holding opponents to 19.3 points a game. Granted, Purdue struggled at times on offense. Six-year coach Rich Rodriguez entered the season on the hot seat at Arizona. Finishing 7-5, Rich Rod managed to hold onto his job. The Wildcats were a strong team on offense – a weak team on defense. On offense they were 3rd in rushing yards – 324.8 yards per game; 6thin points scored – 41.8 points a game, and 12th in total yards – 494.9 a game. That’s pretty impressive. Sophomore quarterback Khalil Tate was Arizona’s leading rusher with 1,353 yards. On defense, the Wildcats were one of the worst teams in the country.
The final game on December 27 is the Texas Bowl in Houston, pitting Missouri (7-5) of the SEC against Texas (6-6) from the Big 12. Missouri was one of the more interesting teams in the country in 2017. Six games into the season, the Tigers were 1-5. Head coach Barry Odom, in his second year, was going to be fired. Then Missouri turned its season around, winning its last six games. Odom was a hero. The Tigers were potent on offense. They were 7th in total yards – 511.5 yards a game; 10th in points scored – 39-3 points a game, and 14th in passing yards – 311.9 yards a game. Junior quarterback Drew Lock passed for 3,695 yards. Conversely, Missouri was pretty bad on defense. Texas was a disappointing team at 6-6. The Longhorns were supposed to have been better. Texas was weak on offense, but the Horns had a decent defense. They were 6th in rushing yards allowed – 105.7 yards a game and 31st in points allowed – 21.7 points a game. Texas, under first-year coach Tom Herman, was definitely an up-and-down team.
The next day, December 28, Navy (6-5) from the AAC and Virginia (6-6) of the ACC get things started in the Military Bowl in Annapolis, Maryland. Navy still has to play Army tomorrow. So the Middies will either be 6-6 or 7-5 going into the bowl game. Navy’s strength was in its running game. The Middies were 2nd in the country in rushing – averaging 347.5 yards a game. Junior quarterback Zach Abey was the team’s leading rusher with 1,322 yards. The Middies started out 5-0; then lost five of six games. All five of the losses were by 10 points or less. Virginia began the season 5-1. Then the Cavaliers lost five of their last six games. On offense, Virginia was led by senior quarterback Kurt Benkert. Benkert passed for 3,062 yards.
Later the same day, Oklahoma State (9-3) of the Big 12 meets Virginia Tech (9-3) from the ACC in the Camping World Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Oklahoma State had one of the best, if not the best, offensive attacks in the country. The Cowboys were 1st in passing yards – 392.3 yards a game; 2nd in total yards – 578.9 yards a game and 3rd in points scored – 46.2 points a game. Okie State was led by senior quarterback Mason Rudolph and sophomore running back Justice Hill. Rudolph passed for 4,553 yards and Hill rushed for 1,347 yards. Okie State scored 50 or more points in six of its games. Defense was another story. The Cowboys allowed 30.1 points a game. Okie State began the season 7-1. Then the Cowboys went 2-2 in their final four games. Virginia Tech’s strength this season was its defense. The Hokies were 5th in points allowed – 13.5 points a game; 12th in total yards allowed – 305.2 yards a game; 16th in rushing yards allowed – 118.8 yards a game, and 21st in passing yards allowed – 186.4 yards a game. Tech’s offense was solid, but not great. The Hokies are under second-year coach Justin Fuentes.
Also on December 28, Michigan State (9-3) from the Big Ten meets Washington State (9-3) of the Pac-12 in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. Michigan State is not strong on offense, but the Spartans make up for it on defense. The Spartans were 5th in rushing yards allowed – 101.3 yards a game; 9th in total yards allowed – 297.4 yards a game, and 23rd in points allowed – 20.2 points a game. Washington State is led by senior quarterback Luke Falk. Falk threw for 3,593 yards. He completed 66.9% of his passes. On offense, the Cougars were 2nd in passing yards, averaging 374.8 yards a game. But Wazzu was a terrible 129th in rushing yards, averaging only 71.1 yards a game. On defense, the Cougars were 14th in total yards allowed – 313.9 yards a game. Mike Leach finished his 6th season coaching Washington State.
TCU (10-3) of the Big 12 plays Stanford (9-4) from the Pac-12 in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. The Horned Frogs finished second in the Big 12 Conference behind Oklahoma. Typical of a Gary Patterson team, TCU is strong on defense. The Frogs were 4th in the country in rushing yards allowed – 99.8 yards a game; 12th in points allowed – 17.6 points a game, and 19th in total yards allowed – 328.5 yards a game. TCU began the season 7-0. Then the Frogs went 3-3 in their final six games. Stanford was a solid team – not great, but not bad on offense and defense. The offensive star was junior running back Bryce Love. Love, a Heisman finalist, rushed for 1,973 yards. Three of Stanford’s four losses were by 3 points. The Trees are under seventh-year coach David Shaw.
The first game up on December 29 is the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina, matching Texas A&M (7-5) of the SEC against Wake Forest (7-5) from the ACC. Texas A&M finished the season 7-5 with an average offense and an average defense. Head coach Kevin Sumlin was fired at the end of the season. The Aggies began the season at 4-1, but then lost four of their last seven games. Wake Forest was a bit of a surprise in 2017. A 7-5 record was better than expected. Like Texas A&M, the Demon Deacons were not exceptional on offense or defense, but the Deacs’ offense was better than the defense. Wake Forest started the season 4-0. Then the Deacs lost three straight before getting back on track.
The Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, follows, featuring NC State (8-4) from the ACC against Arizona State (7-5) of the Pac-12. NC State was just fair to midland on offense and defense – not particularly bad, not particularly good. The Wolfpack were led by junior quarterback Ryan Finley. Finley passed for 3,196 yards. He completed 63.9% of his passes. After losing their opener to South Carolina, the Wolfpack then won six-straight games. They finished the season losing three of their last five games. Fifth-year coach Dave Doeren is the head coach of NC State. Arizona State was an up-and-down team in 2017, but 7-5 wasn’t good enough for Todd Graham to keep his job. He was fired at the end of the season. ASU was bad on defense and average on offense. Junior quarterback Manny Wilkins passed for 2,918 yards. He completed 63.5% of h is passes.
The third game on December 29 is the Music City Bowl in Nashville, matching Northwestern (9-3) of the Big Ten against Kentucky (7-5) from the SEC. Northwestern, under 12-year coach Pat Fitzgerald, was okay on offense, but very good on defense. The Wildcats’ defense was 9th in rushing yards allowed – 111.2 yards a game, and 19th in points allowed – 19.8 points a game. On offense junior quarterback Clayton Thorson passed for 2,809 yards and senior running back Justin Jackson rushed for 1,154 yards. After starting the season at 2-3, Northwestern finished the season on a seven-game winning streak. Kentucky fans were expecting more from fifth-year coach Mark Stoops this season. The Wildcats were pretty weak on both offense and defense. Sophomore running back Benjamin Snell rushed for 1,318 yards.
Still on December 29, Utah State (6-6) from the MWC meets New Mexico State (6-6) of the Sun Belt in the Arizona Bowl in Tucson. Utah State stumbled through the season with a weak offense and defense. There was nothing exceptional about the Aggies on either side of the ball. Utah State is coached (five years) by Matt Wells. Halfway through the season, New Mexico State didn’t look like it was going to make it to a bowl. The Aggies were 2-4. Then they won four of their final six games. This was an amazing year for New Mexico State. It marked the first time in 57 years the Aggies qualified for a bowl game. In 1960, the Aggies beat – of all teams – Utah State, 20-13, in the Sun Bowl. New Mexico State has an exciting quarterback in Tyler Rogers. The senior passed for 3,825 yards. He completed 62.3% of his passes. The Aggies were 4th in the country in passing yards, averaging 352.6 yards a game. In his fifth season, Doug Martin is the coach of New Mexico State. This game is the Aggies versus the Aggies.
The nightcap on December 29 is the first of the New Year’s Six bowls. USC (11-2) of the Pac-12 plays Ohio State (11-2) from the Big Ten in the Cotton Bowl Classic in Arlington, Texas. I guess this would be the traditional Rose Bowl game – the champion of the Pac-12 against the champion of the Big Ten. USC had a great year, with two losses in the middle of the season. The Trojans were very strong on offense and so-so on defense. The offense was led by sophomore quarterback Sam Darnold and junior running back Ronald Jones. Darnold passed for 3,787 yards and Jones rushed for 1,486 yards. On offense, USC was 15th in total yards – 490 yards per game, and 19th in passing yards – 294.6 a game. The Trojans scored 34.5 points a game. USC comes into the bowl game riding a five-game winning streak. Ohio State is a solid team on offense and defense. The Buckeyes were led by senior quarterback J.T. Barrett and freshman running back J.K. Dobbins. Barrett passed for 2,928 yards and Dobbins rushed for 1,364 yards. On offense Ohio State was 5th in points scored – 42.5 points a game; 6th in total yards – 523.6 yards a game, and 13th in rushing yards – 250.2 yards a game. On defense the Buckeyes were 7th in rushing yards allowed – 108.8 yards a game; 8th in total yards allowed – 292.3 yards a game, and 18th in passing yards allowed – 183.5 yards a game. Ohio State is a quarterback-centric team. As Barrett went so went the Buckeyes. Barrett was inconsistent this season. Ohio State comes into the game on a four-game winning streak.
December 30 begins with the TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, between Mississippi State (8-4) from the SEC and Louisville (8-4) of the ACC. This is the old Gator Bowl. Mississippi State did better than expected in 2017. But the Bulldogs lost their coach at the end of the season. Dan Mullen left for Florida. Miss State was a strong defensive team and not so strong on offense. On defense, the Bulldogs were 10th in total yards allowed – 302 yards per game, and 13th in passing yards allowed – 175 yards a game. They held opponents to just 20.4 points a game. On offense, Miss State was 15th in rushing yards, averaging 249.6 yards a game. Louisville was strong on offense and a little weak on defense this season. They were led by Heisman Trophy winner (2016) and finalist (2017) Lamar Jackson. The junior quarterback had 3,489 yards passing and 1,443 yards rushing. He completed 60.4% of his passes. On offense, Louisville was 3rd in total yards – 560.5 yards a game; 13th in points scored – 39 points a game; 14th in rushing yards – 249.9 yards a game, and 15th in passing yards – 310.6 yards a game. Louisville comes into the bowl on a three-game winning streak.
Then it’s the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, matching Memphis (10-2) of the AAC against Iowa State (7-5) from the Big 12. Memphis was a hot team in 2017. The Tigers came close to winning the AAC championship – losing to UCF in double overtime. On offense, Memphis is one of the top teams in the country. On defense, the Tigers are one of the bottom teams in the country. Memphis was led by senior quarterback Riley Ferguson. Ferguson passed for 3,971 yards, completing 63% of his passes. On offense, Memphis was 2nd in points scored – 47.7 points a game; 4th in total yards – 548.2 yards a game, and 8th in passing yards – 339.1 yards a game. Memphis is coached by Mike Norvell, in his second season with the Tigers. Iowa State was the surprise of the Big 12. Picked to finish at the bottom of the conference just above Kansas, the Cyclones finished tied for 4th in the Big 12. Under second-year coach Matt Campbell, Iowa State was a gutsy team that was marginal on offense and better than average on defense. The Cyclones were the only team to beat Oklahoma this year, and the only other team besides Oklahoma to beat TCU.
Next, the Fiesta Bowl – a New Year’s Six bowl – in Phoenix, Arizona, featuring Washington (10-2) from the Pac-12 against Penn State (10-2) of the Big Ten. Washington was supposed to have been strong on offense this season, but surprisingly, the Huskies were much better on defense. They were 2nd in the country in rushing yards allowed – 93.2 yards a game; 6th in total yards allowed – 278.3 yards a game, and 6th in points allowed – 14.5 points a game. On offense Washington averaged 36.9 points a game. The Huskies began the season 6-0. Junior running back Myles Gaskin rushed for 1,282 yards. Penn State began the season like a house on fire. The Lions won their first seven games. Junior quarterback Trace McSorley passed for 3,228 yards. He completed 65.3% of h is passes. Penn State averaged 41.6 points a game – 7th best in the country. On defense, the Lions were 7th in points allowed – 15.5 points a game, and 17th in rushing yards allowed – 119.2 yards a game. Penn State comes into the bowl on a three-game winning streak. Both teams score a lot on offense and hold their opponents to minimal points on defense. It should be an interesting game.
December 30 comes to a close with the Orange Bowl – a New Year’s six bowl – in Miami gardens, Florida. The game pits Wisconsin (12-1) of the Big Ten against Miami (Florida) (10-2) from the ACC. Wisconsin went through the season undefeated. The Badgers lost their only game in the Big Ten championship. Wisconsin is better than average on offense, but powerful on defense. The Badgers defense was 1st in the country in total yards allowed (253.2) and rushing yards allowed (92.6). They were 3rd in points allowed – 13.2 points a game, and 4th in passing yards allowed – 160.6 yards a game. Freshman running back Jonathan Taylor rushed for 1,847 yards. Miami, under second-year coach Mark Richt, was just an average team on offense and defense. The Canes best mark was points allowed on defense – 19.9 points a game. Junior quarterback Malik Rosier passed for 2,908 yards. Miami went through the season undefeated until its last game of the regular season. The Canes lost to Pitt. Then they lost to Clemson in the ACC title game.
On the first day of the New Year, South Carolina (8-4) from the SEC meets Michigan (8-4) of the Big Ten in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida – the first game of 2018. South Carolina finished the season 8-4, but the Gamecocks were a disaster on offense and only average on defense. Sophomore quarterback Jake Bentley was a disappointment. The South Carolina offense was so bad that head coach Will Muschamp fired his offensive coordinator – Kurt Roper – this week. At 8-4, Michigan was basically a disappointment. The offense was terrible – non-productive. The defense was much better. On defense the Wolverines were 1st in passing yards allowed – 142.7 yards a game; 3rd in total yards allowed – 268.6 yards a game; 14th in points allowed – 18.2 points a game, and 21st in rushing yards allowed – 125.9 yards a game. That’s a pretty good defense. Under third-year coach Jim Harbaugh, Michigan began the season 4-0. Then reality set in.
The second game of the New Year is the Peach Bowl – a New Year’s Six bowl – in Atlanta, between UCF (12-0) of the AAC and Auburn (10-3) from the SEC. UCF was the darling of the country this season. The Knights were the only FBS team to finish the season undefeated. Second-year coach Scott Frost, who is leaving the program for Nebraska, will coach UCF in the bowl game. The Knights were led by sophomore quarterback McKenzie Milton. Milton passed for 3,795 yards. He completed an amazing 69.2% of his passes. On offense, UCF was No. 1 in points scored – 49.4 points a game; 5th in total yards – 540.9 a game, and 7th in passing yards – 339.2 yards a game. If there was a weakness on the offense, it was the running game. Not much can be said about the Knights’ defense. It was pretty sad. But UCF always managed to outscore the other team. Auburn had two great wins during the season – beating Georgia and beating Alabama. Then the Tigers lost to Georgia in the SEC title game. The better half of Auburn was its defense. The Tigers were 10th in points allowed – 17.3 points a game; 15th in total yards allowed – 317.3 yards a game, and 17th in passing yards allowed – 182.8 yards a game. On offense Auburn was led by junior running back Kerryon Johnson and sophomore quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Johnson rushed for 1,320 yards and Stidham passed for 2,827 yards. Stidham completed 66.7% of his passes. The best part of Auburn’s offense was the running game. The Tigers were 22nd in rushing yards – 228.2 yards a game. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn just signed a seven-year extension.
Next on New Year’s Day is the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida, matching LSU (9-3) from the SEC and Notre Dame (9-3) an Independent. LSU lived by its defense in 2017. The offense didn’t live up to its potential. On defense, the Tigers were 13th in total yards allowed – 311.7 yards a game; 16th in points allowed – 18.8 points a game; 20th in passing yards allowed – 185.2 yards a game, and 23rd in rushing yards allowed – 126.4 yards allowed. The offense wasn’t highly ranked in anything. LSU finished the season strong, winning six of its last seven games. Notre Dame put up some good numbers on offense. The Irish defense was just barely better than average. The offense was led by junior running back Josh Adams who rushed for 1,386 yards. Notre Dame was 7th in rushing yards – 279.1 yards a game; 22nd in points scored – 35.3 points a game, and 25th in total yards – 454.9 yards a game. Notre Dame started the season 8-1; finished it 1-2.
And finally, the first of the two playoff games – the Rose Bowl from Pasadena, California, featuring Oklahoma (12-1) of the Big 12 and Georgia (12-1) from the SEC. Oklahoma lived by its offense in 2017 and it was a good one – perhaps the best in the country. The Sooners were led by senior quarterback Baker Mayfield – this year’s Heisman Trophy winner. Mayfield passed for 4,340 yards. He completed 71% of his passes. OU was No. 1 in total yards, averaging 583.3 yards a game. The Sooners were also 3rd in passing yards with 367.4 yards a game, and 4th in points scored – 44.9 points a game. I guess OU’s weak spot was rushing. The Sooners only averaged 215.9 yards a game – 27th in the country. The defense was definitely below average. OU comes into the bowl game on an eight-game winning streak. The Sooners are under rookie coach Lincoln Riley. Georgia achieved its 12-1 record with solid play on both sides of the ball, especially on defense. The Dawgs only weakness was passing. On defense, Georgia was 2nd in passing yards allowed – 158.3 yards a game; 4th in total yards allowed – 270.9 yards a game; 4th in points allowed – 13.2 points a game and 12th in rushing yards allowed – 112.6 yards a game. That’s impressive. On offense, Georgia was 11th in rushing yards, averaging 263.5 yards a game, and 23rd in points scored with 34.9 points a game. But the Dawgs were one of the worst teams in the country in passing yards. Georgia started the season winning its first nine games. The Dawgs come into the bowl game on a three-game winning streak. Georgia is coached by Kirby Smart in his second year with the Dawgs.
The last game on New Year’s Day is the second playoff game. The Sugar Bowl in New Orleans pits Clemson (12-1) from the ACC against Alabama (11-1) of the SEC. Clemson was good on offense, but the Tigers were better on defense – much better. On defense, Clemson was 2nd in points allowed – 12.8 points a game; 5th in total yards allowed – 277.9 yards a game; 8th in passing yards allowed – 165.1 yards a game, and 13th in rushing yards allowed – 112.8 yards a game. That’s pretty good. The Tigers weren’t great on offense. They were just solid, consistent and made few mistakes. They did average 35.4 points a game – 21st in the country. Clemson comes into the bowl riding a six-game winning streak. Alabama is the only team to make the playoff all four years. The Crimson Tide just barely got in this year, but it’s good they did. Alabama has the best combined offense and defense in the country. The Tide is better on defense, but the offense ain’t bad. On defense, Alabama is No. 1 in the country in points allowed – 11.5 points a game. Continuing, the Tide are 2nd in total yards allowed – 258.9 yards a game; 3rd in rushing yards allowed – 95.2 yards a game, and 7th in passing yards allowed – 163.7 yards a game. The offense has a few accolades too. Alabama is 10th in rushing yards – 265.3 yards a game; 12th in points scored – 39.1 points a game, and 17th in total yards – 470.8 yards a game. Alabama won its first 11 games, before losing to Auburn in its final game.
The post-season extravaganza concludes one week later on January 8 when the winner of the Oklahoma-Georgia game meets the winner of the Clemson-Alabama in Atlanta for the national championship.
That’s your preview of the 39 bowl games. It’s going to be a long haul from December 16 to January 1. So you better stock up on plenty of your favorite snacks – chili dogs, Sonora dogs, cold pizza, cherry peppers stuffed with prosciutto and provolone, whatever. And don’t forget the liquids – Irish Mules, Moscow Mules, beer – you don’t want to get dehydrated.
And leave room for the sweets – bourbon balls, buckeyes, pecan pie, etc. All washed down with good strong, espresso. It’s okay if you spike the espresso with a little something. After all, your favorite team may not win.
I’ll tell who is going to win on Monday when I post CFW – Week 16
Enjoy the bowls!
Touchdown Tom
December 8, 2017
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