College Football Extra – Touchdown Tom’s Bowl Game Preview
Happy Bowl Days, Happy Bowl Days
While the Quarterbacks Are Throwing
May Your Every Wish Come True
Happy Bowl Days, Happy Bowl Days
May the Calendar Keep Bringing
Happy Bowl Days To You
Your 2018 Bowl Game Preview
You don’t have to worry. The calendar will keep bringing
you bowl days for 24 days from December 15 to January 7. I just can’t promise
if they will be happy bowl days or not.
Yes, starting December 15, you will be entertained by 39
bowl games, plus the national championship game over a 24-day span. So it’s
time to get into your bowl daze.
The busiest of the bowl days will be New Year’s Eve –
December 31. There are six bowl games taking place on December 31, from 12 noon
ET to around 11 pm ET that night. That leaves you with plenty of time to get
out and celebrate the New Year.
The next busiest of the bowl days will be the opening
day, December 15, then on December 29, and on New Year’s Day – January 1. Those
three days are hosting five bowl games each. The longest of the three days will
be January 1. On New Year’s Day, the first game starts at 12 noon ET and the
last game won’t be over until around 12:15 am ET that night – or morning,
depending on your perspective.
With 39 bowl games, that means 78 of the 130 FBS teams
are playing in bowls. Well, as it turned out, 83 teams qualified for the 78
spots. Five teams were rejected – Liberty, Miami (Ohio), Southern Miss, ULM and
Wyoming. They must really feel good about themselves. What can I say?
Liberty is kind of the new kid on the block so they just
have to wait their turn. Miami (Ohio)? The selectors probably confused them
with the other Miami – Miami (Florida). And Miami (Florida) was already
selected. Maybe the Ohio Miami should change its name.
Southern Miss? Well, they got missed. ULM? Isn’t that a
town in Germany – Ulm? I think I remember driving through there back in my
European days. The problem with ULM is they can’t decide how to be referenced.
Whenever I read about them, I sometimes see them referenced as ULM, sometimes
as UL-Monroe, sometimes as UL Monroe and sometimes as Louisiana-Monroe. I’m
sure the bowl selectors were confused.
Wyoming? Why not? They are at the bottom –
alphabetically. Maybe they should change to UL Wyoming? No, that won’t work.
Then there are the 47 teams who didn’t qualify for a bowl. Just think how they
must feel. How do you feel, Florida State? Oops, sorry.
The ACC and the SEC each have 11 teams playing in bowl
games. They are followed by the Big Ten with nine teams playing. Three
conferences – the Big 12, Pac-12 and the AAC are represented by seven teams
each. The remaining four conferences, plus the Independents, have six or fewer
teams playing in bowl games.
Two bowls changed their names during the off-season and
one bowl changed its location – but kept the same name. What was the Heart of
Dallas Bowl is now the First Responder Bowl – still in Dallas. And what was the
Foster Farms Bowl in Santa Clara is now the Redbox Bowl – still in Santa Clara,
The Gasparilla Bowl kept the same name but moved across
the bay from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg to Raymond James Stadium in
Tampa.
Now that you know everything you need to know about the
bowl games, let’s preview each of the contests.
The first game on December 15 is the New Mexico Bowl from Albuquerque, matching North Texas (9-3) of C-USA
against Utah State (10-2) from the MWC. This promises to be a good matchup
to get us started. North Texas finished second in the West Division of C-USA. The
Mean Green have a good offense in passing yards (11th in the
country), total yards (15th in the country) and points scored (21st
in the country). North Texas is averaging 36.4 points a game. They are led by
junior quarterback Mason Fine who
passed for 3,734 yards this season, completing 64.6% of his throws. The Mean
Green are decent on defense – 15th in the country in rushing yards
allowed. Utah State lost its coach. Matt
Wells left for the job at Texas Tech. The Aggies will be coached by an
interim coach. Utah State is hot on offense – 3rd in the country in
points scored (47.2 points a game), 11th in total yards and 18th
in passing yards. The Aggies are led by sophomore quarterback Jordan Love who threw for 3,208 yards,
completing 65.8% of his passes this season. Utah State is weak on defense. The
Aggies lost their first game of the season and their last game. In between,
they won 10-straight games.
The second of five games on December 15 is the Cure Bowl from Orlando, Florida,
featuring Louisiana (7-6) of the Sun Belt against Tulane (6-6) from the AAC.
Louisiana is one of those teams that got better and better as the season went
along. On offense, the Rajin’ Cajuns are 19th on the country in
rushing yards (229.2 yards per game). Sophomore running back Trey Ragas rushed for 1,141 yards. Tulane
got hot towards the end of the season, winning four of its last five games. The
Green Wave are so-so on offense and defense. Their best mark is on offense – 30th
in the country in rushing yards. These two teams will most likely go at it on
the ground.
Next up is the Las
Vegas Bowl between Fresno State (11-2)
of the MWC against Arizona State (7-5) from the Pac-12. Fresno State, the champions of
the MWC, comes into the game winning 10 of its last 11 games. On offense, the
Bulldogs are 25th in the country in passing yards and 26th
in points scored – 34.9 points a game. Fresno State is led by senior quarterback
Marcus McMaryion. But the Bulldogs
strength is on defense – 3rd in the country in points allowed (13.7 points
per game), 17th in total yards allowed, 26th in rushing
yards allowed and 29th in passing yards allowed. Fresno State is
21-6 the last two years under coach Jeff
Tedford. Arizona State, under first-year coach Herm Edwards, won four of its last five games this season. The Sun
Devils are average on offense and defense, but they do have a good running
back. He is sophomore Eno Benjamin.
Benjamin rushed for 1,524 yards this season. The game could be McMaryion’s
passing against Benjamin’s running.
Back East, is the Camellia
Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama, between Eastern
Michigan (7-5) from the MAC and Georgia Southern (9-3) of the Sun Belt. On the surface, this game
just doesn’t have a lot of appeal. But often it is games like this that turn
out to be the most exciting. Eastern Michigan finished in second place in the
West Division of the MAC. The Eagles enter the game on a three-game winning streak.
EMU, coached by Chris Creighton, is
rather weak on offense, but the Eagles have a decent defense. They are 5th
in the country in passing yards allowed and 32nd in points allowed.
Under first-year coach Chad Lunsford,
Georgia Southern had an outstanding season. These Eagles are 9th in
the country in rushing yards – 261.5 yards a game. On the defensive side,
Georgia Southern is 27th in the country in points allowed – 21.6 points
a game.
The final game on December 15 is the New Orleans Bowl, pitting Appalachian
State (10-2) from the Sun Belt
against Middle Tennessee (8-5) of C-USA. Appalachian State won the Sun
Belt Conference. The Little Mountaineers will be coached by an interim coach
during the game, as head coach Scott
Satterfield has left for the Louisville job. App State is an all-around
team – outstanding on defense and good on offense. On defense, they are tops in
passing yards allowed (3rd in the country), total yards allowed (5th
in the country) and points allowed (6th in the country). The Little
Mountaineers only give up 15.7 points a game. On offense, App State is 15th
in rushing yards and 20th in points scored. They average 36.7 points
a game. App State enters the game on a five-game winning streak. Middle Tennessee
won the East Division of C-USA. The Blue Raiders are led by senior quarterback Brent Stockstill who passed for 3,203
yards this season. He completed 70.4% of his passes. Middle Tennessee is
average on offense and defense – not bad, but not that good either.
Three days later, on December 18, Northern Illinois (8-5) of the MAC
tangles with UAB (10-3) from C-USA in the Boca Raton Bowl. Northern Illinois are champions of the MAC. The
Huskies have a good defense, but a bad offense. On defense, they are 14th
in the country in rushing yards allowed, 26th in points allowed and
31st in total yards allowed. UAB are the champions of C-USA. The
Blazers are led by sophomore running back Spencer
Brown. Brown had 1,152 yards rushing this year. UAB has an outstanding
defense. The Blazers are 10th in points allowed (17.3 points a
game), 10th in total yards allowed, 16th in passing yards
allowed and 20th in rushing yards allowed. UAB is so-so on offense.
It’s only strength is its rushing game. The Blazers have an outstanding coach
in Bill Clark.
The next day is the Frisco
Bowl from Frisco, Texas, matching Ohio
(8-4) from the MAC against San Diego State (7-5) of the MWC. Ohio finished in second place in
the East Division of the MAC. The Bobcats are coached by Frank Solich in his 14th season. Ohio is led by senior
running back A.J. Ouellette. He
rushed for 1,142 yards this season. The Bobcats have a tough offense. They are
8th in rushing yards, 10th in points scored (41.2 points
a game) and 18th in total yards (470.8 yards a game). Ohio is weak
to fair on defense. San Diego State was a disappointment in 2018. But much of
that was due to injuries on offense. The Aztecs strength is defense where they
are 3rd in the country in rushing yards allowed – 94.5 yards per
game. San Diego State is hurting on offense.
On December 20, Marshall
(8-4) of C-USA meets South Florida (7-5) from the AAC in the Gasparilla Bowl from Tampa. Marshall is coached by Doc Holliday in his ninth year. The
Herd finished the season in second place in the East Division of C-USA.
Marshall is better on defense than on offense. The defense was 8th
in the nation in rushing yards allowed (103.9 per game) and 23rd in
total yards allowed. The Herd had no real strengths on offense. South Florida
is coached by Charlie Strong in his
second season. The Bulls began the season 7-0, then proceeded to lose
5-straight games. They suffered injuries on offense. South Florida is average
on offense and weak on defense – very weak.
Two bowls take place on December 21, the first of which
is the Bahamas Bowl from Nassau,
featuring Florida International (8-4)
from C-USA against Toledo (7-5) of the MAC. FIU is coached by Butch Davis in his second year. The
Panthers are just an average team on offense and defense. FIU’s best stat is on
defense where the Panthers are 26th in the country in passing yards
allowed. Toledo is consistently one of the better teams in the MAC, but the
Rockets were a little off this year. The defense was disappointing. The offense
was better. Toledo was 11th in the country in points scored (41.1 points
per game) and 23rd in rushing yards.
The other bowl on December 21 is the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl from Boise, pitting BYU (6-6) an Independent
against Western Michigan (7-5) of
the MAC. BYU, usually a strong team
on offense, was lacking an offense this season. Oddly enough, the Cougars’
strength was their defense. BYU was 18th
in total yards allowed, 27th in rushing yards allowed and 28th
in points allowed. Western Michigan started the season hot at 6-2. Then the
Broncos lost three of their last four games. WMU is led by junior running back LeVante Bellamy who rushed for 1,172
yards this season. The Broncos are decent on offense, but very weak on defense.
On offense, WMU was 29th in the country in total yards – 448.8 per
game.
Four bowls are scheduled for December 22. First up is Memphis (8-5) of the AAC playing Wake Forest (6-6) from the ACC
in the Birmingham Bowl. Memphis won
the West Division of the AAC and four of its last five games. The Tigers are
led by junior running back Darrell
Henderson and junior quarterback Brady
White. Henderson, one of the best running backs in the country, rushed for
1,909 yards this season. White passed for 3,125 yards. He completed 63.3% of
his throws. Memphis has a terrific offense, but a shoddy defense. On offense,
the Tigers are 4th in rushing yards, 4th in total yards
and 7th in points scored – 43.6 points a game. The defense is
pathetic. Wake Forest has a pretty good offense and a not so good defense.
Defensively, the Demon Deacons are one of the worst teams in the country in
almost every category. The offense is a little better – 24th in
rushing yards and 32nd in total yards – averaging 445.4 yards a game.
Heading to Texas, Army
(9-2) an Independent plays Houston (8-4) from the AAC in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth. Army is coached by Jeff Monken in his fifth year. The
Cadets still have one game remaining before the bowl. They have their annual meeting
with Navy tomorrow. Army is currently riding a 7-game winning streak. The
Cadets one strength on offense is their running game. They are 2nd
in the country in rushing yards – 303 yards per game. Interestingly, Army is
very strong on defense. The Cadets are 11th in total yards allowed,
12th in rushing yards allowed, 17th in points allowed and
30th in passing yards allowed. Houston is coached by Major Applewhite in his second year.
The Cougars are led by junior quarterback D’Eriq
King. King passed for 2,982 yards this season. He completed 63.5% of his
passes. Houston has a great offense and a terrible defense. On offense, the
Cougars are 4th in the country in points scored – 46.4 points a
game. They are 6th in total yards, 14th in passing yards
and 20th in rushing yards. But on defense Houston is one of the
worst teams in the country in all phases.
Next up is the Dollar
General Bowl from Mobile, Alabama, between Buffalo (10-3) of the MAC
and Troy (9-3) from the Sun Belt. Buffalo won the East Division
of the MAC. The Bulls are led by junior quarterback Tyree Jackson. Jackson passed for 2,857 yards this year. Buffalo is
so-so on offense and defense. The Bulls best mark on offense is points scored.
They are 28th in the country, averaging 34.8 points a game.
Buffalo’s best on defense is passing yards allowed. They are 19th in
the country. Troy is coached by Neal
Brown in his fourth year. The Trojans come into the bowl winning four of
their last five games. Troy is better on defense than offense. On the defensive
side, the Trojans are 23rd in the nation in points allowed, 28th
in total yards allowed and 29th in rushing yards allowed. On offense
Troy is below average.
The last game on December 22 is the Hawaii Bowl from Honolulu between Hawaii (8-5) from the MWC
and Louisiana Tech (7-5) of C-USA. Hawaii finished in second place
in the West Division of the MWC. The Rainbow Warriors exceeded their
expectations this season. Hawaii is led by sophomore quarterback Cole McDonald. He passed for 3,790
yards this season. In fact, the Warriors are 9th in the country in
passing yards – averaging 321.2 yards per game. But on defense, Hawaii is,
without a doubt, one of the worst defensive teams in the country. They are
giving up 35.4 points a game. Only 19 teams in FBS football give up more
points. Louisiana Tech is coached by Skip
Holtz. The Bulldogs are not real swift on offense. Passing is their best
trait. They aren’t much better on defense. But they are 28th in the
country in passing yards allowed.
The first of three bowls on the day after Christmas pits Boston College (7-5) of the ACC against Boise State (10-3) from the MWC
in the First Responder Bowl from
Dallas. Boston College began the season 7-2. Then the Eagles lost their last
three games. BC is average on offense and defense – not good, but not bad
either. The Eagles are coached by Steve
Addazio in his sixth year. Boise State won the Mountain Division of the
MWC. The Broncos finished the season winning seven of their last eight games.
Boise State is led by senior quarterback Brett
Rypien and junior running back Alexander Mattison. Rypien passed for
3,705 yards, completing 67.3% of his throws. Mattison rushed for 1,415 yards
this season. The Broncos play pretty good offense and defense. On offense, they
are 17th in passing yards, 23rd in total yards and 25th
in points scored – 35.4 points a game. On defense Boise State is 23rd
in rushing yards allowed – 122.9 yards per game.
Over to Michigan for the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit between Minnesota (6-6) from the Big
Ten and Georgia Tech (7-5) of the
ACC. Minnesota is weak on offense
and not much better on defense – but a little. The Gophers points scored and
points allowed per game testifies to their 6-6 record. They average 28.5 points
a game on offense and give up 27.9 points a game on defense. Georgia Tech will
be playing its last game under coach Paul
Johnson. In his 11th year with the Yellow Jackets, Johnson is
resigning after the game. Tech comes into the encounter winning four of its
last five games. The Jackets are led by senior quarterback TaQuon Marshall who does both the passing and the running – but not
much passing. Only three teams in the country are worse than Tech in passing
yards. However, the Jackets are the No. 1 team in the country in rushing yards
– 335 yards per game. They are also 22nd in points scored – 35.6 points per game. The
defense is the weak side of Tech, but it's not all that bad.
The final bowl on December 26 is the Cheez-It Bowl from Phoenix, Arizona, matching California (7-5) of the Pac-12
against TCU (6-6) from the Big 12. California exceeded
expectations this season finishing 7-5. The Golden Bears weren’t much on
offense, in fact, pretty bad. But defense was a different story. Overall, Cal
was one of the better defenses in the country. The Bears were 16th in
total yards allowed, 23rd in passing yards allowed, 24th
in points allowed and 31st in rushing yards allowed. On the other
hand, TCU was a disappointment in 2018. The Horned Frogs were expected to do
better. TCU is coached by Gary Patterson
in his 18th year. The Frogs were downright terrible on offense. And
surprisingly, they weren’t that good on defense. Usually Patterson’s teams are
tops on defense. TCU’s best mark was 27th in total yards allowed –
344.4 yards per game.
The first of three games on December 27 is the Independence Bowl in Shreveport,
Louisiana, between Temple (8-4) of
the AAC and Duke (7-5) from the ACC.
Temple finished the season in second place in the East Division of the AAC. The
Owls only conference loss was to UCF. Temple comes into the bowl on a
three-game winning streak. The Owls are led by senior running back Ryquell Armstead. He rushed for 1,098
yards this season. Temple is not great on offense. But the Owls aren’t bad
either. It’s the same story on defense – not great, but not bad. Their best
mark on offense is 24th in points scored – 35.6 points a game.
Temple’s best position on defense is 7th in passing yards allowed –
166.3 yards per game. Duke is coached by David
Cutcliffe in his 11th year. In general, Duke is below average on
offense and a little worse on defense.
The action moves up to the Big Apple for the Pinstripe Bowl from New York City,
matching Miami (Florida) (7-5) from
the ACC against Wisconsin (7-5) of the Big
Ten. Ironically, these two teams met in the postseason last year in the
Orange Bowl. Wisconsin won that game. To say the least, Miami was a big
disappointment in 2018. But, then again, so was Wisconsin. Neither team
measured up to expectations. Miami’s strength is its defense. The Canes were
hurting on offense. On defense, Miami was No. 1 in the country in passing yards
allowed, 2nd in total yards allowed, 14th in points
allowed and 24th in rushing yards allowed. The Canes are coached by Mark Richt in his third year. Yes,
Wisconsin fell flat in 2018. The only good thing about the Badgers was
sophomore running back Jonathan Taylor.
Taylor was sensational. He rushed for 1,989 yards. Aside from Taylor, the
Badgers were pretty sad on offense and defense. But because of Taylor,
Wisconsin was 7th in the country in rushing yards – 268.4 yards per
game.
The last game on December 27 is between Baylor (6-6) of the Big 12 and Vanderbilt (6-6) from the SEC
in the Texas Bowl from Houston. Baylor
is coached by Matt Rhule in his
second year. The Bears are rather average on offense and a little below average
on defense. Their best mark is on defense – 22nd in passing yards
allowed. Vanderbilt is led by senior quarterback Kyle Shurmur. Shurmur passed for 2,844 yards this season. He
completed 64% of his passes. Like Baylor, Vandy is average on offense and below
average on defense.
December 28 shares three bowl games and the first one of
the day is the Music City Bowl from
Nashville, between Purdue (6-6) of
the Big Ten and Auburn (7-5) from the SEC.
Purdue is coached by Jeff Brohm in
his second year. The Boilers began the season 0-3, then won six of their last
nine games. Purdue is led by senior quarterback David Blough. He passed for 3,521 yards this season. Blough
completed 66.6% of his throws. On offense, the Boilers are one of the best
passing teams in the country, but one of the worst rushing teams. Purdue is 10th
in passing yards (317.8 yards per game) and 24th in total yards.
Only 20 teams are worse than Purdue in rushing yards. Defense is non-existent
at Purdue. Auburn was a disappointing team in 2018 – very disappointing. The
offense, which was supposed to be strong, was practically non-existent.
Offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey
has been fired. Quarterback Jarred
Stidham, who has another year of eligibility, is leaving the team because
the situation is so bad. The Tigers only claim to fame is points allowed on
defense – 19.6 points per game (18th in the country).
The action moves to Florida for the Camping World Bowl in Orlando, matching West Virginia (8-3) from the Big
12 against Syracuse (9-3) of the
ACC. West Virginia is coached by Dana Holgorsen in his eighth year. The
Mountaineers are led by senior quarterback Will
Grier and senior receivers David
Sills and Gary Jennings. Grier
passed for 3,864 yards in 2018, completing 67% of his passes. He was a strong
candidate for the Heisman until WVU lost to Oklahoma State and Oklahoma in two
of its last three games. Sills caught 15 touchdown passes this season and
Jennings had 917 yards on receptions. WVU is very strong on offense – 3rd
in the country in passing yards, 8th in total yards and 9th
in points scored – 42.3 points a game. On defense, the Mountaineers are weak,
especially against the pass. Syracuse was a surprise team in 2018, finishing
second in the Atlantic Division of the ACC. The Orange are led by senior
quarterback Eric Dungey. Syracuse is
strong on offense and weak on defense. On offense, the Orange are 12th
in points scored, 16th in total yards and 26th in rushing
yards.
The last game on December 28 takes place in San Antonio,
Texas, where Iowa State (8-4) of the
Big 12 takes on Washington State (10-2) from the Pac-12 in the Alamo Bowl.
Iowa State lost three of its first four games. Then the Cyclones won seven of
their last eight games. Iowa State is led by freshman quarterback Brock Purdy and junior running back David Montgomery. The Cyclones aren’t
much on offense, but they are pretty good on defense. Washington State is
coached by Mike Leach in his seventh
year. The Cougars were a surprise team in the Pac-12, finishing second in the
North Division. The Cougars are led by senior quarterback Gardner Minshew. He passed for 4,477 yards in 2018, completing
70.6% of his throws. On offense, Washington State is 1st in passing
yards (379.8 yards per game), 15th in points scored and 22nd
in total yards. The Cyclones are better than average on defense – 29th
in total yards allowed.
The first of five bowls on December 29 is the first of
the six New Year’s Six bowls to be played – the Peach Bowl from Atlanta, with Florida
(9-3) of the SEC taking on Michigan (10-2) from the Big Ten. Florida is coached by Dan Mullen in his first season. The
Gators are fair to midland on offense. They are 27th in rushing
yards and 32nd in points scored. The offense improved as the season
progressed. Florida is decent on defense – 9th in passing yards
allowed, 21st in points allowed and 26th in total yards
allowed. The Gators come into the bowl on a three-game winning streak. Michigan
is coached by Jim Harbaugh in his
fourth year. The Wolverines are led by senior running back Karan Higdon. Michigan’s offense is so-so. The Wolverines are 19th
in the country in points scored and 25th in rushing yards.
Michigan’s strength is its defense. The Wolverines are 1st in total
yards allowed, 2nd in passing yards allowed, 12th in
points allowed and 17th in rushing yards allowed. Their defense is a
complete package.
From Atlanta, the action moves up the road to Charlotte,
North Carolina, for the Belk Bowl,
featuring South Carolina (7-5) of
the SEC against Virginia (7-5) from the ACC.
South Carolina was a disappointment in 2018. The Gamecocks were expected to do
better. They are led by junior quarterback Jake
Bentley who passed for 2,953 yards. He completed 63.9% of his passes. South
Carolina was better on offense than defense, but not much. On offense, the
Gamecocks were 24th in passing yards. On defense, they weren’t good
at anything. South Carolina is coached by Will
Muschamp in his third year. Virginia was a bit of a surprise in 2018. The
Cavaliers performed better than expected. Virginia was lousy on offense. The
Cavaliers were better on defense where they were 14th in passing
yards allowed and 25th in total yards allowed.
Moving out west, the next bowl is the Arizona Bowl in Tucson, matching Arkansas State (8-4) from the Sun Belt against Nevada (7-5) of the MWC.
Arkansas State had a good year but not quite as good as expected. The Red
Wolves are led by senior quarterback Justice
Hansen. Hansen passed for 3,172 yards this season, completing 67% of his
passes. Arkansas State is good on offense – not so good on defense. On offense,
the Red Wolves are 21st in total yards (464.8 yards per game) and 23rd
in passing yards. On defense, Arkansas State is 12th in passing
yards allowed. The Red Wolves come into the bowl riding a four-game winning
streak. Nevada comes into the bowl winning four of its last five games. The
Wolf Pack are led by senior quarterback Ty
Gangi. He passed for 3,131 yards in 2018. Nevada’s best mark on offense is
in passing yards. The Wolf Pack were 20th in the country, averaging
285.3 yards per game through the air. Nevada is a little shaky on defense.
The final two bowls on December 29 are the semifinal
games in the college playoff for the national championship. First of the two is
the Cotton Bowl Classic in
Arlington, Texas, between Clemson (13-0)
from the ACC and Notre Dame (12-0) an Independent. Clemson is coached by Dabo Swinney in his 10th-plus
year. The Tigers are led by freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence and sophomore running back Travis Etienne. Lawrence passed for 2,606 yards this season and
Etienne rushed for 1,464 yards. Lawrence completed 64.8% of his passes. Clemson
is hot on offense and defense. On offense, the Tigers are 5th in
total offense, 5th in points scored (45.4 points per game), 10th
in rushing yards and 28th in passing yards. Not bad. But the defense
is better. On defense, Clemson is 2nd in points allowed (13.7 points
per game), 4th in rushing yards allowed, 6th in total
yards allowed and 18th in passing yards allowed. Clemson had two
close wins all season – 28-26 over Texas A&M and 27-23 over Syracuse. The
Tigers literally clobbered their other 11 opponents. Notre Dame is coached by Brian Kelly in his ninth year. The
Irish are led by junior quarterback Ian
Book. Book passed for 2,468 yards this season, completing 70.4% of his
passes. The Irish are better than average on offense. Their best mark is 27th
in total yards – 456.4 yards per game. On defense, Notre Dame is much better.
The Irish are 9th in points allowed (17.2 points a game) and 22nd
in total yards allowed. The Irish won five of their games by 8 points or less
and one game by 10 points. They clobbered the other six opponents.
The second semifinal game features Alabama (13-0) of the SEC
against Oklahoma (12-1) from the Big 12 in the Orange Bowl from Miami Gardens, Florida. Alabama is coached by Nick Saban in his 12th year. Alabama is led by sophomore
quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and
senior running back Damien Harris.
Tagovailoa passed for 3.353 yards this year and Harris rushed for 771 yards. Tagovailoa
completed 67.7% of his passes. Alabama is a king on offense and defense. On
offense, the Tide are 2nd in points scored (47.9 points a game), 7th
in passing yards and 7th in total yards. The defense is just as good
if not better – 4th in points allowed. 9th in total yards
allowed, 13th in passing yards allowed and 19th in
running yards allowed. Impressive. Alabama clobbered 12 of the 13 teams the
Tide played. The one close game was over Georgia, 35-28. Oklahoma is coached by
Lincoln Riley in his second year.
The Sooners are led by junior quarterback Kyler
Murray and freshman running back Kennedy Brooks. Murray passed for 4,053
yards in 2018 and Brooks ran for 1,021 yards. Murray completed 70.9% of his
passes. The difference between Oklahoma’s offense and defense is like the
difference between night and day. On offense, the Sooners are 1st in
two categories – total yards and points scored. They average 578.1 yards a game
and 49.5 points a game. They are 8th in passing yards and 11th
in rushing yards. How do you stop them? On the other hand, the Oklahoma defense
is a laughing matter. Of the 130 FBS teams, the Sooners are 129th in
passing yards allowed and 108th in total yards allowed. They are not
much better in points allowed – 32.4 points a game. Oklahoma is the only one of
the four playoff teams with a loss. That loss was to Texas, 48-45. The Sooners
revenged that loss at the end of the season, 39-27.
There are six bowl games on New Year’s Eve. The first of
the six is the Military Bowl in
Annapolis, Maryland, pitting Cincinnati
(10-2) from the AAC against Virginia Tech (6-6) of the ACC. Cincinnati was a surprise team in
2018. The Bearcats quietly went about winning 10 games. This was a big
improvement from last year’s 4-8 record. On offense, Cincinnati is 16th
in rushing yards, 25th in total yards and 27th in points
scored. The Bearcats are even better on defense – much better. They are 5th
in rushing yards allowed, 7th in total yards allowed, 7th
in points allowed and 25th in passing yards allowed. Not bad.
Virginia Tech is coached by Justin Fuente in his third year. The Hokies are
playing in their 26th consecutive bowl – longest bowl streak in the
country. There is not much you can really say about Virginia Tech’s offense or
defense. They are up and down. Neither are strong.
Moving along, the next bowl is the Sun Bowl from El Paso, Texas, between Stanford (8-4) from the Pac-12
and Pitt (7-6) of the ACC. Stanford is coached by David Shaw in his eighth year. The
Cardinal is led by junior quarterback K.J.
Costello. He passed for 3,435 yards this year, completing 64.4% of his
passes. Stanford is not particularly good on offense or defense – perhaps a
little batter on offense. The Cardinal are 19th in passing yards –
287.1 yards per game. They have no high rankings on defense. Pitt won the
Coastal Division of the ACC. Everyone has been scratching their head ever since
trying to figure out how it happened. The Panthers are led by senior running
back Qadree Ollison. Ollison rushed
for 1,190 yards this season. Except for rushing, Pitt is pretty miserable on
offense. The Panthers are 18th in rushing yards – 229.5 yards per
game. Pitt is even worse on defense.
Staying out west, Michigan
State (7-5) of the Big Ten
tangles with Oregon (8-4) from the Pac-12 in the Redbox Bowl from Santa Clara, California. Michigan State struggled
through the season with one of the worst offenses in the country. There is
absolutely nothing good you can say about the Spartans offense. Defense was a
different matter. Michigan State had one of the better defenses in the country.
The Spartans were 1st in rushing yards allowed (81.3 yards per
game), 13th in points allowed and 14th in total yards
allowed. Oregon is led by junior quarterback Justin Herbert. He passed for 2,985 yards this year. The Ducks are
pretty good on offense. They are 17th in the country in points
scored – 37.2 points per game. Defense, on the other hand, is not so good. So
in this game, you have one of the country’s worst offenses going up against one
of the country’s worst defenses.
Heading back east to Memphis, Missouri (8-4) from the SEC
meets Oklahoma State (6-6) of the Big 12 in the Liberty Bowl. Missouri comes into the game on a four-game winning
streak. The Tigers are led by senior quarterback Drew Lock. Lock passed for 3,125 yards in 2018, completing 63.2% of
his passes. Missouri has a pretty good offense. The Tigers are 18th
in points scored, 19th in total yards and 27th in passing
yards. Missouri, however, is a little loose on defense. The one good mark is
rushing yards allowed – 22nd in the country. Oklahoma State is
coached by Mike Gundy in his 14th
year. The Cowboys are led by senior quarterback Taylor Cornelius. Cornelius passed for 3,637 yards this season.
Okie State is good on offense – 10th in total yards (499.2 yards per
game), 12th in passing yards and 14th in points scored. But
the defense at Okie State is pretty much like their cousins in Norman – pretty
bad. Doesn’t say much for defense in the State of Oklahoma.
Now let’s jump out to the west coast for the Holiday Bowl in San Diego where Northwestern (8-5) of the Big Ten faces Utah (9-4) from the Pac-12.
Northwestern is coached by Pat
Fitzgerald in his 13th year. The Wildcats won the West Division
of the Big Ten. Northwestern is led by senior quarterback Clayton Thorson. This season, Thorson passed for 2,942 yards. The
Wildcats have an awful offense. And sadly, although better, the defense isn’t
that much better. Can’t say much about the Big Ten West. Utah is coached by Kyle Whittingham in his 13th
year. The Utes won the South Division of the Pac-12. Utah’s offense is
definitely below average, but the defense is much better. Utah is 7th
in rushing yards allowed, 15th in total yards allowed and 16th
in points allowed.
Back to the east coast for the nightcap on New Year’s Eve
in Jacksonville, Florida, for the Gator
Bowl, testing NC State (9-3)
from the ACC against Texas A&M (8-4) of the SEC. NC State is led by senior
quarterback Ryan Finley. Finley
passed for 3,789 yards this season. He completed 67.9% of his passes. The
Wolfpack are good on offense; okay to so-so
on defense. On offense, NC State is 6th in passing yards (327.7
yards per game), 17th in total yards and 23rd in points
scored. On defense, the Pack are 13th in rushing yards allowed.
That’s about all you can say for the defense. Texas A&M is coached by Jimbo Fisher in his first year. The
Aggies are led by junior running back Trayveon
Williams and sophomore quarterback Kellen
Mond. Williams ran for 1,524 yards in 2018 and Mond passed for 2,967 yards.
Texas A&M is in good shape on offense – 20th in the country in
total yards and 29th in points scored. Defense is so-so, but the
Aggies are 2nd in the country in rushing yards allowed – 92 yards
per game.
Happy New Year!
The first of five games on New Year’s Day in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, pitting Mississippi State (8-4) of the SEC against Iowa (8-4) from the Big Ten.
Break out the Bloody Mary’s. Mississippi State is led by senior quarterback Nick Fitzgerald. He passed for 1,615
yards and rushed for 1,018 yards in 2018. The Bulldogs are below average on
offense. Their only good mark is 21st in rushing yards – 226.4 yards
per game. However, Miss State is very good on defense – very good. The Bulldogs
are 1st in points allowed (12 points per game), 3rd in
total yards allowed, 6th in passing yards allowed and 10th
in rushing yards allowed. That’s outstanding. Iowa is coached by Kirk Ferentz in his 20th
year. The Hawkeyes are led by junior quarterback Nate Stanley. Stanley passed for 2,638 yards this season. Iowa is
not the best on offense. But on defense, the Hawkeyes excel – 8th in
total yards allowed, 9th in rushing yards allowed, 11th
in points allowed and 23rd in passing yards allowed. That’s amazing.
Heading east on I-4 is Orlando where Kentucky (9-3) from the SEC
meets Penn State (9-3) of the Big Ten in the Citrus Bowl. Kentucky is coached by Mark Stoops in his sixth year. The Wildcats are led by junior
running back Benny Snell. Snell
rushed for 1,330 yards this season. Kentucky is fairly weak on offense – no
real strengths. But the Wildcats shine on defense. They are eighth in points
allowed (16.2 points a game), 17th in passing yards allowed and 20th
in total yards allowed. Penn State is coached by James Franklin in his fifth year. The Nittany Lions are led by
senior quarterback Trace McSorley
and junior running back Miles Sanders.
Sanders rushed for 1,223 yards this year. Penn State’s offense is rather flat.
The defense is better. The Nittany Lions are 20th in points allowed
and 21st in passing yards allowed.
The last three bowl games on January 1 are the last three
of the New Year’s Six bowls. The first of the three big bowls is the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona,
matching LSU (9-3) of the SEC against UCF (12-0) from the AAC.
LSU is coached by Ed Orgeron in his
second-plus year. The Tigers are led by junior quarterback Joe Burrow. Burrow passed for 2,500 yards in 2018. LSU is below
average on offense. The Tigers have few strengths on defense. Their best mark
is 22nd in points allowed – 20.9 points a game. UCF is coached by Josh Heupel in his first year. The
Knights lost their star quarterback junior McKenzie
Milton to a knee injury. They are led by sophomore running back Greg McCrae. He rushed for 1,101 yards
this season. UCF’s strength is definitely its offense. The Knights are 3rd
in the country in total yards (545.7 yards per game), 6th in rushing
yards and 6th in points scored. On defense, UCF’s only claim to fame
is points allowed – 25th in the nation.
Staying out west, Ohio
State (12-1) from the Big Ten
takes on Washington (10-3) of the Pac-12 in the granddaddy of them all –
the Rose Bowl. Ohio State is led by
sophomore quarterback Dwayne Haskins
and sophomore running back J.K. Dobbins.
Haskins passed for 4,580 yards in 2018 and Dobbins rushed for 1,029 yards. Haskins
completed 70.2% of his throws. The Buckeyes are very strong on offense – 2nd
in total yards (548.9 yards per game), 2md in passing yards and 8th
in points scored. Ohio State is rather lacking on defense. No strengths.
Washington is coached by Chris Petersen
in his fifth year. The Huskies are led by senior quarterback Jake Browning and senior running back Myles Gaskin. Browning passed for 2,879
yards this year and Gaskins rushed for 1,147 yards. Browning completed 65% of
his passes. Washington is fairly weak on offense. But on defense, the Huskies
are one of the better teams in the country. They are 5th in points
allowed, 12th in total yards allowed, 16th in rushing
yards allowed and 20th in passing yards allowed. Washington comes
into the bowl on a four-game winning streak.
The final bowl game of the holiday season is the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans between Georgia (11-2) of the SEC and Texas (9-4) from the Big 12.
Georgia is coached by Kirby Smart in
his third season. The Bulldogs are led by sophomore quarterback Jake Fromm and sophomore running back D’Andre Swift. Fromm passed for 2,537
yards in 2018 and Swift rushed for 1,037 yards. Fromm completed 68.4% of his
passes. Georgia ranks as one of the top offensive and defensive teams in the
country. On offense, the Bulldogs are 12th in the country in rushing
yards (252.1 yards per game), 13th in points scored and 13th
in total yards. On defense, they are 13th in total yards allowed,
15thin passing yards allowed and 15th in points allowed. Texas is
coached by Tom Herman in his second
year. The Longhorns are led by sophomore quarterback Sam Ehlinger. He passed for 3,123 yards this season, completing
64.3% of his throws. Texas is pretty average on offense and defense – not
particularly strong and not particularly weak. Although the Longhorns are bad
on pass defense – 114th in the country in passing yards allowed.
Only 16 teams are worse.
The college football season comes to an end on January 7
in Santa Clara, California, with the national championship game. Alabama vs.
Clemson, Alabama vs. Notre Dame, Oklahoma vs. Clemson or Oklahoma vs. Notre
Dame – what will it be? Stay tuned!
The only thing you need to do now to complete your bowl
game viewing experience is plan your menu. After all, 24 days, you don’t want
to go that long without eating. You could starve to death.
And you have to plan for the daytime games, the evening
games and the night games. That means you have to have munchies, entrees and
desserts, along with beverages.
Munchies? Just pick your favorites – chips, pretzels, cherry
peppers stuffed with prosciutto and provolone cheese, whatever. The holiday
Chex Mix is always good. Entrees? Now I would suggest chili dogs and cold
pizza. You can’t go wrong with that. Desserts? My choosing would be bourbon
balls, buckeyes (not the Ohio State kind, but the peanut butter covered in
chocolate kind), fudge and more bourbon balls.
For the beverages – your favorite beer. Also throw in
some Irish Mules. Moscow Mules or Kentucky Mules if you prefer. For the games
starting at 12 noon, Bloody Mary’s wouldn’t be bad. For the games starting at 8
p.m. or later, Irish Coffee would be appropriate. And more bourbon balls.
Twenty-four days of a diet like that and you will be fit
as a fiddle.
Enjoy the bowl games.
Touchdown Tom
December 7, 2018
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