Finally, after years of disagreement and controversy, the BCS will retire following this bowl season. Even better, is the fact that the National Championship game seems to feature the consensus top two teams in the nation. Auburn would have had a very strong argument even if Ohio State had won the Big Ten. Florida State has been the most consistently dominant team throughout this season, including a 45-7 thrashing of Duke in the ACC Championship. It should make for a great matchup on January 6th as Auburn looks to get the SEC its eighth consecutive National Championship, and FSU seeks its first since 1999. Prior to that date, however, are numerous intriguing bowl games that will surely whet your college football appetite.
Best Non-BCS Bowl Bowl Game
Oklahoma State vs Missouri, AT&T Cotton Bowl, January 3rd
This might actually wind up being the most entertaining bowl of the whole bowl season. Both teams will surely come into this game feeling disappointed after losing their final game of the season, I guarantee you they will both be up to play. They'll both want to prove that their season was no joke and finish strong. Adding to this is the fact that these two teams are actually quite familiar with each other, with Missouri being a former Big 12 member. OSU will want to represent the Big 12 well, while Mizzou will want to prove they were right to leave the Big 12 behind. This should be quite an offensive show as Missouri and OSU rank 16th and 15th in the nation, respectively, in points for. I'll take OSU in a slight upset as their defense is a bit better than Missouri's.
Disappointment Bowl
Oregon vs Texas, Valero Alamo Bowl, December 30th
Oregon came into 2013 guns a blazing, despite losing their head coach Chip Kelly to the Eagles. They were absolutely destroying teams early in the year, scoring a minimum of 42 points each of their first eight games. This included a trip to Washington and hosting #12 UCLA. Then came a tricky Thursday night game in early November in Stanford, where everything fell apart. They were held to 20 points, with 13 of those points coming in the final five minutes of the game. Despite this setback, they were still in the hunt for a BCS bowl game. Then, perhaps more surprisingly, they were dominated on the road by an unranked Arizona team and lost 42-16. Upsets are one thing, but getting destroyed in an upset is another. Now they wind up not even playing on New Year's Day. Ducks fans can find solace in the fact that Marcus Mariota announced he will come back to school next year.
Texas is an example of just how far a team can fall from grace. Normally a perennial contender under Mack Brown, the Longhorns lost back to back games early in the year at BYU and against Ole Miss. Despite beating Iowa State in controversial fashion, there was talk that Brown should be replaced. Brown took himself off the hot seat by beating down Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry, but raised the question once again by getting hammered by the other two ranked teams they faced, as they fell to Oklahoma State (38-13) and Baylor (30-10) with the Big 12 Title on the line. If there's a silver lining for the Longhorns in this game, it's the fact that it is played in San Antonio. That likely won't be enough as Oregon should throttle the Longhorns. I'll take the Ducks by at least three TDs.
Game That Should Be A Bigger Deal
Fresno State vs USC, Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl, December 21st
For the most part, the later the bowl is, the more important it is and the better the teams are. Here is an exception. This is actually the second bowl to kick off the bowl season, yet features two teams who finished ranked. USC will be using its third different head coach this year, and Fresno State will be wondering what could have been. Fresno had a very similar story to NIU, as they played in a weak conference, but were undefeated and handling teams with ease. Then came a Friday game at San Jose State. Not sure if they still had a turkey hangover, but San Jose State dropped 62 points on them in a non-overtime game, and won 62-52. Fresno's BCS hopes were dashed and, due to the lack of Mountain West bowl tie-ins, they wind up as an 11-1 team playing in the Las Vegas Bowl.
USC disappointment meanwhile, happened throughout the year, not just at the end. They lost to Washington State and were pulverized by Arizona State before firing head coach Lane Kiffin. The team rallied behind interim head coach Ed Orgeron, but lost its remaining two rivalry games to Notre Dame and UCLA. After not being offered the head coaching job at USC, Orgeron left the team leaving the Trojans in a state of limbo. This game is hard to call, but I'll take Fresno to beat the team from the power conference.
Potential Biggest Blowout
Oklahoma vs Alabama, Allstate Sugar Bowl, January 2nd
I was going to pick LSU over Iowa as the biggest blowout, but starting LSU QB Zach Mettenberger got injured and won't play. A lot of people probably see the Baylor/UCF game as the biggest one, but I actually think UCF will keep it closer than people think. Alabama, meanwhile, had its only loss come on the road to a team playing in the National Championship game. It took three missed field goals and a missed field goal return for a TD just to beat them. I'm still not convinced that if Auburn and Alabama played 10 times, that Alabama wouldn't win the majority of time. Alas, Alabama still gets a BCS bowl berth, and should have a decidedly home crowd advantage.
Oklahoma, meanwhile, actually finished behind Oregon, South Carolina, and Missouri in the final rankings, but got into a BCS bowl. Go figure. Their case was certainly strengthened by a win over Oklahoma State this past weekend. Still, they have two losses on their record and have played a lesser schedule than Alabama. On top of that, Oklahoma's starting quarterback Trevor Knight got injured in the OSU game. Even though Blake Bell was able to come in and perform effectively to win the OSU game, it's still a downgrade. Alabama has one of the best defenses in the country, and they'll look to make a statement. Bold final score prediction: 'Bama - 45, OU - 3.
Defensive Bowl
Stanford vs Michigan State, Rose Bowl, January 1st
If scoring is your thing, this might be one to skip. Both teams are ranked in the top 10 in points against. Stanford has shut down the likes of Oregon, Oregon State, and Arizona State, while the Spartans grounded Michigan and held Ohio State to its lowest point total of the season. Both team's offenses have the ability to put up points (see: Stanford's two games against Arizona State, Michigan State vs Ohio State), but I doubt they will. I expect an old school slug fest with little scoring, and plenty of hard hits. Ball control will be critical in this game as I expect few possessions for both teams and a field goal battle to ensue. I'll take the Spartans to end the Big 10's recent slump in the Rose Bowl.
National Championship
Auburn vs Florida State, National Championship, January 6th
While I would argue that from a matchup standpoint, Alabama would present more problems for Florida State, it is Auburn that wound up in the title game. The reason I think Florida State could run away with this one is how bad the Tigers' defense has been recently. Even though their three recent victories have been impressive and memorable, they have given up 38, 28, and 42 points in those games. Florida State's offense is more dangerous than the three Auburn faced in those games (Georgia, Alabama, Missouri), so I expect them to put up points in bunches. Florida State has actually scored 42 points in a half this season (42 vs Maryland). Auburn will have to keep up point for point with the Seminoles, and I don't think they can do so.
Auburn is still a one dimensional team, with a run first, middle, and last mentality. Florida State has one of, if not the, most athletic defenses in the country. Lost in the hype that their offense and Jameis Winston have gotten is the fact that Florida State's defense has been just as dominant. The Seminole defense has actually given up less points in their last five games than Auburn did this past Saturday. If they can stop, or at least slow down, this Auburn rushing attack, then I think the Seminoles have it in the bag. It'll be close early, but I think Florida State pulls away late as they win 38-14.
Matty O
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