Bowl Preview Blog. (Addition of 2nd writer)

I've been joined by another writer at this blog, which is probably weird for a blog this new. Pat McAreavy has joined me and he now has a preview for some upcoming blogs.

December 31, 2009 Bowl Games
New Year’s Eve is a time for lots of partying, heavy drinking, and of course an array of average to above average teams playing in bowl games. Here is a rundown of all of the bowl games you can catch before that clock strikes twelve and 2010 begins.(Although if you enjoy good football you might want to avoid a few of these games.)

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl @12 pm EST on ESPN
Houston vs. Air Force
To start off the day you get a mid-major battle between Houston and Air Force, a rematch from last year’s Armed Forces Bowl, in which Houston won a thriller 34-28. Houston is coming off a big season where they were ranked in the top 15, a big win over Oklahoma St. in Stillwater, and finishing 2nd in Conference USA and a solid 10-3 record. Air Force has a 7-5 record, but plays in the MWC which is proving itself a tougher conference than many had thought; BYU and Utah have both defeated PAC 10 opponents this bowl season. Regardless if you know anything about either team, this should be an exciting matchup. Houston features gunslinger Case Keenum who has 5,449 yards passing and 43 touchdowns with only 9 interceptions. This makes Houston’s passing attack the most potent in college football. However Keenum and Houston face the nation’s best at stop the pass. Air Force only allows 148.7 yards passing a game and last year held Keenum to 252 yards passing. Air Forces offense is quite the opposite of Houston. They run the ball more than 70 percent of the time, and they attack using the triple option. In my mind, this game will come down to Case Keenum’s efficiency and turnovers. Air Force is very discipline, and rarely turns the ball over. With that in mind I have to give the edge to Air Force because of their pass defense, their tough conference schedule, and lack of turnovers.

Air Force: 31
Houston: 27

Brut Sun Bowl @2 pm EST on CBS
Stanford vs. Oklahoma
This game is two big name schools playing in a small name bowl. If someone told me at the beginning of the year that Oklahoma would be playing in the Sun Bowl I’s have thought they were on drugs, and not good drugs, but here they are boasting a 7-5 record and coming into El Paso off a blowout win over in-state rival Oklahoma St. Stanford, on the other hand comes in on a little bit of a down note. About a month ago they were sitting in position to win the PAC 10 conference, and now they find themselves in the Sun Bowl. If it is any consolation prize for the Cardinal it is that they get to play traditional powerhouse Oklahoma which will lead to a large TV audience and possible exposure to potential recruits. The Sooners who are still without Sam Bradford will start freshman Landry Jones who has had trouble against proven defenses. Stanford will feature RB Toby Gerhardt, the Heisman runner-up, who has been running over defenses all season long. I think this is a down year for the Big 12, but Oklahoma showed signs of brilliance in their final game against Oklahoma St. The Cardinal have a lot to prove for themselves and the PAC 10. They think that they deserve a better bowl game, and I think that I would agree. I think Landry Jones has a tough game, but does some things right, but doesn’t do enough to knock off Gerhardt and Stanford.

Stanford: 20
Oklahoma: 17

Texas Bowl @3:30 pm EST on ESPN
Navy vs. Missouri
If the Big 12 gets a bowl win New Year’s Eve I believe this is where they have the best chance. Missouri’s passing offense has started to shine with emerging receiving threat Danario Alexander. Even though the Tigers are scoring in droves, their defense is allowing a lot of points, for example they gave up a whopping 40 points to a below average Baylor team. With Navy having a potent running attack that is all about the triple option Missouri could be giving up a lot of points, but again they will put up a lot of points because Navy’s pass defense is horrible ranking 119th in the nation. When Navy played Army the Midshipmen had trouble establishing the triple option because of some oversized athletic lineman. Missouri has a solid defensive front and a core of linebackers that are fairly disciplined. I think this game will come down to whose defense messes up the least, and big plays. Because of Missouri’s passing scheme I think that they have the best chance of scoring big plays. I think this will be one of the two or three games the Big 12 will win in a down year for the conference.

Missouri: 45
Navy: 27

Insight Bowl @6 pm EST on NFL Network
Iowa St. vs. Minnesota
This will be the third game of the day for the Big 12 featuring two 6-6 teams. To most of us this game will be about as exciting as a marathon of Dr. Quinn and Medicine Woman, but to a few people in Ames this is the Superbowl. Minnesota probably isn’t too excited to be here considering they have been to the Insight Bowl 3 of the last 4 years, but this game does hold something. The winner will finish the season above .500, and the loser finishes with a losing season. ISU and Minnesota’s offenses are pretty bad, Minnesota’s has especially declined since losing leading receiver Eric Decker to a season ending injury. The only common defense these two teams have played is Iowa, and it didn’t go well for either offense. ISU put up three points against them and Minnesota was shut out. So in my opinion this comes down to the defenses of the teams. ISU has a dreadful defense, while Minnesota has held up decently against Big 10 competition. I think this game has potential to be the least exciting of all the bowl games. The key players will be quarterback Austen Arnaud for ISU and quarterback Adam Weber for Minnesota. In this matchup the obvious winner would be Adam Weber, and I think that is how this game will play out. After three hours of stark boredom I think Minnesota will walk out of Tempe with the Insight Bowl trophy, and no one will care. Sorry ISU fans another losing season under the belt, but the future looks bright with energetic new coach Paul Rhoads.

Minnesota: 24
Iowa St: 13

Chick-Fil-a Bowl @7:30 pm EST on ESPN
Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee
Finally! What we have been waiting for. A matchup between two big name schools on New Year’s Eve, now that’s not too much to ask for is it? The formerly known Peach Bowl will be the reward we get for sitting through Navy vs. Missouri and ISU vs. Minnesota. Even though Tennessee doesn’t boast a very good record (7-5) they are still one of the most exciting teams in the land. They have a flamboyant coach in Lane Kiffin, and they always seem to play the good teams close. Examples include the 12-10 loss to Alabama which had to block a last second field goal to win, and a 23-13 loss to Florida at The Swamp. Virginia Tech, on the other hand, is also very talented, but has seemed to underachieve this season. They played against Alabama and Nebraska in non-conference games, and they looked very good for the first half of the season. Then they tripped up in two ACC games and two of their three losses are from BCS Bowl participants, and now find themselves in the Chick-fil-a Bowl. This game should have a subtitle by it: Tyrod Taylor vs. Jonathan Crompton. These two quarterbacks refuted all doubters with quality seasons, and Tyrod Taylor looking a lot like Michael Vick when he was at Va Tech. Crompton is slowly becoming one of the better passers in the SEC. This game will come down to defense and special teams. Frank Beamer, coach for the Hokies, has coined the name “Beamer Ball” for special teams, because he and his coaching staff work very hard on special teams. I think that we will see a score on special teams from the Hokies, and I think in an exciting, but not very close game, the Hokies will come out on top. The future looks very bright for both of these teams, and if they meet up in the post season again in the next few years, it very well could be a BCS Bowl.

Virginia Tech: 34
Tennessee: 21