David Stagg

McCoy, Bowden, and Dalton all have bigs dogs in the bowl game fights this year

By Barry Stagg

As much as I love to bet on sports, my brother always seems to outdo me. A virtual king of trivial sports information (and what players in the NFL formerly played at Texas Tech), he weighs in on this season's most interesting bowl matchups.

I don’t know if I can actually believe what I’m about to say, but I think the BCS got it right this year. It’s not perfect, but it is pretty good:

1. I do think Alabama and Texas are 1 and 2, respectively.
2. I don’t think TCU and Boise St. have anything to prove by playing Iowa or Georgia Tech. Both TCU and Boise St. are better than Iowa or Georgia Tech.
3. It would’ve been fun to see a TCU vs. Florida game and a Boise vs. Cincinnati game, but I’ll still settle for a TCU/Boise St. match.

I also won’t cry that a playoff system is necessary (based on this year) because both Gary Patterson and Chris Petersen have said that they are in favor of the current system and believe in it.

So if I’m not getting excited about BCS chaos and underdog stories, what is there to get excited about? I think there’s plenty of good football and good story lines out there. I’ll give you the games I’m looking forward to the most (other than watching my alma mater Texas Tech stomp a suspension riddled Michigan State team) AND I’ll throw in some advice on how to beat Vegas in these games as well.

1. Colt McCoy

   1. BCS Championship Game (1) Alabama vs. (2) Texas Not hard to chose what I’m most excited about here. Number one versus number two. National Title on the line. Alabama seems to be peaking and Texas is playing some sloppy football. That being said, the teams have a month to prepare and get healthy. Let’s see if Mack Brown is worth that extra 2 million a year that UT just gave him. If Alabama wins, I have a feeling Nick Saban’s agent will be clamoring for a raise for his client too. Line Alabama by 5 Take Texas +5. Early line was Texas -3 until always tough rivalry against Texas A&M and Big 12 Championship game against a very talented NU defense.

2. Andy Dalton

   2. Fiesta Bowl (4) TCU vs. (6) Boise State In a rematch of last years Poinsettia Bowl, Boise State returns to the Fiesta bowl, where they last gave us perhaps the best college football game of our generation in a win against Oklahoma, to face a TCU team that some would argue should be playing in the National Championship game. Most people have not watched TCU this year and it’ll be exciting to see how they play with major media surrounding them for the first time this season. Most importantly, this game is exciting because it pits two great football teams against each other. If TCU beats Boise with style and Texas squeaks out a sloppy win against ‘Bama, then we might even see TCU share the National Championship. Line TCU by 6.5 Take TCU -6.5. TCU’s Jerry Hughes led defense will contain the Boise offense much like Oregon did. The safer play might be Under 54.5 though. TCU will shorten the game and create turnovers.

3. Jim Harbaugh

   3. Sun Bowl (21) Stanford vs. Oklahoma I think this game excites me so much is because of how much I love Stanford and hate Oklahoma. (This game is also huge for the Sun Bowl after last year’s 3-0 snooze fest of Pitt v Oregon State.) I gained so much love for the Cardinal after they went for 2 against USC while already romping them. Sticking it to USC for all the little guys out there. Toby Gerhart is also a very exciting runner (would not mind at all seeing him in a Texans uniform). Sad to hear that Andrew Luck, son of Houston Dynamo owner Oliver Luck (whom I’ve shared a delicious Lone Star beer with), probably won’t play. This sets the table for Tavitia Pritchard to return for Stanford. Pritchard first charmed my heart when he led 41 point underdog Stanford to perhaps the biggest upset in college football history, beating USC 24-23 in 2007. Oklahoma’s defense is stellar, led by Gerald McCoy. They’ll have a tough task in containing Gerhart. This game is the underdog story I’m looking forward to. Line Oklahoma by 9 Take Cardinal +9. You might even want to take Stanford on the moneyline if Andrew Luck is cleared to play. A possible let down for the Sooners. Stanford is fired up.

4. Bobby Bowden

   4. Gator Bowl (16) West Virginia vs. Florida State This game is all about Bobby Bowden. Love him, hate him, apathetic? This is a game you won’t want to miss. A true legend is retiring. And how fitting to be playing against WVU. Excellent work by the Gator Bowl committee making this game happen. Line West Virginia by 3 Take WVU -3. I know it will be emotional with Bobby Bowden coaching his last game against his former team, but WVU’s team speed will pull away from FSU.

5. Terrelle Pryor

   5. Rose Bowl (8) Ohio St. vs. (7) Oregon I’m normally an Ohio St. hater, but I think they’re playing very good football lately. Lately being the operative word, as it will be over a month since the Buckeyes last game when they take on the Ducks. Oregon was in the Terrelle Pryor running before he decided to side with OSU, so it’ll be fun to watch Oregon prove to him that they didn’t need him. A win for Oregon could change the climate even more in the Pac-10. The Ducks could be the new powerhouse. Also, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I was excited to see what uniform Oregon decides to wear. Line Oregon by 3.5 Take Buckeyes +3.5, but not the moneyline. I think OSU has the speed to keep up with Oregon. Vegas has this one pegged. I think Oregon wins with a field goal with Jeremiah Masoli leading a late drive for the win.

6. Dexter McCluster

   Honorable Mention: Cotton Bowl Ole Miss v (19) Oklahoma State Two teams with great talent that did not live up to the preseason hype. Could a Mississippi loss propel Houston Nutt to Kansas? Would an OSU loss put the Cowboys back in the bottom half of the Big 12 South? This game is most interesting because both these teams seemed to be poised to be the next big thing in conferences with perennial juggernauts. A win for one team keeps that mojo going, a loss is a definite momentum stopper. Line Ole Miss by 3 Take Ole Miss -3. Dexter McCluster runs all over OSU. Ole Miss gets it done again in Dallas this season.

Note: This entry was written before the Army vs. Navy game. But either way, the Eagle Bank Bowl would assuredly not have made this list.