Before you make the “you can’t spell Outback without UT” joke (ed. note Chris graduated from Rocky Top), I should probably warn you that you’re thinking of the Citrus Bowl. (Also, you can spell Outback without UT unless you’re talking about 2007 and 2008.)

However, you’re also slighting the majesty of the Hall of Fame Bowl. If you’ve long forgotten about the Hall of Fame Bowl, you’re not alone. Regardless, the Outback has generally done a pretty good job getting name programs that have slid a bit in for a nice New Year’s Day game that makes you regret your hangover just a little bit.

And if you, like most football fans on New Year’s Day, are ragingly hung over, rest assured that you won’t be missing a blighted thing if you miss this game, even if they pushed it from a Bloody Mary-ready 10 AM EST start to 1 PM EST this year. What a mess. If we can forget this game exists this year, so much the better.

Nonetheless, targets are identified and firing will commence after the jump. Read the rest of this entry →

2010 Rose Bowl:  Saturday January 1, 4:30 PM ET

#5 Wisconsin (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten) vs. #3 TCU (12-0, 8-0 MWC)

This game is perhaps one of the most interesting match ups of the BCS Bowls.  This bowl also has some interesting undertones that it brings to the table.  Perhaps I am reading a little to much into this one, but I get the impression that Wisconsin has reached their season goal by making it to the Rose Bowl and being Big Ten Champion.  TCU on the other hand graciously accepts the invite to Pasadena, but still has a little unfinished business to attend to on the field.  Truth be told, both teams have to feel like they have been invited to the big dance with sweet and kind Katie Couric but they really wanted to be in the BCS Championship game with hot and sassy Katy Perry (and maybe the glass football). Read the rest of this entry →

2010 Capital One Bowl:  Saturday January 1, 1:00 PM ET

#9 Michigan State (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten) vs. # 16 Alabama (9-3, 5-3 SEC)

Believe it or not, this if the first ever meeting between Michigan State and Alabama.  Yes, it shocked me too.

Michigan State is heading back to the Capital One Bowl for the second time in three seasons.  Alabama is making its fourth consecutive bowl appearance under coach Nick Saban.

Michigan State finished the year 11-1 and found itself in a 3 way tie for the Big Ten title.  The Spartans have one of the most explosive offenses in the Big Ten and finished the season ranked fourth in passing and total yards.  They ranked fifth in rushing and scoring.  The offensive attack is led by junior quarterback Kirk Cousins.  He’s listed in the schools top ten list in about every category and seemed to just get better as the season progressed.  Cousins posted a completion percentage of .675 while throwing for 2,705 yards and 20 touchdowns.  When Cousins isn’t leading the Spartan’s down the field, he is usually handing the ball to Edwin Baker who managed to rush for 1,187 yards and 13 touchdowns. Mark Dell led the receiving corps for the Spartans with his 761 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns on the year. Read the rest of this entry →

2010 TicketCity Bowl:  Saturday January 1, Noon ET

Northwestern (7-5, 3-5 Big Ten) vs. Texas Tech (7-5, 3-5 Big 12)

What do you do when Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones steals away the bowl game from your back yard?  Well, for Dallas, you go out and get another bowl. Thus is born the TicketCity Bowl, to be played at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas on New Year’s Day.  Fortunately, it’s a decent match up in the inaugural game.

Texas Tech brings a streak of 18 consecutive years of bowl eligibility into this game, one of the longest in the nation.  This will be their 11th straight bowl appearance and should pretty much be a home game for them with the short trip to Dallas.

Northwestern will be making their third straight bowl appearance for the first time in their history.  This will be their fourth trip to the Lone Star state.  So far the Wildcats are 0-3 there and hope to leave this time with a victory. Read the rest of this entry →

BCS Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Saturday, January 1 8 PM ET

Jordan Todman, currently #5 FBS in yards form scrimmage per game, will be an impact player in the Fiesta Bowl against the Oklahoma Sooners (Icon SMI)

Connecticut Huskies (8-4, 5-2 Big East) v. #7 Oklahoma Sooners (11-2, 6-2 Big 12)

Could this be the worst Bowl Championship Series Bowl game ever? Of course, the current system we call BCS has only been around since 1998. Still, many pundits in the college football world are calling out Connecticut. The Huskies finished the regular season outside of the BCS top 25 and Connecticut has four losses (the fourth four loss BCS team ever).

Of the nine other teams that qualified for a BCS bowl game this season, Connecticut’s four losses are at least double more than any other team. In fact, the Huskies were 3-4 at one point in the season before rattling off five straight wins to claim the Big East title (via tie-breakers). Will the spotlight be too bright for head coach Randy Edsall’s Huskies, who were playing in D-1AA as late as 2000?

Conversely, the Oklahoma Sooners, thought by many to be a national champion contender, won the Big 12 and were a team that was consistently in the top 10 all year long. While Connecticut is making it’s first BCS appearance, Oklahoma is making it’s eighth BCS trip (second most only to Ohio State).

The Sooners have the marque players, Landry Jones and DeMarco Murray, and the big name head coach, Bob Stoops. It’s well documented that Oklahoma under Stoops has lost BCS games to teams they should have dominated. In fact, Stoops has a five game losing streak in BCS games.

The big question for OU is – Will they overlook Connecticut?

Read the rest of this entry →