Well, well, well...this one is exciting for Hawk fans! At midseason it was looking like 2007 all over again, but we did it again and turned it around!! Winning the last 5 of our 6 games was season changing and because of our awesome fans, we jumped Northwestern to get to Tampa. Even better--against weak South Carolina. I'm very confident with Iowa here...we got on a roll and it looks like our senior class isn't going to stop until they finish their career out how they should.
Penn State: Rose vs USC
This was a no brainer but that doesn't mean Penn State doesn't have their work cut out for them. They will be the underdogs in their first Rose Bowl appearance since 1995. USC has won the last two Rose Bowls and hasn't lost too a Big Ten team since 1996.
Ohio State: Tostitos Fiesta vs Texas
This really helps the Big Ten with another team in the BCS. Ohio State has seen a lot of success in Arizona, winning the Fiesta bowl in '03, '04, and '06. But not going to lie, I really don't have confidence in Ohio State against Texas. Look at Ohio State against USC earlier this season--embarrassing. Yes, they have come a long way since then, but a victory over Colt McCoy and the rest of the Longhorns is going to be a tough one.
Michigan State: Capital One vs Georgia
This is the first time in 9 seasons the Spartans will play in a January bowl game. This is going to be a fair game--Georgia was overrated in the beginning of the season (No. 1 preseason) and Michigan State was underrated. I think I'm favoring the Spartans.
Northwestern: Alamo vs Missouri
Not going to lie, Northwestern got screwed. They lost the Outback Bowl to Iowa and they're playing Missouri. In preseason polls, Missouri was up there at the top. They finished the season 9-4 but they are a more solid team than the Wildcats. If Northwestern DOES win, it would be just their second 10-win season in school history. Even though they had 9 wins this season, I'm still not convinced. Their team is not that good. My opinion has stayed the same all season and their record isn't going to change that.
Wisconsin: Champs Sports vs Florida State
As much as I hate Wisco, I'm a little disappointed. My family is always down in Scottsdale, AZ over winter break and we were going to go to the Insight Bowl if the Badgers made it. Even though I hate them, it still would have been fun to go to my first ever bowl game. I laugh at the fact that the first 5 weeks of the season Wisconsin was a BSC contender. HA. What a turnaround this season was for them, poor Bret. With all hostility aside, Wisconsin does not deserve to go to a Bowl game. They finished out 7-5 when they should have finished out either 4-8 or 5-7. They should have been beat by Fresno State in the beginning of the season and they definitely should not have beat Minnesota. The only thing that saved them in that game were the two safeties. And the Cal Poly game just makes me sick. I say they got lucky. They are lucky with their school history and they are lucky with Barry Alvarez as their A.D.
Minnesota: Insight vs Kansas
I still think Minnesota is a better team than they got credit for. Their season this year was a complete 180 from last year (1-11 in 2007). The thing that really killed them was their four losses at the end of the season. They were underrated all season and maybe at the close of the season they really were the team the whole country looked at them as. But either way, props to the Gophers for a turnaround season.
I've got to say, I'm a little nervous with the competition the Big Ten is going to see in the bowl games....
6 comments:
1-7...That will be the Big Ten's record in the bowls. Iowa will be the only one to get a win. The other match-ups just aren't favorable for the conference. It hasn't been a strong conference this year and the bowls will prove that to be a fact.
I think saying only one big ten team will win is a little harsh. I agree I think Iowa will win. But I disagree that the big ten is weak. I think Penn State will win because well they completely destroyed Oregon State which beat USC and Penn State can run the ball and USC's offense isn't very good. I think the Big Ten will go 4-3 in the bowl games.
I think Iowa, Michigan State, and Northwestern walk away with wins bringing the Big Ten to a 3-4 Bowl Record. Minn v. Kansas could go either way. At times the Gophers looked great and at times looked worse than awful. Kansas is average at best so this is a toss up. Penn State is going to get pimp slapped though.
Ya I dunno, except for the 2 BCS games, all the Big Ten teams at least have a shot. Most of these matchups are pretty even. Iowa definitely has one of the better chances of winning. I don't wanna say that they'll definitely win cuz screwed up stuff happens all the time in bowl games but there's no reason that they should lose.
I think the Big Ten bowl games will be closer than everyone thinks. I'm sure Ohio State and Wisconsin will get blown out. But the for the other ones I think we have a chance.
Here's my take.
I will reserve judgment on the Iowa game. I have only picked one game this whole season and that was Iowa over Penn State and no I was not crazy or on anything at the time I said it would happen :p.
Rose Bowl- USC, BUT closer than the experts think.
Fiesta Bowl- Texas. Are you kidding me? Okay honestly I can see Ohio State playing a hard-fought game and maybe that'll rattle the Horns enough for OSU to pull off the upset, but Texas is too talented to lose this game.
CapitalOne Bowl- Georgia. Another close one. UGA is not as good as advertised this year. They're my most disappointing team in terms of where I thought they would be. They lost a lo of guy in the offseason for various reasons and things just haven't panned out in 2008 for Mark Richt and co.
Plus MSU is looking for respect.
Alamo Bowl- Missouri. Not even close. NU hasn't faced an offense as fast-paced as this one. NU's defense is also overrated.
Champs Sports Bowl- I'm gonna go with Wisconsin in the upset. I think Bielema is great at getting his teams up for bowl games and I'm sure he'll have his team ready to play against FSU.
Insight Bowl- Kansas. Kansas could give Iowa a game....Iowa dominated Minnesota....score? See Cumberland-Georgia Tech 1916. Lots of points scoring records in that one.
Of course I'm kidding but it will be a blowout.
Post a Comment