College Bowl Game Predictions (2009)
With a whole slate of the more glamorous College Bowl games on the menu starting New Year's Day, it is time to check out some great college bowl game predictions from around the Net.
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Beginning with the Rose Bowl, Gregory Cox of FootballExpert.com:
In this game you can bet USC's defense will pose an even bigger challenge than Ohio State. It took some late heroics for them to bring home that win after trailing 6-3 into the fourth quarter. The Trojans don't have Beanie Wells, but they have a group of running backs who as a unit are more dangerous. You really never know what to expect from this offense because they are so well rounded. Who will be the star this week? Three rushers had 600 yards, but none cracked 650. At receiver Williams, Turner and Johnson sound pretty ordinary and as a group accumulated a pedestrian 1,822 yards. Not exactly Big XII South receiver numbers, but the trio also had 24 touchdown receptions. Sanchez was the typical distributor and his modest statistics reflect a quarterback who played with a lead pretty much the entire season. If not for one errant pass in Corvallis with the team heading for a comeback I wonder if this isn't Oklahoma's opponent in the BCS title game as I predicted before the season. In the end this game is a bore. USC has a better defense and is basically at home. They are not the type of team to overlook the Rose Bowl and go flat. Penn State is a fine football team and would give plenty of teams trouble, but not the Trojans who can match their defensive stops. Against bowl competition USC was 5-1 plus three wins over 5-7 teams. Penn State was 3-1 and helped knock 5-7 Illinois out of the mix. It's the best pairing of the day, but not the best game: USC 24, Penn State 13
The line on this game was USC -9 at nearly all of Gambling911.com's endorsed online sportsbooks.
Next up we have the 2009 Orange Bowl featuring Virginia Tech (9-4) vs. Cincinnati (11-2).
The Bleecher Report was going with Cincinnati here:
It is no secret that the Big East and ACC were incredibly mediocre in 2008, nevertheless this is what the current system produces and apparently the best each has to offer. Most would probably agree this matchup would be more intriguing if it was the Gator Bowl, but I digress.
Tech will not be at full strength. On Sunday a team official confirmed defensive stalwarts Jason Worilds and Brett Warren will not play Thursday. There was also news that senior guard Nick Marshman was ruled academically ineligible, further diminishing the offensive line that allowed 39 sacks this season (sixth most in the FBS).
The good news? The Bearcats led the Big East in sacks this season. Wait? Is that bad?
Brian Kelly, named Big East Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season, is quickly emerging as a candidate for some big time openings. A win in the Orange Bowl would really help to pad that resume.
Prediction: Cincinnati pulls away late, 34-17.
The line on this game was Cincinnati -2 at Sportsinteraction.com
The Sugar Bowl is another hot bowl game everyone will be watching.
Matt Faust of Point-Spreads.com believes that the Utes have a solid shot against favored Alabama.
"Utah has had an incredible season, becoming this year's BCS busting school as a result of their 12-0 record. The Utes, while a heavy dog to Alabama, have posted some impressive numbers this year, scoring more than 37 per game and allowing just 17."
Super Book had the Utes as +9 ½ underdogs.
With the Fiesta Bowl airing January 5, it's never too early to place a bet. The folks at SilverChips.com are all over Texas.
Texas is still angry at the system for being snubbed from the BCS title game, and they have a right to be. Texas is 11-1 on the season, their only loss coming to Texas Tech in a last second touchdown. Colt McCoy had a tremendous season in which he completed a nation-high 77.6 percent of his passes, good enough to make him one of the finalists for the Heisman Trophy. Ohio State hasn't been bad this season as Chris Wells has carried the team with over 1000 rushing yards and a 5.7 average per carry. But Wells alone won't be able to make up for Texas' explosive offense.
