College Football

[Xeliou66]

Oregon St destroying the Gators in Vegas, Jonathan Smith has done one hell of a job with the Beavers - they had only 2 wins in his first season there, now they’ll finish with 10 wins this season. Not a great start to the Napier era in Gainesville, but I think they’ll be better next year. 

[Stats Queen]

4 hours ago, Carey said:

I have Florida beating Oregon State.  Just a prediction; I probably ought to go the other way, but it doesn't matter since I suck at picking games involving the Gators

Well, that didn’t age well. What a dismal performance by Florida. I was hoping for an exciting game…..

[Carey]

Not surprised at all.  Florida is so unpredictable, as are the bowl games.  So many opt outs, and the coaches aren't the same.  I literally flipped a coin prior to the bowl games.  Not much to work off of in terms of picking bowl games due to the changes.  Though I should've passed on picking the Gators since, looking back, they somehow took out Utah in this calendar year

[Carey]

Not a great Saturday; while "optimistic" I knew I wasn't going perfect in such a wild-card of a postseason.  Think I went .500 meaning I should be 5-3.  I didn't pick the Jackson State game, but I would've been wrong anyway.

I was hoping to have everything thru the weekend now, but all I can predict is Marshall beathing Connecticut this afternoon.  Still great stuff by both schools.  I should have everything (game before Christmas later today or tomorrow), and then the remaining bowl games by the end of the week (possibly the non New Year Six stuff first and then NY6 stuff afterwards)

[Carey]

Marshall tops Connecticut 28-14 but still a pretty good year for UCONN.  

For the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, I'll pick Eastern Michigan over SJSU, and for the Boca Raton Bowl, I have Toledo over Liberty.  

[Salacious Kitty]

Go Spartans! Have to root for the sorta local team, plus they rarely get a bowl bid. 

[Carey]

On 12/20/2022 at 3:48 PM, Salacious Kitty said:

Go Spartans! Have to root for the sorta local team, plus they rarely get a bowl bid. 

Didn't work out, but at least they got into the postseason!

Speaking of the postseason, there's more stuff tonight.  The never-ending below-average CFB play!

I'll go with South Alabama over Western Kentucky tonight in the New Orleans Bowl

Update: Western Kentucky defeats South Alabama 44-23.  I could not have been more wrong.  Actually, I guess I could've been!

Trying again: I'm going with Air Force over Baylor in the Armed Forces Bowl.  Straight up.  Nothing ATS, no O/U.  And no need to create another post for Thursday's game.

Edited December 22, 2022 by Carey
Prediction for the Armed Forces Bowl

[xaxat]

Tonight, Baylor and Air Force are playing in the Armed Forces Bowl. It is 13 degrees Fahrenheit.

The game is in Fort Worth Texas.

[Carey]

14 hours ago, xaxat said:

Tonight, Baylor and Air Force are playing in the Armed Forces Bowl. It is 13 degrees Fahrenheit.

The game is in Fort Worth Texas.

Temps are down everywhere.  That is still unusual; I'm in Florida and shorts & a t-shirt are not happening right now.

Another day, and more Bowl Games.  I have Houston & Missouri winning today

[Xeliou66]

Two good games today - Houston beat Louisiana in a game that went down to the wire, and Wake beat Missouri in a good one. Wake Forest has become a solid program, used to they were thought of as one of the weakest of the Power 5 programs, not anymore.

[Carey]

This should cover the remaining Bowl Game excluding the ones mentioned after my Prediction of the ReliaQuest Bowl.  Just straight up, no lines, no O/U

Hawaii Bowl: Middle Tennessee
Quick Lane Bowl: New Mexico State
Camellia Bowl: Georgia Southern
First Responder Bowl: Memphis
Birmingham Bowl: East Carolina
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Oklahoma State
Military Bowl: UCF
Liberty Bowl: Kansas                 
Texas Bowl: Texas Tech
Pinstripe Bowl: Syracuse
Cheez-It Bowl: Oklahoma
Alamo Bowl: Washington
Duke's Mayo Bowl: Maryland
Music City Bowl: Iowa
ReliaQuest Bowl: Illinois

 

I should be able to get to the New Year's Six games along with the Holiday, Sun Gator, & Citrus Bowls later on Christmas Eve.  Those will include stuff ATS & the O/U

[Carey]

Picks Straight Up:

Holiday Bowl: UNC
Sun Bowl: UCLA
Gator Bowl: Notre Dame
Orange Bowl: Clemson
Sugar Bowl: Alabama
Fiesta Bowl: Michigan
Peach Bowl: Georgia
Citrus Bowl: LSU
Cotton Bowl: USC
Rose Bowl: Utah

 

The same bowl games but with odds & Over/Under

Holiday Bowl: Oregon vs UNC 
Oregon by 14.5 O/U 73.5
UNC / Over

Sun Bowl: Pittsburgh vs UCLA  
UCLA by 4.5 O/U 54.5
UCLA & Under

Gator Bowl: Notre Dame vs South Carolina 
Notre Dame by 2.5 O/U 51.5  
Notre Dame & Under

Orange Bowl: Tennessee vs Clemson 
Clemson by 5.5 O/U 63.5  
Clemson & Under

Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs Kansas State
Alabama 6.5 O/U 55.5  
Alabama & over

Fiesta Bowl: TCU vs Michigan 
Michigan by 7.5 O/U 58.5  
Michigan & over

Peach Bowl: Ohio State vs Georgia
Georgia by 6.5 O/U 62.5
Ohio State & under

Citrus Bowl: LSU vs Purdue
LSU by 14.5 O/U 55.5  
Purdue & over

Cotton Bowl: USC vs Tulane
USC by 1.5 O/U 62.5  
USC & over

Rose Bowl: Utah vs Penn State
Utah by 2.5 O/U 52.5  
PSU / under

 

I'd love to see Georgia repeat, which would clinch an undefeated season.  I do like something new/different like Michigan winning.  Georgia has been better this year, but sometimes not as dominant.  Michigan has been much, much better.  However, their loss of their RB is not cool.  Can Michigan keep Georgia off the board enough for a chance to get lucky to score?  If so, it might be what it takes to win.  That's assuming we don't actually get The Game: Reprise!

 

[voiceover]

KState fan with a tip o’ the cap to the Jayhawks who battled back to triple OT.  Wished for a different outcome, but:

Rock-fuckin’-chalk, baby!

[Salacious Kitty]

The games have finally become watchable. Oregon/UNC is quite entertaining.

[Popples]

Kansas/Arkansas was so fantastic! I didn't want it to end.

SCO DUCKS!!

[Court]

Both those games were very entertaining and what bowl games  should be. Even if both of the teams I wanted to win lost. Kansas battled back and I really wish UNC had held on for the win. I will always adore Mack Brown. I can't stand Bo Nix but have always liked Oregon. 

Edited December 29, 2022 by Court

[voiceover]

Hey! A Big 12 win!!  Wreck ‘em, Raiders.

Texas Tech took a delay of game on their first offensive possession, in a formation honoring Mike Leach (former coach), and Lane Kiffin declined it — cool on both sides.  Made me think of the Chiefs’ last preseason game this year, when Patrick led the first play in choir huddle formation as a tribute to Len Dawson (the ref announced: “Delay of Game, offense, Number 16,” — Len’s jersey number).

 

[Xeliou66]

The Holiday Bowl and the Liberty Bowl were outstanding yesterday - Oregon got a nice comeback win in the Holiday Bowl, and Arkansas won in 3 OT’s in the Liberty despite blowing a big lead.

Surprised Texas Tech blew out Ole Miss, Ole Miss collapsed at the end of the season. 

[mojoween]

I just this very minute found out why Woody Hayes left coaching at THE Ohio State University and holy cow.

(for those who like me didn’t know, this is from my newspapers “On This Day” section for today - “In 1978, during the Gator Bowl, Ohio State University coach Woody Hayes punched Clemson player Charlie Bauman, who’d intercepted an Ohio State pass.  (Hayes was fired the next day.)”

Edited December 29, 2022 by mojoween

[Flarking Schnit]

Very short clip of incident. Many more longer versions can be found

[mojoween]

That was a throat punch!  I wonder what that player is doing today.

Edited December 29, 2022 by mojoween

[mojoween]

There is far too much crap on the sidelines at The Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.  Someone is going to get hurt.

[xaxat]

I have absolutely no problem with players looking out for their own interests, but it's kind of sad how much pre-game talk for bowls now revolves around who will not be playing. Because of the transfer portal or getting ready for the combine.

[mojoween]

They were talking about a guy who played like 474 games for one school (Minnesota, I think), and I was like yeah but that is becoming quite rare and is going to become nearly non-existent.

Edited December 29, 2022 by mojoween

[AimingforYoko]

1 hour ago, mojoween said:

The Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.

Some folks on Twitter pointed out the irony of a lawn care company sponsoring a bowl with an absolutely horrendous field.

[mojoween]

37 minutes ago, AimingforYoko said:

Some folks on Twitter pointed out the irony of a lawn care company sponsoring a bowl with an absolutely horrendous field.

Syracuse should have been fine with it, since they played for 40 years in a Dome sponsored by an air conditioning company that did not, in fact, have air conditioning.

[Xeliou66]

The Cheez It Bowl and Alamo Bowl were very exciting yesterday, nice finishes to the season for Florida St and Washington, both of whom had great seasons. 

[Xeliou66]

Tennessee wins the Orange Bowl 31-14, great win for the Vols as they finish with 11 wins, Joe Milton played a very good game and the Vols offense moved the ball well despite not being at full strength. And Clemson missed a boatload of opportunities.

The Pitt/UCLA and ND/SC games were exciting today.

[Chit Chat]

11 hours ago, Xeliou66 said:

Tennessee wins the Orange Bowl 31-14, great win for the Vols as they finish with 11 wins, Joe Milton played a very good game and the Vols offense moved the ball well despite not being at full strength.

Good to see another SEC win in the Bowl games!  It's going to be a good day & evening of football!  For anybody listening to Alabama radio, Mark Ingram will be their sideline reporter, and he'll interview Coach Saban at the half. 

It's nice to see the teams honoring Coach Mike Leach with decals on their helmets.  We can all be big rivals, but when it comes to the stuff that really matters, it's nice to see people pay their respects in that way.  

[Xeliou66]

Dominant win for Bama in the Sugar Bowl, 45-20.
Time now for the playoffs, I hope they are close games, traditionally most of the CFB playoff games have been blowouts.  

[Chit Chat]

Georgia is lucky that they get to play for the SEC championship AND the first round of the playoffs on their home field. Hmm.

Roll Tide! Much respect to our guys who played rather than sitting it out. 

[twoods]

This Michigan/TCU game is bonkers.

[Popples]

[Xeliou66]

That was an insane TCU/Michigan game, Horned Frogs played great and it was incredibly entertaining. I’m really glad TCU won, I loathe Harbaugh and Michigan. 

[emma675]

I'm still not sure that shouldn't have been a targeting call on the final play, but my TCU alum parents are thrilled. I can't believe the Frogs are going to the national championship. 

[Crs97]

What a crazy game and terrific win for TCU!!  The over/under was just a little off. 😅

[DrSpaceman73]

I don't really care one way or another about tcu or Michigan but that overturned td was awful. 

And that was definitely targeting though I don't think it would have mattered. Would have been 25 seconds and still 60 yards. 

[Bastet]

I can't get excited about TCU, but I hate Harbaugh, so I'm glad the Frogs won (I just didn't care enough to sit down and watch; I was flipping back and forth, which is what I'm doing with the second game, where I care even less -- I hate Ohio State, but Georgia winning isn't anything I can get happy about).

Edited January 1, 2023 by Bastet

[roamyn]

34 minutes ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

And that was definitely targeting though I don't think it would have mattered. Would have been 25 seconds and still 60 yards. 

I’m not sure it was.  The way the UoX player fell, it appeared the defender had no time to react.  

Regardless, I love TCU right now!   And that Max Dugan is a scrapper.  He might just carry this TCU team to a Natty.  That would be a great story!  

[DrSpaceman73]

11 minutes ago, roamyn said:

I’m not sure it was.  The way the UoX player fell, it appeared the defender had no time to react.  

Regardless, I love TCU right now!   And that Max Dugan is a scrapper.  He might just carry this TCU team to a Natty.  That would be a great story!  

The defender dropped his head and leads with the helmet into thexhead. Plus he had no reason to even hit him.  Tackle already made

But again result would be the same. 

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, Crs97 said:

What a crazy game and terrific win for TCU!!

It was a crazy and exciting game!  TCU is going to have to improve on their defense though, especially if they face Georgia!  

We're trying to figure out why both announcers for the trophy presentation for Bama couldn't pronounce the word Alabama!  "Ala-bowl," "Alazanda" (or something similar sounding!)  Did they party a little too hard during the game?  ;)  

[Salacious Kitty]

After these two games today, I need a cigarette. Damn.

[Lady Whistleup]

Holy shit. What a heartbreaker for OSU.

[NUguy514]

What a devastating loss for OSU.

I couldn't be happier!

Edited January 1, 2023 by NUguy514

[Popples]

Dawgs vs. Frawgs! I hope it can live up to these two games. 

Edited January 1, 2023 by Popples

[twoods]

They had one more time out and couldn’t have centered the field goal for their kicker? Come on.

[roamyn]

We choked that game away in the 4th.  We had UGA on their heels, and all of a sudden kept giving up the big plays. 

At least we didn't suck like last years UGA/UoX playoff.

I think Ryan Day is like Khaki Pants.  Can't win the big one  

GO TCU!

[Xeliou66]

Holy shit another fantastic game. So nice to see two exciting semifinals instead of the usual blowouts. Dawgs with an impressive comeback, both offenses were great but Stetson Bennett and the Dawgs made more plays and won it.

Glad we are getting a Georgia/TCU title game.

[Crs97]

Play of the game was targeting knocking Marvin Jr out of the game with the concussion.  OSU played their hearts out.  

[Salacious Kitty]

TCU gained a nation of bandwagon fans today. I'm on the train! 🤘