I like to do my bowl preview a little differently. I’ll list each bowl in order of telecast but I also give each bowl a number value 1-40, 40 being the worst bowl and put that number after it. The national title game is not included because there is nothing to write about it yet. Anyway, from there I then take on the perspective of a local fan (i.e. a Utah fan living in Salt Lake City) and give the chances of me attending. Basically I talk out of my butt like always but it is more fun to write as a fan when it comes to bowl games than really analyze these things. All times central.
December 28th Games:
New Era Pinstripe Bowl – 33
Pittsburgh (8-4, 5-3, ACC) vs Northwestern (6-6, 5-4, Big Ten)
One of the hottest teams in the nation that beat Duke late in the season takes on one of the colder teams in the nation that beat Duke early in the season. I know I gave this a low score but there is a silver linging for Northwestern, Pitt had difficulties – especially early – at shutting down the passing game and we know what Thorson to Carr can do.
Would I go if I was a Pitt Fan: 10/10
In Pat Narduzzi’s first year the Panthers over-achieved to win 8 games, six in the conference but a ton of key pieces, especially critical defensive players, graduated. Facing a tough schedule, a lot of people wrote Pitt off. After a 2-2 start, most people had given up on a memorable season. Instead Pitt would go 6-2 down the stretch including an awesome win at Clemson. This is a rallying team that is extremely fun to watch. To get them in a bowl just six hours away by car or plenty of flight options (many nonstop) or even a train – why wouldn’t you go to the Big Apple? PLUS, you could spend a few extra days and bring in the New Year in Times Square if that is your thing.
Would I go if I was a Northwestern Fan: 0/10
Against teams with .500 or better records the Cats went just 2-5 and lost to a FCS team in the non con. This isn’t a very good team and traveling all that way to watch what on paper will be a blowout doesn’t make much sense.
Would I go if Iowa was playing: 5.5/10
I’m just not a big New York fan. What might convince me to go is the idea I wrote about for Pitt – a NYE tie in that serves as a once in a lifetime trip to see the ball drop live. That’s still a big maybe.
…So, should we watch on TV: 3.5/10
I am not overly optimistic about Northwestern’s chances in this one. Their offensive line isn’t particularly good, their defense is 23rd in the nation at 22.1 ppg but this is, just like last year, a fraudulent stat. Their first four games which included the FCS team and pitiful Duke accounted for 17 points per game. The remaining eight was at 24.6 points per. 24.6 is 44th, not as impressive now, eh? That defense is going up against a team that averaged 42.3 ppg, good for 8th. Ruh-row.
- Dec. 28, 1 pm, ESPN
Russell Athletic Bowl – 8
Miami (8-4, 5-3, ACC) vs West Virginia (10-2, 7-2, Big 12)
The ‘Caines entered 2016 with a new coach with a ton of experience. The new head man is alum Mark Richt who had done a lot of good at Georgia but just couldn’t get them over the hump and the marriage stalled. The former quarterback is known for devloping good gunslingers but Miami already had one, Brad Kaaya so UM was a sleeper pick to win the wide open Coastal. Things started well enough going 4-0. A difficult stretch of FSU, UNC, at Va Tech, and at Notre Dame the U plunged to 4-4, but they rallied and won out, including dominant performances over Pitt and NC State – both of which are bowling. They come into this bowl as one of the hottest teams in the nation and if Kaaya returns for his senior year, watch out.
West Virginia’s road to their first ten win season since joining the Big 12 was a surprising run. With diminishing returns, coach Dana Holgerson was a trendy hot seat candidate but his Mountaineers stormed out of the gates 6-0. The schedule wasn’t even a joke as three of those teams made bowls and Youngstown State is in the FCS title game 1/7/17. A loss in Stillwater was followed up by two more wins to push the mark to 8-1. Oklahoma destroyed WVU to end the tile hopes but this team bounced back again with two more wins to finish at 10-2. One of the differences from previous season to get the double digit wins was a defense ranked 34th nationally, by far the best defense of the Holgerson era.
Would I go if I was a Miami Fan: 8/10
The team is red hot, it might be the last time to see Kaaya play, and the game is in Orlando – just a bit over three hours driving time away.
Would I go if I was a West Virginia Fan: 8/10
While the travel is much harder (Pittsburgh airport is over an hour away) there should be even more instinctive to go since West Virginia was a top ten team late into the season. Beyond that this WVU can become the first 11 win team since 2005 and just the second since 1993. We remember the Rich Rod era of racking up a lot of wins, and it certainly did, BUT eleven win season are pretty rare so I think it is worth the shot to go down to Orland for this game.
Would I go if Iowa was playing: 5.5/10
I said it back for the Cure bowl, you are either an Orlando person or not. At this point in my life with no kids, I don’t have much pull to go to Orlando.
…So, should we watch on TV: 10/10
18 wins combined between these two teams and one of the hottest teams in the nation. We keep waiting for UM to be “back” and this year won’t mark that turnaround without a statement win. They went 0-1 against ranked teams this year (1-1 if you count Pitt who got ranked later in the season). For WVU there is the history of getting that elusive 11th win.
- Dec. 28, 4:30 pm, ESPN
Foster Farms Bowl – 34
Indiana (6-6, 4-5, Big Ten) vs Utah (8-4, 5-4, Pac 12)
The Hoosiers make their first back-to-back bowl trips for the first time since 1990-1991 but it is on a bit of a sour note. Coach Kevin Wilson resigned in a still cloudy haze and his defensive coordinator Tom Allen has been promoted to the full time gig. While Indiana has been bowl starved and still hasn’t won a bowl since 1993, Utah is the opposite. They are 12-1 in their last 13 bowl games, a trend that dates back to 1999.
Would I go if I was a Indiana Fan: 4.5/10
Between the coaching change, the cost of getting out to the Bay Area, and the fact that this team just isn’t all that hot leaves me lacking much motivation to go. Worse, they just aren’t that fun to watch with the 87 ranked scoring offense…something totally alien to the (former) Wilson era.
Would I go if I was a Utah Fan: 8/10
Tons and tons of cheap nonstop flights between Salt Lake city and the Bay Area makes this a pretty easy trip for Utes fans. The fact that they are big favorites and can keep their incredible bowl run alive is also inticing.
Would I go if Iowa was playing: 6/10
Been to San Fran, great city. Bay Area in general is an awesome blend with SF and Oakland being so different. Santa Clara is an hour south but still close enough in the mix to get this a passing grade. Don’t forget San Jose is right there, too.
…So, should we watch on TV: 3/10
Utah should crush Indiana but a part of me wants to see how Tom Allen does in his debut. It isn’t a big part, but there’s a reason why I’m a football junkie.
- Dec. 28, 7:30 pm, Fox
AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl – 21
Texas A&M (8-4, 4-4, SEC) vs Kansas State (8-4, 6-3, Big 12)
Former Big 12 rivals enter with the same overall record but a very different path to get there. Once again the Aggies shot out of a cannon, going 6-0 before dropping a game to Alabama. Unfortunately follwing that loss to the Tide, A&M wouldn’t win another SEC game, finishing 2-3 over their final five games with the lone victories being New Mexico State and UTSA.
The Wildcats were at one point 3-3 and seemingly reeling after a 21 point no show against Oklahoma. In classic Bill Snyder fashion the club continued to improve and went 5-1 down the stretch with the lone loss to Oklahoma State, by just six. A&M is a bit more explosive (30th scoring attack to 48th) but KSU boasts the better defense (21st to 37th) and clearly the better coached club…but will that be enough to overcome A&M’s athleticism is always the question surrounding K-State this time of year.
Would I go if I was a TAMU Fan: 9.5/10
I realize the flat ending to yet another season is very annoying, but would it put me off making a 90 minute drive to Houston? Probably not.
Would I go if I was a KSU Fan: 7.5/10
This is a fun gang of Wildcats to watch. They have improved mightily over the course of the season and with plenty of nonstop (and reasonably cheap) flights from Kansas City, the travel isn’t awful.
Would I go if Iowa was playing: 4/10
Remember what I have said about Dallas? Yeah, that applies to Houston too.
…So, should we watch on TV: 9.5/10
This still gets a really high grade from me. I am always anxious to see how KSU fares against more athletic teams and lately it hasn’t been going so hot. State is 3-8 this century in bowl games. Factor in these used to be conference foes gives this a little bit of a throwback feel. Speaking about throwback, these two teams played in the 1998 Big 12 title game and it was one of the best conference championship games ever, with A&M pulling off a 36-33 overtime upset over the second ranked Wildcats (Aggies were 10th). If we get a game half as good as that in Houston, I’ll be pleased.
- Dec. 28, 8 pm, ESPN
Big Ten and Counting 