Saturday, Jan. 5 - International Bowl

Ball State vs. Rutgers 

I’ll never understand why bowl games like the International Bowl and the GMAC Bowl position themselves after the BCS bowls but before the national championship but the second-ever International Bowl could be an interesting game. The game features a matchup between two head coaches who were both mentioned for the Michigan head coaching job in Rutgers’ Greg Schiano and Ball State’s Brady Hoke. Rutgers has been a steady, if not unspectacular football team, after becoming a household name last season. Offensively, Rutgers strategy has been simple: Hand the ball to Ray Rice. Rice finished first in the Big East and third nationally in rushing yards and Ball State may try to load the box to stuff the run and make Mike Teel, he of 17 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on the year, beat them. Defensively, the Cardinals haven’t had too much success stuffing the run, allowing almost 200 yards rushing a game, 99th best in the country. My hats off to Brady Hoke for the job he has down turning around this Ball State team but I don’t forsee one of the weakest rushing defenses being able to slow down one of the country’s most prolific rushers. I’m going with Schiano and Rutgers in this one. Look for Rice to rush for at least 125 and for Rutgers wideout Tiquan Underwood to have a big day going up against a mediocre Ball State secondary, which will likely be focused primarily on stuffing the run.

 Sunday, Jan. 6 - GMAC Bowl

Bowling Green vs. Tulsa 

Those not familiar with Tulsa and quarterback Paul Smith had better get acquainted. The senior is every bit as good as Colt Brennan and is leading an offense that finished the season averaging 542 yards per game, tops in America. Nationally, Smith ranks in the top 10 in the country in pass efficiency, passing yards per game and total passing yards. Ranked second only to Heisman winner Tim Tebow, Smith is 2nd in America in points responsible for, accounting for more than 25 points a game, .12 points less than Tim Tebow. Truthfully, I don’t see how Bowling Green competes in this one. Giving up more than 413 yards per game on defense and averaging 416 yards on offense, I don’t think the Falcons can keep up in a shootout. The most BG can hope for is a soggy day in Mobile that might limit the ability of Smith to throw the ball or hope that the NCAA amends the rules prior to kickoff and begins allowing 14 men on the field on defense. I saw Paul Smith play in the Conference USA Championship game against UCF and was very impressed with his poise in the pocket and his accuracy and if Bowling Green gives him time in the pocket, he will put up 60. No surprise here, Tulsa in a rout.

NOTE: I’ll be posting my pick for the National Championship game in tomorrow’s Pick ‘Em. Along with a wrap up of all my picks.

If you really think that the football teams from South Florida and the Ohio State University are the best two teams in all of college football, you need to get your head checked for bumps. After tonight, one of those teams will drop to the latter half of the top 10 where they belong.

South Florida will lose at Rutgers tonight. Mark it down.

I like this story as much as the next guy. I thought it was cute when the Bulls went to Auburn and beat the tragically offensively challenged Tigers. I was relieved when Jim Leavitt and Co. rocked the vastly overrated Mountaineers of West Virginia. But enough is enough. I, in no way, shape, or form, want to be watching USF play for the National Championship (ditto for Ohio State).

This game will come down to defense. If USF is able to shut down Ray Rice like they shut down UCF’s Kevin Smith, then it’s up to Rutgers’ much-improved quarterback Mike Teel  and underrated receiver tandem of Tiquan Underwood and Kenny Britt to win the game for the Knights.

The real question of the game is will Greg Schiano’s defense be able to slow down Matt  Grothe, who has two consecutive 100-yard games to his credit. Pass rushing has been Rutgers forté in recent years but taking advantage of over-aggressive defensive ends and blitzing outside linebackers is what Grothe does best. Rutgers will need to play a near-perfect game defensively to win this one.

Make no mistake, USF hasn’t played in an environment this hostile all year. Yes, they went to Auburn and won but that stadium was asleep. They weren’t jacked up for that game the way those fans in Piscataway are already jacked up for tonight’s game.

It’ll be close but I’m taking Greg Schiano and Rutgers, he has a way of getting his team and his campus pumped for the big ones.