There's no disputing the fact that many of the once-sacred traditions of bowl games have irreparably changed over the past decade. In this, my sixth-annual ranking of all 34 bowl games (there were 28 when I started it, including the Silicon Valley Classic), I think you will find that the date a game is played no longer bears any correlation to the quality of its matchup.
In the following list -- which is based on the quality of the teams involved, the degree of intrigue for each matchup and the anticipated viewing interest (or lack thereof) -- you will find a game played on Dec. 23 ranked in the top five, while two New Year's Day games fail to crack the top 14.
You know how ESPN likes to promote the heck out of "Bowl Week?" I'd like to know when exactly said week begins and when it ends. Perhaps it should be rebranded "Bowl Half-Month."
1. BCS National Championship Game (Jan. 8): Oklahoma (12-1) vs. Florida (12-1). Two phenomenal QBs, Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow, could stage a championship duel for the ages. Or the Gators could pull off another 41-14 drubbing. Think we'd ever hear the end of that?
2. Rose (Jan. 1): USC (11-1) vs. Penn State (11-1). Joe Paterno vs. Pete Carroll. The Spread HD against the nation's most dominant D. Will the Nittany Lions defy the Big Ten skeptics, or will the Trojans play the role of rude hosts yet again?
3. Fiesta (Jan. 5): Texas (11-1) vs. Ohio State (10-2). The last time these two met, in 2006, Colt McCoy was a scrawny, overmatched freshman, but now our little boy is all grown up. Not that James Laurinaitis has gotten any less beastly.
34. Independence (Dec. 28): Louisiana Tech (7-5) vs. Northern Illinois (6-6). The Shreveport, La., game has deals to land the No. 7 team from the Big 12 and No. 8 team from the SEC. Some years, that gets you Alabama-Colorado, some years, that gets you ... this.
I hope this game is a nail-biter to show how much of an idiot this guy is.
34. Independence (Dec. 28): Louisiana Tech (7-5) vs. Northern Illinois (6-6). The Shreveport, La., game has deals to land the No. 7 team from the Big 12 and No. 8 team from the SEC. Some years, that gets you Alabama-Colorado, some years, that gets you ... this.
I hope this game is a nail-biter to show how much of an idiot this guy is.
Who, Stewart Mandel? He's hardly an idiot - he's one of the best college football sports writers out there. How in the world does this blurb about a tremendously unexciting matchup make him an idiot?
34. Independence (Dec. 28): Louisiana Tech (7-5) vs. Northern Illinois (6-6). The Shreveport, La., game has deals to land the No. 7 team from the Big 12 and No. 8 team from the SEC. Some years, that gets you Alabama-Colorado, some years, that gets you ... this.
I hope this game is a nail-biter to show how much of an idiot this guy is.
Who, Stewart Mandel? He's hardly an idiot - he's one of the best college football sports writers out there. How in the world does this blurb about a tremendously unexciting matchup make him an idiot?
It doesn't, I just thought it would be funny if it was a nail-biter, considering he rated it as the most boring game. My sad attempt at finding humor.
Your punishment for the failed joke is to write Stewie's Mailbag and tell him you think it's going to be a great game. Maybe he'll write you back - he's pretty good about that.
knapplc wrote:Your punishment for the failed joke is to write Stewie's Mailbag and tell him you think it's going to be a great game. Maybe he'll write you back - he's pretty good about that.
Haha, that's great! I'm definitely doing that. I'll post his response here.
With the 11.5 point spread, the South Florida game had to be in everybody's 30+. I think the other locks are USC, Alabama, and Mizzou. I am also very confident in Cal. Those games all have spreads of over a touchdown, and the favorites ought to win and likely cover them all.
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