More Bowl Picks

We are now four bowls into the bowl season and I'm a respectable 3-1. So far, we have been treated to a defensive battle, some pretty high scores and some decent games. The best part is that it can only go up from here! The same cannot be said for my bowl record. Let's see if it will go up after my latest picks.

The New Orleans Bowl - East Carolina vs Louisiana Lafayette
This bowl features  two 8-4 teams that are pretty balanced. ECU have an electric QB in Shane Carden. The sophomore has nearly 2,900 passing yards this year with 21 touchdowns. He has the ability to extend plays as well as gain a few yards on the ground. The other man to watch out for on the Pirate offense is Justin Hardy. He is Carden's favorite target hauling in 83 balls for 10 touchdowns. The big issue with ECU is their lack of a rushing attack. They average just under 135 yards a game and can't seem to pound the ball when they need to.
Louisiana-La is the more complete team. They have a balanced attack of both passing and rushing. The Ragin' Cajun offense is ranked inside the top 50 for both categories. The best part about this offense is Terrance Broadway. He is the star QB for the Cajuns and is a dual threat. I would expect him to add to his 24 total touchdowns this weekend through the ground and air.
This game will come down to defense. While neither team has a great defense, Louisiana-La's has looked to be the better of the two. I think the Cajun defense will cause enough issues to disrupt Carden while benefiting from some home cooking. They will win the game by a score of 36-29.

The Las Vegas Bowl- Boise State vs Washington
This should be an interesting game to watch. There is a lot riding on this game for both teams. Washington needs to win this game to carry some momentum into next year if they want to compete in the Pac-12. They also want to try to erase a some of the bad impressions they made last year after a 67-56 shellacking by Baylor. Boise State needs this game to establish that there is a 'new' Boise State. After Kellen Moore left, a lot of people lost interest in this team. Boise will need to show that they are still the giant killers we know them as. It will be a tough task Boise because they will have to defend Husky QB Keith Price. He hasn't been quite as explosive as last year, but the junior did throw for just over 2,400 yards this year with 18 touchdowns. His issues has been giving the ball away. He had 11 interceptions this year and any time he has thrown two in a game, the Huskies have lost. Besides that, the Huskies have a decent running game and a pretty impressive defense.
Many people may say the Boise State is weak, but they were 7 points from going undefeated  They needed 4 in the MSU game and three in the SDSU game for wins. Boise State has moved on from the Kellen Moore era by the means of Joe Southwick. He has thrown for nearly 2,500 with 17 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. .The running game is where the Broncos win games though. D.J. Harper is the main man on the ground and he had a stellar 1,000 plus yard season with 15 touchdowns. I expect him to get plenty of running lanes against the Huskies and dominate the game. The Bronco defense will take care of the rest of the game. They have allowed and average of 14.9 points per game. They will contain Keith Price and nail down this game for the Broncos. I think Boise State will win this game 21-10.

The Hawaii Bowl - Fresno State vs SMU 
This is another one of those interesting battles between lower conference teams. Fresno State are the favorites in this on, like they should be. Out of the Mountain West, they went 9-3 with loses to Oregon, Boise State and Tulsa. If there are such things as good losses, I would say those all qualify. The passing game is definitely what sets the Bulldogs apart. QB Derek Carr has a pair of sharp eyes and is incredibly good at taking care of the football. His 68.1 % passing percentage comes with 311 completions for 3,742 yards, 36 touchdowns, and only 5 interceptions. He will be the main threat for the SMU defense. Carr is assisted by his favorite wide receiver, Davante Adams, and his running back Robbie Rouse. Both have over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in their respective positions. Needless to say, the Bulldogs have options on offense. There's proof of that in their 69-14 beat down of Colorado. The defense is much of the same. They allow an average of 22.8 points per game and allowed a high of 42 points this season, but that was against Oregon.
SMU comes in looking not so fearsome. They have a 6-6 record and a pretty mediocre in every category  They will pose the biggest threat through the air. QB Garrett Gilbert has over 2,700 yards and 14 touchdowns, but he also has 13 interceptions. He is a dual threat QB, so expect him to extend some plays and possibly score some points on the ground. Besides that, the ground game is pretty bad for the Mustangs.  Their defense is good, but is has seldom taken down a big team.
To make a long story short, I'm not going to pick a team that lost to Tulane (2-10). SMU was unlucky when they got in this bowl because Fresno State should be in a higher bowl, but settled with this. I see a blow out here with Fresno winning 47-7.

Little Caesars Bowl - Central Michigan vs Western Kentucky
Here is my pride and joy, the Chippewas. They come in with a 6-6 record and a three game winning streak. They aren't impressive in either the running or passing game, but QB Ryan Radcliff is the man to watch. He has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards this season with 20 touchdowns. He has improved the interception count from previous years (only 9 this year) and that can be accredited to the offensive line who has cut down on the amount of sacks Radcliff has had to suffer. The run game will be spear headed by Zurlon Tipton who had 19 touchdowns this season. The run game won't shock anyone, but it will get the runs it needs late in the game. The Chippewas defense has been torched a few times this season, but it really seemed to settle in during the final weeks of the regular season.
Western Kentucky is in it's first ever bowl game. They joined the Sun Belt in 2009. They are 7-5, but it is a very strong 7-5. The Hilltoppers won at Kentucky and were the only conference loss for Arkansas State, the eventual conference champion. WKU's losses have come from #2 Alabama and four teams with a combined record of 27-21. They have a wonderful running game spearheaded by Antonio Andrews. Andrews has run for over 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns. He will be a major threat to the Chippewas. WKU's tandem set of wide outs, Willie McNeal and Jack Doyle will also be issues. They aren't the biggest threats, but when the running game gets going, they become dangerous off play action and in the red zone.
As much as I want to pick my Chippewas, I think WKU's running game will be too much for them. Something else that scares me is the Hill Topper defense. It held the mighty Alabama Crimson tide to 35 points. Central couldn't even score on Michigan State (via the offense) and they always seem to have to hope that they out score opponents instead of stopping them defensively. It will be a battle, but WKU will come out on top 35-26.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the games!

UEFA Champions League: Round of 16 draw reaction

 The draw for the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League was held in Nyon, Switzerland and to the joy of many soccer fans; lady luck was in the room. There are plenty of first round matches that pay tribute to old clashes as well as dream match-ups from a neutral stand point. 

Here's how the draw panned out:

** Big games are pointed out like this

Round of 16 draw
Galatasaray AŞ v FC Schalke 04 

Celtic FC  v Juventus 

Arsenal FC  v FC Bayern München 
FC Shakhtar Donetsk  v Borussia Dortmund 

AC Milan v FC Barcelona
Real Madrid CF  v Manchester United FC
Valencia CF v Paris Saint-Germain FC
FC Porto (POR) v Málaga CF (ESP)

During my first look at the draw, one match stood out to me the most: Man U v Real Madrid. What a dream pairing! First of all, these are two of the top clubs in the world. That means there will be a bigger audience because there are people from the United States to India that know of these clubs.  Secondly, there will be so much talent on the pitch. United has Van Persie and Rooney, while Madrid has Ronaldo and Ozil. That is a lot of international talent right there and they are some of the most recognizable names in the game. Third of all, there’s so much back story to this match. Ronaldo’s not so graceful departure from United should really stir up the fans and bulletin board material. Finally, the implications it will have on this tournament will be massive. These are two huge players in the international soccer world. United have three European crowns and always seem to be in the mix. Madrid has a record nine Champions League titles and made it to the semi-finals last year. When one of these teams get knocked out, it will make the playing field just a little bit better for all the other teams.

Looking at the rest of the matches, I am happy with the Barcelona – AC Milan pairing. These two sides have met each other plenty of times in the past 10 years. You could almost call it a rivalry, but Barcelona has had the upper hand. These two met 3 times last year and it was quiet entertaining. Though Milan has lost a lot of players, it should still be a fun one to watch.

Other pairings I really enjoy are Celtic FC – Juventus, Arsenal FC - FC Bayern München, and FC Shakhtar Donetsk - Borussia Dortmund. Scottish side Celtic FC already shocked the world with a 2-1 win over Barcelona in the group stages. I’m wondering what they can do against a down Juventus team. We could see a Scottish team in the quarter finals for the first time in a while, which would be a very odd sight. The Arsenal-Bayern match should be an interesting one. I’m most interested in seeing if Arsenal can right the ship for their season in England by having a great showing in Europe. Plus, I have a soft spot of the German League (the Bundesliga) and I want to see who Bayern will respond after last year’s defeat in the final. The last match up is on my radar as well because of the Bundesliga, but also because Borussia Dortmund has been the team on the rise in Germany. After two league titles and last year’s terrible group stage, I think this young team could cause some problems in the later rounds.

Round of 16 action doesn’t start until February, so no predictions yet, but there will be plenty of league action to take in! I’ll be back in February after plenty of studying with my picks.

Thanks for reading!

College Bowl Predictions: Poinsettia and Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg

Bowl season continues to roll on! Though we still haven’t hit the best games, I give you my picks for the upcoming bowls!

Poinsettia Bowl – BYU VS San Diego State

 If it is all possible to have a WAC throwback moment, this would be the best example. These two will be clashing for the first time since their old WAC days. The battle to watch for in this game is SDSU’s highly touted run game against the stout BYU defense. Running back Adam Muema leads the Aztecs with nearly 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns. He is an explosive playmaker that could really make the Cougars pay.  The issue is that they don’t have a passing game. If the BYU defense can clamp down, they can really make sure this offense goes nowhere. I think BYU’s defense will be able to clamp down which will give running back Jamaal Williams all opportunities he needs to win the game. It will be decently close as BYU wins 20-6.

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg – Central Florida VS Ball State

This is an interesting matchup between great teams from lower conferences. UCF came very close to winning the Conference USA title with their powerful offense. They come in averaging 35.2 points per game. They have a balanced attack that features QB Blake Bortles and RB Latavius Murry which is very hard to stop. Ball State has a very potent running offense. They average 214.3 yards on the ground per game. Ball State’s problem is the issues they have with their defense. Allowing an average of 31.5 points per game, Ball State’s best defensive performance came in a 30-22 win against Army. Army is known for their single dimensional offense which makes me scared when Ball State has to take on a balanced on like UCF’s. There will be a lot of points in this one and UCF will score the most as they win 41-29.

Thanks for reading! 

The Five Bowls I am Looking Forward to the Most

Bowl season brings out the best of any college football fan. Even though their team may not be competing in the post season spoils, they are treated to hours of college football over the holiday season. For many of us, we look forward to New Year’s not just for the parties, but the game that follow on the next day.

Being a college football fan, I would have to say I feel about 10% better, no matter the circumstances, because it is bowl season.

This year I am particularly excited. Though it isn't the spread of games we gotten in the past few years, I am eagerly awaiting the out of conference clashes that are going to be arriving soon. I have selected 5 that I am the most excited about. Why? Because. Who doesn't like ranking things or making ordered lists?

Honorable Mentions

The National Championship Game (This would be in the top five, I just know what’s going to happen. Plus it seems a little cheap to throw this one in there.)

Little Caesars Bowl (Because I’m going.)

New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Alamo Bowl

Rose Bowl

5. The Discover Orange Bowl – Florida State VS Northern Illinois

I am excited for the MAC possibly doing something incredible more than anything else in this game. I know the notion in the media is that Florida State is going to destroy Northern Illinois. I see their point. With E.J. Manuel, the running game, and of course, the defense, it’s hard to not pick the Noles by double digits. Wouldn’t it be crazy if it was close though? This Huskie team is the MAC team I have the most faith in being able to achieve this feat and represent the conference. Sure, Jordan Lynch has never face a defense like this. He’s a great player though and great players find a way to cause trouble no matter what.

I’m also interested to see if FSU will come out with the same passion as they always do or if it will be a diminished performance. It’s a BCS Bowl, but I know I would be running a lot harder against a team like Oklahoma than NIU.

The last aspect of this game that intrigues me is the size of the crowd NIU is going to bring. They are a MAC school who had the largest home turn out against Kansas which was just over 18,000. Now they have to travel to Florida? It looks like the Noles might have a home game.  

4. Chick-fil-A Bowl – LSU VS Clemson

Why would Neil be interested in this one? The ACC.  I’ve always like the ACC since my introduction to college football through the Miami Hurricanes. The conference hasn’t been relevant in football since that 2001 National Championship, but I still support the conference. They have been proclaimed weak for years, but I believe the conference is on a comeback. That’s why I’m interested. I want to measure the progression based off of this game. LSU may not be Alabama, but they are darn close. I want to see if Tajh Boyd and the rest of the Tigers can top the other Tigers head to head. I expect something far different from Clemson “topping” LSU (I’m guessing more of a blowout), but I can’t help hoping for a different outcome when I tune in. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but watching the ACC get stomped in this bowl has turned into a New Year’s tradition unlike any other.

Besides my personal feelings for the game, it will still be a fun one to watch because of the play makers on offense. Of course, you really won’t get to see Clemson’s ability, but that’s for a later day.

3. The Las Vegas Bowl – Boise State vs Washington

I’m interested in the game because it’s one of the few early games that could really be a fun game to watch. Many fans think the games that lead up to New Year’s Day are just trash, but this one has the makings to be an instant classic. The story lines coming in are pretty good. You have Boise State who is coming off of some very high years and looking towards the future. I feel if they can win the big games like this, they will use them as a spring board for the next conference jump. Washington is coming off of a season of highs and lows and wants to establish a different bowl identity than the one the created last year.

I wish I could say that this game is going to be an offensive explosion, but Boise State can’t quiet hold up to that standard. They do have a top ranked defense. I’m very interested in seeing if all the praise for their defense is earned or just coming out of the Mountain West.

2. The Fiesta Bowl – Oregon VS Kansas State

What a match up  Do I really have to say why I’m so pumped up for this? The offensive numbers are going to be staggering for both teams. It isn’t every day that we get blessed with such an offensive pairing. Collin Klein will get the chance to do a lot in this game as will Marcus Mariota, but defense is what makes me the most excited. I want to see if either of these defenses, who have been torched plenty of times this year, can stand up to the pressure. Will there be a few stops by one team or will it be a situation where the team that has the ball last wins? That’s what has me jacked for this game.

1. Cotton Bowl – Texas A&M VS Oklahoma

Remember what I said about great players? That is what makes this my bowl of choice. Both teams have outstanding QB’s. Laundry Jones may not be everyone’s definition of a big time player, but I enjoy watching him play. It’s his last game in college, so I’m interested in seeing what he will bring. I’m more interested in watching Johnny Manziel. From the Scooby Doo costume to winning the Heisman, he has been the best and most sensational player to watch in all of college football. We’ve seen him play in big games and perform so I just want to watch to see what he does next.

I’m also very excited about the conference overtones of this game. The Aggies moved to the SEC and seemed to get better. I know that there were a lot of changes in players, but I want to see how they stack up against a team they could have been playing if they stayed in the same conference. The Big 12 has been getting a lot of flak for being weaker than the SEC and what better way to stick it to them than beating them. 

Thanks for reading!

Bowl Season is Here!

Bowl season is finally here! The action kicks off with these two tasty match ups tomorrow. Here are my picks! 

Gildan New Mexico Bowl – Nevada and Arizona will kick off the bowl season with a showdown in the desert. Nevada comes in with a 7-5 record and an incredible run game. The Wolf pack is averaging 260 yards per game. They are spear headed by Stefphon Jefferson who has 22 touchdowns this year. QB Cody Fajardo is the biggest name on this team. He has scored 17 touchdowns through the air and 11 on the ground. He is a super dangerous dual threat signal caller and will be the biggest problem for the Arizona defense. Arizona also has a powerful QB and an incredible running game. Matt Scott is the Wildcats’ senior QB and has 24 passing touchdowns to his name. His issue is his interceptions. In almost every big game he’s tossed one at a key point and he has 12 of them this season.

I think Arizona will have too many issues stopping Nevada’s offense and holding on to the ball. In the end, Nevada will win 32-25 over the Wildcats.

Toledo and Utah State will meet in Idaho for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Toledo comes in with a (-3 record and a lot of experience from a MAC season unlike any other. The Toledo offense is pretty balanced. The Rockets average nearly 200 yards a game on the ground and 260 through the air. The man to watch is David Fluellen. He has nearly 1,500 yards this season and 13 touchdowns. The Rockets’ issue is their defense. Though they have made some good stops in games this year, they have allowed a lot of points. Utah State comes in with a top 25 ranking and a stout defense. The Aggies only allow 15.4 points per game and haven’t allowed more than 41 in a game (which was in overtime against #20 Louisiana Tech). Their offense is high scoring (34.4 points a game) and balanced. QB Chuckie Keeton will be the player to watch in this game. He scored 27 touchdowns through the air and 11 on the ground. His play making ability is what makes Utah State so dangerous.

Toledo’s ability to move the ball against the Aggies defense will dictate what happens in this game. If they can’t move the ball and get points on almost every drive, they will lose this game. I think Utah State will play some great defense and win 35-20. 

Thanks for reading! 

MLS Cup Final

After the longest season in MLS history, we are in the exact same position we were last year. The LA Galaxy are coming in looking like they could never lose, while the Houston Dynamo have used their defense and counter attack to get here. Just like last year, the Galaxy look to be the favorites though it should still be very close. 

The Galaxy have played a great style of soccer in the past few weeks. They have been using the counter attack and they have been able to make their stars shine. Donovan has played a key part in the Galaxy's run of form. He as looked really good in the midfield and has been able to make the necessary passes to get goals. 

Houston has been on a similar run except that they don't have the stars. Without names like Beckham, Donovan and Keene the Dynamo have yielded similar results. Moffat and Bruin have really been the kick starters for this team and have supplied a lot of the goals (5-8).

Goals have been the theme for both teams who have taken similar roads. Both teams were in the play in games and won them by a score of 2-1. Both teams went on to face the favorites and top seeds of their conferences and really put a beat down on their opponents. In the conference championships, both teams won 4-2. The Galaxy have scored 9 goals and have a +4 goal differential. The Dynamo have have scored 9 goals and have a +4 goal differential. The similarities between these two teams are scary. 

So who wins this game? I think both teams will have a lot of opportunities. Both will score in regulation. In overtime, the Galaxy will score twice while the Dynamo will score once. The Galaxy will win their fourth MLS Cup by the score of 3-2 in overtime. 

Thanks for reading! 

College Football: Conference Championship Week

Last week, half of the National Title Game was decided by Notre Dame's suffocating defense. The SEC Championship Game will more than likely set the other half of the game. Alabama, whose only loss was to a red hot Johnny Manziel, is of course the favorite to win over an interesting Georgia side. 

Besides the decider for the BCS Championship game, other conference crowns and BCS spots can be college by teams today. Florida State, Kansas State and Nebraska can all get a little BCS love with wins today. Can any of their opponents stop them? Let's take a look. 

The ACC Championship Game: Florida State- 45 Georgia Tech- 20 - This game will be a shining moment for E.J. Manuel. He will lead his highly ranked offense against a Georgia Tech defense that allowed an average of 30.7 points per game. The Noles will use a balanced attack of air strikes and runs to beat up the Jackets. The Noles tandem of backs, Chris Thompson and Devonta Freeman, will play a key role in the game by making the Jackets play a physical style of football. Though Georgia Tech uses an option style offense and gains a lot of yards, I think this FSU defense will clamp down in the red zone and force some turn overs. In the end, Georgia Tech will be kicking a lot of field goals while Florida State will find the end zone early and often. 

Texas- 31 Kansas State- 48 - This game is going to be an old fashioned Big-12 shootout. Both teams have solid offenses that have some great play makers. Both of them also have the typical Big-12 defenses (that isn't a good thing). Texas' offense is pretty mid-range. It's nothing special, but it gets the job done. David Ash will need to play a great game if the Longhorns want to win. His 7 interceptions have really hurt the team and both Texas QBs have shown some lackluster decision making throughout the season. The Kansas State offense is a different animal. It all runs through Colin Klein. He has accounted for over 3,000 of the Wildcat's offensive yards. Their passing game is lacking, but the run game wins games. The Wildcats also have a pretty good defense, but like most Big-12 defenses, they have given up 50 points in a game this year. The Wildcat's defense is better than the Texas defense and that should win them the game. After forcing a few turn overs, Klein will put the game away. 

The Big 12 Championship Game: Nebraska- 30 Wisconsin- 21 - This game will be a really good one. It will be close throughout and the teams will battle back and forth. Both offenses are similar because they rely heavily on the run game. Nebraska has the upper hand because they have a dual threat QB in Taylor Martinez and solid running backs. The passing game will be the key to winning this game. Martinez has improved a lot from last year and can really control a game through the air. The Badgers have Joel Stave, who isn't very good through the air, which will hurt them in this game. Montee Ball will carry the Badgers in this game and so will their defense. In the end, Taylor Martinez will be too much and the Huskers will win. 

The SEC Championship Game: Georgia- 13 Alabama- 40 - The reigning national champions will show why they are still the best by dispatching the number 3 three team in the nation tonight. A.J. McCarron will continue to have a stellar season throwing the ball while Lacy and Yeldon have a huge day on the ground. The defense will be stout as well. Aaron Murry might cause some problems as he leads the Bulldogs, but he will have a very tough time trying to do so. The Tide will roll tonight with ease and will be heading to the National Championship Game for the third time in four years. 

Thanks for reading!