New posts every week!

Slogan

Nobody does it like Sports According to Neil!



Friday, January 4, 2013

Bowl Season comes to a close

After a few great weeks of bowls and some decent picks, we have made it to the final stretch. Only three games separate us from the National Championship. Due to getting ready to head back to school and the other things the end of the holidays bring these picks will be short!
 Enjoy!


The Cotton Bowl - Texas A&M VS Oklahoma
Texas A&M has QB Johnny Manziel who won the Heisman earlier in the season. His 43 total touchdowns and 3,419 yards through the air are pretty amazing. Only two teams with very stout defenses have stopped him. With linebacker pressure, Oklahoma can beat him, but I don't think the Sooners will be able to apply the pressure. Oklahoma has weapons on the offensive side of the ball as well. QB Landry Jones as well as RB Damien Williams and WR Kenny Stills are all poised to have a big night. It will be a tough task for the Aggie defense to stop all three of them. In the end, I see this game as one that is nearly impossible to predict. Both teams have a lot of play makers on the offensive side of the ball and have solid defenses. The tipping point for me is Johnny Manziel. He's had a heck of a year and he's the Heisman winner. That's why the Aggies get my vote in this one. I think A&M will win 38-36.

Quick Picks!

BBVA Compass Bowl - Pittsburgh 28 Ole Miss-19
Player to watch: Pitt QB Tino Sunseri - He is a guy that can really throw the ball (3,103 yards 19TDs) and knows how to take care of the ball (2 interceptions). He is a senior leader and I think he leads the Panthers to victory.
Reason Pitt wins: They have the better defense. They will shut Ole Miss down and will pick apart the Rebel defense.

GoDaddy.com Bowl - Kent State 25 Arkansas State 38
Player to watch: Kent State RB Dri Archer - This guy can run the ball and catch the ball out of the backfield which makes him very dangerous. He averages 9 yards and rush and 15.6 yards per catch. With close to 2,000 yards of total offense, he is the best player on the field.
Reason Arkansas State wins: The Red Wolves have a great offense that is very even across the board. They have a great defense as well and will be able to contain Archer. Though this team is 9-3, all of their losses came to teams who went to bowl games and two losses came to teams who won 10 games this season. They are an under-rated team and I think they will show everyone what they are made of Sunday.

Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

BCS Predictions: Sugar and Fiesta

After a hard nosed Rose Bowl and lack luster Orange Bowl, the BCS now turns to the Sugar and Fiesta Bowls. The Sugar Bowl features one of the SEC's elite and a Big East school trying to prove that they belong. The Fiesta features two of the nation's best offenses as the dual in the desert. Needless to say, there are a couple of good games heading our way.

The Sugar Bowl - Louisville VS Florida 
Nothing spells disaster like Big East vs SEC during football season. The Big East always seems like a joke to everyone around the country and after their self destruction during conference re-alignment, the conference may never be respected. That being said, this Louisville team could change that tonight. Ranked as the 21st team in the nation, the Cardinals smashed through the regular season to a 10-2 record and were led by QB Teddy Bridgewater. He will be one of the best athletes on the field tonight and will threaten the Florida defense with his arm. Bridgewater threw for 3,452 yards this season with 25 touchdowns. He is a very actuate passer who completed 69% of his throws this year and only gave up 7 picks. Bridewater is also a mobile quarterback. He doesn't run down field a lot, but he can extend the play in the backfield by making people miss. The Louisville running game is ranked 100th in the nation in yards gained, but they gain the yards in key spots and score touchdowns. Jeremy Wright leads the rushing attack after an injury to Senorise Perry. Wright has 740 yards this season with 9 touchdowns. He will be the key to this game. If he can get some gains against this tough Florida defense, he opens up the playbook and allows Bridgewater to shine. Florida comes in as the favorites. The Gators' 11-1 record in the SEC is very impressive and they should give most of the credit to their defense. Florida's defense is ranked 3rd nationally in points allowed. Allowing 12.9 points per game will give even the most sluggish of offenses a chance to win. On the offensive side of the ball, the Gators have a solid running game led by RB Mike Gillislee. His 1,104 yards and 10 touchdowns lead the Gators and should be added to tonight. The other offensive weapon the Gators have is QB Jeff Driskel. He isn't such a great passer, but has the ability to run. With only 1,471 yards through the air, he makes up for it with his 404 yards on the ground.
I see this game coming down to Louisville's ability to handle the Florida defense. The Cardinal's offensive line has allowed 23 sacks on Bridgewater which is not a good sign. I see this game going much like the Gator's 2010 stomping of Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl. It wont be as high scoring, but Florida will dominate just the same. I see the Gators winning 31-10 with Louisville's 10 coming late.

The Fiesta Bowl - Kansas State VS Oregon 
This is one of the games I have been looking forward to the most. These are two of the best offenses in the nation and we were very close to seeing them in the National Championship. If there was a third place game for college football this year, this would be it. Kansas State has scored an average of 40.7 points per game this season. All of the credit for the offense goes to QB Colin Klein. He has 3,380 yards of total offense and 37 total touchdowns. He gets a lot done with his arm, but his legs have led him to more touchdowns. He will be the main contributor to the K-State offense, but if the Wildcats want to win, they are also going to need big performances from RB John Hubert and WR Tyler Lockett. Lockett averages 16.3 yards per catch and will be a thorn in the Oregon defense's side. Hubert, who rushed for 892 yards and 15 touchdowns this season, we be needed to take some of the pressure off of Klein. Oregon comes in with the second best scoring and rushing offense in the nation. Led by RB Kenjon Barner, the Ducks have put an average of 50.8 points per game while rushing for an average of 323.3 yards per game. Barner is the center piece of the rush attack. His powerful, yet graceful running ability allowed him to run for 1,624 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging 6.5 yards per carry. Oregon's other weapons include QB Marcus Mariota, RB/WR De'Anthony Thomas and WR Josh Huff. Thomas has run for 686 yards this season and has caught 41 passes for 385 yards. The scary thing about him is that he averages 7.6 yards per rush and 9.4 yards per catch. K-State's ability to contain him will dictate their chances of winning. The glue that holds this offense together is Mariota. The freshman QB has been exactly what the Ducks needed after Darron Thomas left last year. He completes 69% of his passes, doesn't throw many interceptions and has some ridiculous stats.
As you can see, both offenses are raring to go, but this game will come down to the defenses. Both allow around 22 points per game and are well practiced because they have to face their own offenses. Both cause a good amount of turn overs and both bend with out breaking. So who can I pick? I think KSU's game against Baylor will tell the story. I think the Ducks run all over the K-State defense while Klein struggles just enough to give Oregon the win. The Ducks win a shoot out 40-35.

Thanks for reading!

Monday, December 31, 2012

BCS Predictions: Rose and Orange

There aren't many bowls that are more exciting than the BCS games. One new years day, we get a big helping of blue collar football and an under dog for the ages. 
If you were to ask me who would end up in these bowls at the beginning of of the season Wisconsin and FSU might have been on the list. I did not see Stanford doing this well and of course I didn't see Northern Illinois in a BCS game. That's what makes this exciting; knowing that these are teams no one saw getting here and now they will get to prove themselves. Who will prove themselves? Let's take a look.

The Rose Bowl - Wisconsin VS Stanford 
Without some post season bands, Wisconsin isn't here. Some people blame them for being in this game. I don't. They may have not won the most games, but they did what they needed to to and destroyed Nebraska to get here. Wisconsin comes in with a pounding running game. Montee Ball has arguably been the best running back in all of college football the past few seasons. He has 1,730 yards with 21 touchdowns and has 5,040 in his career with the Badgers. Wisconsin also has James White in the running game. He ran for 802 yards this season and 12 touchdowns. He is a nice change from Ball. White has a little more speed and is a little more illusive than Ball. Wisconsin also have a stout defense, but the passing game is really what hurts them. They have a revolving QB situation which really doesn't help their cause. Stanford comes in with a better defense. The Stanford defense is powerful. They held Oregon, who has one of the best scoring and rushing offenses, to 14 points and only 198 rushing yards. They will be able to limit the effectiveness of Montee Ball. The Cardinal offense is middle of the road.and the ground game is their strength. RB Stephan Taylor leads the Cardinal with 1,442 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. Like Ball, he will be able to pound the middle of the Wisconsin defense. This game will come down to the play of the QBs. I think Stanford has the edge with Kevin Hogan. Though he didn't start the season, the freshman has been able to come up big in huge situations. I think he leads Stanford to the 21-17 win in the Granddaddy of Them All.

The Orange Bowl - Northern Illinois VS Florida State
No one saw Northern Illinois doing this. Some saw them winning the MAC and getting to a pretty good bowl game, but nothing like this. Just like Wisconsin, many blamed them for making this game. I think that is absolutely ridiculous. When a team follows the rules and makes a BCS game because of the rules, they deserve it. I was shocked and appalled to see the continued 'hate' towards NIU on ESPN after it was announced that they were in. Personally, I hope they beat FSU just so Kirk Herbstreit can get off his high horse and realize the MAC has some good teams. It will probably be a different story come game time. Northern Illinois lives and dies by QB Jordan Lynch. he is a dual threat QB who threw for 2,962 yards with 24 touchdowns and ran for 1,771 yards with 19 touchdowns. Besides Lynch, the Huskies have his favorite target, Martel Moore. Moore caught 71 balls for 1,054 yards and 12 touchdowns. If he can get open down field and allow Lynch to pass the ball down field, I think NIU have a chance. Florida State comes in touting one of the best defenses in the nation. They allow an average of 15.1 points per game and great great pressure on opposing QBs. FSU also has a great offense. Led by QB E.J. Manuel, the Seminoles average 39.9 points per game. The guys to watch on offense are the running backs. Devonta Freeman and James Wilder Jr. are both filling in for the injured Chris Thompson. Both have done a great job. Freeman has 630 yards with eight touchdowns in 10 full games. He splits the carries with Wilder who has 583 yards and 11 touchdowns. QB E.J. Manuel will shine in this game. He will run the offense efficiently and will spread the ball out to all the play makers the Seminoles have on offense. 
In the end I think NIU will show what the MAC is all about. They will have some success, but I think this game is too big for them. I got Florida State winning 31-13 with a stout performance from the defense. 

Thanks for reading! 

Max's BCS Picks!

Go to Youtube and watch Max make his picks for the BCS games!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7CiYH-8Ge0

There's the link so go watch and enjoy! 

New Year's Day Bowl Games


They might as well call New Year's Day, Big Ten vs SEC day. Their are a lot of good match ups on the first day of 2013 and there is a good chance the Big 10 could get some quality wins. Will they? I examine all four non-BCS games in this post and give you my picks! 

The Gator Bowl – Mississippi State VS Northwestern
Northwestern was a bit of a surprise to go 9-3 this season. Their lack of a passing game had a lot of people questioning if the Wildcats had what it takes to win. With their Tandum of QB’s, Northwestern shocked the Big Ten. Kain Colter and Trevor Siemian have been splitting the snaps this season and have had some success. The biggest past of the Wildcat offense is their run game. RB Venric Mark has been the main guy on the ground. He has 1,310 yards this year with 11 touchdowns. QB Kain Colter also contributes on the ground with 820 yards and 12 touchdowns. Mississippi State started the year 7-0. The Bulldogs are a bit pass heavy, but still have a solid running game. QB Tyler Russell and WR Chad Bumphis are the guys to watch. They have connected well this season as Bumphis caught 55 balls for 904 yards with 12 touchdowns. I expect him to carve up the Northwestern secondary while the Bulldogs cruise to a 35-10 win.

Heart of Dallas Bowl – Purdue VS Oklahoma State
Purdue carries a three game win streak and a 6-6 into Dallas. The Boilermakers have a middle of the road offense with a defense that isn’t much better. QB Robert Marve started off cold and eventually got hurt. After returning from his injury, his season has a new life. He has 13 touchdowns with only three interceptions this year. The other guy to watch for is RB Akeem Shavers. The senior running back has over 700 yards this season with 6 touchdowns. He is a solid back that can make some people miss and catch out of the backfield. He will be key if this Purdue team wants to get going. Oklahoma State comes in with one of the best offenses in the nation. It looks like back up QB Clint Chelf will be the man under center come game time. The junior had a great season by throwing for 1,391 yards with 12 touchdowns in 5 full games. He will be the key part of this offense if they want to win. RB Joseph Randle will be the star of the offense. His 1,351 yards and 14 touchdowns have been the best part of this Cowboy offense. I think OSU will win this game because of their offense. I think they will be able to tear apart the Boilermakers and will win 40-20.

Capitol One Bowl – Georgia VS Nebraska
Unfortunately for the Big 10, I don’t see this one going so well for the Huskers. Georgia has a very balanced and good offense. Aaron Murray is the obvious star for this game. He has thrown for almost 3,500 yards and has 31 touchdowns. He is also very accurate only throwing 8 interceptions with a 65.4% passing percentage. Murray is almost overshadowed by Georgia’s freshman running back, Todd Gurley. He has 1,260 yards on the ground this season with 16 touchdowns. He is a very explosive back and can really take a hit as well. The Georgia defense was also able to make it through the tough SEC while allowing an average of 18.8 points per game. Nebraska comes into the game with one of the best rushing attacks in the nation. RB Ameer Abdullah spear heads the rushing attack that averages 254.5 points per game. He has rushed for over 1,000 yards and is accompanied by QB Taylor Martinez. Martinez is a good duel threat who has over 3,000 total yards and 31
touchdowns. His arm will be the key part of the Nebraska offense. He’s going to have to make some big passes at some point and if he can’t Nebraska is doomed. I think he won’t be able to do it and that the Nebraska defense will get torn up by the Bulldog offense. I got Georgia winning 42-17.

The Outback Bowl – South Carolina VS Michigan
Unlike last year, Michigan didn’t get lucky with their bowl game, but this doesn’t mean they can’t win it. Michigan has had a lot of time to figure out a tough offense that will undoubtedly feature both Denard Robinson and Devin Gardner in some fashion. They will both make an impact through the air because both have thrown for over 1,000 yards this season. The Wolverines will need to rely on Robinson’s legs for most of their offense comes from him. His 1,166 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns vastly overshadow RB Fitzgerald Toussaint. If Michigan is going to win this game, their defense is going to need to show up. Their defense allowed an average of 18.8 points this season, but was very exposed in many of their losses. South Carolina comes in with a balanced and slightly lethargic offense. RB Marcus Lattimore would have been the star for the Gamecocks. His 662 yards and 11 touchdowns lead the team. Unfortunatly, he broke his leg in October, but the Cocks have other options in the back field. The passing game will also be a huge part of the SC attack. Wide Receivers Bruce Ellington and Ace Sanders are deadly. They have combined for over 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns. Because of both defenses, this will be a very low scoring game. The team that wins this game will have to grind it out of the offensive side of the ball. I think South Carolina can do this better than Michigan and they will win the game 19-10.  

Thanks for reading!

Sunday, December 30, 2012

New Year's Eve Bowls


It’s been a tough Bowl Season. Don’t get me wrong, the football has been wonderful, but I’m not calling it too great. After 19 games I’m 11-8. It’s above .500, but it isn’t good enough. As we inch closer to the smorgasbord of New Year’s games, there’s a full plate of New Year’s Eve games that should serve as a great appetizer. Here are my picks!

The Music City Bowl – NC State VS Vanderbilt
The ACC SEC match up has never been kind to the ACC. In the past 13 years the SEC leads 58-45 in head to head bowl games. Last year, the SEC went 5-2. NC State has a pretty good chance of helping the ACC’s record this year. The Wolfpack has a dominating passing attack. Senior QB Mike Glennon is the man to watch for this team. He has a cannon for an arm and has passed for 3,648 yards and 30 touchdowns this year. They also have a pretty efficient defense. The problem is that they can’t run the ball with any consistency or score touchdowns on the ground. Vandy comes in with a balanced offense. Senior QB Jordan Rodgers has just about 2,500 yards this season and 13 touchdowns. He isn’t the best passer, but he can lead an offense when he needs to. The Commodore running game is pretty average, but their defense is outstanding. I’m picking Vandy in this one for two reasons, one: I don’t think NC State is ready for this defense, two: NC State had a really weak schedule this season. Those two factors have me picking Vanderbilt to win 35-13.

The Sun bowl – USC VS Georgia Tech
Without USC quarterback Matt Barkley, I have little interest in this game. Max Wittek, the USC back up, did a decent job in his only major outing against Notre Dame. The Irish have a very tough defense, so I think Witteck has already gained a lot of experience. He will have an easy time slicing up the GT secondary because of the Trojan wide receiving corps. Marquise Lee, who comes in with 1,680 yards and 14 touchdowns, will give GT headaches along with his partner in crime, Robert Woods. The Trojan defense isn’t great and will be tested by the GT triple option. Speaking of GT, they have a huge running attack. The triple option has allowed them to average 312.5 a game which is 4th in the nation. QB Trevin Washington has been the main source of touchdowns for the Yellow Jackets. His 26 total touchdowns lead the team. He doesn’t really pass the ball much, but he has 4 interceptions in 128 attempts. I kind of want to lean towards to GT in this one because of how they performed down the stretch, but their defense is not going to be able to handle the air raid USC will throw at them. I see USC winning the game 31-21.

The Liberty Bowl – Iowa State VS Tulsa
This is another bowl that I’m a little disappointed with. It is a rematch of the first game of the season for both teams. Though Iowa State won the game, Tulsa went on to a more successful season. I have to favor Iowa State in this one though. They played a much harder schedule which included four ranked teams and plenty of high powered offenses. They also have a strong defense that allows an average of about 23 points per game. The fact that they could do this in the Big 12 speaks volumes. The only issue for the Cyclones is that they don’t have a guy that can step up and lead the offense. The offense is very balanced with talent spread throughout, but none of them seem to be a leader.  The Golden Hurricanes of Tulsa have a great running game. RBs Trey Watts and Ja’Terian Douglas are both huge weapons that get used a lot. WR Keyarris Garrett is another attacking option Tulsa has. His nine touchdowns lead the Golden Hurricanes. Though Tulsa are the hotter team, I feel like Iowa State have gone through enough this season to prepare them from this game. They figured out how to beat Tulsa once and I think that will allow them to do it again. I see Iowa State winning 29-21.

Chick-fil-A Bowl – LSU VS Clemson
Unfortunately for the ACC, I don’t see this going very well for Clemson. LSU have one of the best defenses in the nation. This is bad news for Clemson who really haven’t faced anything like the Tigers defense. LSU also has a pounding running game. RBs Jeremy Hill and Kenny Hilliard will be the guys to watch. They pound the rock and I think this will wear down the front seven of Clemson. After doing that, I think Zach Mettenberger, who has been decent this year, enough of an opportunity to make some plays down the field. Clemson will have to live and die by Tajh Boyd. With his 43 total touchdowns, he is going to have to make a big impact on the ground and through the air. He will also have to make sure he is taking care of the football better than he has been earlier in the season. When he faced South Carolina, who has a comparable defense to LSU, he threw two interceptions which really cost them the game. I think LSU will have some difficulty with Boyd, but they will ultimately figure him out. Both defenses will hold for a while, but Clemson’s will break first and more often. I see LSU winning them one by a score of 27 to 17.

Thanks for reading! 

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Bowls Galore!

I hope you have been able to enjoy the holidays with your friends and family! I also hope you've been able to enjoy the football!
Due to the holidays, traveling to the Little Caesars Bowl, and going to Ohio, I have to make a lot of these picks early. I also have to make them short. Here are a whole bunch of picks for the next few days and I will see you for New Years!

The Military Bowl - San Jose State VS Bowling Green 
For San Jose, watch for QB David Fales to be the biggest threat. He has over 3,500 yards and 31 touchdowns. He will be matching up against one of the best defenses in the MAC. Bowling Green doesn't have much offense, but their defense only allowed an average of 15.8 points per game in the high scoring MAC. I think this will be a close one, but Bowling Green will use there hot defense to snuff out the Spartan's offense and win 24-20.

The Belk Bowl - Cincinnati VS Duke 
Duke is in a bowl game for the first time since 199 and from the looks of it, they are going to have a hard time. The Blue Devils have a terrible running game and defense which is a dreadful combination. Cincinnati has a terrible defense too, but they have a better offense. I see running back George Winn, who has 12 touchdowns, leading the Bearcats to a 31-30 win. 

The Holiday Bowl - Baylor VS UCLA 
This is an interesting match up. It pairs up two great offenses. Baylor has one of the best offenses in the nation. QB Nick Florence, RB Glasco Martin, and WR Terrence Williams have been tearing up the Big 12. The problem is, they haven't faced a good defense and they don't have a defense of their own. UCLA may not have an offense as potent as Baylor, but the Bruins can still put up some points. They also have a better defense and a tougher defense than a lot of teams in the Big 12. I see UCLA scoring their way to a 40-30 win. 

The Independence Bowl - Ohio VS UL-Monroe 
Both of these teams are lower level conference beasts. UL-Monroe beat Arkansas early in the year and almost beat Auburn and Baylor. Ohio was able to beat Penn State this year as well. It will be a close game because both teams are similar. ULM has a dual threat QB with Kolton Browning. He leads Monroe in both rushing and passing yards. Ohio QB Tyler Tettleton is also a dual threat, but he has more play makers around him. I think that's what give Ohio the edge in this one. They will win a close one by a score of 27-23.

Russel Athletic Bowl - Rutgers VS Virginia Tech
Virginia underachieved this year. After leading his team to the Sugar Bowl, QB Logan Thomas had a bad year. He threw 14 interceptions this year with only 17 touchdowns. The offense has been down in general this year. They can't score enough to beat the teams they should and I think this will continue against the stout Scarlet Knight defense. Rutgers have also had offensive troubles, but I think their defense gives them a chance to win this game. The Scarlet Knights will squeak by in this one 13-10. 

Meineke Car Care Bowl Of Texas - Minnesota VS Texas Tech  
Minnesota is in a bowl game again, but the problem is that they are facing Texas Tech. Minnesota has a abysmal offense and an okay defense. The Red Raiders have an incredible passing game and a defense that should be able to stop the Golden Gopher offense. I think that short description should tell the entire story for this game. I got Texas Tech winning 41-20.

The Armed Forces Bowl - Rice VS Air Force 
This game pits two 6-6 teams together. Both teams have a good run game and rely on it heavily. Both teams also have mobile QBs. Rice has Taylor McHargue who has scored 11 TD's through the air and matched that number on the ground. He is a little careless with the football, but he should have a good day against the Air Force defense. Air Force has Connor Dietz. He is a force on the ground, but doesn't throw it much. It will be a good old fashioned football game with a lot of running, but Rice's ability to pass will help them win the game 26-21. 

New Era Pinstripe Bowl - West Virginia VS Syracuse 
This Big East flashback should be a good one. West Virginia comes in with one of the best offenses in the nation. QB Geno Smith has had a heck of a year throwing the ball. He has over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns this year. Syracuse has a pretty good offense as well. QB Ryan Hassib will be able to shine against the Mountaineer's bad defense. The problem is that I don't think he will be able to keep up with West Virginia. The Mountaineers will win this shoot out 45-39.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl - Navy VS Arizona State
Two great running teams face off in this match up. Navy is historically loyal to the run. Once again, they have one of the top ranked rushing attacks just because of how much they run. They also play good defense. ASU has a great running game with Mashall and Grice, but they also have a passing game with Taylor Kelly. Their defense is just as good as the Navy defense and have proven themselves against better teams.If you look at Navy's schedule, they lost against all the good teams they played. I think their 8-4 record is a bit inflated and that will show when they go up against ASU. I think Arizona State wins this game 34-20.

Alamo Bowl - Texas VS Oregon State
This is one of the better early bowl games. Oregon State came out of nowhere this year and really became a great team. Between QBs Sean Mannion and Cody Vas, the Beaver passing game has risen to great heights. Between the two of them they have 26 TDs. The Beavers also have a great defense. They allowed over 40 points just once and that was to Oregon. Texas has been pretty good throughout the Big-12 season. At times they look like one of the top teams in the nation, but at other times they look like a 6-6 team. They don't have a very good defense, which should allow Oregon State to put up some points. The offense, led by QB David Ash, has shown that they too can put up some points. I think the Longhorn defense will have a lot of difficulties against the Beaver defense which will allow Oregon State to win the game 33-28. 

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Michigan State VS TCU
Michigan State has had such an up and down year. Their 6-6 record can mostly be credited to their strong defense. When a team only allows an average of 16.3 points per game, it should be easy to win a lot of games. Gholston has been a beast on the defensive line and he will cause a whole lot of issues for the Horned Frogs. The Spartans problem is that they can only score about 20 points per game. QB Andrew Maxwell has been shaky at best and RB Le'Veon Bell has been a ghost of the player he was last year. TCU has had a rough year as well. They lost a lot of players in the offense and during the season, but have been able to adapt. QB Trevone Boykin hasn't been great, but in the 8 games he played a major part in he has been efficient. He has an interception issue, but he makes up for it with his ability to extend the play. TCU is going to win this game because they have a better offense and a defense that can hang with MSU's. I think TCU wins 23-10 in a hard hitting game. 

Thanks for reading!