Military Bowl
Annapolis, MD
12/28 2:30 PM
Pittsburgh (8-4) vs. Navy (10-2)
Navy
Confidence: 10
I think there is a decent chance that the Navy coach could leave for BYU when it’s all said and done. In the meantime, I’ll still pick Navy. These are two great teams and neither would surprise me if they win. Pitt took a hard blow when they lost star RB James Conner early in the year to injury, now to find out he has cancer. This Pitt team has great potential, almost beating Iowa, North Carolina, and Notre Dame, three teams who had chances to make the playoffs. Navy is led by senior QB Keenan Reynolds who was mentioned as being a Heisman candidate. Over his four year starting career he has 85 rushing TDs to go along with his 30 passing TDs. This year he leads the team with 1077 passing yards on 52 completions and 1229 yards on the ground. He is the reason I’m picking Navy.
Navy 27 Pitt 23
Quick Lane Bowl
Detroit, MI
12/28 5 PM
Central Michigan (7-5) vs. Minnesota (5-7)
Minnesota
Confidence: 17
Minnesota is the worse of two 5-7 Big Ten teams to make it to a bowl game but I’m still going to pick them. This isn’t going to be a very exciting game and it’s bowl games like this that are a reason to cut down on the incredibly high number. Minnesota’s best win was by three over Colorado State and they also have two other three point wins over Ohio and freaking Kent State. Sigh. Central Michigan has played its opponents better than Minnesota but in the battle of the big guys versus the little guys, I’m not sure if Central Michigan is the most talented team out there to pull it off.
Minnesota 24 Central Michigan 20
Armed Forces Bowl
Fort Worth, TX
12/29 2 PM
California (7-5) vs. Air Force (8-4)
California
Confidence: 11
Jared Goff of Cal is the reason to watch this game. He is among the frontrunners for the first pick in the draft. The last time there was talks of a Cal QB going that high, he ended up falling to the Packers and turning out alright. That guy was Aaron Rodgers. Goff may not have the numbers you would expect from a top pick, 37 TDs to 13 INTs but he is a pretty mobile QB and can make all the throws you ask at the next level. Air Force is one of the few teams left that still runs the triple option. They are 3rd in the country in rushing with over 300 yards a game which makes this game interesting with Cal allowing over 200 yards a game rushing. It should be a close one but I think Goff can outscore Air Force.
Cal 38 Air Force 34
Russell Athletic Bowl
Orlando, FL
12/29 5:30 PM
North Carolina (11-2) vs. Baylor (9-3)
North Carolina
Confidence: 8
I kind of wanted to go higher on North Carolina but I just can’t rule Baylor out as much as I want to. Baylor might have made the playoffs if it wasn’t for losing their top two QBs. It looks like it will be Chirs Johnson 15-38 220 yards 3 TDs 2 INTs or Lynx Hawthorne 10-22 64 yards 2 INTS at QB for Baylor. They dropped the last two including a bad loss to Texas. They still have one of the best WRs in the country in Corey Coleman to lean on and a pretty good RB in Shock Linwood. Coleman won the Biletnikoff for the country’s best wide receiver. North Carolina ranks 110th in rushing defense so if Baylor get can still make quick throws and run effectively they have a chance. North Carolina is known to give up those points so if they want to win Marquise Williams has to have a big day. This could be a really fun one to watch but because of the QB situation the Tar Heels win.
North Carolina 45 Baylor 41
Recent Comments