Hey readers, back again for another rousing bowl pick em. I
can't believe I lost last year, and its time for me to avenge my prior self and
prove that I am of course, the superior football mind. Alex might have the home
field advantage, but he can't match the intensity that I'm about to bring. I
wish him all the best, and let the best man win! -Nate
Alex
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Troy vs. North Texas
Other than Troy beating LSU on their Homecoming, I don't really know too much about these teams. North Texas was the West Division champ in C-USA, but was routed (for the second time) by Lane Kiffin and the fighting Owls of FAU in the championship. They have a decent offense, averaging 35.9 points per game and 467 yards, but the Mean Green has struggled to slow down their opponents giving up 33.8 points per game on average and over 430 yards. Troy has a solid offensive lead by Senior QB Brandon Silvers, and should be able to keep pace with the Mean Green. Silvers has nearly 3,000 yards passing and completes nearly 63% of his passes. With Silvers slinging it and Troy's defense slowing down the Mean Green, I think they'll take care of this one. Troy 33, North Texas 19.
Nate
Bowl season is starting very soon, and I am primed and ready
to get immersed in the final hurrahs of the 2017 season. And what better ways to start then two teams
that come into the game hot off of win streaks. Both teams are riding 6-1 and
5-1 streaks to end the season respectively, so I would expect a high quality
game between the teams. Of the two, I do believe that Troy is the better team
top to bottom, especially on the defensive side. Tied for 13th in
the nation in sacks with 36, watch out for players like LB Hunter Reese and DE
Jamal Stadom. With the defensive edge, and with North Texas’ thousand-yard
rusher Jeffery Wilson likely sitting because of a foot injury, I like Troy in
this one.
Troy: 35, North Texas 24
Alex
Autonation Cure Bowl
Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State
This one doesn't look to be the most exciting of bowl games, as both teams have struggled to get bowl eligible to begin with. Both teams have something to prove this bowl season though. WKU is looking for their fourth straight bowl win and the Panthers of Georgia State are looking for a school-record 7th win. When looking at the stats, all you want to focus on is the air-attacks. Neither team can run the ball very much, so I would expect this game to take a little while. Of the two QBs, Mike White of WKU has been the more impressive this season. He's thrown for over 3,800 yards and 24 TDs with just 7 picks. Despite the struggles, I think the Hilltoppers will take victory in this one. WKU wins it 38-28.
Nate
What’s a rushing attack?
This will be the question on display this game, as we will watch two of
the worst rushing attacks in the nation. Western Kentucky is statistically the
worst rushing attack in the nation with only 66 yards per game. And when you
adjust for advanced statistics, Georgia State becomes the worst rushing attack.
Both offenses are going to have to rely on their QBs, and I feel that WKU’s
Mike White probably gives WKU an edge. Georgia States special teams have been
really bad as well, as their kicker is only 50% on field goals for the season.
Even thought both teams are bad in similar ways and are both up and down teams,
I think that WKU has the better overall team from top to bottom, and Mike White
should make the difference. WKU; 32 Georgia State: 20
Alex
Las Vegas Bowl
#25 Boise State vs. Oregon
I was lucky enough to peak into a Boise State practice over the summer while I was visiting the campus during a family vacation, and I saw a heavy focus on the passing attack under Junior QB Brett Rypien. I am personally a favorite of their back-up QB, Senior Montell Cozart, primarily because of his dual-threat abilities, but Rypien still has an impressive season going with over 2,500 yards and 14 TDs with 4 interceptions. The Broncos will likely use both QBs, which could cause Oregon's lack-luster defense lots of headaches. Boise RB Alexander Mattison is a game time decision with an injury as well, so he could definitely provide some balance for the Broncos. The Ducks rank 40th in total defense and 77th in scoring defense, giving up nearly 30 points per game. Luckily, they have a stellar QB of their own in Justin Herbert. When he's healthy and able to play, the Ducks are one of the toughest offenses to stop in football. They could lose a step in this game, with star RB Royce Freeman electing to sit out of the bowl game. Losing Freeman is huge for the Ducks because their next top rusher on their roster is nearly 1,000 yards behind him (Kani Benoit, 573 yards). Herbert is a great QB, but I don't know if he can handle Boise State all on his own. Plus, Boise State in Bowl Games is always a good pick. Nate can never resist the lure of Justin Herbert, but I'm taking the Broncos in a 38-36 stunner. This one should be fun to watch!
Nate
Two words, Justin Herbert. After a tough injury prone
season, the Ducks limped to a 7-5 record and ended up losing their coach. So
why am I not counting them out? Two words, Justin Herbert. Oregon is averaging
36 more points per game with him in the lineup, and that is an absurd
difference. The ducks will be without rusher Royce Freeman, and that really
stinks, but Herbert should make up for that and more, while also going back to
just a very plentiful group of rushers that make the loss of Freeman a bit more
manageable. For Boise it looks like they will continue to go with the dual QB
approach with Brett Rypien and Montrell Cozart. I like Rypien as a player,
Cozart less so. Boise state has a top 30 defense, and should stop a Freeman
less rushing attack well enough. Oregon’s defense isn’t horrible, sitting at a
respectable 40th, but it’s a unit that is nothing special. But I
don’t feel like Boise State’s offence is quite good enough to keep up with
Herbert, and while this is breaking my own rules of picking a team that lost
their coach, I feel like the Ducks get fired up and take this game.
Oregon 41, Boise State 28
Alex
Gildan New Mexico Bowl
Marshall vs. Colorado State
This game doesn't have a lot of flash, but there are definitely some play-makers to watch. Colorado State has one of the best trios in all of CFB with QB Nick Stevens (3,479 pass yards & 27:10 TD to INT ratio), RB Dalyn Dawkins (1,349 rush yards and 8 TDs) and WR Michael Gallup (1,345 receiving yards and 7 TDs). These three Rams have helped CSU become the 10th best total offense in the nation. Marshall has a fairly solid defense, giving up just 19.3 points per game and 337 yards on average, but they've yet to face an offense like this. The Thundering Heard will need some production from their play-makers, RBs Tyler King and Keion Davis. The two-headed rushing monster of King and Davis has 11 TDs along with 1,385 yards on the ground. With all of Colorado State's flash on offense, many people (Nate included) have overlooked their poor performances on defense. In thier last 3 losses alone, the Rams have given up a combined 879 yards on the ground, including 413 to Air Force and 310 to Boise State. If Marshall can get their Heard a Thundering, they should be able to control the clock and win this game! I'm sure Nate probably went with the flashy numbers and picked the Rams, but I've got the Heard in this one! Marshall wins it 27-22.
Nate
Help, both teams have fallen and they are trying to get up!
Both of these teams have limped to a bad final quarter of the season, going 1-4
and 1-3 to finish the regular season. Colorado State is coming into the game
however with a high-powered offense even with the losses, averaging over 500
yards per game. Beyond their great QB that I’m sure Alex has covered, they have
a solid group of skill position players with the standouts being WR Micheal
Gallup and RB Dalyn Dawkins, who both funnily enough have almost the same
amount of yardage (1,349/1,345). For
Marshall, they will need to control the ball with their solid but not standout
backfield of Tyler King and Keion Davis. It’s a strategy that I have doubts
that they will pull off. I think it’s
the sexy and obvious pick, but with an offense this good, it’s too hard to pick
against.
Colorado State: 28, Marshall: 17
Alex
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
Middle Tennessee vs. Arkansas State
Having watched the Red Wolves in person at the beginning of the year as they took on my Huskers, I learned a lot about their team. Coming into the season, we all knew (okay, maybe just me) about Junior QB Justice Hansen. He's improved quite a bit from a season ago, throwing for over 3,600 yards and completing nearly 64% of his passes. His 34 to 15 TD to INT ratio isn't the best, but with 5 new starting offensive linemen, you knew it would be a struggle for him this year. However, their defense is what I've been watching closely this year. They had one of the most experienced defensive lines coming into the season, all lead by Senior DE Ja'Von Rolland-Jones. Rolland-Jones has 13 of the team's 34 sacks on the season, and will be looking to boost his draft stock by ripping through a beaten and battered Blue Raider squad. I expect a big victory for the Red Wolves in this one, not too much competition. Arkansas State 42, Middle Tennessee 17.
Nate
On the radio show I said I was going to pick Arkansas State
because I just wanted a team Nebraska beat to win. But I hate to repeat every
argument that Alex probably made for Justice Hanson, so I’ll just talk about
the reasons Middle Tennessee will lose. And it’s an easy list to quantify.
Injuries have rocked the blue raiders, as Brent Stocksill, their starting QB,
was lost for the season half way through the year and they were completely
changed. Top receiving threat Richie James broke his collarbone early in the
season, and both leading rushers for Middle Tennessee are questionable. This
seems like easy pickings for a Red Wolves team that has held teams to under 25
points per game. This is an easy pick for Arkansas State.
Ark State: 38, Middle Tennessee: 17
Thanks for reading our first predictions of the Bowl Season and be sure to watch for our next post of predictions! I've also attached a link to our Radio show, The 2nd String, where Nate and I discuss everything College Football Related! GO BIG RED and Happy Bowl Season!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Special Guest: Nate Muhlbach
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