BOWL PREDICTIONS: PART I

It's one of my favorite times of year. The overly complicated NFL playoff races, hockey and basketball are in full swing, college basketball is about to start conference play, and it's Bowl Season. Oh yeah, plus there's Christmas and junk.

I'm making shallow, vague, carefree, and most likely incorrect predictions for each and every Bowl game this year. Here's the first batch. All these games are on Saturday.

EagleBank Bowl
Washington, DC
Wake Forest vs. Navy

First time this bowl's being played, because we really needed more Bowls Games. Navy is essentially playing at home, only a few miles from Annapolis. Wake Forest is one of 10 ACC teams going bowling, which speaks more to the mediocrity of the conference then anything else. 6 of the ACC's 12 teams were 4-4 in conference play.

Prediction: Navy rolls over the Deacons 31-13


New Mexico Bowl:
Albuquerque, NM
Colorado State vs. Fresno State

Neither of these teams are very good, but Colorado State plays in the tougher Mountain West Conference, so I'm giving the Rams the edge in this one. CSU 27, FSU 21.


magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl
St. Petersburg, FL
Memphis vs. South Florida

The game's in Tropicana Field, but it's essentially a home contest for the USF Bulls. South Florida should be able to handle the 6-6 Memphis Tigers, especially in St. Pete. USF 41, Memphis 17.


Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl
Las Vegas, NV
#16 BYU vs. Arizona

Brigham Young lost to #11 TCU, and #6 Utah. Both on the road. And that's it. They beat Washington and UCLA earlier in the season, so they've handled Pac-10 teams before. Both schools are about 400 miles from Vegas, and should fill the 36,800 seat Sam Boyd Stadium. I think it's kind of funny that the biggest Mormon school in the country will be playing in Vegas. BYU is going to win this game, and win it easily. BYU 52, Arizona 17.