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| WSW: Bowl Week 1
Story URL: http://oregonstate.scout.com/2/713177.html | |
| BeavaBleeda BeaverFootball.com | Dec 20, 2007 |
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It’s bowl season and that means it’s time for Bleeda to break down the bowls. Bleeda has been on hiatus for awhile as he has been busy organizing the new start-up Grandma’s chapter out in Happy Valley, which is basically very deep SE P-Town. It’s a great cast of hooligans out there in the normally quiet sleepy residential suburb. Anyhow, let’s break down this weeks bowl games. Thursday, December 20 6:00 pm PT San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl: Navy (8-4) +8.5 vs. Utah (8-4). Damn! That’s a motha’ of a mouthful! Both these teams are hot and this looks to be a great game to open up the bowl season. The Utes won seven of their last eight and the Midshipman finished the season with four straight wins averaging almost 50 points a game. Bleeda likes the points in this spot and loves the Navy ground game. The over/under is 67 probably because the Middies allowed 36.5 pts per game this year. Tell ya what though, lot of sailors down at the base in Diego and there will be a boat load of them at the game (Hashanah). Utah 38 Navy 31. Eight and hook is too much to lay, take our men from the Navy.
Who are the R & L Carriers? Uh, who cares! What we do know is the FAU Owls won the Sun Belt Conference and the schools first bowl appearance in the process. Who, Who, Who, says the Owl! Honestly...I don’t know much about these two teams. Let’s go with the Owls since that mascot is cooler than the Tigers. It’s kind of like when you are at the dog track and the girl you are with picks Balls of Fire, Dick Tracey, and Long and Hard in the trifecta box because she digs the names. Seriously, it happened once and the girl I was with won $300. That’s messed up. FAU 27 Memphis 23.
What’s up with the .com? The formerly known Insight.com bowl dropped off the com. Can’t they just call it the Papa Johns Bowl? Sad thing is they will probably get thousands of hits on their website during the game. So be it! Lot of points in this game to lay but Bleeda loves the Bearcats, coming from a stronger conference and having a better record. The game will be played in Birmingham, Alabama for those interested. Cinci’ is led by quarterback Ben Mauk, who topped the Big East with a 154.6 QB rating, a major accomplishment since he is in the same conference as West Virginia’s Pat White and Louisville’s Brian Brohm. Cinci 34 Southern Miss 20.
New Mexico is playing in Albuquerque, New Mexico for their bowl game. Hey! That’s not fair! And, who’s the freaking sponsor? The state of New Mexico? The Wolfpack will represent their WAC and their .500 record is a bit deceptive as they lost to Boise State and Hawaii by only two points. Sentimental pick with New Mexico here as they are coached by ex-Beaver defensive coordinator Rocky Long. They should get lots of local support in this game and they have the edge in the kicking game with John Sullivan, who nailed 26 of 29 field goals this year. The Lobos defense is laden with upperclassmen at every position. It may be a push as New Mexico wins 31-28 over the Wolfpack.
Now we have another ex-Beaver coordinator in a bowl game. Bronco Mendenhall leads the Cougars, who went 6-0 in the Mountain West conference. This team pummeled the Ducks last year by 30 points. It's time again for another ass whooping for the Pac10. Bruins faded down the stretch and it looks like quarterback Ben Olsen may be out. The BYU fans sold this game out early and they will have the bulk of the fans at this game. BYU 30 UCLA 17.
Bleeda stayed at the Sheraton last year when OSU played Hawaii and that place smells like rotten fish in the lobby. Anyhow... BSU is a big favorite in this game, but they’ve been to Hawaii before and the experience should help. East Carolina will get food poisoning, get in fights with the locals, and gets slaughtered in this game. The number in this one is big for a reason. BSU 45 East Carolina 24.
*** BeavaBleeda can be reached at beavableeda@beaverfootball.com. Copyright © Scout.com and BeaverFootball.com | |