The First Annual McKinney Diner Bowl Game Predictions

I started this football season making predictions for high school, college and profesional games just to see how I would do. I was terrible against high schools, dominant with colleges (but 50/50 against the Vegas lines) and marginal with the Cowboys...

...and then life happened and it seemed football faded into the background.

But, now it's the grandest time for college football season: The bowl season is upon us and starts tonight! And, in what promises to be a new tradition, I will now officially pick the bowl games and we'll see what I'm made of.

Poinsettia Bowl: TCU vs. Northern Illinois (+11.5). I had to look up how to spell poinsettia. I'd imagine that any team from Illinois spending December in San Diego would be full of distraction. Give me TCU, 31-17.

Las Vegas Bowl: BYU vs. Oregon (+3). Let's see...Mormons can't even have caffiene and they're supposed to win against the ugliest uniforms in the NCAA and have an offense nicknamed the "quack attack?" Oregon, 41-35.

New Orleans Bowl: Troy (+4.5) vs. Rice. Rice hasn't been to a bowl game since 1961. Troy has only been in D1 football for about 6 minutes. As much as I don't like picking against a team from Alabama, I like Rice, 17-7.

Birmingham Bowl: South Florida vs. East Carolina (+4.5). No kidding: the city of Birmingham didn't even want this bowl. But ESPN came in with a date and a sponsor and needed a stadium. If the city doesn't care, I don't either. South Florida 28, East Carolina 17.

New Mexico Bowl: New Mexico vs. San Jose State (+3.5). New Mexico Bowl? Ummm. San Jose State, 20-14. I guess.

Armed Forces Fort Worth Bowl: Tulsa (+1) vs. Utah. I like Tulsa's coach over Utah's talent. In fact, if Bama were smart, they'd consider him for their vacant position. Tulsa 35, Utah 31.

Hawaii Bowl: Arizona State (+7.5) vs. Hawaii. Arizona State lost their coach and is in Hawaii for vacation. Give me the 'Bows, 42-28.

Motor City Bowl: Central Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee State (+10). Central Michigan's conference is tougher. CMU 24-13.

Emerald Bowl: Florida State (+4.5) vs. UCLA. Florida State is still living too much on their laurels--in other words, I think they're even worse than their record. UCLA is on a high after beating USC. UCLA 22, FSU 10.

Independence Bowl: Alabama (+2) vs. Oklahoma State. Shreveport. Ugh. Oklahoma State is just happy to be going bowling. Alabama, on the other hand has been embarrassed in the national media. Something tells me that interim coach Joe Kines and that team will have an awful lot to prove and they have the talent to prove it. Bama, in a blowout, 38-10.

Holiday Bowl: California vs. Texas A&M (+5). I'm a believer that Cal has been overrated all season (as is the Pac-10--how do the BCS computers always have that as the toughest conference?) but they're better than the Aggies. It'll be close, but Cal Bears 21, Aggies 17 sounds right. The Ags just won't score enough.

Texas Bowl: Rutgers vs. Kansas State (+7.5). Rutgers? In a bowl? Favored? The glass slipper still fits Cinderella, Scarlett Knights 23, K-State 14.

Music City Bowl: Clemson vs. Kentucky (+10). Something just doesn't seem right with Clemson and I can't imagine they'll be pumped after losing to South Carolina. I like Kentucky in an upset, 30-24.

Sun Bowl: Missouri (+3.5) vs. Oregon State. Chase Daniel is from here and Missouri is a good team. Tigers 38, Beavers 24.

Liberty Bowl: South Carolina vs. Houston (+6.5). Steve Spurrier. 'Nuff said. Gamecocks 27, Houston 10.

Insight Bowl: Minnesota (+6.5) vs. Texas Tech. The Red Raiders always seem to struggle against teams with better defenses than their offense. However, Minnesota's won't be strong enough. Guns up, Red Raiders! 27-20.

Champs Sports Bowl: Maryland vs. Purdue (even). Turtles vs. a liquor/beer mixture? Purdue 20, Maryland 17.

Meineke Car Care Bowl: Navy (+6) vs. Boston College. I had to look up how to spell Meineke. Boston College 24, Navy 17.

Alamo Bowl: Iowa (+10.5) vs. Texas. I've been to the Alamo and it's the biggest historical visiting let down in our country. The "tour" consists of a lady with a scale model in a glass case pointing out things like, "Santa Anna's army laid siege at this wall, where the HemisFair arena now stands." If it's so sacred, why build so much on it? I tell you all that to tell you to take Iowa and the points, but Texas wins, 27-21.

Chick Fil A Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Georgia (+2.5). It depends on which Georgia team shows up, because they can throttle Auburn or lose to Kentucky. Give me Dawgs in case the good team shows up, 17-14.

MPC Computers Bowl: Nevada (+3.5) vs. Miami. How far has Miami fallen when they're only a field goal better than Nevada. They're talent-laden, though, and they're still the "U." Hurricanes 23, Nevada 17.

Outback Bowl: Penn State (+4.5) vs. Tennessee. Love those New Year's Day Big 10/SEC match-ups! The Vols are just better this year but this should be a good game. Tennessee 21, Paterno 17.

Cotton Bowl: Auburn vs. Nebraska (+2). Yes, Auburn suspended a running back and two linebackers...but it won't matter. A healthy Kenny Irons and Brandon Cox and Courtney Taylor for the first time since the opening game should be plenty...and they dismantled Wazzu that day. Nebraska doesn't have enough. Auburn 27-17.

Capital One Bowl: Wisconsin (+1.5) vs. Arkansas. Tracy and I had our first kiss at the Capital One Bowl and they halftime show was freakin' 45 minutes long and featured the Statler Brothers. It was 35 degrees in Orlando and I bought two overpriced sweatshirts that day. Wisconsin 23, Arkansas (even with McFadden, who is next year's Heisman winner) 21.

Gator Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. West Virginia (-7). How does WVA lose at home to freakin' South Florida? West Virginia dismantled Georgia last year before a furious rally, and they'll do the same to the Ramblin' Wreck, 34-24.

Rose Bowl: Southern Cal vs. Michigan (+1). A Rose Bowl the way a Rose Bowl should be, Big 10-Pac 10. I think Michigan is good. Not 2nd in the country good, but very good. I think they can run on the Trojans and I don't think the Pac 10 running style matches up well with Big 10 powerhouse defense. In other words, power over finesse here, Michigan and the ugliest helmets in the NCAA 28, USC and their annoying Trojan march song 24.

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Boise State (+7.5). Are you kidding me? Oklahoma is scary good and Peterson is back. Boise State is further proof the BCS is a joke. Boomer Sooner 35, stupid blue astroturf fields in Idaho 17.

Orange Bowl: Wake Forest (+10) vs. Louisville. Ya think anybody wearing an Orange Bowl committee blazer is happy with the BCS knowing that they would've had an Okahoma vs. Notre Dame matchup under the old system? Louisville can score at will and the Demon Deacons offense is anemic. Louisville 31, Wake Forest 13.

Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. Notre Dame (+8.5). The way LSU is playing at this stage of the season, I don't think anyone wants a piece of them. Playing at home in a refurbished Superdome against an overrated Notre Dame team? LSU 31, Notre Dame 21. (I'd be tempted to say 14 because Brady Quinn is overrated)

International Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Western Michigan (+8). I had to look up how to spell Cincinnati and can't figure out why this game is a bowl game much less mixed up with all the big BCS games on Jan. 6. Who freakin' cares? Ummm. Bearcats 29, Broncos 20.

GMAC Bowl: Southern Miss vs. Ohio (+6). I had a chance to go to Southern Miss and I think they have cool helmets and they had a mascot that runs into the goalpost pads after touchdowns. Good enough for me, Golden Eagles 21, Ohio 14.

BCS National Championship: Ohio State vs. Florida (+7.5). Is it possible, just possible that the Big 10 has been overrated while the SEC has been beating each other up week after week? The Gators are a team that, in their only loss this season, didn't give up a touchdown on defense. They beat a fantastic LSU team at home and Tennessee on the road. Ohio State, meanwhile, beat up on a milder than usual Big 10 schedule (minus Wisconsin, who might've beaten them) and beat an overrated Michigan team at home. They haven't played a defense as good as Florida's and on a neutral field, with the Gators having a chip on their shoulder, frankly, I don't need your points. Gators 28, OSU 20. Oh yeah, and open notice to J&M bookstore in Auburn, I'll buy one of those bumper stickers I'm sure you'll print up that reads Auburn 27, National Champions 17.

How do you think I'll do?