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December 31st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Mississippi State Bulldogs and Michigan Wolverines are back in a bowl game this year, and the two will be looking for a massive victory in the Sunshine State on New Year's afternoon at the Gator Bowl.

Gator Bowl Matchup: Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Michigan Wolverines
Date: Saturday, January 1st, 1:30 ET
Location: Ever Bank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
Gator Bowl Line: Mississippi State -4.5
Over/Under 60

Bulldogs Notes: There's not a team in the country that had a more interesting year than the Bulldogs, who fought hard in the SEC to finish at 8-4 on the season. They really did compete with the "Big Four" in the West Division, the Auburn Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Arkansas Razorbacks, and LSU Tigers, and though they were defeated in all four games, they did beat all of the teams on their slate from the East Division. This is an old school SEC team that runs smash mouth ball and plays rock solid defense. RB Vick Ballard has rumbled the ball 167 times for 905 yards and a whopping 17 TDs this year, and when he gets near the end zone, it feels like an automatic six points. QB Chris Relf threw for 1,495 yards in his first year leading this offense, but he is going to probably be without his top receiver, WR Chad Bumphis, who caught 44 balls for 634 yards on the campaign. Instead, Relf will have to us his legs in this one, as he rushed for 671 yards and four scores. RB LaDarius Perkins rumbled for 526 yards on 92 carries and will be used quite a bit in this one as well. The defense for Mississippi State was really the last team to hold down Auburn Tigers QB Cam Newton. Only the Arkansas Razorbacks put more than 30 on this team this year. The squad only allowed 348.2 yards and 20.3 points per game for the season.

Wolverines Notes: Is this a game for the job of Head Coach Rich Rodriguez? The buzzards are swarming right now in Ann Arbor, and even though the Wolverines didn't collapse and fail to miss a bowl game the same way that they did last year, they didn't exactly play well down the stretch either, losing five of their last seven games. The defense was absolutely horrendous at times, allowing 65 to the Illinois Fighting Illini, 48 to the Wisconsin Badgers, and 41 to the Penn State Nittany Lions. The unit ranked No. 104 in the nation at 432.7 yards per game and was No. 102 in scoring at 33.8 points per game. Offensively, averaging 501.3 yards per game was one of the top marks in the nation, but we have to face the fact that this really was a one man band. QB Denard Robinson accounted for almost 4,000 total yards of offense this season, throwing for 2,316 yards and rushing for 1,643 yards. He did miss pieces of games this year, and if he gets injured, there isn't going to be another signal caller to trust, as QB Tate Forcier is academically ineligible. Robinson threw for 16 TDs and rushed for 14 scores, but he really sort of fell apart down the stretch and went from a Heisman Trophy favorite to a man that wasn't even considered as a finalist.

The Final Word: Still, Robinson is a man that refuses to lose at times. He won't quite get the job done, but he can keep the Wolverines inside of this number. Mississippi State is very deserving of a bowl win, and it won't be concerning to anyone in Starkville if this one is won, but not covered. The Dogs will be victorious, but the key to beating the Gator Bowl odds is going with the Wolverines.

Gator Bowl Free Pick: Michigan +4.5
Gator Bowl Prediction: Mississippi State 34 – Michigan 31

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December 31st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The great Head Coach Urban Meyer is set to step away from the Florida Gators this year after the conclusion of the Outback Bowl. However, standing in his way are going to be Head Coach Joe Paterno and the Penn State Nittany Lions, who are no strangers to the big upset against SEC teams in bowl games.

Outback Bowl Matchup: Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Florida Gators
Date: Saturday, January 1st, 1:00 ET
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL
Outback Bowl Line: Florida -7
Over/Under 48

Nittany Lions Notes: This wasn't the prettiest season for the Nittany Lions, but Joe Pa knew that this was going to be a tough season now that QB Darryl Clark was gone. He elected to start for true freshman QB Robert Bolden, but after a tough offensive stretch to the year, he changed his mind and went to sophomore QB Matt McGloin. McGloin threw for 312 and 315 yards in his last two games of the regular season, and he accounted for 1,337 yards and 13 TDs in his handful of appearances. WR Derek Moye had a great third season here in Happy Valley, catching 48 passes for 806 yards and seven TDs, all of which were team highs. This is the final game in the illustrious career of RB Evan Royster, the school's top rusher of all-time. Royster wasn't the Heisman Trophy candidate that the Nittany Lions were hoping for this year, but he did throw for 916 yards and six TDs on the campaign. This defense only allowed 347.5 yards and 22.6 points per game this year, numbers which were great considering the fact that the Big Ten was so strong this year.

Gators Notes: After a pair of BCS National Championships and countless memorable seasons, it looks as though this is the end of the line for Coach Meyer, who will step away and leave the program under the direction of new Head Coach Will Muschamp in 2011. It's also the final game for Offensive Coordinator Steve Adazio, who is heading to the Temple Owls to be their head coach when this one is done with. QB John Brantley might be leaving as well, as he is a young man that just didn't work at this university. He's not QB Tim Tebow, and he isn't the man that he caused to transfer away from Gainesville either… some man name QB Cam Newton. Brantley threw for just 2,020 yards and nine scores on the season. He was a massive disappointment this year, just as RB Jeff Demps was. Demps has explosive speed, but he just doesn't look the same without Tebow in there handing him the ball. He rushed for just 531 yards in 2010. WR Chris Rainey was suspended for half of the season, and as a result, he really never put forth some great numbers either, rushing for 300 yards and catching 22 passes for 198 yards. The defense for UF was the key this year. When it held teams under 30 points, it went undefeated this season. Allowing 294.8 yards per game was great, but without DB Janoris Jenkins, a four year starter, playing is his last game as a senior, UF could be in some trouble.

The Final Word: The Gators seem to be the consensus pick here, but we're really not all that sure. They're not in great shape in this game with a slew of injuries, and the Nittany Lions do have some confidence having beaten the LSU Tigers last year in the Capital One Bowl on New Year's Day. McGloin has this Penn State offense moving, and if PSU can put just a few scores on the board, the 'D' might be able to lead the way to victory in a big upset.

Outback Bowl Free Pick: Penn State +7
Outback Bowl Prediction: Penn State 20 – Florida 16

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December 31st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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The Michigan State Spartans were probably the one team this year that really deserved to be in the BCS that didn't get there. However, they're going to be playing in a game that is going to feel like a BCS encounter when they take on the defending national champs, the Alabama Crimson Tide in Champs Sports Bowl betting action.

Capital One Bowl Matchup: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Michigan State Spartans
Date: Saturday, January 1st, 1:00 ET
Location: Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, FL
Capital One Bowl Line: Alabama -10
Over/Under 52

Crimson Tide Notes: The Crimson Tide have a real question mark in this game about motivation. The last time we saw this team play in a bowl that wasn't the BCS National Championship Game, they were supposed to clock the Utah Utes. Instead, they were manhandled by the top mid major in the land in the 2009 Sugar Bowl. The challenge is going to be getting the offense rolling. We know that this unit can really play well at times. Case in point: Alabama really came out of the blocks strong against the Auburn Tigers. We also know that this unit can fall apart as well. Case in point: The second half against Auburn. QB Greg McElroy isn't used to losing, as the three losses this year marked the only three defeats of his career since middle school. He did throw for 2,767 yards and 19 TDs this year, and it really helped that he had WR Julio Jones to get the rock up to. Jones is one of the most purely talented receivers in the land, and though his numbers could have been better, there is no shame in the fact that he had 75 grabs for 1,084 yards and seven trips to the end zone on the season. RB Mark Ingram didn't have anywhere near the success this year that he had hoped for, and even though he did miss the first few games of the season, he still didn't put up the numbers that were expected. Ingram and his backup, RB Trent Richardson, combined for 1,474 yards and 16 TDs this year, numbers that Ingram put up on his own last season. The good news for the Tide is that this defense is still one of the most brutal in the country. Allowing 289.9 yards per game in the rugged SEC is nothing to mock, and even though this team graduated seemingly everyone after last year's National Championship, Head Coach Nick Saban still kept foes to just 14.1 points per game.

Spartans Notes: Give Sparty a ton of credit for going 11-1 this year. Even though this schedule was relatively easy by Big East standards, 11 wins are 11 wins. This was a team that was good enough to stick with the power running game of the Wisconsin Badgers. It had the wit to outsmart the Notre Dame Fighting Irish with the "Little Giants" play in overtime. And it had the craftiness to hold off a clever team like the Penn State Nittany Lions, who came back from a big deficit to nearly pull off an upset. MSU can play from ahead thanks to its power running game with RB Edwin Baker, and it can come back on the right arm of QB Kirk Cousins. Why this team is still not getting the respect it deserves is beyond us. Baker rumbled for 1,187 yards and 13 TDs this year, while Cousins threw for 2,705 yards and 20 scores against just nine picks. Do keep an eye on both WR Mark Dell and WR BJ Cunningham, as both have the speed and skill to change any game they play in a hurry. The two combined for 99 receptions, 1,372 yards, and 15 TDs.

The Final Word: Michigan State is good enough to win this game outright. Don't kid yourself about that. Saban is going to be drawing a lot of questions about the way he motivates his teams when there is little to nothing on the line if this one is lost, and there isn't a team that would rather stick it to him than his former mates. Sparty gets the job done and finishes in the Top 10 in the country with an upset at the Capital One Bowl.

Capital One Bowl Free Pick: Michigan State +10
Capital One Bowl Prediction: Michigan State 24 – Alabama 20

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December 31st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Northwestern Wildcats and Texas Tech Red Raiders probably underachieved this year, but they are both going to be playing on Tobacco Road on New Year's Eve for the first of a four pack of NCAA football bowl games at the Ticket City Car Care Bowl. Which team will beat the college football betting lines? Check out our preview and our Ticket City Car Care Bowl picks.

Ticket City Bowl Matchup: Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Northwestern Wildcats
Date: Saturday, January 1st, 12:00 ET
Location: Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas, TX
Ticket City Bowl Line: Texas Tech -9.5
Over/Under 60.5

Red Raiders Notes: True to his word, Head Coach Tommy Tuberville really did a nice job bringing at least a more well balanced attack between rushing and passing to Lubbock this year, but he also stayed true to the traditions of the team with its hurry up, shotgun offense. The Red Raiders flew up and down the field all year long, averaging 456.6 yards per game, 314.8 of which came through the air. These numbers ranked Texas Tech No. 17 and No. 8 in the land respectively. Tuberville would have preferred to see his team score a few more points this year, but especially in the rough and tumble Big XII, putting up 32.1 points per game was respectable. QB Taylor Potts is finishing up a great senior season in which he threw for 3,357 yards and 31 TDs, and he has a pair of great receivers to work with as well in WR Lyle Leong and WR Detron Lewis. Leong caught 64 passes this year, but more importantly, he had 17 TDs. On the ground, RBs Baron Batch and Eric Stephens combined to rush for over 1,400 yards, and each had five scores. The defense wasn't fantastic for Texas Tech, especially against opposing passing games. This unit ranked second to last in the country at 306.1 yards per game allowed, and the end result were averages of 453.7 yards and 30.3 points per game conceded. The Red Raiders had some miserable defensive efforts this year, most notably allowing 52 to the Iowa State Cyclones and 45 to the Oklahoma Sooners in Big XII play.

Wildcats Notes: Injuries are all over the place for the Wildcats in this one, as the team's top four rushers could all be sidelined. RB Mike Trumpy and RB Jacob Schmidt are dealing with injuries, while RB Arby Fields transferred a few weeks ago and won't be in Big D in this one. The biggest blow though, is the loss of QB Dan Persa. Persa did a fantastic job taking over for the departed QB Mike Kafka, who led the Cats to the Outback Bowl last season. Persa completed over 75 percent of his passes and had a great TD/INT ratio of 15/4, but he was also the team's second leading rusher with 519 yards on the ground, and he led the team in TDs to boot with nine. Since QB Evan Watkins has taken over, nothing good has happened, but the defense can be blamed just as much as the offense. Teams have rushed for over 800 yards on Northwestern over the course of the last two games of the season, and though the offense scored 50 points in total in those two efforts, the 'D' gave up a whopping 118. There's just no excuse for play like that, and the hope is that things really have been worked out before we see the Wildcats take on the Ticket City Bowl odds on Saturday.

The Final Word: The Wildcats haven't won a bowl game since 1949, and that was the only time in their history that they tasted bowl glory. There's just something about this crazy season and the crazy way that things have gone lately that makes us believe that Northwestern really has a chance of pulling this upset. Texas Tech has to believe that it has a shot to blow these Cats out of the water, but when push comes to shove, the extra time for Watkins in practice leading up to the Ticket City Bowl will probably help immensely. Don't be shocked if there is an upset in the cards.

Ticket City Bowl Free Pick: Northwestern +9.5
Ticket City Bowl Prediction: Northwestern 38 – Texas Tech 34

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December 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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College football historians remember the days when a young buck name Steve Spurrier was leading the Florida Gators into battle against the Florida State Seminoles each and every year. He's traded in his blue and orange visor for a red and black one, and he is set to face his old nemesis for the first time since leaving Gainesville when he brings his South Carolina Gamecocks into the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl Matchup: South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Florida State Seminoles
Date: Friday, December 31st, 7:30 ET
Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
Chick-Fil-A Bowl Line: South Carolina -3
Over/Under 54.5

Gamecocks Notes: It was a year of firsts for the Gamecocks. They went into the Swamp in Gainesville with the Head Ball Coach and beat the Gators for the first time, and as a result, they went to the SEC Championship Game for the first time as well. Sure, SC was destroyed by the Auburn Tigers, but we're quite possibly talking about the BCS National Champions here that killed them. QB Stephen Garcia really took a major stride and was the difference maker in the game in which the Gamecocks beat the BCS Champions, the Alabama Crimson Tide. Garcia ended up throwing for 2,816 yards and 20 TDs against 11 picks this year, and he clearly had a breakout season. Of course, it really helps when you have a 6'5" target in WR Alshon Jeffrey to throw to. Jeffrey is really one of the best receivers in the land, and he showed his worth this year, catching 79 passes for 1,387 yards and nine trips to the end zone. This was a well balanced attack though, as RB Marcus Lattimore was a real workhorse. He rumbled 40 times in a game against the Gators, and he ended up carrying the football 248 times this year. Lattimore had 1,198 yards and 17 scores on the ground, and he was third on the team in receiving with 26 grabs, 364 yards, and two more TDs. This was a defense that was tremendous against the rush but horrid against the pass. The Cocks allowed less than 70 yards per game this year on the ground to every team save the Auburn Tigers, but the unit also gave up 253.6 yards per game through the air, ranking just No. 108 in the land.

Seminoles Notes: The Noles made it back to the ACC Championship Game for the second time in school history this year, but this time around, the Virginia Tech Hokies got the best of them and dropped them into the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. Still, the garnet and gold aren't going to mind, as they really did have a great first season under the direction of new Head Coach Jimbo Fisher. FSU still has its problems and it isn't quite back to a position where it can dominate the ACC, but it is getting there. Allowing 347.9 yards per game this year is a marked improvement from a team that allowed over 400 yards per game a year ago. Still, there were some lapses this year against teams like the Virginia Tech Hokies, Oklahoma Sooners, and North Carolina Tar Heels that really hurt. When this team allowed more than 20 points, it went 0-4 SU and ATS. When it allowed 19 or fewer, it went 9-0 SU and 7-2 ATS. QB Christian Ponder is likely to be on the lineup after missing the ACC Championship Game with a bursa sac injury in his throwing elbow. He's going to need to improve upon his 20 TDs against eight picks on the year to make sure that the Noles can get going against this SC defense.

The Final Word: South Carolina really needs to have this game to carry some momentum into next season. Everything does set up perfectly for this crew, as there are plenty of returning members next year. However, if there is one knock of the Cocks, it is that they haven't played well in bowl games under Spurrier. Fisher had a great first year with FSU, and it would be pivotal to end this season with a 'W' to carry some mo' into 2011 as well. However, Carolina is the team that will snare it on New Year's Eve with its well balanced offensive attack.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl Free Pick: South Carolina -3
Chick-Fil-A Bowl Prediction: South Carolina 27 – Florida State 20

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December 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Some very interesting storylines are surrounding this year’s Liberty Bowl, as the UCF Knights and Georgia Bulldogs are ready to engage in NCAA football betting action on New Year’s Eve. The Knights have been to several bowl games in their history, but they have never won one. They’ll be taking on a Georgia team that has never finished under .500 in the coaching tenure in Athens of Head Coach Mark Richt. Needless to say, you won’t want to miss our Liberty Bowl picks in this one!

Liberty Bowl Matchup: UCF Knights vs. Georgia Bulldogs
Date: Friday, December 31st, 3:30 ET
Location: Liberty Bowl Stadium, Memphis, TN
Liberty Bowl Line: Georgia -6.5
Over/Under 53.5

Knights Notes: When you think of mid major teams in the country, you think about the TCU Horned Frogs, Boise State Broncos, Utah Utes, Nevada Wolf Pack, etc. However, the Knights are about as good as it gets as well, and Head Coach George O’Leary knows that a school record 11th win in this season would probably put them in the Top 25 to start next season, which would give them a chance to crash the BCS in 2011. O’Leary has done a fantastic job building this team where it really counts in the trenches. UCF averages over 90 yards per game more than its foes on the ground this year, and this is why this team doesn’t fit the bill as a prototypical C-USA squad. The Knights are one of two teams in the country that have three players that had visited the end zone at least ten times (the other being the Wisconsin Badgers). RB Latavius Murray and RB Ronnie Weaver played well this year, mostly in the power running game, as the two combined for over 1,400 rushing yards. QB Jeff Godfrey didn’t expect to do all that much this year, but he was called into duty when QB Rob Calabrese was injured earlier this year. Godfrey promptly won Conference USA Freshman of the Year, and he might become one of the best players in the entire state of Florida by the time it is said and done. He accounted for over 2,500 yards between his arm and his legs this year, and he was responsible for 23 TDs.

Bulldogs Notes: It was a tail of two seasons for the Bulldogs. In the first half of the year, the team really didn’t play that well, and it opened up at 0-3 in the SEC and 1-4 overall for the first time in the coaching career of Coach Richt. From that point forward though, QB Aaron Murray and the newly reinstated WR AJ Green took over. These two hooked up for nine TDs over the course of the final eight games of the season. The offense put together at least 31 points in each of its final seven games of the campaign thanks to the play of Green, who ended up with 771 yards on the year, and RB Washaun Ealey, who had 751 yards and 11 trips to the end zone. Murray has a lot of growing to do as a signal caller, but it is clear that the future is bright in Athens. This freshman threw three of his six picks against the Florida Gators back on October 30th, but he also threw half of his 24 TD passes in his final four games of the year. Murray ended the year with 2,851 yards, and he is going to be expected to reach the 3,000 yard barrier for the year in this game. Georgia does have a major problem on defense right now, as its last four opponents from FBS conferences have scored at least 31 points against it and have averaged 37.0 points per game.

The Final Word: Though the Knights have yet to win a bowl game in their history, they have been excruciatingly close in recent years. Unfortunately, this is probably going to be another one of these games in which UCF plays its heart out, but when push comes to shove, Green is going to make the play that finds its way to beat this team. The Knights won’t embarrass themselves, but they won’t walk away with a win either in a game that could be a tremendous shootout.

Liberty Bowl Free Pick: UCF +6.5
Liberty Bowl Prediction: Georgia 41 – UCF 37

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December 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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The Miami Hurricanes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish are ready to rock and roll on Friday afternoon down in El Paso in the Sun Bowl, one of the most highly anticipated games of the bowl season. These two teams are rich of history and tradition, and they should put on a fantastic show to close out 2010.

Sun Bowl Matchup: Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Miami Hurricanes
Date: Thursday, December 30th, 2:00 ET
Location: Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, TX
Sun Bowl Line: Miami -2.5
Over/Under 47.5

Fighting Irish Notes: The Fighting Irish had to fight hard this year just to make it to a bowl game, as they needed to beat at least two of their final three games of the year to finish at .500 to qualify. They did more than that and took down all three, and they are carrying all of the momentum in the world into the Sun Bowl. Three crucial injuries have crushed this team all season long, as QB Dayne Crist, TE Kyle Rudolph, and RB Armando Allen have all missed substantial time. DT Ian Williams has missed over two months as well, but after his knee injury, he is finally going to be back in the fold in all likelihood. Still, this was a team that averaged 25.8 points per game on offense and allowed just 20.5 points per game on the other side of the ball. As always, this team played a brutal schedule, so these seven wins made for a very legitimate team. Keep an eye on QB Tommy Rees in this one. He is the man that replaced Crist in the lineup after he was knocked out for the season against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Rees completed 63.0 percent of his passes for 905 yards with 10 TDs against eight picks. He's going to be looking for the man that was the constant in this lineup all season long, WR Michael Floyd, who is probably the best pro prospect amongst the Golden Domers. Floyd caught 73 passes for 916 yards and ten scores this year, all of which were team highs.

Hurricanes Notes: If anything happens to QB Jacory Harris, the Hurricanes are in a lot of trouble. Both their second and third string quarterbacks are out of the lineup in this one, which leaves on scholarship quarterbacks left to take snaps. Harris has had all sorts of problems staying healthy this year, and as a result, he only completed 54.8 percent of his passes for 1,756 yards and 14 TDs against 12 picks. In spite of the fact that this passing game struggled no matter who was calling the shots, WR Leonard Hankerson was incredibly lethal. He caught 66 passes for 1,085 yards and 12 TDs on the season and is legitimately going to be one of the top receivers drafted in the NFL Draft this coming year. On the ground, the three pack of RB Damien Berry, RB Lamar Miller, and RB Mike James all did well this year, pacing an offense that averaged 191.0 yards per game on the ground. Defensively, this unit really has to step up this year. This was probably the reason that Head Coach Randy Shannon was fired before this game. Though there were times that "The U" really played well on this side of the ball, allowing 167.3 yards per game just wasn't acceptable. This unit did allowed 54 points over the course of the last two games of the season against the Virginia Tech Hokies and the South Florida Bulls.

The Final Word: The Hurricanes just have far too many question marks in this game, and it is a little puzzling to us as to why they are the favorites in this game after having lost back to back games to end the season. Notre Dame is riding a wave of momentum right now, and the Golden Domers should finish up this year with a fulfilling victory in El Paso.

Sun Bowl Free Pick: Notre Dame +2.5
Sun Bowl Prediction: Notre Dame 30 – Miami 21

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December 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Clemson Tigers and South Florida Bulls probably underachieved this year, but they are both going to be playing on Tobacco Road on New Year's Eve for the first of a four pack of NCAA football bowl games at the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Which team will beat the college football betting lines? Check out our preview and our Meineke Car Care Bowl picks.

Meineke Bowl Matchup: South Florida Bulls vs. Clemson Tigers
Date: Friday, December 31st, 12:00 ET
Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Meineke Bowl Line: Clemson -5.5
Over/Under 40.5

Bulls Notes: The good news for Head Coach Skip Holtz is that his team really did a nice job this year responding to his system defensively. For a team that struggled at times last year, holding teams to just 19.5 points per game was fantastic. However, the offense really didn't do well enough for this team to finish significantly better than .500. The Bulls didn't ran higher than No. 71 in the nation in any major offensive category this year, and 312.2 yards per game ranked No. 69 of the 70 bowl teams in the country this season. QB BJ Daniels went in the wrong direction this year after a relatively successful freshman season in which he replaced the injured QB Matt Grothe. This year, Daniels only completed 56.4 percent of his passes for 1,496 yards and 9 TDs. Tossing 12 picks was awful for a man that only averaged 18.2 passes per game this year. His top target was WR Dontavia Bogan, who caught 46 passes for 670 yards and five TDs. On the ground, things weren't significantly better, but for a team that had a run/pass ratio of over 1.50:1, this is the most important part of the team. RB Moise Plancher was the team's leading rusher with 743 yards, while RB Demetris Murray will carry the ball a lot as well. He had 517 yards this year. Both had four trips to the end zone.

Tigers Notes: Clemson knows that it really underachieved this year. Though the defense was fantastic, the lack of an offense was the reason why this team went 5-0 for 'under' bettors on the campaign. The Tigers built their defense around DE Da'Quan Bowers, who was the nation's sack leader. This team only conceded 312.4 yards per game and 17.8 points per game, making this one of the best units in the ACC. Before giving up 29 to the South Carolina Gamecocks, Clemson had held six straight foes to 16 points or fewer. However, in those six games, it only went 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS. Thank the offense, which also really wasn't worth much this year, much like its counterparts in this game. The Tigers only got 2,080 yards out of QB Kyle Parker this year, and he had 12 TDs against 10 picks. On the ground, both RB Jamie Harper and RB Andre Ellington played relatively well, but neither was all that explosive. The two combined for 1,415 yards and 16 scores on the campaign, but this accounted for half of the offensive TDs on the year.

The Final Word: Clemson is probably the better team in this game, but we aren't really so sure that that is going to translate into a victory. The Tigers will get some good defensive player for certain, but Daniels and company should be able to put just enough points on the board to win this game outright. Don't be shocked if this starts all of the upsets that we have all been waiting for on New Year's Eve.

Meineke Bowl Free Pick: South Florida +5.5
Meineke Bowl Prediction: South Florida 23 – Clemson 20

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December 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Holiday Bowl pits teams from the Big XII and the Pac-10 against each other every single season. This year's set of college football picks on this illustrious battle doesn't quite have the same luster as normal, as the Washington Huskies were a bit of a farce this season, while the Nebraska Cornhuskers don't even feel like a Big XII team anymore since they are moving to the Big Ten next year. Still, this is the only rematch of the bowl season from a regular season duel. The Cornhuskers won the first go around by five TDs up in Seattle, and U-Dub has a ton of work to do if it thinks it is turning the tide in this one.

Holiday Bowl Matchup: Washington Huskies vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Date: Thursday, December 30th, 10:00 ET
Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA
Holiday Bowl Line: Nebraska -13.5
Over/Under 52.5

Huskies Notes: Washington just has to feel fortunate to be playing in a bowl game this year. The only reason that it has moved so far up the bowl ladder is because the Arizona Wildcats slid down the stretch and were shut out in this game last year, and the Holiday Bowl wanted some new blood. With both the Stanford Cardinal and Oregon Ducks going to the BCS, this was the only bowl eligible team remaining to select. QB Jake Locker will be playing in his final game at U-Dub, and it is his first and only bowl appearance as well. He remembers that dreadful 4-for-20 game against the Black Shirts defense when these teams met in the Northwest, as it was a game that probably cost him millions of dollars this year in the NFL Draft. Locker really needs a big performance to leave a good taste in the mouths of the scouts for these NFL teams, as he has never had a 3,000 yard season and with a loss here, will have never led his team to an above .500 record. Do keep an eye on WR Jermaine Kearse and RB Chris Polk. These are the two men that have any chance of helping this offense out, along with Locker. Polk accounted for 1,238 yards and eight scores on the ground, while Kearse led the team in receiving with 56 grabs for 954 yards and 12 trips to the end zone. Washington has the worst scoring discrepancy of teams in the bowl season, getting outscored by 9.1 points per game on average on the campaign. The only positive to look at is that the Huskies did win their final three games of the season both SU and against the college football odds.

Cornhuskers Notes: This isn't quite what Nebraska had in mind this year, especially in its final season in the Big XII. However, going to the Big XII Championship Game for a second straight season and nearly taking down the Oklahoma Sooners provided a nice consolation prize here in San Diego. The key to watch out for is how well the Nebraska running game takes care of the Washington defense. When these teams met the first time around, all three of the Huskers' main runners made it to the 100+ yard barrier. It would be unfair to assume that RB Roy Helu, RB Rex Burkhead, and QB Taylor Martinez are going to be able to put on that type of a show once again, but if they do, they'll all end up as 1,000 yard runners, marking the second time in the history of college football that that would have happened, joining last year's Nevada Wolf Pack. Martinez needs 58 yards on the ground to get there, while Burkhead has to have 88 yards. Should Burkhead score three TDs, this would also be one of just three trios in the country to have three players with ten rushing touchdowns as well. The 'D' for Nebraska stumbled just a tad down the stretch, but there is no doubt that this is the superior unit in this game. The Cornhuskers average allowing just 294.8 yards and 17.2 points per game.

The Final Word: The only question in our minds is whether or not Nebraska really wants to be here in the Holiday Bowl or not. If it does, it is going to smoke the Huskies for a second time this year. If not, that's when the upset can happen. Locker is probably one of the most overrated players in the country though, and he isn't going to be able to get the job done. If U-Dub couldn't do it at home, it isn't going to be able to do it at the Holiday Bowl either.

Holiday Bowl Free Pick: Nebraska -13.5
Holiday Bowl Prediction: Nebraska 44 – Washington 21

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December 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The great of Tennessee is going to be decked out in white and orange with fans screaming the lyrics to Rocky Top at the tops of their lungs on Thursday, as the Tennessee Volunteers will essentially play host to the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Music City Bowl Matchup: North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Tennessee Volunteers
Date: Thursday, December 30th, 6:30 ET
Location: LP Field, Nashville, TN
Music City Bowl Line: Tennessee pk
Over/Under 50.5

Tar Heels Notes: Give Head Coach Butch Davis some credit for really surging through this year in spite of the fact that he lost a ton of players due to ineligibility right at the outset of the season. The men in baby blue really could have just curled into a ball and died, but they continued to fight to make it here to the Music City Bowl. They were clearly playing in the better half of the ACC, as the Coastal Division provided a ton of challenges. This was still a very respectable club offensively this year, averaging 335.0 yards and 22.9 points per game allowed, but there just wasn't enough here to be the truly dominating force that we were expecting at the start of the season. Offensively, QB TJ Yates did a great job without really having a ton of help. He threw for 3,184 yards and 18 TDs against eight picks, and though those numbers aren't exactly screaming at you, he was a much maligned signal caller before this year and has seemed to win over some of the faithful in Chapel Hill. WR Dwight Jones was the only man in this offense that caught more than 30 passes or had more than 400 yards this year. He snared 57 balls for 895 yards. RB Johnny White had 720 yards on the ground and visited the end zone seven times.

Volunteers Notes: If you want to talk about some fantastic coaching jobs though, you really have to talk about Head Coach Derek Dooley. Dooley was a very, very late hire in Knoxville this year, as he was still the man in charge of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs until deep into the recruiting season. Though that may ultimately cost the boys from Rocky Top down the road, it is clear that Dooley knows what he is doing and is capable of eventually turning this program back around into prominence. He pushed the perfect button in the final four games of the season and gave up on QB Matt Simms, instead electing to go to QB Tyler Bray. Bray promptly dropped 102 points in two games against the Memphis Tigers and Mississippi Rebels, and he never looked back down the stretch. Bray threw for 1,537 yards and 14 TDs against seven picks. The only thing really working against him this year was his completion percentage, which was an iffy 54.7. RB Tauren Poole had 994 yards on the ground this year with 11 scores. The top receiver was WR Denarius Moore, who caught 43 passes for 912 yards, a whopping 21.2 yards per catch average. Moore scored nine times on the campaign.

The Final Word: Though North Carolina might be the more talented team (and certainly would be the more talented team if not for all of the suspensions), it just isn't going to be able to overcome the red hot Volunteers in this one. The men from Rocky Top have a renewed sense of winning right now that came with that four game roll at the end of the season, and anything less than a Music Bowl betting triumph would be a disappointment.

Music City Bowl Free Pick: Tennessee pk
Music City Bowl Prediction: Tennessee 28 – North Carolina 26

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