2008-2009 Bowl Newsletter

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John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter The Bowl Season has its share of intriguing matchups and I’ll break it down as much as possible for each of the 34 bowl games on the docket. Yes, every one. View From the Sideline The National Championship Game

Did the computers get it right in 2008? The voters were relatively nonplussed by a 45-35 Texas win. OU has scored 60+ points for five straight games but Florida’s a different story altogether. Page 26

Issue #1, Volume #2 Texas’ statement On January 5th, the Texas Longhorns are going to have one final opportunity to prove to the world that they should have been in Miami, not the Sooners. However, stopping Terrelle Pryor and Beanie Wells is no walk in the park Page 25

Heisman Jinx? Does it matter? The National Championship Game in Miami will feature the last two Heisman winners 2008 winner Sam Bradford from Oklahoma and 2007 winner and 2008 third place candidate Tim Tebow from Florida. The game has star power, but it’ll be the ‘second fiddles’ who’ll determine who the history books will remember as the 2008 BCS national champion. The Game Breaker Against Alabama in the SEC Championship game, quarterback Tim Tebow carried the Florida Gator offense as he had done for the majority of 2007. He

John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

Nutt finally gets Cotton After leaving the Arkansas Razorbacks last season to coach at rival Ole Miss, Nutt gave up his opportunity to coach in last year’s Cotton Bowl. However, after a tremendous 8-4 season in Oxford, N u t t finally gets to go to Dallas. Page 23

Defense, Schmefense Does anyone expect any defense to be played in the Holiday Bowl as Oklahoma State and Oregon tee it up? Well, it could be the team that does play some ‘D’ that could emerge victorious Page 14

had to do it because his main guy Percy Harvin was on the bench with a high ankle sprain. Without Harvin, Tebow and the offense moved the football ably against one of the nation’s best defenses. Which begs the question, how many points would this offense had put up on the board with Harvin on the field?

Take Your Pick

The Best Game of All? TCU vs. Boise State may not garner the

national attention that say Texas-Ohio State or Oklahoma-Florida might, but it could be the best bowl game period. The matchup of Kellen Moore vs. Jerry Hughes will be intriguing to say the least. Page 6

Dixie’s calling After a 12-0 regular season, the Utes are heading into enemy territory to face a 12-1 Alabama squad in the Sugar Bowl. Sixth year QB Brian Johnson is playing his last g a m e against one of the best defenses in the nation. Can the Utes shock the nation as Boise State did a couple of years ago? Page 24

Wide receivers Manny Johnson and Juaquin Iglesias are as dynamic as ay pair of receivers in the nation, especially Johnson who averages 18 yards per catch. Running back? Geez. Chris Brown is an 1,100 yard rusher, but with DeMarco Murray out in the Big 12 Championship game, third stringer Mossis Madu proved he might be the best back on campus. And, tight end, Jermaine Gresham might be the most difficult matchup for the Gators on January 8th.

Since Bob Stoops Defenses on Full Alert arrived in Norman in 1999, the Sooners Oklahoma defensive have never lacked coordinator Brent Venables star power or has seen explosive offenses players with all season long, but Florida’s This might be the most anticipated college breakaway abilities. provides a completely football matchup since the 2006 Rose Bowl However this year, different problem for his when Vince Young became both a champion QB Sam Bradford Sooners because of Harvin and a legend. Harvin, Tebow (shown above) has so many and Tebow’s ability to ‘plow’ and Spikes vs. Bradford, Iglesias and Lewis explosive weapons on short yardage situations. at his disposal that Gator defensive coordinator he could play left Charlie Strong will face the handed and still best offense he’s seen all move the offense up and down the field. season. Good luck, guys.

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Rice (9-3) vs. Western Michigan (9 - 3) December 30, 2008 - NFL Network 7 PM CST R

Rice Players to Watch #16 Chase Clement - QB #12 James Casey - uber Player #81 Jarrett Dillard - WR The Owls are playing in their second bowl game in three years and have the chance to finish with ten wins for the first time since, well, since a long time ago. The Broncos are also coming off of a nine win regular season under head coach Bill Cubit. Rice is led by one of the most powerful offenses in the

144.4 ypg - 61st

Run Offense

121.5 ypg - 92nd

327.8 ypg - 5th

Pass Offense

301.1 ypg - 10th

472.5 ypg - 10th

Total Offense

422.7 ypg - 25th

41.6 ppg - 8th

Scoring Offense

29.8 ppg - 38th

192.9 ypg - 102nd

Run Defense

140.9 ypg - 58th

273.8 ypg - 112th

Pass Defense

249.4 ypg - 96th

466.8 ypg - 114th

Total Defense

390.3 ypg - 83rd

34.9 ppg - 107th

Scoring Defense

23.8 ppg - 53rd

nation, while the Broncos feature a potent passing game, led by quarterback Tim Hiller who threw for over 300 yards per game. The ultimate key in this game is whether 1

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Western Michigan Players to Watch #3 Tim Hiller - QB #27 Jamarko Simmons - WR #1 Louis Delmas - S He’s too quick for linebackers and too strong for safeties.

Western Michigan can figure out how to stop Rice’s uber player James Casey. He had 104 catches on the season and has been a difficult matchup for teams all season long. H

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Furthermore, Rice offensive coordinator Tom Herman is one of the most creative minds in college football. His innovative ways will feature ‘Thor’ and will help Rice get win number ten.

Rice - 42 vs. WMU - 35

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www.1560thegame.com John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

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Air Force (8-4) vs. Houston (7 - 5) December 31, 2008 - ESPN 11 AM CST R

Air Force Players to Watch #7 Tim Jefferson - QB #25 Todd Newell - FB #47 Ken Lamendola - LB It’s rematch time in Fort Worth for the Armed Forces Bowl as these two combatants hooked up in nearby Dallas at SMU in week three of the season - Hurricane Ike week as it is affectionately known in Houston. Air Force was victorious 31-28 in a game marked by early AFA dominance and a mad Houston comeback that fell three points short. However, these two teams have flown in different John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

268.9 ypg - 5th

Run Offense

161.0 ypg - 50th

79.9 ypg - 117th

Pass Offense

414.1 ypg - 2nd

348.8 ypg - 70th

Total Offense

575.1 ypg - 1st

26.7 ppg - 53rd

Scoring Offense

41.2 ppg - 10th

139.8 ypg - 55th

Run Defense

169.5 ypg - 90th

195.6 ypg - 46th

Pass Defense

249.1 ypg - 95th

335.5 ypg - 45th

Total Defense

418.6 ypg - 102nd

21.3 ppg - 35th

Scoring Defense

31.2 ppg - 92nd

directions since that game and this matchup could differ greatly from the first one. The biggest difference for the Coogs has been the ability to move the ball on the ground with CUSA freshman of the

year Bryce Beall. The rookie has averaged 92.7 yards per game on the ground and that was behind an offensive line that had some significant shake up due to injuries to SirVincent Rogers and others.

Houston Players to Watch #7 Case Keenum - QB #28 Ken Fontenette - S #35 Tyron Carrier - WR/KR Consequently, the major key to this game is Houston’s defense keeping Jefferson and company off the field, not allowing the Falcons to eat up chunks of yards and clock on the Cougars. But, stopping the option isn’t quite so easy. QB Keenum has been ultraexplosive when he has the ball in his hands and must get 75 to 80 snaps on the Falcons. If he does, look out.

U of H - 38 vs. AFA - 28 3

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Fresno State (7-5) vs. Colorado State (6-6) December 20, 2008 - ESPN 1:30 PM CST R

Fresno State Players to Watch #7 Tom Brandstater - QB #1 Lonyae Miller - RB #54 Ben Jacobs - LB There were some, we won’t say who, but there were ‘some’ who thought that the Bulldogs would be playing in a much bigger bowl at the end of the season. Especially after the way the Bulldogs started the season at Rutgers, rolling through the Scarlet Knights 24-7 on Labor Day.

176.8 ypg - 35th

Run Offense

129.8 ypg - 78th

206.5 ypg - 66th

Pass Offense

247.5 ypg - 30th

383.3 ypg - 43rd

Total Offense

377.3 ypg - 47th

29.1 ppg - 40th

Scoring Offense

23.9 ppg - 76th

197.3 ypg - 104th

Run Defense

185.3 ypg - 99th

196.2 ypg - 50th

Pass Defense

222.8 ypg - 83rd

393.5 ypg - 88th

Total Defense

408.1 ypg - 95th

30.3 ppg - 90th

Scoring Defense

29.8 ppg - 88th

felt like the Rams were headed to the post season. Former Ram David Anderson was even surprised to see his alma mater headed for a bowl game this December.

The Rams, on the other hand, were breaking in a new coach Steve Fairchild and not many S

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Colorado State Players to Watch #5 Gartrell Johnson - RB #15 Billy Farris - QB #56 Ricky Brewer - LB controlled the line of scrimmage, predictably, the Bulldogs won or played well. The Rams need Johnson, 26th in the nation in rushing with 99.3 yards per game to have a huge game and he should.

Either way, the key in this game is going to be how well the Bulldogs can run the football against the Rams. Games in which the Bulldogs ran the football well and R

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However, Brandstater will have his best game, his last game and the Bulldogs will win one final time.

FSU - 27 vs. CSU - 23 W

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Memphis (6-6) vs. USF (7-5) December 20, 2008 - ESPN2 3:30 PM CST R

Memphis Players to Watch #26 Curtis Steele - RB #59 Greg Jackson - LB #89 Carlos Singleton - WR It’s bowl season, which you probably already know, but what makes bowl season special for me is the matchup of two strong units facing one another. That being said, this is an intriguing early bowl season matchup of one strong unit, a 22nd ranked Memphis offense facing the 13th ranked USF defense. The Tigers main offensive threat is running back Curtis Steele who averages 97.9 John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

205.6 ypg - 18th

Run Offense

159.8 ypg - 51st

226.6 ypg - 47th

Pass Offense

237.6 ypg - 39th

432.2 ypg - 22nd

Total Offense

397.4 ypg - 38th

28.3 ppg - 44th

Scoring Offense

26.5 ppg - 54th

146.3 ypg - 69th

Run Defense

97.7 ypg - 9th

195.7 ypg - 47th

Pass Defense

194.1 ypg - 44th

341.9 ypg - 52nd

Total Defense

291.8 ypg - 13th

26.0 ppg - 66th

Scoring Defense

20.5 ppg - 30th

yards per game, but the Tigers feature a ‘tall’ receiving corps that can be extremely difficult to cover, especially deep downfield. WR Carlos Singleton and Maurice Jones create mismatches anywhere on the field.

However, the Bulls have one of the best defensive game changers in the nation defensive end George Selvie. If he harasses Memphis quarterback Arkelon Hall, if healthy, as expected, he could

USF Players to Watch #8 Matt Grothe - QB #95 George Selvie - DE #27 Tyrone McKenzie - LB singlehandedly turn the Tigers into a one-dimensional ground attack. Although Steele is a major weapon, he can’t do it by himself. USF QB Matt Grothe should have a strong day against an average Memphis defense. Throwing or running, Grothe has the ability to will his team to a good bowl win in the inaugural St. Petersburg Bowl.

USF - 34 vs. UM - 23 4

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Wake Forest (7-5) vs. Navy (8-4) December 20, 2008 - ESPN 10 AM CST R

Wake Forest Players to Watch #11 Riley Skinner - QB #2 Alphonso Smith - CB #59 Aaron Curry - LB Rematches are the flavor du jour for bowl season and this is one of them, the first game of the bowl season. Wake Forest had just come off of a hard fought, physical battle at Florida State and was 3-0, returning back home to face a 2-2 Navy squad that had lost to Duke the week prior. But, the Midshipmen took advantage of four Riley Skinner turnovers and left

111.6 ypg - 100th

Run Offense

298.3 ypg - 1st

188.7 ypg - 84th

Pass Offense

63.3 ypg - 118th

300.3 ypg - 103rd

Total Offense

361.7 ypg - 59th

20.3 ppg - 97th

Scoring Offense

27.8 ppg - 48th

116.1 ypg - 21st

Run Defense

126.2 ypg - 31st

184.3 ypg - 28th

Pass Defense

215.7 ypg - 76th

300.3 ypg - 19th

Total Defense

341.8 ypg - 51st

18.3 ppg - 17th

Scoring Defense

21.4 ppg - 37th

Winston-Salem with a 24-17 victory.

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the field. Navy has a history, in bowl games, of grinding out 15 to 19 play drives and eating up quarters, not just minutes, at a time.

circled the wagons for a win over Vandy in the last game of the season.

Since that game, the Demon Deacons were unreliable in an average ACC, losing four games in conference, but L

Navy Players to Watch #10 Kaipo Noa K-Enhada - QB #36 Eric Kettani - FB #8 Wyatt Middleton - S

The story of this game is going to be how often Wake can get the Navy offense off G

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Skinner hasn’t had the cleanest season in the world, but with a shot to cleanse himself of the horrid game he played against Navy earlier this season, expect #11 to have his best day of the year.

Wake - 23 vs. Navy - 17

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BYU (10-2) vs. Arizona (7-5) December 20, 2008 - ESPN 7 PM CST R

BYU Players to Watch #15 Max Hall - QB #94 Jan Jorgensen - DE #32 Dennis Pitta - TE The BYU Cougars weren’t expecting to be going to Las Vegas at the outset of the season. The Cougars had their sights set on heading to a BCS bowl game for the first time ever. Arizona was hoping it could get to any bowl after not playing in the postseason since 1998 (Holiday Bowl win over Nebraska). So, with two teams heading to Vegas with completely different mindsets, this one should be interesting. John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

135.9 ypg - 71st

Run Offense

164.0 ypg - 48th

308.9 ypg - 7th

Pass Offense

237.3 ypg - 40th

444.8 ypg - 17th

Total Offense

401.3 ypg - 34th

35.3 ppg - 19th

Scoring Offense

37.1 ppg - 16th

144.4 ypg - 65th

Run Defense

132.3 ypg - 42nd

206.5 ypg - 59th

Pass Defense

169.8 ypg - 14th

350.9 ypg - 58th

Total Defense

302.1 ypg - 20th

21.2 ppg - 34th

Scoring Defense

21.3 ppg - 36th

The one aspect that I can’t seem to shake is that BYU had two losses on the season TCU and Utah. Those two teams were the most physical teams that the Cougars played and they took punches like Oscar De La

Hoya did Pacquiao.

against

Arizona Players to Watch #7 Willie Tuitama - QB #48 Rob Gronkowski - TE #15 Xavier Kelley - LB

Manny

Arizona is a similar team in that vein - offensively, they won’t wow you but the defense will stroke you and hit you in the face.

However, as good as TCU and Utah are, Arizona isn’t quite in their league. Plus, BYU has QB Max Hall and WR Austin Collie, one of the finalists for the Larry Fitzgerald Award (It’s a Sean and John thing), along with Harvey Unga and Fui Vakapuna running the ball. As such, BYU will control the game with Hall and a surprising defensive showing.

BYU - 31 vs. U of A - 21 5

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Boise State (12-0) vs. TCU (10-2) December 23, 2008 - ESPN 7 PM CST R

Schedule (12-0, 8-0) W Idaho State 49-7 W Bowling Green 20-7 W @ Oregon 37-32 W La. Tech 38-3 W @ Southern Miss 24-7 W Hawaii 27-7 W @ San Jose State 33-16 W @ New Mexico State 49-0 W Utah State 49-14 W @ Idaho 45-10 W @ Nevada 41-34 W Fresno State 61-10 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #11 Kellen Moore RB #41 Ian Johnson FB #40 Richie Brockel WR #19 Vinny Perretta WR #9 Jeremy Childs TE #85 Tommy Gallarda LT #60 Andrew Woodruff LG #76 Jon Gott C #66 Thomas Byrd RG #62 Kevin Sapien RT #73 Nate Potter Defense DE #90 Billy Winn DE #98 Ryan Winterswyk DT #53 Sean Bingham DT #67 Joe Bozikovich LB #44 Kyle Gingg LB #24 Tim Brady LB #52 Derrell Acrey S #18 Ellis Powers S #23 Jeron Johnson CB #1 Kyle Wilson CB #13 Brandyn Thompson

162.7 ypg - 49th

Run Offense

216.6 ypg - 13th

294.1 ypg - 12th

Pass Offense

201.4 ypg - 70th

456.8 ypg - 13th

Total Offense

417.1 ypg - 29th

39.4 ppg - 12th

Scoring Offense

35.0 ppg - 20th

104.9 ypg - 15th

Run Defense

48.7 ypg - 1st

189.6 ypg - 37th

Pass Defense

166.4 ypg - 9th

294.5 ypg - 16th

Total Defense

215.1 ypg - 2nd

12.3 ppg - 3rd

Scoring Defense

10.9 ppg - 2nd

Keys to the Game Not Your 2006 Ian - Two seasons ago, Ian Johnson was the darling of college football after scoring the game winning touchdown in the Fiesta Bowl against OU and of course, his marriage proposal. This season, though, Johnson has been more of a cog in the machine than the driver of the bus. He’s shared the limelight with explosive Jeremy Avery who is more of a threat than Johnson. These two won’t replicate Johnson’s Fiesta Bowl performance against the nation’s number one rush defense, but if he and Avery can grind out three to four yards a carry, the Broncos will be in great shape to win this game. Here he comes - Why don’t defensive coordinators use receivers or running backs to rush the quarterback? Who could block that speed? Well, TCU head coach Gary Patterson is the master at doing just that and his latest protege is former running back Jerry Hughes, a first team All-American defensive end. All Hughes has done is lead the nation in sacks and create mayhem all over the field. No one on the field can change the complexion of this game more than Hughes coming off the edge chasing BSU QB Kellen Moore. Jack of all trades - Boise State do-it-all receiver Vinny Perretta became a household name after the 2007 Fiesta Bowl with an overtime performance that epitomized what still makes him great in 2008. He throws it, runs it, catches it and scores it - a little bit of everything and he’s the one player TCU must ‘find’ every play. No matter where he lines up, the Horned Frogs, must force one of the three safeties to be responsible for BSU’s #19. Conclusion - The Horned Frogs have the best defense BSU has seen all season and Hughes will pressure Moore into a couple of key turnovers that TCU will turn into points. Those points will be the difference in a tremendous bowl game.

Schedule (10-2, 7-1) W @ New Mexico 26-3 W SF Austin 67-7 W Stanford 31-14 W @ SMU 48-7 L @ Oklahoma 35-10 W San Diego State 41-7 W @ Colorado State 13-7 W BYU 32-7 W Wyoming 54-7 W @ UNLV 44-14 L @ Utah 13-10 W Air Force 44-10 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #14 Andy Dalton RB #18 Ryan Christian FB #32 Justin Watts WR #1 Walter Bryant WR #88 Jimmy Young TE #86 Shae Reagan LT #70 Marshall Newhouse LG #72 Kyle Dooley C #75 Blake Schlueter RG #65 Giles Montgomery RT #61 Marcus Cannon Defense DE #98 Jerry Hughes DE #42 Matt Panfil DT # 56 Cody Moore DT #55 James Vess LB #39 Jason Phillips LB #51 Robert Henson S #29 Stephen Hodge S #4 Steven Coleman S #3 Tejay Johnson CB #20 Nick Sanders CB #10 Rafael Priest

TCU - 27 vs. Boise State - 23 John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter - Poinsettia Bowl

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There’s no finer place for diamonds in Houston or anywhere else...just ask Mark Mangino who has a Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award ring made by Mark Klein of Michael Klein’s Jewelry Get over to Klein’s for the annual Klein’s Christmas Party December 24th

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-Giveaways every 30 minutes -Danny Arnold’s combine -Much more ballyhoo and tomfoolery...an Egg Nog Chug? H

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Notre Dame (6-6) vs. Hawaii (7-6) December 24, 2008 - ESPN 7 PM CST R

Notre Dame Players to Watch #23 Golden Tate - WR #12 Robert Blanton - CB #27 David Bruton - S Given a choice of heading to Houston to face Rice in the Texas Bowl, the Irish decided to play a glorified road tilt against Hawaii at its home stadium. Hopefully the beach trip and the exposure to 5 star recruit Monti Te’o will be worth it. The Warriors should be applauded for the 7-6 season it had. All Hawaii had to do was rebound from the Colt Brennan/June Jones era losing its record setting QB, John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

113.4 ypg - 98th

Run Offense

99.3 ypg - 107th

231.4 ypg - 46th

Pass Offense

245.5 ypg - 33rd

344.8 ypg - 75th

Total Offense

344.9 ypg - 74th

22.7 ppg - 86th

Scoring Offense

24.9 ppg - 68th

142.7 ypg - 63rd

Run Defense

148.0 ypg - 73rd

184.8 ypg - 30th

Pass Defense

203.9 ypg - 54th

327.5 ypg - 38th

Total Defense

351.9 ypg - 59th

22.3 ppg - 43rd

Scoring Defense

27.3 ppg - 72nd

all of its receivers and a beloved head coach. That’s all? Yeah, and the Warriors still finished with seven wins on the season, winning four of its last six games. It goes without saying that this is one of the trickiest

games Notre Dame has played, and perhaps one of its most important. The Irish have struggled in every facet of the game since the overtime loss to Pitt and a road game, errr, bowl game

Hawaii Players to Watch #12 Greg Alexander - QB #17 Solomon Elimimian - LB #94 David Veikune - DE might not be the best tonic for an ailing program and coach. But, the way the Irish can get healthy is by running the football. Physically, right at Hawaii. In so doing, the Irish will find a balance in the offensive game plan. Running for 113 yards in this game won’t cut it. The streak will end in Hawaii for the Irish. The bowl losing streak that is.

ND - 35 vs. UH - 24 7

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Troy (8-4) vs. Southern Miss (6-6) December 21, 2008 - ESPN 7:15 PM CST R

Troy Players to Watch #12 Levi Brown - QB #32 DuJuan Harris - RB #91 Brandon Lang - DE The Trojans have quietly become one of the more consistent programs in the country. Consequently, this is the fourth bowl trip in five years for Larry Blakeney’s squad and the third straight visit to New Orleans.

175.5 ypg - 36th

Run Offense

196.3 ypg - 24th

245.9 ypg - 32nd

Pass Offense

238.2 ypg - 38th

421.4 ypg - 26th

Total Offense

434.5 ypg - 20th

33.3 ppg - 23rd

Scoring Offense

30.7 ppg - 33rd

139.2 ypg - 54th

Run Defense

145.3 ypg - 68th

180.4 ypg - 23rd

Pass Defense

223.9 ypg - 84th

319.6 ypg - 30th

Total Defense

369.3 ypg - 71st

20.6 ppg - 31st

Scoring Defense

23.8 ppg - 53rd

their last four games behind a dominating defense that gave up an average of only nine points per game over that stretch.

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averaging one TD per game. Brown has the explosive abilities necessary to turn this game on its ear, but the Troy defense is one of the best in the south in stopping the pass. Troy will capitalize on some USM mistakes and ride the exploits of RB Harris and QB Brown. USM won’t effectively stop those two.

The key in this game is whether Troy can slow down one of the best true freshmen receivers in the nation Brown. All the kid has done is nearly 17 yards per catch, S

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Southern Miss Players to Watch #5 DeAndre Brown - WR/KR #25 Damion Fletcher - RB #24 Gerald McRath - LB

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FAU (6-6) vs. Central Michigan (8-4) December 26, 2008 - ESPN 6:30 PM CST R

FAU Players to Watch #11 Rusty Smith - QB #56 Frantz Joseph - LB #20 Charles Pierre - RB Expectations were sky high (no pun intended) in Boca Raton for the Owls after a wonderful 2007 season that included a bowl win. But, a 1-5 start almost turned the lights off for the Owls 2008 season. However, Howard Schnellenberger’s squad turned a tragic start into a strong finish, and a memorable one at that - a 57-50 overtime win over rival Florida International.

141.0 ypg - 65th

Run Offense

134.3 ypg - 73rd

250.5 ypg - 27th

Pass Offense

292.8 ypg - 13th

391.5 ypg - 41st

Total Offense

427.1 ypg - 24th

25.2 ppg - 66th

Scoring Offense

30.3 ppg - 35th

183.0 ypg - 98th

Run Defense

138.6 ypg - 51st

219.1 ypg - 80th

Pass Defense

285.7 ypg - 118th

402.1 ypg - 93rd

Total Defense

424.3 ypg - 104th

29.3 ppg - 85th

Scoring Defense

30.8 ppg - 91st

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Central Michigan Players to Watch #13 Dan LeFevour - QB #27 Antonio Brown - WR/KR #43 Nick Bellore - LB been anywhere near as effective as he was last season, only 59th in the nation in passing efficiency, while CMU legend Dan LeFevour is 11th in the nation in total offense.

put a damper on a potentially special season. That being said, the one major difference in this game is at the quarterback position. FAU’s Rusty Smith hasn’t A

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LeFevour can take over this game with his legs, his arm and his heart and he’ll do that against a less than average FAU defense.

CMU - 38 vs. FAU - 17

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Miami (7-5) vs. Cal (8-4) December 27, 2008 - ESPN 7 PM CST R

Miami Players to Watch #12 Jacory Harris - QB #2 Graig Cooper - RB #3 Glenn Cook - LB I think I’m going to rename this bowl the “I have no idea what team is going to show up bowl”. It probably wouldn’t have a sponsor with that name, but the point is made with two teams that have ridden the roller coaster all season long. Miami had gotten back into the top 25 for the first time in a few years when it headed to Georgia Tech for a nationally televised Thursday night game a month ago. Oh boy, that didn’t go well. Over 400

John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

130.1 ypg - 77th

Run Offense

183.7 ypg - 30th

197.0 ypg - 76th

Pass Offense

195.5 ypg - 79th

327.1 ypg - 88th

Total Offense

379.2 ypg - 45th

27.9 ppg - 47th

Scoring Offense

33.3 ppg - 22nd

146.4 ypg - 70th

Run Defense

122.5 ypg - 26th

169.3 ypg - 13th

Pass Defense

192.9 ypg - 42nd

315.8 ypg - 25th

Total Defense

315.4 ypg - 24th

24.2 ppg - 56th

Scoring Defense

20.2 ppg - 27th

yards rushing later, the Yellow Jackets pounded the Hurricanes. And, then Miami allowed NC State to score 38 points on its defense dropping the Canes to 7-5. Maybe Cal is guilty by association as the four losses

were to bowl teams, but with a revolving quarterback situation, it’s very difficult to get a read on this team. But, the one thing I do know is that Cal can run the football behind one of the better offensive lines in the Pac-10,

Cal Players to Watch #4 Jahvid Best - RB #56 Zack Follett - LB #51 Alex Mack - C led by Orlando Pace Award finalist (again, a S&J thing) Mack. RB Best is fifth in the nation, averaging 127 ypg and the Hurricanes proved late in the season they couldn’t stop the run effectively. Cal won’t hurt them with option, but options - Best and Shane Vereen and, unfortunately, it’ll be too much for the U.

Cal - 27 vs. Miami - 21 9

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Wisconsin (7-5) vs. Florida St. (8-4) December 27, 2008 - ESPN 3:30 PM CST R

Wisconsin Players to Watch #39 PJ Hill - RB #92 Matt Shaughnessy - DE #85 David Gilreath - WR/KR Having ranked Wisconsin tenth in the nation to start the season, I was a wee bit disappointed in the crew from Madison. Seven wins in an average Big Ten is a down season. FSU, on the other hand, has been a pleasant surprise this season, well, if you keep in mind that this isn’t your older brother’s Florida State team. And the difference, so to speak, for the Noles was the John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

212.0 ypg - 14th

Run Offense

182.8 ypg - 32nd

192.8 ypg - 82nd

Pass Offense

185.8 ypg - 87th

404.8 ypg - 32nd

Total Offense

368.7 ypg - 55th

28.7 ppg - 42nd

Scoring Offense

32.7 ppg - 27th

133.3 ypg - 43rd

Run Defense

126.8 ypg - 34th

189.1 ypg - 35th

Pass Defense

164.9 ypg - 8th

322.3 ypg - 32nd

Total Defense

291.8 ypg - 13th

25.3 ppg - 63rd

Scoring Defense

20.8 ppg - 32nd

quarterback. The Noles have struggled putting good seasons together due to poor quarterback play, but Ponder has been effective enough to put FSU in position to win games throughout the season.

Consequently, Wisconsin QB Allan Evridge did not and that put Dustin Sherer under center over the last half of the season. The Badgers won four of their last five games with Sherer under center.

Florida State Players to Watch #7 Christian Ponder - QB #99 Everette Brown - DE #3 Myron Rolle - S The key for FSU though is that its defense must stop the Badgers’ zone running game and not be too aggressive and over-pursuing. However, the Seminoles get help in the secondary from Rolle, the Rhodes Scholar, who plays near the box when necessary. FSU will win this behind a solid ‘D’ performance and big plays from its skill guys Parker, Smith and Thomas.

FSU - 28 vs. UW - 17 10

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North Carolina (8-4) vs. West Virginia (8-4) December 27, 2008 - ESPN 12 PM CST R

North Carolina Players to Watch #1 Brooks Foster - WR #20 Shaun Draughn - RB #31 Trimane Goddard - S At the outset of the season, I predicted North Carolina as one of my three surprise teams in 2008 and I was close to being right. In a relatively weak ACC, I thought nine wins was possible, but the Tar Heels got to eight without a starting QB in the last nine games and get to stay home in Charlotte as a result.

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217.2 ypg - 12th

192.3 ypg - 83rd

Pass Offense

135.3 ypg - 109th

317.3 ypg - 95th

Total Offense

352.5 ypg - 65th

27.5 ppg - 50th

Scoring Offense

24.0 ppg - 74th

140.8 ypg - 57th

Run Defense

134.8 ypg - 47th

217.2 ypg - 79th

Pass Defense

190.7 ypg - 38th

357.9 ypg - 62nd

Total Defense

325.5 ypg - 35th

20.3 ppg - 29th

Scoring Defense

15.9 ppg - 9th

been quarterback is win three straight bowl games, two of which are BCS bowl wins. Sadly, this is the last time the best running quarterback in the history of the game gets

All West Virginia has done in the four years Pat White has H

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West Virginia Players to Watch #5 Pat White - QB #7 Noel Devine - RB (maybe) #44 Mortty Ivy - LB teams have physically beaten him up, teams like ECU, Cincinnati and Pitt, those teams have beaten WVU. Furthermore, RB Draughn has become a major weapon for the Tar Heels, averaging 67 ypg. His ability to gash the Mountaineer defense could give White and company their first loss in a bowl.

to showcase his skills in college. And, that is the key to this game for the Tar Heels. White is so dynamic with the ball in his hands, but when T

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Sure, football season is fantastic, but what are you going to do when it ends? Pick up the round ball, folks...and get out and play on a Hoops Sporting Equipment basketball goal. How good are they? Well...if you can’t see for yourself, here goes. -Tempered Glass Backboards -Breakaway rims -Height adjustable from 5’ to 10’ -Exclusive rust armor on the goals Check out the website www.hoopshouston.com - five different Pro Dunk models there for your choosing. John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

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La. Tech (7-5) vs. Northern Illinois (6-6) December 28, 2008 - ESPN 7:15 PM CST R

La. Tech Players to Watch #20 Daniel Porter - RB #6 Phillip Livas - WR/KR #34 Antonio Baker - S The Independence Bowl doesn’t have a ‘name’ matchup with two BCS teams like it did last year with Alabama and Colorado. However with the home state Bulldogs in Shreveport, the game may be equally exciting for the crowd in attendance. The Bulldogs struggled to start the season, losing four of its first seven games, including an inexplicable 14-7 loss to Army. But, Derek

195.0 ypg - 26th

Run Offense

172.8 ypg - 38th

157.0 ypg - 102nd

Pass Offense

162.0 ypg - 101st

352.0 ypg - 67th

Total Offense

334.8 ypg - 84th

25.3 ppg - 65th

Scoring Offense

25.3 ppg - 63rd

99.8 ypg - 11th

Run Defense

141.2 ypg - 59th

279.9 ypg - 116th

Pass Defense

162.5 ypg - 5th

379.7 ypg - 77th

Total Defense

303.7 ypg - 21st

24.8 ppg - 59th

Scoring Defense

18.1 ppg - 16th

Dooley’s Bulldogs won four of their last five games, with the only loss coming in a 35-31 nailbiter at Nevada to end the season. The Huskies season went, well, the other way. A

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NIU lost three of its last four games, including a 16-0 shutout loss to Navy to end the season.

LTU - 28 vs. NIU - 21

With both teams coming off of losses to finish the season,

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Missouri (9-4) vs. Northwestern (9-3) December 29, 2008 - ESPN 7 PM CST R

Missouri Players to Watch #10 Chase Daniel - QB #12 Sean Weatherspoon - LB #38 Stryker Sulak - DE

157.1 ypg - 53rd

Run Offense

147.6 ypg - 58th

340.4 ypg - 4th

Pass Offense

209.4 ypg - 63rd

497.5 ypg - 6th

Total Offense

357.0 ypg - 62nd

43.2 ppg - 6th

Scoring Offense

24.5 ppg - 72nd

128.9 ypg - 39th

Run Defense

127.7 ypg - 36th

285.3 ypg - 117th

Pass Defense

215.3 ypg - 74th

414.2 ypg - 99th

Total Defense

343.0 ypg - 53rd

27.5 ppg - 75th

Scoring Defense

19.3 ppg - 23rd

Who likes offense? C’mon, down deep, you love your bowl games when you see two squads blow it out in bowl week. You loved the 2001 Holiday Bowl when Texas and Washington scored a combined 91 points. And, these two teams have the potential of scoring a boatload of points.

after being snubbed last year could play a role for the Tigers in this game.

Missouri was the Big 12 North champion but that wasn’t the goal for this team and the disappointment of not getting to a BCS bowl

Northwestern, on the other hand, has to be thrilled with the nine win season it had under head coach Pat Fitzgerald.

John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

The key in this game is going to be whether the Wildcats can handle being spread out on defense. They’ve not seen a spread attack this potent all season long and must force quarterback Chase Daniel into mistakes. But, to do that

Northwestern Players to Watch #18 C.J Bacher - QB #99 Corey Wooton - DE #10 Eric Peterman - WR the NU defense must disrupt the timing of the offense as Oklahoma State, Texas and Oklahoma did. It would help to jump out in front and put pressure on the MU ‘O’ from that perspective as well. Unfortunately, I don’t think Daniel goes out a loser and Northwestern won’t be able to move the ball effectively enough to win this game. Missouri will.

Mizzou - 34 vs. NU - 21 12

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NC State (6-6) vs. Rutgers (7-5) December 29, 2008 - ESPN 2 PM CST R

NC State Players to Watch #16 Russell Wilson - QB #56 Nate Irving - LB #6 Willie Young - DE The Papa John’s Bowl should be renamed the Redemption Bowl as these two teams got some redemption over the last half of the season. The two teams combined to go 3-11 in the first seventeen games, but finished 10-0 down the stretch - NC State finishing with four straight wins, while Rutgers hung on for six in a row, including a 63-14 bashing of Louisville on national television.

125.5 ypg - 85th

Run Offense

128.8 ypg - 81st

200.8 ypg - 71st

Pass Offense

266.3 ypg - 22nd

326.3 ypg - 89th

Total Offense

395.2 ypg - 40th

23.5 ppg - 80th

Scoring Offense

29.0 ppg - 41st

144.3 ypg - 64th

Run Defense

139.0 ypg - 53rd

242.8 ypg - 94th

Pass Defense

184.9 ypg - 31st

387.1 ypg - 81st

Total Defense

323.9 ypg - 34th

26.1 ppg - 67th

Scoring Defense

18.5 ppg - 18th

The Wolfpack have been led by freshman quarterback Russell Wilson who singlehandedly has NC State back in a bowl for the first time

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Rutgers Players to Watch #14 Mike Teel - QB #88 Kenny Britt - WR #7 Tiquan Underwood - WR Wilson averages 211 yards total offense per game and Rutgers must find a way to make him one-dimensional. They’ll do that with some help from an explosive offense led by QB Teel, who’ll throw for 300 yards plus and a trio of touchdowns in his last game at Rutgers.

since Mario Williams wore the red and white in 2005. And, it’ll be stopping Wilson from running and throwing that’ll be the key to this game for the Scarlet Knights.

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Maryland (7-5) vs. Nevada (7-5) December 30, 2008 - ESPN 3:30 PM CST R

Maryland Players to Watch #23 Da’Rel Scott - RB #8 Darrius Heyward-Bey - WR #48 Moise Fokou - DE Any bowl on blue turf is one worth watching, if you ask me. Now, I know most of you...you’ll find some excuse as to why not watch this game, but I’m going to give you a handful of reason why this might be one of the more underrated ball games in bowl season. Maryland has one of the best game-breakers in college football - Darrius HeywardBey. The junior is as fast as any receiver in the nation and John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

134.5 ypg - 72nd

Run Offense

291.4 ypg - 2nd

207.4 ypg - 65th

Pass Offense

219.2 ypg - 52nd

341.9 ypg - 76th

Total Offense

510.6 ypg - 5th

20.1 ppg - 100th

Scoring Offense

37.8 ppg - 13th

149.4 ypg - 74th

Run Defense

74.5 ypg - 3rd

205.6 ypg - 57th

Pass Defense

321.1 ypg - 119th

355.0 ypg - 60th

Total Defense

395.6 ypg - 91st

21.4 ppg - 37th

Scoring Defense

31.5 ppg - 98th

the Maryland offensive coaching staff finds as many ways possible to get the football to its star player. Nevada has a dual threat quarterback by the name of Kaepernick, Colin to be exact who could be playing for

most teams around the nation at any level. The sophomore is 12th in the nation in total offense and 32nd in the nation in rushing. Speaking of Nevada’s running game, the Wolf Pack has one of the nation’s best in

Nevada Players to Watch #34 Vai Taua - RB #10 Colin Kaepernick - QB #99 Kevin Basped - DE Vai Taua who averages 118.3 ypg and is ninth in the nation in rushing. Also, Nevada plays incredible games on the blue turf. Remember 69-67 against Boise State in a thousand overtimes last season? Sure you don’t, but you’ll want to watch this one. And, it’ll be a Nevada win this time behind Kaepernick, Taua and a solid offensive line.

Nevada - 21 vs. MD - 20 13

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Oregon (9-3) vs. Oklahoma State (9-3) December 30, 2008 - ESPN 7 PM CST R

Schedule (9-3, 5-3) W Washington 44-10 W Utah State 66-24 W @ Purdue 33-26 (3OT) L Boise State 37-32 W @ WSU 63-14 L @ USC 44-10 W UCLA 31-24 W @ Arizona State 54-20 L @ Cal 26-16 W Stanford 35-28 W Arizona 55-45 W @ Oregon State 65-38 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #2 Jeremiah Masoli RB #24 Jeremiah Johnson WR #4 Jaison Williams WR #8 Terence Scott WR #23 Jeff Maehl TE #83 Ed Dickson LT #57 Fenuki Tupou LG #69 Bo Thran C #60 Max Unger RG #71 Mark Lewis RT #68 C.E Kaiser Defense DE #39 Will Tukuafu DE #49 Nick Reed DT #91 Ra’Shon Harris DT #97 Cole Linehan MLB #55 Casey Matthews SLB #13 Jerome Boyd WILL #35 Spencer Paysinger ROV #15 Patrick Chung FS #2 TJ Ward CB #32 Jairus Boyd CB #6 Walter Thurmond

277.8 ypg - 4th

Run Offense

256.0 ypg - 7th

200.3 ypg - 73rd

Pass Offense

233.3 ypg - 43rd

478.2 ypg - 8th

Total Offense

489.3 ypg - 7th

41.9 ppg - 7th

Scoring Offense

41.6 ppg - 8th

119.4 ypg - 24th

Run Defense

123.8 ypg - 27th

263.6 ypg - 108th

Pass Defense

268.5 ypg - 110th

383.0 ypg - 80th

Total Defense

392.3 ypg - 86th

28.0 ppg - 78th

Scoring Defense

26.9 ppg - 70th

Keys to the Game The Beast - As you watch this game, your eyes are going to keep focusing on OSU’s stud tight end Brandon Pettigrew. At 6’7” and a legit 265, he’s a complete and total beast. He’s a great inline blocker and his presence is needed on the edge against the Oregon defensive ends. However, where he’ll be an even bigger pain in the backside is out on routes in the passing game. Who covers someone that big and that quick? Yeah, no one. If Oregon doesn’t account for Pettigrew downfield, it could be in major trouble against the Beast. The Deuce - Losing former QB Dennis Dixon was supposed to be this program’s death blow. He meant that much to Oregon. Consequently, it took a while for Jeremiah Masoli to fully take the reins, but since he has, the Ducks offense has been a monster to stop. He doesn’t throw it well, but he’ll put a significant amount of pressure on the Cowboys perimeter defense in this game with his ability to run the ball. If he gets loose, OSU’s defense won’t get off the field. Reed-ing the Edge - Edge rushers aren’t a dime a dozen but when you have a guy like Oregon’s Nick Reed, you’re sitting pretty, that’s for sure. Reed is a relentless pass rusher, but rushing a fast, running QB like Zac Robinson, he’s going to have to be ultra-careful and not get too aggressive, losing contain on Robinson. Look for Oregon, though, to let Reed loose and force a linebacker to ‘spy’/’shadow’ Robinson, such that Reed can still impact the game as he has all season long - from the edge. Conclusion - The Cowboys have faced spread offenses like Oregon’s all season long in the Big 12, but I don’t think that Oregon has a chance of stopping Pettigrew, Robinson, Dez Bryant AND Kendall Hunter. OSU wins and wins big.

Schedule (9-3, 5-3) W @ WSU 38-17 W Houston 56-37 W Missouri State 57-13 W Troy 55-24 W Texas A&M 56-28 W @ Missouri 28-23 W Baylor 34-6 L @ Texas 28-24 W Iowa State 59-17 L @ Texas Tech 56-20 W @ Colorado 30-17 L Oklahoma 61-41 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #11 Zac Robinson RB #24 Kendall Hunter WR #1 Dez Bryant WR #85 Damian Davis WR #80 DeMarcus Conner TE#87 Brandon Pettigrew LT #76 Russell Okung LG #54 Andrew Lewis C #63 David Washington RG #65 Steve Denning RT #60 Brady Bond Defense DE #91 Ugo Chinasa DE #98 Derek Burton DT #92 Tonga Tea DT #96 Jeray Chatham LB #4 Patrick Lavine LB #20 Andre Sexton LB #41 Orie Lemon S #6 Ricky Price S #26 Quinton Moore CB #16 Perrish Cox CB #17 Jacob Lacey

Oklahoma State - 45 vs. Oregon - 34 John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter - Holiday Bowl

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Minnesota (7-5) vs. Kansas (7-5) December 31, 2008 - NFL Network 4:30 PM CST R

Minnesota Players to Watch #7 Eric Decker - WR #91 Willie VanDeSteeg - DE #30 Lee Campbell - LB Through seven games of the season, the Minnesota Golden Gophers were one of the best stories in college football. One year removed from being 1-11, including a loss to DII North Dakota State, Tim Brewster’s bunch was on a crash course with a New Year’s Day bowl game. Four straight losses later and the Gophers are glad to be going bowling at all. An inexplicable loss on the last

105.8 ypg - 104th

Run Offense

128.9 ypg - 80th

216.4 ypg - 57th

Pass Offense

302.3 ypg - 8th

322.3 ypg - 91st

Total Offense

431.3 ypg - 23rd

23.4 ppg - 81st

Scoring Offense

32.7 ppg - 27th

146.8 ypg - 71st

Run Defense

126.7 ypg - 33rd

231.6 ypg - 88th

Pass Defense

275.5 ypg - 113th

378.4 ypg - 74th

Total Defense

402.2 ypg - 94th

23.3 ppg - 49th

Scoring Defense

29.5 ppg - 87th

play of the game to Northwestern at home started the horrendous four game slide.

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the guttiest performances in Big 12 history to lead KU to a 40-37 win over Mizzou in the cold and snow in the last game of the year. Kansas needed that win in the worst way and what it did was buy some time for #5 to get healthy. That’s all that is necessary for KU, and Reesing to get this win.

i n j u r i e s a n d underperformance marked the 2008 season for the Jayhawks, but QB Reesing, held together by duct tape and heart, put together one of

The Jayhawks had a season rife with problems as well, M

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Vanderbilt (6-6) vs. Boston College (9-4) December 31, 2008 - ESPN 2:30 PM CST R

Vanderbilt Players to Watch #2 Ryan Hamilton - S #31 Jared Hawkins - RB #17 DJ Moore - CB/KR The good people of Vandy should be congratulated on making a bowl for the first time since my first coaching mentor George McIntyre was coaching at Vandy in 1982. Dadgum, that’s a long time and it almost didn’t happen as the ‘Dores stubbed their collective toe on SEC East opponents down the stretch of the season. A 31-24 win over Kentucky was the only win over a seven game stretch and helped the John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

138.2 ypg - 68th

Run Offense

143.0 ypg - 63rd

122.8 ypg - 112th

Pass Offense

174.5 ypg - 93rd

260.9 ypg - 117th

Total Offense

318.5 ypg - 94th

19.4 ppg - 104th

Scoring Offense

25.5 ppg - 61st

145.0 ypg - 66th

Run Defense

92.2 ypg - 7th

173.7 ypg - 18th

Pass Defense

181.2 ypg - 25th

318.7 ypg - 29th

Total Defense

273.4 ypg - 6th

20.1 ppg - 25th

Scoring Defense

18.5 ppg - 19th

floundering program get to a bowl game in its hometown. The BC Eagles went into this season with a question mark at quarterback and perhaps an identity problem without former QB Matt Ryan. But, the Eagles got it done on the

road throughout the season, winning at FSU, Wake and NC State to win the ACC Atlantic Division. A loss to Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship game was a bitter pill for the Eagles to swallow, but this is a great

Boston College Players to Watch #41 Montel Harris - RB #90 BJ Raji - DT #34 Mark Herzlich - LB matchup for the Eagles on New Year’s Eve day. Vandy’s defense has been the key all season long, but over the last half of the season, the ‘Dores ‘D’ was out on the field way too long. And that could be a problem against RB Harris and the BC offense. The freshman from Jacksonville, FL has emerged for BC and the offense hasn’t been the same since. And, that’s a good thing.

BC - 26 vs. Vandy - 12 15

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Need tickets to one of these fine bowl games? There’s only one place for you to go... 1560tickets.com and get the tickets from Jim Barr at Ticket Attractions. - Bowl Games - Houston Texans or any NFL game - The Super Bowl - Concerts - Broadway Shows/Las Vegas shows Jim can make it happen for you. Just get to 1560tickets.com or call (713) 952-5333. Enjoy your holiday after getting a pair of tickets to a concert or game. C

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LSU (7-5) vs. Georgia Tech (9-3) December 31, 2008 - ESPN 6:30 PM CST R

LSU Players to Watch #9 Jordan Jefferson - QB #32 Charles Scott - RB #48 Darry Beckwith - LB Be honest, how many of you thought there was no way in hades that the option attack would work in a BCS conference? Yeah, you’re lying. None of you thought it would work. I thought it could later in the season, but I never forecasted the Yellow Jackets rolling for over 400 yards on the ground against Miami and Georgia. That being said, how many of you forecasted seven wins for John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

167.3 ypg - 43rd

Run Offense

282.3 ypg - 3rd

204.5 ypg - 67th

Pass Offense

95.0 ypg - 116th

371.8 ypg - 54th

Total Offense

377.3 ypg - 46th

30.3 ppg - 34th

Scoring Offense

26.2 ppg - 56th

105.7 ypg - 17th

Run Defense

116.9 ypg - 22nd

116.8 ypg - 87th

Pass Defense

195.8 ypg - 48th

326.5 ypg - 36th

Total Defense

312.7 ypg - 23rd

25.9 ppg - 65th

Scoring Defense

18.8 ppg - 22nd

LSU this season? Yeah, well, you’re lying again. Perhaps, no team underachieved more this season than the Tigers. Sure, Tennessee was awful and Texas A&M and Michigan combined for seven wins, but this is an LSU team with loads of NFL talent. The

Tigers lost three of their last four and four of their last six forcing LSU to think “Eat mor chikin” as opposed to dreaming of a Sugary New Year’s Bowl game. But, the one thing that stands out for me is the ability of Les

Georgia Tech Players to Watch #21 Jonathan Dwyer - B Back #93 Michael Johnson - DE #1 Morgan Burnett - S Miles’ staff to get it done when it has time to prepare for a ball game. Remember last year’s Virginia Tech game? The Tigers prepared all summer for the Hokies and it paid off with a huge win 48-7 win. I’ve got a sneaky suspicion that with ample time to prepare the Tigers will be able to slow down the midline and the arc option well enough to get a surprising eighth win.

LSU - 28 vs. G Tech - 24 16

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Oregon State (8-4) vs. Pitt (9-3) December 31, 2008 - CBS 1 PM CST R

Oregon State Players to Watch #1 Jacquizz Rodgers - RB #19 Sammie Stroughter - WR/KR #90 Victor Strong-Butler - DE Without a doubt, this is one of the three most intriguing nonBCS bowl games for one reason. Well, okay, it’s two guys, but one position running back: Former Lamar Consolidated star and current Beaver RB Jacquizz Rodgers and arguably the best draft eligible running back, Pitt’s Shady McCoy.

143.3 ypg - 62nd

253.7 ypg - 25th

Pass Offense

212.9 ypg - 60th

418.3 ypg - 27th

Total Offense

356.2 ypg - 63rd

32.8 ppg - 26th

Scoring Offense

29.3 ppg - 39th

134.8 ypg - 46th

Run Defense

127.8 ypg - 37th

188.6 ypg - 34th

Pass Defense

193.0 ypg - 43rd

323.3 ypg - 33rd

Total Defense

320.8 ypg - 31st

25.0 ppg - 61st

Scoring Defense

23.0 ppg - 46th

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Pitt Players to Watch #25 Shady McCoy - RB #40 Scott McKillop - LB #86 Austin Ransom - LB Pasadena for the first time in eight thousand years, but a crushing loss to the Ducks put OSU in El Paso for the second time in three years. What mindset will the Beavers have for this one? I think it’ll be the right one. ‘Quizz gives Pitt all it can handle, rushing for

up for it in an OSU win in El Paso. The question remains whether the Beavers can bounce back from the devastating loss to Oregon and also deal with the loss of James Rodgers. The elder Rodgers broke his collarbone in that Oregon game and is out for the Sun Bowl.

Rodgers has done it this year with heart and feet. His diminutive stature has worked for him, not against, and even though he missed the Oregon game, he’ll make

McCoy has turned the last eight games of the year into

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his own personal highlight reel. At USF, he danced all over one of the best run defenses in the nation and at Notre Dame, he saved Pitt’s season and maybe ruined ND’s at the same time.

If you can’t get excited for a matchup of these running backs, then go back to your spread offense mumbo jumbo. Okay, that was harsh, but these two make this game watchable and exciting, pure and simple.

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164.6 ypg - 46th

OSU - 35 vs. Pitt - 28

The Beavers were on the precipice of heading to

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For the past twelve years, football guru Lance Zierlein and I have provided what we think is a damn strong newsletter - View from the Sideline. It covers pro and college football on a weekly basis throughout the season and bi-weekly throughout the off-season. If you would like to receive the newsletter, send an email to [email protected]. Oh...and its f-r-e-e. Yes, free. The draft is coming up and if you want the skinny on nearly every potential draft pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, sign up today for the newsletter. You missed a pretty good season, but it’s never too late to get a View from the Sideline - figuratively and literally. John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

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Buffalo (8-5) vs. U Conn (7-5) January 3, 2009 - ESPN2 11 AM CST R

Buffalo Players to Watch #16 Drew Willy - QB #18 Naaman Roosevelt - WR #34 Justin Winters - LB Four years ago, one of the nation’s most popular college football writers Matt Hayes labeled Buffalo the worst football program in Division 1A (now, he put Joe Glenn on the cover that same year as the next hot thing in coaching, but I digress). That’s where this program was before Turner Gill got here. Flash forward four years and Gill’s Bulls are MAC champs

141.1 ypg - 64th

Run Offense

204.6 ypg - 20th

239.5 ypg - 36th

Pass Offense

147.3 ypg - 105th

380.5 ypg - 44th

Total Offense

351.8 ypg - 68th

31.1 ppg - 31st

Scoring Offense

23.8 ppg - 77th

158.7 ypg - 83rd

Run Defense

116.9 ypg - 22nd

249.5 ypg - 97th

Pass Defense

164.5 ypg - 7th

408.3 ypg - 96th

Total Defense

281.4 ypg - 10th

27.5 ppg - 74th

Scoring Defense

19.8 ppg - 24th

and a bowl attendee for the first time in school history. How was that possible? Well, Gill for one and plenty of seniors who bought what Gill was selling, including QB Willy, who has a long future G

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U Conn Players to Watch #34 Donald Brown - RB #32 Scott Lutrus - LB #50 Cody Brown - DE into a viable Big East contender every season. The difference in this game though is that U Conn has Donald Brown and Buffalo doesn’t. The Huskies can’t throw the ball effectively, but Brown is the nation’s leading rusher and will pile up 160 yards or more against the Bulls to lead U Conn to a bowl victory.

U Conn - 34 vs. UB - 27

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Ball State (12-1) vs. Tulsa (10-3) January 6, 2009 - ESPN 7 PM CST R

Ball State Players to Watch #13 Nate Davis - QB #33 MiQuale Lewis - RB #3 BJ Hill - CB I know a lot of you like the game inside the game. Well, you don’t have to have a passion for the Diet Dr. Pepper action to LOVE this game. Two teams, 17th or better in the nation in scoring, have the stage all to itself on a Tuesday night. Not to mention, these two captivated the nation’s attention early in the season as potential BCS bowl candidates. It didn’t turn out that way for either, but that’s okay for the John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

192.7 ypg - 27th

Run Offense

254.9 ypg - 8th

266.7 ypg - 21st

Pass Offense

310.2 ypg - 6th

459.4 ypg - 11th

Total Offense

565.1 ypg - 2nd

36.6 ppg - 17th

Scoring Offense

47.4 ppg - 2nd

141.8 ypg - 61st

Run Defense

133.5 ypg - 44th

206.2 ypg - 58th

Pass Defense

257.7 ypg - 103rd

347.9 ypg - 55th

Total Defense

391.2 ypg - 84th

18.6 ppg - 21st

Scoring Defense

29.1 ppg - 82nd

fans anyway as we’ll get to see perhaps the highest scoring bowl game of all. Both teams are led by superb quarterbacks who both have a point to prove after difficult final games. BSU’s Nate Davis fumbled in a key spot

in the MAC Championship game that turned the tide of the game, while Tulsa’s David Johnson had five turnovers in the CUSA Championship game loss to ECU. The difference though will be which team can contain the

Tulsa Players to Watch #5 David Johnson - QB #25 Tarrion Adams - RB #3 Damaris Johnson - WR/KR other’s respective running game. BSU’s MiQuale Lewis is a pinball who evades and eludes with the best of them. But, Tulsa has more ways to hurt Ball State on the ground with RB Adams and receivers on quick screens, reverses and misdirection runs. Johnson won’t have another five interception game and will get 80 to 85 plays to work his magic in a Tulsa bowl win.

Tulsa - 45 vs. BSU - 41

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East Carolina (9-4) vs. Kentucky (6-6) January 2, 2009 - ESPN 4 PM CST R

East Carolina Players to Watch #4 Van Eskridge - S #95 CJ Wilson - DE #17 Dwayne Harris - WR/KR The Pirates were the story of the year for the first three weeks of the season, after wins against Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Tulane. Alas, a perfect season was ruined by NC State, a game in which the Pirates outplayed the Wolfpack for about 57 minutes but couldn’t seal the deal. Kentucky wasn’t, and hasn’t been a story at all this season,

128.3 ypg - 83rd

Run Offense

129.3 ypg - 79th

207.7 ypg - 64th

Pass Offense

169.2 ypg - 98th

336.0 ypg - 83rd

Total Offense

298.4 ypg - 105th

23.8 ppg - 78th

Scoring Offense

22.4 ppg - 87th

138.1 ypg - 50th

Run Defense

142.4 ypg - 62nd

196.7 ypg - 51st

Pass Defense

184.6 ypg - 29th

334.8 ypg - 43rd

Total Defense

327.0 ypg - 37th

20.8 ppg - 33rd

Scoring Defense

21.7 ppg - 40th

flying under the radar, well as much as bowl team can.

Neither team is going to do much on offense and both teams have generated points on either special teams and/ or defense throughout the season and that could be the case again.

The one time in which the team got any attention at all was for playing Alabama tough, but losing 17-14. O

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Kentucky Players to Watch #98 Myron Pryor - DT #32 Trevard Lindley - CB #4 Micah Johnson - LB

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That being said, a key for the game is going to be versatile ECU WR/KR Dwayne Harris who can hurt Kentucky in the return game, the running game or the passing game. Kentucky’s defense is a tough unit, but Harris can hurt them in a number of ways and he’ll be the ultimate difference in this bowl.

ECU - 22 vs. UK - 13

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Iowa (8-4) vs. South Carolina (7-5) January 1, 2009 - ESPN 10 AM CST R

Iowa Players to Watch #23 Shonn Greene - RB #47 Mitch King - DT #40 Pat Angerer - LB Okay, college football games in 2008 have turned into nothing but a bunch of XBox video games with a ton of points scored in nearly every game. Uh, not in this one. Okay, so Iowa scores 30 points per game, but against teams with a defensive pulse, 17 to 20 was more the norm. South Carolina, even with the great offensive mind of Steve Spurrier on the sidelines couldn’t score points if John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

189.3 ypg - 29th

Run Offense

98.3 ypg - 109th

184.6 ypg - 89th

Pass Offense

218.5 ypg - 54th

373.9 ypg - 52nd

Total Offense

316.8 ypg - 97th

30.3 ppg - 35th

Scoring Offense

21.7 ppg - 92nd

98.3 ypg - 10th

Run Defense

128.7 ypg - 38th

191.3 ypg - 41st

Pass Defense

160.3 ypg - 3rd

289.5 ypg - 12th

Total Defense

288.9 ypg - 11th

13.3 ppg - 8th

Scoring Defense

20.3 ppg - 28th

defenses played a man down. What parallel universe is this when a Spurrier coached team is 54th in the nation in passing? However, Spurrier can’t make chicken salad out of, well, you know.

But, South Carolina can stop the run, making this a beautiful “under-the-radar” bowl matchup. Iowa’s Shonn Greene was the 2008 Doak Walker Award recipient and is second in the

South Carolina Players to Watch #25 Mike Davis - RB #40 Eric Norwood - LB/DE #52 Jasper Brinkley - LB nation in rushing, averaging 144.1 yards per game. However, the Gamecocks have a physical and active front seven, but lost Emmanuel Cook, the team’s leading tackler at safety. It’ll hurt to not have Cook, but the Gamecocks will grind out a win in the ugliest way.

USC - 14 vs. Iowa - 13

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Clemson (7-5) vs. Nebraska (8-4) January 1, 2009 - CBS 12 PM CST R

Clemson Players to Watch #28 CJ Spiller - RB #25 Michael Hamlin - S #80 Aaron Kelly - WR

120.5 ypg - 94th

Run Offense

173.5 ypg - 37th

218.8 ypg - 53rd

Pass Offense

284.8 ypg - 14th

339.3 ypg - 81st

Total Offense

458.3 ypg - 12th

25.5 ppg - 62nd

Scoring Offense

36.2 ppg - 18th

127.6 ypg - 35th

Run Defense

125.8 ypg - 29th

167.3 ypg - 10th

Pass Defense

235.7 ypg - 90th

294.8 ypg - 17th

Total Defense

361.5 ypg - 66th

16.6 ppg - 10th

Scoring Defense

29.2 ppg - 83rd

Nebraska Players to Watch #12 Joe Ganz - QB #43 Ty Steinkuhler - DE #87 Nate Swift - WR

Wow, who saw this one coming? Now, if you believe all of the preseason pundits, the Tigers were headed for the Orange Bowl as the ACC Champs. And, most had the Huskers struggling to get to six wins. But, you know as well as I that is why they play the games.

won four of its last five to get to a New Year’s Day game.

of its last six to get to eight wins.

Clemson’s early season struggles cost Tommy Bowden his job, but the Tigers got it together and

Nebraska found its groove late in the season as well under fiery first year head coach Bo Pelini, winning five

One player to keep an eye on in this one is CJ Spiller. He’s from Lake Butler, FL, 20 miles from Jacksonville, and this is

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The Huskers defense doesn’t handle speedy players in space well, so expect Spiller to have a monster game, his last for the Tigers.

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Michigan State (9-3) vs. Georgia (9-3) January 1, 2009 - ABC 12 PM CST R

MSU Players to Watch #23 Javon Ringer - RB #53 Greg Jones - LB #21 Otis Wiley - S Michigan State may have bitten off more than they can chew with a trip to Orlando to play this Bulldog team. Sure, Sparty had a nine win season, but the three losses have been to Cal, Ohio State and Penn State - three teams that lit them up defensively. Georgia is better offensively than any of those three teams. Ouch. Furthermore, Georgia is one of the nation’s best teams in bowl season, winning four of John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter

138.4 ypg - 66th

Run Offense

153.9 ypg - 54th

214.0 ypg - 59th

Pass Offense

280.0 ypg - 16th

352.4 ypg - 66th

Total Offense

433.9 ypg - 21st

26.2 ppg - 56th

Scoring Offense

32.1 ppg - 29th

147.6 ypg - 72nd

Run Defense

129.9 ypg - 41st

210.3 ypg - 64th

Pass Defense

188.4 ypg - 33rd

357.9 ypg - 62nd

Total Defense

318.3 ypg - 28th

21.9 ppg - 42nd

Scoring Defense

25.6 ppg - 64th

the last five, only losing to West Virginia in the Sugar Bowl three years ago. But, that was 2005. This is 2008 and the Georgia offense can put on a show against a MSU defense that is

62nd in the nation in total defense. The key is whether QB Matt Stafford can avoid the interception bug. Well, that and the Bulldogs can’t give up over 400 rushing yards to first team All-American Javon

Georgia Players to Watch #8 AJ Green - WR #24 Knowshon Moreno - RB #35 Rennie Curran - LB Ringer and the Spartans offense as it did against Georgia Tech who ran all over the Bulldogs injury ravaged ‘D’ in the season finale Either way, the Bulldogs can run at will, throw at will and will score at will on Michigan State’s defense. Moreno should run for over 100 yards and WR Green should have a great game as well, his first bowl game. Unfortunately this one won’t be close.

UGa - 42 vs. MSU - 17 20

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Penn State (11-1) vs. USC (11-1) January 1, 2009 - ABC 3:30 PM CST R

Schedule (11-1, 7-1) W Coastal Carolina 66-10 W Oregon State 45-14 W @ Syracuse 55-13 W Temple 45-3 W Illinois 38-24 W @ Purdue 20-6 W @ Wisconsin 48-7 W Michigan 46-17 W @ Ohio State 13-6 L @ Iowa 24-23 W Indiana 34-7 W Michigan State 49-18 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #17 Daryll Clark RB #22 Evan Royster WR #2 Derrick Williams WR #3 Deon Butler WR #24 Jordan Norwood TE #82 Mickey Shuler LT #76 Gerald Cadogan LG # 64 Rich Ohrnberger C # 57 A.Q Shipley RG #61 Stefan Wisniewski RT #73 Dennis Landolt Defense DE #47 Josh Gaines or #48 Maurice Evans DE #59 Aaron Maybin DT #91 Jared Odrick DT #85 Ollie Ogbu LB #18 Navorro Bowman LB #43 Josh Hull LB #46 Tyrell Sales S #7 Anthony Scirrotto S #9 Mark Rubin CB #11 Tony Davis CB #10 Lydell Sargeant

211.6 ypg - 15th

Run Offense

206.0 ypg - 17th

240.6 ypg - 35th

Pass Offense

247.1 ypg - 31st

452.2 ypg - 15th

Total Offense

453.1 ypg - 14th

40.2 ppg - 11th

Scoring Offense

37.5 ppg - 14th

95.9 ypg - 8th

Run Defense

83.3 ypg - 5th

168.0 ypg - 12th

Pass Defense

122.8 ypg - 1st

263.9 ypg - 5th

Total Defense

206.1 ypg - 1st

12.4 ppg - 4th

Scoring Defense

7.8 ppg - 1st

Keys to the Game The Game Breaker - When Joe McKnight decided that Troy was in his future, there was little doubt that he would be the next Reggie Bush. But, injuries and tailback depth have kept McKnight from truly maximizing his outrageous offensive skills. Against Penn State, though, McKnight needs to play a huge role in this game, creating mismatches in the slot against the PSU outside backers. Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley won’t want to play nickel or dime on first down, so expect McKnight to have an impact early. The Game Breaker, part deux - Derrick Williams has had an interesting four years in Happy Valley. In his freshman season, Williams was on the verge of being the most versatile weapon in the nation. However, two pedestrian years followed and many were ready to place the bust label on Williams. So, going into his senior season, Williams needed to prove he was one of the best offensive players in the Big Ten. He did just that and he’ll be a focal point for the USC defense; the Trojans must limit his yards after catch and any rushing yards off of reverses or designed runs to shut this PSU defense down. A Backup no more - Penn State defensive end Aaron Maybin may have never seen the field this season if pre-season All-American Maurice Evans didn’t get arrested early in the season. But, Maybin turned into one of the two best pass rushers in the nation. Trojan QB Mark Sanchez hasn’t fully proven that he can handle pressure off the edge well and Maybin could force the USC offensive staff to completely change its plan for blocking the edge. Conclusion - Many think that the Trojans will roll over Penn State in a big way, but I’m not one of those people. Last year’s Rose Bowl was a close game until Illinois turned the ball over late in the third quarter. Penn State is much better than last year’s Illini squad, but not good enough to knock off USC.

Schedule (11-1, 8-1) W @ Virginia 52-7 W Ohio State 35-3 L @ Oregon State 27-21 W Oregon 44-10 W Arizona State 28-0 W @ Washington State 69-0 W @ Arizona 17-10 W Washington 56-0 W Cal 17-3 W @ Stanford 45-23 W Notre Dame 38-3 W @ UCLA 28-7 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #6 Mark Sanchez RB #4 Joe McKnight FB #31 Stanley Havili WR #1 Patrick Turner WR #18 Damien Williams TE #86 Anthony McCoy LT #71 Charles Brown LG #53 Jeff Byers C #61 Kristofer O’Dowd RG #56 Alex Parsons RT #76 Nick Howell Defense DE #84 Kyle Moore DE #47 Clay Matthews DT #75 Fili Moala DT #44 Christian Tupou LB #10 Brian Cushing LB #58 Rey Maualuga LB #43 Kaluka Maiava S #2 Taylor Mays S #4 Kevin Ellison CB #36 Josh Pinkard CB #7 Cary Harris

USC - 24 vs. Penn State - 20 John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter - Rose Bowl

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Virginia Tech (9-4) vs. Cincinnati (11-2) January 1, 2009 - FOX 7 PM CST R

Schedule (9-4, 6-3) L East Carolina 27-22 W Furman 24-7 W Georgia Tech 20-17 W @ North Carolina 20-17 W @ Nebraska 35-30 W Western Kentucky 27-13 L @ Boston College 28-23 L @ Florida State 30-20 W Maryland 23-13 L @ Miami 16-14 W Duke 14-3 W Virginia 17-14 W Boston College 30-12 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #5 Tyrod Taylor RB #32 Darren Evans FB #44 Devin Perez WR #81 Jarrett Boykin WR #19 Danny Coale TE #8 Greg Boone LT #77 Ed Wang LG #67 Nick Marshman C #58 Ryan Shuman RG #70 Sergio Render RT #62 B. Christopher Defense DE #6 Jason Worilds DE #90 Orion Martin DT #95 C. Thompson DT #91 John Graves LB #33 Brett Warren LB #41 Cam Martin LB #45 Purnell Sturdivant S #17 Kam Chancellor S #24 Dorian Porch CB #22 Stephan Virgil CB #1 Victor ‘Macho’ Harris

167.9 ypg - 42nd

Run Offense

121.2 ypg - 93rd

128.2 ypg - 111th

Pass Offense

254.1 ypg - 24th

296.2 ypg - 107th

Total Offense

375.2 ypg - 50th

22.3 ppg - 89th

Scoring Offense

27.3 ppg - 51st

107.0 ypg - 19th

Run Defense

104.0 ypg - 13th

170.1 ypg - 15th

Pass Defense

212.1 ypg - 68th

277.1 ypg - 7th

Total Defense

316.1 ypg - 26th

17.5 ppg - 13th

Scoring Defense

20.2 ppg - 26th

Keys to the Game Macho, Macho Man - A great deal was made of the decision to redshirt quarterback Tyrod Taylor before the opener against East Carolina. Many critics hammered Frank Beamer for that decision, but those people failed to realize that without ‘Macho’ Harris at corner, the Virginia Tech defense was sorely shorthanded against ECU as well. Since Harris has returned the Hokies defense has been stellar, ranked no worse than 20th in any one defensive category. Against Cincinnati, the Hokies must contain one man Mardy Gilyard. This’ll be the premier one-on-one battle in this game and one that ‘Macho’ must win At DE...#10 - The more defenders you see out on a field with skill player numbers, the better, and more aggressive, that defense is. Look at Cincinnati’s defensive depth chart. Ten of the eleven defensive starters wear skill player numbers for the Bearcats. Then, look at Virginia Tech’s defensive eleven - every single player wears a skill position number. Sometimes it doesn’t mean much, but watch how fast and quick these 22 players are in this game and how much havoc the defensive line can create. The Limited - The Cincinnati offense doesn’t have the balance that most coaches crave, in fact you might say it’s a limited offense. But, the one dimension that it does have could create problems for the Hokie defense. With Dominick Goodman alongside Gilyard, the Bearcats ability to open it up in the air will be a major key in this game. Sure, it brings Harris into play, but he can’t cover both star receivers, so expect the ball in the air, a lot in Miami. Conclusion - The Hokies have played in four BCS bowls in ten years, while Cincinnati is in its first. Once the Bearcats start looking around, they’re dead. The Hokies have been here and it’ll show in a solid win in Miami

Schedule (11-2, 6-1) W Eastern Kentucky 40-7 L @ Oklahoma 52-26 W Miami (OH) 45-20 W @ Akron 17-15 W @ Marshall 33-10 W Rutgers 13-10 L @ U Conn 40-16 W USF 24-10 W @ West Virginia 26-23 OT W @ Louisville 28-20 W Pitt 28-21 W Syracuse 30-10 W @ Hawaii 29-24 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #15 Tony Pike RB #20 Jacob Ramsey FB #35 Marcus Waugh WR #1 Mardy Gilyard WR #16 Dominick Goodman TE #19 Ben Guidugli LT #71 Jeff Linkenbach LG #60 Jason Kelce C #56 Chris Jurek RG # 76 Trevor Canfield RT #79 Khalid El-Amin Defense DE #10 Lamonte Nelms DE #5 Connor Barwin DT #95 Terrill Byrd DT #67 Adam Hoppel LB #49 Torry Cornett LB #45 Ryan Manalac LB #42 Corey Smith S #17 Aaron Webster S #18 Cedric Tolbert CB #8 Brandon Underwood CB #21 Mike Mickens

Virginia Tech - 23 vs. Cincinnati - 18 John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter - Orange Bowl

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Ole Miss (8-4) vs. Texas Tech (11-1) January 2, 2009 - FOX 1 PM CST R

Schedule (8-4, 5-3) W Memphis 41-24 L @ Wake Forest 30-28 W Samford 34-10 L Vanderbilt 23-17 W @ Florida 31-30 W South Carolina 31-24 L @ Alabama 24-20 W Arkansas 23-21 W Auburn 17-7 W UL Monroe 59-0 W @ LSU 31-13 W Mississippi State 45-0 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #4 Jevan Snead RB #25 Cordera Eason FB #44 Jason Cook WR #3 Shay Hodge WR #2 Mike Wallace TE #80 Gerald Harris LT #74 Michael Oher LG #71 Reid Neely C #72 Daverin Geralds RG #79 Maurice Miller RT #77 John Jerry Defense DE #92 Marcus Tillman DE #40 Kentrell Lockett DT #98 Peria Jerry DT #96 Lawon Scott LB #11 Ashlee Palmer LB #51 Jonathan Cornell LB #9 Allen Walker S #13 Jamarca Sanford S #1 Kendrick Lewis CB #8 Marshay Green CB #12 Dustin Mouzon

183.4 ypg - 31st

Run Offense

118.9 ypg - 95th

215.3 ypg - 58th

Pass Offense

417.3 ypg - 1st

398.7 ypg - 37th

Total Offense

536.2 ypg - 4th

30.8 ppg - 32nd

Scoring Offense

44.6 ppg - 4th

83.9 ypg - 6th

Run Defense

133.5 ypg - 45th

209.8 ypg - 62nd

Pass Defense

238.1 ypg - 91st

293.8 ypg - 15th

Total Defense

371.6 ypg - 72nd

17.8 ppg - 14th

Scoring Defense

26.3 ppg - 68th

Keys to the Game Big Splits, Big Problems? - Texas Tech could have a huge problem with one of the most disruptive DTs in the nation Peria Jerry. Against LSU, Jerry thoroughly dominated the LSU guards and center, one on one or two on one, he completely kicked their butts. Why could Texas Tech’s famous wide splits be an issue in this game? Well, if you give a guy of Jerry’s quickness and strength space on either side of a guard, there’s no possible way a guard blocks Jerry by himself. Louis Vasquez and Brandon Carter will definitely need some help, but if Jerry is quick to the spot, he can split the double and get to quarterback Graham Harrell. Oh boy, this’ll be fun. Back Home - Ole Miss needed a trigger man for years and found one in Jevan Snead. The sophomore from Stephenville, a hop, skip and a jump from Dallas, transferred to Ole Miss for this very reason - he could lead this team to greater heights than he could sitting on the bench in Austin. Snead’s “big game, big play” attitude permeated this team throughout the season. Will he let the pressure of playing in front of the home folks affect him? The answer to this question could determine the winner of this game. A Shot at redemption - Graham Harrell didn’t get invited to the Heisman for one reason - Tech got its butt kicked in Norman. And, Harrell was the scapegoat, so to speak, for the 65-21 loss to OU. However, Harrell has had his share of tremendous bowl moments - the comebacks the last two years don’t happen without #6 under center. If the O Line can protect him, he’ll carve up this secondary. Even if he doesn’t start well, he has proven he can pull a bowl rabbit from his helmet. And, it’s one final chance to show the Heisman voters they made a mistake not inviting him to the City.

Schedule (11-1, 7-1) W Eastern Washington 49-24 W @ Nevada 35-19 W SMU 43-7 W U Mass 56-14 W @ Kansas State 58-28 W Nebraska 37-31 OT W @ Texas A&M 43-25 W @ Kansas 63-21 W Texas 39-33 W Oklahoma State 56-20 L @ Oklahoma 65-21 W Baylor 35-28 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #6 Graham Harrell RB #25 Baron Batch WR #5 Michael Crabtree WR #17 Detron Lewis WR #12 Eric Morris WR #27 Edward Britton LT #74 Rylan Reed LG #65 Louis Vasquez C #71 Stephen Hamby RG #76 Brandon Carter RT #67 Marlon Winn Defense DE #84 Brandon Williams DE #98 Jake Ratliff DT #93 Colby Whitlock DT #99 Richard Jones LB #20 Bront Bird LB #57 Brian Duncan LB #39 Marlon Williams S #7 Darcel McBath S #10 Daniel Charbonnet CB #21 LA Reed CB #3 Jamar Wall

Conclusion - The Rebels could have that “we didn’t make a BCS bowl” syndrome, but it doesn’t appear that way at all. Harrell will create one final masterpiece in a career filled with them.

Texas Tech - 31 vs. Ole Miss - 28 John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter - Cotton Bowl

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Alabama (12-1) vs. Utah (12-0) January 2, 2009 - FOX 7 PM CST R

Schedule (12-1, 8-1) W Clemson 34-10 W Tulane 20-6 W Western Kentucky 41-7 W @ Arkansas 49-14 W @ Georgia 41-30 W Kentucky 17-14 W Ole Miss 24-20 W @ Tennessee 29-9 W Arkansas State 35-0 W @ LSU 27-21 OT W Mississippi State 32-7 W Auburn 36-0 L Florida 31-20 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #14 John Parker Wilson RB #38 Glen Coffee WR #8 Julio Jones WR #80 Mike McCoy TE #83 Travis McCall TE #88 Nick Walker LT #71 Andre Smith LG #78 Mike Johnson C #59 Antoine Caldwell RG #76 Marlon Davis RT #79 Drew Davis Defense DE #93 Bobby Greenwood NT #62 Terrence Cody DE #95 Brandon Deaderick SLB #13 Cory Reamer MLB #25 Rolando McClain Will #30 Dont’a Hightower Jack #98 Brandon Fanney CB #28 Javier Arenas CB #3 Kareem Jackson S #27 Justin Woodall S #49 Rashad Johnson

196.5 ypg - 23rd

Run Offense

168.4 ypg - 41st

170.7 ypg - 96th

Pass Offense

236.8 ypg - 41st

367.2 ypg - 56th

Total Offense

405.3 ypg - 31st

31.2 ppg - 30th

Scoring Offense

37.4 ppg - 15th

78.9 ypg - 4th

Run Defense

104.8 ypg - 14th

178.1 ypg - 21st

Pass Defense

191.1 ypg - 40th

256.9 ypg - 3rd

Total Defense

295.9 ypg - 18th

13.0 ppg - 6th

Scoring Defense

17.3 ppg - 12th

Keys to the Game The Ocho - When a guy is the number recruit in the country, the pressure of living up to the hype is enormous and often the undoing of a young student/ athlete. Uh, that’s not the case for Alabama WR Julio Jones, the 6’4”, 220 pound beast out of Foley, AL. AJ Green beat him out for SEC Freshman of the Year, but that was a mistake and the Utah defensive backs will find that out in a hurry. Jones has the size of a tight end, but the acumen of a lithe, downfield receiver. He catches deep dig routes, quick hitches, deep fades, slants - any route on the tree, Jones can truly dominate the game with only a couple of catches per game. But... Survivor - ...if the Utah defensive backs get some serious help from the defensive line, the Utes have a chance to slow Jones down. And, by defensive line, I mean All-MWC defensive end Paul Kruger, one of the most impressive all-around defenders I watched all season long. He doesn’t have the burst off the edge like Jerry Hughes from TCU and doesn’t have the athleticism of Aaron Maybin from Penn State, but no one has the motor and the relentlessness of Kruger. He’ll match up with Andre Smith throughout the game and Smith has his hands full with a guy who won’t quit. Finally the end - If you feel like John Parker Wilson and Brian Johnson are on the Carlos Huerta four year plan, you might be right. It never seemed like Huerta would ever graduate and that’s the thought with these two signal callers. Johnson is in his sixth season at Utah, while JPW is in his third year as a starter. Both have ridden the wave for a good long time, but both of them have been clutch at the right time throughout this season.

Schedule (12-0, 8-0) W @ Michigan 25-23 W UNLV 42-21 W @ Utah State 58-10 W @ Air Force 30-23 W Weber State 37-21 W Oregon State 31-28 W @ Wyoming 40-7 W Colorado State 49-16 W @ New Mexico 13-10 W TCU 13-10 W @ San Diego State 63-14 W BYU 48-24 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #3 Brian Johnson RB #6 Darrell Mack WR #81 Bradon Godfrey WR #88 Freddie Brown WR #5 Brent Casteel TE #80 Chris Joppru LT #68 Zane Beadles LG #72 Caleb Schlauderaff C #77 Zane Taylor RG # 66 Robert Conley RT #65 Dustin Hensel Defense DE #41 Koa Misi DT #56 Greg Newman DT #90 Derrick Shelby DE #11 Paul Kruger LB #10 Stevenson Sylvester LB #20 Mike Wright LB #42 Nai Fotu CB #1 Brice McCain CB #4 Sean Smith S #12 Joe Dale S #17 Robert Johnson

Conclusion - I thought if Utah matched up with Texas or another spread team, it would have a chance to win. But, I hate this matchup for Utah due in large part to the physicality of Nick Saban’s squad. This won’t go well for Utah. At all.

Alabama - 26 vs. Utah - 13

John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter - Sugar Bowl

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Texas (11-1) vs. Ohio State (10-2) January 5, 2009 - FOX 7 PM CST R

Schedule (11-1, 7-1) W FAU 52-10 W UTEP 42-13 W Rice 52-10 W Arkansas 52-10 W @ Colorado 38-14 W Oklahoma 45-35 W Missouri 56-31 W Oklahoma State 28-24 L @ Texas Tech 39-33 W Baylor 45-21 W @ Kansas 35-7 W Texas A&M 49-9 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #12 Colt McCoy RB #2 Vondrell McGee FB #31 Cody Johnson WR #8 Jordan Shipley WR #6 Quan Cosby TE #83 Greg Smith LT #74 Adam Ulatoski LG #52 Charlie Tanner C #78 David Snow RG #55 Cedric Dockery RT #64 Kyle Hix Defense DE #98 Brian Orakpo DE #37 Henry Melton DT #99 Roy Miller DT #95 Aaron Lewis LB #38 Roddrick Muckleroy LB #2 Sergio Kindle LB # 44 Rashad Bobino S #12 Earl Thomas S #21 Blake Gideon CB #7 Deon Beasley CB #13 Ryan Palmer

176.9 ypg - 34th

Run Offense

191.6 ypg - 28th

299.5 ypg - 11th

Pass Offense

148.1 ypg - 104th

476.4 ypg - 9th

Total Offense

339.7 ypg - 78th

43.9 ppg - 5th

Scoring Offense

28.2 ppg - 45th

73.6 ypg - 2nd

Run Defense

114.9 ypg - 20th

266.3 ypg - 109th

Pass Defense

164.3 ypg - 6th

339.9 ypg - 50th

Total Defense

279.3 ypg - 8th

18.6 ppg - 20th

Scoring Defense

13.1 ppg - 7th

Keys to the Game My Two is better than your Two - Throughout the 2008 season, Longhorn DE Brian Orakpo became a household name, but the most valuable defender for the Longhorns may have been linebacker Sergio Kindle. Whether he was putting his hand on the ground and chasing quarterbacks or playing a traditional OLB position, Kindle did a little bit of everything. As much as Ohio State needs to be aware of Orakpo, true freshman Terrelle Pryor needs to know what Kindle is doing and where he is on every play. Kindle has the athleticism to shadow Pryor and make life miserable for the Bucks signal caller. Feeling Wells - In week three, pre-season All-American running back ‘Beanie’ Wells sat out the big USC matchup with a foot injury. He took some heat for not giving it the ol’ college try. Consequently, Wells returned to have a solid season, but many critics scoff because he hasn’t faced the best this nation has to offer. Well, he’s got one final shot to show the nation that he is a premier back against one of the best run defenses in the country. Texas gives up less than 75 yards per game and is salivating to face a back like Wells. But, that’s what Wells wants, and quite frankly, needs. Carrying the running game - One of the reasons that Colt McCoy got the Heisman attention that he did was his ability to run the football. Whether it was on scrambles or designed runs, McCoy released his inner VY and opponents felt his running wrath. But, Ohio State will make him pay, physically, for escaping the pocket. Quite simply, McCoy can’t carry the run game against OSU or the Longhorns are in major trouble. Conclusion - Seriously, I want Texas to make a statement in this game and create even more mayhem for the BCS. But, I just don’t like this matchup for Texas at all. Pryor could have some problems against Orakpo and company, but he could also thrive on the national stage. I’m going with the thriving part.

Schedule (10-2, 7-1) W Youngstown State 43-0 W Ohio 26-14 L @ USC 35-3 W Troy 28-10 W Minnesota 34-21 W @ Wisconsin 20-17 W Purdue 16-3 W @ Michigan State 45-7 L Penn State 13-6 W @ Northwestern 45-10 W @ Ilinois 30-20 W Michigan 42-7 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #2 Terrelle Pryor RB #28 Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells FB #48 Spencer Smith WR #80 Brian Robiskie WR #9 Brian Hartline TE #88 Rory Nicol LT #75 Alex Boone LG #64 Jim Cordle C #50 Mike Brewster RG #71 Steve Rehring RT #70 Bryant Browning Defense DE #97 Cameron Heyward DE #90 Thaddeus Gibson DT #93 Nader Abdallah DT #84 Doug Worthington LB #33 James Laurinaitis LB #1 Marcus Freeman LB #26 Tyler Moeller S #21 Anderson Russell S #4 Kurt Coleman CB #2 Malcolm Jenkins CB #5 Chimdi Chekwa

Ohio State - 28 vs. Texas - 24

John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter - Fiesta Bowl

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Florida (12-1) vs. Oklahoma (12-1) January 8, 2009 - FOX 7 PM CST R

Schedule (12-1, 9-1) W Hawaii 56-10 W Miami (FL) 26-3 W @ Tennessee 30-6 L Ole Miss 31-30 W @ Arkansas 38-7 W LSU 51-21 W Kentucky 63-5 W Georgia 49-10 W @ Vanderbilt 42-14 W South Carolina 56-6 W The Citadel 70-19 W @ Florida State 45-15 W Alabama 31-20 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #15 Tim Tebow RB #2 Jeff Demps WR #1 Percy Harvin WR #9 Louis Murphy WR #11 Riley Cooper TE #81 Aaron Hernandez LT #75 Phil Trautwein LG #55 Mike Pouncey C #56 Maurkice Pouncey RG #57 Carl Johnson RT #77 Jason Watkins Defense DE #8 Carlos Dunlap DE #49 Jermaine Cunningham DT #92 Terron Sanders DT #47 Brandon Antwine LB #51 Brandon Spikes LB #32 Dustin Doe LB #16 AJ Jones S #21 Major Wright S #35 Ahmad Black CB #5 Joe Haden CB #29 Janorris Jenkins

229.8 ypg - 11th

Run Offense

205.5 ypg - 19th

212.7 ypg - 61st

Pass Offense

356.5 ypg - 3rd

442.4 ypg - 18th

Total Offense

562.1 ypg - 3rd

45.2 ppg - 3rd

Scoring Offense

54.0 ppg - 1st

105.3 ypg - 16th

Run Defense

106.0 ypg - 18th

174.0 ypg - 19th

Pass Defense

253.1 ypg - 99th

279.3 ypg - 9th

Total Defense

359.1 ypg - 65th

12.9 ppg - 5th

Scoring Defense

24.5 ppg - 57th

Keys to the Game We missed you - Not playing in the SEC Championship game may have been the best thing for mercurial dual threat Percy Harvin. The Gators scored 31 points without him against one of the toughest defenses in the nation, but Harvin takes this offense to another level. OU may have to break out the nickel package just to make sure it can match up with Harvin and company out on the perimeter. Remember Dallas? - Throughout this season, OU has been as dynamic as any offense in the nation, but one time this season, the Sooners offense became a one dimensional unit. And, the result? The Sooners lost. Against Texas, the Sooners fell behind late and had to scramble to get back in the game. However, the OU offensive line couldn’t handle the Texas pass rush and the Sooners left Dallas with an L. Tackles Phil Loadholt and Trent Williams were beaten repeatedly by Brian Orakpo and Sergio Kindle, which should have Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham licking their chops. The Tebow Factor - Where do you come out on Tim Tebow? Some people love the “rah-rah” leadership and the promise he made after the Ole Miss game. But, some are starting to think it’s a bit much. Those people can have their opinion, but they can get bent. Tebow has been as good for the college game as any college player in recent memory and after struggling against Michigan in last year’s bowl game, Tebow has a bit to prove. And, that could spell major trouble for the Sooners. Conclusion - With Harvin fully healthy, the Sooner defense just won’t be able to handle all of the weapons the Gators have on offense. And, once the Gators jump out front, the Sooners are predictable and vulnerable. Texas did it to them...and what happened that day? Yes, 45-35. Well, Florida is more potent on offense than Texas and will put the foot squarely on the throat to win a second crystal football in three years.

Schedule (12-1, 9-1) W UT Chattanooga 57-2 W Cincinnati 52-26 W @ Washington 55-14 W TCU 35-10 W @ Baylor 49-17 L Texas 45-35 W Kansas 45-31 W @ Kansas State 58-35 W Nebraska 62-28 W @ Texas A&M 66-28 W Texas Tech 65-21 W @ Oklahoma State 61-41 W Missouri 62-21 Projected Starting Lineups Offense QB #14 Sam Bradford RB #29 Chris Brown FB #34 Matt Clapp WR #9 Juaquin Iglesias WR #1 Manny Johnson TE #18 Jermaine Gresham LT #79 Phil Loadholt LG #72 Duke Robinson C #50 Jon Cooper RG #73 Brandon Walker RT #74 Trent Williams Defense DE #84 Frank Alexander DE #33 Austen English OR DE #44 Jeremy Beal DT #93 Gerald McCoy DT #86 Adrian Taylor LB #22 Keenan Clayton LB #10 Mike Balogun LB #28 Travis Lewis S #5 Nic Harris S #11 Lendy Holmes CB # 15 Dominique Franks CB #2 Brian Jackson

Florida - 41 vs. Oklahoma - 28

John Harris’ Bowl Newsletter - BCS National Championship Game

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