A fantastic finish
Intriguing matchups make bowl season unpredictable
By Matt “It’s MillerTime” Miller
With just a couple weeks left in the 2009 college football season, this year’s games have been full of twists and turns. The season started back in September, but now here we sit with a slab of bowl games already decided and a plethora of ones to come. Here’s our look at four bowl games that will end the season with a bang.
Insight Bowl
Minnesota (6-6) vs. Iowa State (6-6)
Dec. 31, Tempe, Ariz., 5 p.m.
Forget all the grumblings from Missouri fans; Iowa State deserves to be in this bowl game. The Cyclones’ program has been in disarray, but Iowa native Paul Rhoads has transformed a team that finished 2-10 last season to a .500 team this year. The Cyclones finished fourth in the North Division, highlighted by 9-7 win over Nebraska, who eventually won the division. It was Iowa State’s first victory in Lincoln since 1977. Rhoads’ post-game speech has become a YouTube hit, and fans can only expect better things to come in following years. Quarterback Austen Arnaud has thrown for 1,799 yards and 13 scores, and ran for six touchdowns. Running back Alexander Robinson has rushed for 1,058 yards, fourth best in the Big 12.
Minnesota ranks last in the Big Ten in scoring and total offense, and without big-play receiver Eric Decker lost to injury, the Gophers are in trouble. Statistically a snoozer game, but it should be entertaining.
Locker Room prediction: Iowa State 17, Minnesota 13
Fiesta Bowl
No. 4 TCU (12-0) vs. No. 6 Boise State (13-0)
Jan. 4, 2010, Glendale, Ariz., 7 p.m.
This game has been dubbed the “BCS Buster Bowl.” Fittingly appropriate, the game pits the first time a BCS game other than the national championship game has a matchup of undefeated teams. Expect a track meet as Boise State is the nation’s highest-scoring team at 44 points per game, while TCU ranks fourth at 40.7 points per game.
Locker Room prediction: TCU 48, Boise State 45
FedEx Orange Bowl
No. 9 Georgia Tech (11-2) vs. No.10 Iowa (10-2)
Jan. 5, 2010, Miami, Fla., 7 p.m.
Despite losing to the Ohio State Buckeyes for an at-large BCS bowl bid, the Hawks were invited to be the second Big Ten school in a BCS bowl game. Iowa’s storybook season continues, as it had seven games decided in the final minute, including two wins that swung on the last play. Quarterback Ricki Stanzi (2,186 yards, 15 touchdowns) returns from a severe ankle injury, which he suffered Nov. 7 against Northwestern. One question remains though — how effective will Stanzi be? In each close game, practically all of them, the Hawks have relied heavily on its defense, led by linebackers Pat Angerer, A.J. Edds and safety Tyler Sash.
This will be the first meeting between the two teams, and Iowa will have its hands full with the Yellow Jackets’ spread option offense. Built around misdirection. Georgia Tech ranked 11th in total offense, led by quarterback David Nesbitt (1,689 yards, 10 touchdowns) and running back Jonathan Dwyer (14 touchdowns) who will pound the ball. Georgia Tech may be favored, but the Hawks have learned to win ugly. Expect the same.
Locker Room prediction: Iowa 28, Georgia Tech 23
Citi BCS National Championship Game
No. 1 Alabama (13-0) vs. No. 2 Texas (13-0)
Jan. 7, 2010, Pasadena, Calif., 7 p.m.
Two of the winningest football programs in NCAA history collide as the Alabama Crimson Tide take on the Texas Longhorns for all the marbles. Alabama is flying high coming off its 32-13 demolishing of then No. 1 Florida Gators in the SEC championship game. Then again, Texas is, too. The Longhorns punched their tickets to Pasadena on Hunter Lawrence’s 46-yard field goal in the Big 12 Championship. Something has to give, right?
The Crimson Tide enter with six players named to the 2009 Associated Press First-Team All-American Team, led by Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. The Longhorns counter with three First-Team All-Americans, including quarterback Colt McCoy who amassed 3,512 yards passing and 27 touchdowns.
Locker Room prediction: Alabama 28, Texas 24 CV
