There are only 119 teams in Division I the Football Bowl Subdivision, college football’s top division.  Not so ironically, those are the only teams eligibile for a bowl game.  And, considering that there are 34 bowl games featuring 68 teams, you can see what an honor and reward it is to be bestowed with an invitation to college football’s…ummm…unique postseason. 

OK; just kidding about that “reward” part…if 68 out of 119 teams make a bowl game, then, simply by fielding a team, you have a 57.1% chance of making a bowl game.  To me, that says more about the teams who didn’t get a bowl invitation than it does about the teams that did.

Whatever, though; this is a bowl season preview, not a moratorium on college football’s postseason.  Onward with the previews!

EagleBank Bowl – Wake Forest vs. Navy – ESPN – 12/20 – 11AM
Trey: Our nation’s capital is hosting one of their first bowl games in years. Navy, in a close rematch from last year.
Miz:  Navy, who just throttled Army in a rivalry game, is matched up against Wake Forest, who happens to be the #9 team in the ACC standings.  By the way, Navy also beat Wake Forest 24-17 back in September.  Navy, by more than before.

New Mexico – Colorado State vs. Fresno State – ESPN – 12/20 – 2:30PM
Trey: There is a NEW Mexico, eh? If the MWC wants to prove their worth, they have to win this game. Fresno State big though. (Although this is the type of game they always lose).
Miz:  Fresno had higher hope this season than the New Mexico Bowl.  Colorado State is just happy to have made a bowl.  Disappointment vs. Contented…I’m going with Colorado State, especially with coaching rumors flying around Fresno’s Pat Hill.

magicJack St. Petersburg – Memphis vs. South Florida  – ESPN2 – 12/20 – 4:30PM
Trey: Football at the Trop? Who the heck thought this was a good idea? The worst baseball venue will offically become the worst football venue EVER on December 20th. USF might not be what they always start the season to be, but they’re much better than this bowl. Three punts hit the catwalk, and USF big.
Miz: Memphis has been decent at times and then pretty bad at times this year.  Add in the homefield advantage for the Bulls, and South Florida mops the turf with the Tigers of Memphis.

Pioneer Las Vegas – BYU vs. Arizona – ESPN – 12/20 – 8PM
Trey: Attracting a Mormon based school has got to be great for Vegas business…BYU and Arizona played the last two seasons.  BYU won last year. Expect the same.
Miz: BYU = good Mountain West Conference team.  ‘Zona = mediocre PAC 10 team.  We saw many examples of MWC > PAC 10 this year and I expect nothing different here.  BYU rolls.

R+L Carriers New Orleans – Southern Miss vs. Troy – ESPN – 12/21 – 8:15PM
Trey: Troy will destroy Southern Miss in a near empty dome.
Miz: Both teams come from non-BCS conferences and neither have to travel too awful far.  But, Southern Miss will probably have tens more fans present.  Troy just won their conference for the third straight year while Southern Miss started the season 2-6 and rallied down the stretch for a bowl berth under their first year coach.  Troy should win this matchup handily.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia – Boise State vs. TCU – ESPN -12/23 – 8PM
Trey: This is a great early matchup. I like bowl games like this because they give you something to look forward to during the bowl season. Boise State wins a very very close game.
Miz: Boise is gonna be out to put a hurtin’ on somebody and that somebody happens to be some Horned Toads.  Boise had the only legit argument of any team “snubbed” by the BCS.  Boise beats TCU by more than one score.

Sheraton Hawaii – Hawaii vs. Notre Dame – ESPN – 12/24 -8PM
Trey: The Irish are relegated to the popular TV night of Christmas Eve, which isn’t bad, because while we’re out prancing and caroling someone will try and wake up the echos…of the Hawaii fans. ZING! Hawaii in a close one.
Miz: I’d like to take Hawaii; I really would.  I don’t know why I feel the need to hope for an increased number in the loss column for Notre Dame, but I consistently do.  Notre Dame should be better than Hawaii, and they most likely are.  Notre Dame in a close one.

Motor City – Florida Atlantic vs. Central Michigan  – ESPN – 12/26 - 8PM
Trey: This is my nominee for most boring bowl game ever. This is a home game for Central, and FAU is FAU. Central Michigan and Dan LaFevour big.
Miz:  Florida Atlantic is coming in at 6-6 while Central Michigan is 8-4 and basically playing at home.  Central Michigan over FAU.

Meineke Car Care – West Virginia vs. North Carolina ESPN – 12/27 – 1PM
Trey:  Another good early matchup. I think UNC will be healthier than they finished the season. They put it to UConn and Rutgers. This one will be closer, but I like UNC.
Miz: I really like this matchup.  Both teams were in the upper half of their conferences and they both had good wins and bad losses.  The opposing styles matchup well with each other too.  I’ve got a rising UNC over a down WVU.

Champs Sports – Wisconsin vs. Florida State – ESPN – 12/27 – 4:30PM
Trey: Wisconsin is awful this year. Seriously, if they weren’t Wisconsin and didn’t draw 20,000 fans to Orlando so much, they’d be in the Insight. FSU.
Miz: FSU and ‘Sconsin match up fairly evenly on offense, but FSU is statistically better on defense.  The ‘Noles make a pelt out of the Badgers.

Emerald – Miami (Fla.) vs. California – ESPN – 12/27 – 8PM
Trey: It’s a sad time for the once mighty Canes. You’re regulated to a bowl named after a nut company. Nuts! Cal.
Miz: The Canes are hurtin’ for some good news and results.  They’ll have to wait for next year. Cal > Miami.

Independence – Northern Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech – ESPN – 12/28 – 8:15PM
Trey: I really wish Poulan Weedeaters still sponsored this game. Home game for LA Tech. Tech big.
Miz: 4th in the MAC vs. 2nd in the WAC.  I’m going with 2nd in the WAC, Loosiana Tech.

Papajohns.com – NC State vs. Rutgers – ESPN – 12/29 – 3PM
Trey:  Sadly this is the most important game played in Legion Field these days. A stadium that once hosted Alabama 4 times a year, along with the Iron Bowl, and a couple SEC Championships…Both teams are hot, but Rutgers wins by a few.
Miz: Both teams won out to earn their bowl invitations so both are pretty hot.  However, Rutgers final five straight wins were by very convincing margins.  Rutgers over NC State by a few…a few scores!

Valero Alamo – Missouri vs. Northwestern – ESPN - 12/29 – 8PM
Trey:  No contest, Missouri by 80.
Miz: Northwestern keeps this one close; Mizzou by 65.

Roady’s Humanitarian – Maryland vs. Nevada – ESPN – 12/30 – 4:30PM
Trey:  Temple this is your chance! When will someone one up Boise’s Blue Turf? (Looks at Temple) Tyler Kaepernick. Upsets. Maryland. On. The. Smurf. Turf.
Miz:  I’ve been picking against Maryland all year so why stop now?  Nevada > Maryland.

Texas  – Western Michigan vs. Rice – NFL Network – 12/30 – 8PM
Trey: WOW. I can’t believe this matchup is hidden on NFL Network. The nation will be just as upset as when they don’t get the Thursday night NFL games…right? right?! Rice in a shootout.
Miz: Finally, another game worth watching.  Both teams finished the season with 9-3 records and both are ranked in the top 25 offensively.  A couple of good QB’s are head-to-head too.  I see a shootout on the horizon as well, just with Western Michigan emerging victorious.

Pacific Life Holiday – Oklahoma State vs. Oregon – ESPN – 12/30 – 8PM
Trey:  Arena League Alert! Oklahoma State. But this will be another shootout as both these lack any semblence of a defense.
Miz:  This matchup should produce a shootout as both teams play in pass-happy conferences with little-to-no defensive intensity stressd except maybe in the top conference teams.  I’ve got Okie State in this one.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces – Houston vs. Air Force – ESPN – 12/31 – Noon
Trey: Signs that there are too many bowls number 37: Bell Helicopters sponsors your bowl. I forgot about my local Helicopter dealership until I saw this game! I like the academies, but Houston scores a lot…Houston.
Miz: Houston will launch an air assault on the Air Force.  Houston > Air Force.

Brut Sun – Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh – CBS – 12/31 – 2PM
Trey: The stache comes up with Pitt’s biggest bowl win in a few years (namely because they haven’t been to one).
Miz: The Big East team, Pitt, will further expose the PAC 10 as a weak conference by beating the team that almost took the spot in the Rose Bowl.

Gaylord Hotels Music City – Boston College vs. Vanderbilt – ESPN – 12/31 – 3:30PM
Trey:  After closing up shop in October Vanderbilt managed to pull a win out of their rears to get to a bowl game. Since the game is only 5 miles from campus, the hope amongst the ‘Dore faithful is that the team will show too.  Home game or not, BC big.
Miz: No way Vandy wins this game.  It’ll essentially be a home game, but Vandy’s used to losing those too.  A 1-6 slide to end the year will be extended to 1-7 for the Dores.  Boston College > Vandy.

Insight – Kansas vs. Minnesota – NFL Network – 12/31 – 5:30PM
Trey: Self v. Tubby? No. Good thing this is another hidden NFL Network game. Kansas in a close one.
Miz: Kansas is the better team here with a better record in a better conference.  The Jayhawks carry the pass-happy tradition to the bowl formerly known as Copper and win by multiple scores over the Gophers.

Chick-fil-A – LSU vs. Georgia Tech – ESPN – 12/31 – 7:30PM
Trey:  Didn’t you see what Tech did to UGA’s powerful front 7? LSU! Upset special!
Miz:  Finally, another decent game.  Georgia Tech will give LSU fits like they did Georgia and expose the deauxfeauxnseaux with the triple option.  The Rambling Wreck pull out the win over the Tigeauxrs.

Don’t forget to tune back in tomorrow for the preview of the non-BCS New Year’s and post-New Year’s bowl games.

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