Bowls

[zuluhead1``1]

Wow, where the f*ck has Tulsa been?

[BiffTFinancial]

Wow, where the f*ck has Tulsa been?

that's a great question. Tulsa +10 was one of the first lines i picked out to play this bowl season, but i backed off and played the over instead when i saw how bad Tulsa's pass defense has been and how easily Hawaii has blown teams out on the island. Tulsa's offense surprised somewhat, but we knew they were good. what's hard to believe is that they made Hawaii's pass offense look so bad (and i don't think that it was just Moniz's back or the INTs - it's not as if Hawaii mounted a comeback in the 2H when the turnovers had stopped).

[BiffTFinancial]

3* Florida International +1'

First things first, i'm a MAC fan, but i'm pretty sure that i'll be fading the MAC at every opportunity in the bowls. Toledo is a competent team (ask Purdue), and FIU isn't exactly TCU, but the fact remains that the MAC has won only two if its last 16 bowl appearances, and when matched with the Sun Belt in the New Orleans Bowl, got pasted (Troy 48, Ohio U 21). The difference in this game will be FIU's offensive line, which dominated Troy when FIU upset the Trojans on the road, 52-35, and helped FIU rank 14th in the nation in time of possession. Toledo's biggest strength is creating turnovers, ranking #1 in the nation with 33 takeaways and #3 with a +14 TO margin. Not to piss on anyone's Tony Packo's, but if forcing turnovers is your chosen pathway to success, you're asking a lot (as evidenced by the 30 turnovers forced in UT's eight wins versus the three forced in their four losses). FIU runs and protects the ball well, and plays solid defense on third downs. Unless UT wins the turnover battle by two or more, they won't be winning this game, period.

[BiffTFinancial]

3* Florida International +1' - WINNER

5-2 +9.4u for bowl season.

i submit this as Exhibit A as to why bowl games rule. fun watch, and as good an argument as any that there, in fact, are not too many bowl games. you get a lot better effort out of FIU and Toledo in the Little Caesar's Bowl than a number of NFL teams that are mailing it in by Week 16. they may not be the two most talented teams, but there was no lack of effort or intensity.

[BiffTFinancial]

3* Georgia Tech/Air Force over 55'

[BiffTFinancial]

5* West Virginia -2'

WVU's defense will make NC State one-dimensional, and as good as Russell Wilson is, he makes mistakes (INTs in last 9 games). Wilson will turn it over twice (or more) and WVU will get a feel-good win for Bill Stewart. under looks good too, but since it's based on same theory (that WVU's defense will dominate), not sure whether or not i'll play both. WVU, 26-16.

[Rick22]

Glad I found this thread Biff. Also glad I found it after the AF/Geo Tech game started - lol. But I also like WV. Good luck on a great bowl year.

[BiffTFinancial]

Glad I found this thread Biff. Also glad I found it after the AF/Geo Tech game started - lol. But I also like WV. Good luck on a great bowl year.

heh heh, man, is this game ugly. lotta fumbles, but i have to face that fact that this was a bad pick. oh well. BOL to you too Rick.

[BiffTFinancial]

5* Wisconsin +3
4* Maryland -7
3* NCSU/WVU under 49

locking in my Rose Bowl pick now, knock on wood no suspensions are in the offing. TCU is an outstanding team, but their identity is being more physical than their opponents, and they're meeting up with the most physical team around in Wisky. Badgers, 35-24. Ralph Friedgen has had some big valleys as a coach, but he just won the ACC coach of the year award and still got involuntarily retired. his guys will play hard for him, they were supposedly going to carry him off the practice field after his final practice, and the Terps will run all over ECU. Terps, 35-20. Champs Sports Bowl under is same principle as Neers -2', WVU just doesn't give up points and should be able to make NCSU one-dimensional.

tempted to lock in Auburn now, but it's suspension season and i'd hate to be on the wrong end of one with this much time before the game. Wisky seems a lot less risky in that regard.

[BiffTFinancial]

3* GT/AFA over 55' - HORRENDOUS LOSER

5-3 +6.1u for bowl season. Christ that was a terrible pick. can't blame it on punt returner or anything else, just a bad pick.

looking to get it back on MNF over. whoa - is that really former WWE announcer Jonathan Coachman working the desk for ESPN? what an incredible statement on ESPN's evolution into TMZ for dudes/the UConn lady Huskies network.

[JMF2479]

Take the extra money and take Wincy ML

[BiffTFinancial]

Take the extra money and take Wincy ML

no question, Badgers +135 ML is a beauty. i'm trying not to think about the game too much. same as Auburn, as soon as the lines came out, i loved it. i over-thought Tulsa +12 and ended up taking the over 3* instead of spread 5* (bwah).

the wife already has new year's daylong menu planned. for kickoff of the Rose Bowl at 5 pm: hanky pankies.

[JMF2479]

I am also in love with the auburn game!

[BiffTFinancial]

I am also in love with the auburn game!

hard not to be. long wait for that one, still two weeks away, and too risky for possible suspensions or other issues, but Auburn's the side, no doubt. with Wisky, hard to imagine new suspensions between now and Saturday. Bielema would run those kids to death. plus, with them, even if they lose, say, an outstanding RB, they still have 2 more. so long as Carimi and the rest of the OL are healthy and there, Badger up.

[zuluhead1``1]

While you do make a bit more money with the ML, the better value is in the +3, just my 2 cents.

[zuluhead1``1]

If you don't mind Biff, I'm going to join your thread and post my bowl picks as well.
WVU -3
Maryland -7
Mizzou -2
Illinois +1 (call me crazy)
Ok St -4
SMU/Army under 52.5
Kan St +1
NC -1.5
Washington +14
Clemson -5.5
Miami -2.5
Georgia -6.5
Florida St +3

[BiffTFinancial]

If you don't mind Biff, I'm going to join your thread and post my bowl picks as well. WVU -3 Maryland -7 Mizzou -2 Illinois +1 (call me crazy) Ok St -4 SMU/Army under 52.5 Kan St +1 NC -1.5 Washington +14 Clemson -5.5 Miami -2.5 Georgia -6.5 Florida St +3

absolutely, zulu. feel free. i like Illinois. i also like MD and the U. haven't finished the games beyond Thursday other than Wisky. i'm intrigued by that SMU/Army game, not sure how i'll play that one yet. BOL with your picks.

[BiffTFinancial]

5* WVU -2' - LOSER
3* NCSU/WVU under 49 - WINNER

last night was a solid reminder as to why WVU is undergoing their bizarre coaching change. bah. 6-4 +3.6u for bowl season.

[BiffTFinancial]

4* Miami -2'

Al Golden > Brian Kelly. Thank you, Irish nation, for buying enough ND dog action to pull this down to 2'. Other than pretty generous bowl tie-ins, Notre Dame is a team without a strength.

also leaning Illinois, USF/Clemson under, UCF/UGA over

[Rick22]

Wow - West Virginia sucked bad. Nice Big Tem win though. Good luck today. The Baylor/Ill game has me stumped.

[zuluhead1``1]

I already swore I wouldn't ever bet on WVU once...

7-4 on the bowl season so far, 0-2 for official purposes.

[coachkap]

4* Miami -2'

Al Golden > Brian Kelly. Thank you, Irish nation, for buying enough ND dog action to pull this down to 2'. Other than pretty generous bowl tie-ins, Notre Dame is a team without a strength.

also leaning Illinois, USF/Clemson under, UCF/UGA over

NC I see you're leaning Illinois.......

[zuluhead1``1]

NC I see you're leaning Illinois.......

I really believe Illinois is the play here. They have played great football all year.

[BiffTFinancial]

Wow - West Virginia sucked bad. Nice Big Tem win though. Good luck today. The Baylor/Ill game has me stumped.

it's almost as if they were trying to prove Oliver Luck right about the coaching switch. their defense played great, even a decent game from the offense could've been enough. bah.

was definitely glad to see Iowa get the win there. credit to Ferentz.

[BiffTFinancial]

I already swore I wouldn't ever bet on WVU once... 7-4 on the bowl season so far, 0-2 for official purposes.

WVU is one of those teams for me too. i know that i've sworn them off more than once, then they draw me back in.

[BiffTFinancial]

adding

3* Illinois -1

no ignoring the line movement. leaning over too, but i think that Illinois' defense could cause some real problems for Baylor.

[Wolf40]

adding

3* Illinois -1

no ignoring the line movement. leaning over too, but i think that Illinois' defense could cause some real problems for Baylor.

Exactly my thoughts I took the team total over 31.5

[Rick22]

OK - you guys talkd me into Illinios (very small). Been going back and forth. So it's done. Hopefully Maryland can hang on. GL

[zuluhead1``1]

OK - you guys talkd me into Illinios (very small). Been going back and forth. So it's done. Hopefully Maryland can hang on. GL

Good move

[BiffTFinancial]

2H over 31 in the Texas Bowl looks tempting. think i'll probably lay off and hope for the Illini to keep it together, but tempting.

[terrortwylight]

biff do you have a play on the zona/ok st game?

[BiffTFinancial]

3* Illinois/Baylor 2H over 31

accidentally posted this in the in-game thread instead of here, but posted it well before 2H started.

[BiffTFinancial]

biff do you have a play on the zona/ok st game?

my play on that one is no-play. with the line movement, arizona looks like the play, but arizona is hard on the eyes. zulu likes Okie State, i don't blame him.

[BiffTFinancial]

biff do you have a play on the zona/ok st game?

for later, i'm on Heat small, and will probably play Princeton small.

[terrortwylight]

for later, i'm on Heat small, and will probably play Princeton small.

haha yeah i'm on that heat play, too.. i sprinkled a lil bit on zona ML.. we'll see.