Your Guide To The College Football Bowl Season, Part IV

It's the big one - don't risk sounding like an idiot.

The 2009 bowl season is upon us, and it’s time to be confronted with a fact you’ve worked all year to cover up: you don’t know as much as you should about college football.

You know Texas and Alabama, sure, but smaller teams like  Ohio, Middle Tennessee, and Fresno State are beyond you. You live your life in fear that you’ll be caught in an in-depth football conversation and exposed when you let slip that you’ve always thought that TCU is the name of the organization Jack Bauer worked for on 24.

Don’t worry, we’re here to help.

The following is a guide to understanding the teams and matchups in the bowl games to come over the next few weeks, starting with the smaller, more obscure bowls. If nothing else, it will give you a few sound bites to make it sound like you know what you’re talking about.

If you missed it, check out Part I, Part II, and Part III.

Admittedly, these picks haven’t been the best (10-8, yikes), but I stand by my quotes. If you want to sound like you know what you’re talking about (or if you want to sound like an idiot), stick with the analysis.

Fiesta Bowl, Boise State vs. TCU (Jan. 4)

There have been a lot of angry people about this matchup, feeling that the two non-AQ teams were banished to sit at the kids’ table while the grownups played in the real games. There might be something to that, but that’s no reason to think this won’t be one of the best games of the bowl season. Boise State brings the nation’s #1 scoring offense. TCU brings the nation’s #1 defense in terms of yards allowed. The Horned Frogs have held some powerful offenses in check this year (BYU, Utah, Clemson), but haven’t seen anything like Kellen Moore and the Broncos. That said, the Broncos haven’t faced a defense that comes close to TCU’s. This one could come down to the final moments – and if it does, you just know Boise will have a trick play or two up their sleeve.

Sound like you know what you’re talking about: “Kellen Moore is the nation’s most proficient quarterback, sure, but Andy Dalton is no slouch – he’s no. 4.”

Sound like an idiot: “This game is a joke. If they’re not from a BCS conference, they aren’t worth watching.”

The pick: TCU 24, Boise State 21.

Orange Bowl, Iowa vs. Georgia Tech (Jan. 5)

This game has the reputation of the “boring” BCS game, but these two teams are anything but boring. Georgia Tech runs a devastating triple option attack that drives opposing defenses crazy. Iowa has been incredibly entertaining this year, falling behind early and pulling off improbable comebacks behind QB Ricky Stanzi. Both have been tested and have impressive wins (over Penn State and Virginia Tech, respectively). So who has the edge? Normally I’d say the Yellow Jackets, but with Stanzi healthy and ready for action, all bets are off. Expect this game to come down to the final seconds.

Sound like you know what you’re talking about: “If a couple of plays had broken differently against Georgia, we’d be talking about Georgia Tech as a championship contender.”

Sound like an idiot: “Ugh, the Big Ten and the ACC. This game is always a dud.”

The pick: Iowa 21, Georgia 20.

GMAC Bowl, Central Michigan vs. Troy (Jan. 6)

Wait, what? Right in the middle of BCS Week we get a lower-tier bowl between the MAC and (shudder) Sun Belt? It’s tempting to write this game off, but don’t be so quick to change the channel. Troy has been the class of the Sun Belt for the last few years, dominating the rest of the conference. (Think Boise State in the WAC.) Central Michigan has been impressive as well, led by talented quarterback Dan LeFevour, who has passed for a staggering 12,510 yards over his college career. Both teams have been great against subpar competition, but I think this comes down to the face that Troy just doesn’t have an answer for LeFevour. Frankly, who does?

Sound like you know what you’re talking about: “Before building up the Cincinnati football program, Brian Kelly built up Central Michigan – and it shows.”

Sound like an idiot: “I thought the USC Trojans already played their bowl game. Can teams play two bowl games in one year?”

The pick: Central Michigan 42, Troy 21.

BCS National Championship Game, Texas vs. Alabama (Jan. 7)

By now, you’ve heard it all. Alabama cruised through the SEC, blowing out #1 Florida in the championship game. Texas struggled through a relatively weak Big 12, being bailed out by a video review and a last-second field goal to win their conference championship. Seems like the Tide would be a lock, right? You’d think, but recent years have taught us never to count out the Longhorns in big games. Since losing to Oklahoma in the 2007 Red River Rivalry game, Texas has only lost twice (to Texas A&M and #5 Texas Tech on a last-second miracle play). The Longhorns’ offense has looked anemic recently, true, and that doesn’t bode well against the Crimson Tide’s ferocious defense, but what happened last time Alabama came into a BCS game heavily favored? Utah not only beat them, but embarrassed them. Could the same thing happen this Thursday? It certainly could, but based on the results of each team’s conference championship, I wouldn’t count on it.

Sound like you know what you’re talking about: “Remember what happened last time Texas came into a national championship game as an underdog? Vince Young, anyone?”

Sound like an idiot: “It’s a good thing Texas made that field goal. No one would have wanted to see a Mountain West team play for the championship.”

The pick: Alabama 31, Texas 17.