The 2011-12 Bowl Season kicks off on Saturday with 3 Bowl Match Ups

The FBS kicks off the first of 35 bowl games in 2011-12, with the first three bowl games on Saturday. Too many? Sure, but when one considers 68 teams make the NCAA Basketball Tournament, is it that far fetched that 70 teams finish the season with a bowl game?

Big Ten leads with ten bowl spots. The Big Ten has a record ten teams in bowl games this year, including first-year member, Nebraska. The University of Iowa is playing in its tenth bowl in eleven years, under Kirk Ferentz, who is in his 13 season as head coach. Wisconsin will represent the Big Ten for the second straight year in the Rose Bowl.

Three other college football games play on Saturday. The Division II Championship Game and the NAIA Championship Game are played on Saturday, as well as the second semi-final game on the road to the FCS title game. On Friday, the first semi-final game in FCS was played, with Sam Houston State defeating Montana 31-28 at home.

2011-12 Bowl Games kick off on Saturday

(Printable Bowl Schedule w/ DirecTV channels)
Saturday, December 17th

D2 Final: Pittsburg State vs. Wayne State (MI)
10:00 a.m.
ESPN2 (HD) / espn3

New Mexico Bowl: Temple vs. Wyoming
1:00 p.m.
ESPN (HD) / espn3

DI-AA Semifinals: Georgia Southern at North Dakota State
1:30 p.m.
ESPNU (HD) / espn3

NAIA Championship: Carroll (MT) vs. Saint Xavier (IL)
3:30 p.m.
CBSSN (HD)

Idaho Potato Bowl: Ohio vs. Utah State
4:30 p.m.
ESPN (HD) / espn3

New Orleans Bowl: LA Lafayette vs. San Diego State
8:00 p.m.
ESPN (HD) (3D) / espn3

Cidsports Thoughts and Predictions on the three opening bowl games:

Temple (8-4, 5-3 MAC East) vs. Wyoming (8-4, 5-2 MWC) in New Mexico Bowl

• First year coach Steve Addazio's Owls vs. third year coach Dave Christensen's Cowboys


• Both teams last bowl games were in 2009, Christensen's Cowboys won in New Mexico over Fresno State, while the Owls lost to UCLA in the EagleBank


• Owls are 1-2 lifetime in bowls, while Cowboys are 6-6


• We will take the Cowboys, as a +7 underdog in this bowl game

Ohio U (9-4, 6-2 MAC East) vs. Utah State (7-5, 5-2 WAC) in Idaho Potato Bowl

• Seven year coach Frank Solich's Bobcats vs. third year coach Gary Anderson's Aggies


• Solich is leading the Bobcats to third straight bowl game, fourth in six years, while Anderson has the Aggies in their first bowl game, since '97 season


• Ohio U is 0-5 in bowls, while Utah State is 1-4 over the years


• Again, we will take the underdog, Ohio U as a +1.5 underdog in this bowl game

Louisiana-Lafayette (8-4, 6-2 Sun Belt) vs. San Diego State (8-4, 4-3 MWC) in New Orleans Bowl

• Battle of first year coaches: Mark Hudspeth's Ragin' Cajuns vs. Rocky Long's Aztecs


• Ragin' Cajuns have never played in an FBS bowl, while the Aztecs beat Navy last season 35-14 in the Poinsettia Bowl


• San Diego State is 2-4 lifetime in bowl games, while it is the first postseason appearance in 41 years for the Ragin' Cajuns


• San Diego State is a -4.5 favorite in this bowl game: Go Aztecs!