Chick-Fil-A Bowl: LSU (7-5) vs. Georgia Tech (9-3)

The 2008 Chick-Fil-A Bowl matches the LSU Tigers (7-5, 3Rd in the SEC West) vs. the hometown Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-3, tied for 1st in ACC Coastal Division) in Atlanta. I can't eat the sandwiches and do I really care about this game at 7:30 on New Year's Eve? Of course, the game does involve the 2007 season BCS Champion (LSU).

Last year, LSU enjoyed taking down Ohio State and winning their second BCS Title in five years. LSU is playing in their ninth straight bowl game and have won three straight, since their loss to Iowa in the 2005 Capital One Bowl on the final play. LSU coach Les Miles is 3-0 in bowl games for the Tigers. Georgia Tech's coach Paul Johnson is in his first year, since moving over from Navy after last season. The Yellow Jackets have lost three straight bowl games, including last year's 2007 Humanitarian Bowl 28-40 to Fresno State. But, the Yellow Jackets do have been to 12 consecutive bowls.

LSU's losses have come at Florida, vs. Georgia, vs. Alabama and their final two games of the season vs. Ole Miss and vs. Arkansas. Georgia Tech's three losses were at Virginia Tech, Virginia and at North Carolina. Georgia Tech closed out the regular season with a 45-42 win at Georgia, a team LSU lost to at home 38-52.

The last time LSU came off a BCS title... the Tigers were defeated in the bowl game the following season. This year's Chick-Fil-A Bowl... Could it be like the 2000 Peach Bowl, where LSU knocked off Georgia Tech or is it payback?

Cidsports' prediction

LSU 25

Georgia Tech 28

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peace

Insight Bowl: Minnesota (7-5) vs, Kansas (7-5)

The 2008 Insight Bowl will welcome the Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-5, tied for 6Th in the Big Ten) vs. the Kansas Jayhawks (7-5, 3Rd in the Big 12 North) in Tempe, AZ. The second Big Ten vs. Big 12 match up in the 2008-09 bowl season.

The 2008 Alamo Bowl was an exciting match up between Northwestern and Missouri, with the Tigers winning in OT. During the season; Kansas beat Missouri, while Northwestern knocked off Minnesota on a late minute turnover taken to the house. The 2008 Insight Bowl may be just as entertaining, but Minnesota enters with one less component... a running game.

Minnesota has rebounded from a 1-11 record last year to 7-5 in coach Tim Brewster's second season for the Gophers. Prior to last year, the Golden Gophers had played in five straight bowl games. For Kansas, the 2008 Insight Bowl represents the first time in school history, that the Jayhawks have played in back to back bowl games. KU beat Virginia Tech 24-21 last year, in the FedEx Orange Bowl. Jayhawks coach Mark Mangino is 2-1 in bowl games in his eighth season at KU.

Minnesota loses came at Ohio State and in their final four games vs. Northwestern, vs. Michigan, at Wisconsin and vs. Iowa. Kansas losses were at South Florida, at Oklahoma, vs. Texas Tech, at Nebraska and vs. Texas.

Midwest conference bragging rights between the Big Ten and Big 12 are on the line in the 2008 Insight Bowl. The Big 12 has won two straight over the Big Ten, including Texas Tech's 44-41 OT win over Minnesota in the 2006 game.

Cidsports' prediction

Minnesota 20

Kansas 30

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peace

Music City Bowl: Boston College (9-4) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6)

The 2008 Music City Bowl pits the Boston College Eagles (9-4, tied for 1St in the ACC Coastal Division) vs. the hometown Vanderbilt Commodores (6-6, tied for 3Rd in SEC East) in Nashville.

Boston College leads all FBS programs with eight consecutive bowl wins, including second year coach Jeff Jagodzinski's win last year 24-21 over Michigan State in the Champs Sports Bowl. On the other hand, Vanderbilt is playing in only their fourth bowl ever, and the first bowl since the 1982 Hall of Fame Bowl, where they lost 28-36 to Air Force.

Boston College losses this season were vs. Georgia Tech, at North Carolina, vs. Clemson and vs. Virginia Tech in a rematch for the ACC championship. Vanderbilt won their first five games, then lost six of their final seven games at Mississippi State, at Georgia, vs. Duke, vs. Florida, vs. Tennessee, and at Wake Forest.

Wake Forest was a common opponent for both teams, with Vandy losing at Wake 10-23 to close out the regular season. Boston College beat Wake Forest on the road 24-21 in conference play. Does this game shed some light into the 2008 Music City Bowl?

Cidsports' prediction

Boston College 21

Vanderbilt 10

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peace

75th Sun Bowl: Oregon State (8-4) vs. Pittsburgh (9-3)

The 2008 Sun Bowl hosts a match up of the Oregon State Beavers (8-4, tied for 2Nd in the Pac 10) vs. the Pittsburgh Panthers (9-3, tied for 2Nd in the Big East) in El Paso. The Pac 10 is going for their fifth straight win in the Sun Bowl, after Oregon won the one game vs. a Big East opponent, with a 56-21 win over USF last year.

Oregon State is playing in their third straight bowl game, after back to back wins in the '06 Sun Bowl and '07 Emerald Bowl with a one point win over Missouri and a 7 point win over Maryland, respectively. Pittsburgh is playing in their first bowl game under coach Dave Wannstedt, after seeing it's five year bowl streak end after the 2004 season. Pitt beat Oregon State 36-13 in the 2002 Insight Bowl.

Pittsburgh's three losses were vs. Bowling Green, in season opener, vs. Rutgers and at Cincinnati. Oregon State's four losses were at Stanford and at Penn State to open the season, then at Utah and vs. Oregon in the finale. Ironically, Oregon State was blasted at Penn State, while Pittsburgh beat Iowa at home. Iowa beat Penn State 24-23 this season. It doesn't mean much in this game, but it did cost the Nittany Lions a birth in the BCS championship game.

Experience favors the Beavers, with coach Mike Riley in his eighth season and winner of four consecutive bowl games. Ironically, the one bowl loss at Oregon State this decade was vs. Pittsburgh in 2002. Look for a good 2008 Sun Bowl celebrating the 75Th Anniversary of the bowl game.

Cidsports' Prediction

Oregon State 28

Pittsburgh 24

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peace

Armed Forces Bowl: Air Force (8-4) vs. Houston (7-5)

The 2008 Armed Forces Bowl will welcome the Air Force Falcons (8-4, 4Th in the MWC) vs. the Houston Cougars (7-5, 3Rd in the C-USA West Division) in Fort Worth.

Last year, the Falcons lost to California 36-42 in the Armed Services Bowl. The Cougars are set for their fourth straight bowl game, but in search for a win, after losing 13-20 to TCU in the Texas Bowl last year.

The twist in this bowl game is that both teams faced one another in game three of the regular season. Air Force beat Houston on the road 31-28. Air Force's four losses were to Utah, Navy, BYU and at TCU. The Falcons lost their final two games, after running off a five game win streak. Houston's other four losses were at Oklahoma State and at Colorado State sandwiched around the game with Air Force, then road losses at Marshall in the middle of the conference season and at Rice in the season finale.

Air Force's last win was vs. Colorado State 38-17. A team that Houston lost 28-25. Conventional wisdom in a rematch says take the Houston Cougars, but it is called the Armed Forces Bowl for a reason... Right?

Cidsports' prediction

Air Force 38

Houston 35

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peace

Texas Bowl: Rice (9-3) vs. Western Michigan (9-3)

It's on the NFL Channel and I actually forgot to do a write up on this bowl game between two non-BCS teams from the C-USA and the MAC, respectively. The 2008 Texas Bowl has the hometown Rice Owls (9-3, tied for 1ST in the C-USA West Division) vs. the Western Michigan Broncos in Houston.

Cidsports' prediction:

Rice 28
Western Michigan 30

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peace

Holiday Bowl: Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Oregon (9-3)

The 2008 Holiday Bowl will pit the Oklahoma State Cowboys (9-3, 4Th in the Big 12 South) vs. the Oregon Ducks (9-3, tied for 2Nd in the Pac 10) in San Diego. The Big 12 has beat the Pac 10 in four of the past six Holiday Bowls, including last year, when Texas defeated Arizona State 52-34.

Oklahoma State is playing in their third straight bowl game, including last year's 49-33 win over Indiana in the '07 Insight Bowl. Cowboys coach Mike Gundy is 2-0 in bowl games as a head coach, entering his fourth season. The Oregon Ducks are playing in their fourth straight bowl game under coach Mike Bellotti, who is in his 14Th year as head coach, as dean of the Pac 10 coaches. Last year, the Ducks beat USF 56-21 in the '07 Sun Bowl.

The Cowboys three losses were all in the second half of the season at Texas, at Texas Tech and vs. Oklahoma, while the Ducks three losses cam in the middle half vs. Boise State, at USC and at California. Both teams played Washington State, with the Cowboys opening the season with a 39-13 win, while Oregon took care of business at Washington State 63-14 in the fifth game, coming off a loss to Boise State.

Conventional wisdom says with a Big 12 team squaring off with a Pac 10 team that the audience is in for an offensive showdown in the 2008 Holiday Bowl. Oklahoma State enters the game coming off an offensive showdown, but a 41-61 loss against in-state rival Oklahoma. While the Ducks, closed out the regular season with three wins, including a road finale at in-state rival Oregon State with a sound 65-38 win.

Cidsports' Prediction

Oklahoma State 38

Oregon 35

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peace