Been a couple days since I have done college bowl game picks. On Dec. 28, I went 4-0 to get to 6-5 so far this season picking bowls. I am obviously not getting to every game today -- New Year's Day has the most bowls with six -- but I will at least get predictions out for the first two BCS games: the Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl.
Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio
No. 5 Stanford (11-2) vs. No. 4 Michigan State (12-1)
Padadena, Calif. - 5 p.m. ESPN
Both of these teams bring tough defenses to the table in the 100th Rose Bowl. Both are top 10 in the country in scoring defense. Stanford won the Pac-12 title, beating Arizona State, 38-14. Michigan State knocked off Ohio State in a memorable game in the Big Ten championship, 34-24. The Cardinal has had the better overall team all year I would say, but the Spartans have really come on as of late and have a lot of momentum after knocking off the Buckeyes. Their offense has also slowly gotten better as the year has wore on. Stanford lost a more recent game to USC on Nov. 16. MSU has won nine games in a row and every game it has won has been by double digits. Its only loss was at Notre Dame by four points on Sept. 21. I expect this game to be a defensive struggle that will go down to the wire. I like MSU by a hair.
Michigan State 21, Stanford 20
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
No. 15 Central Florida (11-1) at No. 6 Baylor (11-1)
Tempe, Ariz. - 8:30 p.m. ESPN
Central Florida was just three points from tying South Carolina in its only loss this season but the Knights lost, 28-25. The Knights had only one other big game all season, though, when they beat Louisville on the road on Oct. 18, 38-35, effectively winning the American Athletic Conference. UCF had some other close calls along the way, beating SMU by four, Temple by three, South Florida by three, Penn State by four, Memphis by seven, and Houston by five. So while UCF was close to being undefeated, it was also close to several losses. Baylor had one bad game all year, on the road at Oklahoma State, where it lost, 49-17. Otherwise, the Bears rarely struggled and usually they put up video game numbers on offense. In only two of their wins did the Bears score less than 40 points, and four times they scored at least 70 points. On the big stage I think the Bears are going to shine. I think UCF will show up and play an inspired game but it won't be enough as Baylor pulls away in the second half.
Baylor 45, Central Florida 26
Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio
No. 5 Stanford (11-2) vs. No. 4 Michigan State (12-1)
Padadena, Calif. - 5 p.m. ESPN
Both of these teams bring tough defenses to the table in the 100th Rose Bowl. Both are top 10 in the country in scoring defense. Stanford won the Pac-12 title, beating Arizona State, 38-14. Michigan State knocked off Ohio State in a memorable game in the Big Ten championship, 34-24. The Cardinal has had the better overall team all year I would say, but the Spartans have really come on as of late and have a lot of momentum after knocking off the Buckeyes. Their offense has also slowly gotten better as the year has wore on. Stanford lost a more recent game to USC on Nov. 16. MSU has won nine games in a row and every game it has won has been by double digits. Its only loss was at Notre Dame by four points on Sept. 21. I expect this game to be a defensive struggle that will go down to the wire. I like MSU by a hair.
Michigan State 21, Stanford 20
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
No. 15 Central Florida (11-1) at No. 6 Baylor (11-1)
Tempe, Ariz. - 8:30 p.m. ESPN
Central Florida was just three points from tying South Carolina in its only loss this season but the Knights lost, 28-25. The Knights had only one other big game all season, though, when they beat Louisville on the road on Oct. 18, 38-35, effectively winning the American Athletic Conference. UCF had some other close calls along the way, beating SMU by four, Temple by three, South Florida by three, Penn State by four, Memphis by seven, and Houston by five. So while UCF was close to being undefeated, it was also close to several losses. Baylor had one bad game all year, on the road at Oklahoma State, where it lost, 49-17. Otherwise, the Bears rarely struggled and usually they put up video game numbers on offense. In only two of their wins did the Bears score less than 40 points, and four times they scored at least 70 points. On the big stage I think the Bears are going to shine. I think UCF will show up and play an inspired game but it won't be enough as Baylor pulls away in the second half.
Baylor 45, Central Florida 26
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