College football bowl season is crazy. There are 39 bowls (and Virginia still couldn't get to one of them). I knew they were starting today but had kind of forgotten. Still, I was thinking, there is time to pick the five that start today because I figured the first one wouldn't start until at least noon. Wrong, The first one started at 11 a.m. and it is already Louisiana-Lafayette 7, Nevada 0. So, on to the predictions.
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, Noon ESPN
Nevada (7-5) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (8-4)
Honestly, even with Louisiana-Lafayette up 7-0 and with the better record and with this bowl game being in New Orleans close to the Ragin' Cajuns' home, I would have looked at this game and maybe taken Nevada because it plays in the tougher Mountain West compared to Lafayette which plays in the Sun Belt. Three of Nevada's losses were by single digits and to good teams in Boise State, Arizona, and Air Force. The loss to Boise State was 51-46 and that was a common opponent for Lafayette, which lost to the Broncos, 34-9. Otherwise, both teams are pretty similar. The stats say both can run the ball but struggle passing and the defenses haven't been the best. I'll take a chance and hope Nevada gets its offense going and wins in a shootout.
Nevada 40, Louisiana-Lafayette 37
Gildan New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque, 2:20 p.m. ESPN
Utah State (9-4) vs. UTEP (7-5)
Going with Utah State in this one, which has the better record and plays in the Mountain West Conference, a better league this year than CUSA, which UTEP plays in. The Aggies defense also ranks higher than the 'D' for the Miners.
Utah State 33, UTEP 24
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl, 3:30 p.m. ESPN
No. 22 Utah (8-4) vs. Colorado State (10-2)
This looks to be the best game of the day. Utah plays in the tough Pac-12 while Colorado State is another solid team from the Mountain West. Utah had two close losses this year, one to a bad team in Washington State but the other an OT loss to Arizona State. The Rams' two losses came to Boise State, by 13, and to Air Force, a 9-3 squad, by three. CSU played Colorado in its non-conference schedule and won by 14, while Utah won by four in the Pac-12 slate over the Buffs. I'm going to go out on a bit of a limb and take CSU in this matchup though it comes from the somewhat weaker conference.
Colorado State 31, Utah 27
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise, 5:45 p.m. ESPN
Western Michigan (8-4) vs. Air Force (9-3)
Western Michigan went just 1-11 in head coach P.J. Fleck's first season last year but turned it around big time this season with an 8-4 campaign. Western Michigan's run defense was pretty good this season but it will have to be in tip-top shape against Air Force, which ranks 7th in the NCAA in rushing offense. Air Force has the best win between these two teams, knocking off Boise State, 28-14. Meanwhile, WMU has a couple bad losses to Virginia Tech and Purdue. Both Air Force and WMU played better later in the season. I'll take the more solid and experienced Air Force squad in this one but I think this could be a close game
Air Force 34, Western Michigan 28
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Ala., 9:15 p.m. ESPN
South Alabama (6-6) vs. Bowling Green (7-6)
This game is probably one of the worst of the bowl season. Neither team has that great of an offense or defense. For that reason, I'll take South Alabama, the Jaguars, which I believe are playing their first bowl game in history and are close to home. An enthusiastic home crowd will help them out in knocking off a Falcons squad that is used to getting to bowls.
South Alabama 28, Bowling Green 26
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, Noon ESPN
Nevada (7-5) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (8-4)
Honestly, even with Louisiana-Lafayette up 7-0 and with the better record and with this bowl game being in New Orleans close to the Ragin' Cajuns' home, I would have looked at this game and maybe taken Nevada because it plays in the tougher Mountain West compared to Lafayette which plays in the Sun Belt. Three of Nevada's losses were by single digits and to good teams in Boise State, Arizona, and Air Force. The loss to Boise State was 51-46 and that was a common opponent for Lafayette, which lost to the Broncos, 34-9. Otherwise, both teams are pretty similar. The stats say both can run the ball but struggle passing and the defenses haven't been the best. I'll take a chance and hope Nevada gets its offense going and wins in a shootout.
Nevada 40, Louisiana-Lafayette 37
Gildan New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque, 2:20 p.m. ESPN
Utah State (9-4) vs. UTEP (7-5)
Going with Utah State in this one, which has the better record and plays in the Mountain West Conference, a better league this year than CUSA, which UTEP plays in. The Aggies defense also ranks higher than the 'D' for the Miners.
Utah State 33, UTEP 24
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl, 3:30 p.m. ESPN
No. 22 Utah (8-4) vs. Colorado State (10-2)
This looks to be the best game of the day. Utah plays in the tough Pac-12 while Colorado State is another solid team from the Mountain West. Utah had two close losses this year, one to a bad team in Washington State but the other an OT loss to Arizona State. The Rams' two losses came to Boise State, by 13, and to Air Force, a 9-3 squad, by three. CSU played Colorado in its non-conference schedule and won by 14, while Utah won by four in the Pac-12 slate over the Buffs. I'm going to go out on a bit of a limb and take CSU in this matchup though it comes from the somewhat weaker conference.
Colorado State 31, Utah 27
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise, 5:45 p.m. ESPN
Western Michigan (8-4) vs. Air Force (9-3)
Western Michigan went just 1-11 in head coach P.J. Fleck's first season last year but turned it around big time this season with an 8-4 campaign. Western Michigan's run defense was pretty good this season but it will have to be in tip-top shape against Air Force, which ranks 7th in the NCAA in rushing offense. Air Force has the best win between these two teams, knocking off Boise State, 28-14. Meanwhile, WMU has a couple bad losses to Virginia Tech and Purdue. Both Air Force and WMU played better later in the season. I'll take the more solid and experienced Air Force squad in this one but I think this could be a close game
Air Force 34, Western Michigan 28
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Ala., 9:15 p.m. ESPN
South Alabama (6-6) vs. Bowling Green (7-6)
This game is probably one of the worst of the bowl season. Neither team has that great of an offense or defense. For that reason, I'll take South Alabama, the Jaguars, which I believe are playing their first bowl game in history and are close to home. An enthusiastic home crowd will help them out in knocking off a Falcons squad that is used to getting to bowls.
South Alabama 28, Bowling Green 26
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