The first bowl game that an ACC team is participating in begins today at 2:30 p.m., and last year, in lieu of picking all the bowl games, which is a very difficult task I already did for a pick 'em contest, in this space I'll just pick the ACC bowl games and the playoff games. I'm just going to do these two today plus one for tomorrow, then tackle the rest later.
Today
Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit
Maryland (6-6) vs. Boston College (6-6), 2:30 p.m. ESPN
An old ACC team vs. a newer ACC team in a game that will probably struggle to draw 20,000 fans. I probably shouldn't give more than a couple lines to this, so I won't. BC is on a two-game win streak, over Connecticut and Wake Forest, and also beat N.C. State this season for two wins over bowl teams. Maryland, meanwhile, has only one win over a bowl team -- six-win Central Florida. The Terrapins have lost six of eight games, with all but one of the losses by double digits.
Boston College 20, Maryland 17
Camping World Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.
N.C. State (6-6) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6), 5 p.m. ESPN2
The Wolfpack won six games, but were close on several others: three-point loss to East Carolina, seven-point losses to Clemson (OT) and Boston College, and a four-point loss to Florida State. They beat North Carolina in the final game to get to six victories. The Commodores won their final two games at home vs. Ole Miss and Tennessee to get to a bowl. Vandy has a fairly stout 'D,' but I like the Pack to generate just enough offense behind QB Ryan Finley and RB Matthew Dayes to eke out the win.
N.C. State 24, Vanderbilt 20
Tuesday
No. 24 Temple (9-3) vs. Wake Forest (6-6)
American Athletic Conference champ Temple returns to where it won that conference crown -- Navy's home field -- for this game against the Demon Deacons, who are in a bowl game for the first time since 2011. Dave Clawson led Wake to the postseason in his third year after going 6-18 his first two seasons. Both of these teams have very good defenses, but the Owls are riding the momentum of a seven-game winning streak and also played Penn State very tough early in the year, and the Nittany Lions are headed to the Rose Bowl. Wake, meanwhile, has been embroiled in the "Wakeyleaks" scandal (Google if you are unfamiliar) and has lost five of six with the only win coming over Virginia, a game UVa probably would have won were it not for two costly INTs in the fourth quarter from Kurt Benkert.
Temple 24, Wake Forest 14
Today
Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit
Maryland (6-6) vs. Boston College (6-6), 2:30 p.m. ESPN
An old ACC team vs. a newer ACC team in a game that will probably struggle to draw 20,000 fans. I probably shouldn't give more than a couple lines to this, so I won't. BC is on a two-game win streak, over Connecticut and Wake Forest, and also beat N.C. State this season for two wins over bowl teams. Maryland, meanwhile, has only one win over a bowl team -- six-win Central Florida. The Terrapins have lost six of eight games, with all but one of the losses by double digits.
Boston College 20, Maryland 17
Camping World Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.
N.C. State (6-6) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6), 5 p.m. ESPN2
The Wolfpack won six games, but were close on several others: three-point loss to East Carolina, seven-point losses to Clemson (OT) and Boston College, and a four-point loss to Florida State. They beat North Carolina in the final game to get to six victories. The Commodores won their final two games at home vs. Ole Miss and Tennessee to get to a bowl. Vandy has a fairly stout 'D,' but I like the Pack to generate just enough offense behind QB Ryan Finley and RB Matthew Dayes to eke out the win.
N.C. State 24, Vanderbilt 20
Tuesday
No. 24 Temple (9-3) vs. Wake Forest (6-6)
American Athletic Conference champ Temple returns to where it won that conference crown -- Navy's home field -- for this game against the Demon Deacons, who are in a bowl game for the first time since 2011. Dave Clawson led Wake to the postseason in his third year after going 6-18 his first two seasons. Both of these teams have very good defenses, but the Owls are riding the momentum of a seven-game winning streak and also played Penn State very tough early in the year, and the Nittany Lions are headed to the Rose Bowl. Wake, meanwhile, has been embroiled in the "Wakeyleaks" scandal (Google if you are unfamiliar) and has lost five of six with the only win coming over Virginia, a game UVa probably would have won were it not for two costly INTs in the fourth quarter from Kurt Benkert.
Temple 24, Wake Forest 14
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