Bowls: 5-0 Season: 90-44
We'll see if I get around to talking about the debacle that was Virginia's Military Bowl loss to Navy but needless to say, that was ugly. But what's not ugly so far is my bowl predictions record at 5-0. I'll pick the two games today and two Saturday in this post and then do the playoff games come Monday.
Today
Belk Bowl in Charlotte
Wake Forest (7-5) vs. Texas A&M (7-5), 1 p.m. ESPN
The Demon Deacons started 4-0 then went 0-3 against Florida State, Clemson, and Georgia Tech. But the team improved, got a win over Louisville, scored 37 points on Notre Dame in a loss, then split its final two games, getting a great win over N.C. State and then losing to surging Duke. I think it'll add up to a victory over the Aggies, who might have better days ahead with Jimbo Fisher, but for now, they are coming off a 45-21 drubbing by LSU and own a shaky defense and an interim coach.
Wake Forest 31, Texas A&M 28
Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas
No. 24 N.C. State (8-4) vs. Arizona State (7-5), 3 p.m. CBS
The Wolfpack owns a good collection of wins over solid foes in Boston College, Florida State, and Louisville. It also lost by six to Wake and by seven each to Clemson and South Carolina. The Sun Devils, who fired coach Todd Graham but are having him coach in the game before Herm Edwards takes over, defeated then-No. 5 Washington at home, 13-7, in one of the more surprising results of the season, but don't have a ton of other impressive wins, though they did edge Oregon, which finished 6-6, by a score of 37-35 and took down rival Arizona at the end of the year. ASU gave up 41.6 points per game in its losses. N.C. State owns the better defense and that should help the Pack come away with a win for the ACC against the Pac-12.
N.C. State 38, Arizona State 28
Saturday
TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville
Louisville (8-4) vs. No. 23 Mississippi State (8-4), Noon ESPN
The Bulldogs are the ranked team in this matchup but it is the Cardinals who are favored by 6.5 points. That's because coach Dan Mullen left and took most of his staff to Florida, where he will be the new coach. Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead is the new coach but is not in charge yet. The Cardinals' defensive coordinator a season ago was Todd Grantham, and he was MSU's defensive coordinator this season, but he's gone as well, so any advantage Louisville had there with knowledge of the scheme is gone. Also, regular Bulldogs QB Nick Fitzgerald dislocated his ankle in the Egg Bowl, so freshman Keytaon Thompson will get the call under center, meaning a new look on offense for Louisville. Despite the unknowns, Louisville QB Lamar Jackson was arguably better this season than last and should help the Cardinals win this game. Louisville ended the season on a three-game winning streak in which it scored 46 points per game, and the Cardinals haven't scored fewer than 30 points since losing, 39-25, to N.C. State on Oct. 6.
Louisville 34, Mississippi State 27
Capital One Orange Bowl in Miami
No. 6 Wisconsin (12-1) at No. 10 Miami (10-2), 8 p.m. ESPN
This contest features one of the more interesting matchups of the postseason. Both these teams had probable playoff berths in hand if they could've won their conference titles, but the Badgers fell short in the Big Ten championship against Ohio State, 27-21, and the Hurricanes were blown out, 38-3, by Clemson for the ACC title. Miami ended the year on a two-game slide, also falling to Pittsburgh, 24-14. Wisconsin got to 12-0 before losing but faced a weak schedule, avoiding Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan State from the other side of the Big Ten until seeing OSU in the title game. I don't think Wisconsin has the offense to blow out Miami, but the Hurricanes need to do a better job on offense, because the Badgers bring one of the nation's best defenses into this game. Miami QB Malik Rosier said he hurt his shoulder against North Carolina this season, and sure enough, after that game, he was less effective than earlier in the year. He threw three picks before that game, one in that game on Oct. 26, and then seven in Miami's final five games. He says it feels better now, though, so maybe that will bode well for the Hurricanes. Miami is playing on its home field, and the game is in prime time, a time and place the Hurricanes thrived on big stages in the regular season with huge wins over Virginia Tech and Notre Dame by average scores of 34.5-9. I think if Miami comes out in the right mindset, it'll be a tough game for Wisconsin to win.
Miami 27, Wisconsin 24
We'll see if I get around to talking about the debacle that was Virginia's Military Bowl loss to Navy but needless to say, that was ugly. But what's not ugly so far is my bowl predictions record at 5-0. I'll pick the two games today and two Saturday in this post and then do the playoff games come Monday.
Today
Belk Bowl in Charlotte
Wake Forest (7-5) vs. Texas A&M (7-5), 1 p.m. ESPN
The Demon Deacons started 4-0 then went 0-3 against Florida State, Clemson, and Georgia Tech. But the team improved, got a win over Louisville, scored 37 points on Notre Dame in a loss, then split its final two games, getting a great win over N.C. State and then losing to surging Duke. I think it'll add up to a victory over the Aggies, who might have better days ahead with Jimbo Fisher, but for now, they are coming off a 45-21 drubbing by LSU and own a shaky defense and an interim coach.
Wake Forest 31, Texas A&M 28
Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas
No. 24 N.C. State (8-4) vs. Arizona State (7-5), 3 p.m. CBS
The Wolfpack owns a good collection of wins over solid foes in Boston College, Florida State, and Louisville. It also lost by six to Wake and by seven each to Clemson and South Carolina. The Sun Devils, who fired coach Todd Graham but are having him coach in the game before Herm Edwards takes over, defeated then-No. 5 Washington at home, 13-7, in one of the more surprising results of the season, but don't have a ton of other impressive wins, though they did edge Oregon, which finished 6-6, by a score of 37-35 and took down rival Arizona at the end of the year. ASU gave up 41.6 points per game in its losses. N.C. State owns the better defense and that should help the Pack come away with a win for the ACC against the Pac-12.
N.C. State 38, Arizona State 28
Saturday
TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville
Louisville (8-4) vs. No. 23 Mississippi State (8-4), Noon ESPN
The Bulldogs are the ranked team in this matchup but it is the Cardinals who are favored by 6.5 points. That's because coach Dan Mullen left and took most of his staff to Florida, where he will be the new coach. Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead is the new coach but is not in charge yet. The Cardinals' defensive coordinator a season ago was Todd Grantham, and he was MSU's defensive coordinator this season, but he's gone as well, so any advantage Louisville had there with knowledge of the scheme is gone. Also, regular Bulldogs QB Nick Fitzgerald dislocated his ankle in the Egg Bowl, so freshman Keytaon Thompson will get the call under center, meaning a new look on offense for Louisville. Despite the unknowns, Louisville QB Lamar Jackson was arguably better this season than last and should help the Cardinals win this game. Louisville ended the season on a three-game winning streak in which it scored 46 points per game, and the Cardinals haven't scored fewer than 30 points since losing, 39-25, to N.C. State on Oct. 6.
Louisville 34, Mississippi State 27
Capital One Orange Bowl in Miami
No. 6 Wisconsin (12-1) at No. 10 Miami (10-2), 8 p.m. ESPN
This contest features one of the more interesting matchups of the postseason. Both these teams had probable playoff berths in hand if they could've won their conference titles, but the Badgers fell short in the Big Ten championship against Ohio State, 27-21, and the Hurricanes were blown out, 38-3, by Clemson for the ACC title. Miami ended the year on a two-game slide, also falling to Pittsburgh, 24-14. Wisconsin got to 12-0 before losing but faced a weak schedule, avoiding Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan State from the other side of the Big Ten until seeing OSU in the title game. I don't think Wisconsin has the offense to blow out Miami, but the Hurricanes need to do a better job on offense, because the Badgers bring one of the nation's best defenses into this game. Miami QB Malik Rosier said he hurt his shoulder against North Carolina this season, and sure enough, after that game, he was less effective than earlier in the year. He threw three picks before that game, one in that game on Oct. 26, and then seven in Miami's final five games. He says it feels better now, though, so maybe that will bode well for the Hurricanes. Miami is playing on its home field, and the game is in prime time, a time and place the Hurricanes thrived on big stages in the regular season with huge wins over Virginia Tech and Notre Dame by average scores of 34.5-9. I think if Miami comes out in the right mindset, it'll be a tough game for Wisconsin to win.
Miami 27, Wisconsin 24
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