Conference championship Saturday: 8-2 Season: 115-47
Note: I got the Conference USA title game exactly right: 27-25 UAB over Middle Tennessee. Funny enough, in my writeup, I said I didn't really know anything about those teams. I guess I did!
Well, what do you know, it is bowl season. There have probably already been tons of bowls you've never heard of, and there are several more to go. I gave up at least a couple years ago, I think, on trying to pick all the games in this space. Instead, I'll pick the ACC games and then the College Football Playoff matchups.
There is only one ACC game today. The rest don't start until the day after Christmas. Eleven ACC teams are bowling, which is tied with the SEC for the most of any conference. If you are a Virginia fan that hasn't been living under a rock, you should know the Cavaliers will take on South Carolina in the Belk Bowl next Saturday. Virginia Tech extended its record bowl streak by beating Marshall and faces Cincinnati in the Military Bowl on New Year's Eve.
Birmingham (Ala.) Bowl
Memphis (8-5) vs. Wake Forest (6-6), Noon ESPN
The Tigers are not going to be happy, having let a lead that was 31-14 and 38-21 at points slip away
against UCF in the AAC championship game. And their fans should travel well, as it is only about 3.5 hours between the cities. I'm not sure how much motivation the Demon Deacons will take into the game. Wake became bowl eligible, though, by pounding Duke, 59-7. It should be a fairly high-scoring contest as Memphis scores about 44 ppg and Wake is at about 33, while both give up a little more than 30 per game. Wake's Sam Hartman has 16 pass TDs, and the electrifying Greg Dortch, who hails from Highland Springs, a school just east of Richmond that has now won four straight state titles, has 89 catches for more than 1,000 yards. Memphis' Darrell Henderson has almost 2,000 yards rushing and 22 TDs. These teams do have a common opponent: Tulane. Wake edged Tulane, 23-17, in the season opener, and Memphis lost, 40-24. Still, I'm going to take the Tigers.
Memphis 48, Wake Forest 43
Note: I got the Conference USA title game exactly right: 27-25 UAB over Middle Tennessee. Funny enough, in my writeup, I said I didn't really know anything about those teams. I guess I did!
Well, what do you know, it is bowl season. There have probably already been tons of bowls you've never heard of, and there are several more to go. I gave up at least a couple years ago, I think, on trying to pick all the games in this space. Instead, I'll pick the ACC games and then the College Football Playoff matchups.
There is only one ACC game today. The rest don't start until the day after Christmas. Eleven ACC teams are bowling, which is tied with the SEC for the most of any conference. If you are a Virginia fan that hasn't been living under a rock, you should know the Cavaliers will take on South Carolina in the Belk Bowl next Saturday. Virginia Tech extended its record bowl streak by beating Marshall and faces Cincinnati in the Military Bowl on New Year's Eve.
Birmingham (Ala.) Bowl
Memphis (8-5) vs. Wake Forest (6-6), Noon ESPN
The Tigers are not going to be happy, having let a lead that was 31-14 and 38-21 at points slip away
Memphis 48, Wake Forest 43
#WhoIsJaredBirmingham :P
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