Bowl Blog Bash and Dash (Part 5)
All these games have big time value. Big 12, Pac-10, Big Ten etc... you actually know about these conferences! And for SMU, complements of ESPN 30-for-30 many more people know about now and Army... well that's self-explanatory. Every team has dynamic players and should all be relatively close. The only downside to one of these bowls is that the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl is that it is on 12pm Eastern Time... Now, lets kick it off with the Texas Bowl, Vakeri Akamo Bowl and the Armed Forces Bowl.
Who to watch for?
ILL JR RB Mikel Lashoure- His biggest game was the aforementioned Wrigley game; he had 330yds for 2TD. He ended his season at 1,513yds, 14TD, averaging 6.0ypc (3rec TD.) Between him and Scheelhaase they had the 13th best rushing offense in the country at 242.3ypg.
BAYLOR SOPH QB Robert Griffin III- Very dynamic with both his arm and his feet; passing for 3,195yds, 21TD/8INT and rushed for 591yds and 8TD. But, he also has an 1,000yd rusher behind him in Jay Finley. So, both backfields in this match up are loaded!
Outcome?
The Baylor Bears are only a two point favorite which leads me to believe there isn't really a clear front runner in Vegas. I can tell you though that both D's are not great and that both teams will trot up the field with ease... game breaker? Illinois has a tad better ball control offense, it's a stretch: ILLINOIS- 34 BAYLOR- 31.
Who to watch for?
OKLST JR WR Justin Blackmon- Out of all the offensive weapons that standout on this team, Blackmon is the best and most explosive. 1,665yds, 18TD (1 rushing TD) with 16.3ypc! And most impressively he still missed one game and was still able to stack up those yards! I am having a hard time figuring out who is going to cover him in the secondary...
ARZ JR WR Juron Criner- Another dynamic wide-out that may come out in this years draft. 1,186yds, 10TD and a staggering 16.2ypc makes him as explosive as Blackmon. The Wilcats have done a good job of protecting QB Nick Foles, so if they can do it again in this game he maybe able to find Criner on the long ball.
Outcome?
I think Arizona is out of their league on this one. They lost 48-29 to Oregon and 42-17 to Stanford, two OK State caliber passing attacks. There isn't anyway for them to go point-for-point with the Cowboys. So, if they want to win they will have to lean on the run like crazy to run the clock out. That being said: OKLAST- 45 AZ- 27.
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (Dec 30, 12pm, ESPN)
Thanks to ESPN 30-for-30, for you that my have watched it, people know why SMU is in such disarray. But, for you that missed it, SMU is still trying to piece back together a program that was shaken up by the NCAA years ago. SMU is 7-6 this season and has a very 80's offense via the run-and-shoot. Then there is Army at 6-5 with their triple-option-offense and ridding their rushing attack at 256 rush yards per-game.
Who to watch for?
ARMY SOPH QB Trent Steelman- Being a triple option QB he has to have great speed and great awareness. Only 965yds and 7TD/3INT, they have the 120th passing offense in the nation, duh. But, on the ground Steelman has 187car, 694yds and 11TD. Nothing ground shattering but he is a solid option QB.
SMU SOPH QB Kyle Padron- Another Sophomore QB that shoulders the load on offense. With 3,526yds, 29TD/12INT through the air and 254yds and 4TD on the ground Padron is a great offense weapon. He also has two great 1,000+ yard receivers down the field in Aldrick Robinson and Cole Beasley.
Outcome?
This is yet another match up where a big air attack team faces a ball control style offensive team. The Mustangs are a eight point favorite but I may think that is rather conservative. However, there is a chance that Army may run all over this lackluster SMU defense. My first gamble is going to be on Army. SMU lost to option heavy Navy earlier in the season: ARMY- 24 SMU- 23.
Next Bowl Blog Bash and Dash (Part 6)
Texas Bowl (Dec 29, 6pm ESPN)
Baylor (7-5) ended their season on a three game losing skid; but, give them the benefit of the doubt that it was against three top 25 teams. Their marquee win was a 30-22 victory over Texas! But, we all know how Texas did this year (wocka wocka.) Meanwhile, Illinois this year was purged of let-down QB Juice Williams and started a new with a very dynamic QB in Nathan Scheelhaase and a solid ground game. At 7-5 their season high note was when they RAN OVER Northwestern at Wrigley Field 48-27.Who to watch for?
ILL JR RB Mikel Lashoure- His biggest game was the aforementioned Wrigley game; he had 330yds for 2TD. He ended his season at 1,513yds, 14TD, averaging 6.0ypc (3rec TD.) Between him and Scheelhaase they had the 13th best rushing offense in the country at 242.3ypg.
BAYLOR SOPH QB Robert Griffin III- Very dynamic with both his arm and his feet; passing for 3,195yds, 21TD/8INT and rushed for 591yds and 8TD. But, he also has an 1,000yd rusher behind him in Jay Finley. So, both backfields in this match up are loaded!
Outcome?
The Baylor Bears are only a two point favorite which leads me to believe there isn't really a clear front runner in Vegas. I can tell you though that both D's are not great and that both teams will trot up the field with ease... game breaker? Illinois has a tad better ball control offense, it's a stretch: ILLINOIS- 34 BAYLOR- 31.
Vakero Alamo Bowl (Dec 29, 9:15pm, ESPN)
It was a rough year for good teams with a few loses, OK State was poised for a much better bowl but their two loses to ranked Nebraska and Oklahoma aren't too shabby. At 10-2 overall and having the #1 offense in the country is not a bad resume. Then the Arizona Wildcats are a whole other story. Yes, one of their loses were to #1 Oregon BUT they ended their season on a FOUR game loss streak. The last lost was the most devastating which was a 30-29 OT loss to in state rival Arizona State. Who to watch for?
OKLST JR WR Justin Blackmon- Out of all the offensive weapons that standout on this team, Blackmon is the best and most explosive. 1,665yds, 18TD (1 rushing TD) with 16.3ypc! And most impressively he still missed one game and was still able to stack up those yards! I am having a hard time figuring out who is going to cover him in the secondary...
ARZ JR WR Juron Criner- Another dynamic wide-out that may come out in this years draft. 1,186yds, 10TD and a staggering 16.2ypc makes him as explosive as Blackmon. The Wilcats have done a good job of protecting QB Nick Foles, so if they can do it again in this game he maybe able to find Criner on the long ball.
Outcome?
I think Arizona is out of their league on this one. They lost 48-29 to Oregon and 42-17 to Stanford, two OK State caliber passing attacks. There isn't anyway for them to go point-for-point with the Cowboys. So, if they want to win they will have to lean on the run like crazy to run the clock out. That being said: OKLAST- 45 AZ- 27.
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (Dec 30, 12pm, ESPN)
Thanks to ESPN 30-for-30, for you that my have watched it, people know why SMU is in such disarray. But, for you that missed it, SMU is still trying to piece back together a program that was shaken up by the NCAA years ago. SMU is 7-6 this season and has a very 80's offense via the run-and-shoot. Then there is Army at 6-5 with their triple-option-offense and ridding their rushing attack at 256 rush yards per-game.
Who to watch for?
ARMY SOPH QB Trent Steelman- Being a triple option QB he has to have great speed and great awareness. Only 965yds and 7TD/3INT, they have the 120th passing offense in the nation, duh. But, on the ground Steelman has 187car, 694yds and 11TD. Nothing ground shattering but he is a solid option QB.
SMU SOPH QB Kyle Padron- Another Sophomore QB that shoulders the load on offense. With 3,526yds, 29TD/12INT through the air and 254yds and 4TD on the ground Padron is a great offense weapon. He also has two great 1,000+ yard receivers down the field in Aldrick Robinson and Cole Beasley.
Outcome?
This is yet another match up where a big air attack team faces a ball control style offensive team. The Mustangs are a eight point favorite but I may think that is rather conservative. However, there is a chance that Army may run all over this lackluster SMU defense. My first gamble is going to be on Army. SMU lost to option heavy Navy earlier in the season: ARMY- 24 SMU- 23.
Next Bowl Blog Bash and Dash (Part 6)
- New Era Pinstripe Bowl- Kansas State (7-5) v. Syracuse (7-5)
- Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl- UNC (7-5) v. Tennessee (6-6)
- Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl- Nebraska (10-3) v. Washington (6-6)
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