AmStat's Bowl Madness 2012-2013 (Part One)

The Bowl Season gets more ridiculous every year, but the reason why it still exists is because we as fans can't withstand the urge to travel halfway across the country for a game that in the grand scheme of things means absolutely nothing. I don't plan on wasting too much time getting through most of these picks, but each one is worth a few lines I guess. Just remember that I'm not picking against the spread, so don't blame me if you lose your entire Christmas bonus because of a backdoor cover. Let's get started...

Gildan New Mexico Bowl - Saturday 12/15/12 1PM on ESPN
University Stadium (Albuquerque, NM) 
Nevada Wolfpack (7-5) vs Arizona Wildcats (7-5)
Nevada might have a chance at winning this game if Colin Kaepernick was still operating Chris Ault's pistol offense, but that isn't the case. The Wildcats will be suiting up the nation's leading rusher and Doak Walker finalist Kadeem Carey. That should be enough for an Arizona victory. However, as long as Rich Rodriguez is coaching this team, I hope they lose every game.
Bear Down 45, Wolfpack 13

This will never get old

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl - Saturday 12/15/12 4:30PM on ESPN
Bronco Stadium (Boise, ID)
#22 Utah State Aggies (10-2) vs Toledo Rockets (9-3)
Utah State quietly had a really good season (they came very close to knocking off Wisconsin earlier this year) and deserved to be ranked. Still, Toledo won nine games including six in the much better than advertised Mid-American Conference. Utah State can sputter on offense against good teams, and Toledo can score on anyone. The Rockets will get their 10th win and will end the season as one of three ranked teams in the MAC.
Rockets 42, USU 31

San Diego Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl - Thursday 12/20/12 8PM on ESPN
Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego, CA)
BYU Cougars (7-5) vs San Diego State Aztecs (9-3)
BYU has been a minor disappointment this year after registering ten wins last year, but the Aztecs are a manageable opponent for Bronco Mendenhall's Cougars. In the end, I expect San Diego's home field advantage to carry them in a close victory.
Aztecs 27, The Honor Code 24

Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl St. Petersburg - Friday 12/21/12 7:30PM on ESPN
Tropicana Field (St. Petersburg, FL)
Central Florida Golden Knights (9-4) vs Ball State Cardinals (9-3)
The MAC has a chance to have four teams finish with double-digit wins this year. Ball State will be the team that doesn't meet their end of the bargain. UCF is preparing for a move to the Big East and they have accumulated a wealth of talent in preparation for the move. Recent sanctions may have derailed some of their momentum but UCF is too far developed as a program to drop a bowl game to Ball State in Florida.
UCF 45, Ball 17

Pirate's Booty: Because booty is more important than water

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl - Saturday 12/22/12 12PM on ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans, LA)
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (8-4) vs East Carolina Pirates (8-4)
The Sun Belt is rapidly improving as a conference every season. Successful Sun Belt programs are starting to make a living off of recruiting fringe level SEC players with promises of immediate playing time. Transfers are also making a major impact, as is the case at ULL with quarterback Terrence Broadway. A top prospect out of high school, Broadway made his way to the Bayou primarily as part of the aftershock that occurred when Kevin Sumlin bolted Houston. Now the Cajuns are playing a bowl game in their own backyard and the best player on the field is suiting up for their team. Things are definitely changing in the Belt.
Ragin' Swamp People 31, Pirate's Booty 24

Maaco Las Vegas Bowl - Saturday 12/22/12 3:30PM on ESPN
Sam Boyd Stadium (Las Vegas, NV)
#19 Boise State Broncos (10-2) vs Washington Huskies (7-5)
Boise State may have a record that is on par with what we remember from the Kellen Moore era, but don't be fooled. This is a down year for Boise State, and they will prove it by dropping this game. Washington QB Keith Price will look good enough in this bowl game to start next year as a dark horse Heisman candidate for the second consecutive year.
Huskies 48, Blue Man Group 35

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl - Saturday 12/24/12 8PM on ESPN
Aloha Stadium (Honolulu, HI)
Southern Methodist Mustangs (6-6) vs Fresno State Bulldogs (9-3)
SMU took a step back this year on their road towards respectability. They would have liked a better season going into the Big East next year, but they will have to settle for being throttled in a bowl game by this very underrated Fresno team.
That Random Green V 35, Not Quite Pony Excess 13

WKU fans: What...the hell...is this?

Little Caesars Bowl - Monday 12/26/12 7:30PM on ESPN
Ford Field (Detroit, MI)
Central Michigan Chippewas (6-6) vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (7-5) 
The MAC is a very top heavy conference, but the Sun Belt is building a more complete collection of programs down south. This bowl season will show that the middle and bottom of the Sun Belt are much stronger than the middling teams in the Midwest. A topping of CMU by the Hilltoppers will be another piece of evidence in favor of the rise of the Sun Belt.
Big Red Gumdrops 21, Maroon Chips 17

Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman - Tuesday 12/27/12 3PM on ESPN
RFK Memorial Stadium (Washington D.C.)
#24 San Jose State Spartans (10-2) vs Bowling Green Falcons (8-4)
San Jose State has completed an epic turnaround from being one of the worst programs in college football a few years ago to being ranked in the BCS Top 25. Of course when that happens, your coach leaves for a crappy power conference job where he has no chance to succeed and will probably be fired before he can even be realistically expected to compete. Okay, maybe that doesn't always happen, but it did happen to the Spartans. Mike MacIntyre has already bolted for Colorado (after their treatment of previous coach Jon Embree, the Buffs are lucky anyone wanted their awful coaching gig), but San Jose State has way too much talent to drop this game against BG. Honestly, 100% of their focus won't be required. After this year's big three in the MAC (NIU, Kent State, and Toledo), the rest of the conference struggles to stack up to other Non-AQ competition. By the way, if you're wondering how good San Jose State is, they held Stanford to 20 points and only loss by three at the Farm earlier this season.
Ain't No Sparty Like A West Coast Sparty 52, Random School My Ex Went To 31

Belk Bowl - Tuesday 12/27/12 6:30PM on ESPN
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC)
Cincinnati Bearcats (9-3) vs Duke Blue Devils (6-6)

Connor Vernon

Congrats to Duke on reaching their first bowl game since a time when I still occasionally wet the bed. David Cutliffe is the man who accomplished mission impossible and has the Dukies bowling. Sadly, the Blue Devils have to play in the ridiculously named Belk Bowl (Belk is a Charlotte based business, no word on whether or not they actually sell belks). More good news though, this will at least be a virtual home game for Duke in Charlotte. If the school can get a Cameron Crazy type performance from a football fan base with a reason to be excited, they could pull off an upset. It will also help to have stud wide out Connor Vernon lining up on the outside as well. Vernon will be a possession guy on Sundays, but he will be a home run threat in this game. Meanwhile, Cincinnati is going into this game disappointed in themselves for not winning the Big East's BCS bid, and mourning the departure of their coach Butch Jones (gone to Rocky Top Tennessee). I think Cincy will drop this game in a minor upset, but good luck to my former high school teammate George Winn. He's the Bearcats starting running back, and it's been great to watch him play this year.
I Can't Believe Duke is in A Bowl Game 34, Bearcats Are Actually Kind of Cute 31

Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl - Tuesday 12/27/12 9:45PM on ESPN
Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego, CA)
#17 UCLA Bruins (9-4) vs Baylor Bears (7-5)
The Holiday Bowl has traditionally been one of the best bowl games in terms of great players, high powered offenses, and great finishes. This year will be no different. This game features a Doak Walker finalist (UCLA's Jonathan Franklin) and a Biletnikoff Finalist (Baylor's Terrance Williams), leading two offenses who can really light it up. Baylor showed what it can do at full potential when they thrashed then #1 Kansas State, they can carve out a very impressive 8-win campaign with a win in this game. UCLA could announce they're arrival as a consistent Pac-12 contender with a 10-win season.
Powder Blues 49, Sic 'Em Bears 45

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl - Wednesday 12/28/12 2PM on ESPN
Independence Bowl (Shreveport, LA)
Ohio Bobcats (8-4) vs Louisiana Monroe Warhawks (8-4)
The Ohio Bobcats opened up the season with a win against an emotional Penn State team that turned out to be very good. Monroe's huge early season win against Arkansas turned QB Kolton Browning into a media darling for a week or two, but the Hogs turned out to be really bad team under John L. Smith (who is a lunatic, keep in mind). I've been hard on the MAC outside of their best three teams, but I think Ohio has what it takes to get the job done down south. Records may point to Ball State and Bowling Green, but Ohio is really the fourth best team in the MAC.
Bob 30, War 14

I'd run through a wall wearing one of these

Russell Athletic Bowl - Wednesday 12/28/12 5:30PM on ESPN
Citrus Bowl (Orlando Florida)
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-3) vs Virginia Tech Hokies (6-6)
The Scarlet Knights were one win away from playing in the BCS and reaping all of the financial benefits that went along with it. Instead, they're now rummaging through an undoubtedly unimpressive gift basket from the fine people at Russell Athletic. There's no way they can be excited about this game. Combine that with their matchup with against a more talented Virginia Tech team who is probably determined to avoid giving Frank Beamer his first losing season in ions, and Rutgers doesn't have a chance in this game.
FYI: Hokies Are Turkeys 34, Those Helmets Are So Cool 14

Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas - Wednesday 12/28/12 9PM on ESPN
Reliant Stadium (Houston, TX) 
Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-6) vs Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-5)
The name of this bowl sucks. Minnesota sucks. Texas Tech is good...especially on defense (and especially when they are playing bad teams). Side note, the way Tommy Tuberville left Tech is disgusting. The rumor circulating is that he was at dinner with a few recruits on a visit to Texas Tech, and he left the dinner mid meal to take the job at Cincy. I don't understand how the NCAA can penalize kids for transferring with a straight face after hearing a story like that. Tech already has a much classier guy in former Texas A&M OC (and former Tech QB) Kliff Kingsbury.
Not Those Raiders...the Red Ones 52, Seriously...They Suck 17

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl - Thursday 12/29/12 11:45AM on ESPN
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, TX)
Air Force Academy Falcons (6-6) vs Rice Owls (6-6) 
Rice has to play Air Force in a bowl game dedicated to honoring members of the armed forces, and the game is sponsored by Bell Helicopter...Rice Doesn't have a chance do they?
AFA 28, Hooters 14

Who wouldn't want to play in this bowl game!

New Era Pinstripe Bowl - Thursday 12/29/12 3:30PM on ESPN
Yankees Stadium (Bronx, NY)
Syracuse Orange (7-5) vs West Virginia Mountaineers (7-5)
Bowl games are often decided not by who has the best team, but by the team that is most excited to be there. Syracuse loves playing in this NYC based bowl game (this is their second appearance in the bowl's three-year existence). New York City is a vital market to the Orange and they take their unofficial title of being NYC's home team in college football very seriously. Playing at Yankees Stadium is a pseudo home game to them, and they play extra hard to protect their home turf in NYC. West Virginia comes into this game reeling. The Mounties were thinking national championship at one point this season, but their porous defense started a trend of losing that they just recently bucked with a pair of wins over Big 12 bottom-feeders (Iowa State and Kansas). Syracuse has a balanced and dynamic offensive attack, and I don't think the 'Neers can get off the field enough to win.
Juice 59, Mounties 56

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl - Thursday 12/29/12 4PM on ESPN2
AT&T Park (San Francisco, CA)
Navy Midshipmen (7-4) vs Arizona State Sun Devils (7-5)
The Naval Academy is coming off of an emotional win against Army, and Arizona State doesn't have too much going there way in the momentum department, but I expect the Sun Devils size and speed to be a bit overwhelming for the Middies.
Sparky 38, Annapolis 21

The Original Angry Beavers

Valero Alamo Bowl - Thursday 12/29/12 6:45PM on ESPN
Alamodome (San Antonio, TX)
#13 Oregon State Beavers (9-3) vs #22 Texas Longhorns (8-4)
It took us 17 games to get to this magical point in time, but we have finally arrived at the first pairing of two ranked teams in a bowl game. The Alamo Bowl is usually a pretty good football game, and I expect as much from the 2012 edition. The Beavers have over achieved all year, racing out to nine wins out of nowhere. This year's Texas team was short on the talent that is typically on the field in Austin, but these Longhorns worked their butts off to squeeze eight wins out of this year's schedule. I can't wait to watch this game because it will be two hard hitting teams that will leave it all on the field. When the clock hits triple zeroes, the aftermath at the Alamodome may look like the aftermath at the actual Alamo.
Hook 'Em 27, Angry Beavers 21

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Thursday 12/29/12 10:15PM on ESPN
Sun Devil Stadium (Tempe, AZ)
TCU Horned Frogs (7-5) vs Michigan State Spartans (6-6)
Both of these programs entered the year poised to have breakout years. TCU was supposed to prove they belonged with the big boys during their first season as a member of the Big 12, and Michigan State was supposed to compete for the Big Ten title after falling just short of the Rose Bowl a year ago. Instead, TCU was derailed by their starting QB's off the field issues, and the Spartans struggled to find effectiveness from any skill position players not named Le'Veon Bell. However, the Spartans seem to have more figured out at this point. There offense has shown much more life now that young receivers Keith Mumphery and Aaron Burbridge have a more prominent role.
Sparty Hard 23, Horny Toads 17

Well this will hold you over until New Year's Eve. Enjoy the bowl games and be on the lookout for the rest of the bowls being blurbed about soon!

Wolverines Basketball Making A Return to the Elite

It's been awhile. The year was 1998 to be exact. Whether you choose to believe it or not, that's the last time being a Michigan fan really meant something. There have been great moments since then, but not consistently sustained greatness. Being a Michigan fan has been a rather pedestrian experience for the past decade and change. It's gotten so bad that I now support Michigan State just to have a second horse in the race.

It's important to understand that I've been a Michigan fan since birth. My friends and family did an excellent job brainwashing me into believing that decent wholesome people cheered for the Wolverines, and that Michigan State fans were simply savages who couldn't educate themselves any better than to root for the glorified community college that was located in East Lansing. Also, East Lansing isn't really a place. They drilled that into me so well that I still believe it to this day. Let's be serious. If you've ever been to Lansing, you know the only way to get to East Lansing is to be on Michigan State's campus. As a matter of made up fact, Mateen Cleaves is actually the mayor/emperor of East Lansing. Though this isn't true, it very well could be because East Lansing isn't a real place...but I digress.

Let's get back to the year that was 1998. We (yea, I said we...dammit) kicked things off by winning the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. That win subsequently clinched our most recent national championship in football and derailed the rest of Ryan Leaf's career. You also wouldn't be going out on a limb if you were to say that it derailed the rest of his life. The win also ushered in the creation of the BCS, the completely nonsensical system that we currently use to decide the national champ. Don't forget that if not for one of the luckiest play in the history of sports, Nebraska would have lost to Missouri earlier in the season and the BCS would have never existed. Eight year-old me was devastated by that Nebraska win against Missouri. Like most eight year-olds, sharing was not high on my priority list. Sharing a championship was unfathomable to me then (okay, it still is now).

Since the BCS era began in 1998, Michigan has been involved in five BCS bowl games. They have won both the Sugar and Orange Bowls, but have lost three consecutive Rose Bowls. The biggest game the program has played since 98' wasn't even a bowl game, it was their #1 vs #2 showdown with Ohio State in 2006. They lost that game too. They even suffered through a period known as the Rich Rodriguez era, when the always proud Michigan defense looked like they had been swapped out with the Delaware Blue Hens defense. Michigan football is now on the road to recovery under Brady Hoke, but the program is nothing to poke your chest out about.

The Tractor was the Tournament's MOP

A few months later in the glorious year of 1998, Big Ten basketball fans were introduced to something that had never been seen before -- a conference tournament. Back in these days, the Ivy League was joined by the Pac-10 (now the Pac-12) and the Big Ten (now the Big Ten with 12 teams) as athletic conferences that did not indulge in the hoopla of playing a conference tournament. However, all of this was due to change in Big Ten country. The Big Ten kicked off their inaugural tournament at the United Center in Chicago, and expectations were high for Michigan. The Wolverines featured three future pros (including one lottery pick, Robert "Tractor" Traylor), and were on the safer side of the bubble going into the tournament. Michigan caught every break they needed, avoiding both Michigan State and Illinois on their way to the championship game against Purdue. The scene was set for me to be watching the first ever Big Ten Championship Game at the Detroit Roller Wheels Skate Rink, because my mom had forced me to go to some girl's birthday party on that particular day. eight year-old me struggled mightily to stay upright on roller skates, but I managed to see enough of the game to imprint the lasting image of Robert Traylor (R.I.P.) cutting down the nets after a decisive victory. 

That was the Michigan basketball program's last great moment, but a return to the elite is on the horizon. The 2012-2013 Michigan Wolverines are good. Truthfully, they are damn good. To top it off, not only are they damn good, they're just as young as they are good. It's a sinister combination.

It all started when the university decided to hire John Beilein as their next head basketball coach back in 2007. Beilein had experience winning games while wearing maize and blue. He had been brilliant during his time at West Virginia, carving a Big East mainstay out of humble beginnings in Morgantown.

Blake was a bit much for Zack Novak

Despite his winning reputation, I admittedly didn't like the decision to bring in Beilein. I'd always viewed Michigan as a sleeping giant in college hoops, but I thought it would take a big name to shake some life into the program. I always secretly hoped to land Tubby Smith (now the coach at Minnesota). I always believed Beilein to be a coach with a low ceiling. He got the most out of his squads, but their potential would always be limited. I dreaded an assumed two decades of seeing my beloved Wolverines bounced in the Sweet Sixteen year after year with no breakthrough in site. At first it seemed that I was right. Beilein's Mountaineer teams could always shoot the rock, and Beilein promptly went to Larry Bird country (Indiana) to find two marksman. Stu Douglass and Zack Novak arrived on campus armed and dangerous, and they proved to be a perfect compliment for Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims, the two standout Detroit Public School League products that former coach Tommy Amaker had left behind. The new core of the Wolverines instantly changed the team's fortunes and put them in the NCAA Tournament in Beilein's second season. They would advance to the second round to play against Oklahoma. The game against the Sooners summed up everything that was wrong with Beilein in my eyes. Oklahoma was led by their 6'10 somewhat superhuman power forward Blake Griffin. Michigan's starting power forward was 6'4 Zack Novak. In layman's terms, Michigan showed up for the NCAA tournament without a power forward. Michigan played hard and hung tough with the Sooners, but ultimately lost the game. Blake Griffin scored 33 points and grabbed 17 boards. To this day he probably thinks he played that entire game wide open. He probably never looked down to notice Zack Novak.

To make matters worst, the next year's Michigan team floundered under the weight of high expectations. They missed the postseason, and a riff between Beilein and star player Manny Harris caused him to make an ill-advised jump towards the NBA. My dislike for Beilein ratcheted higher as it seemed that not only could Beilein only recruit shooters, he was also scaring away the most talented player that he already had.

It looked as if the wheels would officially fall off of the Beilein regime in year four when Michigan started 1-7 in the Big Ten. However, something very strange happened midway through the conference schedule. Beilein's long term plan began to fall into place. Novak and Douglass were two of the countries top shooters, and sophomore point guard Darius Miller was quietly turning into an early entry NBA candidate. With Harris no longer around, Beilein was able to give his minutes to another freshman gem, Tim Hardaway Jr. When Selection Sunday rolled around, the Wolverines were winners of 9 of 13 games and safely in the tournament field once again. With a little more size now on the roster, the team demolished Tennessee before giving Duke a handful in a losing effort. The team was now on everyone's radar, and not even the early departure of Morris could quell expectations for success.

Burke is one of the nation's best point guards

Morris' departure was nullified by the addition of Trey Burke. It's not very often that a freshman point guard is an upgrade over a point guard that is currently playing with the Los Angeles Lakers, but if you asked Mike D'Antoni if he would pull the trigger on a Burke for Morris swap, I don't think he would hesitate. Burke was a Freshman All-American (he was the Big Ten Freshman of the Week seven times) who showed glimpses of being dominant at times. With Burke pushing the pace, last year's team raced to a share of the Big Ten title. It was a fitting send off for Novak and Douglass, the two recruits who changed the culture of Michigan basketball. Even though Novak and Douglass were almost living legends on campus, rumblings had already started to surface that their replacements might even be better. The trio of Glenn Robinson III, Mitch McGary, and Canadian import Nik Stauskas was being hailed as one of the best incoming groups in the country. A quick glance at the roster revealed that the Wolverines were only losing two contributing players from a team that won the Big Ten, and from there the hype machine was born.

When Michigan entered this season as a top five team, it seemed a little bit outrageous. Though they had a great season last year, they did get bounced in their first NCAA Tournament game, there were definitely areas that should have attracted more concern. Could a trio of freshman really be that much better than two proven veterans who played the game with an extremely high level of intelligence? 

It didn't take long to find out. 

Just over a month into the season, Nik Stauskas is being touted as the most surprising freshman in the country. He has proven to be as good of a shooter as Stu Douglass, but can attack the basket with the reckless abandon of Zack Novak (with much more efficiency and skill). You can pencil Stauskas in as being one of the Big Ten's most deadly offensive threats for four straight years. 

Glenn Robinson III has simply lived up to his name. The Little Big Dog does so many things that make him resemble his dad during his days of dominating the Big Ten while he was at Purdue. GR3 has an incredibly sculpted NBA body. If you gave an NBA general manager a magical marker and told them to draw a small forward, the picture would look very similar to Glenn Robinson III. The skill set would be fairly on point as well. The kid can play on the wing by using his athleticism, or he can turn into a power forward on the low block. 

Mitch McGary has drawn some favorable comparisons to a player who had a decent college basketball career. When you see McGary running around the court like a mad man, it's hard not to see the type of motor that made Tyler Hansbrough one of the greatest college players ever. What makes McGary a terrifying player is that he is taller, stronger, and faster than Hansbrough ever was.   

Add these three with returning stars Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway, and it is clear that Michigan is not to be taken lightly. This Wolverines outfit has already taken down the likes of Pitt, K-State, Arkansas, and North Carolina State on it's way to a comfortable perch in the top three of both polls. They are living up to the hype, and are a legit Final Four contender. In addition to this season's success, if Beilein can continue to recruit at a high level (he already has a commit from next year's #5 point guard and #5 small forward in the country) the Wolverines could do something that not even the Fab Five could do -- win a national championship.

Longhorn Long Snapper is Former Green Beret

Nate Boyer is a long snapper for the Texas Longhorns. His story is one of many in college football that deserves to be celebrated.