Friday, November 30, 2012

College Football 2012 - Updated Bowl Projections (Nov 30)

Update (11/30/12):  Georgia Tech was granted a waiver and will be bowl-eligible if they lose the ACC Championship game, knocking a team like Western Kentucky squarely on the bubble if Pitt or UConn wins.
  • 5-6 Pittsburgh projected to be in with a win vs South Florida next week.  If Pitt loses, they would be replaced by Western Kentucky, but the bowl mix would be different.
  • The current projection leaves out a bowl-eligible Central Michigan team and bowl-eligible Western Kentucky team
New Mexico Bowl - Arizona Wildcats vs Nevada Wolfpack
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl - Utah State Aggies vs Ball State Cardinals
Poinsettia BowlSan Diego State Aztecs vs BYU Cougars
Beef O'Brady's Bowl - East Carolina Pirates vs Toledo Rockets
New Orleans Bowl - Rice Owls vs Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns
Las Vegas Bowl - Boise State Broncos vs Washington Huskies
Hawaii Bowl - Fresno State Bulldogs vs SMU Mustangs
Little Caesars Bowl - Northern Illinois Huskies vs Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders
Military Bowl - Ohio Bobcats vs San Jose State Spartans
Belk Bowl - Duke Blue Devils vs Cincinnati Bearcats
Holiday Bowl - Oregon State Beavers vs West Virginia Mountaineers
Russell Athletic Bowl - Rutgers Scarlett Knights vs Virginia Tech Hokies
Independence Bowl - Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks vs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Texas Bowl - Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Purdue Boilermakers
Armed Forces Bowl - Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs Air Force Falcons
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl - Arizona State Sun Devils vs Navy Midshipmen
Alamo Bowl - UCLA Bruins vs Oklahoma State Cowboys
Pinstripe Bowl - Baylor Bears vs Syracuse Orange
Music City Bowl - Ole Miss Rebels vs NC State Wolfpack
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Michigan State Spartans vs TCU Horned Frogs
Sun Bowl - USC Trojans vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Liberty Bowl - UCF Golden Knights vs Pittsburgh Panthers
Chick-Fil-A Bowl - Georgia Bulldogs vs Clemson Tigers
Heart of Dallas Bowl - Minnesota Golden Gophers vs Iowa State Cyclones
Capital One Bowl - Michigan Wolverines vs Texas A&M Aggies
Outback Bowl - Northwestern Wildcats vs South Carolina Gamecocks
Gator Bowl - Vanderbilt Commodores vs Wisconsin Badgers
Cotton Bowl - LSU Tigers vs Texas Longhorns
BBVA Compass Bowl - Bowling Green Falcons vs Mississippi State Bulldogs
GoDaddy Bowl - Kent State Golden Flash vs Arkansas State Red Wolves

Rose Bowl - Stanford Cardinal vs Nebraska Cornhuskers
Orange Bowl - Florida State Seminoles vs Louisville Cardinals
Fiesta Bowl - Kansas State Wildcats vs Oregon Ducks
Sugar Bowl - Florida Gators vs Oklahoma Sooners
BCS National Championship - Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Alabama Crimson Tide

Sunday, November 25, 2012

College Football 2012 - Week 13 Bowl Projections

Update:  SMU accepted a bid to the Hawaii Bowl, shuffling up the C-USA bids a little bit (scenario below is projecting a UCF win in C-USA Championship game)
Update:  I have been reading and researching to sort out the bowls based on some assumed results this weekend.  I am shuffling a few teams around based on this.  Keep in mind, there is a likely scenario that Kent State qualifies for the BCS, which will instantly throw all the at-large selections into a mess.
  • 5-6 Pittsburgh projected to be in with a win vs South Florida next week.  If Pitt loses, they would be replaced by Central Michigan, but the bowl mix would be different.
  • 6-6 Georgia Tech will not be eligible for a bowl if they lose the ACC Championship Game because there are enough bowl-eligible teams
  • The current projection leaves out only a bowl-eligible Central Michigan team
New Mexico Bowl - Arizona Wildcats vs Nevada Wolfpack
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl - Utah State Aggies vs Ball State Cardinals
Poinsettia Bowl - San Diego State Aztecs vs BYU Cougars
Beef O'Brady's Bowl - East Carolina Pirates vs Toledo Rockets
New Orleans Bowl - Rice Owls vs Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns
Las Vegas Bowl - Boise State Broncos vs Washington Huskies
Hawaii Bowl - Fresno State Bulldogs vs SMU Mustangs
Little Caesars Bowl - Northern Illinois Huskies vs Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders
Military Bowl - Ohio Bobcats vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Belk Bowl - Duke Blue Devils vs Cincinnati Bearcats
Holiday Bowl - Oregon State Beavers vs West Virginia Mountaineers
Russell Athletic Bowl - Louisville Cardinals vs Virginia Tech Hokies
Independence Bowl - Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks vs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Texas Bowl - Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Purdue Boilermakers
Armed Forces Bowl - Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs Air Force Falcons
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl - Arizona State Sun Devils vs Navy Midshipmen
Alamo Bowl - UCLA Bruins vs Oklahoma State Cowboys
Pinstripe Bowl - Baylor Bears vs Syracuse Orange
Music City Bowl - Ole Miss Rebels vs San Jose State Spartans
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Michigan State Spartans vs TCU Horned Frogs
Sun Bowl - USC Trojans vs NC State Wolfpack
Liberty Bowl - UCF Golden Knights vs Pittsburgh Panthers
Chick-Fil-A Bowl - Georgia Bulldogs vs Clemson Tigers
Heart of Dallas Bowl - Minnesota Golden Gophers vs Iowa State Cyclones
Capital One Bowl - Michigan Wolverines vs Texas A&M Aggies
Outback Bowl - Northwestern Wildcats vs South Carolina Gamecocks
Gator Bowl - Vanderbilt Commodores vs Wisconsin Badgers
Cotton Bowl - LSU Tigers vs Texas Longhorns
BBVA Compass Bowl - Bowling Green Falcons vs Mississippi State Bulldogs
GoDaddy Bowl - Kent State Golden Flash vs Arkansas State Red Wolves

Rose Bowl - Stanford Cardinal vs Nebraska Cornhuskers
Orange Bowl - Florida State Seminoles vs Rutgers Scarlett Knights
Fiesta Bowl - Kansas State Wildcats vs Oregon Ducks
Sugar Bowl - Florida Gators vs Oklahoma Sooners
BCS National Championship - Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Alabama Crimson Tide

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

College Football 2012 - Week 13 Jabesblog Picks

Instead of picking every game straight up this year, I thought I would go more Vegas-style and select certain games each week to pick against the spread. Last weeks record: 30-24.  Season record: 118-91-2.  Lock of the Week: 8-4.

Tuesday Game:
Toledo 31 , Akron 23 (Akron +19)  WIN

Thursday Game:
Texas 41, TCU 24 (Texas -8)

Friday Games:
Syracuse 34, Temple 24 (Syracuse -7.5)
Kent State 38, Ohio 31 (Ohio +9.5)
Nebraska 37, Iowa 14 (Nebraska -15)
Ball State 37, Miami OH 21 (Ball State -7)
Northern Illinois 51, Eastern Michigan 20 (Northern Illinois -21)
East Carolina 45, Marshall 35 (East Carolina -7)
Bowling Green 27, Buffalo 13 (Bowling Green -9.5)
LSU 37, Arkansas 17 (LSU -12.5)
Utah 34, Colorado 19 (Colorado +22.5)
Central Michigan 35, Massachusetts 16 (Central Michigan -10.5)
Washington 28, Washington State 6 (Washington -13.5)
West Virginia 41, Iowa State 26 (West Virginia -1.5)
Cincinnati 37, South Florida 10 (Cincinnati -13)
Arizona 42, Arizona State 34 (Arizona -3)

Saturday Games:
Purdue 23, Indiana 20 (Indiana +5.5)
Tulsa 37, SMU 24 (Tulsa -5)
Northwestern 33, Illinois 17 (Illinois +19)
Louisville 27, Connecticut 10 (Louisville -11.5)
Georgia 41, Georgia Tech 31 (Georgia Tech +13)
Michigan 24, Ohio State 23 (Michigan +3.5)
Virginia Tech 24, Virginia 19 (Virginia +10)
Rutgers 23, Pittsburgh 13 (Rutgers +2)
UCF 33, UAB 17 (UAB +21.5)
Tennessee 41, Kentucky 21 (Tennessee -13)
Duke 31, Miami FL 30 (Duke +6.5)
Western Kentucky 34, North Texas 17 (Western Kentucky -11.5)
UTSA 26, Texas State 21 (UTSA +1.5)
Baylor 48, Texas Tech 35 (Baylor -2.5)
Utah State 52, Idaho 7 (Utah State -38.5)
NC State 27, Boston College 17 (Boston College +14.5)
North Carolina 45, Maryland 10 (North Carolina -24.5)
Oregon 41, Oregon State 27 (Oregon -9.5)
Wisconsin 28, Penn State 26 (Wisconsin +2.5)
Fresno State 45, Air Force 21 (Fresno State -16)
Houston 44, Tulane 28 (Houston -12)
Alabama 38, Auburn 14 (Auburn +31)
Vanderbilt 31, Wake Forest 10 (Vanderbilt -11.5)
Oklahoma 40, Oklahoma State 39 (Oklahoma State +7)
Michigan State 17, Minnesota 13 (Minnesota +8.5)
Florida State 26, Florida 14 (Florida State -8)
BYU 41, New Mexico State 7 (BYU -29)
San Diego State 34, Wyoming 31 (Wyoming +7)
Middle Tennessee 37, Troy 30 (Middle Tennessee -3)
Memphis 27, Southern Miss 21 (Memphis -4)
LA-Lafayette 31, South Alabama 16 (South Alabama +18)
LA-Monroe 38, FIU 23 (ULM -5)
Stanford 24, UCLA 20 (Stanford -2)
New Mexico 27, Colorado State 24 (New Mexico +3.5)
Ole Miss 30, Mississippi State 24 (Ole Miss -1)
Clemson 35, South Carolina 20 (Clemson -4)
Texas A&M 42, Missouri 31 (Missouri +22)
Rice 41, UTEP 31 (Rice +1)
Notre Dame 24, USC 21 (USC +5.5)
Louisiana Tech 34, San Jose State 24 (Louisiana Tech +3.5)
UNLV 35, Hawaii 21 (UNLV -3.5)


College Football 2012 - Week 12 Bowl Projections

New Mexico Bowl - Arizona State Sun Devils vs Nevada Wolfpack
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl - Utah State Aggies vs Ball State Cardinals
Poinsettia Bowl - San Diego State Aztecs vs BYU Cougars
Beef O'Brady's Bowl - UCF Golden Knights vs Toledo Rockets
New Orleans Bowl - East Carolina Pirates vs Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks
Las Vegas Bowl - Boise State Broncos vs Arizona Wildcats
Hawaii Bowl - Fresno State Bulldogs vs San Jose State Spartans
Little Caesars Bowl - Northern Illinois Huskies vs Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders
Military Bowl - Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs Central Michigan Chippewas
Belk Bowl - Duke Blue Devils vs Cincinnati Bearcats
Holiday Bowl - USC trojans vs West Virginia Mountaineers
Russell Athletic Bowl - Louisville Cardinals vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Independence Bowl - Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns vs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Texas Bowl - Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Minnesota Golden Gophers
Armed Forces Bowl - Rice Owls vs Air Force Falcons
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl - Washington Huskies vs Navy Midshipmen
Alamo Bowl - UCLA Bruins vs Kansas State Wildcats
Pinstripe Bowl - TCU Horned Frogs vs Syracuse Orange
Music City Bowl - Vanderbilt Commodores vs Bowling Green Falcons
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Oklahoma State Cowboys vs Northwestern Wildcats
Sun Bowl - Oregon State Beavers vs Virginia Tech Hokies
Liberty Bowl - Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs Iowa State Cyclones
Chick-Fil-A Bowl - South Carolina Gamecocks vs NC State Wolfpack
Heart of Dallas Bowl - Purdue Boilermakers vs Baylor Bears
Capital One Bowl - Michigan Wolverines vs LSU Tigers
Outback Bowl - Wisconsin Badgers vs Florida Gators
Gator Bowl - Mississippi State Bulldogs vs Michigan State Spartans
Cotton Bowl - Texas A&M Aggies vs Texas Longhorns
BBVA Compass Bowl - Ohio Bobcats vs Missouri Tigers
GoDaddy Bowl - Kent State Golden Flash vs Arkansas State Red Wolves

Rose Bowl - Stanford Cardinal vs Nebraska Cornhuskers
Orange Bowl - Florida State Seminoles vs Rutgers Scarlett Knights
Fiesta Bowl - Oklahoma Sooners vs Oregon Ducks
Sugar Bowl - Alabama Crimson Tide vs Clemson Tigers
BCS National Championship - Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Georgia Bulldogs

College Football 2012 - Week 12 Bowl Breakdown

2012 may finally be the year the NCAA realizes they have one too many bowls.  CNN Jabesblog is projecting that only 69 of the 70 necessary teams will be bowl-eligible in 2012, and that 69 will include a waiver for a 6-7 Georgia Tech team that has no business playing in the ACC Championship Game.  Missouri, Ole Miss, Wake Forest, Marshall, SMU and Troy have the ability to flip this with wins that I am not currently projecting.  Of course, Michigan State, Purdue, Baylor, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Rice and Central Michigan all have to secure projected wins to even reach that 69 number.  In this case, the 5-7 teams with the top AQ scores will be available for selection.

PAC-12
The PAC-12 is locked in with 8 bowl-eligible teams.  UCLA clinched the South Division berth in the PAC-12 Championship Game.  Stanford clinches the North Division berth with a win over UCLA this week or an Oregon loss.  Oregon can still claim the North Division berth with a win over Oregon State and a Stanford loss to UCLA.  My current projection has Stanford beating UCLA twice and Oregon also getting a BCS bid with one loss.

PAC-12 Reset:
1.  Oregon Ducks, 10-1 (Fiesta Bowl)
2.  Stanford Cardinal, 9-2 (Rose Bowl)
3.  UCLA Bruins, 9-2 (Alamo Bowl)
4.  Oregon State Beavers, 8-2 (Sun Bowl)
5.  Arizona Wildcats, 7-4 (Las Vegas Bowl)
6.  USC Trojans, 7-4 (Holiday Bowl)
7.  Washington Huskies, 7-4 (Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl)
8.  Arizona State Sun Devils, 6-5 (New Mexico Bowl)
9.  Utah Utes, 4-7
10. California Golden Bears, 3-9
11. Washington State Cougars, 2-9
12. Colorado Buffaloes, 1-10

Big 10
The Big 10 currently has 5 bowl-eligible teams with the potential for 2 more.  I am projecting both Purdue and Michigan State to win next week and give the conference 7 bowl-eligible teams.  Nebraska clinches the Legends Division berth in the Big 10 Championship Game with a win over Iowa or a Michigan loss to Ohio State.  Wisconsin will represent the Leaders Division in that game. 

Purdue (5-6) - Indiana (W) - projected record 6-6 (Purdue has played with some fight the past two weeks and Indiana is not playing for anything)

Michigan State (5-6) - at Minnesota (W) - projected record 6-6 (Raise your hand if you thought Sparty would need to win this one to be bowl-eligible)

Big 10 Reset:
1.  Ohio State Buckeyes, 11-0
2.  Nebraska Cornhuskers, 9-2 (Rose Bowl)
3.  Michigan Wolverines, 8-3 (Capital One Bowl)
4.  Wisconsin Badgers, 7-4 (Outback Bowl)
5.  Penn State Nittany Lions, 7-4
6.  Northwestern Wildcats, 8-3 (Buffalo Wild Wings)
7.  Minnesota Golden Gophers, 6-5 (Texas Bowl)
8.  Michigan State Spartans, 5-6 (Gator Bowl)
9.  Purdue Boilermakers, 5-6 (Heart of Dallas Bowl)
10. Indiana Hoosiers, 4-7
11. Iowa Hawkeyes, 4-7
12. Illinois Fighting Illini, 2-9
(currently not filling Little Caesars bowl slot)

SEC
The SEC got their help and may even monopolize the BCS National Championship Game if all falls right.  I picked Georgia to be there in the pre-season, so I am going to project them to beat Alabama and represent the SEC.  If Notre Dame loses, Florida would be in line to join them, but I project the Gators to fall this week to Florida State.  The SEC currently has 8 bowl-eligible teams with the potential for 10.  I am projecting a 5-7 Missouri team to be selected based on their AQ score to play in the BBVA Compass Bowl.

Ole Miss (5-6) - Mississippi State (L), projected record 5-7 (A valiant effort almost got it done at LSU.  The same effort will get it done against Missisippi State)

Missouri (5-6) - at Texas A&M (L), projected record 5-7 (The Tigers blew their best chance and now must derail Johhny Football in his own yard)

SEC Reset:
1.  Alabama Crimson Tide, 10-1 (Sugar Bowl)
2.  Georgia Bulldogs, 10-1 (BCS National Championship)
3.  Florida Gators, 10-1 (Outback Bowl)
4.  LSU Tigers, 9-2 (Capital One Bowl)
5.  Texas A&M Aggies, 9-2 (Cotton Bowl)
6.  South Carolina Gamecocks, 9-2 (Chick Fil-A Bowl)
7.  Mississippi State Bulldogs, 8-3 (Gator Bowl)
8.  Vanderbilt Commodores, 7-4 (Music City Bowl)
9.  Missouri Tigers, 5-6 (BBVA Compass Bowl**)
10. Ole Miss Rebels, 5-6
11. Tennessee Volunteers, 4-7
12. Arkansas Razorbacks, 4-7
13. Auburn Tigers, 3-8
14. Kentucky Wildcats, 2-9
(currently not filling Liberty, BBVA Compass** and Independence Bowl slot)

Big 12
The Big 12 had their BCS Championship hopes dashed and currently sit at 7 bowl-eligible teams.  After beating Kansas State, I am projecting Baylor to add a 6th win and give the Big 12 9 bowl-eligible teams.  I am also projecting Texas to beat Kansas State and provide the automatic BCS berth to Oklahoma.

West Virginia (5-5) - at Iowa State (W), Kansas (W), projected record 7-5 (better effort, same results)

Baylor (5-5) - Texas Tech (W), Oklahoma State (L) - projected record 6-6 (Texas Tech seems vulnerable, but will their be a Baylor letdown)

Big 12 Reset:
1.  Kansas State Wildcats, 10-1 (Alamo Bowl)
2.  Oklahoma Sooners, 8-2 (Fiesta Bowl)
3.  Texas Longhorns, 8-2 (Cotton Bowl)
4. Oklahoma State Cowboys, 7-3 (Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl)
5.  Texas Tech Red Raiders, 7-4 (Texas Bowl)
6.  TCU Horned Frogs, 6-4 (Pinstripe Bowl)
7.  West Virginia Mountaineers, 5-5 (Holiday Bowl)
8.  Iowa State Cyclones, 6-5 (Liberty Bowl**)
9.  Baylor Bears, 5-5 (Heart of Dallas Bowl)
10. Kansas Jayhawks, 1-10

ACC
The ACC is a mess.  With the self-imposed bowl ban by Miami, the conference currently sits at 5 bowl-eligible teams.  One of those 5, Georgia Tech, will have to beat either Georgia or Florida State to avoid a 6-7 record.  I am projecting Virginia Tech to garner a 6th bid for a conference that on the bright side, will place two teams in the BCS if Clemson beats South Carolina.

Virginia Tech (5-6) - Virginia (W), projected record 6-6 (uncharted territory for the Hokies)

Georgia Tech (6-5) - at Georgia (L), vs Florida State in ACC Championship (L) projected record 6-7 (UCLA was allowed into the bowl a year ago, I am guessing Georgia Tech will get the same treatment at 6-7)

Wake Forest (5-6) - Vanderbilt (L), projected record 5-7 (Having Vanderbilt at home gives them a shot)

ACC Reset
1.  Florida State Seminoles, 10-1 (Orange Bowl)
2.  Clemson Tigers, 10-1 (Sugar Bowl)
3.  North Carolina Tar Heels, 7-4
4.  NC State Wolfpack, 6-5 (Chick Fil-A Bowl)
5.  Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 6-5 (Russell Athletic Bowl)
6.  Miami Hurricanes, 6-5 - self-imposed bowl ban
7.  Duke Blue Devils, 6-5 (Belk Bowl)
8.  Virginia Tech Hokies, 5-6 (Sun Bowl)
9.  Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 5-6
10. Virginia Cavaliers, 4-7
11.  Maryland Terrapins, 4-7
12. Boston College Eagles, 2-9
(currently not filling Music City, Independence or Military Bowl slot)

Big East
The Big East has 4 bowl-eligible teams with the potential for 6.  I do not believe Pitt or UConn has the horses to qualify for another bid in this conference.  I am projecting Rutgers over Louisville next week to secure the BCS bid from the Big East.

Pittsburgh (4-6) - Rutgers (L), at South Florida (W), projected record 5-7 (Pitt just lost their margin for error, gets a week off to prepare for Rutgers)

Big East Reset:
1.  Rutgers Scarlett Knights, 9-1 (Orange Bowl)
2.  Louisville Cardinals, 9-1 (Russell Athletic Bowl)
3.  Cincinnati Bearcats, 7-3 (Belk Bowl)
4.  Syracuse Orange, 6-5 (Pinstripe Bowl)
5.  Pittsburgh Panthers, 4-6
6.  Connecticut Huskies, 4-6
7.  Temple Owls, 4-6
8.  South Florida Bulls, 3-7
(currently not filling BBVA Compass Bowl or Beef O'Brady's Bowl slots)

Other Conferences/Independents
Marshall (5-6) - at East Carolina (L), projected record 5-7

SMU (5-6) - Tulsa (L), projected record 5-7
Rice (5-6) - at UTEP (W), projected record 6-6

Central Michigan (5-6) - at UMass (W), projected record 6-6

Troy (5-6) - at Middle Tennessee (L), projected record 5-7

Other Conferences/Independents Reset:
1.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 11-0 (BCS National Championship)
2.  Northern Illinois Huskies, 10-1 (Little Caesars Bowl)
3.  Kent State Golden Flash, 10-1 (GoDaddy.com Bowl)
4.  Boise State Broncos, 9-2 (Las Vegas Bowl)
5.  Utah State Aggies, 9-2 (Famous Idaho Potato)
6.  Tulsa Golden Hurricane, 9-2 (Liberty Bowl)
7.  Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, 9-2 (Independence Bowl**)
8.  San Diego State Aztecs, 8-3 (Poinsettia Bowl)
9.  Fresno State Bulldogs, 8-3 (Hawaii Bowl)
10. UCF Golden Knights, 8-3 (Beef O'Brady's Bowl)
11. Ohio Bobcats, 8-3 (BBVA Compass Bowl**)
12. Toledo Rockets, 8-3 (Beef O'Brady's Bowl**)
13. Ball State Cardinals, 8-3 (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl)
14. Bowling Green Falcons, 7-4 (Music City Bowl**)
15. San Jose State Spartans, 9-2 (Hawaii Bowl**)
16. Arkansas State Redwolves, 8-3 (GoDaddy.com Bowl)
17. Nevada Wolfpack, 7-4 (New Mexico Bowl)
18. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, 7-3 (Little Caesars Bowl**)
19. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, 7-4 (New Orleans Bowl)
20. BYU Cougars, 6-5 (Poinsettia Bowl)
21. Navy Midshipmen, 7-4 (Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl)
22. East Carolina Pirates, 7-4 (New Orleans Bowl)
23. Air Force Falcons, 6-5 (Armed Forces Bowl)
24. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, 6-4 (Independence Bowl**)
25. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, 6-5 (Military Bowl**)
26. Rice Owls, 5-6 (Armed Forces Bowl)
27. Central Michigan Chippewas, 5-6 (Military Bowl**)

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

College Football 2012 - Week 12 Jabesblog Picks

Instead of picking every game straight up this year, I thought I would go more Vegas-style and select certain games each week to pick against the spread. Last weeks record: 33-23.  Season record: 88-67-2.  Lock of the Week: 8-4.

Wednesday through Friday Games:

Northern Illinois 48, Toledo 34 (Northern Illinois -10)  LOSS
Ohio 34, Ball State 30 (Ohio +6.5)  LOSS
North Carolina 37, Virgnia 31 (North Carolina -3.5)  WIN
Florida Atlantic 34, Florida International 24 (Florida Atlantic -1.5)  LOSS
Air Force 35, Hawaii 20 (Hawaii +22.5)  WIN

Saturday Games:
Florida State 33, Maryland 7 (Maryland +31)  WIN
Nortwestern 24, Michigan State 20 (Northwestern +7)  WIN
Michigan 34, Iowa 13 (Michigan -16.5)  WIN
Bowling Green 21, Kent State 20 (Kent State +2.5)  WIN
Central Florida 26, Tulsa 24 (Central Florida +1.5)  LOSS
Penn State 31, Indiana 20 (Indiana +17.5)  LOSS
Marshall 45, Houston 28 (Marshall -3.5)  LOSS
Army 22, Temple 21 (Temple +3.5)  WIN
Cincinnati 24, Rutgers 13 (Cincinnati -6)  LOSS
Mississippi State 31, Arkansas 20 (Mississippi State -6)  WIN
Virginia Tech 28, Boston College 14 (Virginia Tech -10)  LOSS
Miami OH 38, Central Michigan 34 (Miami OH +4.5)  LOSS
Washington 42, Colorado 10 (Washington -20.5)  WIN
UAB 41, Memphis 21 (UAB -10)  LOSS
Western Michigan 38, Eastern Michigan 30 (Eastern Michigan +13.5)  WIN
Miami FL 20, South Florida 17 (South Florida +6.5)  LOSS
Arizona State 40, Washington State 10 (Arizona State -22)  WIN
Buffalo 31, Massachusetts 14 (Buffalo -11)  LOSS
UCLA 41, USC 38 (UCLA +3.5) WIN
Georgia Tech 45, Duke 28 (Georgia Tech -13.5)  WIN
Middle Tennessee 34, South Alabama 19 (Middle Tennessee -7.5)  WIN
LSU 27, Ole Miss 17 (Ole Miss +19)  WIN
Boise State 43, Colorado State 10 (Boise State -29.5)  LOSS
Ohio State 30, Wisconsin 27 (Ohio State +2.5)  WIN
SMU 34, Rice 33 (Rice +3.5)  WIN
Clemson 44, NC State 24 (Clemson -17)  LOSS
Oklahoma State 37, Texas Tech 31 (Texas Tech +10)  LOSS
Nebraska 31, Minnesota 17 (Minnesota +20)  LOSS
Nevada 38, New Mexico 31 (New Mexico +10)  WIN
Navy 27, Texas State 17 (Texas State +13.5)  WIN
Purdue 26, Illinois 16 (Purdue -6)  LOSS
Notre Dame 27, Wake Forest 9 (Wake Forest +24)  LOSS
Arkansas State 41, Troy 28 (Arkansas State -3)  WIN
East Carolina 44, Tulane 42 (Tulane +10)  WIN
Louisiana Tech 30, Utah State 27 (Louisiana Tech +3.5)  LOSS
Louisiana-Monroe 35, North Texas 20 (ULM -10.5)  WIN
Wyoming 31, UNLV 27 (Wyoming -1)  WIN
UTSA 30, Idaho 20 (UTSA -6)  WIN
Iowa State 19, Kansas 17 (Kansas +5)  LOSS
Vanderbilt 34, Tennessee 27 (Vanderbilt -3.5)  WIN
Oklahoma 42, West Virginia 24 (Oklahoma -11)  LOSS
Louisiana-Lafayette 33, Western Kentucky 31 (Western Kentucky +4.5)  WIN
Missouri 31, Syracuse 24 (Missouri -5.5)  LOSS
Kansas State 37, Baylor 31 (Baylor +12)  WIN
Oregon 41, Stanford 28 (Stanford +20.5)  WIN
UTEP 24, Southern Mississippi 14 (UTEP -3.5)  LOSS
Utah 37, Arizona 28 (Utah -1)  LOSS
Oregon State 30, California 10 (Oregon State -14.5)  WIN
San Jose State 19, BYU 17 (San Jose State +3)  WIN

Record for the Week:  30-24

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

College Football 2012 - Week 11 Bowl Projections

New Mexico Bowl - Arizona Wildcats vs Nevada Wolfpack
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl - Utah State Aggies vs Toledo Rockets
Poinsettia Bowl - San Diego State Aztecs vs BYU Cougars
Beef O'Brady's Bowl - San Jose State Spartans vs East Carolina Pirates
New Orleans Bowl - Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks
Las Vegas Bowl - Boise State Broncos vs Stanford Cardinal
Hawaii Bowl - Fresno State Bulldogs vs Arizona State Sun Devils
Little Caesars Bowl - Northern Illinois Huskies vs Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders
Military Bowl - Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs Bowling Green Falcons
Belk Bowl - Georgia Tech YellowJackets vs Cincinnati Bearcats
Holiday Bowl - UCLA Bruins vs West Virginia Mountaineers
Russell Athletic Bowl - Louisville Cardinals vs Miami Hurricanes
Independence Bowl - Ohio Bobcats vs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Texas Bowl - TCU Horned Frogs vs Minnesota Golden Gophers
Armed Forces Bowl - SMU Mustangs vs Air Force Falcons
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl - Washington Huskies vs Navy Midshipmen
Alamo Bowl - USC Trojans vs Oklahoma State Cowboys
Pinstripe Bowl - Iowa State Cyclones vs Syracuse Orange
Music City Bowl - Duke Blue Devils vs Missouri Tigers
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Northwestern Wildcats
Sun Bowl - Oregon State Beavers vs Virginia Tech Hokies
Liberty Bowl - UCF Golden Knights vs Vanderbilt Commodores
Chick-Fil-A Bowl - South Carolina Gamecocks vs NC State Wolfpack
Heart of Dallas Bowl - Purdue Boilermakers vs Utah Utes
Capital One Bowl - Michigan Wolverines vs Gerogia Bulldogs
Outback Bowl - Wisconsin Badgers vs Florida Gators
Gator Bowl - Mississippi State Bulldogs vs Michigan State Spartans
Cotton Bowl - LSU Tigers vs Texas Longhorns
BBVA Compass Bowl - Ball State Cardinals vs Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns
GoDaddy Bowl - Kent State Golden Flash vs Arkansas State Red Wolves
Rose Bowl - Oklahoma Sooners vs Nebraska Cornhuskers
Orange Bowl - Florida State Seminoles vs Rutgers Scarlett Knights
Fiesta Bowl - Texas A&M Aggies vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Sugar Bowl - Alabama Crimson Tide vs Clemson Tigers
BCS National Championship - Oregon Ducks vs Kansas State Wildcats

College Football 2012 - Bowl Breakdown - Week 11

PAC-12
Arizona State (5-5) - Washington State (W), at Arizona (L), projected record 6-6 (A bit surprising it has taken this long)

Utah (4-6) - Arizona (W), at Colorado (W), projected record 6-6 (Arizona on the road looks like a different team)

PAC-12 Reset:
1.  Oregon Ducks, 10-0 (BCS National Title Game)
2.  Stanford Cardinal, 8-2 (Las Vegas Bowl)
3.  Oregon State Beavers, 7-2 (Sun Bowl)
4.  UCLA Bruins, 8-2 (Holiday Bowl)
5.  USC Trojans, 7-3 (Alamo Bowl)
6.  Washington Huskies, 6-4 (Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl)
7.  Arizona Wildcats, 6-4 (New Mexico Bowl)
8.  Arizona State Sun Devils, 5-5 (Hawaii Bowl**)
9.  Utah Utes, 4-6 (Heart of Dallas Bowl**)
10. California Golden Bears, 3-8
11. Washington State Cougars, 2-8
12. Colorado Buffaloes, 1-9

Big 10
Indiana (4-6) - at Penn State (L), at Purdue (L), projected record 4-8 (the Hoosiers looked like a team that hasn't played many big games against Wisconsin)

Iowa (4-6) - at Michigan (L), Nebraska (L), projected record 4-8 (Not a good year in Iowa City)

Purdue (4-6) - at Illinois (W), Indiana (W) - projected record 6-6 (out of these three, Purdue has the best shot, especially with Indiana coming to West Lafayette)

Big 10 Reset:
1.  Ohio State Buckeyes, 10-0
2.  Nebraska Cornhuskers, 8-2 (Rose Bowl)
3.  Michigan Wolverines, 7-3 (Capital One Bowl)
4.  Wisconsin Badgers, 7-3 (Outback Bowl)
5.  Penn State Nittany Lions, 6-4
6.  Northwestern Wildcats, 7-3 (Buffalo Wild Wings)
7.  Michigan State Spartans, 5-5 (Gator Bowl)
8.  Minnesota Golden Gophers, 6-4 (Texas Bowl)
9.  Purdue Boilermakers, 4-6 (Heart of Dallas Bowl)
10. Indiana Hoosiers, 4-6
11. Iowa Hawkeyes, 4-6
12. Illinois Fighting Illini, 2-8
(currently not filling Little Caesars bowl slot)

SEC
Tennessee (4-6) - at Vanderbilt (L), Kentucky (W), projected record 5-7 (Vandy just seems better than Tennessee right now)

Ole Miss (5-5) - at LSU (L), Mississippi State (L), projected record 5-7 (will likely have to beat rival Mississippi State, which is possible, but not sure how probable)

Missouri (5-5) - Syracuse (W), at Texas A&M (L), projected record 6-6 (step one is complete, now they need to beat a Syracuse team that is not as good on the road but is playing good football)

Arkansas (4-6) - at Mississippi State (L), LSU (L), projected record 4-8 (will likely be a fitting end to a disappointing season for the Razorbacks)

SEC Reset:
1.  Alabama Crimson Tide, 9-1 (Sugar Bowl)
2.  Georgia Bulldogs, 9-1 (Capital One Bowl)
3.  Florida Gators, 9-1 (Outback Bowl)
4.  LSU Tigers, 8-2 (Cotton Bowl)
5.  Texas A&M Aggies, 8-2 (Fiesta Bowl)
6.  South Carolina Gamecocks, 8-2 (Chick Fil-A Bowl)
7.  Mississippi State Bulldogs, 7-3 (Gator Bowl)
8.  Vanderbilt Commodores, 6-4 (Liberty Bowl)
9.  Missouri Tigers, 5-5 (Music City Bowl)
10. Ole Miss Rebels, 5-5
11. Tennessee Volunteers, 4-6
12. Arkansas Razorbacks, 4-6
13. Auburn Tigers, 2-8
14. Kentucky Wildcats, 1-9
(currently not filling BBVA Compass and Independence Bowl slot)

Big 12
West Virginia (5-4) - Oklahoma (L), at Iowa State (W), Kansas (W), projected record 7-5 (you never know what happens when a team starts heading in this direction)

Iowa State (5-5) - at Kansas (W), West Virginia (L), projected record 6-6 (this is the week and unfortunately for the Cyclones, Kansas is playing better)

Baylor (4-5) - Kansas State (L), Texas Tech (L), Oklahoma State (L) - projected record 4-8 (even in the Big 12 you need to play defense some of the time)

Big 12 Reset:
1.  Kansas State Wildcats, 10-0 (BCS National Championship)
2.  Oklahoma Sooners, 7-2 (Rose Bowl)
3.  Texas Longhorns, 8-2 (Cotton Bowl)
4.  Texas Tech Red Raiders, 7-3 (Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl)
5.  Oklahoma State Cowboys, 6-3 (Alamo Bowl)
6.  TCU Horned Frogs, 6-4 (Texas Bowl)
7.  West Virginia Mountaineers, 5-3 (Holiday Bowl)
8.  Iowa State Cyclones, 5-4 (Pinstripe Bowl)
9.  Baylor Bears, 4-4
10. Kansas Jayhawks, 1-8
(currently not filling Heart of Dallas Bowl slot)

ACC
Virginia Tech (4-6) - at Boston College (W), Virginia (W), projected record 6-6 (may need to win a rivalry game to be bowl-eligible)

Maryland (4-6) - Florida State (L), at North Carolina (L), projected record 4-8 (a team on their 5th quarterback doesn't beat these teams)

Georgia Tech (5-5) - Duke (W), at Georgia (L), projected record 6-6 (Things have turned around for Georgia Tech just in time)

Wake Forest (5-5) - at Notre Dame (L), Vanderbilt (L), projected record 5-7 (Vanderbilt at home will be the opportunity)

Virginia (4-6) - North Carolina (L), at Virginia Tech (L), projected record 4-8 (probably an accomplishment to force themselves on to the list for the week)

ACC Reset
1.  Florida State Seminoles, 9-1 (Orange Bowl)
2.  Clemson Tigers, 9-1 (Sugar Bowl)
3.  North Carolina Tar Heels, 6-4
4.  NC State Wolfpack, 6-4 (Chick Fil-A Bowl)
5.  Duke Blue Devils, 6-4 (Music City Bowl)
6.  Miami Hurricanes, 5-5 (Russell Athletic Bowl)
7.  Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 5-5 (Belk Bowl)
8.  Virginia Tech Hokies, 4-6 (Sun Bowl)
9.  Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 5-5
10. Virginia Cavaliers, 4-6
11.  Maryland Terrapins, 4-6
12. Boston College Eagles, 2-8
(currently not filling Independence or Military Bowl slot)

Big East
Pittsburgh (4-6) - Rutgers (L), at South Florida (W), projected record 5-7 (Pitt just lost their margin for error, gets a week off to prepare for Rutgers)

Syracuse (5-5) - at Missouri (L), at Temple (W)  projected record 6-6 (need a road split, playing really well)

Big East Reset:
1.  Rutgers Scarlett Knights, 8-1 (Orange Bowl)
2.  Louisville Cardinals, 9-1 (Russell Athletic Bowl)
3.  Cincinnati Bearcats, 7-2 (Belk Bowl)
4.  Syracuse Orange, 5-5 (Pinstripe Bowl)
5.  Pittsburgh Panthers, 4-6
6.  Connecticut Huskies, 4-6
7.  Temple Owls, 3-6
8.  South Florida Bulls, 3-6
(currently not filling BBVA Compass Bowl or Beef O'Brady's Bowl slots)

Other Conferences/Independents
Houston (4-6) - at Marshall (L), Tulane (W). projected record 5-7

Marshall (4-6) - Houston (W), at East Carolina (L), projected record 5-7

SMU (5-5) - at Rice (W), Tulsa (L), projected record 6-6

Miami(OH) (4-6) - at Central Michigan (W), Ball State (W), projected record 6-6

Central Michigan (4-6) - Miami(OH) (L), at UMass (W), projected record 5-7

Air Force (5-5) - Hawaii (W), at Fresno State (L), projected record 6-6

Other Conferences/Independents Reset:
1.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 10-0 (Fiesta Bowl)
2.  Northern Illinois Huskies, 9-1 (Little Caesars Bowl)
3.  Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, 9-1 (Independence Bowl)
4.  Kent State Golden Flash, 9-1 (GoDaddy.com Bowl)
5.  UCF Golden Knights, 8-2 (Liberty Bowl)
6.  Boise State Broncos, 8-2 (Las Vegas Bowl)
7.  Tulsa Golden Hurricane, 8-2 (New Orleans Bowl)
8.  Utah State Aggies, 8-2 (Famous Idaho Potato**)
9.  Ohio Bobcats, 8-2 (Independence Bowl**)
10. Toledo Rockets, 8-2 (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl)
11. San Diego State Aztecs, 8-3 (Poinsettia Bowl)
12. Fresno State Bulldogs, 8-3 (Hawaii Bowl)
13. Ball State Cardinals, 7-3 (BBVA Compass Bowl**)
14. Bowling Green Falcons, 7-3 (Military Bowl**)
15. BYU Cougars, 6-4 (Poinsettia Bowl)
16. San Jose State Spartans, 8-2 (Beef O'Brady's Bowl**)
17. Arkansas State Redwolves, 7-3 (GoDaddy.com Bowl)
18. Nevada Wolfpack, 6-4 (New Mexico Bowl)
19. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, 7-3 (Little Caesars Bowl**)
20. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, 6-4 (New Orleans Bowl)
21. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, 6-4 (Military Bowl**)
22. Navy Midshipmen, 6-4 (Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl)
23. East Carolina Pirates, 6-4 (Beef O'Brady's Bowl)
24. Air Force Falcons, 5-5 (Armed Forces Bowl)
25. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, 5-4 (BBVA Compass Bowl**)
26. SMU Mustangs, 5-5 (Armed Forces Bowl)

Currently, Miami OH is the only other bowl-eligible projected team.

Friday, November 9, 2012

College Basketball 2012-13 Pre-Season Field of 68

The College Basketball season starts this week as we embark on 4 months of jockeying that ultimately leads to 68 teams dancing in March.  Who will those 68 teams be?  If the past couple years are any indication, then it will be approximately 44 of the 68 teams I have below.  Their is beauty in collegiate sports, as we never know which freshman is going to make the biggest impact, or which upper-classmen is going to make that huge off-season leap from role-player to star.

Once again this season, Jabesblog will attempt to inform and lead you through the happenings of College Basketball.  It starts right now with my pre-season Field of 68.

Midwest
1.    Louisville
16.  Savannah State/USC Upstate

8.    Texas
9.    Butler

5.    Michigan State
12.  New Mexico

4.    North Carolina
13.  South Dakota State

6.    Memphis
11.  BYU

3.    Missouri
14.  Valparaiso

7.    Cincinnati
10.  Stanford

2.    Michigan
15.  Lehigh

East
1.    Indiana
16.  Coastal Carolina/Texas Southern

8.    St. Mary's
9.    Miami FL

5.    Arizona
12.  Temple/Arkansas

4.    Notre Dame
13.  Ohio

6.    Kansas State
11.  Davidson

3.    Florida
14.  Utah State

7.    VCU
10.  Georgetown

2.    Duke
15.  LIU-Brooklyn

South
1.    Kentucky
16.  North Texas

8.    Minnesota
9.    St. Joseph's

5.    UNLV
12.  Pittsburgh/Marshall

4.    Florida State
13.  Drexel

6.    Wisconsin
11.  Illinois State

3.    Syracuse
14.  Princeton

7.    California
10.  Murray State

2.    Kansas
15.  Oral Roberts

West
1.    North Carolina State
16.  Vermont

8.    Marquette
9.    West Virginia

5.    Creighton
12.  Nevada

4.    UCLA
13.  Long Beach State

6.    Gonzaga
11.  Baylor

3.    San Diego State
14.  Montana

7.    Tennessee
10.  St. Louis

2.    Ohio State
15.  Manhattan

Thursday, November 8, 2012

College Football 2012 - Week 11 Jabesblog Picks - Full Week

Instead of picking every game straight up this year, I thought I would go more Vegas-style and select certain games each week to pick against the spread. Last weeks record: 9-7. Mid-Week Record 2-3 Season record: 57-47-2.  Lock of the Week: 8-2 (including an exact score last week).

Wisconsin 28, Indiana 26 (Indiana +7.5)  LOSS
Michigan 26, Northwestern 24 (Northwestern +9.5)  WIN
Rutgers 30, Army 17 (Army +17)  LOSS
Louisville 41, Syracuse 34 (Louisville -1.5)  LOCK OF THE WEEK  LOSS
Cincinnati 35, Temple 17 (Cincinnati -9.5)  WIN
Texas 38, Iowa State 23 (Texas -10.5)  WIN
Miami FL 27, Virginia 20 (Miami FL +2)  WIN
Iowa 19, Purdue 16 (Purdue +5)  WIN
South Carolina 30, Arkansas 27 (Arkansas +13.5)  LOSS
Texas Tech 38, Kansas 17 (Kansas +25.5)  WIN
Tennessee 34, Missouri 28 (Tennessee -3)  LOSS
Florida 31, UL-Lafayette 13 (UL-Lafayette +26.5)  WIN
North Carolina 38, Georgia Tech 33 (Georgia Tech +8.5)  WIN
Western Kentucky 41, Florida Atlantic 14 (Western Kentucky -16.5)  LOSS
Kent State 35, Miami OH 20 (Kent State -6.5)  WIN
Central Michigan 38, Eastern Michigan 34 (Central Michigan -2.5)  WIN
Arizona 37, Colorado 14 (Colorado +30.5)  WIN
Akron 34, Massachusetts 14 (Akron -17)  LOSS
Oregon State 23, Stanford 20 (Oregon State +3.5)  LOSS
USC 38, Arizona State 24 (USC -9)  WIN
NC State 21, Wake Forest 19 (Wake Forest +7.5)  LOSS
Nebraska 27, Penn State 24 (Penn State +7.5)  LOSS
Oklahoma State 44, West Virginia 41 (West Virginia +9)  LOSS
Oklahoma 48, Baylor 33 (Baylor +21.5)  WIN
Wyoming 38, New Mexico 31 (Wyoming -1.5)  WIN
Clemson 52, Maryland 14 (Clemson -31.5)  WIN
San Diego State 41, Air Force 24 (San Diego State -7.5)  WIN
San Jose State 41, New Mexico State 10 (San Jose State -21.5)  WIN
Navy 35, Troy 30 (Navy -1)  LOSS
Alabama 31, Texas A&M 19 (Texas A&M +13.5)  WIN
Minnesota 24, Illinois 17 (Minnesota -3)  WIN
Western Michigan 28, Buffalo 20 (Western Michigan -3)  LOSS
Marshall 45, UAB 35 (Marshall -3)  LOSS
Tulsa 31, Houston 27 (Tulsa -3.5)  WIN
North Texas 27, South Alabama 23 (South Alabama +8)  LOSS
Tulane 35, Memphis 32 (Tulane pick'em)  LOSS
Georgia 41, Auburn 20 (Georgia -14.5)  WIN
UNLV 24, Colorado State 16 (UNLV -1.5)  LOSS
LSU 34, Mississippi State 10 (LSU -15)  WIN
Boise State 48, Hawaii 14 (Boise State -28.5)  WIN
Ole Miss 20, Vanderbilt 17 (Vanderbilt +3.5)  WIN
UCF 37, UTEP 17 (UCF -13)  LOCK OF THE WEEK II  LOSS
Louisiana Tech 49, Texas State 21 (Louisiana Tech -20)  LOSS
Kansas State 38, TCU 21 (Kansas State -7)  WIN
SMU 41, Southern Miss 17 (SMU -14.5)  WIN
Notre Dame 27, Boston College 13 (Boston College +19)  WIN
BYU 37, Idaho 3 (Idaho +40)  WIN
Washington 20, Utah 16 (Washington +1 )  WIN
UCLA 34, Washington State 14 (UCLA -16.5)  LOSS
Oregon 48, California 13 (Oregon -28)  WIN
Fresno State 44, Nevada 38 (Fresno State -3.5)  WIN

Saturday Record:  31-20 (after reviewing final line of games pushed)

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

College Football 2012 - Jabesblog Picks - Mid-Week 11 Edition

Instead of picking every game straight up this year, I thought I would go more Vegas-style and select certain games each week to pick against the spread. Last weeks record: 9-7. Season record: 55-44-2. Lock of the Week: 8-2 (including an exact score last week).

There are 5 games on the Tuesday through Friday docket this week, so here is a bonus 5 picks from Jabesblog...

Toledo -6.5 vs Ball State - Both teams have played well of late, but it is time for Toledo to make the final push toward a MAC Title.  The Rockets are actually 0-4 ATS in their last 4 on Tuesday's, but I am going against the trend in what should be a high-scoring game (Toledo played 63-60 and 66-63 games on Tuesday last season).  Toledo has won the last three match-ups with the Cardinals by 7 points or more and will do it again tonight...Toledo 59, Ball State 48.  Loss

Bowling Green +3 at Ohio - The Falcons have the defense cranked up to a championship level while the Bobcats appear to have peaked in September.  Ohio has not last at home, but has been outgained by Buffalo and Akron this season.  I like the defensive team to roll in and pull off the Wednesday night upset...Bowling Green 22, Ohio 21.  WIN

Arkansas State -7 vs Louisiana-Monroe - With the uncertain status of ULM quarterback Kolton Browning I have to lean toward the Redwolves.  Arkansas State is starting to get it rolling with 4 wins in a row by an average of 15.5 points.  All indications are that Browning is out for a while, which will either rally or deflate a team that had high hopes of a Sun Belt Title...Arkansas State 40, LA-Monroe 28.  WIN

Florida State -13.5 at Virginia Tech - The Seminoles have not won by this margin on the road, but the Hokies looked like a team without a sense of urgency last week against Miami FL.  The Seminoles are off a bye and will be prepared for Logan Thomas and his one-man show.  FSU ranks highly in almost every offensive and defensive category, its a shame they blew the game against NC State...Florida State 34, Virginia Tech 10.  Loss

Pittsburgh -3 at Connecticut - The bottom line is that the Huskies cannot score.  With just over 8 ppg in their last 4 things have been brutal for the UConn offense.  Pitt lost a heartbreaker against Notre Dame last week and is in prime position to be upset here.  Pitt plays well on Friday nights and against teams they should beat...Pittsburgh 21, Connecticut 10.

Monday, November 5, 2012

College Football 2012 - Bowl Breakdown Week 10

PAC-12
Washington (5-4) - Utah (W), at Colorado (W), at Washington State (W), projected record 8-4 (the Huskies can breathe easier after upsetting Oregon State)

Arizona (5-4) - Colorado (W), at Utah (L), Arizona State (L), projected record 6-6 (like the Huskies, Arizona's upset of USC should send them bowling, especially with Colorado remaining)

Utah (4-5) - at Washington (L), Arizona (W), at Colorado (W), projected record 6-6 (Arizona on the road looks like a different team)

PAC-12 Reset:
1.  Oregon Ducks, 9-0 (BCS National Title Game)
2.  Oregon State Beavers, 7-1 (Rose Bowl)
3.  Stanford Cardinal, 7-2 (Sun Bowl)
4.  UCLA Bruins, 7-2 (Holiday Bowl)
5.  USC Trojans, 6-3 (Alamo Bowl)
6.  Washington Huskies, 5-4 (Las Vegas Bowl)
7.  Arizona State Sun Devils, 5-4 (Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl)
8.  Arizona Wildcats, 5-4 (New Mexico Bowl)
9.  Utah Utes, 4-5 (Heart of Dallas Bowl**)
10. California Golden Bears, 3-7
11. Washington State Cougars, 2-7
12. Colorado Buffaloes, 1-8

Big 10
Minnesota (5-4) - at Illinois (W), at Nebraska (L), Michigan State (L), projected record 6-6 (not a great road team, the Gophers will have to win at Illinois or get to 20 and beat Michigan State at home)

Indiana (4-5) - Wisconsin (L), at Penn State (L), at Purdue (W), projected record 5-7 (the Hoosiers are one of few over-achieving Big 10 teams.  Win at home vs Wisconsin and they might be playing in the Big 10 championship game)

Iowa (4-5) - Purdue (W), at Michigan (L), Nebraska (L), projected record 5-7 (this team doesn't seem good enough to win 2 more games)

Purdue (3-6) - at Iowa (L), at Illinois (W), Indiana (L) - projected record 4-8 (the Boilermakers have let the season get away from them)

Big 10 Reset:
1.  Ohio State Buckeyes, 10-0
2.  Nebraska Cornhuskers, 7-2 (Rose Bowl)
3.  Penn State Nittany Lions, 6-3
4.  Michigan Wolverines, 6-3 (Capital One Bowl)
5.  Northwestern Wildcats, 7-2 (Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl)
6.  Wisconsin Badgers, 6-3 (Outback Bowl)
7.  Michigan State Spartans, 5-4 (Gator Bowl)
8.  Minnesota Golden Gophers, 5-4 (Texas Bowl)
9.  Indiana Hoosiers, 4-5
10. Iowa Hawkeyes, 4-5
11. Purdue Boilermakers, 3-6
12. Illinois Fighting Illini, 2-7
(currently not filling Heart of Dallas or Little Caesars bowl slot)

SEC
Tennessee (4-5) - Missouri (W), at Vanderbilt (W), Kentucky (W), projected record 7-5 (With Kentucky at home, it really comes down to splitting the Missouri/Vandy games.)

Vanderbilt (5-4) - at Ole Miss (L), Tennessee (L), at Wake Forest (W) - projected record 6-6 (the schedule is there for at least one more win)

Ole Miss (5-4) - Vanderbilt (W), at LSU (L), Mississippi State (L), projected record 6-6 (would be nice to take care of things vs Vandy and not have to beat the rival Bulldogs)

Missouri (4-5) - at Tennessee (L), Syracuse (W), at Texas A&M (L), projected record 5-7 (have to figure out a way to beat Tennessee or A&M on the road)

Arkansas (4-5) - at South Carolina (L), at Mississippi State (L), LSU (L), projected record 4-8 (will likely be a fitting end to a disappointing season for the Razorbacks)

SEC Reset:
1.  Alabama Crimson Tide, 9-0 (BCS National Title Game)
2.  Georgia Bulldogs, 8-1 (Chick Fil-A Bowl)
3.  Florida Gators, 8-1 (Capital One Bowl)
4.  LSU Tigers, 7-2 (Sugar Bowl)
5.  Texas A&M Aggies, 7-2 (Cotton Bowl)
6.  South Carolina Gamecocks, 7-2 (Outback Bowl)
7.  Mississippi State Bulldogs, 7-2 (Gator Bowl)
8.  Ole Miss Rebels, 5-4 (Music City Bowl)
9.  Tennessee Volunteers, 4-5 (Liberty Bowl)
10. Vanderbilt Commodores, 5-4 (BBVA Compass Bowl)
11. Missouri Tigers, 4-5
12. Arkansas Razorbacks, 4-5
13. Auburn Tigers, 2-7
14. Kentucky Wildcats, 1-9
(currently not filling Independence Bowl slot)

Big 12
Oklahoma State (5-3) - West Virginia (W), Texas Tech (W), at Oklahoma (L), at Baylor (W), projected record 8-4 (The Cowboys might be contenders for the Big 12 title)

West Virginia (5-3) - at Oklahoma State (L), Oklahoma (L), at Iowa State (W), Kansas (W), projected record 7-5 (you never know what happens when a team starts heading in this direction)

Iowa State (5-4) - at Texas (L), at Kansas (W), West Virginia (L), projected record 6-6 (with Kansas on the remaining schedule, a bowl bid is almost locked in)

Baylor (4-4) - at Oklahoma (L), Kansas State (L), Texas Tech (L), Oklahoma State (L) - projected record 4-8 (if they can figure out how to play better, the offense is capable of leading them)

Big 12 Reset:
1.  Kansas State Wildcats, 9-0 (Fiesta Bowl)
2.  Oklahoma Sooners, 6-2 (Alamo Bowl)
3.  Texas Longhorns, 7-2 (Cotton Bowl)
4.  Texas Tech Red Raiders, 6-3 (Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl)
5.  Oklahoma State Cowboys, 5-3 (Holiday Bowl)
6.  TCU Horned Frogs, 6-3 (Texas Bowl)
7.  West Virginia Mountaineers, 5-3 (Pinstripe Bowl)
8.  Iowa State Cyclones, 5-4 (Heart of Dallas Bowl)
9.  Baylor Bears, 4-4
10. Kansas Jayhawks, 1-8

ACC
Virginia Tech (4-5) - Florida State (L), at Boston College (W), Virginia (W), projected record 6-6 (may need to win a rivalry game to be bowl-eligible)

Maryland (4-5) - at Clemson (L), Florida State (L), at North Carolina (L), projected record 4-8 (a team on their 5th quarterback doesn't beat these teams)

Georgia Tech (4-5) - at North Carolina (L), Duke (W), at Georgia (L), projected record 5-7 (huge game this week at North Carolina, a win not out of the realm)

Wake Forest (5-4) - at NC State (L), at Notre Dame (L), Vanderbilt (L), projected record 5-7 (BC was one, where is the other?)

ACC Reset
1.  Florida State Seminoles, 8-1 (Orange Bowl)
2.  Clemson Tigers, 8-1 (Sugar Bowl)
3.  North Carolina Tar Heels, 6-3
4.  Miami Hurricanes, 5-4 (Chick Fil-A Bowl)
5.  NC State Wolfpack, 5-4 (Russell Athletic Bowl)
6.  Virginia Tech Hokies, 4-5 (Sun Bowl)
7.  Duke Blue Devils, 6-4 (Belk Bowl)
8.  Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 4-5
9. Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 5-4
10.  Maryland Terrapins, 4-5
11. Virginia Cavaliers, 3-6
12. Boston College Eagles, 2-7
(currently not filling Music City, Independence or Military Bowl slot)

Big East
Pittsburgh (4-5) - at Connecticut (W), Rutgers (L), at South Florida (W), projected record 6-6 (I am giving Pitt the benefit of the doubt, but they have no margin for error)

Temple (3-5) - Cincinnati (L), at Army (W), Syracuse (W), projected record 5-6 (regretting not scheduling an FCS team for a 12th game)

Syracuse (4-5) - Louisville (L), at Missouri (L), at Temple (L)  projected record 4-8 (improved, but just not a good road team)

Big East Reset:
1.  Louisville Cardinals, 9-0 (Orange Bowl)
2.  Rutgers Scarlett Knights, 7-1 (Russell Athletic Bowl)
3.  Cincinnati Bearcats, 6-2 (Belk Bowl)
4.  Pittsburgh Panthers, 4-5 (Pinstripe Bowl)
5.  Syracuse Orange, 4-5
6.  Temple Owls, 3-5
7.  South Florida Bulls, 3-6
8.  Connecticut Huskies, 3-6
(currently not filling BBVA Compass Bowl or Beef O'Brady's Bowl slots)

Other Conferences/Independents
Houston (4-5) - Tulsa (L), at Marshall (L), Tulane (W). projected record 5-7

Marshall (4-5) - at UAB (W), Houston (W), at East Carolina (L), projected record 6-6

SMU (4-5) - Southern Miss (W), at Rice (W), Tulsa (L), projected record 6-6

Western Michigan (4-6) - at Buffalo (W), Eastern Michigan (W), projected record 6-6

Miami(OH) (4-5) - Kent State (L), at Central Michigan (W), Ball State (W), projected record 6-6

Central Michigan (3-6) - at Eastern Michigan (W), Miami(OH) (L), at UMass (W), projected record 5-7

Air Force (5-4) - at San Diego State (L), Hawaii (W), at Fresno State (L), projected record 6-6

New Mexico (4-6) - Wyoming (W), Nevada (L), at Colorado State (W), projected record 6-7

Other Conferences/Independents Reset:
1.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 9-0 (Fiesta Bowl)
2.  Northern Illinois Huskies, 9-1 (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl)
3.  Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, 8-1 (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl)
4.  Kent State Golden Flash, 8-1 (GoDaddy.com Bowl)
5.  Ohio Bobcats, 8-1 (Little Caesars Bowl)
6.  Toledo Rockets, 8-1 (Military Bowl**)
7.  UCF Golden Knights, 7-2 (Liberty Bowl)
8.  Boise State Broncos, 7-2 (Las Vegas Bowl)
9.  Tulsa Golden Hurricane, 7-2 (Hawaii Bowl)
10. Utah State Aggies, 8-2 (Independence Bowl**)
11. San Diego State Aztecs, 7-3 (Hawaii Bowl)
12. Fresno State Bulldogs, 7-3 (Poinsettia Bowl)
13. Nevada Wolfpack, 6-3 (New Mexico Bowl)
14. Ball State Cardinals, 6-3 (Music City Bowl**)
15. Bowling Green Falcons, 6-3 (Independence Bowl**)
16. BYU Cougars, 5-4 (Poinsettia Bowl)
17. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, 6-3 (New Orleans Bowl)
18. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, 6-3 (GoDaddy.com Bowl)
19. San Jose State Spartans, 7-2 (Beef O'Brady's Bowl**)
20. Arkansas State Redwolves, 6-3 (Little Caesars Bowl**)
21. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, 6-3 (Military Bowl**)
22. Navy Midshipmen, 6-3 (Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl)
23. East Carolina Pirates, 6-4 (New Orleans Bowl)
24. Air Force Falcons, 5-4 (Armed Forces Bowl)
25. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, 5-3 (BBVA Compass Bowl**)

Other Projected Bowl Eligible Teams:
Marshall Thundering Herd, 4-5 (Beef O'Brady's Bowl)
SMU Mustangs, 4-5 (Armed Forces Bowl)

College Football 2012 - Updated Bowl Projections (Week 10)

New Mexico Bowl - Arizona Wildcats vs Nevada Wolfpack
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl - Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs Northern Illinois Huskies
Poinsettia Bowl - Fresno State Bulldogs vs BYU Cougars
Beef O'Brady's Bowl - San Jose State Spartans vs Marshall Thundering Herd
New Orleans Bowl - East Carolina Pirates vs Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks
Las Vegas Bowl - Boise State Broncos vs Washington Huskies
Hawaii Bowl - San Diego State Aztecs vs Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Little Caesars Bowl - Ohio Bobcats vs Arkansas State Redwolves
Military Bowl - Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders vs Toledo Rockets
Belk Bowl - Duke Blue Devils vs Cincinnati Bearcats
Holiday Bowl - UCLA Bruins vs Oklahoma State Cowboys
Russell Athletic Bowl - Rutgers Scarlett Knights vs North Carolina State Wolfpack
Independence Bowl - Bowling Green Falcons vs Utah State Aggies
Texas Bowl - TCU Horned Frogs vs Minnesota Golden Gophers
Armed Forces Bowl - SMU Mustangs vs Air Force Falcons
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl - Arizona State Sun Devils vs Navy Midshipmen
Alamo Bowl - USC Trojans vs Oklahoma Sooners
Pinstripe Bowl - West Virginia Mountaineers vs Pittsburgh Panthers
Music City Bowl - Ball State Cardinals vs Ole Miss Rebels
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Northwestern Wildcats
Sun Bowl - Stanford Cardinal vs Virginia Tech Hokies
Liberty Bowl - UCF Golden Knights vs Tennessee Volunteers
Chick-Fil-A Bowl - Georgia Bulldogs vs Miami Hurricanes
Heart of Dallas Bowl - Iowa State Cyclones vs Utah Utes
Capital One Bowl - Michigan Wolverines vs Florida Gators
Outback Bowl - Wisconsin Badgers vs South Carolina Gamecocks
Gator Bowl - Mississippi State Bulldogs vs Michigan State Spartans
Cotton Bowl - Texas A&M Aggies vs Texas Longhorns
BBVA Compass Bowl - Vanderbilt Commodores vs Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns
GoDaddy Bowl - Kent State Golden Flash vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Rose Bowl - Oregon State Beavers vs Nebraska Cornhuskers
Orange Bowl - Florida State Seminoles vs Louisville Cardinals
Fiesta Bowl - Kansas State Wildcats vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Sugar Bowl - LSU Tigers vs Clemson Tigers
BCS National Championship - Oregon Ducks vs Alabama Crimson Tide

Friday, November 2, 2012

College Football 2012 - Week 10 Jabesblog picks

Instead of picking every game straight up this year, I thought I would go more Vegas-style and select certain games each week to pick against the spread. Last weeks record:  A humbling 3-8. Season record: 46-37-2. Lock of the Week: 7-2.

Lock of the Week:  Cincinnati -4 vs Syracuse. It seems the football world has now soured on the Bearcats, but I am pretty sure losing at Louisville in overtime is not a bad loss and Toledo is a darn good football team as well. Syracuse doesn't usually travel well and Cincy has taken 6 of the last 7 in this match-up. I expect a little bounce-back from the Bearcats this week...Cincinnati 35, Syracuse 24.


Swamp Danger Game of the Week:  Missouri +17 at Florida.  The Tigers get James Franklin back and have to be a little desperate for their bowl life.  The Gators need to bounce back and hope for help in their SEC Championship pursuit.  Missouri has the Georgia film as a recipe to at least slow down the Florida offense and keep it close for a while...Florida 21, Missouri 14.

Wolverines Resemble Weasels Game of the Week:  Minnesota +11.5 vs Michigan.  The Gophers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 home games, while the Wolverines are only 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 trips out of Ann Arbor.  Combined with the fact that Denard Robinson is a little banged up and Minnesota has made a positive change at quarterback should lead to a closer than expected game...Michigan 28, Minnesota 23.

Rondey Dangerfield Game of the Week:  Mississippi State +7 vs Texas A&M.  I love me some Johnny Football, but it seems the Bulldogs are becoming a no respect team.  Who doesn't get blown out at Alabama?  This match-up could go either way, which makes taking 7 points with the home team too good to pass up...Texas A&M 34, Mississippi State 30.

Patriotic Game of the Week:  Air Force -7 at Army.  I hate to pick on the Cadets, but they seem to get line love on a weekly basis.  They are 1-7 with a loss to Stony Brook!!  The Falcons are playing better and have won 9 of 10 in this rivalry.  The road team is also 10-2 ATS in the last 12 in this match-up.  Look for Ground Force to run all over Army on Saturday...Air Force 42, Army 28.

Is Cam Newton Playing Game of the Week:  New Mexico State +22.5 at Auburn.  In a battle of 1-7 teams, that is a lot of points.  This line overlooks the flaws of Auburn and expects an equally inferior opponent to make them look good.  The Aggies should be able to score enough points to make this line hard to cover...Auburn 31, New Mexico State 21.

No Catchy Name Game of the Week:  Maryland +8 vs Georgia Tech.  The Terps didn't look good against BC a week ago, but Tech looked worse against BYU.  Maryland's defense has been a constant and this is not your recent solid versions of the Yellow Jackets.  4 of the last 5 meetings between these two have been closer than 8 points and I expect the same this week...Georgia Tech 23, Maryland 20.

Rested and Revived Game of the Week:  West Virginia -5 vs TCU.  With an extra week off to regroup, the Mountaineers should be ready for a TCU team that has not looked all that great for most of the season.  The young Horned Frog defense will be tested and this looks like a spot for WVU to get their season headed back in the right direction.  After losing on the road ny 22 last week, more of the same will be in store for TCU in Morgantown...West Virginia 42, TCU 20.

Those Pesky Panthers Game of the Week:  Pittsburgh +16.5 at Notre Dame.  Every few weeks the Notre Dame offense looks good, but usually they score 20 points or less.  Pitt usually plays Notre Dame tough and the last 4 meetings have been 3, 6, 5 and 3 point games.  I expect Notre Dame to continue their dream season, but not as easy as this line is making it look...Notre Dame 20, Pittsburgh 10.

Offensive Explosion I Game of the Week:Northern Illinois -34.5 vs Massachusetts.  The Minutemen average road margin is -35.6, so this line seems fair.  Michigan beat them by 50 and Northern's offense rivals that of the Wolverines.  With the Huskies on a roll, this one should turn ugly fast...Northern Illinois 56, Massachusetts 14.

A Season Down the Drain Game of the Week:  Penn State -3.5 at Purdue.  Has anyone seen Purdue play recently?  Yes they scared Ohio State, but I have no confidence in the Boilermakers who must realize their season is lost...Penn State 28, Purdue 17.

Very Few People Care Game of the Week:  Tulane +5.5 vs Rice.  I have no statistical or inside knowledge on this one.  It seems like Tulane's offense has woken up and that Rice is questionable on the road.  So in my effort to take more home teams, I like the Green Wave as a dog this week...Tulane 36, Rice 35.

You Read it Right Game of the Week:  La-Lafayette +10 at La-Monroe.  Yes, I am picking against ULM with ULL.  Road teams is 8-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings, Underdog is 13-2 ATS in the last 15 meetings, ULL is 17-5 ATS in their last 22 on the road.  The numbers don't lie...ULM 35, ULL 34.

Offensive Explosion II Game of the Week:  Louisiana Tech -31 vs UTSA.  The Bulldogs are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 conference games and the over also has favorable stats in this one, which means the Tech offense is going to be revved up.  UTSA was 5-0 until they began playing better competition and has dropped the last 3 by an average of 26.3.  Louisiana Tech will be even better than that competition...Louisiana Tech 62, UTSA 21.

Nobody Cares Game of the Week:  UAB +3 at Southern Mississippi.  I am taking the 1-7 team over the 0-8 team, even on the road, and that is enough about this game...UAB 40, Southern Mississippi 37.

BCS Chaos Game of the Week:  LSU +8 vs Alabama.  All the line trends actually favor the Tide, but my gut says that this is the close one that Alabama will need to endure to reach a perfect season.  I want to pick the Tigers to cause SEC panic as far as the BCS, but I am not sure I can go that far...wait, since this is for entertainment purposes only, of course I can...LSU 19, Alabama 16.