Quick hitter: Matthew's BCS bowl projections
Based on the games that have been played -- and based on my own predictions of games left to play -- here are my BCS bowl projections:
BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (BCS No. 1 vs. No. 2) -- LSU vs. Alabama
We can only hope that, should this matchup become a reality, it's more exciting than the regular-season matchup between the SEC West Division teams. That game, a 9-6 overtime win for the Tigers, was best described by some soccer-loving folks as "LSU 2, Alabama 2, LSU wins 1-0 in penalty kicks."
ROSE BOWL (Big 10 champion vs. Pac-12 champion) -- Michigan State vs. Oregon
I'll believe in Mark Dantonio's Spartans against Wisconsin (what happened? The Badgers were supposed to be a national-title contender) in the inaugural Big 10 championship game. After seeing the Bruins and their all-white uniforms dismantled by USC this past weekend, I have no reason to believe in UCLA winning a Pac-12 title as a sendoff for the fired Rick Neuheisel.
FIESTA BOWL (At-large vs. Big 12 champion) -- Houston vs. Oklahoma State
It's a shame that part of the plot of "Rocky" -- the little guy getting a shot at the champ -- never plays out in major college football. Then again, for that to even be a possibility, the aforementioned little guy (an unbeaten, highly-ranked team in a non-automatic qualifying BCS conference) has to be the real deal. Houston's unbeaten, but no one is screaming for them to get a shot at LSU.
Still, their road to a BCS game was paved by many of the little guys before them -- Utah, Boise State, TCU -- proving their worth in big bowls. A conference championship and a top-seven BCS ranking will be enough to get them on the big stage.
Assuming the Cowboys can beat in-state rival Oklahoma, this BCS berth is theirs. Of course, coach Mike Gundy and everyone else in Stillwater is decked out in Georgia red after the OU game, hoping the Bulldogs can beat LSU for the SEC crown. An LSU loss might let the Cowboys move into the title tilt.
SUGAR BOWL (At-large vs. SEC champion) -- Arkansas vs. Boise State
This assumes that LSU wins the SEC title and faces Alabama for the national championship, giving the BCS its choice of team. Money talks, and it makes the most sense to keep an SEC team in SEC country for this bowl, so Bobby Petrino's Razorbacks will head for New Orleans.
If the LSU-'Bama matchup happens, it SHOULD leave an at-large spot open for another "BCS buster" -- though, at this point, can you really label Big East-bound Boise State an underdog program? Yet again, they're one miserable game away from playing for the title. The Broncos certainly won't shed any tears if they can get another BC$ payday -- er, bowl! I mean BCS bowl!
ORANGE BOWL (At-large vs. ACC champion) -- Stanford vs. Virginia Tech
Andrew Luck's season-long early NFL scouting combine won't include a Pac-12 championship, but he'll get one final BCS berth before his inevitable No. 1 selection in the NFL draft.
Interestingly enough, it will likely be this rematch of last year's Orange Bowl, as long as the Hokies take care of business in the ACC title game.
What do you think?
-M.S.