It’s that time of year again, when I make smart ass remarks justifying why I’m picking one college football team to beat another. Not only do I give you the full bowl schedule with tv listings, there’s fun and goofy pictures of cheerleaders and hot female fans interspersed within the listing.
And to keep up with the latest odds on the NCAA bowl games go here
And to make the post more pure to the game and traditional, I took OUT all the corporate sponsor names of the bowls
New Mexico Nevada vs. Arizona Albuquerque, N.M. University Stadium Dec. 15 1 p.m. ESPN
Wait there’s bowl games already today? Wow that’s early. I’ll take Zona since they’re right next door in a game that’s sure to have low ratings.
Idaho Potato Toledo vs. Utah State Boise, Idaho Bronco Stadium Dec. 15 4:30 p.m. ESPN
The famous blue field turf bowl. I’ll take the Rockets since I think they’re underrated. Plus the states of Ohio and Michigan fought an actual war over Toledo in the early 19th century. That must make it an important place.
S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia BYU vs. San Diego State San Diego Qualcomm Stadium Dec. 20 8 p.m. ESPN
Perhaps the worst named bowl of all, going with SDSU since they have an unfair home field advantage
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Ball State vs. UCF St. Petersburg, Fla. Tropicana Field Dec. 21 7:30 p.m. ESPN
Maybe this one has the worst name of all bowls. Favoring UCF since they’re so close to home
New Orleans East Carolina vs. Louisiana-Lafayette New Orleans Superdome Dec. 22 Noon ESPN
Does anyone care? ULL since they have dome-field advantage
Las Vegas Washington vs. Boise State Las Vegas Sam Boyd Stadium Dec. 22 3:30 p.m. ESPN
Does the winner get $500 worth of chips at the Bellagio and some lap dances? UW is weak, gotta take Boise
Hawaii Fresno State vs. SMU Honolulu Aloha Stadium Dec. 24 8 p.m. ESPN
Does the winner get some poi and a luau? Taking the Pony Express in this one
Pizza Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan Detroit Ford Field Dec. 26 7:30 p.m. ESPN
8 Mile is definitely where you wanna be for the holidays, right? CMU won’t travel far for this one. Picking all the home teams thus far
Military Bowl San Jose State vs. Bowling Green Washington, D.C. RFK Stadium Dec. 27 3 p.m. ESPN
Oh this one will do HUGE FREAKING NUMBERS for ESPN. I like SJSU
Belk Cincinnati vs. Duke Charlotte, N.C. Bank of America Stadium Dec. 27 6:30 p.m. ESPN
Duke hasn’t been to a bowl for awhile so I think they’ll be JACKED for this one
Holiday Baylor vs. UCLA San Diego Qualcomm Stadium Dec. 27 9:45 p.m. ESPN
Finally! a bowl game actually worth watching! A good match-up; Will Jim Mora Jr. have an answer for All-American WR Terrence Williams? I think so
Independence Ohio vs. Louisiana-Monroe Shreveport, La. Independence Stadium Dec. 28 2 p.m. ESPN
How many freakin teams get to play in bowls in their home state? Taking the road team Ohio in this one. Does Shreveport really deserve a bowl?
Russell Athletic Rutgers vs. Virginia Tech Orlando, Fla. Florida Citrus Bowl Dec. 28 5:30 p.m. ESPN
What is this bowl? Never heard of it. Going with the underachieving Hokies here
Texas Minnesota vs. Texas Tech Houston Reliant Stadium Dec. 28 9 p.m. ESPN
There’s a reason every Big Ten team is an underdog this bowl season. The Gophers are not good.
Armed Forces Rice vs. Air Force Fort Worth Amon G. Carter Stadium Dec. 29 11:45 a.m. ESPN
I’m sure the one person who watches this game will enjoy it very much. Since it’s the Armed Forces Bowl, gotta take the Air Force
Pinstripe West Virginia vs. Syracuse Bronx, N.Y. Yankee Stadium Dec. 29 3:15 p.m. ESPN
Tell me again why we have cold weather outdoor bowls? Geno Smith and WVU will light the Cuse up
Fight Hunger Navy vs. Arizona State San Francisco AT&T Park Dec. 29 4 p.m. ESPN2
Did you know an ASU cheerleader did a porno while wearing her uniform? Reason enough to pick the Sun Devils
Alamo Texas vs. Oregon State San Antonio Alamodome Dec. 29 6:45 p.m. ESPN
Again, does every bowl have a team playing in their home state? Going with the Beavers
Buffalo Wild Wings TCU vs. Michigan State Tempe, Ariz. Sun Devil Stadium Dec. 29 10:15 p.m. ESPN
Another very stupidly named bowl. Will MSU be inspired enough for this? No, probably not
Music City NC State vs. Vanderbilt Nashville, Tenn. LP Field Dec. 31 Noon ESPN
Not only does Vandy get to play in their home state, but they even get their home city. And this is the best Commodores team in awhile
Sun USC vs. Georgia Tech El Paso, Texas Sun Bowl Dec. 31 2 p.m. CBS
On one hand, USC is the biggest flop of the year. On the other hand look at their cheerleaders in bikinis. Going with GT
Liberty Iowa State vs. Tulsa Memphis, Tenn. Liberty Bowl Dec. 31 3:30 p.m. ESPN
In the words of Homer Simpson, “BORRRING!” Tulsa I guess
Chick-fil-A LSU vs. Clemson Atlanta Georgia Dome Dec. 31 7:30 p.m. ESPN
The Tigers (LSU variety) are pretty friggin good. Look for them to slaughter the Tigers (Clemson variety) Enjoy the LSU cheerleader gallery here
Gator Mississippi State vs. Northwestern Jacksonville, Fla. Everbank Field Jan. 1 Noon ESPN2
Good thing for NU they fell a little in the bowl hierarchy. Cuz now they have a more favorable match-up, and the 64 YEAR OLD DROUGHT WILL END!
Heart of Dallas Purdue vs. Oklahoma State Dallas Cotton Bowl Jan. 1 Noon ESPNU
Hard to pick a team with a fired coach. Ok St. all the way
Outback South Carolina vs. Michigan Tampa, Fla. Raymond James Stadium Jan. 1 1 p.m. ESPN
Hard to take a Big Ten team over an SEC twice. Doing it once was difficult enough
Capital One Georgia vs. Nebraska Orlando, Fla. Florida Citrus Bowl Jan. 1 1 p.m. ABC
If the Badgers hung 70 on the Huskers, imagine how badly the Bulldogs will ravage them
Rose Bowl Wisconsin vs. Stanford Pasadena, Calif. Rose Bowl Jan. 1 5 p.m. ESPN
It pains me to talk about this game too much because I could be in the press box for it; if not for my health issues. I’ve really had to miss out on a lot this year. By the way, I’m making a ballsy pick and taking Sconnie
Orange Northern Illinois vs. Florida State Miami Sun Life Stadium Jan. 1 8:30 p.m. ESPN
I like NIU’s feistiness, backlashing against the evil empire (ESPN) for criticizing their placement here. But that won’t be enough to pull off the massive upset
Sugar Louisville vs. Florida New Orleans Louisiana Superdome Jan. 2 8:30 p.m. ESPN
UL really has no chance at all. This should be a laugher
Fiesta Oregon vs. Kansas State Glendale, Ariz. U. of Phoenix Stadium Jan. 3 8:30 p.m. ESPN
Match-up of the two teams that could have had it all had they not both screwed up on the same weekend. Will be a fun one to watch. Picking OU cuz of their offense. And maybe their cheerleaders. See the reasons why here and more here
Cotton Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma Arlington, Texas Cowboys Stadium Jan. 4 8 p.m. FOX
This is pretty much a BCS game, both in talent and magnitude. Taking the Heisman winner’s team. Go here to check out Manziel’s model girlfriend
BBVA Compass Pittsburgh vs. Ole Miss Birmingham, Ala. Legion Field Jan. 5 1 p.m. ESPN
No one gives a shit about this game. Therefore, I’m not even picking it.
GoDaddy.com Kent State vs. Arkansas State Mobile, Ala. Ladd-Peebles Stadium Jan. 6 9 p.m. ESPN
The main sponsor of Danica Patrick yey! Oh wait, this game tries to trick you into thinking it’s relevant because it comes so late in the sequence. But it’s not, so who cares who wins.
BCS National Championship Notre Dame vs. Alabama Miami Sun Life Stadium Jan. 7 8:30 p.m. ESPN
I’m a little bitter about this one too; because there’s an outside chance I could be at press row for this one too. Again had it not been for my health issues. Alabama is a heavy favorite and it’s easy to understand why. Here’s more detail previewing this game. Also, Bama QB A.J. McCarron has a hot mom.
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, a Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Chicago Tribune.com, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
A Fulbright scholar, published author and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; he’s also a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.
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