Campus Confidential

Cotton Bowl
Dallas, Texas, 2 p.m.
Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech:
Rose: Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell has a zipper-like scar on his non-throwing hand after crushing two fingers in a game near the end of the season. Star wide receiver Michael Crabtree appears recovered from an ankle injury. If Texas Tech is healthy for this game, look out. Remember, Texas Tech is 11-1 and was in the national title hunt until a crushing loss to Oklahoma. Mississippi has really turned it around under Houston Nutt. Jevan Sneed is a dangerous player. The key will be Texas Tech's ability to protect Harrell. The Rebels can pressure the quarterback. And Mississippi has proven it can beat elite teams on the road by taking down Florida in The Swamp. But I think Texas Tech will keep Harrell off the turf and has too much offense. Texas Tech wins, 37-26.

Abramson: News Flash: The Red Raiders are 11-1 this year. The only team they lost to is playing for the national title. Texas Tech beat Oklahoma State AND Texas. I don't want to discredit Ole Miss -- the 8-4 record includes a win over Florida, also playing for that national title. Jevan Sneed has found a place he can call home, and he's done quite well in Oxford. But the Red Raiders score at will, and despite the Rebels' D having good marks, I don't know if it can do enough to stay in the ball game. I will take Texas Tech, 38-23.

Liberty Bowl
Memphis, Tennessee, 5 p.m.
Kentucky vs. East Carolina:
Rose: East Carolina had a rough stretch during the middle of the season, when it looked like an average team. But the Pirates played well down the stretch and won the Conference USA title. I agree with Adam -- I think Patrick Pinkney plays like he did earlier in the season -- calm, collected and productive. Kentucky has had some good -- and not so good -- moments this season. The Wildcats are a little too up and down for my liking. Although, Kentucky can play some defense when that group shows up. But I like East Carolina, 21-13.

Abramson: After a wild season, the Pirates find themselves against a Kentucky team losers of three straight to end the year. I like East Carolin's defense with Pierre Bell and Van Eskridge to rise to the challenge and cap off a 10-win season. If you tune into this one, watch ECU quarterback Patrick Pinkney, he's about as calm as they get on the field. Pirates win, 24-10.

Sugar Bowl
New Orleans, Louisiana, 8 p.m.
Utah vs. Alabama
Rose: Alabama's strength is a devastating running attack, with Glen Coffee, Mark Ingram and Roy Upchurch. So how does the absence of Andre Smith impact the Crimson Tide? Mike Johnson shifts from left guard to Smith's left tackle spot. My one concern is when Alabama's John Parker Wilson needs to throw. How well will Johnson protect Wilson? After all, the left tackle protects the quarterback's blind side. It probably won't be much of a difference. I think the key is how well Alabama defends Utah's quarterback, Brian Johnson. Johnson is a dangerous player. Utah showed me it can play defense this season. I expect Utah to keep this game close into the fourth quarter. Why? I'm not sold on Alabama being over the loss to the Florida Gators. Alabama will come out sluggish. Utah, on the other hand, wants to show the entire nation why they're unbeaten. I think Alabama wins, but close. Tide rolls, 31-24.

Abramson: Mount Smith (OT Andre Smith) is out for the game, and that surely made headlines because he's the best offensive lineman in the country. Will this impact Alabama's dominant running attack? Even if it does just a little bit, the Tide still has one of the better backfields in the country. What really makes this team go is the defense, and Utah is going to have its hands full. I like Saban to craft a game plan that will have the Utes spinning. I will take Alabama, 27-14.

January 3, 2009

International Bowl
Toronto, Canada, noon
Buffalo vs. Connecticut
Rose: Buffalo has had a magical season, with head coach Turner Gill leading the way. The Bulls won the MAC and is appearing in their first bowl game in school history. UConn didn't look good to end the season, losing three of four, including its final two games of the season. UConn couldn't even finish above .500 in a very weak Big East this season. I expect Buffalo to crowd the line of scrimmage and stop UConn's star running back Donald Brown. Buffalo, however, isn't the one-dimensional offense that UConn is. Quarterback Drew Willy (3,091 passing yards and 25 touchdowns), running back James Starks (1,308 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns), and wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt (96 catches, 1,312 receiving yards, 13 touchdowns), will give UConn problems all game. I'm sold on Buffalo and I'm sticking with the Bulls. Buffalo wins, 34-17.

Abramson: Here's a stat: Buffalo has played in four OT games this year. That's just exhausting. The 8-5 Bulls won't wow you on offense, but quarterback Drew Willy takes care of the football -- throwing just five picks in 425 attempts. The question is, how much damage can UConn running back Donald Brown do against Turner Gill's defense? Brown is the country's leading rusher, having hit the 150-yard mark seven times this season. I think he can do enough to allow UConn and Randy Edsall to play at their own pace. Huskies win, 45-24.

Wednesday, Dec. 31

Armed Forces Bowl
Fort Worth, Texas, noon
Houston vs. Air Force:
Rose: Houston averages 41 points per game. The Cougars also average 414 passing yards per game. Houston quarterback Case Keenum has passed for 4,768 yards and 43 touchdowns this season. Air Force won the regular-season matchup, 31-28. But I like the high-scoring Houston offense this time -- 44-36.

Abramson: You might want to pick the opposite of me from here on out. I tallied my regular season picks the other day and was so excited about my accuracy, only to realize my bowl picks are in the tank. Oh well. This is a rematch of a game earlier this year. I'm going to take Air Force with the sweep -- pardon the pun. I don't see Houston stopping anything Air Force has on offense in a 36-30 game. You can't take the civilian team in the Armed Forces Bowl, right?

Sun Bowl
El Paso, Texas, 2 p.m.
Oregon St. vs. Pittsburgh:
Rose: Oregon State would be the pick if freshman star Jacquizz Rodgers was healthy. Pittsburgh is tough with its own star running back -- LeSean McCoy. I like the Panthers' defense to make some key stops and McCoy to have a big game. Pittsburgh wins, 26-23.

Abramson: After a long season, Pittsburgh has to be rather pleased. I'm sure the Panthers eyed a BCS bowl, but things changed after that awful opening week loss. The Panthers went on to win 9 of their last 11 games with LeSean McCoy in the backfield. I agree with Mike that McCoy will be the big difference in this game -- it'll make the Beavers realize how important Jacquizz Rodgers is (but I'm sure they know that). Panthers win 24-13.

Music City Bowl
Nashville, Tenn., 3:30 p.m.
Vanderbilt vs. Boston College:
Rose: Boston College's tough defense -- especially that front seven -- and equally tough running attack will be too much for Vanderbilt. The Eagles win, 27-13.

Abramson: The Eagles have one of the top play making defenses in the country. They lead college football with 26 passes intercepted, but the team has turned the ball over 30 times. Obviously, we see where the game will be won. I think the Eagles can create some offense with that disciplined defense and top Vanderbilt's weak offense, 20-6.

Insight Bowl
Tempe, Ariz., 5:30 p.m.
Kansas vs. Minnesota:
Rose: Minnesota will have a difficult time defending against Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing and the Jayhawks' passing game. Kansas wins, 37-24.

Abramson: Kansas was in a free fall before its dramatic win over Missouri to end its regular season. The Jayhawks have their fair share of problems on defense, but I think that high-scoring Big XII offense can breeze by Minnesota -- losers of four straight to end the year. I will take Kansas, 45-14.

Chick-fil-A Bowl
Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
Georgia Tech vs. LSU:
Rose: LSU has been a popular pick around the Internet. But Georgia Tech's triple option attack has shredded good defenses already this season, including Georgia, Florida State and Miami. And LSU does not have a good defense this season. Look for Jonathan Dwyer to have a huge game against the Tigers. Georgia Tech wins, 38-20.

Abramson: I am with Mike on this one. LSU has shown me little all year and proved in the Arkansas loss that it can't come up with offense in critical moments. And, as Mike said, the defense is not the Tiger defense of recent years last, but that's what happens when you no longer have Glenn Dorsey, Ali Highsmith, LaRon Landry, Chevis Jackson, Chase Pittman, Randall Gay, etc. Georgia Tech grinds on teams the way it did against Georgia, and I think the same is going to happen to LSU. Yellow Jackets win 17-10.

Thursday, Jan. 1

Outback Bowl
Tampa, Fla., 11 a.m.
South Carolina vs. Iowa:
Rose: Iowa has been so impressive over the second half of the season. Shonn Greene will give a good South Carolina defense problems all game. Steve Spurrier's offense has struggled at times this season. Expect the same against the Hawkeyes. Iowa wins, 23-10.

Abramson: A terrible South Carolina offense is going up against a very strong Iowa defense. The Gamecocks cannot be discredited on defense, but Shonn Greene has been outstanding and can take over a football game -- just ask Penn State. South Carolina gives up a ton of sacks, which can lead to a ton of turnovers, which generally lead to losses. Iowa wins, 35-24.

Capital One Bowl
Orlando, Fla., 1 p.m.
Michigan State vs. Georgia:
Rose: Michigan State has struggled against talented offenses this season (California, Ohio State and Penn State). Georgia has Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno. I like the Bulldogs, 27-17.

Abramson: Georgia can point to many things when they evaluate why the Dawgs are in the Capital One Bowl and not the Sugar Bowl. One reason is that the defense hasn't lived up to its hype. However, it's still a good group that has the ability to limit Javon Ringer -- Michigan State's primary source of offense. Do that, and use your weapons at the skill positions and Georgia wins easy, 31-17.

Gator Bowl
Jacksonville, Fla., 1 p.m.
Clemson vs. Nebraska:
Rose: Tough game to call. Both teams played well late, especially Clemson, which won three straight games under new coach Dabo Swinney. The Cornhuskers won five of six. But I like Nebraska's chances with quarterback Joe Ganz, who played extremely well in the final three games of the regular season. Nebraska wins, 31-27.

Abramson: I expect to see Nebraska quarterback Joe Ganz playing on Sundays at some point. After seeing him play a few times, it's clear he has a giant arm and can make all of the throws. The key will be his protection -- and Nebraska has done a fine job of allowing Ganz to find his receivers. One surprise this year is Clemson's inability to sack the quarterback, and if they can't get to Ganz, they are in for a long night. I will take the Huskers, who have finished hot, 44-30.

Rose Bowl
Pasadena, Calif., 4:30 p.m.
USC vs. Penn State:
Rose: USC is a big favorite, and the Trojans have the best defense in the country. But I think Penn State can hold its own. Penn State has talent on both sides of the ball. And the Nittany Lions' defense is definitely getting forgotten in the buildup for this game. Penn State needs to attack USC downfield early and get that nasty front seven away from the line of scrimmage. USC's offense has been shaky at times this season, but I think the Trojans may have just enough. USC wins, 24-19.

Abramson: I've been giving Rose a hard time about this game, saying USC will win by two touchdowns. I love what Penn State offers on defense, but I'm not sure this offense can generate enough points to keep up with the Trojans. I will take Mark Sanchez/Joe McKnight/Pat Turner over Daryll Clark/Evan Royster/Derrick Williams. About a week ago Mike said Penn State can win the game if they get to Sanchez early on -- and I think that's a fair assessment, but I'm just not sold on what the offense can do in this game. Trojans win 34-16.

Orange Bowl
Miami, 8 p.m.
Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech:
Rose: Cincinnati is definitely an underrated team. The Bearcats are playing in their first BCS bowl. Virginia Tech is a veteran of BCS bowls. But I like Cincinnati, 24-20.

Abramson: Much has been made of Virginia Tech's change in approach to bowl games. This is Tech's third BCS game in five years, and so far the Hokies are 0-2. After being in Miami for the Orange Bowl last year, it was obvious that the Hokies has a lackadaisical approach to the game. While that's changed, Tech is missing two key defenders and have done some shuffling on the offensive line. I really am tempted to take the Hokies, but Cincinnati has shown time-and-again it can win big football games, so I will take the Bearcats, 21-16.

Motor City Bowl
Florida Atlantic 24, Central Michigan 21: Florida Atlantic head coach Howard Schnellenberger has never lost a bowl game -- he's 6-0.
Rose's pick: I like Central Michigan, 38-27.

Meineke Car Care Bowl
West Virginia 31, North Carolina 30: Pat White, who threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns, caps an incredible career at West Virginia by becoming the only quarterback to start four bowl games and win them all. Think about that. It's very impressive.
Rose's pick: I like North Carolina, 27-20.

Champs Sports Bowl
Florida State 42, Wisconsin 13: I said prior to this game that quarterback play would be the key. Florida State's Christian Ponder threw for two touchdowns. Wisconsin's Dustin Sherer fumbled twice -- and both were returned for touchdowns. The Seminoles clearly had the most talent on the field. A great lift for Florida State heading into next season.
Rose's pick: I'm taking the Seminoles, 33-27.

Emerald Bowl
California 24, Miami 17: Jahvid Best rushed for a game-high 186 yards and two touchdowns for Cal. Anthony Miller caught a 2-yard touchdown with 2:41 remaining for the win. Miami's Jacory Harris, filling in for regular starting quarterback Robert Marve, had a good game, completing 25 of 41 passes for 194 yards and touchdowns.
Rose's pick: I like Cal in this one, 30-16.

Independence Bowl
Louisiana Tech 17, Northern Illinois 10: It was Louisiana Tech's first postseason win since winning the 1977 Independence Bowl.
Rose's pick: I'm going to go with Louisiana Tech, 21-20.

That leaves me at 8-4 overall in my bowl picks.

Monday, Dec. 29

PapaJohns.com Bowl
Birmingham, Ala., 3 p.m.
Rutgers vs. North Carolina State:
Rose: Believe it or not, this may be one of the better games this bowl season. Both teams are hot -- North Carolina State won four straight to finish the regular season, which Rutgers reeled off six straight wins after a 1-5 start. Rutgers is playing great football now, on both sides of the ball. The Scarlet Knights can score points, but the defense allowed only 94 points over the final six games of the regular season. I really like what quarterback Mike Teel and wide receiver Kenny Britt have been doing. I'm going with the Scarlet Knights in a hard-fought and close one, 31-27.

Abramson: Both teams were left for dead at some point (N.C. State was 2-6 on Nov. 1 and Rutgers has won six in a row after starting 1-5) and have been able to turn it around and salvage the season with the PapaJohns.com Bowl. North Carolina State QB Russell Wilson has thrown just one interception this year in 252 attempts. That's to 16 touchdowns. He's been a great game manager for Tom O'Brien's team. On the other side, Mike Teel has had a solid senior season, but can get the Scarlet Knights into trouble if he adds to his 12 INTs this season. Rutgers' D is good, but not as good as years past, and for that reason I will take the Wolfpack, 17-13.

Alamo Bowl
San Antonio, 8 p.m.
Northwestern vs. Missouri: Northwestern had a solid season -- and some might say surprising season. The Wildcats finished 9-3. Missouri had a disappointing season. The Tigers had hopes for a national title, and star quarterback Chase Daniel was a contender for the Heisman Trophy when the season started. Missouri has stumbled to a 9-4 record. Northwestern's strength is its defense. But in the three games the Wildcats played against ranked teams this season, they gave up more than 35 points twice (37 to Michigan State and 45 to Ohio State). I don't think Northwestern can stop Missouri enough to win. Missouri's defense has had its problems this season, but Northwestern has scored more than 25 points in a game only four times this season. Missouri wins going away, 45-27.

Abramson: I really like what Northwestern did this year, but Missouri is a good team that was swept under the rug in a stacked Big 12 conference. The Tigers still have that big offense led by names like Chase Daniel, Chase Coffman and Jeremy Maclin, names that I am not sure Northwestern can keep up with. The 9-3 Wildcats will have Tyrell Sutton back on the field, but he cannot produce enough offense to match the Tigers' No. 6-ranked offense. Remember, this is a group that lost to Oklahoma, Texas and Oklahoma State and still went to the Big XII title game (granted, the OU loss was in that game). I will take Mizzou, 41-23.

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Humanitarian Bowl
Boise, Idaho, 4:30 p.m.
Nevada vs. Maryland:
Rose: Is there a tougher team to figure out in the country than Maryland? The Terps were 6-2 before losing three of their final four games. Now they have to figure out a way to defend Nevada's Colin Kaepernick, a dual-threat terror who was the WAC player of the year. Check out these stats for Kaepernick -- 2,479 passing yards with 19 TDS and 1,115 rushing yards and 16 TDs. Kaepernick threw for 397 yards in one game this season and rushed for 240 yards in another game. Nevada rushes for 291 yards per game. Maryland's rush defense isn't too solid. Nevada wins this one on the blue turf, 37-21.

Abramson: While Mike tries to figure out Maryland, I am going to try and figure out what Roady's is...besides being the sponsor of the Humanitarian Bowl. Anyway, Maryland has lost three of its last four and is going up against a team that runs the ball with the best of them. Vai Taua is going to be battering Maryland's average defense when WAC player of the year Colin Kaepernick decides to take a play off. With Casey Turner having such a hot-cold season, I will take the Wolfpack for the second time in this post in a 30-17 game.

Holiday Bowl
San Diego, 8 p.m.
Oregon vs. Oklahoma State:
Rose: Oregon's offense is putting up some scary stats this season -- 278 yards on the ground and 200 yards in the air per game. The two Jeremiahs lead the way -- quarterback Jeremiah Masoli has throw for 1,486 yards and 12 touchdowns, and he's rushed for 612 yards and seven touchdowns. Running back Jeremiah Johnson has rushed for 1,082 yards and 12 touchdowns. Oklahoma State's offense is even scarier with 256 rushing yards and 233 passing yards per game. Quarterback Zac Robinson, running back Kendall Hunter and wide receiver Dez Bryant are a tough trio for defenses to stop. So expect a lot of scoring in this game, since both teams average over 40 points per game. I think Oklahoma State has more offense than Oregon does. I'm picking the Cowboys, 48-44.

Abramson: The amount of points in this game could be scary. There's a ton of playmakers who average a ton of yards, but I most like what Zac Robinson brings to the table. He has shown a good amount of poise and leadership going up against some of the best teams in the country week-in-and-out -- the problem is, OSU didn't win any of those games. Neither team has a signature win, but I will take the team from what most feel is the top conference in the land. Pokes win 45-33.

Texas Bowl
Houston, 8 p.m.
Rice vs. Western Michigan:
Rose: Rice quarterback Chase Clement and Western Michigan's Tim Hiller have put up some incredible numbers this season. Clement has thrown for 3,812 yards and 41 touchdowns, while Hiller has thrown for 3,527 yards and 34 touchdowns. Clement has two 1,200-yards receivers to throw to -- James Casey (104 catches) and Jarett Dillard (79 catches). Western Michigan's pass defense is near the bottom of the national rankings. That means I'm picking Rice, 38-24.

Abramson: Honestly, I will probably do something like go see 'Gran Torino' instead of watch this game, but we're predicting all of them at Campus. I know that's not very nice, and I shouldn't knock a Western Michigan team that played Nebraska and Illinois, and beat the Illini. The Broncos are 9-3 and have an incredible passing offense led by Tim Hiller at quarterback. The only problem is that Rice has a higher ranked passing offense with Chase Clement at quarterback. Much is possible when you have Jarrett Dillard and James Casey as targets. These teams are very similar, but Rice is one of the top teams in the country and takeaways with 29, and are +13 on the season. For that reason, I will take the Owls, 28-25.

So while I was in China, MIami decided to suspend a few players, including Robert Marve -- their primary quarterback.

I chose Miami not knowing this, and I will stick with my original pick only because I am a fan of Jacory Harris.

But I came on here to write that Randy Shannon better keep these kids in check. Suspending them for the bowl game makes a statement, and that's great, but you don't want a team of guys that doesn't understand discipline. It will be interesting to see how his young guys mature while they're on campus.

Rich Ellerson has been named the new head coach at Army.

Ellerson comes over from Cal Poly and is filling in the void left from Stan Brock's firing. Brock coached two seasons in West Point, going 6-18 (a pair of 3-9 campaigns). Cal Poly is coming off a fantastic season, finishing 8-3 after a first-round loss in the FCS playoffs.

Ellerson came scary close to beating Wisconsin on the road in November. Cal Poly missed three PATs in a 36-35 overtime loss. Ellerson, 54, is considered by many to be a master of running the triple option offense -- which is right up Army's alley.

If anyone can get the Black Knights moving in the right direction, it's Ellerson. Army won't be competing for a national title next year, but under his guise, expect Army to compete in the coming seasons.

I hope the bosses don't get mad about me linking to a competitor, but below is a link outlining the recruitment of top defensive tackle Jamarkus McFarland.

It came down to Oklahoma and Texas -- and the process was quite intense.

Kudos to the NYTimes' coverage of this: McFarland recruitment

Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Haywood is the new head coach at Miami of Ohio.

Haywood is only the sixth black head coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Haywood has solid credentials as a coach in major college football. Haywood also has some experience in the MAC, having served on the staffs at Ohio University and Ball State. But he also has experience working in big-time programs such as LSU and Texas, as well as Notre Dame.