Who will win the BCS National Championship?
Truthfully, I could argue either team in this one. I can't remember a more even national championship game.
Still, the SEC has won the last four national titles and is 6-0 as a conference in BCS title games, and unfortunately for fans of every other conference that hate hearing how the SEC dominates the sport, Auburn will most likely make it five straight.
I just don't see a speed-oriented offense like Oregon's doing well after a month off, and while it is amazing how well LaMichael James runs up the middle at his size, Nick Fairley will probably keep that from happening.
On the other side, Cam Newton may be just too balanced of a weapon for Oregon's defense to handle. Sure, he can be stopped. Clemson and Mississippi State both held him in check, but that was a few months ago. The closest player to Newton's caliber that Oregon has had to handle was Stanford's Andrew Luck, who had 341 passing yards, two scores and two picks through the air in a 29-of-46 performance against the Ducks. Luck also added another score on the ground in the 52-31 loss.
In that game, LaMichael James rolled out 257 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 31 carries, and I just don't see that happening against Auburn's physical defense.
Auburn wins bigger than anybody who's not an Auburn fan would like to see.
Aside from South Carolina, Clemson and the BCS games, which bowl game is the most intriguing?
There are several intriguing matchups outside of the big boy games, but the most interesting might be Missouri vs. Iowa in the Insight Bowl, which has the potential to be a classic.
Don't forget that Iowa had Big Ten and even national championship aspirations when this season began, and Missouri was ranked No. 6 in the BCS on Oct. 24 after toppling Oklahoma.
Please see TIMMERMAN, page 4B
Iowa imploded over the course of the season to finish its conference schedule at 4-4, but Missouri sits at 10-2 overall, 6-2 in the Big 12. Technically, the Tigers tied for the Big 12 North title, but Nebraska won the teams' head-to-head matchup to get the berth in the conference title game.
To me, the biggest thing about this game might be the coaching implication. With all the preseason hype, how hot will Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz's seat get with a 7-6 season that includes a loss in the Insight Bowl?
What will be the biggest surprise of the bowl season?
On a local level, no one will be surprised to see Arkansas light up the scoreboard in the Sugar Bowl. After all, Arkansas' 41-point performance against South Carolina was only topped by Auburn in the SEC Championship Game for most points scored on the Gamecocks' defense.
That said, many of the national experts will probably cite how Ohio State took home a share of the Big Ten title this year and how only a loss to Wisconsin kept the Buckeyes out of the national championship picture. The betting line on this game has Ohio State as 4-point favorites, and many will argue that with Terrelle Pryor at quarterback, the Buckeyes will be too much for the Razorbacks.
The surprise will be that Arkansas blows Ohio State out of the water.
Maybe I'm remembering too much about what happened the last two times Ohio State played for a national title, but I don't think they're tough enough or fast enough to hang with an SEC team, especially the points machine known as Arkansas.
Will Clemson win its bowl game?
I'd like to say, with Clemson playing South Florida in what could amount to a home game in Charlotte, that the Tigers are the prohibitive favorite here. Still, there are very few bowls that I am less certain about this season.
I think Clemson will win, but I don't think it will be that easy, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Tigers actually lost the game to the Bulls. If Andre Ellington starts and plays well, that will make a bit of a difference in my hopes for the game. Without Ellington, the Tigers lack a significant intimidation factor.
Thus, I pick Clemson to win, but I would rather see them lose if it meant Tajh Boyd getting significant snaps to work with the young Clemson receivers.
Will South Carolina win its bowl game?
I'd like to say no, but logic won't let me.
Even with the Gamecocks' embarrassing loss at the hands of the Auburn Tigers, they are still more impressive than Florida State this season.
Keep in mind that, without a last-second field goal by the Seminoles, Clemson would have taken Florida State to overtime. If Florida State comes up short in that game, the Tigers take the division crown.
I don't even want to discuss what the Gamecocks did to Clemson.
Both of these teams are horribly inconsistent, but Florida State has seemed to lack a real identity this season. The Gamecocks win in a close one.
