Bowl Games thread.....

Clemson -9.5 (**) vs Kentucky.   This one is in Nashville.  At first glance I liked KY.  I wanted to like KY in this game.  But after further review ¨C the play was overruled.

This game boils down to Clemsons rushing game vs the KY defense, and the KY throwing game against the Clemson defense.  That¡¯s what both offenses do best, lets look at it:

Clemson rushing offense 5^th in the nation

KY rushing defense 111^th (out of 119) in the nation and last in the SEC

KY passing offense 9^th in the nation

Clemson passing defense 4^th in the nation.

I just don¡¯t see how KY is ever going to stop Clemson.  On the other hand, Clemson should be able to slow down KY and KY cant run the ball either.  Special teams are a wash although KY has one of the best punt return teams in the nation.

Strength of schedule is about even, with Clemson having a tougher out of conf schedule but an easier in conf schedule.  I don¡¯t like the fact that Clemson is limping in to this one losing 3 of its last 4, and especially to S Carolina, but Clemson will be able to run on KY and that will be the difference.

Clemson 38 ¨C 17

Missouri +3.5 (**) vs Oregon State at El Paso TX.  I have to take the points here.  Missouri is a little bit better than Oregon State in almost every statistical category.  They have very even special teams.

The difference in this one is Missouri¡¯s air attack against the OSU passing defense.  I think Missou should be able to move the ball in the air.

Missouri wins 31-24

S Carolina -5.5 (****) vs Houston at Mephis TN.  This will be equal to my biggest bowl game bet of the season. 

This is a tremendous spot for SC.  First off lets talk about what happened last year in SC¡¯s bowl game.  They were dominating Missouri 21-0 and going in for another when they threw an interception and they just fell apart.  They lost and the program was embarrassed and spurrier vowed he would never let that happen again.  The players have all been saying that they remember that game and will never let that happen again.  I believe SC will play until the last whistle, even if it means burying their opponent.  There will be no give up.

Houston plays in CUSA ¨C and we have already seen what that lousy conference has done.  I have it ranked as the worst conference from top to bottom, and they are doing nothing so far to prove me wrong.  On the other hand the SEC is the strongest conference in the nation from top to bottom, and SC competed very well all year.  Their losses are to Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, Auburn and Georgia ¨C all solid bowl teams.

SC will be able to move the ball all over the field on Houston, and I think Houston will become one dimensional and as good as Kolb can be, he cant carry this team alone.

Big coaching advantage to SC too.

SC wins easily 41-17.