Rose Bowl picks and the New Year's weekend slate!

The greatest day of the year for college football fans is here! THe heck with your New Year's resoluations, today is all about laying around, stuffing your face and watching game after game of glorious gridiron action.

In our ongoing bowl poll, Ron Musselman and Ray Fittipaldo have pulled into a tie for first place, with Chuck Finder nipping at their heels and Paul Zeise bringing up the rear. The standings:

• Fittipaldo: 11-11
• Musselman: 11-11
• Finder: 10-12
• Zeise: 8-13 (Paul didn't pick the Pitt game) 

Thursday, Jan. 1

Rose Bowl: Southern Cal (11-1) vs. Penn State (11-1)

FITTIPALDO: I covered the last Penn State-USC game. It was at Giants Stadium in some kind of kickoff classic type of game. The Lions had negative yards rushing. They could be in for a similar day against the Trojans' defense. Take USC. 

ZEISE: I think it will be fun to watch USC linebacker Ray Malauga (or some spelling close to that) chasing Darryl Clark all around the field but I think anyone who thinks this will be a blow-out is kidding themselves. Penn State wins bowl games -- as does USC -- and the Nittany Lions have the kind of defense and offensive line to match physical with the Trojans. I also think Penn State has more motivation and more to prove as they feel like they are getting overlooked and dissed while USC would rather be anywhere else than playing a home bowl game for the fourth year in a row.

MUSSELMAN: Not picking this game for obvious reasons. I cover Penn State.

FINDER: Pete Carroll resigns once he realizes that Joe Paterno started working at Penn State the year before Pete was born. Oh, but it's a Trojans conquest, because the Nittany Lions haven't played a defense this good. Go with USC.

Everyone talks about JoePa's age, but no one ever tells Hef (also 82) to retire ...

Outback Bowl: Iowa (8-4) vs. South Carolina (7-5)

FITTIPALDO: You're not doing your job on New Year's Eve if you're up early enough to watch this game. Maybe you catch the ending, but definitely nothing before halftime. Iowa wins.

ZEISE: Iowa turned it on down the stretch and showed that Kirk Ference guy can still coach a little bit and smashmouth football is still not a bad way to go. South Carolina, like Georgia and LSU, is always overrated and mostly because the ESPN talent love to wax poetic about the greatness of Steve Spurrier. Unfortunately, Spurrier ain't been great since he left Gainesville and what he's done is taken South Carolina from mediocre to … mediocre. Pick: Iowa.

MUSSELMAN: The Hawkeyes beat the Ol’ Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier. Iowa wins.

FINDER: Offensive genius Steve Spurrier, please pick up a white courtesy phone. . . . This could be a 3-2 final, but Iowa's Shonn Greene will lead the boring victory charge.

Watching Steve Spurrier go ballistic and throw his visor is one of the joys of college football.

Capital One Bowl: Georgia (9-3) vs. Michigan State (9-3)

FITTIPALDO: Better troubled Steelers first round pick, Georgia's Tim Worley or State's Plexico Burress? I'll take Burress. And I'll take Michigan State too.  

ZEISE: Georgia was going to win the national championship this year, we were told, over and over and over again all summer long. Of course, three losses later it can't be long before the SEC apologists in the national media start saying that those three losses is a testament to how tough the SEC really is, as opposed to the fact that, well, the Bulldogs just weren't that good. Michigan State is about as exciting as watching paint dry but Mark Dantonio is a great coach who knows how to coach winning football and they will maul the Bulldogs physically in this one.

MUSSELMAN: The Spartans will have to wait another year for a bowl victory. Give me Georgia.

FINDER: These two battled in a high-scoring thriller back when Plaxico Burress was a young gunslinger. Georgia's Knowshon Moreno has more around him than Michigan State's Javon Ringer, maybe even a lot more.

Gator Bowl: Nebraska (8-4) vs. Clemson (7-5)

FITTIPALDO: Can someone please tell me how Clemson gets to play in a New Year's Day bowl game? Or Nebraska for that matter? I'd like to propose a rule. You can only play if a New Year's Day bowl if you're ranked. Go with Nebraska. 

ZEISE: Pitt fans, remember the name Bo Pelini? He was one of the finalists for the Pitt job a few years back and in just one year at Nebraska he has the Big Red nation dreaming about national titles again. The Cornhuskers have a ways to go to get back to dominance but they are pretty good already. Clemson should not be in a January 1st game. Heck, given the way their season went they don't deserve to be in a Dec. 1st game. Pick: Nebraska.

MUSSELMAN: This would have been a great matchup 20 years ago, but in its current incarnation, I'll take Nebraska.

FINDER: West Virginia or Pitt probably wish they were here, in warmer, Florida climes. Clemson and its traveling fans introduce interim-turned-head coach Dabo (we're not making that up) Sweeney to what few Americans are watching and wondering, "Man, the Tigers have some talent."

Orange Bowl: Cincinnati (11-2) vs. Virginia Tech (9-4)

FITTIPALDO: Could the Bearcats beat the Bengals? I've got a better question: will anyone watch this game? Take Virginia Tech.

ZEISE: The ACC should thank its lucky stars that the Big East let them borrow Frank Beamer and company because, well, without Virginia Tech, who would win that wretched league on an annual basis? As for Cincinnati, the Bearcats want to prove they belong and they have the defense and the quarterback to do so.

MUSSELMAN: Cincinnati in a BCS game is almost comical. Pick: Virginia Tech.

FINDER: Wait, wasn't there supposed to be a Big East-ACC play-in game to get to a BCS bowl? Two teams that play to their defenses, but Cincinnati has more offense.

The Bearcts are the best football team in Cincinnati -- pro or college.

———
Friday, Jan. 2

Cotton Bowl: Texas Tech (11-1) vs. Mississippi (8-4)

FITTIPALDO: Mississippi is the only team to beat Florida this season. Texas Tech is the only team to beat Texas. What does it all mean? Absolutely nothing. Take Texas Tech in a shootout.

ZEISE: The Red Raiders will throw the ball all over the field but Houston Nutt has the Rebels headed in the right direction. Don't forget, the Rebels are the team that won at Gainesville against Tim Tebow and company while Texas Tech got spanked by Oklahoma. Finally one of those overrated SEC teams gets it right: Mississippi.

MUSSELMAN: The Red Raiders gunning for their first Cotton Bowl win. Take Texas Tech.

FINDER: Graham Harrell and Texas Tech take out their collective angst on Mississippi, 144-0.

Liberty Bowl: Kentucky (6-6) vs. East Carolina (9-4), 5 p.m.

FITTIPALDO: Shouldn't this game be played in late December when no one is watching? I'll take the Pirates to win because I can never say that during baseball season. East Carolina wins.

ZEISE: Kentucky has a coach in waiting in Joker Phillips. A coach in waiting, at Kentucky? Are you serious? Is that a joke...r? Why do you need a coach in waiting when your program is, well, mediocre in its best seasons? As for East Carolina, they are a giant killer as they opened the season with some very big wins over highly ranked opponents. And fortunately for them, Kentucky is neither a giant or highly ranked, or good for that matter.

MUSSELMAN: Coach Skip Holtz’s Pirates will finish back in the Top 25. East Carolina is the pick.
 
FINDER: After beating ranked Virginia Tech and West Virginia to open the season, wasn't East Carolina destined for greater things than . . . Memphis? Still and all, Pirates skipper Skip Holtz builds his coaching resume with an East Carolina triumph.

Sugar Bowl: Utah (12-0) vs. Alabama (12-1)

FITTIPALDO: Insert Mormons in New Orleans joke here. Roll Tide roll. Alabama is the winner.

ZEISE: Alabama is not very fun to watch but boy the things they do well, like run the football and play defense, they do very well. The Utes are probably the best of the non-BCS teams to have been selected for a BCS game in recent history -- even better than their last edition with Alex Smith, the one that smacked Pitt around the Fiesta Bowl. But I think they are also playing against the best opponent of the lot -- Alabama -- as well.

MUSSELMAN: Making first Sugar Bowl appearance since 1993, when it beat Miami to win its sixth national championship, it'll be a sweet night for Alabama.

 ———

Saturday, Jan. 3

International Bowl: Connecticut (7-5) vs. Buffalo (8-5)

FITTIPALDO: It's not too late to fulfill your dream of playing college football. Call Randy Edsall and tell him you can play quarterback. He'll take you. I'll take Buffalo.

ZEISE: Pitt played 12 games this year and had some very poor play from its quarterbacks, especially down the stretch. Still, the Panthers quarterbacks played like Dan Marino compared to the Huskies mess under center. Buffalo is very well coached and has some very good skill positions and has a lot yet to prove.

MUSSELMAN: Former Nebraska QB Turner Gill has done a great job with the Bulls. Buffalo stampedes.

FINDER: Buffalo's Bills just lost in Toronto. Buffalo's Bulls are on deck at the old SkyDome. Go with UConn.

Sun Bowl picks and the New Year's Eve slate ...

Wow ... what a difference a few days makes. Ron Musselman, who at the start of the week was 1-7 with his bowl picks has rolled off nine straight correct prognostications. Chuck Finder, also a 1-7 cellar dweller at week's start is just behind him going 8-1 so far this week, with Ray Fittipaldo and Paul Zeise falling behind. The standings to date:

• Musselman 10-7
• Finder 9-8
• Fittipaldo 8-9
• Zeise 7-10

Onward with the final picks for 2008!

———
Wednesday, Dec. 31

Armed Forces Bowl: Houston (7-5) vs. Air Force (8-4)

FITTIPALDO: I can't believe we're preserving the bowl system for games like these? I'm getting out the hat again...It's Houston!

ZEISE: Houston averaged about 31 points per game -- in their losses, which should tell you about how prolific their offense is. It should also tell you that defenses in Conference USA were putrid. All four of Air Forces losses, though, were to quality opponents -- OK we stretch that term a little bit to include Navy -- and Air Force did win the first meeting between these two teams.

MUSSELMAN: The Falcons won the regular-season meeting, 31-28. Aim High -- Air Force.

FINDER: The same as Navy in Washington, D.C., how could Air Force lose in something called the Armed Forces Bowl?

Sun Bowl: Oregon State (8-4) vs. Pittsburgh (9-3)

FITTIPALDO: I'd love to have been a fly on the wall when Dave Wannstedt called Joe Paterno for advice on how to beat the Beavers.
Wannstedt: Joe, do you have some tape I can borrow?
Paterno: Who is this?
Wannstedt: It's Dave, Dave Wannstedt.
Paterno: Who?
Take Oregon State. 

ZEISE: I cannot pick a winner in this game because I have to cover it, but I will predict this: the Panthers will NOT wear their old Script helmets and bright gold and blue uniforms like the last time they played in the Sun Bowl, making at least a few regular contributors to the Pitt Q&A very upset.

MUSSELMAN: At least Penn State didn’t get an unwanted rematch with the Beavers in the Rose Bowl. Take Pitt.

FINDER: The Panthers have a history here. Let's see, in a close game, Pitt rallies to victory … and Paul Hackett gets named head coach?

No script Pitt for you! So says Zeise.

Music City Bowl: Vanderbilt (6-6) vs. Boston College (9-4)

FITTIPALDO: Yes, I can think of better things to do on New Year's Eve. I hope you can, too. I'll go with Boston College, but I won't even watch the highlights.

ZEISE: Boston College is the Rodney Dangerfield of the ACC - no matter what they do, they don't get any respect from the other 11 teams in the conference, all of who consider them nothing more than an annoyance and a long flight every other year or so. Vanderbilt finished strong -- by losing six of seven and hanging on for dear life against powerhouse Kentucky. Nope, there aren't too many teams in bowl games … Pick: Boston College.

MUSSELMAN: Eagles will tune out the Commodores in their hometown of Nashville. Boston College bops to victory.

FINDER: To show the Vandy boys a good time, bowl officials might have to take them outta town. Boston College piles up another victory for an ACC that somehow doesn't come off smelling so badly in the postseason.

Insight Bowl: Kansas (7-5) vs. Minnesota (7-5)

FITTIPALDO: Two programs that evoke images of great bowl games from the past. Ah heck, who am I kidding? You don't need to watch this game either. But if you do, you'll be watching Kansas score and score and score.

ZEISE: Minnesota at one point was considered a legitimate contender for the Big Ten title, which tells you all you need to know about how bad that conference was this year. Kansas scores points and plays in some exciting games and they finished with a win over a good Missouri team.

MUSSELMAN: Beefy Mark Mangino chews up Tim Brewster’s crew. Kansas wins.

FINDER: Yawn. Minnesota went from a one-victory team to a squad that got to a desert bowl game despite losing its final four regular-season games. It's excruciating for a Missouri man to type this, but Kansas wins.

'nuff said. 


Chick-fil-A Bowl: LSU (7-5) vs. Georgia Tech (9-3)

FITTIPALDO: Paul Johnson is single-handedly bring the option back into vogue. Maybe he'll be the next coach at Nebraska. I'll go with Georgia Tech. 

ZEISE: LSU is annually the most overrated team on the planet. The Tigers were last year -- when they had two losses, couldn't stop anybody, and needed to go for it on fourth down about 340 times to wins games down the stretch -- and they are again this year as they are not very good at all. Georgia Tech ran up and down the field against Georgia -- another one of those annually over rated SEC teams -- which tells me Les Miles will be wondering why he didn't go to Michigan by the end of the night.

MUSSELMAN: I’ve had my fil-A bowl games already and it’s not even New Year’s Day. Georgia Tech wins the "eat-mor-chik'n" bowl.

FINDER: So whom does new coach Paul Johnson thank for a bowl trip just blocks from the Atlanta campus known as The Flats? A better question for this game: If Troy can shred Les Miles' LSU defense, what damage will Georgia Tech wreak?

Who cares about the game? The Waffle Fries at Chick-Fil-A are the bomb.

Bowl picks for Monday & Tuesday; our guys approach .500

After getting their collective ears kicked in during the first week of college bowl action, the Radshirt Diaries ace handicappers caught fire over the weekend, pulling into a four-way dead heat and are threatening mediocrity. The standings:

• Ray Fittipaldo: 5-7
• Paul Zeise: 5-7
• Ron Musselman: 5-7
• Chuck Finder: 5-7
  

On with the picks for Monday's & Tuesday's games ...

Monday, Dec. 29

PapaJohns.com Bowl: Rutgers (7-5) vs. North Carolina State (6-6)

FITTIPALDO: Who would win in a fight, N.C. State grad Bill Cowher or Rutgers grad James Gandolfini? C'mon, you really wanted me to analzye the Scarlet Knights and Wolfpack on the football field? I'll take Cowher in the fight, but Rutgers in the bowl game. 

ZEISE: There is no way to pick against Rutgers, they have six wins against I-A competition and a loss to Navy, but they are the greatest 7-win team ever and deserve to be in the BCS -- just ask their fans who have yet to figure out that this Johnny-come-lately program is a long way from relevant.

MUSSELMAN: The Scarlet Knights prefer pepperoni pizza. Rutgers dials up a win.

FINDER: A couple of teams on a tear, with NCSU winning four in a row and Rutgers six. But Rutgers is one of the scariest teams in America right now, and the Wolfpack finished last in the lousy ACC's Atlantic Division for a reason -- so Scarlet-hot Rutgers win.

The Redshirt Diaries gents wouldn't dream of picking against Mr. Soprano's alma mater. Not if they enjoy breathing.

Alamo Bowl: Northwestern (9-3) vs. Missouri (9-4)

FITTIPALDO: The Riverwalk and Alamo museum are great. This game is not. Take Missouri. 

ZEISE: The good news for Missouri is that they aren't playing against one of those high-tech Big 12 offenses. I also think a few weeks off to regroup will do them some good. Northwestern was surprisingly good this year but that 9-3 is highly suspect when you consider four of those wins came against Southern Illinois, Duke, Syracuse and Ohio, not to mention the fact that the Big Ten stunk this year and they didn't even have to play Penn State.

MUSSELMAN: The Tigers will de-claw the ’Cats. Missouri is the pick.

FINDER: Forget the Alamo. Missouri will give up 30, but score 35.

Remember the Alamo, but forget this game.

———
Tuesday, Dec. 30

Humanitarian Bowl: Nevada (7-5) vs. Maryland (7-5)

FITTIPALDO: The humanitarian in me says don't watch this game. I'll go with Maryland because, well, I have no idea if Nevada is any good.

ZEISE: Three of Nevada's losses came against Boise State, Texas Tech and Missouri which proves that the Wolfpack lose to good teams. Fortunately for them, Maryland does not qualify as a good team. Go with Nevada

MUSSELMAN: The Terps have won three of their last four bowl games. Make it four of five for Maryland.

FINDER: Plenty of good seats remain. Like, tens of thousands. Nevada has some offense, but Maryland's wacky biorhythms say it's time the Terps win, after back-to-back losses.

Human Rights groups might be inclined to protest the awful matchup in the Humanitarian Bowl

Holiday Bowl: Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Oregon (9-3)

FITTIPALDO: Finally, a game I might watch. I'll go with the Big 12 over the Pac-10. Oklahoma State is the winner.

ZEISE: This should be an exciting game, an offensive shoot-out and hopefully one that will end without either coach screaming "I'm a man, I'm 40...." Either way the difference between Oklahoma State and Oregon's identical record of 9-3 is this -- one was achieved in a strong conference, the other was achieved in the Pac 10.

MUSSELMAN: I can think of better ways to spend my holiday than watching this game. But I'll go with Oregon anyway.

FINDER: The Big O bowl, between two states that probably never knew the other existed. This game could be in the 50s, and pick Cowboys to ... uh, harvest Ducks every time. Oklahoma State wins.

Texas Bowl: Rice (9-3) vs. Western Michigan (9-3)

FITTIPALDO: Back to the bowls I have no interest in watching. Let's go with Western Michigan just for the heck of it. 

ZEISE: Rice finished on a six-game winning streak, which is likely as much of a statement of the quality -- or lack there-of -- of their opponents down the stretch as it is a statement about anything the Owls did. Western Michigan had a chance to win the MAC West in the final week of the season but got whacked by Ball State, but they'll prevail in this one.

MUSSELMAN: The Owls could be flying high. They haven’t won 10 games in a season since 1949. Rice rolls like sushi.

FINDER: Rice, like South Florida, Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech, get to stay home for their bowl. Man, that's got to hurt. This will be a throw-down between passing teams, but give the nod to Rice, who won six in a row and once scored 77 in a game this season.

Redshirt Diaries bowl picks roll on -- WVU and the weekend action!

The bowl season rolls on and thus far, the Redshirt Diaries crew is taking a beating with their picks. The standings so far:

• Paul Zeise: 3-5
• Ray Fittipaldo: 2-6
• Ron Musselman: 1-7
• Chuck Finder: 1-7

———
Saturday, Dec. 27

Meineke Bowl: North Carolina (8-4) vs. West Virginia (8-4), 1 p.m.

FITTIPALDO: The Tar Heels are locks to win another national championship in men's basketball in March, so let's give the West Virginia faithful something to cheer about for once this season.  

ZEISE: Pat White's last game? Forget about it -- the Tar Heels haven't seen anything like White when he is running at top speed. This should be one of the best games of this day's docket, though looking at the docket, that isn't saying much. West Virginia wins, of course, win or lose Bill Stewart will say he's proud of them.

MUSSELMAN: Formerly the Continental Tire Bowl. Enough said. Go with West Virginia.

FINDER: The last hurrah of Patrick White figures to prominently feature him, and the guy is 3-0 in bowl games after all. The Tar Heels make it interesting, but White goes out a winner with West Virginia.

It's unanimous for West By God Virginia. And if it wasn't, the gents above would want a word with us.

Champs Sports Bowl: Florida State (8-4) vs. Wisconsin (7-5)

FITTIPALDO: Bobby Bowden's kids keep losing jobs. When is 8-4 not good enough for the administration in Tallahassee? I'll go with Florida State.

ZEISE: OK, where do we begin? One team needed every ounce of energy and then some to beat something called Cal-Poly Tech. The other team needed to play two Division I-AA teams in order to get to eight wins. This game could end 3-2 as both offenses stink. Pick: Wisconsin

MUSSELMAN: Bobby Bowden inches closer to Joe Paterno in career victories with a Florida State win.

FINDER: After losing four of five games, the Badgers rallied to win last three in regular season -- including a one-pointer over Cal-Poly (hey, they're good). Clarksburg, W.Va.'s Jimbo Fisher begins his ascent to Florida State head coach with an offensive show and triumph.

Admit it -- you were hoping for a gratuitous shot of Jenn Sterger and the Florida St. cowgirls. Instead you get this goof in a Badgers hat.

Emerald Bowl: California (8-4) vs. Miami (7-5)

FITTIPALDO: If this was an academic bowl the Bears would win by shutout. What ever happened to the U anyway? I'll take the Fightin' Jeff Tedfords. Cal wins.

ZEISE: The "U" is now more like the "L," as in the Hurricanes lose a lot more than they ever have before. Meanwhile, every year California is 'supposed' to finally take the world by storm, win the Pac-10 and show USC who is boss out there and yet, at the end of every year they seem to be just another eight or nine win team heading to a mid-level bowl game with plenty of regrets. Pick: California.

MUSSELMAN: The Golden Bears’ campus is 13 miles from AT&T Park. California wins.

FINDER: Which conference stinks less, the Bears' Pac-10 or the Hurricanes' Atlantic Coast? In this case, Cal will be less aromatic, thanks to Miami's leaky defense.

Once again, you're hoping for Miami co-eds. Fail! Oskie the Bear must suffice.

———
Sunday, Dec. 28

Independence Bowl: Louisiana Tech (7-5) vs. Northern Illinois (6-6)

FITTIPALDO: I gotta be honest. I can't name a player on either team. So let's pick a team out of a hat ... It's Northern Illinois.

ZEISE: Northern Illinois is another one of those 6-6 teams we love but in their (rather weak) defense, the MAC West was very strong this year and they are a little better than their record. Louisiana Tech lost to Army. 'Nuff said. Pick: Northern Illinois.

MUSSELMAN: This very well could be renamed the Boring Bowl. Take Louisiana Tech.

FINDER: If anybody puts a wager on this game, report directly to rehab -- and take Amy Winehouse with you. Louisiana Tech is my pick, only because Terry Bradshaw went there and I like Coach Derek Dooley, whom I knew when he helped out his dad at Georgia, Vince.

Don't be fooled: Lousiana Tech also gave us Troy Edwards

Redshirt Diaries Bowl Game Picks! Christmas week games ...

The first weekend of bowls are in the books and the Redshirt Diaries gentlemen are off to a rather in auspicious start. The guys took a beating, but the standings thus far have Paul Zeise and Ray Fittipaldo tied for first place and Ron Musselman and Chuck Finder tied for last. This week though, the quality of the bowl games picks up a little, and hopefully too, the quality of our prognosticators' picks. The standings thus far:

• Fittipaldo: 2-3
• Zeise: 2-3
• Musselman: 1-4
• Finder: 1-4
  

———

Tuesday, Dec. 23

Poinsettia Bowl: Boise State (12-0) vs. TCU (10-2), 8 p.m.

FITTIPALDO: Pop quiz: which Steeler from the 1980s went to Boise State? That's right, No. 22 Rick Woods. By the way, who was the better Steelers DB of the '80s, Woods or Lupe Sanchez? While you ponder that, I'll pick Boise State to finish the season unbeaten.

ZEISE: TCU has a great, great defense and has played two BCS teams, Utah and Oklahoma, and lost them both but were competitive in both. Boise State has played, well, they did play, and uh, there was that win over, umm … an Oregon team going through some quarterback issues? Take TCU.

MUSSELMAN: Don’t expect a flowery finish. Pick: Boise State.

FINDER: Believe it or not, this may be the most intriguing bowl before New Year's. TCU's defense vs. the Broncos' offense is key, and Boise State's bowl experience puts it over the top here.

Over/under on the number of times this moment in Boise State athletics is referenced: 722

———

Wednesday, Dec. 24

Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii (7-6) vs. Notre Dame (6-6), 8 p.m.

FITTIPALDO: Which would please you more? Charlie Weis coaching the once proud Fighitng Irish to another losing season or Bill Belichick and the Patriots not making the playoffs? Here's hoping both happen. Hawaii wins.

ZEISE: Let's see if I get this correctly? Notre Dame stunk too bad to take the bowl games from other teams in other conferences -- so they get punished by being sent to Hawaii? The Rainbow Warriors aren't great, but they aren't ten hours and four time zones away from home either and frankly, it doesn't take "great" to beat Notre Dame. Heck for that matter, it doesn't even take "slightly less than mediocre" to beat Notre Dame. Hawaii wins but the game will be so close that Notre Dame administration will give Charlie Weis another ten-year extension to make sure they don't lose him.....

MUSSELMAN: Irish riding NCAA-record nine-game bowl losing streak. It continues. Hawaii is the pick.

FINDER: Fear, fear, for Old Notre Dame. … If Charlie Weis' offense fails to keep up with the Rainbow Warriors' points, will Irish fans try to push him off Diamond Head? Take Hawaii.

Would you like to see this man shirtless and in a grass skirt? Us neither.

———

Friday, Dec. 26

Motor City Bowl: Florida Atlantic (6-6) vs. Central Michigan (8-4), 7:30 p.m.

FITTIPALDO: Wonder if Howard Schnellenberger had his team vote on whether to accept this bowl bid. Would you rather spend the day after Christmas in West Palm Beach or Detroit? OK, the wise old coach didn't have a vote, but maybe he should have. Central Michigan wins.   

ZEISE: The Chippewas are in this game because they had an outstanding season (by MAC team standards) and because they deserved the postseason. Florida Atlantic is in this game because there are too many bowls and not enough quality teams to fill all the spots and, well, someone had to fill this spot. Pick: Central Michigan.

MUSSELMAN: The day after Christmas in Detroit. Yuck. At least Central Michigan will feel at home.

FINDER: Former West Virginia assistant Butch Jones cannot lose in his own state of Michigan. Not to a bunch of Owls who lost to Texas, Michigan State and Minnesota earlier by a combined 103 points. Go with Central Michigan.

The Motor City Bowl winner replaces the Lions as the city's NFL franchise; losers can't leave town until they design a fuel-efficient and marketable car for GM.

Redshirt Diaries Bowl Game Picks! First weekend ...

All season The Redshirt Diaries platoon has done their daggum best to bring you the inside and out of NCAA college football ... now bowl season is upon us and these same gents aim to put their money where their mouths are -- some big mouths indeed. We present to you the first installment of the 2008-09 Redshirt Diaries Bowl Game picks! We'll start with this weekend's action and update it each time there is a bowl game (which is saying a lot, as it seems they play a mole of them) and keep a running tally along the way of how the guys are doing. Starting off with a bunch of games that you'll only have interest in if: 

1. You're an alumnus of one of these schools.

2. There is absolutely nothing else on TV.

3. You have a gambling problem as severe as Phillip Seymour Hoffman's character in Owning Mahoney.

Onward! ...

Saturday, Dec. 20

EagleBank Bowl: Navy (8-4) vs. Wake Forest (7-5)

FITTIPALDO: Two strikes against this bowl game. No. 1, I've never heard of it. No. 2, it's a rematch of a game that took place in September. Navy won that one at Wake, so I'll take the Midshipmen to win again. Go with Navy.

ZEISE: Wake Forest committed like 198 turnovers in the first game between these two teams earlier this year -- and still lost by only seven points. By the same token Navy is a much better team now then they were back then as it seems like they have the quarterback position settled.

MUSSELMAN: Navy. This ship soars like an Eagle.

FINDER: Demon Deacons lost to Navy at home in September. Navy quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (yeah, Ii looked it up), who was ailing that game and soon after nearly retired from injuries, is back after shredding Army. Navy wins in Washington, D.C. How could it not?


New Mexico Bowl: Colorado State (6-6) vs. Fresno State (7-5)

• FITTIPALDO: Are Joey Porter and Clark Haggans eligible to play in this game? No? OK, I'll take Fresno State.

Mr. Peezy is not eligible for this game.

• ZEISE: Fresno State coach Pat Hill will play anybody anywhere. I guess that includes going to New Mexico to play a very mediocre team in a game that nobody outside of fans of either team -- and most of them don't care either. But hey, Fresno beat Rutgers, who we're told is the best 7-5 team in the history of college football by the few delusional looney tunes who actually admit to being Scarlet Knights fans, so that must mean something: Pick: Fresno State.

• MUSSELMAN: Fresno State. Bulldogs prove to be Ram tough.

• FINDER: Ol' FSU started September 3-1 with victories over Rutgers and UCLA but a 3-point loss to Wisconsin. Those Bulldogs with the green V on the back of their helmets earn a Victory against their old Western Athletic Conference rival CSU, which headed for the Mountain West a decade ago. Pick: Fresno State.

St. Petersburg (Fla.) Bowl: South Florida (7-5) vs. Memphis (6-6)

• FITTIPALDO: Wow. Another bowl game where the teams are a combined one game over .500. Memphis will jump out to a big lead and then South Florida will win it late with a miraculous comeback. John Calipari makes a special appearance on the Memphis sidelines.

• ZEISE: No team in the country has underachieved more than South Florida. Of course, no team is dumber than the Bulls either and no team has a quarterback more prone to making boneheaded plays than Matt "the killer turnover" Grothe. Still, you'd have to think that since South Florida is playing this close to home against a bad Conference USA team, they'll be able to overcome Grothe's weekly abundance of costly interceptions and/or fumbles as well as the Bulls costly penalties and mistakes.

• MUSSELMAN: No brainer. Tropicana Field down the road from USF campus. South Florida wins.

• FINDER: Lucky USF gets to travel 20 whole miles for their bowl. They need luck, having lost five of their past seven. Memphis went 3-4 in games decided by a touchdown or less -- so this will be ugly and close, but Big East's Bulls prevail. Pick: South Florida.

Las Vegas Bowl: BYU (10-2) vs. Arizona (7-5), 8 p.m.

    A weekend in Vegas ... what could go wrong?

• FITTIPALDO: Insert Mormons in Vegas joke here. I'll take the over and Arizona.

• ZEISE: I'm sure that the chamber of commerce in "Sin City" is overjoyed to have 20,000 Mormons coming to town. That should be a big boost to the local economy as they will no doubt frequent the casinos, bordellos and other carnal outlets which are so much in abundance here. Or not … As for the game, the good thing about being Mike Stoops is he doesn't have to hear about being a choker in big games like his brother Bob does at Oklahoma. Of course, that's mostly because his teams never play in relevant games for him to lose. Pick: BYU

• MUSSELMAN: The Cougars are a good bet to win. Pick: BYU.

• FINDER: Imagine that juxtaposition: the Mormon school in Vegas, baby. It'll be a shootout, and BYU has more scoring power.

———
Sunday, Dec. 21

New Orleans Bowl: Troy (8-4) vs. Southern Mississippi (6-6), 8 p.m.

• FITTIPALDO: Brett Favre is the most famous alumnus from Southern Miss. Troy's most famous alumnus is former Pirates and Mets catcher Mackey Sasser...Still waiting for my pick? Sorry, double clutching, double clutching, double clutching ...Troy wins. Whew!

• ZEISE: Troy was the best of the Sun Belt teams. Which is sort of like saying you are the best of the really bad sitcoms that pass themselves off as solid prime time network television these days. Where have you gone, oh Cheers, oh Cosby, oh MASH ... OK, why I am talking about television -- who the heck wants to talk about this stink bomb of a game? Pick: Southern Mississippi.

• MUSSELMAN: These aren’t the real Men of Troy, USC is. But Troy wins anyway.

• FINDER: Southern Miss has won four in a row after losing back-to-back games by less than a touchdown each. Troy? A not bad movie by my former fellow Missouri student (who never did graduate the School of Journalism) Brad Pitt. Take Troy.

Mr & Mrs. Finder ... err -- Smith ...

Paul Zeise's Beer & Bowl Games Extravaganza!

We’ll have our bowl game predictions later, but to kick off this bowl season, I’ve decided to rank the games, Best to worst using a beer scale – as in "this is how many beers you’ll need to endure this God awful game ..." That being said, I didn’t rank the Sun Bowl because I have to cover it and should remain neutral, or at least keep my feelings about it neutral.

So here we go ...

No Beers necessary, these games will be utterly enjoyable on their own merit ...

• Rose Bowl: Southern Cal (11-1) vs. Penn State (11-1): Two storied programs, two excellent teams, mid-day on January 1st, just about the time your appetite returns and your hangover goes away … who could ask for anything more?

• BCS National Championship: Florida (12-1) vs. Oklahoma (12-1): Sure you’ll have to hold your nose to watch this as the ego and arrogance of both coaches are enough to make you want to vomit and there is nothing more ridiculous than the 24/7 lovefest that goes on for Tim Tebow, but c’mon, admit it, this one will be a lot of fun too watch and should come down to the end.

•  Holiday Bowl: Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Oregon (9-3): Always one of the best games on the slate, this year’s version of the Holiday bowl should not disappoint. Both of these teams are exciting, are loaded with skill position players and have offensive coaches and philosophies which are based in taking risks, being innovative and trying to outscore opponents. It will be a great game to watch, perhaps the best of the non-BCS games.

• Meineke Bowl: North Carolina (8-4) vs. West Virginia (8-4): Aside from the fact that Charlotte is cold at this time of year and there isn’t much to do and this game takes place in a time slot that nobody will actually see it other than those who desperately go looking for it – this should be a pretty interesting game. The Mountaineers are much better than their record and the Tar Heels probably are as well. Either way it is clear that these two programs are headed in opposite directions as North Carolina under Butch Davis is starting to get rolling and the Mountaineers under Bill Stewart and soon-to-be minus Pat White appear to be rolling towards college football’s purgatory, a place where mediocre programs go and hang out for years before they finally either fall into the flames or rise again …

• Poinsettia Bowl: Boise State (12-0) vs. TCU (10-2): This game should be very, very interesting and one of the best games on the slate. TCU’s defense will be challenged by Boise’s offense. It will be enjoyable game – that is right up until the point that we have to endure that corny footage of that running back from Boise proposing to his cheerleader girlfriend a few years ago when Boise beat Oklahoma for the 234,456,754th time – and given the state of televised sports these days, that will likely be shown that many times before the end of the first half …

Three beers, at least, maybe four for these games as a good buzz could make them far more interesting than they actually are …

• Capital One Bowl: Georgia (9-3) vs. Michigan State (9-3): This game will put two of the best running backs in the country on the same field and will be a good old fashioned, physical contest. Or so we’re told. This game will likely be a blowout, why? Because both teams got blown out every time they played a halfway decent team …

• Outback Bowl: Iowa (8-4) vs. South Carolina (7-5): It wasn’t that long ago that these two teams had the hottest names in coaching leading them. But Kirk Ferentz’s version of 1930’s football stopped producing results and Steve Spurriers Fun-n-Gun hasn’t been quite as fun without the athletes he had at Florida to run it. Still, an interesting clash of styles, though we’re not sure watching Shonn Greene run 47 times will be a ratings winner, either …

• Cotton Bowl: Texas Tech (11-1) vs. Mississippi (8-4): Watching Texas Tech throw the ball all over the yard is always kind of fun, but at some point, it sort of gives you a headache, in the same way playing too many hours of Tecmo Super Bowl used to …

• Sugar Bowl: Utah (12-0) vs. Alabama (12-1): Close your eyes and think about this for a minute – didn’t we see this game last year? A big physical SEC team steam rolls a smaller, less physical, undefeated non-BCS program and pushes them up and down the turf in the SuperDome? Do we really need a repeat of this to prove that when push comes to shove, the difference between real football and Mountain West football is that those fat guys in the middle of everything are more than just conversation pieces which get in the way of scoring 1,000 points a night?

• Gator Bowl: Nebraska (8-4) vs. Clemson (7-5): You know in 1982 (at the end of the 1981 season) this would have probably been an exciting game as both teams were contenders for the national title back then … actually, scratch that thought. That Orange Bowl, a 22-15 win by Clemson over Nebraska, was not very interesting either. But my goodness, the Tigers this year were one of the most underachieving dogs on the planet and the Cornhuskers didn’t prove much this year, other than the fact that you can still get to eight wins without any of them being meaningful.

• Chick-fil-A Bowl: LSU (7-5) vs. Georgia Tech (9-3): Didn’t this one used to be the Peach Bowl? How did it go from fruit to poultry and what exactly has LSU done to merit even this good of a bowl? This could be a good game matching LSU’s athletes against Georgia Tech’s athletes, but what will really make it fun is watching Paul Johnson coach circles around Miles the way he did Mark Richt in the Yellow Jackets win over Georgia.

Six beers, and a shot of Jager … You won’t need to be obliterated to endure these ones, but it probably wouldn’t hurt as they will likely be awful games …

• Fiesta Bowl: Texas (11-1) vs. Ohio State (10-2): I know, I know, Ohio State deserves to be here because, well they are Ohio State and, well, they are, um, Ohio State? This game has stinker written all over it for two reasons – the Longhorns might not be interested in playing this game given the fact that they think the national title game was stolen from them and because Ohio State’s offense is awful. Oh, but that doesn’t matter because I’m sure we’ll get four hours of hearing about how incredible Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor is and we’ll all be amazed at how spectacularly he goes about completing 9 of 22 passes for 131 yards and an interception and adds another 34 yards rushing on nine carries…..

• Orange Bowl: Cincinnati (11-2) vs. Virginia Tech (9-4): Ah yes, a recipe for high ratings in a BCS bowl – take the four-loss champion of a God awful conference, one that prides itself on winning games with the worst offenses imaginable and put it against a team with no real history, a small fan base and hailing from a part of the country where college football is a distant third to the large state university located a few hours away and one of the worst franchises in the NFL … Yes, this one should be exciting, right down to the point where Virginia Tech blocks a field goal to preserve its 2-0 win or something like that …

• Insight Bowl: Kansas (7-5) vs. Minnesota (7-5): Kansas will score and score and score and Minnesota will give up points and give up points and give up points. We’re not sure that makes for a close game, but it should at least be fun to watch the scoreboard operator scrambling …

• Alamo Bowl: Northwestern (9-3) vs. Missouri (9-4): The worst part of this game will be the number of not-so-clever writers and headline writers who will use some version of "remember the Alamo" leading up to and in describing the events of this game. Unfortunately for the organizers of this event, we’d like to forget most of these Alamo bowl games, though this one could be more interesting than most have been …

• Emerald Bowl: California (8-4) vs. Miami (7-5): Remember when the U was the team everyone loved to hate? I mean, I’m all for clean programs and good guys and whatnot, but my goodness, I think it is time for Miami coach Randy Shannon to reach out to Luther Campbell and see if he can start purchasing gangsters and thugs, like the good old days, because those Miami teams were at least fun too watch and every so often they’d pull a routine like the camouflage outfits leading up to the Fiesta Bowl with Penn State. This Miami team is pretty awful, but hey, at least they have nice guys now, right?

• Las Vegas Bowl: BYU (10-2) vs. Arizona (7-5): It is often said of BYU’s fan base, a very conservative bunch, that they Cougars fans will travel to bowl games with a $20 bill and a T-shirt and won’t change either (in other words they don’t buy hotel rooms and they don’t frequent the local establishments) … which begs the question – why in the world would organizers of this bowl want BYU? I mean, you have a very religious fan base headed to a city famous for its sins!!! The game itself could be halfway interesting but it would be much more fun to walk around town and see the frowns on the faces of casino owners as the large crowds of fans clad in blue and white just walk on by …

• Armed Forces Bowl: Houston (7-5) vs. Air Force (8-4):  The beauty of this game is that both defenses stink, so while nobody outside of, well, nobody, really cares about this game – it will at least be somewhat entertaining.

Eight beers and two shots are likely necessary, though these games could be mildly entertaining in the same way drunk cow tipping is far more fun than trying to do it sober … Not that we’d know …

• Champs Sports Bowl: Florida State (8-4) vs. Wisconsin (7-5): This game clearly makes the all-airport team of bowl games. Both teams have big names, both have recent winning traditions and both have won a lot of big games so on paper it looks like a great matchup. Of course, once they put on the uniforms and actually take the field you’ll realize both once-proud programs now fit into the category of C-N-P, as in Can Not Play or more to the point "they look good walking through the airport but have no game"

•  St. Petersburg (Fla.) Bowl: South Florida (7-5) vs. Memphis (6-6): South Florida is always fun to watch because you know you’ll get loads of athleticism and lots of big plays from the Bulls – as well as some of the most mind boggling and mind numbing idiotic plays you’ll ever see in a football game at any level. If this team could stay out of its own way it would be dangerous. And hopefully Memphis has worked on its free throws since choking away a national title last year because at the rate the Bulls get penalties, there is no doubt the Tigers will have plenty of chances at free points …

• PapaJohns.com Bowl: Rutgers (7-5) vs. North Carolina State (6-6): The two "hottest teams" around -- they’ve won a combined ten in a row. Um, excuse me, but these two teams are a combined 11-11 against I-A competition and frankly both teams define mediocrity and also are exhibit A of college football’s silly practice of placing an inordinate amount of emphasis on the last few weeks while discounting the first few weeks of the season. As Bill Parcells says "you are what your record says you are" and in both cases, the record defines "m-e-d-i-o-c-r-i-t-y"

• GMAC Bowl: Tulsa (10-3) vs. Ball State (12-1): Well the beauty of this game is that one of these two championship game losers (both teams lost in their conference championship game) will at least be declared the champion of something …

• Texas Bowl: Rice (9-3) vs. Western Michigan (9-3): Rice is located in Houston so this will be a very large home field advantage for the Owls. That is, of course, assuming the fans care enough to attend this game given how uninteresting this opponent is. I understand wanting good matchups – but who thinks sending a MAC school this far south will be good for ticket sales?

At least ten beers – with the last five being a "depth charge" involving something stronger than Jack Daniels ... These games are absolute stink bombs ...

• Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii (7-6) vs. Notre Dame (6-6): Let’s count the reasons to watch this game? 1.) It is on Christmas night and you’ve already watched that stupid Christmas movie about the kid with the goofy glasses getting his eye shot with a bee bee gun too many times? 2) Those Hawaii players do that interesting tribal dance at the start of it? 3) Watching Notre Dame lose to yet another inferior program is always fun? Actually, in retrospect, that movie about the 'you'll-shoot-yer-eye-out' kid is looking better and better considering this as an alternative .

• Liberty Bowl: Kentucky (6-6) vs. East Carolina (9-4): Kentucky was an amazing team down the stretch, clearly a team deserving a bowl bid. All the Wildcats did was lose six of their last eight, finish 2-6 in the SEC and get smoked by 58 to Florida. Sounds like a postseason team to me. Meanwhile the Pirates began the season by upsetting everyone they played and were 3-0 and headed to big things – then they woke up and remembered who they were and proceeded to lose three in a row.

• International Bowl: Connecticut (7-5) vs. Buffalo (8-5): Last year this game had Rutgers against Ball State. This year the Huskies and Bulls will tangle. Of course, those kinds of matchups makes us wonder – how long will it be before the International Bowl kindly asks the NCAA to keep the sport of football within America’s borders …

• Humanitarian Bowl: Nevada (7-5) vs. Maryland (7-5): The Humanitarian thing would be to not put Maryland in a bowl in Boise against a team like Nevada. And at what point will the ACC admit that, if given a choice of sending a team to this bowl or no bowl at all, the best choice is to have no bowl at all. I mean, the pay out for this thing won’t even cover the cost of getting Ralph Friedgen’s luggage from D.C. to Boise …

• Motor City Bowl: Florida Atlantic (6-6) vs. Central Michigan (8-4): Imagine how lucky the organizers of this game must feel? I mean, not only do they get a directional school, they get a school named after an ocean!!! Heck, all they’d need here is Michael Bolton to sing "one shining moment" and Dick Vitale waxing poetic about the "little guys" in college athletics and it’d become the NCAA Tournament … And I’m sure the players of Florida Atlantic will gleefully leave their climate to spend four or five days in Detroit, where is will be like 10 degrees below zero – and that’s when the sun is out!!!

• Music City Bowl: Vanderbilt (6-6) vs. Boston College (9-4): The organizers of this event should send letters of thanks to Kentucky for being such a terrible team. Why? Because Vanderbilt’s "huge" win over Kentucky down the stretch – in the midst of the Commodores losing six of their last seven – is the only thing that stood between Vanderbilt in a bowl and Vanderbilt staying home. And given that Vanderbilt is in Nashville, there is at least some chance that more than 15 fans will show up for this one as Boston College against any other random 6-6 team in a random city would clearly be an utter failure at the box office given the Eagles fans history of traveling to games not played in South Bend, Indiana.

Um, there isn’t enough alcohol to be safely consumed to save this junk ... If you are going to try and watch them, get the hospital stomach pumper on your speed dial, you will likely need them …

• New Orleans Bowl: Troy (8-4) vs. Southern Mississippi (6-6): Ah, the beauty of having so many bowl games is administrations like that at Southern Mississippi can claim to be "validated" when their idiotic decisions to hire and fire coaches are masked by the fact that they can claim to be a BOWL TEAM!! Never mind that the Golden Eagles are 6-6 and in far worse shape than they were when they had Jeff Bower for all those years……

• EagleBank Bowl: Navy (8-4) vs. Wake Forest (7-5): I have a great idea – Let’s take a very mediocre ACC team and match them with Navy and do it in a city which promises to be freezing cold and isn’t exactly the safest place to hang out!!! Yes, let’s do it!!! My goodness, who in the world thinks this is a good idea for a bowl game and worse, do we really need to see these two teams play again? There might not be a worse offense than Wake Forests, which proved you can win seven games in the ACC with a good defense and an offense that punts a lot but doesn’t turn it over….

• New Mexico Bowl: Colorado State (6-6) vs. Fresno State (7-5): What exactly did Colorado State do to earn a bowl bid? I know what it is – it was that exciting three-point win over a very gritty Sacramento State team, right? Sacramento State – Does Chris Webber still play for them?

•  Independence Bowl: Louisiana Tech (7-5) vs. Northern Illinois (6-6): Imagine saying this with a straight face "Congratulations on your season, you get a trip to Shreveport!!!" Ugh, of course if only going to Shreveport was the worst part of this experience – imagine that once you get there, you’d have to endure this stinker of a game …

Pitt's No. 1 critic is coming to town

Pitt receives lots of love from most of the college basketball analysts that work in television. ESPN's Jay Bilas has been on the Pitt bandwagon for a while as has Bill Raftery and Fran Fraschilla. But one analyst who has been slow to come around to the Panthers is former Oklahoma State guard Doug Gottlieb, who will provide the color commentary Wednesday night during Pitt's nationally televised contest against Siena on ESPN2.

Pitt was a consensus top 10 team in all major polls before the season, but in Gottlieb's Week 1 power rankings he failed to include Pitt in his top 25. Has has since come around and currently has the Panthers at No. 4 in the latest power rankings. Gottlieb has also been a vocal skeptic of the Panthers in seasons past.  

Gottlieb catches a break in his visit to the Petersen Events Center because school is not in session and he won't feel the full brunt of the Oakland Zoo.

 Here is the link to the ESPN week 1 power rankings. See Gottlieb's picks to the far right.

Irony or coincidence with WVU?

For the one-year anniversary of the date the plaintiff filed the infamous West Virginia University v. Richard Rodriguez lawsuit, the Mountaineers will spend Dec. 27 playing in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

It's the very bowl, then known as the Continental Tire Bowl, that the Mountaineers inaugurated in 2002 while beginning their program's unprecedented seven-year post-season run -- all starting with this Charlotte, N.C., game under the aforementioned then-second-year coach.

Also interesting to note: These Mountaineers, favorites in each and every one of their 12 games this season, have been installed as a Pick-'Em against North Carolina. 

12/11 update: That's changed already, with North Carolina moving to a 1-point favorite.

Florida is No.1, but Texas got my vote

The final AP poll is out and Florida will carry the No. 1 ranking into the BCS national title game against No. 2 Oklahoma. The Gators received 50 first-place votes and the Sooners had nine. The final six first-place votes went to Texas. I was one of those six voters who cast a first-place vote for the Longhorns. Apparently, voters were swayed by the way the Gators and Sooners finished the season. While it was certainly impressive to watch those teams play down the stretch, I tend to look at the season on the whole when voting. So here is my reasoning for voting Texas No. 1.

Florida lost to Mississippi at home.

Oklahoma lost to Texas

Texas lost to Texas Tech on the road.

I really believe Texas would be playing for the national title had Texas Tech not been blown out by Oklahoma. That's why I'll be anxious to watch how the Big 12 teams fare in bowl games. I want to know if these offenses, especially Oklahoma's, are off the charts great, or are the defenses in the league just god awful?

Here's my final regular-season ballot:

1. Texas
2. Oklahoma
3. Florida
4. Alabama
5. USC
6. Penn State
7. Texas Tech
8. Ohio State
9. Utah
10. Boise State
11. Oklahoma State
12. TCU
13. Cincinnati
14. Michigan State
15. Virginia Tech
16. Georgia Tech
17. Oregon
18. Pitt
19. Georgia
20. Missouri
21. Northwestern
22. Mississippi
23. Oregon State
24. Boston College
25. Ball State