Chick-fil A Bowl: LSU 38, Georgia Tech 3

Yeah. Looks like those SEC schools were sandbagging everybody.

This is obviously a cover for LSU, which was a 4-point UNDERDOG.

It is a win for Jon, Mark, Greg, Yohan and Steve.

It is a loss for Dan, Jim, Ed, Chris, Nino, Rob and Sal, all of whom are eliminated from the Simpson Bonus if they weren't already. Yohan is the only one still eligible for that one.

LSU was Yohan's SUPER-LOCK pick, which means he picks up 10 bonus points here.

And if it sounds like it's all coming up Yohan, it is. He's won 10 games in a row and now leads the pool by 20 points over Ed.

That doesn't mean it's over, but it sure will be if Yohan doesn't miss one soon...

Insight Bowl: Kansas 42, Minnesota 21

The Gophers fought hard early but couldn't contain Reesing, and a predicted mismatch lives up to the predictions.

This is a cover for Kansas, which was a 10-point favorite.

It is a win for Dan, Jim, Mark, Greg, Nino, Chris, Yohan and Steve.

It is a loss for Jon, Ed, Rob and Sal, all of whom are eliminated from the McCain's Hangover Bonus and the Dreams of Sunday Bonus, if they weren't already.

This was the LAST of the Sunday Bonus games, and Jim, Mark, Greg, Nino, Yohan and Steve all receive three-point bonuses for correctly picking both of the games that aired on the NFL Network.

Also, this was Jim's LOCK game, so he picks up five bonus points for getting it right.

Standings are updated through Wednesday's game. I'll address them further in the Chick-fil A Bowl recap, but it suffices to say that Yohan is killing everybody.

Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl: Vanderbilt 16, Boston College 14

Party line on this appears to be that they were jobbed by a bad roughing the passer call, but the way I see it, Boston College played a poor game and lost to a team that they or almost anyone else good enough to play on New Year's Eve or later should have thrashed.

This is a cover for Vanderbilt, which was a 3.5-point underdog.

It is a win for Yohan, and one about which I'm sure he feels truly excellent. He picks up four points and moves within one of Ed for the lead.

It is a loss for everybody else -- Dan, Jim, Jon, Mark, Ed, Greg, Nino, Chris, Sal, Rob and Steve, all 11 of whom are eliminated from the Grand Ole Opry Bonus.

In addition, the hits just keep on coming for Dan. Boston College was his LOCK pick, which means he misses out on 5 bonus points he would have got if they'd been able to field a freaking punt.

Onward.

Brut Sun Bowl: Oregon State 3, Pittsburgh 0

Worst. Bowl game. Ever.

Shoulda been called the BRUTAL Sun Bowl.

All I can think is that Oregon State must have gone out and replaced all 11 of its defensive players between their loss to Oregon and this game.

Neither team could do a thing on offense. The wind wrecked any hope of a passing game, and so the defenses keyed on the running games and...basically nothing happened. CBS wants its money back.

Appropriately, this is a push. The only game in which six of us picked it one way and six of us picked it the other way, and Oregon State was a 3-point favorite, which means everybody wins and Ed AND Yohan both remain eligible for the Tom Landry's Hat Bonus. The only Landry Bonus game left is the AT&T Cotton Bowl on Friday, in which both Ed and Yohan have picked Texas Tech. So either they'll both get a 9-point bonus or neither will.

Standings remain unchanged, as everybody gets four points from this game.

More later. I'm just sitting here really annoyed about what's going on in the Music City Bowl. As I'm sure some others in the pool are.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl: Houston 34, Air Force 28

Rollicking start to a snowy, five-bowl day. Houston holds off Air Force, which threw much more than it usually does but not as much as you'd expect considering, you know...they're Air Force.

This is a cover for Houston, which was a 2.5-point favorite.

It is a win for Dan, Jim, Ed, Greg, Nino, Chris and Yohan.

It is a loss for Jon, Mark, Rob, Sal and Steve, all of whom are now eliminated from the Tom Landry's Hat Bonus, if they weren't already.

The only ones who remain eligible for the Landry Bonus are Ed and Yohan, who disagree on the game currently underway in El Paso, meaning only one of them will remain eligible once it's over.

As for the standings, Ed holds a five-point lead over second-place Yohan and a 14-point lead over the third-place tie between Steve and Nino.

On we roll....

New Year's Eve -- Now it gets serious

Five games. Three networks. Two locks. Two bonuses begin, and one will be awarded.

And the base point values go up to 4 per game.

If you think you're out of it, you're nuts. We're only at the halfway point -- 17 bowls down, 17 to go, and starting today it gets totally nvts.

On to the previews...

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
Noon, ESPN
Houston (-2.5) Air Force

Houston has played in eight bowls, and lost every single one of them, since a 35-0 victory over Navy in the 1980 Garden State Bowl. When that game was played, none of Houston's current players had yet been born.

They were all born, however, by the time Air Force beat them 31-28 on Sept. 13 of this year. Yes, this is a rematch game. That loss to Air Force was the middle game of a three-game Houston losing streak, since which they've won six of eight to get into this bowl.

In the Sept. 13 game, Air Force gained 380 yards -- every single one of them on the ground. So Houston at least knows what the game plan is going to be.

This is the first of our four-point games, and is required for the Tom Landry's Hat Bonus, since it is being played in the state of Texas. Only Ed, Yohan, Rob and Steve remain eligible for the Landry Bonus.

PICKS

Dan: Houston -2.5
Jim: Houston -2.5
Jon: Air Force +2.5
Mark: Air Force +2.5
Ed: Houston -2.5
Greg: Houston -2.5
Nino: Houston -2.5
Chris: Houston -2.5
Yohan: Houston -2.5
Rob: Air Force +2.5
Sal: Air Force +2.5
Steve: Air Force +2.5

Brut Sun Bowl
2 pm, CBS
Oregon State (-3) Pittsburgh

A big-time matchup of stud running backs, with Jacquizz Rogers ready to return from injury for Oregon State and LeSean McCoy licking his chops over an Oregon State defense that gave up 65 points in a rivalry game that it needed to win to play in the Rose Bowl. Expect some nifty running in this one, and feel free to flip to it early if the Bell Helicopter is a blowout. You know we'll keep you posted.

This is a four-point game and is required for the Tom Landry's Hat Bonus, since it's being played in the state of Texas. Currently, Ed, Yohan, Rob and Steve remain eligible for the Landry Bonus, though some could be eliminated from it based on the outcome of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.

Dan: Pitt +3
Jim: Pitt +3
Jon: Oregon State -3
Mark: Oregon State -3
Ed: Oregon State -3
Greg: Oregon State -3
Nino: Pitt +3
Chris: Oregon State -3
Yohan: Pitt +3
Rob: Pitt +3
Sal: Pitt +3
Steve: Oregon State -3

Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl
3:30 pm, ESPN
Boston College (-3.5) Vanderbilt

Another team disappointed not to be playing later, Boston College is here because it lost the ACC title game -- and an Orange Bowl invitation -- to Virginia Tech. Their defense, led by a fearsome linebacking corps and absolute monster Mark Herzlich, will attempt to quiet what will undoubtedly be a heavily pro-VAndy crowd in Nashville. Vanderbilt started the season 5-0 but lost six of its last seven, becoming eligible for its first bowl since 1982 only by beating Kentucky on Nov. 15.

This is a four-point game and is required for the Grand Ole Opry Bonus, since it is being played in the state of Tennessee. It is the first of the Opry Bonus games, which means everybody is still eligible for that one.

In addition, Dan has designated Boston College as his LOCK pick, which means he'll get a badly needed five bonus points if they cover the 3.5.

PICKS

Dan: Boston College -3.5 LOCK
Jim: Boston College -3.5
Jon: Boston College -3.5
Mark: Boston College -3.5
Ed: Boston College -3.5
Greg: Boston College -3.5
Nino: Boston College -3.5
Chris: Boston College -3.5
Yohan: Vanderbilt +3.5
Rob: Boston College -3.5
Sal: Boston College -3.5
Steve: Boston College -3.5

Insight Bowl
5:30 pm, NFL Network
Kansas (-10) Minnesota

MANGINO ANGRY ! MANGINO SMASH!

Sorry. Had to be there. Anyway, this one pits a Kansas team that was a national title contender a year ago against a Minnesota team that lost its last four games of the season and probably doesn't belong in any kind of bowl. I have to think the experience of Todd Reesing will make the difference in this one, but will it be enough to cover the double-digit spread?

This is a four-point game and is required for two bonuses, as follows:

-The John McCain's Hangover Bonus, because it is being played in the state of Arizona. This is the first McCain Bonus game, so everybody is still eligible for this one.

-The Dreams of Sunday Bonus, because it's being broadcast on the NFL Network. This is the second and last of the Sunday Bonus games, which means it will be awarded today. If Kansas covers, the three-point bonus goes to Jim, Mark, Greg, Nino, Yohan and Steve. If Minnesota covers, the bonus goes to Jon, Ed, Rob and Sal.

In addition, Jim has designated Kansas as his LOCK pick, which means he'll pick up an additional five bonus points if the Jayhawks cover the 10-point spread. This is a massive game for Jim. Between the base point value (4), the LOCK (5) and the Sunday Bonus (3), he stands to pick up 12 points if Kansas covers.

PICKS

Dan: Kansas -10
Jim: Kansas -10 LOCK
Jon: Minnesota +10
Mark: Kansas -10
Ed: Minnesota +10
Greg: Kansas -10
Nino: Kansas -10
Chris: Kansas -10
Yohan: Kansas -10
Rob: Minnesota +10
Sal: Minnesota +10
Steve: Kansas -10

Chick-fil A Bowl
7:30 pm, ESPN
Georgia Tech (-4) LSU

Last year's national champions are playing on New Year's Eve this year (which is technically the same year in which they won the championship) because they ran out of gas late. LSU lost three of its last four games and would have finished at 6-6 if not for a miracle comeback against Troy on Nov. 15. Georgia Tech, on the other hand, had a nifty 9-3 season that ended with a brilliant comeback victory over Georgia. LSU will have a hard time trying to contain the Yellow Jackets' vicious wishbone offense.

This is a four-point game and is required for the Homer Simpson Bonus (because it's sponsored by a food product). Only Chris and Yohan remain eligible for the Simpson Bonus.

This would also have been a Climate Control Bonus game, since it's being played indoors, but everybody's been eliminated from that one.

In addition, Yohan has designated LSU as his SUPER-LOCK, which means he'll pocket 10 bonus points if the Tigers lose by four or fewer points. Yohan already earned five bonus points when his LOCK pick, West Virginia, won the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

PICKS

Dan: Georgia Tech -4
Jim: Georgia Tech -4
Jon: LSU +4
Mark: LSU +4
Ed: Georgia Tech -4
Greg: LSU +4
Nino: Georgia Tech -4
Chris: Georgia Tech -4
Yohan: LSU +4
Rob: Georgia Tech -4
Sal: Georgia Tech -4
Steve: LSU +4

Enjoy the ballgames, people. We'll be checking back in several times before the ball drops.

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl: Oregon 42, Oklahoma State 31

The game delivered on its promise and turned when one of the defenses (Oregon) figured out how to stop the other team's offense in the second half.

It's a cover for Oregon, which was a three-point underdog, and really it's a high-impact game on our pool.

It is a win for Ed, Nino, Yohan, Rob and Sal.

It is a loss for Dan, Jim, Jon, Mark, Greg, Chris and Steve.

The loss eliminates Jon, Mark, Greg and Steve from the Pete Carroll's Tan Bonus (Dan, Jim and Chris already had been eliminated from that one).

The loss eliminates Steve from the Damp Basement Bonus, leaving no one still eligible for that one.

In addition, Ed selected Oregon as his SUPER-LOCK, which means he gets 10 bonus points and vaults into first-place, opening up a 5-point lead over Yohan. Ed has correctly picked eight of the last nine games.

Steve, on the other hand, had selected Oklahoma State as his LOCK, which means he loses out on the opportunity to pocket five bonus points. This is sad for Steve. He has correctly picked seven of the last nine games, but the two he has missed were his LOCK (OK State) and his SUPER-LOCK (Rutgers). So, while the people against whom he's competing still have the chance to pocket lock bonuses, Steve does not.

FIVE games on the schedule tomorrow, boys, and FIVE more the day after. There's a reasonable chance I'll pass out at some point, but if I don't, the updates will keep on flowing....

Texas Bowl: Rice 38, Western Michigan 14

Totally embarrassing performance by Western Michigan. Every year, there are teams that just inexplicably fail to show up for their bowl games, and the 2008 Broncos are the kings of that so far.

The only good thing they can take away from this one is that practically no one saw it, since it was on the NFL Network and it was running opposite a highly anticipated Pacific Life Holiday Bowl.

Anyway, it's obviously a cover for Rice, which was a horribly underrated three-point favorite.

It's a win for Jim, Jon, Mark, Ed, Greg, Nino, Yohan, Rob, Sal and Steve.

It's a loss for Dan and Chris, who are hereby eliminated from the Landry and Sunday Bonuses. (Dan is now eligible for only four of the original 18 bonuses, and is glad he's having so much fun watching the games and updating the site because sheesh, he stinks at picking 'em.)

Yohan maintains his two-point lead but it's temporary, because either Ed's getting 13 or Steve's getting eight in the game that's still ongoing. (Actually, if Oklahoma State wins by three, then both of those things happen.)

So one more update to come tonight, from a real bowl game in San Diego.

Roady's Humanitarian Bowl: Maryland 42, Nevada 35

Man, that game took a long time. Watching them play on that blue field gives me a headache every year. And how could you not leave in a QB named Graziano? Nevada deserved to lose.

This is a cover for Maryland, which was a one-point underdog.

It is a win for Jim, Jon, Mark, Greg, Chris, Yohan, Rob and Steve.

It is a loss for Dan, Ed and Nino, all of whom are now eliminated from contention for the Homer Simpson Bonus if they weren't already (which Dan and Nino were).

Yohan maintains a two-point lead over Steve. Dan drops back into last place, where he's spent every night of the pool but one.

On to the double-nightcap, in Texas and San Diego. More later, as I'm sure you know by now.

Tripleheader Tuesday -- A Blue Field, the NFL Network and Lots and Lots of Points

Roady's Humanitarian Bowl
4:30 pm, ESPN
Nevada (-1) Maryland

On the blue turf in Boise, Maryland will do its best to get QB Chris Turner enough time to find open receivers. Those receivers will be open, because Nevada gives up more passing yards than any team in the nation. But the reason for that is a fearsome pass rush that should be a brutal test for Maryland's offensive line. When Nevada has the ball, they're going to run. Their QB and RB each rushed for more than 1,000 yards this year, and they'll try to grind out a steady attack against a Jekyll-and-Hyde Terrapin team that could show up and crush them or roll over and surprise no one.

This is a three-point game and is also required for the Homer Simpson Bonus because its corporate sponsor has to do with food. (Okay, it's a stretch. Roady's is a chain of truck stops.) Only Ed, Chris and Yohan remain eligible for the Simpson Bonus.

PICKS

Dan: Nevada -1
Jim: Maryland +1
Jon: Maryland +1
Mark: Maryland +1
Ed: Nevada -1
Greg: Maryland +1
Nino: Nevada -1
Chris: Maryland +1
Yohan: Maryland +1
Rob: Maryland +1
Sal: Maryland +1
Steve: Maryland +1

Texas Bowl
8 pm, NFL Network
Rice (-3) Western Michigan

Rice's potent passing attack and corps of stud receivers will try to exploit a Western Michigan secondary that's supremely gifted at safety but depleted at cornerback. As long as he can keep track of FS Louis Delmas, Rice QB Chase Clement should be able to find some good matchups. When Rice is on defense, they play a base nickel that's focused on coverage rather than pressure and should allow Western Michigan QB Tim Hiller plenty of time to throw the ball. Western Michigan also will rely on RB Brandon West to pick up yards early and keep them out of third-and-long situations.

This is a three-point game. It is required for the Tom Landry's Hat Bonus because it's being played in Texas. Dan, Ed, Yohan, Rob and Steve remain eligible for the Landry Bonus.

The game is also required for the Dreams of Sunday Bonus, because it's being broadcast on the NFL Network. This is the first of the Sunday Bonus games, so all of us remain eligible for it.

It would have been required for the Purism Bonus (since its name does not include a corporate sponsor), but we've all been eliminated from that one. And it would NOT have been required for the Climate Control Bonus, because the roof will be open at Houston's Reliant Stadium for the game. Of course, that doesn't matter either, because all of us have already been eliminated from the Climate Control Bonus as well.

PICKS

Dan: Western Michigan +3
Jim: Rice -3
Jon: Rice -3
Mark: Rice -3
Ed: Rice -3
Greg: Rice -3
Nino: Rice -3
Chris: Western Michigan +3
Yohan: Rice -3
Rob: Rice -3
Sal: Rice -3
Steve: Rice -3


Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
8 pm, ESPN
Oklahoma State (-3) Oregon

This game matches two teams that combined to score 106 points and allow 99 on the night of Nov. 29. Oklahoma State's 61-41 loss to Oklahoma that night put the Sooners in the Big 12 title game, launching them into the BCS National Championship Game against Florida. And Oregon's 65-38 victory over Oregon State that same night effectively eliminated the in-state-rival Beavers from the Pac-10 title, put USC in the Rose Bowl and earned the Ducks a prime-time matchup on the day before New Year's Eve.

It suffices to say that we expect some points to be scored here.

This is a three-point game. It is required for the Pete Carroll's Tan Bonus, since it's being played in the state of California. Jon, Mark, Ed, Greg, Yohan, Rob, Sal and Steve all remain eligible for this bonus.

The game is also required for the Damp Basement Bonus, since it's being played in a city (San Diego) that sits at or below sea level. Steve is the only one still eligible for this bonus.

In addition, this is the funniest of the LOCK/SUPER-LOCK games this year. Steve has designated Oklahoma State as his LOCK pick, which means he gets a five-point bonus if the Cowboys cover. But Ed has designated Oregon as his SUPER-LOCK, which means he gets a 10-point bonus if the Ducks cover.

Since Ed is MORE certain, does that mean he's right? We'll see...

PICKS

Dan: Oklahoma State -3
Jim: Oklahoma State -3
Jon: Oklahoma State -3
Mark: Oklahoma State -3
Ed: Oregon +3 SUPER-LOCK
Greg: Oklahoma State -3
Nino: Oregon +3
Chris: Oklahoma State -3
Yohan: Oregon +3
Rob: Oregon +3
Sal: Oregon +3
Steve: Oklahoma State -3 LOCK

Have those remotes handy -- this is the first time (but not the last) two bowls will be on at the same time.

And pull for a push in the Holiday, so both Steve and Ed can hit those lock picks...

Valero Alamo Bowl: Missouri 30, Northwestern 23 (OT)

First things first. I know this is a college football blog, but man -- how 'bout dem Hoyas?!?!

What a win -- knocking off No. 2 UConn on the road to start the toughest Big East season in history. Greg Monroe looks like the real deal. Chris Wright looks like a more athletic and talented Jonathan Wallace...awesome stuff.

Anyway, onto the gridiron. The first bowl game of the day was a dandy, and the second was a thriller. Missouri steals the Valero Alamo Bowl from Northwestern in overtime after looking dead in the water for almost the whole game.

It was a brutal loss BUT a cover for Northwestern, which was a 13-point underdog.

So it is a win for Dan (who jumps from last place all the way up to eighth!), Ed (who has now won six in a row as the base point values have begun to increase), Yohan (who maintains his overall lead), Rob (who's undoubtedly grouchy in victory) and Steve (who'd still be smarting from his super-lock failing to cover by a single point if not for the delectable guacamole he had earlier tonight).

It is a loss for Jim, Jon, Mark, Greg, Nino, Chris and Sal, all of whom are now eliminated from the Tom Landry's Hat Bonus.

As always, the standings are updated under the STANDINGS tab on the right side of this page. Yohan continues to lead by two points over Ed and Steve.

Three games Tuesday, so lots more potential for movement. Meantime...

Hail, O Georgetown, Alma Mater
Swift Potomac's lovely daughter
Ever watching by the water
Smile on us today!

Papajohns.com Bowl: Rutgers 29, NC State 23

Another outstanding bowl game, in which NC State QB Russell Wilson looked like a superstar in the first half but sprained his knee and couldn't play in the second. That left it open for Rutgers' Mike Teel to lead the Scarlet Knights to a comeback victory in his final game.

BUT....

Rutgers was a seven-point favorite, and this is therefore an excruciating cover for NC State. Even more excruciating because of the extra point RU missed in the first half.

It is a win for Ed, Chris and Yohan.

It is a loss for Dan, Jim, Jon, Mark, Greg, Nino, Rob, Sal and Steve, all of whom are now eliminated from the Bryant and Simpson bonuses.

It is a especially difficult loss for Sal and Steve, each of whom had designated Rutgers as his SUPER-LOCK and would have received 10 bonus points if RU had covered. They were the second and third participants whose SUPER-LOCK games have been played, and we are 0-for-3 in SUPER-LOCKs so far. Chris Sabatino lost with Hawaii in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

As a result of this afternoon's game, Yohan moves into first place with 17 points, two ahead of Steve and a red-hot Ed, who are tied for second.

The standings are updated under the STANDINGS tab on the right side of this page.

Enjoy the nightcap, in which most of the fans are in the press box.

A Two-Fer on a Monday

Papajohns.com Bowl
3 pm, ESPN
Rutgers (-7) North Carolina State

What we've got here is one of the hottest offenses in the nation (RU) against a defense so bad that it finished in a tie for third place in its ACC division despite having the all-ACC first team quarterback (NC State's Russell Wilson). Look for Mike Teel to have a big day throwing the ball against the Wolfpack in Birmingham, in a bowl named not for a pizza chain -- but for a pizza chain's web site.

This is the first of the three-point games and is also required for two bonuses -- the Bear Bryant Tower Bonus (because it's being played in Alabama) and the Homer Simpson Bonus (because its corporate sponsor is a food product -- or at least a food product's web site). All 12 participants remain eligible at this moment for both of these bonuses, because it's the first Bryant Bonus game and everybody won the first Simpson Bonus game (due to the push in the Emerald Bowl on Saturday night).

In addition, both Sal Sabatino and Steve Politi have designated Rutgers in this game as their SUPER-LOCK, which means each will receive 10 bonus points if Rutgers wins by 7 or more points.

PICKS

Dan: Rutgers -7
Jim: Rutgers -7
Jon: Rutgers -7
Mark : Rutgers -7
Ed: NC State +7
Greg: Rutgers -7
Nino: Rutgers -7
Chris: NC State +7
Yohan: NC State +7
Rob: Rutgers -7
Sal: Rutgers -7 SUPER-LOCK
Steve: Rutgers -7 SUPER-LOCK

Valero Alamo Bowl
8 pm, ESPN
Missouri (-13) Northwestern

Rob Biro will take a special rooting interest in the final game of Chase Daniel's college career, hoping his beloved Mildcats can come within a couple of touchdowns of high-powered Missouri. I know from talking with prominent alumnus Joe Girardi that Northwestern is down about this game, believing (with some validity) that it should have been playing in the Outback Bowl on New Year's Day instead of Iowa. But the Outback Bowl's answer to that, basically, was "Get some fans."

As a side note, this game pits two of the nation's top journalism schools against each other, which means that, after watching this game, hundreds of alumni from each school will return their attention to looking for work.

This is also a three-point game and is required for the Tom Landry's Hat Bonus (because it's being played in Texas). Everybody is eligible for the Landry Bonus, because this is the first Landry Bonus game.

This game also would have been required for the Climate Control Bonus (because it's being played indoors, at the Alamodome), but we've all been eliminated from contention for that bonus already.

PICKS

Dan: Northwestern +13
Jim: Missouri -13
Jon: Missouri -13
Mark: Missouri -13
Ed: Northwestern +13
Greg: Missouri -13
Nino: Missouri -13
Chris: Missouri -13
Yohan: Northwestern +13
Rob: Northwestern +13
Sal: Missouri -13
Steve: Northwestern +13

Have a fun day, gentlemen. And remember, nobody loses points for flipping to the Georgetown-Connecticut basketball game during the Alamo Bowl commercials...

Independence Bowl -- Louisiana Tech 17, Northern Illinois 10

Politi and I just watched the second half of this game at the bar at a TGI Friday's near the intersection of Route 3 and the Garden State Parkway on our way home from the Jets game, and I think he'll back me up when I say it has to rank among the worst bowl games of all time. I mean, these two teams STUNK.

However, Northern Illinois stunk worse, and as a result this is a win and a cover for Louisiana Tech and head coach Derek Dooley, who is the son of Vince Dooley. La Tech was getting 1.5 points in this game.

It is a win for Jon, Mark, Ed, Nino and Steve.

It is a loss for Dan, Jim, Greg, Chris, Yohan, Rob and Sal.

It moves Steve into first place, one point ahead of Yohan and Nino.

It leaves Steve and Jon as the only ones still eligible for the Louis Armstrong's sax bonus.

I think that takes care of it. I wish I could say the matchups got a lot better Monday, when the base point values of the games goes up to 3, but I'm not sure they do.

More on that later...

A Sunday Night Stop in Shreveport

Independence Bowl
8:15 pm, ESPN
Northern Illinois (-1.5) Louisiana Tech

The Independence Bowl is supposed to pit a Big 12 team against an SEC team. So how did this matchup happen?

Well, it turns out the Big 12 and SEC didn’t have enough bowl-eligible teams this year. So we get the Huskies vs. the Bulldogs (extra credit if you can guess which is which) 67 miles from the Louisiana Tech campus.

The player to watch here is Northern Illinois defensive end Larry English, who was the MVP of the MAC conference this year in spite of playing the whole season with a cast on his right hand. He will be a nightmare for a La Tech passing game that ranked 102nd in the nation, and could require the Bulldogs to rely on RB Daniel Porter.

This is the last of the two-point games for a while. The base point values for Monday and Tuesday’s games will be three..

This game is required for the Louis Armstrong’s Sax Bonus (because it’s being played in Louisiana) and would have been eligible for the Purism Bonus (because it doesn’t have a corporate sponsor in its name), but all 12 pool participants have been eliminated from contention for the Purism Bonus. Jon, Greg, Chris, Rob and Steve all remain eligible for the Armstrong Bonus.

PICKS

Dan: Northern Illinois -1.5
Jim: Northern Illinois -1.5
Jon: Louisiana Tech +1.5
Mark: Louisiana Tech +1.5
Ed: Louisiana Tech +1.5
Greg: Northern Illinois -1.5
Nino: Louisiana Tech +1.5
Chris: Northern Illinois -1.5
Yohan: Northern Illinois -1.5
Rob: Northern Illinois -1.5
Sal: Nothern Illinois -1.5
Steve: Louisiana Tech +1.5

Emerald Bowl -- Cal 24, Miami 17

Sisters -- kiss 'em if you got 'em.

Cal was a seven-point favorite in this game, which means it's a push. And in our pool, a push is a win for everybody. The reason for this is that it's hard enough to get the bonuses, and this game, for example, counts toward three of them. So if the choice is between eliminating everybody from three bonuses or keeping everybody eligible for them, we go with the latter.

So everybody remains eligible for the Homer Simpson Bonus.

Jim, Jon, Ed, Greg, Nino, Rob and Steve remain eligible for the CC Sabathia's Wallet Bonus.

Jon, Mark, Ed, Greg, Yohan, Rob, Sal and Steve remain eligible for the Pete Carroll's Tan Bonus.

And in news that matters only to me...Dan went 3-0 today to improve to 3-8 for the pool! When Pat White got sacked on fourth down in the fourth quarter with West Virginia trailing, I really thought I was headed for 0-34. But maybe things are turning around...

Fun Saturday. One game tomorrow, and then the insanity truly begins Monday. Hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am.

Champs Sports Bowl -- Florida State 42, Wisconsin 13

FSU's speed and kicker were way too much for the Badgers to handle, and Bobby Bowden rolls to another bowl victory.

This was a cover for Florida State, which had been favored by 4.5 points.

It is a win for seven pool participants: Dan (two in a row!), Jim, Jon, Mark, Ed, Nino and Steve.

It is a loss for five: Greg, Chris, Yohan, Rob and Sal.

Those five are now eliminated from the Bobby Bowden's Belly Bonus, for which Jim, Jon, Ed, Nino and Steve all remain eligible.

Yohan remains in first place on the strength of his LOCK pick of West Virginia in today's early game. Steve is one point behind and will overtake him for the lead if Miami covers the touchdown spread against Cal tonight in the Emerald Bowl. Only Jon, Chris and Steve picked Miami in the nightcap.

Peace.

Meineke Car Care Bowl -- West Virginia 31, North Carolina 30

The best game of the bowl season so far, and I'm not just saying that because I finally picked a winner.

Yes, our long national nightmare is over. Pat White comes through (barely) in his final college game, and a late INT seals the thriller for the Mountaineers, who were 1-point underdogs and therefore get the cover as well as the win.

This is a win for Dan (!), Jon, Ed, Nino, Chris, Yohan, Rob, Sal and Steve.

It is a loss for Jim, Mark and Greg.

It was eligible for no bonuses, so those are unaffected.

It was, however, designated by Yohan as his LOCK, which means he gets five bonus points and vaults into first place in the pool standings, which are updated under the STANDINGS tab to the right of this page.

We move on, in about 20 minutes, to the Champs Sports Bowl between Florida State and Wisconsin. FSU is a 4.5-point favorite, the game is worth 2 points and is a Bowden Belly Bonus game. Enjoy.

I know I will.

A Three-Bowl Saturday!

Meineke Car Care Bowl
1:00 pm, ESPN
North Carolina (-1) West Virginia

The last game in the college career of one of this blogger’s personal favorite players. After this game, WVU QB Pat White will head off to the NFL, where he’ll probably end up being a wide receive or kick returner of some sort. Before he goes, expect some electricity. Each of these teams has been to the Meineke Car Care Bowl before. West Virginia lost the first one ever, 48-22 to Virginia in 2002. North Carolina lost to Boston College, 37-24, in the 2004 game.

This is a two-point game and that’s it. Along with the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl, it is one of only two bowls in our pool that are not required for any of the combo bonuses.

Yohan has designated West Virginia as his LOCK pick, which means he will get five bonus points if the Mountaineers win.

PICKS

Dan: West Virginia +1
Jim: North Carolina -1
Jon: West Virginia +1
Mark: North Carolina -1
Ed: West Virginia +1
Greg: North Carolina -1
Nino: West Virginia +1
Chris: West Virginia +1
Yohan: West Virginia +1 (LOCK)
Rob: West Virginia +1
Sal: West Virginia +1
Steve: West Virginia +1

Champs Sports Bowl
4:30 pm, ESPN
Florida State (-4.5) Wisconsin

With Michigan’s streak having ended in brutal fashion this year, Florida State now has the longest active streak with 27 straight bowl appearances. Last year, you may remember, Bobby Bowden suspended something like 37 players before his team’s Music City Bowl game against Kentucky and, shockingly, lost. This year the Seminoles come in at full strength to face a Wisconsin team that was taken to overtime by no less a traditional power than Cal Poly in its last game. FSU quarterback Christian Ponder could make up for a disappointing season with a big finish against a disappointing Big Ten squad, but the Noles are more likely to try and win the game on the ground against the much slower Badgers.

This is a two-point game but is also required for the 12-point Bobby Bowden’s Belly Bonus, since it is being played in the state of Florida.

PICKS

Dan: Florida State -4.5
Jim: Florida State -4.5
Jon: Florida State -4.5
Mark: Florida State -4.5
Ed: Florida State -4.5
Greg: Wisconsin +4.5
Nino: Florida State -4.5
Chris: Wisconsin +4.5
Yohan: Wisconsin +4.5
Rob: Wisconsin +4.5
Sal: Wisconsin +4.5
Steve: Florida State -4.5

Emerald Bowl
8:00 pm, ESPN
California (-7) Miami

The man to watch in this matchup is Cal running back Jahvid Best, whos late-season performance is the main reason Cal is in any bowl at all, and especially one in their own backyard. He’ll get to run against a Miami run defense that’s the main reason the Hurricanes didn’t make it to a more impressive bowl this year, and it should be fairly ugly.

On the other side of the ball, Robert Marve and Jacory Harris have been sharing time at quarterback for Miami this season. But in this one, it’s going to be all Harris, as Marve is suspended for academic reasons and cannot play. Hm. A team with a killer running back, playing what amounts to a home game against a team with a lousy run defense and whose quarterback is suspended? If I hadn’t picked Cal in this one, I’d say they were a pretty safe bet.

This is a two-point game and Pete Carroll’s Tan Bonus (because it’s in California), the CC Sabathia’s Wallet Bonus (because it’s being played in a baseball stadium – AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants) and the Homer Simpson Bonus (because its corporate sponsor, Emerald Nuts, is a food product). It is the FIRST of the Simpson Bonus games, which means everybody still has a shot at it.

PICKS

Dan: California -7
Jim: California -7
Jon: Miami +7
Mark: California -7
Ed: California -7
Greg: California -7
Nino: California -7
Chris: Miami +7
Yohan: California -7
Rob: California -7
Sal: California -7
Steve: Miami +7

Motor City Bowl -- Florida Atlantic 24, Central Michigan 21

I mean, it's hard to get too upset about this one, since 11 of the 12 of us lost it. But really, at this point, I'd like to have ONE game right.

Obviously, this is a stunning cover by FAU, which was a 6.5-point underdog IN MICHIGAN. But we should all remember this lesson: Never pick against Howard Schnellenberger in a bowl game. Seriously, he's 6-0. He also was the offensive coordinator for Don Shula's undefeated 1972 Dolphins. Seriously. Look it up.

Anyway, it's a win for Chris Sabatino, who picks up two points to move into a tie with Ed Price for seventh place.

It's a loss for everybody else, including Dan, who falls to 0-8 with only 26 bowl games remaining. Since Politi leads the pool with just seven points, Dan's not out of it by any means, but it's safe to say it isn't the start he was hoping for.

This loss eliminates everyone in the pool from the Purism and Climate Control Bonuses. Hey, I told you those bonuses were hard to get.

Plus (and trust me -- I know I'm not one to talk), but it's not as if we're awesome at this. Only four of the 12 of us have picked at least half the games correctly. We have a guy (Nino) sitting in second place, one point out of first, who's only picked one game correctly so far. (But got five bonus points because it was his LOCK.)

Point is, there's a lot of time yet. The point values go up again (to 3 per game) on Monday, and we haven't even reached the quarter-pole of this race.

Three games on the schedule Saturday. And all that positive talk up there notwithstanding, if I'm 0-11 this time tomorrow, I may be in tears...

Back in action in Detroit

Motor City Bowl

8:00 pm, ESPN

Central Michigan (-6.5) Florida Atlantic

This is Central Michigan’s third straight trip to the Motor City Bowl. They beat Middle Tennesee 31-14 two years ago, and last year they lost a 51-48 thriller to Purdue. Florida Atlantic’s coach is Howard Schnellenberger, which is awesome. The guy to watch here is Central Michigan’s junior QB, Dan LeFevour, who put on a show in that Motor City Bowl loss last year and is certainly motivated to put 2007’s heartbreak behind him.

This game is worth two points and is also required for the 11-point Climate Control Bonus (because it’s being played indoors, at Ford Field in Detroit) and the 10-point Purism Bonus (because its name does not include a corportate sponsor).

PICKS

Dan: Central Michigan -6.5

Jim: Central Michigan -6.5

Jon: Central Michigan -6.5

Mark: Central Michigan -6.5

Ed: Central Michigan -6.5

Greg: Central Michigan -6.5

Nino: Central Michigan -6.5

Chris: FAU +6.5

Yohan: Central Michigan -6.5

Rob: Central Michigan -6.5

Sal: Central Michigan -6.5

Steve: Central Michigan -6.5

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl -- Notre Dame (+1.5) 49, Hawaii 21

Nice effort, Rainbows...

This was obviously a cover for Notre Dame. That makes it a win for Steve and Yohan and a loss for all 10 of the other pool participants.

Steve moves into first place by himself with seven points.

Dan stays in last place with 0 points -- Yes, he's 0-for-7 so far. And yes, that's awesome.

In addition, Chris Sabatino had selected Hawaii in this game as his SUPER-LOCK. Chris's SUPER-LOCK obviously did not come through, so he will not get the 10 bonus points he would have got if Hawaii had covered.

Also, as a result of this game, everybody except Steve is eliminated from contention for the Damp Basement Bonus. (Yohan had already been eliminated with his loss in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.)

There is no game today on Christmas. I hope that everyone, no matter what they're celebrating this week, has a Happy/Merry one.

I also hope that I can get at least one of the remaining 27 bowl games correct.

Christmas Eve in Hawaii

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl

8:00 pm, ESPN

Hawaii (-1.5) Notre Dame

Hawaii is 3-1 in this bowl, though they haven’t played in it since 2006 (took a year off last year to play in a BCS bowl – and get smoked). Notre Dame, of course, is being rewarded with its remarkably successful and thrill-packed season with a late December trip to Honolulu. We can only assume that, after a week in Hawaii, they will play with the focus, determination and brilliance that has become their hallmark in the Charlie Weis era.

This game is worth two points, and is also required for the 12-point Damp Basement Bonus because it’s being played in a city (Honolulu) that sits at or below sea level.

It is also Chris Sabatino's SUPER-LOCK, which means he gets a 10-point bonus if Hawaii covers.

PICKS

Dan: Hawaii -1.5

Jim: Hawaii -1.5

Jon: Hawaii -1.5

Mark: Hawaii -1.5

Ed: Hawaii -1.5

Greg: Hawaii -1.5

Nino: Hawaii -1.5

Chris: Hawaii -1.5 (SUPER LOCK)

Yohan: Notre Dame +1.5

Rob: Hawaii -1.5

Sal: Hawaii -1.5

Steve: Notre Dame +1.5

Enjoy, and Merry Freaking Christmas.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl: TCU 17, Boise State 16

Outstanding battle between outstanding teams, and TCU comes back in the second half to wreck Boise State's perfect season.

HOWEVER....

TCU was a 2.5-point favorite, so this was a freaking cover for Boise State.

It was therefore a win for Jon, Mark, Ed, Greg, Yohan, Rob, Sal and Steve.

It was a loss for Dan, Jim, Nino and Chris.

It is Mark's first win, and Dan's sixth loss in six games. Which is freaking awesome, in case you were wondering.

Greg now ties Nino for first place with six points, because this bowl was worth two points.

Dan, Jim, Nino and Chris are eliminated from the Carroll, Paulson and Basement Bonuses.

Dan promises to try really hard again tonight in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. He does not believe he will really go 0-34.

Tuesday Preview -- A killer matchup two days before Christmas

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl

8:00 pm, ESPN

TCU (-2.5) Boise State

BCS games than which this game is better include the Allstate Sugar and FedEx Orange Bowls. Boise State is undefeated and an underdog against one of the best defenses in the nation (Only USC allowed fewer points per game than did TCU). The only way I see Boise State pulling this out is if they tie the score with a late touchdown on a hook-and-lateral play, then win the game on Statue of Liberty play on a two-point conversion after which their star running back proposes to his cheerleader girlfriend on the field. Yeah, that’s what I thought. That could never happen.

This is the first of the two-point games, and is also required for three bonuses – the 12-point Damp Basement Bonus (because it’s played in a city that sits at or below sea level), the 7-point Pete Carroll’s Tan Bonus (because it’s played in California) and the 7-point Hank Paulson Bailout Bonus (because its sponsor is a bank, though probably not the kind of bank that the whole Paulson thing is about).

It's the first of the games that's required for the Carroll bonus and the second required for the Paulson and Basement bonuses. Jon, Greg, Chris, Rob and Steve are the only participants still eligible for the Basement bonus. Jim, Jon, Ed, Greg, Chris, Yohan, Rob, Sal and Steve are all still eligible for the Paulson bonus.

Four of us picked TCU and eight picked Boise State. And in the most startling news of the day, either Mark or Dan will pick up a win in this one, since they picked two different teams. The bad news, of course, is that one will fall to 0-6.

Awesome.

PICKS

Dan: TCU -2.5

Jim: TCU -2.5

Jon: Boise State +2.5

Mark: Boise State +2.5

Ed: Boise State +2.5

Greg: Boise State +2.5

Nino: TCU -2.5

Chris: TCU -2.5

Yohan: Boise State +2.5

Rob: Boise State +2.5

Sal: Boise State +2.5

Steve: Boise State +2.5

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Southern Miss 30, Troy 27 (OT)

Southern Miss blocks a field goal attempt to win in overtime, and Dan and Mark see another one slip away. In true choke-artist fashion befitting a team that blew a 31-3 third-quarter lead earlier this year, Troy fell apart after leading by 10 in the second half of this one and handed it to the Golden Eagles.

This is a cover for Southern Miss, which was getting four points.

It is a win for Jon, Greg, Chris, Rob and Steve.

It is a loss for Dan, Jim, Mark, Ed, Nino, Yohan and Sal, all of whom are now eliminated from the Louis Armstrong, Damp Basement and Climate Control bonuses.

If you're keeping track, Dan and Mark have missed on all five games so far and have been eliminated, already, from contention for nine of the 18 bonuses. Truly awesome.

Greg is doing the best so far, having correctly picked four of the five games. But Nino maintains a two-point lead on the strength of having nailed his LOCK pick in the magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl.

There is (sniff) no game Monday, which is inexplicable. We will be back Tuesday with the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, which features two of the top 11 teams in the nation.

Day Two Preview -- Just one in the Big Easy

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
8:15 pm, ESPN
Troy (-4) Southern Mississippi

In Troy’s most memorable game of this season, they held a 31-3 lead on defending national champion LSU with one minute left in the game’s third quarter…and surrendered an incomprehensible 37 straight points to lose the game 40-31. That was Troy’s second game of the year in Louisiana. In the first, their kicker banged a 56-yard field goal attempt off the crossbar as time ran out in a 31-30 loss to Louisiana-Monroe. So they’re hoping for a bit better result this time in the bayou. Southern Miss started the season 2-6 and had to win its last four to qualify for a bowl. In those four games, they allowed a total of 35 points. So the defense is hot.

This game is the last of the one-point games and is required for three bonuses – the 12-point Damp Basement Bonus (because it’s being played in a city that sits at or below sea level), the 11-point Climate Control Bonus (because it’s being played indoors, at the Superdome) and the 5-point Louis Armstrong’s Sax Bonus (because it’s being played in Louisiana).

PICKS

Dan: Troy -4
Jim: Troy -4
Jon: Southern Miss +4
Mark: Troy -4
Ed: Troy -4
Greg: Southern Miss +4
Nino: Troy -4
Chris: Southern Miss +4
Yohan: Troy -4
Rob: Southern Miss +4
Sal: Troy -4
Steve: Southern Miss +4

Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl -- Arizona 31, BYU 21

Well, every single one of us picked BYU in this one, getting three points, and they lost by 10. Guess those Arizona kids were able to handle the week in Vegas better than we thought. Maybe it was the snow.

Anyway, the game was required for no bonuses, so there's no harm done here. The standings don't change at all.

The Day One roundup:

-Jim and Greg each picked 3 of the 4 games correctly.

-Jon, Ed, Rob and Steve were each 2-for-4, correctly picking Wake and South Florida.

-Chris, Yohan, Sal and Nino were each 1-for-4, with the first three correctly picking Wake and Nino correctly picking South Florida. Since South Florida was Nino's LOCK pick, he gained an additional 5 bonus points and sits in first place.

-Dan and Mark managed to go 0-for-4 on the first day and are eliminated from seven of the 18 bonuses. Awesome.

More later on tonight's R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. Enjoy the snow.

I can't frigging believe it's snowing again.

MagicJack St. Petersburg Bowl: South Florida 41, Memphis 14

If there's a worse team in these 34 bowls than Memphis, it might be a good idea to skip the game that team is in. What a debacle.

This game is a cover for South Florida, which was favored by 12.5.

It is a win for: Jim, Jon, Ed, Greg, Nino, Rob and Steve.

It is a loss for: Dan, Mark, Chris, Yohan and Sal, all of whom are eliminated from the Bowden, Sabathia, ESPN2 and Climate Control Bonuses. Dan and Mark are a spectacular 0-for-3 so far and have already been eliminated from contention for seven of the eighteen bonuses. Awesome start.

In addition, it was Nino's LOCK pick, which means he gets five bonus points for winning it. That's why Nino is in the lead even though he's got 2-0f-3 correct so far and Jim and Greg are both 3-for-3.

One bowl left today, and it's a zero-impact bowl. Everybody picked BYU over Arizona, and the bowl is required for no bonuses. So everybody will get either one point or zero, and nobody will be eliminated from any bonuses. So enjoy.

New Mexico Bowl: Colorado State 40, Fresno State 35

Certainly, if we'd known they had a guy who was going to rush for 285 yards, more of us would have picked Colorado State.

As it stands, Gartrell Johnson only helped Jim and Greg. The game is a win and cover for Colorado State, which was selected by only those two. The other 10 participants in the pool are all eliminated from contention for the Purism Bonus, and Greg and Jim are tied for first place with two points apiece.

Big one underway in St. Petersburg, where the spread is 12.5 and four bonuses and Nino's lock are at stake. Stay tuned....

EagleBank Bowl: Wake Forest 29, Navy 19

First off, some housekeeping. Until that last Wake Forest touchdown, I was 100 percent sure this game was going to be a push, which would have meant my very complicated spreadsheet that's responsible for tracking all of the scoring and bonuses would have been blown up after the first game.

It also reminded me that we don't have anything in place for dealing with the push. So I'd like to make this rule clear to everyone before we go any further: IN THIS POOL, A PUSH IS A WIN FOR EVERYBODY.

The reason for this is that, if everybody lost, everybody would be eliminated from the bonuses for which that game was required. And what fun would that be?

Anyway, excellent game in which Navy jumped out to an early lead only to see Riley Skinner and Wake Forest come roaring back to win and cover the three-point spread.

This game is a win for nine of our participants: Jim, Jon, Ed, Greg, Rob, Chris, Yohan, Sal and Steve.

This game is a loss for three of our participants: Dan, Mark and Nino.

Dan, Mark and Nino are now eliminated from contention for the Janus Bonus and the Hank Paulson Bailout Bonus.

Enjoy the New Mexico Bowl. Standings will be updated very shortly. We'll be back to you later in the day.

Bowl Previews -- Day One

EagleBank Bowl
11 a.m., ESPN
Wake Forest (-3) Navy

A rematch of a Sept. 27 game won by Navy, 24-17, at Wake Forest. Navy QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada was suffered a hamstring injury in that game but returned two weeks ago to help Navy in its annual slaughter of Army. Navy leads the nation in rushing yards with 298.3 per game, and Kaheaku-Enhada’s chief job in this game will be to hand the ball off to running backs Shun White and Eric Kettani. Wake Forest has had major problems scoring all year and should struggle against a Navy defense that got considerably more stingy as the year went on. (You know – after they lost to Duke.)

The first bowl game of the year, the EagleBank Bowl is worth one point and is required for the three-point Janus Bonus (along with the last bowl game of the year) and the seven-point Hank Paulson Bailout Bonus (because it is sponsored by a bank).

PICKS

Dan: Navy +3
Jim: Wake Forest -3
Jon: Wake Forest -3
Mark: Navy +3
Ed: Wake Forest -3
Greg: Wake Forest -3
Nino: Navy +3
Chris: Wake Forest -3
Yohan: Wake Forest -3
Rob: Wake Forest -3
Sal: Wake Forest -3
Steve: Wake Forest -3

New Mexico Bowl
2:30 p.m., ESPN
Fresno State (-3) Colorado State

For the first time in its three-year history, the New Mexico Bowl will be played without New Mexico in it. So as you can imagine, good seats remain available even at this late hour. In its most recent game, Fresno State was nipped by Boise State 61-10. Colorado State, meanwhile, had to win its last two games to become bowl-eligible. The Rams haven’t played in a bowl game since 2005, when Gartrell Johnson was a freshman. Johnson is now a senior RB who’s averaging 111 rushing yards and a TD in each of his past four games for CSU.

This game is worth one point. Because this bowl is not named for a corporate sponsor, it is required for the 10-point Purism Bonus.

PICKS

Dan: Fresno State -3
Jim: Colorado State +3
Jon: Fresno State -3
Mark: Fresno State -3
Ed: Fresno State -3
Greg: Colorado State +3
Nino: Fresno State -3
Chris: Fresno State -3
Yohan: Fresno State -3
Rob: Fresno State -3
Sal: Fresno State -3
Steve: Fresno State -3

MagicJack St. Petersburg Bowl
4:30 p.m., ESPN2
South Florida (-12.5) Memphis

South Florida gets a home game in the inaugural MagicJack St. Petersburg Bowl. The Bulls started the season a Big East favorite but finished terribly, losing four of their last five games as senior QB Matt Groethe threw three TD passes and 11 interceptions in those five. They face a Memphis team that badly missed Derrick Rose in a 79-70 overtime loss at Georgetown a week ago. Oh wait. Different sport. Sorry.

This game is worth one point, but don’t think it’s unimportant. It is required for four bonuses – the 12-point Bobby Bowden’s Belly Bonus (because it’s played in Florida), the 11-point Climate Control Bonus (because it’s played indoors), the 9-point CC Sabathia’s Wallet Bonus (because it’s being played at the home of MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays) and the 3-point ESPN Broadcast Overflow Bonus (because it’s being shown on ESPN2).

PICKS

Dan: Memphis +12.5
Jim: South Florida -12.5
Jon: South Florida -12.5
Mark: Memphis +12.5
Ed: South Florida -12.5
Greg: South Florida -12.5
Nino: South Florida -12.5 -- LOCK
Chris: Memphis +12.5
Yohan: Memphis +12.5
Rob: South Florida -12.5
Sal: Memphis +12.5
Steve: South Florida -12.5

Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl
8:00 pm, ESPN
Arizona (-3) BYU

This is the fourth year in a row that BYU is playing in the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl. They lost to Cal, 35-28, in 2005 but beat Oregon in 2006 and nipped UCLA in a 17-16 thriller a year ago. (And no, I’m not kidding. I watched that game. I watch them all. That’s the point of this whole thing.) For Arizona, it’s their first trip to any bowl game since they beat Nebraska 23-20 in the 1998 Holiday Bowl. So at least the kids from BYU can show them all around the strip, since they’re so used to it. This should be an offensive shootout. Arizona’s chief weakness on offense is that it has a hard time protecting its quarterback, but BYU doesn’t pressure quarterbacks very well. So Willie Tuitama should be thrilled with all the unexpected time to throw.

This game is worth one point and is not required for any bonuses. So just enjoy the last of four games on the first day of bowl season 2008-09, and we’ll be back tomorrow with a recap, a standings update and a preview of the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

PICKS

Dan: BYU +3
Jim: BYU +3
Jon: BYU +3
Mark: BYU +3
Ed: BYU +3
Greg: BYU +3
Nino: BYU +3
Chris: BYU +3
Yohan: BYU +3
Rob: BYU +3
Sal: BYU +3
Steve: BYU +3

All Picks Are In!

With 19 hours and 8 minutes to go before kickoff of the EagleBank Bowl, all 12 entrants have submitted their picks.

At some point tonight, I will have a mechanism on this site that will allow you to see everyone's picks. I'm not sure if they'll all be together in one table, or if on the standings page you'll be able to click on a participant's name to see his picks. But everybody will be able to see who everybody else picked for the games.

Meantime, here are some interesting notes about the picks:

Most Popular Pick: BYU +3 in the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl. All 12 participants picked BYU. This is the only unanimous game, with no one in the pool having picked Arizona. What's hilarious about this is that, according to the Accuscore projections on ESPN.com, Arizona is one of the best bets to not only win but cover the spread in any of the 34 bowl games. I still think BYU, having now been to the Las Vegas Bowl four years in a row, is better equipped to stay out of trouble this week in Vegas, but Accuscore doesn't take that into account. Anyway, if Arizona covers, it's not a huge deal, because the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl is one of two bowls that don't qualify for any of the 15 bonuses.

Runners-Up for most popular pick included:

-Central Michigan -6.5 in the Motor City Bowl (only Chris Sabatino picked Florida Atlantic).

-Boston College -3.5 in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl (only Yohan picked Vanderbilt -- nothing like a proud alum).

-Texas Tech -5.5 in the AT&T Cotton Bowl (only Chris Sabatino picked Ole Miss).

-Texas -9.5 in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (only Jon picked Ohio State).

Other Notes

*Hawaii, Fresno State and Rice were all picked by 10 of the 12 participants against Notre Dame, Colorado State and Western Michigan, respectively.

*Wake Forest, West Virginia, California, Rutgers and Maryland were all picked by 9 of the 12.

*Three games are even splits: Pitt-Oregon State in the Brut Sun Bowl, South Carolina-Iowa in the Outback Bowl and Buffalo-Connecticut in the International Bowl were all picked one way by half the pool and the other way by the other half.

*The MagicJack St. Petersburg Bowl remains perhaps the most fascinating of the early part of the pool. It's required for four different bonuses and carries a 12.5-point spread. Seven of our participants picked South Florida minus the 12.5, and the other five picked Memphis to cover. So either five or seven of the pool's participants will be eliminated from contention for the Bowden, Sabathia, ESPN2 and Climate Control Bonuses by 9 pm Saturday.

LOCKS AND SUPER-LOCKS

The most popular LOCK pick is Florida in the BCS National Championship game. Three people picked that as their lock. Two people designated Texas in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl as their locks.

The most popular SUPER-LOCK picks are Rutgers in the Papajohns.com Bowl and Texas Tech in the AT&T Cotton Bowl, each picked by two different people as SUPER-LOCK. Here is a complete list of LOCK and SUPER-LOCK picks:

Dan Graziano
LOCK: Boston College
SUPER-LOCK: East Carolina

Jim Graziano
LOCK: Kansas
SUPER-LOCK: Georgia

Jon Graziano
LOCK: Florida
SUPER-LOCK: Texas Tech

Mark Feinsand
LOCK: Texas
SUPER-LOCK: USC

Ed Price
LOCK: USC
SUPER-LOCK: Oregon

Greg Lester
LOCK: Georgia
SUPER-LOCK: Texas Tech

Paul "Nino" Canino
LOCK: South Florida
SUPER-LOCK: Alabama

Chris Sabatino
LOCK: Florida
SUPER-LOCK: Hawaii

Yohan Sengamalay
LOCK: West Virginia
SUPER-LOCK: LSU

Rob Biro
LOCK: Florida
SUPER-LOCK: Buffalo

Sal Sabatino
LOCK: Texas
SUPER-LOCK: Rutgers

Steve Politi
LOCK: Oklahoma State
SUPER-LOCK: Rutgers

Two cool notes on these:

-Nino has laid a combined 23 points on his lock picks, which I consider a shitload.

-Politi's LOCK is Oklahoma State. Price's SUPER-LOCK is Oregon. They're playing each other.

STEVE POLITI

TOTAL POINTS: 83

PLACE: 1

LOCK: Oklahoma State
SUPER-LOCK: Rutgers

BONUSES ATTAINED: Dreams of Sunday (3 points), Hank Paulson Bailout (7 points), Louis Armstrong's Sax (5 points), ESPN2 Broadcast Overflow (3 points)

Bonuses still possible (2): Sabathia, Janus.

PICKS

EagleBank	Wake
New Mexico	Fresno St
Magicjack St. Petersburg	S Florida
Pioneer Las Vegas	BYU
R+L Carriers New Orleans	So Miss
SDCCU Poinsettia	Boise St
Sheraton Hawaii	Notre Dame
Motor City	C Michigan
Meineke Car Care	WVU
Champs Sports	Fla State
Emerald	Miami
Independence	La Tech
Papajohns.com	Rutgers
Valero Alamo	Nwestern
Roady's Humanitarian	Maryland
Texas	Rice
Pacific Life Holiday	Okla State
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces	Air Force
Brut Sun	Oregon St
Gaylord Hotels Music City	BC
Insight	Kansas
Chick-fil A	LSU
Outback	Iowa
Capital One	Georgia
Konica Minolta Gator	Clemson
Rose Bowl presented by Citi	USC
FedEx Orange	Va Tech
AT&T Cotton	Texas Tech
AutoZone Liberty	E Carolina
Allstate Sugar	Utah
International	Connecticut
Tostitos Fiesta	Texas
GMAC	Tulsa
FedEX BCS Championship	Florida

SAL SABATINO

TOTAL POINTS: 53

PLACE: 9

LOCK: Texas
SUPER-LOCK: Rutgers

BONUSES ATTAINED: Hank Paulson Bailout Bonus (7 points), Pete Carroll's Tan Bonus (7 points).

Bonuses still possible (1): Janus.

PICKS

EagleBank	Wake
New Mexico	Fresno St
Magicjack St. Petersburg	Memphis
Pioneer Las Vegas	BYU
R+L Carriers New Orleans	Troy
SDCCU Poinsettia	Boise St
Sheraton Hawaii	Hawaii
Motor City	C Michigan
Meineke Car Care	WVU
Champs Sports	Wisconsin
Emerald	California
Independence	N Illinois
Papajohns.com	Rutgers
Valero Alamo	Missouri
Roady's Humanitarian	Maryland
Texas	Rice
Pacific Life Holiday	Oregon
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces	Air Force
Brut Sun	Pittsburgh
Gaylord Hotels Music City	BC
Insight	Minnesota
Chick-fil A	Ga Tech
Outback	So Carolina
Capital One	Georgia
Konica Minolta Gator	Clemson
Rose Bowl presented by Citi	USC
FedEx Orange	Cincinnati
AT&T Cotton	Texas Tech
AutoZone Liberty	E Carolina
Allstate Sugar	Utah
International	Connecticut
Tostitos Fiesta	Texas
GMAC	Tulsa
FedEX BCS Championship	Florida

ROB BIRO

TOTAL POINTS: 35

PLACE: 12

LOCK: Florida
SUPER-LOCK: Buffalo

Bonuses still possible (1): Janus.

PICKS

EagleBank	Wake
New Mexico	Fresno St
Magicjack St. Petersburg	S Florida
Pioneer Las Vegas	BYU
R+L Carriers New Orleans	So Miss
SDCCU Poinsettia	Boise St
Sheraton Hawaii	Hawaii
Motor City	C Michigan
Meineke Car Care	WVU
Champs Sports	Wisconsin
Emerald	California
Independence	N Illinois
Papajohns.com	Rutgers
Valero Alamo	Nwestern
Roady's Humanitarian	Maryland
Texas	Rice
Pacific Life Holiday	Oregon
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces	Air Force
Brut Sun	Pittsburgh
Gaylord Hotels Music City	BC
Insight	Minnesota
Chick-fil A	Ga Tech
Outback	Iowa
Capital One	Mich State
Konica Minolta Gator	Clemson
Rose Bowl presented by Citi	Penn State
FedEx Orange	Cincinnati
AT&T Cotton	Texas Tech
AutoZone Liberty	Kentucky
Allstate Sugar	Alabama
International	Buffalo
Tostitos Fiesta	Texas
GMAC	Ball State
FedEX BCS Championship	Florida

YOHAN SENGAMALAY

TOTAL POINTS: 80

PLACE: 2

LOCK: West Virginia (5 point bonus)
SUPER-LOCK: LSU (10 point bonus)

BONUSES ATTAINED: Dreams of Sunday (3 points), Grand Ole Opry (3 points)

Bonuses still possible (1): Janus.

PICKS

EagleBank	Wake
New Mexico	Fresno St
Magicjack St. Petersburg	Memphis
Pioneer Las Vegas	BYU
R+L Carriers New Orleans	Troy
SDCCU Poinsettia	Boise St
Sheraton Hawaii	Notre Dame
Motor City	C Michigan
Meineke Car Care	WVU
Champs Sports	Wisconsin
Emerald	California
Independence	N Illinois
Papajohns.com	NC State
Valero Alamo	Nwestern
Roady's Humanitarian	Maryland
Texas	Rice
Pacific Life Holiday	Oregon
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces	Houston
Brut Sun	Pittsburgh
Gaylord Hotels Music City	Vanderbilt
Insight	Kansas
Chick-fil A	LSU
Outback	So Carolina
Capital One	Georgia
Konica Minolta Gator	Clemson
Rose Bowl presented by Citi	Penn State
FedEx Orange	Va Tech
AT&T Cotton	Texas Tech
AutoZone Liberty	Kentucky
Allstate Sugar	Alabama
International	Buffalo
Tostitos Fiesta	Texas
GMAC	Ball State
FedEX BCS Championship	Florida