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