College Football Viewer's Guide: Friday's Tripleheader

Over the next five days, the bowl season becomes much more frenzied, beginning with Friday’s slate of three games. The Champs Sports Bowl, Texas Bowl, and Emerald Bowl will take place and serve as the appetizer as some of the more recognizable teams around the country finally take the field in the coming days.


Champs Sports Bowl
#14 Boston College Eagles (10-3) vs. Michigan State Spartans (7-5)

For Matt Ryan (right) and Boston College, their dream season has ended with a slot in an average bowl game, a far cry from their dreams of a BCS bid when they were ranked #2 at the end of October. Doesn't the ACC runner-up deserve a little better? At least the Eagles have the nation’s longest bowl winning streak to keep their interest as they try to extend that mark to eight. Ryan is headed for the NFL next year, and would like nothing more than to end his career on a high note in a bowl game.

Michigan State endured an up-and-down season, but is excited to be in a bowl game for the first time since 2003. After starting the season 4-0, the Spartans fell to 5-5, before beating Purdue and Penn State back-to-back to nab a bowl bid. Michigan State’s running attack has been relentless, averaging over 200 yards a game with Javon Ringer leading the way with over 1300 yards. He has been tremendous, but the Spartans red zone threat has been Jehuu Caulcrick who has run for an astounding 21 touchdowns.

The Pick: Boston College extends their winning streak to eight, putting a nice touch to a bittersweet season.


Texas Bowl
TCU Horned Frogs (7-5) vs. Houston Cougars (8-4)

In the unofficial battle for Texas, the Horned Frogs enter this matchup trying to salvage a disappointing season. TCU was expected to be one of the nation’s top mid-majors and even contend for a BCS bid, but those hopes were dashed as the optimism turned into an average team in the Mountain West that had to slip in the back door just to make a bowl. In a bowl season that has been heavy on offense, the Horned Frogs represent a change of pace with their tough-minded defense. They boast the nation’s second best defense, but will have its hands full with Houston’s prolific offense.

The Cougars’ explosive playmakers make this a strength versus strength matchup that should be fun to watch. Houston averages over 500 yards a game on offense, but is one of the few teams in the nation that averages over 200 yards in the air and through the ground. Quarterbacks Case Keenum and Blake Joseph have split the duties as signal callers, but both have found wide receiver Donnie Avery (left) plenty of times to the tune of 81 catches and 1336 yards. Running back Anthony Aldridge has been a stud as well with 1568 yards and 14 touchdowns. Aldridge and Avery will keep the dreaded Horned Frogs defense on their heels.

The Pick: TCU’s defense is just too strong and will prevail, improving the Mountain West Conference to 4-0 in the bowls with only Air Force left to play.


Emerald Bowl
Maryland Terrapins (6-6) vs. Oregon State Beavers (8-4)

You can’t have a worse record entering a bowl game then the Terrapins average 6-6 mark. Maryland had a rough time trying to score touchdowns through the air, throwing only seven touchdown passes the entire season! To say Chris Turner and Jordan Steffer struggled finding receivers would be quite an understatement. Luckily for the Terrapins, Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball combined for 25 touchdowns and over 1500 yards and helped the team through some tough moments throughout the season. Entering the Emerald Bowl, Maryland has lost four of six, but is coming off a 37-0 regular season ending win.

Oregon State comes into this matchup, coming in with a three game win streak, winning the Civil War, and boasting an impossible defense to run on. Their unit only allows 74.9 rushing yards a game, and will make life difficult for Lattimore and Ball all night. For the second consecutive year, the Beavers shocked the nation by upsetting a national powerhouse, beating then-#2 Cal 31-28 in a game they had in hand before the Bears ridiculous comeback. Offensively, Yvensen Bernard led the team with a solid 1000 yard season, helping ease the load off Oregon State’s shoddy play from their quarterbacks. Like Maryland, the quarterback play has been miserable. Bernard needs a big game for the Beavers to win.

The Pick: Oregon State wins an ugly one, using its defense to take control of Maryland’s inept offense.