*LIVE STREAMING* 79th Annual Sugar Bowl – Florida Vs. Louisville (01/02/13 – 8:30pm ET)

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Click HERE to visit the official SUGAR BOWL website.

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UPDATE:

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Louisville wins!

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So, Ed wanted to know about my college football playoff model

While we will never get my dream, a 16-team playoff, I am going to lay it out anyway, just so Ed can have a look, and hope that in the not too distant future, an 8 team playoff will happen. Here goes

Let us imagine that the NCAA asked me to design a playoff format. Let us imagine that system were in place today. This is how it would work

On the Friday/Saturday/Sunday following the conference championship games, We would begin the playoffs. The top 16 teams, according to the BCS poll would be in this playoff, with two games Friday, five games Saturday, and a final game Sunday. Seedings would work like this

#1 Notre Dame hosting #16 Nebraska

#2 Alabama hosting #15 Northern Illinois

#3 Florida hosting #13 Oregon State

#4 Oregon hosting #14 Clemson 

#5 Kansas State hosting #12 Florida State

#6 Stanford hosting #1o South Carolina 

#7 Georgia hosting #11 Oklahoma

#8 LSU hosting #9 Texas A&M 

NOTE: I redid a few seedings match ups to prevent so many inter-conference games. I did leave LSU-Texas A&M in place.

Now look at these games, who does not think that would make a great first round?

After these games are played, the eight losers would be eligible to receive invitations to various bowl games. The four BCS Bowls, Fiesta, Orange, Rose and Sugar, would host the eight winners, according to seeding (highest vs lowest). Those games to be played January 1-2.

Let us say that these games would be #1 Notre Dame vs # 14 Clemson in the Orange Bowl. #2 Alabama vs #11 Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. #3 Florida vs #6 Stanford in the Rose Bowl, and #5 K-State vs #8 LSU in the Fiesta Bowl

At this point, all the bowl games would be done, and four teams would still be standing

The following weekend, the two semi-final games would be played at two BCS sites, the four sites would rotate these semi-final games. Let us predict that #2 Alabama would play #14 Clemson in one and that #3 Florida would play #5 K-State in the other

The following Monday night, we would have the BCS Championship game. Held at a site picked by a committee, like the Superbowl site is picked

Let us predict that it would be Alabama and Florida.

Florida is your national champ. OK I might be biased there, but there is your model

A side note here. This year there would be four inter-conference match ups in the first round, that would be a rare occurrence, and one that could be remedied with some re-seeding. Such as # 3 playing #13 instead of playing #14, and #4 playing #14, rather than playing #14. You could also bracket these games like the NCAA basketball tourney with the winner of #1 vs #16 playing the winner of #8 vs #9.

Ed Picks The Winners Of The College Football Bowl Games That Actually Matter – 2013

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ROSE BOWL – 01/01/13 (5pm ET)
Stanford vs. Wisconsin
Stanford Cardinal – W

ORANGE BOWL – 01/01/13 (8:30pm ET)
Florida State vs. Northern Illinois
Florida State Seminoles – W

SUGAR BOWL – 01/02/13 (8:30pm ET)
Florida vs. Louisville
Florida Gators – L

FIESTA BOWL – 01/03/13 (8:30pm ET)
Kansas State vs. Oregon
Oregon Ducks – W
Note: the Fiesta Bowl is one of many useless bowl game concepts that should never have been realized, but because the teams playing in it this year are among the top five teams in the country, I decided to include it in my list of bowl games that actually matter.

COTTON BOWL – 01/04/13 (8pm ET)
Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies – W

BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – 01/07/13 (8:30pm ET)
Alabama vs. Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish

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Related:

Ed’s list of college football bowl games that almost matter.

ALAMO BOWL – 12/29/12 (6:45pm ET)
Texas vs. Oregon State

SUN BOWL – 12/31/12 (2pm ET)
Georgia Tech vs. USC

CHICK-FIL-A BOWL – 12/31/12 (7:30pm ET)
LSU vs. Clemson

GATOR BOWL – 01/01/13 (12pm ET)
Mississippi State vs. Northwestern

CAPITAL ONE BOWL – 01/01/13 (1pm ET)
Georgia vs. Nebraska

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Related:

Ed’s top ten list of the dumbest-named college football bowl games… in no particular order.

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Maaco Bowl
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
Belk Bowl
Meineke Car Care Bowl Of Texas
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl
GoDaddy.com Bowl
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OK, college football bowl game time begins in two weeks here are your matchups

First, before we get to all the bowls, and my picks, I think the suckage from the BCS reached historic proportions this year. Northern Illinois will play in the Orange Bowl, despite a # 15 ranking, and will get plowed by Florida State. Look, I salute the Huskies for winning the MAC great! But seriously, the BCS passed on Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Oklahoma, AND Clemson to choose Northern Illinois? Of course that was not the only issue with the BCS, all those teams that were passed over were also passed over so #21 Louisville could go play my Gators in the Sugar Bowl? #21 playing #3? Yes, I know, Louisville won the Big East, well actually they finished in  a four-way tie, so they get an automatic bid. Come on! Winning the Big East is like winning an ass kicking contest against a one-legged man. Of course, the BCS rule that only two teams from the same conference can play in BCS bowls is idiotic. And boy, did the SEC get screwed by that rule. We have six of the top ten teams, but only two my Gtaors, and Alabama, who will beat Notre Dame like a rented mule, get BCS bowls? Oh, by the way, Wisconsin, who is not even ranked “won” the Big Ten so they get the Rose Bowl? Again SCREW YOU Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Oklahoma, AND Clemson!

Excuse me for a second but we now have 10 slots for the five BCS bowls, we have a ranking system. Why not use that ranking system to put the top ten teams in those games? Yes, OF COURSE! That would make too much sense, what was I thinking? I cannot wait for 2014, when we go to a four team playoff. I wonder how the powers that be will make a mockery of that?

Now, on to the bowls, which start December 15 in the GILDAN NEW MEXICO BOWL where Arizona and Nevada will hook up! Go with Zona there. Also that day We get the bowl with the most idiotic name the FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL( and you thought the old Poulan Weed-Eater Bowl was bad) with Toledo and Utah State. Go Utah State Aggies on this one.

On to December 20, when we get the SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL (maybe I said the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl was the worst named bowl too soon?) where BYU and and San Diego Stare hook up. Go Aztces here! 

The next night we get the BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S BOWL, in St. Petersburg Florida. With Central Florida and Ball State playing. Go UCF here! As a side note, Beef O’Bradys is now a national chain, but once it was one location, on Kings Avenue in Brandon Florida, and they had the BEST wings evah! I remember because I may, or may not have gotten sloshed there.

On to Dec 22 when we get East Carolina vs. Louisiana-Lafayette in the R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL go with La Laf  here and Washington vs. No. 19 Boise State in the MAACO BOWL Boise is the good choice there

Then, Christmas Eve we get treated to the SHERATON HAWAII BOWL featuring Fresno State vs. Southern Methodist. Go Fresno here

Then, on the 26th, in case you are craving REALLY awful pizza, tune in to Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan squaring off in the LITTLE CAEASARS BOWL! Go with Central Michigan and LOTS of Maalox here!

Next comes December 27, and three bowls to feast on. In the MILITARY BOWL – PRESENTED BY NORTHROP GRUMMAN we get San Jose State vs. Bowling Green. Go San Jose here

In the BELK BOWL, yes, they really are going with that name. Cincinati and Duke clash. If you just watch one bowl game this year, please do not let this be the one. Bearcats win

In the legendary BRIDGEPOINT EDUCATION HOLIDAY BOWL UCLA and Baylor match up in what ought to be a great one. Go with UCLA in a shootout

On to December 28th and Ohio and Louisiana-Monroe in the AdvoCare V100 INDEPENDENCE BOWL. What is advocare? How should I know. why should you care. Go with Monroe here

Then check out the RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL featuring Rutgers and Virginia Tech, which Rutgers will win.

Next, Minnesota and Texas Tech meet in the MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL OF TEXAS. I think you can get a free tune up at halftime or something. Tech should take this one.

On the 29th, in the ARMED FORCES BOWL, Rice and Air Force meet. Let’s see Air Force or Rice? In the Armed Forces Bowl? Go with the team with jets and missiles

Then, in what could be a high scoring affair Syracuse and West Virginia meet up in the NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL. Dumb name, good game, Mountaineers roll.

Next, if hunger strikes you watch the KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER BOWL, they were going to call it the Kraft Hopes You Starve Bowl, but that got nixed. Anyway Navy and Arizona State clash. Go with the Sun Devils.

In what ought to be a fine game at the VALERO ALAMO BOWL it is #23 Texas vs. No. 13 Oregon State. Tough call but I say Beavers rule.

Wrapping up that Saturdays slate is the BUFFALO WILD WINGS BOWL with TCU vs. Michigan State. Go with TCU, and the Asian Zing sauce with this one

Enough for now, I will post the rest of these bowl games tomorrow.

Wolverines Beat Hokies In Second Of Five Bowl Games That Actually Matter

Michigan Wolverines 23, Virginia Tech 20 (OT): Brendan Gibbons’ Field Goal Wins Sugar Bowl – Detroit Free Press

Victory never tasted so sweet.

Michigan built this season on its defense. All it asked was for enough offense to get by.

Yet Denard Robinson couldn’t run and, aside from two spectacular passes for touchdowns to Junior Hemingway, could barely pass.

Still, in overtime the warped rules showed they didn’t need to march anywhere, as Michigan stole the Sugar Bowl with a field goal, 23-20 at the Superdome on Tuesday before a disappointing crowd of 64,512.

Tech (11-3) had its chance in overtime, getting an apparent touchdown catch by Danny Coale overturned, then missing a 37-yard field goal as third-string kicker Justin Myer pushed it to the right after a perfect night previously.

That set up three set-up runs for U-M’s Brendan Gibbons to line up his own 37-yarder, sealing the win for Michigan (11-2), becoming the fifth team in the modern era of Michigan football to win 11 games.

After U-M’s stagnant offense piddled its way forward – the Wolverines had 34 yards of offense in the second half and 51 yards rushing for the game– they meekly took the lead at 20-17 with a 39-yard field goal by Gibbons with exactly four minutes remaining.

It was just enough time for the Hokies to march down the field with their effective offense and tie the score at 20, forcing the overtime.

Michigan had every chance to get off the field at the start of the fourth quarter, but was done in by its inexplicable issues on third and fourth down. Four times on its drive to open the fourth quarter, the Hokies converted. They did it twice on long runs by quarterback Logan Thomas and then, at the most critical moment, freshman Blake Countess was called for a pass interference, giving Tech the ball at the two.

After a Thomas rush and a two-point conversion, the game was tied at 17.

The key drive of the second half had a ton of Michigan magic.

It began because freshman defensive end Frank Clark, subbing, improbably snatched a screen pass right out of the air.

Then, for the second time in the quarter, Robinson threw an interception to Tech cornerback Jayron Hosley.

Yet, just like the first one, it came right back. The first was overturned on review and the second not only went back to U-M because of a pass interference, it allowed the Wolverine to advance to ball.

You can only give Robinson so many chances, and he took one, hitting Junior Hemingway in the back of the end zone for the 17-6 lead.

In a first half that reminded stats are only an indicator, not the result, the Wolverines were holding their lucky charms.

They floundered for most of the 20 minutes, getting outgained 185-145 and were stuffed too many times on their own offense.

But they kept finding a way.

The defense held Virginia Tech to just two field goals on its first two possessions, despite getting shredded in yardage.

Then U-M coordinator Greg Mattison’s defense found its “place to stand” and pulled off a stop on fourth and on the Wolverines’ four.

Michigan’s offense did little to seize on the gift, yet while deep in their own territory, backup punter Matt Wile drew a roughing call, keeping the drive alive.

Long enough for them to appear to be stalling out with a third and 17 at the Tech 45 – until Robinson scrambled and threw deep, Virginia Tech safety Eddie Whitely gambled and missed, allowing Junior Hemingway to walk in with a 45-yard touchdown for U-M’s first points and the 7-6 lead.

Considering how Michigan played, that was a gift with 49 seconds left.

At least until Tech fumbled the kickoff, giving the Wolverines yet another chance with 38 seconds left.

They nearly ruined that one too, setting up for a field goal. Instead, they ran a fake, holder Drew Dileo threw into coverage and the ball bounced off a Tech player into the hands of U-M long snapper Jareth Glanda for the first down.

In the end, that just set up a Gibbons’ 24 yard field goal, giving U-M a 10-6 lead they had no business holding.

Click HERE For Rest Of Story

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ROSE BOWL – SUGAR BOWL – ORANGE BOWL – COTTON BOWL – BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

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Ohio State Buckeyes Hold Off Late Rally From Arkansas To Win Sugar Bowl

Ohio State Buckeyes Hold Off Late Rally From Arkansas To Win Sugar Bowl – Sportsbook Gurus

The Ohio State Buckeyes came into their Sugar Bowl match up with the Arkansas Razorbacks knowing that history was certainly not on their side. The Buckeyes were 0-9 against teams from the Southeastern Conference in Bowl games, and had won just two times in eight previous Bowl Championship game appearances.

Time to re-write history, as their was a shift in direction last night for Ohio State following a 31-26 win over Arkansas, albeit was not the runaway victory it appeared to be after the first half.

Entering this one, quarterback Terrelle Pryor, along with four of his other teammates will miss the opening five games of the 2011 College Football Season. The Buckeyes were sure glad that all five were eligible to play in this one, as they had a huge impact on the outcome of this one.

Pryor played very well in the first half, throwing for two touchdowns. The ball was bouncing the Buckeyes way early, as the junior quarterback scrambled towards the end zone from about 40 yards out in the beginning of the first quarter only to be stripped at about the five-yard line. Two Razorback defenders collided when going to for the fumble, only to have the ball roll into the end zone and scooped up by wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher.

The Buckeyes continued to pour it on from there, at one point going up 28-7 before Arkansas added a field goal just seconds before the first half ended, with Ohio State taking a 28-10 lead at the break.

From there, Ohio State had to try and hold off a rally from Arkansas and quarterback Ryan Mallet.

The Razorbacks got it to 31-21 following a Mallet touchdown pass to Jarius Wright and then added a controversial safety to get within eight points in the beginning of the fourth quarter.

The momentum had swung in the direction of the Razorbacks’ side of the field, growing more intense with another scoring drive by the offense to get the score to 31-26.

Then, it got even more crazy.

Arkansas held Ohio State in check on offense and forced a punt with under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The Razorbacks got penetration and were able to block the punt. It was picked up by Tramain Thomas, who subsequently fell on it like he had probably been taught, though it would have been a walk-in score had he remained on his two feet.

“He just wanted to make sure he got on the ball,” said Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to scoop and score.”

The decision ultimately proved to be the difference-maker.

Two plays later, Mallet scrambled from the pocket and threw the ball into the waiting arms of Ohio State defensive end Soloman Thomas, one of the suspended players for next season.

“That was the second interception of my whole life,” Thomas said after the game. “It feels great.”

For Mallet, it was a 24 for 47 performance with two touchdowns, and that one interception.

“I didn’t see the guy,” Mallett remarked. “I tried to get rid of it quick. They had pressure coming. I didn’t see him. He made a great play.”

Click HERE For Rest Of Story

Ed Picks The Winners Of The College Football Bowl Games That Actually Matter

January 1st
Rose Bowl: Wisconsin (11-1) vs. Texas Christian (12-0)
Texas Christian

January 3rd
Orange Bowl: Stanford (11-1) vs. Virginia Tech (11-2)
Stanford

January 4th
Sugar Bowl: Ohio State (11-1) vs. Arkansas (10-2)
Arkansas

January 7th
Cotton Bowl: Louisiana State (10-2) vs. Texas A&M (9-3)
Louisiana State

January 10th
BCS National Championship: Oregon (12-0) vs. Auburn (13-0)
Auburn