BOWL PREVIEW: New Years Day

With more games on the slate for New Years Day, I'll offer another abbreviated look at the games. Here they are. Outback Bowl; The Auburn Tigers and Northnwestern Wildcats kick off the big day in Tampa, Fla. On paper it never looks like the Wildcats belong, but this is one feisty bunch. Auburn will have to play four quarters to beat them. Tigers beware. Gator Bowl; Bobby Bowden would sure like to go out a winner in his last game, unfortunately I think his Florida St. defense let's him down like they have all year. Sorry, Bobby I think West Virginia sends you out on a sour note. Capital One Bowl; Good match up here of two solid defenses in Penn St.and LSU. It should be a knock down drag out affair that is not settled till the final gun. The Tigers have an edge in special teams with the dangerous Trindon Holliday. If the Nittany Lions win the special teams battle they win the game. Rose Bowl; Oregon's big play QB Masoli will face the toughest defense he has all year in The Ohio State Buckeyes. I think the solid Buckeyes defense keep the Duck offense fairly well contained. The question as usual for Ohio St., can the offense create enough big plays and put enough points on the board to help out their defense. Head Coach Jim Tressel gets the bowl monkey off his back, Bucks in a nail biter. Sugar Bowl; Wow, what can you say? One team had a coach quit on him, the other has a coach that may be forced to step down because of health reasons. I almost forgot there was actually a game to play here. Tough to tell how each of these teams react to the set of events thrust upon them. I guess this one comes down to the high powered Cincinnati Bearcat offense versus the staunch defense of The Florida Gators. As usual I think the defense wins in the end, but the Bearcats will claw and scratch and make enough big plays on offense to keep things close.
-Take N'Western +9, W.VA -2.5, Penn St.+1, Ohio St. +4.5, Cincy +13