Results - Champs Bowl and Insight Bowl

Champs Bowl

Colorado had the potential winning player sitting on the bench for 80 percent of the game as back-up QB Cox was leading the Buffaloes to a nearly net zero total offense on 4 of 12 passing for 26 yards while losing 28 on the ground for a net gain of -2 yards. Why the coaches waited so long to put in sophomore QB Brian White, who went 7 of 12 in the last 7 minutes of the game for 81 yards and one touchdown is anyone's guess. And when it counted the Colorado defense, which had been strong all game long, collapsed, after getting back in the game 13-10 with under 6 minutes left and having merely to hold the Clemson Tigers one more time to get another crack at the end zone. But Clemson scored and that was the ball game. As it was, White again moved the Buffaloes down the field quickly, but time ran out.

Obviously, the coaches made a grievous error in sticking with an ineffective Cox for so long and also called the wrong defenses on that last Clemson drive. How lucky the Colorado fans are to have Dan Hawkins waiting in the wings to take over the reigns next season to revamp the Colorado football program.

We called an upset for the Buffaloes which never materialized, so that our record in bowl game predictions is now 6-3 although we beat the spread of 10.5 (see covers.com) by one, giving us a record of 5-3-1 against the spread.

Insight Bowl

The line favoring Arizona State had dropped steadily in the week as much of the ASU team was weakened by a flu (the opening line had been 13.5 but the final line was 8.5). Arizona State won by only five, 45-40, as they allowed the Rutgers offense too many points. We are now 7-3 in predicting the bowl game winners and only 5-4-1 against the spread.

General Comment

Thus far in the bowl games, except for the Mount Union victory which we include in our results, no underdog has won and every favorite has emerged the victor. Hence, anyone simply predicting a win by the betting favorite in the I-A bowl games would now be 9-0 on predicting game winners (but would of course not necessariy be winning against the spread). Since we called the game for the underdogs in the next two games, it will be interesting to see if there is any change in this pattern of wins by favorites, which is unlikely.

Upcoming Games Today

Nebraska's second leading tackler, Bo Ruud, broke his arm in practice and is out of the Alamo Bowl, continuing to affirm my opinion that Callahan is not a top coach. Top coaches do not let their best players get banged up needlessly in practice. NU has now lost three top linebackers this season to injuries. Nebraska talent is thin and they should be doing more simulated practice and less physical contact, but Callahan does not appear to understand this. That loss of Ruud alone - a key defensive player - is enough to now favor Michigan unequivocally.

Boise State's main problem will be the Boston College offensive line, which averages 6 foot 6 and 314 pounds. In terms of the quality of teams beaten, Boston College is a clear favorite in this game and it all depends on how strong the home field advantage will be to Boise State's balanced offense. I am a Boise State and Dan Hawkins fan, so I have opted for Boise State. Based strictly on the statistics, one would have to go with BC.
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