The tailgaters have gone home and the conference champions have been crowned, and with the first 13 weeks of college football in the books, bowl season is upon us. Teams on the cusp of the playoff and 6 win hopefuls alike anticipated to see where they would spend the holidays last Sunday when all 40 matchups were released.

Before the first kickoff on the 16th, I sat down with ESPN analyst and former Washington Husky quarterback Brock Huard as well as his brother Damon, who is a former Washington Husky quarterback as well and currently broadcasts Washington Husky football games alongside newly retired UW icon Bob Rondeau.

The Huard brother will break down the Pac 12 bowl matchups as well as the College Football Playoff, whereas I will bring you a preview and prediction of 38 of 40 bowl games. With that, lets tee it up and go bowling.

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

Troy vs North Texas

Line: Troy (-6)

Cole’s Take: North Texas has had a stellar year, finishing 9-4. The Mean Green strung together 5 wins in a row before losing to the Lane Kiffin led FAU Owls in the Conference USA championship. North Texas has come into their own this season with a undefeated home record and 7-1 finish in conference. Jeffrey Wilson has led the Mean Green on the ground this season with 1200 + yards and 16 touchdowns, and Mason Fine, the man under center for North Texas, is a nice compliment to Wilson through the air. The Troy defense will have their work cut out for them, but the Trojans are no stranger to rising to occasion, as they took down then 22nd ranked LSU in Baton Rouge last October. Troy, 10-2, will look to extend their current streak of 6 wins in their season finale in the bayou. Brandon Silvers will look to lead Troy with their air attack as he has done through the first 12 games and the Troy defense, giving up 17.5 points a game, will have to contain the 1-2 punch of Wilson and Fine for North Texas, which is a task they should be able to handle.

Final Score – Troy 30, North Texas 21

AutoNation Cure Bowl

Georgia State vs Western Kentucky

Line: WKU (-4.5)

Cole’s Take: The 6-5 Georgia State Panthers come into the Cure Bowl losing their last 2 games by 14 or more points, so if they hope to take home first bowl win in program history, change is needed. Western Kentucky, 6-6, looks to push their record over .500 and finish their disappointing season with a bowl game W. The Hilltoppers had won 11 games the prior 2 seasons to 2017, so a bowl win would help take the bitter taste of mediocrity out of their mouths. Mike White, the man under center for the Hilltoppers, has thrown for just over 3800 yards this season with 28 touchdown. White posts a 4:1 touchdown to interception ratio,and will look to sling the magic bean all over the stadium in Orlando to the receiving trio of Nacarius Fant, Lucky Jackson, and Deon Yielder, who all have over 500 receiving yards on the season. In the end, the WKU air attack will be too much for an average Georgia State secondary and the Hilltoppers will prevail.

Final Score – WKU 35, Georgia State 10

Las Vegas Bowl

Boise State vs Oregon

Line: Oregon (-5)

Damon’s Take: Kids come together when they lose their coach, so look for Oregon to come out fired up. The kids will find a way to rally and play hard. Boise State will be great opponent for the Ducks, but Oregon will prevail.

Final Score – Oregon 28, Boise State 26

Brock’s Take: Back at the beginning of the season, there was real concern that the 2017 Broncos would not live up to the expectation that has been set with their success in the last 10 years. Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin’s name has been thrown around for the Oregon job, so the weeks leading up to the game and seeing the result of the vacancy will be interesting. Boise State grew up a lot on the offensive line this year, and with that maturation came the success of their team ending in a Mountain West Championship.

Final Score – It could go either way. Wait and see what happens with the Oregon HC situation

Cole’s Take: The rematch of the infamous LeGarrette Blount post game brawl will unfold in the Sin City between Mountain West champion Boise State and Pac 12 middleman Oregon. The 10-3 Broncos will look to the Brett Rypien- Cedrick Wilson connection to carry them to their 11th win and a bowl victory. Oregon is currently looking for an interim head coach for this game with the departure of WIlly Taggert to Florida State, and the uncertainty will play a huge factor into the outcome of the game. When a head coach leaves before a bowl game, teams either rally or throw in the towel on the season. With Oregon having fallen off in the past 3 years, the Ducks will show the latter and Boise State will get the best of a diminished Oregon squad.

Final Score– Boise State 28, Oregon 20

New Mexico Bowl

Marshall vs Colorado State

Line: Colorado State (5.5)

Cole’s Take: Marshall has dropped 4 of their last 5 heading into the game and finished with an even 4-4 record in Conference USA play this year. Marshalls quality win came in the Queen City at the end of September when they beat Cincinnati 38-21. Chase Littleton has had an average year under center for the Herd and their ground game has been mediocre. Tyre Brady is the standout on the Marshall offense at wide receiver, as he has caught 56 balls for 777 yards and 7 touchdowns. If Marshall is going to win this game, Brady must have a 7+ reception game. As for Colorado State, there were no surprises when it came to their 7-5 record. The Rams entered the season looking at one of the tougher schedules in the Mountain West, as Alabama was the headlining non-conference opponent. A loss to rival Colorado and an overtime thriller against Boise State which saw the Broncos squeak out a 59-52 win were among other “quality” losses for CSU. Rams running back Dalyn Dawkins has solicited himself as one of the top backs in the county not in a power 5 conference, as he went for 1349 yards and 8 touchdowns in the regular season. Dawkins will be the X factor for CSU this game, and his production out of the backfield will give the Rams the edge over Marshall.

Final Score– Colorado State 27, Marshall 14

Boca Raton Bowl

Florida Atlantic vs Akron

Line: FAU (-17)

Cole’s Take: The 2017 season saw the FAU Owls have a complete turnaround under Lane Kiffin. After a 3-9 record in 2016, FAU flipped the script in 2017 and went 10-3 with a Central USA championship. Devin Singletary has been phenomenal all year at running back for the Owls, rushing for 1796 yards and 29 touchdowns. Akron secured their first bowl win last season, but the Zips simply do not have enough talent to hang with FAU.

Final- Florida Atlantic 42, Akron 13

Frisco Bowl

SMU vs Louisiana Tech

Line: SMU (-5)

Cole’s Take: Ben Hicks has had a stellar year for SMU, throwing for 3442 yards and 32 touchdowns. The Mustangs posted a 7-5 regular season record, one of those losses being a heartbreaking 43-40 defeat at the hands of Navy in Annapolis. The other 4 were losses to quality opponents in TCU, Houston, UCF, and Memphis. All other 7 games put SMU up against opponents they should beat. The Mustangs stayed focused and did not overlook their oppositions, and took care of business. As for Louisiana Tech, a 6-6 record and humble statistics was the outcome of the regular season. The Bulldogs went to Williams-Bryce Stadium on September 23rd to take on South Carolina. Although the Gamecocks prevailed, LA Tech made a statement on the road against an SEC opponent in a hostile environment, as they were barely edged out 16-17. This very well could be another game where the Bulldogs play spoiler to a team that has the advantage on paper.

Final Score– Louisiana Tech 17, SMU 13

Gasparilla Bowl

Florida International vs Temple

Line: Temple (-8)

Cole’s Take: The 8-4 Florida International Golden Panthers are no stranger to overcoming adversity, as their week 3 matchup with Indiana was cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey. FIU gave  up 30+ points in each of their 4 losses, including a 61-17 week 1 drumming at the hands of UCF. Thomas Owens has been a bright spot at wide receiver all year for FIU, as his 59 receptions for 887 yards and 6 touchdowns are amongst the best in Conference USA. Temple finished the first year without Matt Rhule 6-6. Rhule turned things around in Philadelphia for Temple in his time as the head man. A quarterback change from Frank Nutile to Logan Marchi midway through the season stirred the pot a bit for the Temple offense. With the inconsistency of Temple this season, don’t be shocked if somebody hits the upset alert button in Miami later this month.

Final Score – Florida International 17, Temple 6

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Central Michigan vs Wyoming

Line: even

Cole’s Take:Two programs who have risen from the basement of their perspective conferences are set to go to war with each other on the blue turf of Albertsons Stadium in the fan favorite potato bowl. Central Michigan finished the regular season 8-4, 5 of those coming on the 5 game win streak they put together to end the season. Jonathan Ward has been a workhorse for the Chippewa offense this year at running back, carrying the ball 167 times for nearly 1000 yards. Ward will have to have another 20+ carry game if CMU hopes to walk out of Boise with a win. As for Wyoming,  NFL hopeful quarterback Josh Allen has not played since November 11th when he went down with a shoulder injury against Air Force. Allen hopes to return for the game, but if not, Wyoming won’t have their leader and the advantage in skill.

Final Score –

(Wyo with Allen) Wyoming 33, Central Michigan 21

(Wyo without Allen) Central Michigan 24, Wyoming 20

Bahamas Bowl

Ohio vs UAB

Line: Ohio (-8)

Cole’s Take: Bowl season makes it’s name internationally as Ohio and UAB head to Thomas Robinson Stadium in Nassau for the fourth installment of the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl. Ohio enters the game 8-4, but the Bobcats dropped their last 2 games of the season to a pair of average teams in Akron and Buffalo. Ohio running back AJ Ouelette could very well surpass the 200 carry mark in this game, as he enters the game with 184 carries on the season. Nathan Rourke, the Ohio quarterback, has been a pick your poison type of athlete this season as he has thrown for 2000 yards and rushed for nearly 900 more. As for UAB, the Blazers wasted no time getting in on the bowl season fun after their program was temporarily dropped by the University due to the string of unsuccessful seasons and low ratings the team suffered. Spencer Brown leads the team in rushing, but similar to Ohio, UAB quarterback AJ Erdely has had his dynamic presence felt in the latter half of the season, as he has had multiple 100 yard rushing games to compliment his ability to sling the ball through the air. These are two very similar teams, and whoever utilizes their dynamic quarterback the best will come out on top. This game is setting up to be a zero to hero story for UAB, who had their program thrown in the garbage just a short time ago and now they are looking at their first bowl berth in 13 years and first win in program history. THe emotional aspect will drive the Blazers to just barely edged out Ohio and complete an upset the folks in Birmingham will be talking about for years to come.

Final Score – UAB 30, Ohio 28

Birmingham Bowl

USF vs Texas Tech ‘

Line: USF (-2.5)

Cole’s Take: The USF Bulls are lead into Birmingham by their human joystick Quinton Flowers at quarterback. Flowers has followed up his incredible 2016 campaign this season by picking up where he left off, passing for 2000 yards and nearly 1000 rushing yards. His athletic ability, alongside 2016 heisman trophy winner Lamar Jackson, is the top in the country. As for Texas Tech, a less than impressive 6-6 season was the output of the regular season. The Red Raider defense has allowed 30+ points in 7 games and when facing an offense with athletic and dynamic players such as Flowers, they have struggles to contain. Flowers’ athleticism will overwhelm the Red Raider defense and give the Bulls the advantage in a high scoring affair in the heart of Alabama.

Final Score– USF 35, Texas Tech 27

Armed Forces Bowl

Army vs San Diego State

Line: odds won’t be set until Army’s matchup with Navy

Cole’s Take: The 8-3 Army Black Knights come into their matchup with SDSU after playing America’s most treasured football game- the Army-Navy game. The triple option threat of the black knights will be something SDSU has not seen this season. The Black Knights made national news a few times this season after winning games without a pass attempt. Their offense includes 4 players over 500 yards rushing and as a whole, they have put the ball in the endzone 43 times on the ground this season. San Diego State comes into the game with a impressive rushing attack themselves, but instead of 5 players, it is the human highlight reel Rashad Penny leading the Aztecs. Penny has rushed for 2027 yards this season and 19 touchdowns. It is worth noting that Pennys longest run on the season was a 95 yard scamper that ended in the opposition’s endzone. The grass turf of Amon G. Carter stadium will be battered and torn when the clock hits triple zeroes. The one man Aztec army of Rashad Penny will get the better of the plethora of Army ball carriers and the Aztecs will win what is expected to be a very good football game.

Final Score– San Diego State 41, Army 35 (OT)

Hawai’i Bowl

Fresno State vs Houston

Line: Houston (-1.5)

Cole’s Take: Fresno State entered the College Football Playoff rankings week 12, securing the 25th spot. But after a loss to Boise State in the Mountain  West championship, the bulldogs fell out. Nonetheless, Fresno State enters the game under the guidance of head coach Jeff Tedford, who had turned a program that was a bad non power 5 team into a squad that looks ready to start a streak of consecutive bowl games. The Bulldogs took on premiere competition in Alabama and Washington in their non-conference schedule, games in which hostile environment and elite talent got the better of them. They then went on to win 8 of their next 10. Marcus McMaryion took over the starting job from Chasson Virgil week 4. McMaryion has thrown for 2000+ yards and 14 touchdowns since taking over the reigns. Houston comes into Aloha Stadium 7-4 and fresh off an impressive 24-21 win over Navy. The Cougars, somewhat similar to Fresno State, have had 3 men under center this season as D’Eriq King has been the third man for them since the beginning of the season.. King took over the job from Kyle Postma week 9. Postma took over week 4 after Houston head coach Major Applewhite opted to bench starter Kyle Allen. Needless to say, a mix up at QB has hurt the flow and chemistry of the Houston offense, and it will continue to hurt them against a Fresno State team who I expect to play inspired football.

Final Score– Fresno State 24, Houston 14

Brock’s Take: Jeff Tedford’s name has come up to fill the open coaching position at Oregon, so leading up to the game we will have to keep an eye on that. Tedford is one of the best game callers/planners in all of college football and he will have his Bulldogs ready for this game. Huston is a salty team for a non power 5 team and brings in SEC like talent, especially on their defensive line. Expect a low scoring and physical game Christmas Eve.

Final Score– Fresno State 27, Houston 23

Damon’s Take: Jeff Tedford, the Mountain West coach of the year, is one of the best in the business and will have his guys ready for a talented Houston squad.

Final Score– Fresno State Wins

Cactus Bowl

Kansas State vs UCLA

Line: Kansas State (-3)

Cole’s Take: Kansas State is yet another team playing quarterback roulette, as the Wildcats are on their third man up in Skylar Thompson heading into their matchup with UCLA. Future hall of fame coach Bill Snyder will put use the old school, discipline style that he loves in his matchup against the bright lights of westwood. Top NFL quarterback prospect Josh Rosen leads the 6-6 UCLA Bruins into the game. Rosen has shown flashes of pure greatness this season, and at others his toughness and leadership ability has been put into question. With the recent firing of UCLA head coach Jim Mora, the Bruins will come into the game with an interim head coach despite the hiring of Chip Kelly. Bill Snyder will have his discipline team ready for the disappointed Bruins and will lead KSU to a Cactus Bowl victory.

Final Score– Kansas State 31, UCLA 14

Brock’s Take: This game will be a challenge for UCLA. This game is a re-match of an Alamo Bowl matchup from a few years ago which I called. Bill Snyder, the Kansas State head coach, is a great schemer and despite having less raw talent then the Bruins, he has time to scheme and gameplan. The big question for UCLA is if they’ll show up. Will they check out due to the loss of their head coach Jim Mora or will they show out for Chip Kelly who will be watching. Josh Rosen still hasn’t said if he will play or sit it out to prepare for the draft, without him UCLA loses a truly great passer.

Final Score– Wait it out and see if Rosen Plays

Damon’s Take: Expect UCLA to rally past the loss of Jim Mora. I do have to give a nod to Bill Snyder though, he is a great coach. Kansas State will take care of business if UCLA is without Rosen, but if he does play, it’ll be close and could go either way.

Heart of Dallas Bowl

Utah vs West Virginia

Line: Utah (-4.5)

Cole’s Take: Utah won its first 4 games and then promptly lost the next 4. After playing both the Washington schools close and finishing the year with a home win against Colorado, the Utes finished 6-6 and are ready to go bowling. Utah will get starting quarterback Tyler Huntey back for their bout with West Virginia after he missed the regular season finale. As for West Virginia, graduate transfer quarterback Will Grier suffered a broken middle finger on his throwing hand in the Mountaineers final game against Oklahoma. According to the Salt Lake Times, when asked about the condition of Grier on December 2nd, West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorson said it was “not good”. Grier is the engineer of the machine like spread offense of West Virginia, and without him their offensive production will take a major hit. SImilar to the potato bowl, the condition of a starting quarterback will determine the outcome of the game.

Final Score-

(With Grier) West Virginia 28, Utah 24

(Without Grier) Utah 20, West Virginia 10

Brock’s Take: Utah is an enigma. They played their best ball against Washington in Seattle, where they lost on a last second field goal. The Utes found a identity in their young QB with whom they can score points. If West Virginia is able to get Grier back, they will be able to run their spread offense normally. West Virginia has a salty defense with a tough front 3 which is common in the Big 12. WVU head coach Dana Holgorson always has good defenses. This is a great matchup on paper, but we will have to wait and see on Griers condition.

Damon’s Take: Utah is a physical team to takes pride in defense and special teams. Kyle Whittingham has an unreal bowl record (10-1) and knows how to prepare his teams for bowl games. West Virginia has a great spread offense, but without their quarterback, may run into some trouble.

Quick Lane Bowl

Duke vs Northern Illinois

Line: Duke (-2.5)

Cole’s Take: Duke enters the game 6-6 and led by the rushing duo of Shaun Wilson and Brittain Brown, who have combined for 1403 yards and 11 touchdowns. Duke suffered its six losses in a row, as the Blue Devils did not win a game all of October. Being apart of the ACC, who has rivaled the SEC as college football’s premier conference, it is understandable why Duke has an even .500 record. And hey, they are a basketball school after all. As for Northern Illinois, a second place finish in the MAC is a disappointing result for a program that took the country by storm 4 short years ago when they made the Orange Bowl. NIU took on several power 5 conference teams this year. They opened up 2017 by just narrowly being edged out by Boston College 23-20 in CHestnut Hill. They then went to Lincoln and took down a depleted Nebraska squad in front of a rowdy sea of red. NIU won the games it was supposed to and stayed competitive in the rest. With their impressive showing against the power 5 schools this year, the Huskies will take down a middle of the road Duke team and take the bacon in the Quick Lane Bowl.

Final Score–  NIU 28, Duke 16

Independence Bowl  

Florida State vs Southern Mississippi

Line: Florida State (-14)

Cole’s Take: It is safe to say that 2017 was not the year of the Nole. Florida State lost top quarterback Deandre Francois late in the first half in their season opener against Alabama. They then went on to start the season 2-4, which was the worst start since 2009. Florida State is among the teams whose head coach shipped out, as Jimbo Fisher left the program in November for Texas A&M. With the 6-6 Seminoles licking their wounds entering the matchup with Southern Miss, the Golden Eagles will look to exploit the nature of FSU and end the season on a 4 game win streak. After an 8-4 regular season finish, Southern Miss has gone back and forth between quarterbacks Kwadra Griggs and Keon Howard, both who have 1000+ passing yards on the season and an equal 56.5 completion percentage. Griggs is expected to start the game for the Golden Eagles. FSU has a chance to salvage what was a disappointing season, and I expect the Noles to do just that.

Final Score: Florida State 24, Southern Miss 17

Pinstripe Bowl

Boston College vs Iowa

Line: Iowa (-3)

Cole’s Take: The birds will be flying high in the Bronx as Yankee Stadium flips from a diamond to the gridiron for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. Boston College enters the game 7-5 and finished 3rd in the ACC Atlantic division. The Eagles are led by freshman running back AJ Dillon, who has racked up 1432 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first season with the Eagles. Iowa took on the likes of Penn State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin in the elite Big 10 conference this season. The Hawkeyes premier win came at home when they bashed the playoff hopes of Ohio State with a 55-24 drumming of the Buckeyes. Iowa has more raw talent coming into this game, and BC will keep it close for most of the game, but expect the Hawkeyes to pull away late and finish out the season with an 8th win.

Final Score– Iowa 31, Boston College 21

Foster Farms Bowl

Arizona vs Purdue

Line: Arizona (-4.5)

Cole’s Take: We get to see yet another off-the-charts, athletic quarterback in Kalil Tate this bowl season, who since taking over the starting job for Arizona has been phenomenal. Tate has paired 1289 passing yards with 1353 rushing yards and 21 total touchdowns since week 5. Tates read option ability and threat to take off when he drops back to pass will keep the Purdue defense on its heels all 4 quarters, but the Boilermakers will also look to their offense to carry them through this game. Though it may not have been planned, Purdue has shown a 2 quarterback rotation between Elijah Sindelar and David Blough sharing snaps this season. Together, they have accounted for 2000+ yards of offense and 23 touchdowns. At the end of the day, athleticism will win out once again, and Tate and the Wildcats will bring a Foster Farm Bowl trophy back to Tucson.

Final Score– Arizona 38, Purdue 27

Brock’s Take: This game will be a high flying affair. Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez always likes to have some fun with his opponents, and nobody’s stopping him. Purdue got off to a hot start but mellowed out as the season went on. The difference maker in this game will be Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate and his production. You also have to consider if the wet and foggy December weather in San Francisco will play factor on the grass field of Levi’s Stadium.

Final Score- Arizona 3,8 Purdue 28

Damon’s Take: Khalil Tate is a wildcard, but if he goes it will no doubt be an Arizona W. He has too much speed for the Purdue defense.

Texas Bowl

Texas vs Missouri

Line: Missouri (-1)

Cole’s Take: The 2 year question continues to be posed: is Texas back? Year 2 proved to be the same answer as the year prior: no, they aren’t (yet). Tom Herman has the Longhorns headed in the right direction and an old Big 12 matchup with Missouri is a successful year 1 for Herman’s Longhorns. Shane Buechele started the year with promise at QB, but went down week 3 with a bruised throwing shoulder. Enter Sam Ehlinger, the next man up under center for the Horns. Buchele saw some PT in the final few games, but Ehlinger is expected to get the start in Houston. For Missouri, Drew Lock has had an outstanding year, throwing for 3695 yards and 43 touchdowns. Lock will look to continue to air it out against a shaky Texas secondary, and if Mizzu can sling it around (which they should be able to). They’ll walk out of Reliant Stadium WIth a W.

Final Score– Missouri 30, Texas 14

Military Bowl

Virginia vs Navy

Line: odds won’t be set until Navy’s matchup with Army

Cole’s Take: Virginia heads into their matchup with Navy standing at 6-6. A 3000 yard season for Cavalier quarterback Kurt Benkert is a bright spot in an average season for UVA, and Benkert will need to have a big day in order for the Cavs to pull out a W. Virginia has struggled to establish a run game all season, as leading rusher Jordan Ellis has gone for a meer 799 yards on 204 touches. As a team, Virginia has only rushed for 1186 yards, which has been surpassed by a good number of backs throughout the country. Navy, on the other hand, is on the opposite end of the spectrum. A season where the Midshipmen are closing in on 4000 rushing yards as a team led by their triple option offense orchestrated by Zach Abbey continues to be the headline of the rare occurrence in today’s fast paced, spread out game of college football. This game has potential to be a high scoring affair, but the legs of Navy will triumph over the arm of Benkert and the Midshipmen will prevail.

Final Score–  Navy 34, Virginia 24

Camping World Bowl

Oklahoma State vs Virginia Tech

Line: Oklahoma State (-6.5)

Cole’s Take: Oklahoma State has had a stellar year, as they were in the playoff conversation until their heartbreaking loss to rival Oklahoma and elimination from the Big 12 championship game. Mason Rudolph has established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in college football, throwing for 4553 yards and 35 touchdowns this season. OSU has been carried by the offense, as their defense has given up point after point all season. And with Cam Philips being spread out for Virginia Tech, breakdowns in the secondary could occur for the Cowboys. Philips is closing in on the 1000 receiving yard mark this season, a number he should surpass in this game, and has hauled in 7 touchdowns from Tech quarterback Josh Jackson. I expect Rudolf to carry Oklahoma State to a win in a high scoring, scrappy game. Big games from both quarterbacks will make for an entertaining 3 hours.

Final Score- Oklahoma State 38, Virginia Tech 34

Holiday Bowl

Washington State vs Michigan State

Line: Washington State (-4.5)

Cole’s Take: Washington State finds themselves back in the Holiday Bowl for the second year in a row after being taken down by Minnesota 12-7 the year prior. Quarterback Luke Falk has continued to run the WSU air raid offense well as he has done in his 3 year stretch as the Cougar starting QB. The WSU defense, led by defensive tackle Hercules Mata’afa, will have to keep pressure on Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke and the Cougar secondary must key in on Spartan wide receiver Felton Davis III, who has vaught 8 touchdowns this season, in order to come out of San Diego with a trophy. I expect WSU to have some early success with their defense, but MSU will mount a comeback that’ll come up just short.

FInal Score– Washington State 34 Michigan State 28

Brock’s Take:This’ll be a tough one for Washington State. Michigan State loves play power football with their gap scheme and power-O plays. Their line never truly has a man on man block, it mostly consists of down blocks. This’ll be a tough matchup on D. Michigan State has a bad perimeter which the air raid offense of WSU will look to exploit. On the flipside, Luke Falk is a bad analyzer of pre-snap movement, so the Spartans can toy with him a bit.

Damon’s Take: This will be a tough game for WSU. Michigan State plays tough defense and the road showings of Washington State has been poor.

Alamo Bowl

Stanford vs TCU

Line: TCU (-2)

Cole’s Take: This will be one of the best games this bowl season. Stanford has had an up and down year, but their leader continues to be Heisman candidate Bryce Love. Love’s shiftiness and ability to make men miss/break tackles is second to none and he has put on a show for Cardinal and opposing fans alike. Love has battled through injuries this season, but his toughness has prevailed over pain and he led his team to the Pac 12 championship. When Love heads to the sideline after a possession where he gets the ball 7-12 times, Stanford quarterback KJ Costello will look to his favorite receiver, JJ Arcega-Whiteside, who has caught 43 balls from Costello for 700+ yards. The Costello to Arcega-Whiteside connection has been one of the best in the second half of this college football season and Stanford must hit their stride in both the air and ground game in order to take a win from TCU in the heart of Texas. Speaking of TCU, the dynamic Kenny Hill will be under center for the Horned Frogs heading into this game. Hills consistency has not been the best this season, as he looks like an elite quarterback in some matchups, and in others he looks like a first year starter. The TCU defense, led by Senior linebacker Ty Summers and defensive end Mat Boesen, will have to limit the explosive plays of Bryce Love. TCU also is practically playing a home game in San Antonio. I believe Hill will show up for the Horned Frogs and the hometown crowd will lift the Frogs to a Cotton Bowl victory.

Final Score– TCU 28, Stanford 24

Brock’s Take: Gary Patterson, the TCU head coach, will have a great plan coming into this one. The Horned Frogs play great defense, but on the other side of the ball they have very average receivers for Kenny Hill to target. TCU is also practically playing a home game in San Antonio. Stanford’s offensive line is average and the condition of Bryce Love will play factor.

Final Score- TCU 28, Stanford: 21

Damon’s Take: Kenny Hill poses a tough matchup for the Stanford defense; however, David Shaw, the Stanford head coach, is great in bowl games and with a healthy Bryce Love, the Cardinal can come up with a win. It all depends on Love and his status though.

Belk Bowl

Wake Forest vs Texas A&M

Line: Wake Forest (-2.5)

Cole’s Take: After a regular season where Wake Forest took on the likes of Clemson and Notre Dame, the Demon Deacons look to capture their 8th win of the season is Charlotte. Senior quarterback John Wolford brings his 2792 yards and 25 touchdowns into the game, and the the Wake Forest receiving trio of Greg Dortch, Tabari Hines, and Scotty Washington (all of whom have 500+ yards this season) will look to push the total yardage of Wolford over 3000 in the season finale. Texas A&M is another victim of the crazy coaching carousel that has unfolded in the past weeks, as head man Kevin Sumlin was shown the door after not living up to expectations this season and finishing 7-5. A&M’s season showed much potential to start the year, but after a 35 point meltdown loss at UCLA early in the season, the Aggies couldn’t stop snowballing and dropped 5 games. Wake Forest will be the team snagging their 8th win, but to do so Wolford must give his receivers chances to make plays. If he does, the Deacs will walk away with a win.

Final Score- Wake Forest 27, Texas A&M 21

Sun Bowl

Arizona State vs NC State

Line: NC State (-5)

Cole’s Take: Arizona State has won 5 of their last 7, one of those wins coming at home against then 5th ranked Washington. Led by Senior Manny WIlkins, the Sun Devils come into a game in which they beat rival Arizona in a high scoring affair over the Territorial Cup. Wilkins is closing in on 3000 passing yards on the season along side 25 touchdowns, and the 1-2 punch of Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage out of the backfield is responsible for lifting the Sun Devils to 2159 yards on the ground this season. Sophomore wide receiver N’keal Harry picked up right where he left off his outstanding freshman year, as he comes into the game tight at the 1000 receiving yard mark and has grabbed 7 touchdowns. Similar to Arizona State, NC State enters the game with a solid air and ground attack. Quarterback Ryan Finley has thrown for 3200 yards and 16 scores this season, many of those yards being hauled in by Kelvin Harmon, who is 7 yards away from hitting the millennium mark. Running back Nyheim Hines has gone for 1040 yards and 9 touchdowns this season as well to balance out the Wolfpack offense. These 2 teams come into El Paso and will be looking in a mirror when they glance across the field during warmups. However, Arizona State outnumbers the Wolfpack in the amount of athletes on their sideline, and the versatile attack of ASU will get the better of them. Todd Graham is also coaching his last game for the Sun Devils, after the AD allowed him to coach in the bowl game after he was fired in late November. The Sun Devils will rally around their head msn one last time and the emotion in the stadium will be in favor of the maroon and gold.

Final Score-  Arizona State 28, NC State 21

Music City Bowl

Kentucky vs Northwestern

Line: Northwestern (-8.5)

Cole’s Take: The 7-5 Kentucky WIldcats are led into Nashville by sensational sophomore running back Benny Snell Jr, who has racked up 2048 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. The Wildcats have dropped their last 2 games to College Football Playoff participant Georgia and in state rival Louisville coming into this game, but every loss, maybe give or take a few points in the Mississippi State game, has been to a quality opponent. Kentucky wasn’t a team who turned heads this year. They won when they were supposed to win and lost when they should’ve lost. A win in the bowl game will put a respectable touch on what has been a good season in Lexington. However, Kentucky runs into one of the hottest teams in college football in Northwestern. After a 2-3 start, NU finished the regular season on a 7 game win streak, 3 of those wins coming in overtime. Clayton Thorson has led Northwestern though the air and speedy running back Justin Jackson is looking to push his touchdowns to double digits this game as he enters the with 9. Due to Kentucky’s lack of a quality win and no real shocking moments this season, there is no reason to believe they will start now. Northwestern will end the year winning 8 straight and prove that smart kids can play football too.

Final Score- Northwestern 33, Kentucky 24

Arizona Bowl

New Mexico State vs Utah State

Line: Utah State (-3)

Cole’s Take: The passing game has been prolific for New Mexico State, as they finish the season 6-6 and go bowling for the first time since 1960. Quarterback Tyler Rogers has an opportunity to surpass the 4000 yard mark in this game, and he will look to wideout Jaleel Scott, who’s receiving yard totals hit quadruple digits this season. Utah State started Kent Myers for most of the season, but he only appeared in 1 of the last 3 games. And in the game he did play in, he only had 2 pass attempts. Instead, Jordan Love has assumed the position as USU QB, and he helped the team get bowl eligible finishing 6-6. Not a lot of people are keeping close tabs on these 2 teams, but the country should take note. This has potential to be a quality football game between 2 teams desperately looking to finish over .500 .

Final Score- New Mexico State 35, Utah State 31

Cotton Bowl

Ohio State vs USC

Line: Ohio State (-7)

Cole’s Take: In another monumental matchup this bowl season, Ohio State and USC will have the country watching as they bash heads in the heart of Texas. Ohio State comes in just missing the College Football Playoff as the 5th ranked team in the land, whereas USC finished 8th after being crowned the champion of the Pac 12. Ohio State QB JT Barrett has battled injury ever since “The Game” with Michigan, where a sideline photographer clipped his knee during warmups. Barrett started that game, as well as the Big 10 championship game (which Ohio State lost), but the health of the Buckeye leader will be a huge factor into this game. Whether or not he is 100% healthy, Barrett is expected to start. He is one half of a quarterback duel which should be one for the ages, the other half of that being Sam Darnold of course. Darnold led the Trojans to the Pac 12 Title after their slow yet winning start to 2017. At 3700+ yards and 26 touchdowns, Darnold could be suiting up for the last time in an SC uniform as he is projected to be a top pick in next year’s NFL Draft. A chess match between 2 of the best head coaches in college football in Urban Meyer and Clay Helton should be one for the ages, but the consistency of Ohio State is what I have noticed this past season, and I will barely give the Buckeyes the nod on this one.

Final Score: Ohio State 28, USC 27

Brock’s Take: This is a marquee matchup. There is a lot of history in both of these programs as they are both storied. Ohio State just missed out on the playoff, so that may play factor into the intensity they play with. I see USC taking this one.

Damon’s Take: This will be a great game. A matchup between nearly 2 playoff teams. The question for Ohio State is can they play with passion and aggression while coping with just missing out on the playoff. Urban Meyer is as good as it gets and Clay Helton is a promising young coach.

TaxSlayer Bowl

Mississippi State vs Louisville

Line: Louisville (-6)

Cole’s Take: Mississippi State had a successful season, finishing 8-4. Their losses came by way of blowouts from Georgia and Auburn, a hard fought 7 point loss to Alabama, and a 3 point loss to rival Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl. Miss State took care of business otherwise, and look good on paper heading into this game. But when you take a look at the departure of head coach Dan Mullen to Florida, things get complicated for the Bulldogs. Coaching changes have plagued several teams this year, and they are one of them. Louisville and reigning Heisman winning quarterback Lamar Jackson will look to cap off a year in which their success fell short of the expectation they set in 2016 when they were in the playoff for most of the season. Jackson is another explosive quarterback we get to see this bowl season, and if Mullen was still the man in charge in Starkville, I’d say the Bulldogs would take this one. But with him gone to the swamp, Jackson and the Cardinals will take advantage and finish their season with a win.

Final Score– Louisville 28, Mississippi State 17

Liberty Bowl

Memphis vs Iowa State

Line: Memphis (-3)

Cole’s Take: The high flying Memphis Tigers have put on an outstanding show this season and the country has taken note. After scaring everyone and their mother in Central Florida in the American Conference Championship, a game that gave us 3 touchdowns in the final minute and 3 overtimes later, UCF won a 7 point squeaker. The Tigers are ready to continue their success this bowl season. At 10-2, the Tigers are led by Riley Ferguson, who is closing in on the 4000 yard mark through the air and has tossed 36 touchdowns. Darrell Henderson has pounded the rock on the ground for Memphis, rushing for 1154 yards and 9 touchdowns. Patrick Taylor Jr, the red zone threat for Memphis, has taken his fair share of trips for 6 as he has ran in 13 touchdowns this season. Much like Miami in the Orange Bowl, Memphis is playing in their home stadium, giving them a huge boost. As for iowa State, they have been the giant killers all season, taking down then top 4 opponents TCU and Oklahoma. The Cyclones will have to continue to sling their stones in order to pull out a victory, but with the home field advantage of Memphis, David won’t have the arsenal to take down Goliath and I see the Tigers taking the cake in front of the hometown crowd.

FInal Score- Memphis 28, Iowa State 13

Fiesta Bowl

Washington vs Penn State

Line: Penn State (-3)

Cole’s Take: Montlake Boulevard and Happy Valley are set to meet in the desert for a New Year’s Eve battle in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl. Washington, 10-2, is coming off of a 2016 season where they locked up the 4th spot in the playoff, and a trip to a New Year’s 6 bowl has Dawg fans buzzing. Chris Petersen has shown he is one of the premier coaches in college football and the Huskies look to make a statement in front of the country. Led by an offense full of skill position playmakers, Washington will look to Myles Gaskin on the ground and Jake Browning to provide the air support. Gaskin has shown that he is one of the top running backs in the west, as multiple 100 yard games and 2-3 touchdowns to compliment that yardage has carried the Huskies through 2017. The question mark on Washington wide receiver and stud punt returner Dante Pettis remains the main problem heading into the game. Without Pettis, Browning will lose his favorite target and the UW special teams, which have given a spark to the rest of the team in so many games, will not be as effective. The Husky front 7 led by defensive linemen Vita Vea, Greg Gains, and Keishawn Bierria will have to limit the explosiveness of the pride of Penn State, Saquon Barkley in order to walk out of University of Phoenix Stadium with a win. Speaking of Barkley, he has lived up to the pre season hype he gardened this past summer with an impressive 2017 season, give or take a few games. He was in the Heisman conversation until a pair of let down games that staggered both his Heisman chances and the Nittany Lions playoff hopes. Penn State will also look to quarterback Trace McSorley, who has given them 3228 yards and 28 touchdowns in the air this season. This game will come down to the Barkley vs Washington Defense matchup, and while I expect UW to contain him for the first 2 and a half quarters, he will come alive midway through the third quarter and give Penn State the edge to barly top the Huskies.

Final Score- Penn State 27, Washington 21

Brock’s Take: This game features Saquon Barkley against the Pac 12 defensive player in Washington defensive linemen Vita Vea. Washington must create opportunity for themselves on offense and shut down Penn State’s explosiveness, which they thrive off of. The Huskies must limit the big play. Penn State plays good defense and will be ready for Washington’s athletes.

Final Score– Washington 24, Penn State 17

Damon’s Take: This game features college football live tradition. THis is a good game for Washington as they will have fans and family travel. The Husky defense has a good chance of limiting Saquon Barkley, but they have to get guys healthy all around the board to pull out a win.

Orange Bowl

Miami vs Wisconsin

Line: Wisconsin (-6.5)

Cole’s Take: Miami stays home in South Beach to take on the Wisconsin Badgers in an Orange Bowl matchup that is very intriguing. I hate to disappoint the people of Twitter, but there won’t be too many turnover chain sightings this New Year with the prolific offense of Wisconsin coming into Hard Rock Stadium. The Big 10 runner up Badgers are led into the game by the big boys up front, the offensive line, who is among the best front 5 units in college football. Expect the big men to pave way for elite Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor, who has gone for 1847 yards and 13 touchdowns and very well could surpass the 2000 yard mark in this game. For Miami, they have been littered with injuries and have been on a slow downward slope since their prime time win over Notre Dame. It took the Hurricanes mounting a comeback against a Virginia team, who they were better than, at home to win. The next week an upset loss at Pitt and then a shellacking by Clemson in the ACC Championship game has been what the Canes have endured the past 3 weeks. Not even the hometown crowd can help Miami on NYE, and Wisconsin will take the cup of oranges back to Madison.

Final Score- Wisconsin 27, Miami 10

Outback Bowl

Michigan vs South Carolina

Line: Michigan (-8.5)

Cole’s Take: Michigan looks to bounce back in Tampa after a narrow defeat at the hands of hated rival Ohio State. Quarterback John O’Korn leads the Wolverines into the game after taking over the spot from original started Wilton Speight, who was benched in the first half of the season by UM head coach Jim Harbaugh. After being a top 10 team in 2016, Michigan finished 8-4 and lost convincingly to their top 25 opponents (with the exception of a Florida team they played week 1 with the Gators having several of their starters suspended). South Carolina, also 8-4, marched up with half of the playoff teams in the regular season, as they were topped by both Clemson and Georgia. For having no true playmakers on their offense, the Gamecocks have held their own this season in the always competitive SEC East. Despite this, O’Korn, Harbaugh, and the rest of the Michigan team will be better prepared better than South Carolina and will pull off a W.

Final Score- Michigan 31, South Carolina 16

Peach Bowl

Auburn vs UCF

Line: Auburn (-10)

Cole’s Take: I can’t say enough about Scott Frost and the 2017 UCF Knight football team. A program that was an 0-12 laughingstock in 2017 has done a complete 180 and shocked the nation thus far going undefeated and making a New Year’s 6 bowl. Frost, the 2017 Home Depot Coach of the Year, is expected to stick around with the program he rebuilt for this game after assuming the head coaching job at Nebraska. UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton has been outstanding this season, throwing for 3795 yards and 35 touchdowns. The man frequently on the receiving end of Milton is junior wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith, who has 1082 receiving yards and 13 touchdown receptions. For Auburn, Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham has led the Tigers back to the top. The Tigers took back bragging rights from rival Alabama in the Iron Bowl, as Jordan-Hare Stadium, a sea of navy and orange, propelled the Tigers over the Tide. Kerryon Johnson has gone for 1320 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground this season for Auburn, and his impressive numbers will have to continue to grow in Atlanta on New Year’s Day for the Tigers to top the cinderella story Knights. With Frost staying for one last game with his program, expect UCF to play emotional football. The numbers point to an Auburn W, but my heart points to UCF. So heck, let’s give it to the Knights. One last W for Frost and the immaculate 2017 UCF Knights will be the scene to kick off 2018.

Final Score– UCF 35, Auburn 33

Citrus Bowl

Notre Dame vs LSU

Line: LSU (-2.5)

Cole’s Take: Another New Year’s game featuring a pair of premier running backs. For LSU, Derrius Guice, the predecessor to Leonard Fournette, will look to add to his 1153 yards and 11 touchdowns. Guice will have to show out in order for the Tigers to win, and with an average air attack, LSU will be counting on him to do so. As for Notre Dame, Josh Adams has been the ground and pound guy, racking up 1386 yards and 9 trips to the end zone. Brandon Wimbush, the quarterback for the Irish, has also been a dual threat option. His 16 passing touchdowns and 14 rushing touchdowns give the Notre Dame offense an unpredictable image which they use to their advantage. Against top 25 teams, Notre Dame has been inconsistent. Wins over USC and NC State have been promising, but they have also been tossed around by the likes of Miami and Stanford, not to mention a tough 1 point loss to playoff team Georgia at home. Guice will have a big day on the ground for LSU and will lift the Tigers to a win over Notre Dame in a game in which they will pull away late.

Final- Notre Dame: 20 LSU: 33

Rose Bowl (Playoff Semifinal)

Oklahoma vs Georgia

Line: Oklahoma (-1)

Cole’s Take: The College Football Playoff returns to the Rose Bowl for the first time since its inaugural season in 2014. Heisman favorite Baker Mayfield, the field general quarterback for Oklahoma, will lead the Sooner schooner against true freshman QB Jake Fromm and the Georgia Bulldogs in Pasadena. The hype man Mayfield has looked any questioning of if he is the best quarterback in college football straight in the eye and sucker punched it in the mouth (and probably threw in a few obscene gestures too, right Kansas?). After rolling over TCU in the Big 12 championship, the Sooners look to continue their season and head to Atlanta. But if the 2017 is any indication, Georgia is prepared to turn some heads. When Fromm isn’t slinging his young arm for UGA, the powerful Nick Chubb is taking handoffs and searching for a linebacker to plant in the turf. Chubb has powered his way to 1175 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, while Sony Michael has also made a name for himself in the Bulldog backfield matching Chubb in touchdowns and closing in on a 1000 yard season. A game that should go down to the wire will see the Heisman favorite just barely top the young buck QB and his merry men of running backs and Oklahoma will head to the National Championship in Atlanta.

Final Score- Oklahoma 27, Georgia 21

Brock’s Take: Baker Mayfield will be the difference maker. Oklahoma has a great offensive line and playmakers on offense to complement the skill of Mayfield. In order for Georgia to win this game they must dictate the flow of it from the opening kick and take away the playmaking ability of Mayfield and force OU to go to their other options. As for the result, I can’t bet against Baker Mayfield.

Damon’s Take: Baker Mayfield is the best quarterback in college football, and the Georgia defense will have a tough time against him. It’ll be a high scoring game that sees Oklahoma coming out on top.

Sugar Bowl (Playoff Semifinal)

Clemson vs Alabama

Line: Alabama (-2)

Cole’s Take: 2 things. First of all, NEVER put Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide as an underdog. It’s like covering a baby goat in barbecue sauce and dropping it in the middle of the Serengeti, we all know what’s gonna happen and it’s not going to end well for whoever decided it was a good idea. So props to the boys in Vegas, the seed doesn’t matter,always bet on Nick. Secondly, the third installment of Bama-Clemson is set to entertain fans in living rooms across America just as it has done the past 2 years. Alabama comes in off their Iron Bowl loss to Auburn, but best believe the Tide are hungry and the wound is still fresh for the boys in Tuscaloosa. Sophomore quarterback Jalen Hurts has been playing on the national stage since he unpacked his last box in his dorm room. He has grown up fast in front of the eyes of everyone. Kelly Bryant leads Clemson into familiar territory, but Bryant is making his first start in a playoff game. He had time to marinate as the backup for Deshaun Watson on last season national title team, but expect some butterflies leading to mistakes early for him. Alabama will pull out this win due to their familiarity with the scene, as they are the only team to make the playoff all 4 years.

Final Score– Alabama 38, Clemson 21

Brock’s Take: It’ll be a great rematch, but Clemson isn’t the same with Kelly Bryant as they were with Deshaun Watson.Clemson does have NFL talent in 3 of their front 4 on defense, but Alabama will win on a familiar stage.

Final Score– Alabama 24, Clemson 20

Damon’s Take: Bama is an underdog, which they love and hate. They will come out and play physical football and Clemson won’t be able to match especially without Deshaun Watson. Alabama will head to Atlanta for the National Title game.

All 3 of us have a Bama-Oklahoma championship game, and that preview will be released in the week leading up to the game.

So there you have it, bowl season broken down by way of Thomas, Huard and Huard. Kick back, grab the snacks, and enjoy the most wonderful 3 weeks in sports. Happy bowl season, college football fans!