College Bowl Pick'em ROUND 2

A year ago TODAY I predicted the outcomes of all 34 college bowl games. And how did it turn out you may ask… um…. eh…. not so well in fact.

I was 15-19, very un-‘Swami’-like.

But I feel I have learned from my mistakes and have vowed to do better. In the 10 games I was most unsure about I went 2-8; I gotta do better in the close games to be successful. And venue has no barring, last year I focused on that too much; this year I will look at it as if every game is being played on the moon.

So here we go… ALL 35 GAMES… 35 being the most confident and 1 the most unsure.

35. I put Fresno State in this spot last year, but this year they don’t fail me.

34. Hawai’i wins the Hawai’I Bowl. They are unreal offensively, and have only lost to USC, Boise State and Colorado. Makes sense to me.

33. Southern Miss has scored 30+ points every game this year except 2. But Louisville has potential, they are 6-6 by winning their last game of the year. Could be a trap game.

32. Nevada has no problem with Boston College. BC started the season 2-5 before winning 5 straight over 5 weeks to end the season HOT. The layoff hurts them and hopefully the Wolfpack doesn’t get complacent thinking they could be the in Title game if they had only beaten Hawai’i.

31. Navy controls the clock and takes down San Diego St. It has been a Cinderella year for the Aztecs, but the Mids won’t mind ringing their bell, both literally and figuratively.

30. Toledo blasts Florida International. It’s FIU’s first ever bowl game, and the big stage slows them down.

29. Boise State beats Utah. Kellen Moore and the rest of the Broncos once again come out fired up think they deserve respect… may hang close to 50 on the Utes.

28. Nebraska has no problem with Washington. The Huskers already beat the Huskies this year… oh the score was 56-21.

27. UTEP beats BYU. I don’t know why people are favoring the Cougars so much. Their last 4 wins have come against CSU, WYO, UNLV and UNM. Some may its risky, but I have a soft spot for the Miners from West Texas.

26. West Virginia rolls past NC St. Both are good teams with near misses several times. WV is just too tough when they play Mountaineer football like Bill Stewart has them playing.

25. Fear the Turtle. Maryland over ECU

24. The Golden Domers could be real good the next couple of years with Tommy Rees and Dayne Crist, and this bowl game could spring them back into form.

23. Pitt past Kentucky. Dave Wannstedt is out, but the Panthers rally to find a way to win.

22. Oklahoma almost stumbles on UCONN. Everyone thinks this one won’t be a contest, I think it will. Oklahoma will obviously win, but not as wide a margin as everyone is thinking.

21. Baylor beats Illinois. Robert Griffin III will use his dual threat to torch the Red Raiders in a shootout in Texas.

20. Northwestern break the 72 year drought by beating Texas Tech. They’re due.

19. SMU is back and beats Army. June Jones has awakened a beast in the Mustang program, and he leads the team to a 2^nd bowl victory in 2 years.

18. You don’t give Denard Robinson 3 weeks off and live to tell about it. Mississippi State is good but remember the first 5 weeks of season, we’ll see Robinson as that player once again.

17. South Carolina easily thumps Jimbo Fisher and the Seminoles. The Gamecocks were in the SEC title game and are yet to get respect. Alshon Jeffery is a hidden star, and Marcus Lattimore will run wide.

16. Miami (OH) has no trouble with MTU. Middle Tennessee always finds a way to jump up and bight me, not this year though.

15. Clemson is inept on offense but the Bulls will give up a few big plays that cost them the game.

14. Missouri too good for Iowa. This will be Ricky Stanzi’s last game as a Hawkeye, but the emotions and Tigers will be too much to overcome one last time. Although it will be close, the only way Stanzi know how to play college football.

13. Air Force will have its hands full with Georgia Tech, but many bruises later comes out victorious.

12. Stanford only lost to Oregon in Eugene.

11. Oklahoma State beats Arizona. Mike Gundy and Mike Stoops will be in constant death glare across the field. But Stoops will blink first as the Cowboys prevail.

10. Ohio State whoops Arkansas. Last year’s Rose Bowl may have secretly jumpstarted a long trend of bowl wins for the Buckeyes. But Ryan Mallett has to play well to keep the NFL scouts hungry.

9. Alabama is just good enough to get past Michigan State. People say the Tide are the most talented team in the nation, and have yet to prove it. Once again they squeak by with a win.

8. North Carolina beats Tennessee. The Tar Heels are no longer just a basketball school.

7. Kansas State bashes Syracuse. Syracuse has had one of their best years since the McNabb era. But KSU is a little better.

6. Troy is victorious against Ohio. I don’t know why but this just feels right.

5. Auburn and Cam Newton beat Oregon. Chip Kelly just has too many youngsters and the lights will be just a little bright. Like Texas in 2005-06, Auburn just seems to be the destined team carried by a superstar.

4. Georgia is better than their record and beats UCF. Mark Richt and the Bulldogs have had an awful year. But 6 wins later and a new UGA the Dawgs will still get it done.

3. Florida wins in Urban Meyers last game, this year. The Gators will come out ready to play, this could be a tough couple weeks of practice in Gainesville.

2. Wisconsin beats TCU. The Horned Frogs looked star struck a year ago, I don’t think Andy Dalton will make the same mistakes. But the Badgers score more on the gridiron than on the hardwood and won’t be slowed down now.

1. LSU slides by Texas A&M. Jerrod Johnson who?