Rambling's New Years Eve to Championship Game Predictions

Alright here you are, the rest of the bowl season predicted and another football season in the bank. Don't mock too hard but do enjoy the football over the next 8 days.

Monday, December 31st, 2012:
NC State vs Vanderbilt, 11:00 am ESPN, This game had more intrigue preseason when we thought NC State would have one of the best defenses in the country and had a chance to be in a much better bowl game. Vanderbilt built on a great first season under James Franklin and continued to improve they had some inconsistancies to start the season but seemed to pull themselves together as the season went along. I think they have the better defense and only slightly worse offense and should be able to take some advantage from a secondary that has underwhelmed this season. Winner: Vanderbilt ATS: NC State +7.5
USC vs Georgia Tech, 1:00 pm CBS, I want to say this game will be close but I don't see Georgia Tech having the offense or the defense to really stick in this game. I think USC will shred this secondary and both Lee and Woods should have huge games. The triple option may cause monte some fits but with a month to prepare they should be able to come up with something. Winner: USC ATS: USC -7
Iowa State vs Tulsa, 2:30 pm ESPN, Iowa State was a mid tier Big XII team in a very good conference that is alright but they aren't overly special this season. Tulsa, won Conference USA but they are a disfunctional and can't seem to put two offensive drives together in a row. This will be a sloppy game that may not be all that fun to watch. Winner: Iowa State ATS: Iowa State -1
LSU vs Clemson, 6:30 pm ESPN, This is a BCS game wrapped in a Twighlight Zone episode of awesomely energetic head football coaches. Les Miles' squad isn't as good as last years but the defense is awesomely impressive. Dabo Sweeney's team may actually be better than last years Orange bowl team but an early loss to Florida State and a down ACC kept them from moving far enough back up the polls to recieve a BCS game invite. I think the Bayou Bengals defense will slow down the high flying attack of Clemson and, as they had the knack of doing this year, just enough offense to score more points than there opponent. Winner: LSU ATS: Clemson +6

Tuesday, January 1st, 2012:
Mississippi State vs Northwestern, 11:00 am ESPN2, Northwestern was once again a solid football team that let good opportunities slip through there hands. Mississippi State won their first 8 games this year but weren't very impressive in any games versus opponents that were considered quality this season. This game should be close and that's a scary though with both of these teams. Winner: Northwestern ATS: Northwestern -1
Purdue vs Oklahoma State, 11:00 am ESPNU, The shuffling of bowl slots in the Big XII and Big Ten have left us with one of the bigger mismatches of the bowl season. Oklahoma State's middling record overall is a bit decieving because this team really found its stride at the end of the season led by QB maturation. This game should be over by midway through the third quarter and the Cowboys should walk away with this one. Winner: Oklahoma State ATS: Oklahoma State -17
Georgia vs Nebraska, 12:00 pm ABC, The runners up in their respective conference championship games meet New Years Day but they played two completely different games heading in. Georgia went toe to toe with Bama for four quarters and came up a handful of yards. Nebraska took a beatown from a Wisconsin team that had troubling finding their stride this season. Georgia has the best two units on the field and the better QB but has had issues when heavily favored. Winner: Georgia ATS: Georgia -9
South Carolina vs Michigan, 12:00 pm ESPN, South Carolina was bad this year away from home, yes their record says they still won most of those games but when looking at games like the one versus Kentucky you have to wonder what changes so much. Michigan was good but suprising success last season raised expectations too high for a flawed team that still had some growing to do. I think this one comes down to which quarterback makes the fewest mistakes and wether the Michigan front seven has anything for the Gamecocks offensive line. Winner: South Carolina ATS: Michigan +6
Wisconsin vs Stanford, 4:00 pm ESPN, Wisconsin made school history by making a third straight Rose Bowl game, this team unlike the first two however goes to Pasadena a much different type of team. Wisconsin with just 8 wins has been a disappointment but with Ohio State and Penn State, took advantage of a title game berth and layed the wood on Nebraska. Stanford suprised a bunch of people post Andrew Luck by doing somehting Luck's teams never did (win the conference/Rose Bowl berth). This team is just as balanced and has hit their stride after the injection of Hogan at quarterback in the starting lineup. Winner: Stanford ATS: Stanford -6
Northern Illinois vs Florida State, 7:30 pm ESPN, Northern Illinois has drawn a lot of ire for being an automatic qualifier to the BCS but those nitpicking about a loophole are missing a greater story, MACtion is coming to the BCS. This isn't just any MACtion but a Northern Illinois team with one of the most exciting players in the country, Jordan Lynch. Florida State is the vastly more talented team  with higher paid coaches and betteer facilities but the Seminoles have the ability to play down to their perception of an opponent and with a very good player under center NIU that could be a recipe for disaster on New Years Day. Winner: Florida State ATS: NIU +13.5

Wednesday, January 2nd, 2012:
Louisville vs Florida, 7:30 pm ESPN, Remember how Cincinatti-Florida played out a few years back? This one has all the markings of being just that ugly, with the Cardinals turnover issues at times this season this game could fast resemble the South Carolina game of this season. Props are in order for both head coaches getting their teams to suprising heights this season. Winner: Florida ATS: Louisville +15

Thursday, January 3rd, 2012:
Oregon vs Kansas State, 7:30 pm ESPN, This game was the National Championship game a couple months ago and for that reason is still manicly intriguing. Oregon's offense as really good against bad to above average teams but seemed to take a much too big of a step back against the better teams on the schedule. The defense still has it's issues but there is talent there and that's good news. Colin Klein , Kansas State and Bill Snyder hasve surprised the nation for the second year in a row and should provide a nice contrast to the Oregon Ducks. Whichever defense makes the least mistakes should be the one that leads their team to victory. Winner: Oregon ATS: Kansas State +9

Friday, January 4th, 2012:
Texas A&M vs Oklahoma, 7:00 pm FOX, This game rivals LSU-Clemson for best non-BCS game A&M suprised many with their performance in year 1 in the SEC, led by Johnny Manziel. Oklhoma is led by Landry Jones who has big numbers but if you can find anyone in love with him who doesn't ride for Oklahoma football I'd like to hear from them. Manziel and company should be able to move the ball versus the Sooner defense but Landry Jones and company won't go easily. Winner: Texas A&M ATS: Oklahoma +3.5

Saturday, January 5th, 2012:
Pittsburgh vs Mississippi, 12:00 pm ESPN, I am not excited by this matchup, Pitt is better but they still lost to Youngstown State this season. Ole Miss made impressive strides in Hugh Freeze's first season but they still weren't as good as you'd expect a bowl eligible SEC team to be. Watch because it's the last Saturday game and because it's still football. Winner: Mississippi ATS: Mississippi -3

Sunday, January 6th, 2012:
Kent State vs Arkansas State, 8:00 pm ESPN, This game on the other hand is completely worth watching after the NFL playoffs are done, because there will be firewords. Kent State has a very exciting player in Dri Archer who will undoubtably make a couple plays that make you say "DAMN!!". Arkansas State, has landed it's head coach in a BCS job for the second straight year and have won the Sun Belt for the second straight season. Winner: Arkansas State (and you for getting to watch MACBEAST) ATS: Arkansas State -4

Monday, January 7th, 2012:
Notre Dame vs Alabama, 7:30 pm ESPN, Do you like defensive football? Do you like heavyweight programs? The answers for most people is not really and no, however this game is going to be all about the pageantry of college football, the history of two progams who's alumni and past coaches ring through the annals of history. The teams on the field both have top 10 defenses paired with offenses that have done enough to win games this season. Alabama's offense is a bit more advanced than Notre Dame's but with a serious conversation about the best unit on the field this game should be a barn burner. Winner: Alabama ATS: Notre Dame +10