2014 Rambling Sports Bowl Part 3 CFB Preview

The best of the best. These are the bowls we wait all year for and that should make for a great couple of days. Enjoy them while they last because they will be gone quickly.

Wednesday, December 31st, 2014:

Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl (4): Ole Miss (63.94) vs TCU (45.13), 12:30 pm ESPN, This may end up being the best and most entertaining of the bowl games. TCU comes in with one of the best offenses in the country, not without hiccups, and a defense that has been honed by Gary Patterson to slow down spread offenses. Hugh Freeze and co. are look for redemption and a win over TCU in the Peach Bowl would be a great place to start and clean some of the blemish off the sheen of the program. Power Pick: Ole Miss by 18.81 My Pick: TCU 48-35 Line: TCU -3

VIZIO Fiesta Bowl (10): Arizona (70.09) vs Boise State (34.25), 4:00 pm ESPN, I've seen a lot of people a little skeptical of the match-up and whether Boise State has what it takes to stick it out for the entirety. I think so, Arizona is good but very flawed and outside of Scooby Wright, has a propensity for lapses. Boise has been very good on offense once again but the defense will need to play their best game if they are going to hang or beat the Wildcats. Power Pick: Arizona by 35.84 My Pick: Arizona 31-28 Line: Arizona -3

Capital One Orange Bowl (5): Mississippi State (66.69) vs Georgia Tech (44.50), 8:00 pm ESPN, This one is interesting and I have had a hard time deciding if this is going to be a high scoring barn burner or a low scoring slug fest. I lean a high scoring slug fest but I'm not sure it's gonna be a great spectacle. Power Pick: Mississippi State by 22.19 My Pick: Mississippi State 28-20 Line: Mississippi State -6.5

Thursday, January 1st, 2014:

Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl (16): Missouri (73.67) vs Minnesota (50.09), 12:00 pm ESPN2, This one strikes me as a replay of Missouri-Indiana but in different formations and a more experienced Missouri team. Minnesota doesn't have much passing game to speak of but Maxx Williams on play-action will cause problems all day. Power Pick: Missouri by 23.58 My Pick: Missouri 28-27 Line: Missouri -4.5
Outback Bowl (15): Wisconsin (49.37) vs Auburn (81.76), 12:30 pm ESPN, Say it ain't so, but I don't see anyway that Wisconsin can compete with the athletes on Auburn's offense. Coats and Marshall will carve up the secondary through the air and although they have performed admirably throughout the season the front seven hasn't seen much like what Auburn will throw at them. Auburn will have issues on defense but they showed against Arkansas that they will give a healthy resistance and that should be enough. Power Pick: Auburn by 32.39 My Pick: Auburn 38-20 Line: Auburn -6.5
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (3): Baylor (64.96) vs Michigan State (65.60), 1:00 pm ABC, Another expected barn burner involving a Big XII co-champ. Baylor comes in with a great offense and a defense that is Briles' best since he reached Waco. They will take on a Michigan State team with an underrated passing attack and a defense that took a step back but is still very good and disciplined. Unfortunately I think Baylor can do a lot of what Oregon did, but with a month to prepare they should be able to play a much better second half. Power Pick: Michigan State by .64 My Pick: Baylor 38-35 Line: Baylor -2.5
Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual (Semifinal) (2): Oregon (97.35) vs Florida State (90.83), 5:00 pm ESPN, The first Semifinal in FBS history pits an old friend and a new friend. Oregon brings an uptempo spread attack that wants to run between the tackles then hit you deep when you creep up. Florida State runs a more pro style attack with a slightly renewed running game and the other half of the two best QBs in the country. A match-up of #2 & #3, back-to-back Heisman winners and teams who have never been at full strength this season. Power Pick: Oregon by 6.52 My Pick: Oregon 31-27 Line: Oregon -8
AllState Sugar Bowl (Semifinal) (1): Alabama (68.17) vs Ohio State (68.90), 8:30 pm ESPN, Make no mistake the Buckeye's are dangerous and have a month to put in a lot of things Urban knows can exploit Saban's defense, but, this Alabama team has something new. That new piece to the puzzle is an offense that can hurt you with multiplicity, just like the defense. I think Ohio State puts a scare in and gets a good two and a half quarters in before Alabama gets off the ropes and finishes a tire underdog. Power Pick: Ohio State by .73 My Pick: Alabama 38-24 Line: Alabama -9

Friday, January 2nd, 2014:

Valero Alamo Bowl (11): Kansas State (43.12) vs UCLA (82.96), 6:45 pm ESPN, Bill Snyder's team was good this year. They took Auburn to the wire, and were not an easy out, nor were they as pesky as many thought they could have been. UCLA, well, UCLA is a cat. You never quite know who is going to show up and what they'll be in. I think we get an inspired performance in Hundley's last college game and a misleading view into the UCLA future. Power Pick: UCLA by 39.84 My Pick: UCLA 28-27 Line: UCLA -1.5