CSNbbs

35 points most confident of prediction . . 1 point least confident

30 points: Louisiana-Lafayette over East Carolina
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 22; New Orleans)
PickCenter Matchup
Sun Belt juggernaut Louisiana-Lafayette's rush-first attack is both efficient and explosive, too much for an East Carolina team that's among the very weakest of this year's bowl entrants. The Pirates have rolled up some yards this year as well, but have done so against some truly awful outfits that are not the equal even of the Cajuns' modestly talented defense, a unit that at least generates a pass rush, avoids the big play and stands tall in the red zone. Mark Hudspeth's crew is easily the better team here, and it repeats as New Orleans Bowl champs in front of a partisan crowd.
Louisiana-Lafayette 45, East Carolina 31

24 points: Louisiana-Monroe over Ohio
AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl (Dec. 28; Shreveport, La.)
PickCenter Matchup
Quarterback Kolton Browning and a talented set of receivers operate an up-tempo passing assault that produces right around 300 yards per game. An Ohio defense that's been thinned by injuries will have trouble countering the Warhawks' speed. Defensively, Monroe has been susceptible to big-play vertical passing attacks, but that's not the Bobcats' forte; none of Ohio's top seven pass-catchers average better than 12 yards per reception. The Warhawks undoubtedly would have preferred a matchup with Louisiana Tech, but they are still playing close to home in the school's first-ever bowl game against a program with a scant record of postseason success.
Louisiana-Monroe 38, Ohio 27

22 points: Western Kentucky over Central Michigan
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (Dec. 26; Detroit)
PickCenter Matchup
This game would've ranked substantially higher had Willie Taggart not bolted for South Florida, but the favorite is still the only side worth having despite the obvious advantages in geography and fan support for the Chippewas. Central Michigan is 2012's weakest bowl team. Outgained in 10 games, the Chips have played a soft schedule yet have allowed opponents to exceed their average net yardage margins by nearly 100 yards per game, worst among bowl squads. Even without Taggart, the Hilltoppers will be amped for the program's first-ever bowl appearance, and they have the defense to slow Central star Zurlon Tipton while the MAC entrant won't be able to contain Western's all-purpose ace Antonio Andrews.
Western Kentucky 38, Central Michigan 27

2 points: Arkansas State over Kent State
GoDaddy.com Bowl (Jan. 6; Mobile, Ala.)
PickCenter Matchup
Kent State's Darrell Hazell is thus far the only departing head coach who will actually coach his soon-to-be-former charges in their bowl. Arkansas State, meanwhile, is one of at least eight schools led by interim coaches. In command of the Red Wolves is defensive coordinator John Thompson, who boasts just one career win over a team other than Army in 23 games as a head coach (while at East Carolina) -- and that was a two-point home escape over a Tulane squad that hadn't beaten an FBS opponent that year. The Wolves do at least temporarily retain the playcalling services of Gus Malzahn understudy Rhett Lashlee, which means that seasoned triggerman Ryan Aplin will probably still be comfortable guiding what has been a very potent offense against a Kent State defense that has struggled with no-huddle tempo attacks. Kent has weapons of its own in speedster Dri Archer and bruiser Trayion Durham, but what narrowly tips the scales in favor of the Wolves is a solid rush defense that's held its past five opponents under 100 yards and matches up well with the Flashes' one-dimensional ground attack.
Arkansas State 28 Kent State 27

http://games.espn.go.com/college-bowl-ma...\2012picks

How sweet if all holds true!

I am in an ESPN league...

Picked all SBC teams and had all at 20 confidence points or more.

(12-14-2012 06:33 PM)TrojanNation Wrote: [ -> ]I am in an ESPN league...

Picked all SBC teams and had all at 20 confidence points or more.

Could be a GREAT bowl season! My favorite ever for sure! Just a shame we don't get to stomp a mud hole in the Lady Techsters.

(12-14-2012 09:43 PM)Arrowhead Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-14-2012 06:33 PM)TrojanNation Wrote: [ -> ]I am in an ESPN league...

Picked all SBC teams and had all at 20 confidence points or more.

Could be a GREAT bowl season! My favorite ever for sure! Just a shame we don't get to stomp a mud hole in the Lady Techsters.

I think ULM is going to lay waste to Ohio and ASU will do the same thing to Kent State. We are going to have a tougher time with ECU but with the huge crowd we will win the game. I just think it will be close.

(12-15-2012 07:56 AM)Louisianafanrcajun90 Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-14-2012 09:43 PM)Arrowhead Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-14-2012 06:33 PM)TrojanNation Wrote: [ -> ]I am in an ESPN league...

Picked all SBC teams and had all at 20 confidence points or more.

Could be a GREAT bowl season! My favorite ever for sure! Just a shame we don't get to stomp a mud hole in the Lady Techsters.

I think ULM is going to lay waste to Ohio and ASU will do the same thing to Kent State. We are going to have a tougher time with ECU but with the huge crowd we will win the game. I just think it will be close.

My friend, ECU is the easiest opponent of all three. Shame on us if we dont win by a nice margin. There is no doubt we are the more talented team, by far.

I believe stAte has the toughest task.. But they should still win in fine fashion.

Ohio will wish they never heard of Kolton Browning.

Central Michigan? Really? 6-6? WKU rolls and everyone gets sick from pepperoni overload after..

This will be a fine year for Sun Belt Bowling..

Z

(12-15-2012 10:09 AM)zeebart21 Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-15-2012 07:56 AM)Louisianafanrcajun90 Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-14-2012 09:43 PM)Arrowhead Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-14-2012 06:33 PM)TrojanNation Wrote: [ -> ]I am in an ESPN league...

Picked all SBC teams and had all at 20 confidence points or more.

Could be a GREAT bowl season! My favorite ever for sure! Just a shame we don't get to stomp a mud hole in the Lady Techsters.

I think ULM is going to lay waste to Ohio and ASU will do the same thing to Kent State. We are going to have a tougher time with ECU but with the huge crowd we will win the game. I just think it will be close.

My friend, ECU is the easiest opponent of all three. Shame on us if we dont win by a nice margin. There is no doubt we are the more talented team, by far.

I believe stAte has the toughest task.. But they should still win in fine fashion.

Ohio will wish they never heard of Kolton Browning.

Central Michigan? Really? 6-6? WKU rolls and everyone gets sick from pepperoni overload after..

This will be a fine year for Sun Belt Bowling..

Z

I have to agree with you Z. ASU and WKU lost their coaches so don't know how that will change the game. Kent St has a very good running game. Still believe that WKU will win handily though.

Let's see....Cajuns basically playing a home game in front of 40K.....yea, I see a win there.

Now my Warhawks. Ohio is beat up (like us) and pretty thin (from what their fans are saying). They don't do too well against the pass and we are a control passing team with an elusive QB (who is healthy now). We are susceptible to the long pass which Ohio doesn't do very well. Ohio is balanced to run heavy. ULM plays the run pretty well. I am sensing Kolton will throw for at least 300.

All I can say folks is that I sure hope our coaches and players are not gazing at the tea leaves and think it will be a cake walk. Every game will be competitive. Probably one or two upsets are probable as always happens.

Last year the Cajuns were a huge dog and won. I thought ASU should have won, but loss, and of course FIU can not score without Hilton so him being banged up they lost.

ASU was a mess in Mobile last year. All the events for the teams ASU arrived late but we had a running back coach running the team and half of the staff was local guys working as volunteer coaches.

This year we will have our entire staff except Malzahn.

(12-15-2012 10:09 AM)zeebart21 Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-15-2012 07:56 AM)Louisianafanrcajun90 Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-14-2012 09:43 PM)Arrowhead Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-14-2012 06:33 PM)TrojanNation Wrote: [ -> ]I am in an ESPN league...

Picked all SBC teams and had all at 20 confidence points or more.

Could be a GREAT bowl season! My favorite ever for sure! Just a shame we don't get to stomp a mud hole in the Lady Techsters.

I think ULM is going to lay waste to Ohio and ASU will do the same thing to Kent State. We are going to have a tougher time with ECU but with the huge crowd we will win the game. I just think it will be close.

My friend, ECU is the easiest opponent of all three. Shame on us if we dont win by a nice margin. There is no doubt we are the more talented team, by far.

I believe stAte has the toughest task.. But they should still win in fine fashion.

Ohio will wish they never heard of Kolton Browning.

Central Michigan? Really? 6-6? WKU rolls and everyone gets sick from pepperoni overload after..

This will be a fine year for Sun Belt Bowling..

Z

We'll find out soon enough about your claims.

ESPN has an opinion....


Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns versus East Carolina Pirates
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 22)
UL is favored by 5.5 points

College teams face significantly disparate schedules, yet nearly half of them reach the postseason on the basis of win-loss records alone. There are therefore a few bowl entrants each year that stand out as really below-average FBS teams. East Carolina is one of this year's weakest. The Pirates -- who rank an abysmal 114th in Brian Fremeau's FEI ratings -- have played only four fellow bowl squads this season, beating none while getting outgained by a whopping 160 yards per game, easily the worst mark among this year's postseason contestants.

The rest of East Carolina's FBS schedule reads like a who's who of Conference USA doormats, seven wins over teams that scraped together a combined 22 victories. When allowing 59 points and 633 yards at home in an overtime escape against a 5-7 Marshall team qualifies as your best performance, it's time to get philosophical about "earning" a bowl berth while the likes of Tennessee, Utah and Missouri sit at home.

East Carolina does have some offensive firepower, principally in the form of 1,000-yard receiver Justin Hardy, who amazingly has 69 more grabs than the second-leading yardage-gainer. The Pirates also sport a 1,000-yard rusher in Vintavious Cooper, but coordinator Lincoln Riley is an Air Raid disciple straight from Mike Leach's high plains school of offense, which means that as Hardy goes, so goes the offensive production.

A Ragin' Cajuns offense with the nation's third-best red zone touchdown rate is even more productive. The powerful running game is peaking late in the year behind the Sun Belt's best offensive line and the passing game features a trio of big-play receivers and a quarterback who ranks in the nation's top 25 in passer rating. This bunch is both efficient and explosive and will have its way with an East Carolina defense that allowed the likes of Southern Miss and Tulane to turn in above-average performances.

Louisiana's defense is by no means a shutdown unit, but this group has held half its foes under 75 rushing yards and fields a serviceable pass rush, a half dozen all-conference selections and a heart-and-soul leader at middle linebacker. The defense also has what it probably needs most in this particular matchup: a pair of decorated senior cornerbacks who can keep Hardy from going ballistic. Throw in an utter mismatch in the kicking game and a rowdy partisan crowd and you've got an easy decision.



The pick: Louisiana 52, East Carolina 28