Bowl Preview: New Mexico Bowl

New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium, Albuquerque, N.M.
Fresno State vs. Wyoming
Date: Dec. 19
Time: 4:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Line: Fresno State -10.5

About Fresno State (8-4): This is the Bulldogs second straight December trip to Albuquerque, which doesn't seem like much of a bowl trip until you consider they purposefully live in Fresno all year. Albuquerque is like some kind of goddam paradise. Fresno coach Pat Hill has to be happy he's facing a team he should beat instead of his normal M.O. of acting like a badass and then getting his clock cleaned by decent teams. I'm pretty sure Fresno finishes 8-5 every freaking year.

Intangibles:
David Carr: -4
Trent Dilfer: -2
Trent Dilfer with the Browns: -23
Crystal Meth capital of America: -4
Crystal Meth Capital of America while on Meth: +400

About Wyoming (6-6): A large state located somewhere west of Minnesota and south of Canada, Wyoming is home to many sheep and some local militias. The Cowboys are coached by first-year head man Dave Christensen who came north from Missouri and are the first example this year of why there are just too many damned bowls.

Intangibles:
Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Parks: +6
Places where people can actually live: -4
Fennis Dembo (look it up, kids): +5
Anyone else whoever played hoops at Wyoming: -3

Impact Player: Wyoming receiver David Leonard has 70 catches. For 645 yards. WHAT? 9 yards a catch? how many WR screens can one guy catch? Is he a parapalegic? c'mon David, get DOWN the freaking field.

Bowl slogan: "The only other thing Albuquerque has going for it besides that big balloon deal."

Little known fact: Wyoming's booster club is known as the "Cowboy Joe Club." That's a dumb name.

Watchability scale (1-5): .9

The Pick: Bulldogs 31, Cowboys 13

Wild finish in Champaign

I doubt many of you watched the Fresno State-Illinois game this afternoon (you thought the Monk re-run would be more exciting, huh?). Well, this game had all kinds of scoring and one unbelievable ending.

Fresno State's Jamel Hamler caught a 19-yard touchdown pass with two seconds left against the Fighting Illini. The Bulldogs decided to go for two, instead of kicking the PAT to force OT. That's when 350-pound offensive lineman Devan Cunningham catches a deflected pass and stumbles across the goal line, giving Fresno the 53-52 victory.

Are we sure Illinois is going to stick with Ron Zook?

Bowl projections

Heading into championship weekend, here is how we see the bowl match ups shaping up for everyone...

Phil's predictions
New Mexico
Wyoming vs. Fresno State

St. Petersburg
South Florida vs. Central Florida

R+L Carriers New Orleans
Southern Miss vs. Troy

MAACO Las Vegas
BYU vs. Oregon State

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia
Utah vs. Arizona

Sheraton Hawaii
SMU vs. Nevada

Little Caesars
Minnesota vs. Central Michigan

Meineke Car Care
Boston College vs. West Virginia

Emerald
Florida State vs. Stanford

Gaylord Hotels Music City
North Carolina vs. South Carolina

AdvoCare V100 Independence
Texas A&M vs. Auburn

EagleBank
Bowling Green vs. Marshall

Champs Sports
Miami vs. Michigan State

Roady's Humanitarian
Northern Illinois vs. Idaho

Pacific Life Holiday
Oklahoma State vs. USC

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces
Air Force vs. East Carolina

Brut Sun
California vs. Oklahoma

Texas
Iowa State vs. Navy

Insight
Northwestern vs. Kansas State

Chick-fil-A
Clemson vs. Georgia

Outback
Penn State vs. Tennessee

Capital One
Iowa vs. LSU

Konica Minolta Gator
Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh

Rose Bowl
Ohio State vs. Oregon

Allstate Sugar
Alabama vs. Cincinnati

International
Connecticut vs. Temple

Papajohns.com
Rutgers vs. Kentucky

AT&T Cotton
Missouri vs. Mississippi

AutoZone Liberty
Houston vs. Arkansas

Valero Alamo
Wisconsin vs. Texas Tech

Tostitos Fiesta
Boise State vs. Nebraska

FedEx Orange
Georgia Tech vs. Texas

GMAC
Notre Dame vs. Ohio

Citi BCS National Championship
Florida vs. TCU


Tom's predictions
New Mexico
Wyoming vs. Fresno State

St. Petersburg
South Florida vs. Central Florida

R+L Carriers New Orleans
Southern Miss vs. Troy

MAACO Las Vegas
Utah vs. Oregon State

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia
BYU vs. Arizona

Sheraton Hawaii
SMU vs. Nevada

Little Caesars
Ohio vs. Middle Tennessee State

Meineke Car Care
Boston College vs. Cincinnati

Emerald
Miami vs. Stanford

Gaylord Hotels Music City
North Carolina vs. South Carolina

AdvoCare V100 Independence
Auburn vs. Texas A&M

EagleBank
Marshall vs. Bowling Green

Champs Sports
Georgia Tech vs. Wisconsin

Roady's Humanitarian
Idaho vs. Northern Illinois

Pacific Life Holiday
Nebraska vs. USC

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces
Air Force vs. East Carolina

Brut Sun
Oklahoma vs. Notre Dame

Texas
Navy vs. Iowa State

Insight
Missouri vs. Minnesota

Chick-fil-A
Georgia vs. Virginia Tech

Outback
Northwestern vs. Mississippi

Capital One
Iowa vs. LSU

Konica Minolta Gator
West Virginia vs. Florida State

Rose Bowl
Ohio State vs. Oregon

Allstate Sugar
Alabama vs. Pittsburgh

International
Rutgers vs. Temple

Papajohns.com
Connecticut vs. Kentucky

AT&T Cotton
Oklahoma State vs. Tennessee

AutoZone Liberty
Arkansas vs. Houston

Valero Alamo
Texas Tech vs. Michigan State

Tostitos Fiesta
TCU vs. Boise State

FedEx Orange
Penn State vs. Clemson

GMAC
Central Michigan vs. California

Citi BCS National Championship
Florida vs. Texas

Bowl preview: New Mexico Bowl

New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium, Albuquerque, N.M.
Fresno State vs. Colorado State
Date: Dec. 20
Time: 2:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Line: Fresno State –3

About Fresno State: Fresno State Pat Hill has a bad-ass fu-man-chu and likes to spout off “anybody, any time, anywhere” about his non-conference schedule. You will notice the word “win” is conspicuously absent from that creed. Being from the general Fresno area, you might assume the Bulldogs roster is full of meth dealers and thugs. Yes. Yes it is.

Intangibles:
Unexplainable green “V” on back of helmet: +2 points
Named “sleeper” team every preseason since 1997: +5 points
Fail to live up to “sleeper” pick every season since 1997: -8 points
Almost beat team from every BCS conference: 0 points

About Colorado State: CSU is not coached by Sonny Lubick anymore which is too bad, cause that’s a cool name. Now, it’s some guy name Steve or Todd or Bob Fairchild. Not as good. The Rams are bowl eligible thanks to a scintillating 23-20 win over Sacramento State and finished the season on a red-hot two-game win streak.

Intangibles:
Located in Colorado: +3
Part of Colorado without mountains: -4
Ram horns on helmet: +2
Had that guy name Bradlee Van Pelt a few years ago: +6

Impact player: Fresno State QB Tom Brandstater. The announcers will tell you what a great NFL prospect is if he just became a little more consistent. Right. And David Carr’s going to the Pro Bowl.

Bowl slogan: “New Mexico; Remember that time you drove through us on the way to the Grand Canyon?”

Little Known Fact: University Stadium seats 42,000 people or 3/4 of New Mexico’s population.

Watchability scale (1-5): 1.5

The Pick: Fresno State 27, Colorado State 12

Our Top 25 (Oct. 6)

1. Oklahoma (1) 5-0
2. LSU (2) 4-0
3. Missouri (3) 5-0
4. Alabama (4) 6-0
5. Texas (5) 5-0
6. Penn State (6) 6-0
7. USC (9) 3-1
8. BYU (8) 5-0
9. Texas Tech (10) 5-0
10. Ohio State (12) 5-1
11. Florida (14) 4-1
12. Georgia (11) 4-1
13. Vanderbilt (18) 5-0
14. Utah (13) 6-0
15. Boise State (16) 4-0
16. Oklahoma State (21) 5-0
17. Kansas (17) 4-1
18. Virginia Tech (NR) 5-1
19. North Carolina (NR) 4-1
20. Michigan State (23) 5-1
21. South Florida (7) 5-1
22. Ball State (24) 6-0
23. Pittsburgh (NR) 4-1
24. Wake Forest (NR) 3-1
25. Georgia Tech (NR) 4-1

Others receiving votes: Fresno State, California, Florida State, Northwestern, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Illinois, Tulsa, Auburn.

Holy domination

Sorry Phil, but it's time to switch to Wisconsin and Fresno State. That's the last time I pick the Buckeyes against a "real" opponent. The Tressel magic is wearing off. At least there is the weak Big 10 to whip up on now. Hope you had enough alcohol.