College Football Bowl Preview: December 18-20

Tuesday through Thursday give us games 7-9 of the college football bowl season. I will preview each game and make a prediction for each.

Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl

UAB vs. Northern Illinois

December 18th, 7:00 p.m. ET

Howard Schnellenberger Field at FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida

Just four years after UAB canceled its football program, they are back as the winners of Conference USA, beating Middle Tennessee in the conference championship game. UAB only lost three games all year, and one was to Texas A&M in College Station. The Blazers have a solid all-around team and will be playing with a chip on their shoulder because of their cancellation four years ago. They feel like they have something to prove to the country. Northern Illinois was also winners of their conference championship, defeating Buffalo by a point in the MAC championship. The Huskies went 8-5 overall and 6-2 in their conference, but as I already stated in my Eastern Michigan preview, I think the MAC was down this year. They have relied on their defense all year and will have to do the same on Tuesday night to have a chance at winning. In the end, I think the storyline of the UAB football program will result in them showing up with extra passion and extra intensity, and they will prove to America that they are a football program not to mess with.

Prediction: UAB 18 Northern Illinois 15

DXL Frisco Bowl

San Diego State vs. Ohio

December 19th, 8:00 p.m. ET

Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas

Both of these teams had less-than-impressive seasons and this is one of those bowl games that to most college football fans is just ehhh. San Diego State finished at 4-4 in the Mountain West Conference, and 4th in the western division within the MW Conference. They ended the season losing their last three games, and four out of their last five. I really don’t think they are ready for a bowl game. They did have a nice win early in the season against the #23 Arizona State Sun Devils. Ohio finished at 6-2 within their conference and third in the eastern division of the MAC. Outside of their 14 point loss to Virginia, all of their losses were by four points or less. If you like watching offensive games, the Bobcats have one of the best. In five of their last six games, they have scored 49 points or more. With these two teams trending in two totally different directions at the end of the season, there’s no reason to think the Bobcats won’t win this game.

Prediction: Ohio 45 San Diego State 21

Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl

Marshall vs. South Florida

December 20th, 8:00 p.m. ET

Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

First things first, this is the best named bowl game…Bad Boy Mowers. You already have guys all across the South interested. Marshall finished 6-2 within Conference USA, and their other two losses on the season came to ACC schools NC State and Virginia Tech. The Thundering Herd feature a really good defense and they will see if they can finish the season without allowing any player to rush for 100 yards against them. I bet they do. South Florida isn’t deserving of a bowl game in my opinion, going only 3-5 within the American Athletic Conference. That’s pitiful and doesn’t deserve recognition, even though they won 7 games on the season. Their season is a tale of two halves, and no team is going into postseason play colder than the Bulls. Charlie Strong’s team won their first seven games, but have lost their last five, giving up some major points while doing so. How can anybody put their money on the Bulls in this one?

Prediction: Marshall 37 USF 18

Garett