I’ve learned one thing now about picking the bowls and it was a good lesson last night; don’t pick MAC teams. Thought Ball State might pull off an upset last night, but they looked more like a junior high team playing an FBS team. Central Florida was good. Their quarterback, Blake Bortles, was fantastic, going 22-of-33 for 272 yards and three TDs and also rushing for 80 more yards and a TD. He just dominated a Swiss Cheese Ball State defense. UCF finished 10-4 on the season, while Ball State, which finished 6-2 in the MAC– the conference of BCS buster Northern Illinois (Orange Bowl vs. FSU)– looked totally out of its league.

Northern Illinois is going to go into Miami New Year’s Night and get manhandled by Florida State. Kent State, which lost in the MAC championship game to Northern Illinois, will play Arkansas State in the GoDaddy.com bowl in Mobile, Sunday, Jan.6, and both teams have new coaches, though the assistants will lead them, so the MAC may have a chance that night. Ohio will lose to La Monroe in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 28. That game last night doesn’t bode well for Northern Illinois’ chances in the Orange Bowl.

Bowl Record: 3-1; Overall: 130-37 (78%)

Here’s a look at today’s games:

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

La-Lafayette (8-4) vs. East Carolina (7-5)

Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, N’Awlins, (72,003)

Time: Noon  ET/ 11 AM CT

Network: ESPN

Broadcast team: Beth Mowins, Joey Galloway and Quint Kessenich

Line: La Lafayette by 5 1/2

The Ragin’ Cajuns took Florida to the wire on Nov.10, losing 27-20 in the Swamp. That shows me a lot. They beat San Diego State in this same bowl last year, 32-30. I really like the Cajuns’ head coach, Mark Hudspeth. He took North Alabama to the national semifinals in Division II three or four times, and he has it going at La Lafayette. Look for quarterback Terrence Broadway (2526 passing yards, 65.7%, 16 TDs, 8 ints) to have a big game. Linebacker Justin Anderson has 101 tackles on the season, eight for loss. East Carolina is led by running back Vintavious Cooper, who has rushed for 1,030 yards and seven TDs this season. Like the Ragin’ Cajuns to take care of business here and Hudspeth’s name to be very interesting in 2013.

Ragin’ Cajuns 42, East Carolina 30

 

Maaco Bowl

Boise State (10-2) vs. Washington (7-5)

Where: Las Vegas, Sam Boyd Stadium (home of UNLV Rebels, 36,800)

When: 3:30 PM ET/ 2:30 CT

Network: ESPN

Broadcast team: Brent Musberger, Kirk (Northern Illinois? Are you kiddin’ me?) Herbstreit and Tom Rinaldi

Line: Boise State by 5 1/2 

I just like Boise State in big games. D.J. Harper is an excellent back and looks to go in the first or second round of the April draft. He has run for 1,065 yards and 15 scores. He’s got terrific speed and is always a  threat to break it when he gets through the first line of defense. Quarterback Joe Southwick has improved throughout the season. He is 222-of-333 (66.7%) for 2,466 yards, 17 TDs and 7 ints. The Broncos leading receiver is Matt Miller with 60 catches for 679 yards and five TDs. Linebacker J.C. Percy leads the defense with 101 tackles, and defensive end Demarcus Lawrence has 9.5 sacks on the season. For Washington quarterback Keith Price is not having the year he had last year. LSU really dominated him and the Huskies offense earlier this season, 41-3, but he’s been improving since then. Price is 243-of-393 (62%), for 2,484 yards with 18 TDs and 11 ints. Bishop Sankey leads the team in rushing with 1,234 yards and 15 TDs. Wide receiver Kasen Williams has 71 catches for 783 yards and six TDs, and Jenkins Seferian has caught 63 passes for 789 yards and six scores. The Huskies defense is led by linebacker John Timu who has 76 tackles on the season and two ints. Defensive ends Andrew Hudson and Josh Shirley have 6.5 sacks apiece.

But I like Chris Peterson and Boise State in big games on the big stage. They just know how to get it done. The Boise State defense is good and better than the Huskies and Harper will have a big day clearing 100. Boise State will finish with another very successful season at 11-2. I think they’re primed for a big 2013. They’ve got some young guys who will get better and be players next year. It’ll start today.

Boise State 35, Washington 21

 

NFL picks: Last week 3-4

Atlanta Falcons (12-2) @ Detroit Lions (4-10)

8:30 PM ET/ 7:30 CT

ESPN

Line: Falcons by 3 1/2

Like the way the Falcons shellacked the Giants last week. Matt Ryan, Roddy White, Julio and Tony Gonzales will shred the Lions’ defense. Calvin Johnson having a huge year, but Lions can’t keep up with Falcons.

Falcons 38, Lions 27

 

Minnesota Vikings (8-6) @ Houston Texans (12-2)

1 ET/noon CT

FOX

Line: Houston by 9

The Texans’ goal is to stop Adrian Peterson, who is trying to break the single season rushing record of 2,105 set by Eric Dickerson in 1984. But Jim Brown, one of the greatest running backs of all time, a Hall of Famer, says the Dickerson record is a sham because it was accomplished in 16 games and O.J. Simpson broke 2,000 in 14 games in 1973, which Brown says should be the real record. I think that’s a pretty valid argument. But Peterson has 1,812 on the season and needs 294 to break the record. That’s 147 per game. I say he doesn’t go over 100 tomorrow and will fall short of the record after next week. The Texans will neutralize Peterson and make the erratic Christian Pnnder try to beat them. He won’t get it done.

Texans 35, Vikings 24

 

Saints (6-8) @ Cowboys (8-6)

Time: 1 ET/noon CT

Where: Jerry’s World

Fox

Line: Dallas by 1

I like the Saints to get’er done here. Don’t trust Dallas to make the playoffs. They’ve blown it too many times. Drew Brees and company should light up the Cowboys, though they are playing better on defense. Romo and Cowboys will put up some points on Saints’ defense but it won’t be enough. I like the Saints in a mild upset.

Saints 35, Cowboys 31

 

Bengals (8-6) @ Steelers (7-7)

1 PM ET/ noon CT

CBS

Steelers by 3 1/2

Don’t trust either one of these teams really, but always like the Steelers over the Bengals, particularly at home.

Steelers 28, Bengals 20

Giants (8-6) @ Ravens (9-5)

4:25 PM ET/ 3:25 CT

FOX

Giants by 1

I don’t trust either one of these teams either. Both teams limping home, but I’ll take Eli over Flacco, who may never lead his team to a championship.

Giants 24, Ravens 21

 

49ers (10-3) @ Seahawks (9-5)

8:20 PM ET/ 7:20 CT

NBC

Niners by 1

Like both of these teams a lot, but think that Colin Kaepernick is better than Russell Wilson at quarterback. Both defenses are excellent and both teams can win the Super Bowl with the type of defense they play and their pretty potent offenses. Frank Gore for the Niners and Marshawn Lynch for the Seahawks are both terrific backs. This will be a war. With all due respect to the Patriots, I think these are the two best teams in the NFL. This is a tough one to pick, but I’m going with the Niners. They look to be the best team in the league. But it’ll be a stellar game.

Niners 24, Seahawks 21

Also, Hawaii Bowl

Fresno State (9-3) vs. SMU (6-6)

Aloha Stadium (50,000), Honolulu

Monday, Dec. 24, 8 PM ET/7 CT

ESPN

Carter Blackburn, Kelly Stouffer and Kaylee Hartung

Line: Fresno State by 12 1/2

Fresno State 48, SMU 35