Four games are on the ledger today as the bowl season progresses into week 2 with anticipation building for the major games coming up. But there’s a solid lineup today. Here’s a look at those contests along with predictions.
Saturday
3-1 Overall, 2-2 ATS.
Underdogs Duke, Air Force and Northwestern all won. South Alabama was the only favorite to win. Had Air Force and Northwestern, but picked Troy over Duke. Did have USA.
All times Central
Military Bowl
Virginia Tech (6-6) vs. Tulane (11-2)
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD., 34,000
1 PM
ESPN
Jay Alter, Rene Ingoglia, Alex Chappell
Yella’ Wood, Sun Belt, Jeremy Parker
Hokies by 10 1/2
Tulane was having another terrific season, but was deflated by SMU in the American Conference Championship Game at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, 26-14. SMU, coached by Rhett Lashlee, played an excellent game and finished the season 11-2. The Ponies play Boston College tomorrow at 11 AM CT in the Fenway Bowl in ESPN. To add insult to injury, the Green Wave’s head coach, Willie Fritz, took the Houston Cougars job and quarterback Michael Pratt opted out of the game to get ready for the NFL draft. There have been several transfers as well. That’s too much to overcome. VA Tech quarterback Kyron Drones threw for 1,993 yards, 15 TDs against only 3 ints. He also rushed for 642 yards and 4 TDs. Running back Bhayshui Tuten led the team in rushing with 727 yards along with 8 TDs. On defense, d end Antwaun Powell-Ryland, 6’3”, 242, posted 9 1/2 sacks for -77 yards. Cornerback Dorian Strong added three interceptions. I like VA Tech here. They defeated UVA to finish off their season 55-17 in C’Ville, and Tulane just doesn’t have a strong enough roster in this game with Fritz gone , Pratt opting out and several other players transferring.
VA Tech 31, Tulane 14
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
North Carolina (8-4) vs. West Virginia (8-4)
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C., 74,867
4:30 PM
ESPN
Matt Barrie, Dan Mullen, Harry “Connick” Lyles Jr.
Suds and Duds, Big Ten, Jerry McGinn
WVA by 6
UNC has several transfers/opts outs including quarterback Drake Maye, who opted out to prepare for the draft. I’m tired of writing this, but it’s the landscape these days. Maye threw for 3,608 yards, 24 TDs against 9 ints. He also rushed for 9 TDs. But he had his struggles towards the end of the season, and I’m not sure he can be that prolific of an NFL quarterback. It’s a whole other level up there and it only gets tougher. He’s expected to go in the top 7 or 8, maybe top 3, so it’ll be interesting to see how he pans out. Conner Harrell will take over under center for the Tar Heels and he is only 4 of 6 for 71 yards and a 7. And stud receiver Tex Walker, who caught 41 passes for 699 and 7 TDs, is opting out as well. It was a struggle for the Heels defense towards the end of the season too as they finished 72nd in scoring defense in the country. They gave up 39 points in a 39-20 loss to N.C. State to close out the season. They gave up an average of 405 yards per game, 95th out of 130 in the country. They are limping into Bank of America Stadium. The Mountaineers, under resurgent coach Neal Brown, won their final two games of the regular season 42-21 over Cincy and 34-31 @ Baylor. Quarterback Garrett Greene finished the season with 2,178 passing yards, 15 TDs against only 4 ints. Greene also rushed for 708 yards and 13 TDs. RB CJ Donaldson added 798 yards and 11 TDs. Linebacker Ben Cutter posted 4 ints on the season to lead the defense. West Virginia was 69th in yards allowed per game at 382. They were 76th in scoring defense giving up 27 points per game. So their scoring defense was worse than the Tar Heels and they were not too much better than UNC in total defense. But with UNC’s defections, the lack of a Tar Heels defense will be more pronounced in Charlotte, moreso than with the Mountaineers. I like the team with the momentum right now, and West Virginia has it and UNC has just lost too much.
Mountaineers 37, Tar Heels 28
DirecTV Holiday Bowl
No.15 Louisville (10-3) vs. USC (7-5)
Petco Stadium, El Diego, 42,445
7 PM
FOX
Whistles, SEC, Lee Hedrick
Cardinals by 6 1/2
Louisville ended the season poorly after a really solid first 10 games. They were 10-1 heading into a home game finale against rival Kentucky, but lost 38-31. Then they played FSU in the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte and it was one of the ugliest games of the season as the Cardinals lost 16-6. FSU has been irate ever since being snubbed from the Playoff. I empathized with them at first, but still believed the Crimson Tide was the better team, particularly without quarterback Jordan Travis. With Travis, they had a strong argument, But they looked terrible themselves on offense in the Louisville game. Since then they’ve lost it, going after everybody they can think of in their gripes with the selection committee. They are now suing the ACC to get out of the conference after Governor Ron DeSantis tried to sue the selection committee for $1 million. It’s out of control.
But Louisville is in better shape than USC. Quarterback Caleb Williams, as expected, opted out. He’s preparing for the NFL draft and may very well go No.1, but he didn’t have that stellar of a season, and his ability to excel in the pros is still uncertain. I thought Justin Fields would excel and he’s really struggled, so the Bears are probably looking for another quarterback. Bryce Young has had a rough year for Carolina, but had his best game Sunday versus the Packers throwing for 312 yards and two TDs in a 33-30 loss, so maybe his fortunes are turning around. Mac Jones, who was so good at Alabama his senior year, has had a miserable time in New England. So there is no guarantee/sure fire precedent that a stud college QB will excel in the NFL. In this game, USC just doesn’t have the defense, the players, with transfers and opt-outs, or the motivation. Williams’ backup, Miller Moss, has only completed 23 of 32 passes for 309 yards, and a TD. Give me the Cardinals despite their struggles at the end of the regular season.
Louisville 38, USC 30
TaxAct Texas Bowl
Texas A&M (7-5) vs. No.20 Oklahoma State (9-4)
NRG Stadium, Houston
8 PM
ESPN
Roy Philpott, Roddy Jones, Taylor McGregor
Hunter’s Cleaners, Big Ten, Chris Coyte
OK. State by 3
This line has moved drastically in the last week as A&M was a three point favorite a week ago. With 13 transfers, A&M is really struggling coming into this game. With a program that showed so much promise when it landed the top recruiting class ever recorded in 2021, which the Crimson Tide overtook in 2023, it’s been a disastrous time under now fired coach Jimbo Fisher. Co-defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson, who is heading to Syracuse to be its’ defensive coordinator under new coach Fran Brown, who came to the ‘Cuse from Georgia where he was a stellar defensive backs coach and the number one recruiter in 2022, and has added a very good recruiting class especially their transfer class, will be the coach for A&M in this game. Robinson and his defensive coaches will have to find a way to stop Cowboys’ all world running back Ollie Gordon, who rushed for 1,614 yards and 20 TDs. With all the attrition at A&M, this is too much to ask even though third string quarterback Jaylen Henderson is pretty good as he threw for 704 and 6 TDs against 2 ints starting at the end of the season. The Aggies are missing key pieces on offense and defense. Their stud defensive tackle Walter Nolen, among other players has transferred and is heading to Ole Miss. Lane added the No.1 transfer class in the country in 2024. Kiff doin’ work. I would love to pick the SEC team because the conference is always the premier conference in the country, but there is just too much attrition in College Station.
Cowboys 34, Aggies 28