In a tumultuous time, nothing like bowl games to take a break from this drudgerous virus. So, here’s a look at tomorrow’s matchups featuring the Auburn Tigers at 11 AM CT taking on the Houston Cougars in the prolific Protective Stadium here in B’ham in the 15th TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl. It’s an excellent matchup. The Birmingham Bowl will be followed by the ServPRO First Responder Bowl pitting Air Force and Louisville, then Mississippi State takes on Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl and and UCLA vs NC State caps it off in the Holiday Bowl. So, awesome day of action tomorrow on the college gridiron slate.

Here’s a look at today’s games along with predictions.

Record So Far,

Straight up, 2-2, Overall, 223-101, 69%

ATS, 3-1, 166-155, 52%

TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl

Auburn (6-6) vs. No.20 Houston (11-2)

Protective Stadium, Magic City, 47, 100

11 AM CT

ESPN

Wes Durham, Eric Mac Lain, Taylor Davis

Whistles, PAC-12, Mike Mothershed, usually a lot of yella with this crew

AU by 2

Bo Nix has departed to the transfer portal, so TJ Finley will be under center for the Tigers against Houston. TJ is a pretty solid quarterback, who, as Spike pointed out earlier this year, throws a more catchable ball than Nix did. The Nix tenure was marked by inconsistency. He never could get the Tigers to where they wanted to go. He showed promise his freshman season, but never seemed to develop that well. After the season was over with, Coach Harsin fired Mike Bobo as OC and has hired Austin Davis, a 32 year old coach who comes to Auburn after serving as Quarterbacks Coach for the Seattle Seahawks. Could be a real boost to the Tigers’ offense. They need it. The Tigers played the Crimson Tide as closely as a team possibly can play the Crimson Tide before falling 24-22 in the fourth overtime. It was a gut wrenching defeat for Auburn, one they could have won, but this is a reset for 2022 for Harsin and his players. Finley has completed 51 of 91 passes, 56%, for 600 yards, 5 TDs against 1 int. With it raining at the start of the game, Tank Bigsby will be relied upon and that’s always a good thing. Tank rushed for 1,003 yards and 10 TDs this season. I’m also high on Jarquez Hunter, who rushed for 576 yards, averaging 6.9 yards per carry, and 4 TDs. I could see Jarquez taking one to the house from deep. The Tigers leading receiver is Kobe Hudson who has registered 40 receptions for 523 and 3 TDs. Demetris Robetson has added 35 for 474 and 4 TDs. Linebacker Zakoby McClain had a nice year for the Tigers leading the defense with 95 tackles and 8 TFLS for -18 yards, but he’s opting out. Defensive end Derrick Hall led the team in TFLS and Sacks with 12 for -56 yards and 9 for -49 yards respectively. Roger McCreary co-led the team in ints with 2 along with Bydarrius Knight, but he’s not playing as he’s opting to get ready for the NFL draft. So a bit of a hole in the Auburn secondary. Jaylin Simpson, Smoke Monday and Donovan Kaufman will play though.

Houston is led by quarterback Clayton Tune, who’s completed 261-of-380 passes, 69%, for 3,263 yards, 29 TDs against 9 ints. Alton McCaskill leads the running game having rushed for 883 yards and 16 TDs. Ta’zhawn Henry added 526 yards and 7 TDs. In the receiving game, Nathaniel Dell caught 80 passes for 1,179 yards and 12 TDs. Houston has averaged 37.3 points per game and limited opposing teams to 297.23 yards per game, per Athlon Sports, which, along with Bama, Georgia, Michigan, Coastal Carolina and Cincy, are the only teams in the top 15 nationally in both categories. Derek Parish and Logan Hall lead the Cougars with 10 1/2 tackles for loss and Parish, Hall and D’anthon Jones lead the defense in sacks with 5 1/2. Hall also leads the team in interceptions with 5. Auburn has 92 tackles for loss and 35 sacks along with 7 ints, and Houston has 85, 38 and 14 respectively.

Final Analysis and Decision

With rain forecast for the first quarter of the game, it’s going to be harder to pass, but Houston does that pretty well. Houston’s great return man, Marcus Jones, who has returned 2 punts and 2 kickoffs for sevens this season, is sitting this one out waiting to play in the NFL. So, that hurts the Cougars. I like the Tigers to get a good day from Tank and Jarquez and for TJ to do enough and the defense to hold off Houston and send the seniors off on a winning note and get the team motivated for 2022. Harsin finished with the 13th ranked recruiting class in 2022, so that was quite a comeback from where they were in October-November when they were in the 50’s. Tigers pull it off behind Tank, Hunter and defense. Anders Carlson is injured still at kicker, so give me a Ben Patton field goal of the 35 yard variety to win it. It’ll be great to be an Auburn Tiger at 2:30 PM CT tomorrow. Houston’s a good team, so any victory will be a pretty victory. Like the home field advantage for the Tigers, too.

Auburn 27, Houston 24

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

Air Force (9-3) vs. Louisville (6-6)

Gerald R. Ford Stadium, Dallas, 45,000

2:15 PM CT

ESPN

Talent, Chris Cotter, Mark Herzlich, Jaylin Johnson

Yella, SEC, James Carter

Ville by 1 1/2

Air Force led the country rushing for 342 yards per game, wow. Running back Brad Roberts led the charge with 1,279 yards and 13 TDs. Quarterback Haaziq Daniels rushed for 705 yards and accounted for 14 total TDs. Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham is a stud also. He threw for 18 TDs this season and rushed for 968 yards and 19 TDs, which led the ACC. Air Force linebacker Vince Sanford led the Falcon defense with 56 tackles and 9 1/2 sacks. He and defensive tackle Jordan Jenkins, who posted 7 sacks this season, will be tasked with stopping the electric Cunningham.

Taking talent to….

It’s hard to stop Cunningham, but it’s also hard to stop that Air Force rushing attack. I like Air Force to pound it on the ground and keep the ball out of Cunningham’s hands enough to secure the slight upset and their 10th victory of the season under their excellent coach, Troy Calhoun.

Air Force 31, Louisville 28

Autozone Liberty Bowl

Texas Tech (6-6) vs. Mississippi State (7-5)

Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, River City, 59,308

5:45 PM CT

ESPN

Dave Neal, Deuce McCallister, Andraya Carter

Laundry, ACC, Riley Johnson

MS,. State by 10

Will Rogers had a huge year for the Bullies completing 473-of- 630 passes, 75%, for 4,449 yards, 35 TDs and 8 ints. His leading receiver is Maklai Polk who caught 98 Rogers’ passes for 989 yards and 9 TDs. Jaden Walley added 52 receptions for 610 yards and 6 TDs. Ja’quavious Marks rushed for 415 yards and 6 TDs. I like Rogers and his receiving corps and Marks to have big days. Mike Leach, who coached at Texas Tech and says they still owe him salary from a 10 win season in 2009 and is suing Tech for $2 million for it, and his team are going to take it out on the Red Raiders. The Bulldogs passing game is averaging 385.5 yards per game, good for 3rd nationally. The disappointing loss to Ole Miss at home notwithstanding, though Ole Miss is a high quality team, State has had a nice year and the future looks bright in Starkvegas. Give me Leach and the Bullies.

Mississippi State 45, Texas Tech 17

San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl

No. 18 NC State (9-3) vs. UCLA (8-4)

Petco Park, San Diego, 40, 019

7 PM CT

FOX

Gus, Joel, Jenny

Laundry, Big 12, David Alvarez, could be some controversy with this crew

NC State by 2

I’m expecting a shootout here, and I like the Wolfpack to emerge barely in a thrilluh.

NC State 42, UCLA 38