2011 Senior Bowl TV Time & Predictions

The 2011 Senior Bowl college football game is scheduled for January 29 (4 PM EST) at Ladd Peebles Stadium. The NFL Network will broadcast this exhibition game. The North team will be led by Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis; the South team is coached by Buffalo Bills' Chan Gailey. The two rosters will include the best players from college football's senior class. This article offers TV time and predictions for the 2011 Senior Bowl football game.

1) North-South Matchup

The Senior Bowl has been held every year since 1950. The South is currently enjoying a 30-28 advantage. Most of the recent contests have been one-sided. With only one exception, the winning side has won by at least 10 points. The 2010 edition was won by the North by the score of 31-13. Notable MVPs of the Senior Bowl include Jim Taylor (LSU), Dan Marino (Pittsburgh), Terry Bradshaw (Louisiana Tech), LaDainian Tomlinson (TCU), and Philip Rivers (NC State).

2) Marvin Lewis vs. Chan Gailey

As this is only an exhibition game, there is very little at stake for either coach. With the NFL draft set to take place only a few months from now, coaching in the Senior Bowl is a fruitful experience since respective coaches will get a first-hand look at some of the most talented players from the college rank. Also, these coaches get to bring their entire staff to the game which is a nice bonus. This will be Chan Gailey's first coaching duty at the Senior Bowl. Marvin Lewis will make his third appearance in eight years.

3) What to look for at the 2011 Senior Bowl?

Despite this being called college football all-star game, most of the game's best players usually do not participate in the Senior Bowl and it is for good reasons. Top college football prospects are more likely to skip their senior year in favor of joining the NFL. Case in point, Heisman trophy winner Cameron Newton recently announced that he will bypass his senior season to enter the 2011 NFL draft. For many players, the money offered by professional leagues is just too good to pass up.

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Fortunately, the Senior Bowl has not been completely shut out in the talent department. In fact, some of the NFL's greatest players (including Terry Bradshaw and Dan Marino) were participants of the all-star game. Interestingly, many of these players were quarterbacks. What have been the reasons behind this? One reason is that the best quarterbacks usually play for title-contending schools. There are obviously incentives for these players to stay in school longer. Another reason is that quarterback success at the college level does not always translate well to the pro level; many QBs elect to stay in school for the four years to either sharpen their skills or to improve their draft prospect. The Senior Bowl is a good opportunity for these quarterbacks to show NFL scouts that they can handle the intricacies of the NFL.

This year's crop of QBs features above average, but unspectacular players. The most notable quarterback is Andy Dalton. The TCU's quarterback led his team to an undefeated season, cumulated by a big win at Rose Bowl. In his final college football season, Dalton accumulated 2857 passing yards, 27 TDs, and a terrific QB rating of 166. Another strong prospect is Alabama's Greg McElroy. For the year, the Crimson Tide's starter amassed 2987 passing yards, 20 TDs, and a QB rating of 169. Other quarterbacks to keep an eye on are Jake Locker and Christian Ponder.

My prediction for the 2011 Senior Bowl college football all-star game between the North and South team: the latter wins 30-17. Kickoff time for the game is 4 PM EST. The NFL Network will broadcast this contest.

Reference:
ESPN.COM, SENIORBOWL.COM