BCS 2007: Bowl by Bowl Preview and Prognostications

With the regular season for the 2007-2008 NCAA football finished, the BCS selections have been made. The regular season has been the most bizarre since I have been watching college football, and the season ended rightly so with the top two teams in the nation, Missouri and West Virginia, losing in their final games just one win from the National Championship.

THE MATCHUPS:

National Championship
#1 Ohio State vs. #2 LSU January 7, 2008

Orange Bowl
#8 Kansas vs. #3 Virginia Tech January 3, 2008

Fiesta Bowl
#4 Oklahoma vs. #9 West Virginia January 2, 2008

Sugar Bowl
#5 Georgia vs. #10 Hawaii January 1, 2008

Rose Bowl
#13 Illinois vs. #7 USC January 1, 2008

ROSE BOWL
The Rose Bowl showed again this year that it is one of the oldest and most heralded bowls in college football by sticking with tradition and continuing to matchup the Big Ten against the Pac-10. Illinois did not have to be chosen for this game, but the Rose Bowl organization stuck with what the game was built on and included a Big Ten team against a Pac-10 team. This should be a great matchup. Illinois and USC both struggled midseason, but were able to bounce back and finish strong with impressive wins with Illinois beating #1 Ohio State and USC beating California, a very good team before they themselves had a midseason slide. Illinois plays a very flashy style offense with a lot of backfield speed on the offense with Juice Williams and Rashard Mendenhall playing their best football all season. USC on the other hand has been winning big and playing their teams best football this season. Their offensive line is playing at the top of their game and that is giving enough time to John David Booty get the offense rolling as the running game is less productive than in previous seasons (which isn't bad considering the talent in the backfield in the past). This is a game I know I'll be following as it doesn't seem to be a blowout. It may seem Illinois is a little low in the rankings to be playing a USC team picked as the favorites in the beginning and finally playing to their potential, but Illinois has Missouri and a Michigan team in their prime in the loss column, and most importantly Ohio State in their win column.

USC-28 over Illinois-24

SUGAR BOWL
Yet another interesting matchup. This has the potential of last year's Oklahoma vs. Boise State matchup, that is without the trick plays...or Adrian Peterson. It does, however, include Colt Brennan and a Hawaii team that is the only remaining undefeated team in Division I football. Brennan is a long-shot Heisman contender, but is the best pocket quarterback in nation. Holding records for NCAA career touchdown passes and single-season touchdown passes, Brennan will surely bring the quick-punch, long ball offense that will most likely be needed to beat a Georgia team with a very stingy defense. Georgia gets in without even going to their conference championship game, while Hawaii is the second team in two seasons to make a BCS bowl despite playing in a non-BCS conference. Hawaii is not all Colt Brennan however, and their linebackers can match up against any in the nation and hold a chance. Georgia's been playing hot lately, but early losses cost them a chance at the conference championship. Hawaii on the other hand has been playing hot all year and finishing undefeated in the regular season. The combination of Brennan and Hawaii's linebackers may prove too much for Georgia to handle.

Hawaii-17 over Georgia-10

FIESTA BOWL
Both of these teams are capable of playing in a National Championship, and both missed their chances by losing games after their quarterback's injuries. West Virginia was 7 points from the National Championship on Saturday night. Oklahoma lost their game early in the season while playing without quarterback Sam Bradford, but finished strong with a win over then #1 Missouri, also a win from the National Championship, on Saturday. Oklahoma proved it deserves to be here by ripping the Missouri defense apart. West Virginia, however, proved that their offense struggles without Pat White and Steve Slaton getting production on the ground. This is game I would say will be worth watching just for the sake of seeing what the Mountaineers play like after their devasting loss to Pitt. If Pat White is 100%, West Virginia stays close. If not, or if Slaton gets wrapped up the same, expect a blowout. The first quarter may tell us the story of the game.

Oklahoma-35 over West Virginia-21

ORANGE BOWL
Virginia Tech has come out of nowhere to win the ACC and seem dominant this season. Kansas also seems to have been giving talent over night as they came out of a very tough Big 12 with one loss. Virginia Tech has won this season with tough defense while Kansas has been absolutely brilliant on offense. A classic matchup of offense versus defense, brains against brawn. Kansas' success this season relies mainly on the success of quarterback Todd Reesing and defense star cornerback Aqib Talib. Virginia Tech has been winning with defense and is again a top-5 team in the nation's points allowed category. Their defense front has been dominant against the run, except against LSU in week 2, and look at where LSU is at. That front is led by defensive end Chris Ellis and linebacker Xavier Adibi. Virginia Tech's defense seems too dominant and it was clear against Missouri that Kansas does not play well down, so all the Hokies need is an early lead and it is theirs. Kansas, however, I believe will strike to quickly early and go up quick, where they have not fallen once this season.

Kansas-21 over Virginia Tech-10

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Ahhh, the big one. Every year each team circles the date of the National Championship and hopes to be playing then. Sadly, only two teams make it. These two teams must battle diversity all season long. This season was surely one of mayhem with no team holding the stop spot without losing. Ohio State moved up to #1 and a spot in the National Championship game only after sitting idle and watch West Virginia and Missouri lose while LSU had to rely on a win against Tennessee and the losses of West Virginia and Missouri and still a little luck. LSU becomes the first team to ever make the National Championship with two losses. There isn't much to say about this one. Both these teams seemed to finish on the outside looking in with late season losses until the season's all-to-fitting end with #1 and #2 losing in the final weekend. These teams are surely great teams, but you can argue many positions why they shouldn't be here. LSU lost to two unranked opponents, Ohio State played an easy schedule, LSU never performed under pressure once being ranked high, and even people referring to Ohio State's loss last year against an SEC team. To be honest, I see the same happening this year. LSU is playing in their home state not to far from the campus. Ohio State is playing ferocious defense, however. In the end, the speed and skill of LSU will prove to much for the strength and toughness of Ohio State. I make a bold prediction, but if LSU gets up, the lead will keep growing with the fan atmosphere in the building.

LSU-35 over Ohio State-14