Cram Session (Bowl Edition) - Week 1

The importance of bowl season has certainly diminished over the years. Not only with the creation of the BCS, which finally allowed #1 to play #2 basically making only one game truly matter, but also because what once was a somewhat exclusive club of teams that were invited to bowls has ballooned to almost any school getting an invitation. However, some of the games that are created by the bowls are intriguing and games you won't ever see normally. That really isn't the case with the games I will be previewing this week but as the weeks move on the games will start to get better and better.

I will not be including sponsor names in the titles of the bowls. Firstly, they aren't giving me any money so why should I give them free advertising? Secondly, I think it is silly and miss the days of it just being the Fiesta Bowl rather than the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Some bowls have no regular names and are just corporate names so my hands will be tied on those unfortunately.

Eaglebank Bowl - December 20

Wake Forest (7-5) vs. Navy (8-4)

This is the first ever Eaglebank Bowl and it will be played at RFK Stadium. Bowls usually try to avoid rematches but Navy was pretty much guaranteed a spot in this bowl as far back as October and with the way the ACC played out the Eaglebank Bowl had no choice but to take Wake Forest. Navy upset Wake Forest in the first meeting at Wake Forest, winning 24-17. Wake Forest began the season with aspirations of winning the ACC, rather than playing in the first bowl game of the season. All signs point to Navy in this one, but beating a team twice in one year is tough and that will give the Demon Deacons the edge.

Prediction: Wake Forest 34, Navy 31

New Mexico Bowl - December 20

Colorado State (6-6) vs. Fresno State (7-5)

The Rams won their last two games of the season to earn bowl eligibility while the Bulldogs of Fresno State started the year in the Top 25 and faded in WAC play.

Prediction: Fresno State 41, Colorado State 24

St. Petersburg Bowl - December 20

Memphis (6-6) vs. South Florida (7-5)

Memphis recovered from an 0-3 start to earn bowl eligibilty while the Bulls come into this bowl losers of 4 of their last 5 games. South Florida was embarrassed in the Sun Bowl last year, and in order to avoid that feeling again I believe they will be motivated in this one.

Prediction: South Florida 28, Memphis 17

Las Vegas Bowl - December 20

#16 BYU (10-2) vs. Arizona (7-5)

Arizona coach Mike Stoops finally got Arizona to a bowl game, their first since the 1998 season. Unfortunately they have to play BYU from the Mountain West Conference. The Mountain West owned the Pac-10 throughout the regular season and that trend will conntinue in Sin City.

Prediction: BYU 45, Arizona 28

New Orleans Bowl - December 21

Southern Mississippi (6-6) vs. Troy (8-4)

Some of you may be wondering who the heck is Troy? Troy is actually pretty good. They led LSU 31-3 in Baton Rouge before completely collapsing and losing 40-31. Southern Mississippi was 2-6 but won their last 4 games to sneak into a bowl. They are a hot team coming into this one but Troy is better.

Prediction: Troy 35, Southern Mississippi 28

Last Week: 3-3
Overall: 138-53

The next Cram Session will be posted December 23rd where I will have predictions for all of the bowl games for that week. See you then.