Central Oregonian

College bowl games kick off this weekend

With 30 games over a period of three weeks, there is literally a game for everyone

The college football bowl season kicks off this Saturday.

With 30 games over a period of three weeks, there is literally a game for everyone — unless you actually want to watch the top teams in the country matched up against each other. In that case, you are out of luck.

As usual the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) has proved itself to be a farce. The series, which supposedly guarantees that the top teams in the country will play against each other, has once again failed.

From 2008 to 2011, while Boise State was compiling a 50-3 record, they were excluded from BCS games three times. This season, Boise State finished with a respectable 10-2 record and up until the final week of the regular season was the highest ranked non-automatic qualifier in the country. However, when Northern Illinois defeated Kent State 44-37 in double overtime to win the MAC conference championship, voters suddenly fell in love with the Huskies. They vaulted from 21st to 15th in the final standings and were suddenly given a BCS bowl berth.

Meanwhile, Boise State (10-2) is once again relegated to the Las Vegas Bowl where they take on Washington (7-5).

The Huskies have an impressive 12-1 record. However, they lost to Iowa (4-8) and defeated just one ranked team.

Georgia (7th), Louisiana State (8th), Texas A & M (9th), South Carolina (10th), Oklahoma (11th), Oregon State (13th), and Clemson (14th), are all ranked higher than Northern Illinois and were passed over for BCS games.

However, Northern Illinois is not the only questionable team that earned a BCS bowl game. Louisville (21st), and Wisconsin (unranked) also earned BCS?games.

While national pundits are blasting Northern Illinois, they actually have a chance of winning their bowl game. The Huskies take on the Florida State Seminoles in the Orange bowl on Tuesday, Jan 1. Florida State finished with an impressive 11-2 record until you stop and consider that they play in the notoriously weak Atlantic Coast Conference and were blasted by Florida late in the season.

Don’t be surprised if the Huskies win, as neither team is that good and Northern Illinois has a chip on their shoulder after all the criticism.

Even though the BCS is something of a farce there are still some bowl games that should be entertaining.

The Fiesta Bowl (New Year’s Day) with Oregon and Kansas State features two of the best offenses in the country.

Oregon State and Texas in the Alamo Bowl (Dec. 29) should also be entertaining, as should Texas A & M and Oklahoma (Cotton Bowl, Jan. 4).

If you are a real bowl junkie, other games to watch include Bowling Green, San Jose State (Military Bowl, Dec. 27)), Baylor, UCLA (Holiday Bowl, Dec. 27)), East Carolina, Lousiana-Lafayette (New Orleans Bowl, Dec. 22) and Toledo, Utah State (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Dec. 20).

The New Mexico Bowl between Nevada and Arizona this Saturday could also be interesting. Most of the rest of the bowl games can — and — should be skipped.

As far as the National Championship game between Notre Dame and Alabama, look for Alabama to win. Unfortunately that will mean a team from the SEC will be crowned national champion for the seventh consecutive year. Too bad there isn’t a way for both of them to lose. I’m sure that would make most of the country happier.