Ranking the bowl games
Not that I really care about what an ESPN writer has to say, but I did find Mark Schlabach's ranking of the bowl games interesting.
Schlabach ranked the 34 bowls from 1-34, and surprise, surprise, he rated the Citi BCS National Championship Game between Texas and Alabama as No. 1. I guess that is a gimme. A national writer on ESPN.com writer has to rank the title game as the top game, whether it is or not.
He did rank Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, that features No. 4 TCU and No. 6 Boise State, as the second best bowl. I've give Schlabach credit for that.
Here's what he said of that game:
"Yes, it's a rematch of last season's Poinsettia Bowl, in which the Horned Frogs defeated the Broncos 17-16 in Boise's only loss of the season. But it's a heck of a lot better than trying to watch Iowa's offense score against TCU or Georgia Tech's defense trying to stop Boise State. It's a matchup of two unbeaten teams, and one of them could finish No. 2 in the country. TCU leads the country in total defense; Boise State leads the country in scoring."
In case you're wondering, Schlabach ranked the New Mexico Bowl matchup between Wyoming and Fresno State as the No. 30 bowl. No real surprise here.
Here's what he said of the game:
"Many college football fans will get to see Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews for the first time. He led the country in rushing yards per game with 151.3. Wyoming coach Dave Christensen would probably prefer not to see him after the Cowboys ranked 91st in run defense, allowing 170.5 yards per game."
Fair enough.
Bowl games ranked behind the New Mexico Bowl were:
31.) Roady's Humanitarian Bowl: Bowling Green vs. Idaho.
32.) International Bowl: South Florida vs. Northern Illinois.
33.) Eagle Bank Bowl: Army or UCLA vs. Temple.
34.) Little Caesars Pizza Bowl: Marshall vs. Ohio.
Schlabach ranked the 34 bowls from 1-34, and surprise, surprise, he rated the Citi BCS National Championship Game between Texas and Alabama as No. 1. I guess that is a gimme. A national writer on ESPN.com writer has to rank the title game as the top game, whether it is or not.
He did rank Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, that features No. 4 TCU and No. 6 Boise State, as the second best bowl. I've give Schlabach credit for that.
Here's what he said of that game:
"Yes, it's a rematch of last season's Poinsettia Bowl, in which the Horned Frogs defeated the Broncos 17-16 in Boise's only loss of the season. But it's a heck of a lot better than trying to watch Iowa's offense score against TCU or Georgia Tech's defense trying to stop Boise State. It's a matchup of two unbeaten teams, and one of them could finish No. 2 in the country. TCU leads the country in total defense; Boise State leads the country in scoring."
In case you're wondering, Schlabach ranked the New Mexico Bowl matchup between Wyoming and Fresno State as the No. 30 bowl. No real surprise here.
Here's what he said of the game:
"Many college football fans will get to see Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews for the first time. He led the country in rushing yards per game with 151.3. Wyoming coach Dave Christensen would probably prefer not to see him after the Cowboys ranked 91st in run defense, allowing 170.5 yards per game."
Fair enough.
Bowl games ranked behind the New Mexico Bowl were:
31.) Roady's Humanitarian Bowl: Bowling Green vs. Idaho.
32.) International Bowl: South Florida vs. Northern Illinois.
33.) Eagle Bank Bowl: Army or UCLA vs. Temple.
34.) Little Caesars Pizza Bowl: Marshall vs. Ohio.
Comments