CRUSHED!

Ofer.  0 fer 4.  The gory details...

The Army won a bowl game, that's nice.  I didn't see the game and I'm not taking any time to research the details of it, let's just agree that SMU sucks and I will nurture my anger. The final score was Army 16, SMU 14.  The result was, naturally, hugely popular with the West Point lads and alumni, setting off a musical celebration that we are fortunate to have caught on tape:


Kansas State and Syracuse put on a great show, nip and tuck to the end.  Then, late in the game, K-State tried a fake on a field goal attempt and got stuffed, netting zero where they might have had three.  On their final possession they scored a TD to pull within 2, only to be penalized for excessive celebration, 15 yards enforced on the PAT.  That left an 18 yard attempt for 2 points to tie instead of a 3 yard attempt.  It failed, they lost by 2.  Boneheaded coaching and playing, AND a real chickenshit call on the excessive celebration.  Check out the video of the infraction.

Then came Tennessee and North Carolina. O.M.G!!!  Rocky Top had this one sewn up, 20-17.  With plays and penalties, NC came up with a game tying field goal with :01 in regulation--and TN roughed the kicker, their 3rd personal foul in the last thirty seconds.  That 15 yard penalty was assessed on the start of OT play.  TN won the toss, and amazingly, chose defense, giving NC the ball at the 12 1/2.  I was astounded that they didn't take offense, and try to work up a drive.  NC promptly scored when TN tackled with a facemask, their 4th personal foul in a minute!  TN scored on the second play (great catch by their big TE) to render it all moot, but you couldn't ask for more excitement--or dumber defense from Tennessee with all those fouls. On the next possession, TN was intercepted and NC kicked a 3 to win.  Heartbreak for the Vols and our 3rd loss of the day.  This was a snakebit day.

When I decided Nebraska would be the big winner of the day, there was this little voice in the back of my head offering up warnings.  Washington's kids played the game of their lives and beat Nebraska like a rented mule, finishing off our worst day possible. 

No time to mope, on we go.

Today:

Meineke Car Care Bowl @ Charlotte
USF (7-5) vs Clemson (6-6)
Clemson's coach's name is Dabo Swinney.  Isn't that just sooooo southern?  Their QB turned down $800,000 from the Colorado Rockies baseball team to stay and play at Clemson (and they went 6-6?).  USF' s coach is Lou Holtsch's son, Skip Holtz, and USF's starting QB might be a walk-on, or might not.  This game has to be more entertaining than it looks on paper. The O/U is 40 1/2.  I think UNDER.

Sun Bowl @ El Paso
USB (7-5) vs the U (7-5)
This game sold out in 24 hours, proving that, like rock 'n roll, "it don't hafta be good to be a classic"...or to sell to fans who will take pretty much anything.  Somebody tried to reprise the famed "Catholics vs Criminals" motif, but Miami objected to playing the role of Catholics.  The U recently canned its coach, USB should have canned theirs (again). OK, Petey, get ready...USB +2 1/2

Liberty Bowl @ Memphis
Georgia (6-6) vs Central Florida (10-3)
Speaking of canned USB coaches, Central Florida is headed up by George O'Leary, who got fired in South Bend before he ever coached a game.  That's pretty hard to top (though they keep trying, bless 'em).  CFU is a conference champion, Georgia on my mind is a 6-6 team.  Their schedules were pretty far apart in quality.  Georgia -6 1/2

Chick-fil-A Bowl @ Atlanta
#19 South Carolina (9-4) vs #23 Florida State (9-4)
Look at this: two teams that aren't 7-5!  And--those great commercials with the "eat mor chikn" cows!  I'm going South Carolina -3

We aren't doing very well, certainly not as well as last year.  I am being wonderfully entertained; these games have been fun.  Money to go with the fun would be better.

Finally, this has nothing to do with football, but I found it so entertaining I had to share it with you.  Happy New Year!