Game: Emerald Bowl
Teams: California Golden Bears (8-4) vs. Miami Hurricanes (7-5)
Location: AT&T Park, San Francisco, CA
Start Time: 8 PM EST
Network and Announcers: Joe Tessitore and Rod Gilmore, ESPN
Favorite: Cal (-8.5)
S2N's Pick: The U to cover, Cal to win. This is mostly about the U's defensive studs against Cal's offense. Anything that comes out of Jacory Harris and the Miami offense should be considered a bonus.

We get a trio of games tonight and our first of two NFL Network games. We've got Charles "Mangina" Davis, we've got Mike Patrick, and we've got Chris Spielman! It's going to be a great night. Leave your picks and quotes in the comments and I'll be updating below the previews. Hopefully we'll have as much fun as we did last night....Cheers!







#14 Boston College vs. Michigan State
The Champs Sports Bowl
5:00 PM ET, December 28, 2007
Florida Citrus Bowl , Orlando , FL

Weather: 82 Degrees, Sunny
Spread: BC -6, O/U 58
AA's Pick: BC -6 (Record 6-2)
Announcers: Mike Patrick, Todd Blackledge(ESPN)

Team Leaders

Boston College Passing: Ryan- 60.3%, 4258 Yards, 28 TDs, 18 Ints
Michigan State Passing: Hoyer- 61.5%, 2594 Yards, 18 TDs, 7 Ints

Boston College Rushing: Callendar- 206 Carries, 956 Yards, 4.6 avg, 9 TDs
Michigan State Rushing: Ringer- 224 Carries, 1346 Yards, 6.0 avg, 6 TDs

Boston College Receiving: Gunnell- 58 Catches, 793 Yards, 13.7 avg, 5 TDs
Michigan State Receiving: Thomas- 75 Catches, 1226 Yards, 16.3 avg, 8 TDs
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TCU vs. Houston
Texas Bowl
8:00 PM ET, December 28, 2007
Reliant Stadium , Houston , TX

Weather: Dome
Spread: TCU -6.5, O/U 58
AA's Pick: HOU +7, buy the half
Announcers: Brad Sham, Mike Mayock, and Charles Davis (NFL-Network)

Team Leaders

TCU Passing: Dalton- 58.9%, 2210 Yards, 10 TDs, 10 INTs
Houston Passing: Keenum- 69.8%, 1924 Yards, 13 TDs, 10 INTs

TCU Rushing: Turner- 112 Carries, 587 Yards, 5.2 avg, 6 TDs
Houston Rushing: Alridge- 244 Carries, 1568 Yards, 6.4 avg, 14 TDs

TCU Receiving: Dickerson- 37 Catches, 457 Yards, 12.4 avg, 4 TDs
Houston Receiving: Avery- 81 Catches, 1336 Yards, 16.5 avg, 7 TDs
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Maryland vs. Oregon State
Emerald Bowl
8:30 PM ET, December 28, 2007
AT&T Park, San Francisco, CA

Weather: 45 Degrees, Cloudy (30% chance of Rain)
Spread: Oregon State -5.5, O/U 47
AA's Pick: OSU -5.5
Announcers: Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman(ESPN)

Team Leaders

Maryland Passing: Turner- 64.2%, 1753 Yards, 5 TDs, 5 INTs
Oregon State Passing: Moevao- 52.2 %, 836 Yards, 2 TDs, 6 INTs

Maryland Rushing: Lattimmore- 206 Carries, 789 Yards, 3.8 avg, 13 TDs
Oregon State Rushing: Bernard- 237 Carries, 1037 Yards, 4.4 avg, 12 TDs

Maryland Receiving: Heyward-Bey- 48 Catches, 687 Yards, 14.3 avg, 2 TDs
Oregon State Receiving: Brown- 39 Catches, 550 Yards, 14.1 avg, 1 TD
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"Did a nice job and really BANGED it!"- Mike Patrick

I never want to hear Mike Patrick use that word like that ever again.

"He actually ran the stairs with TJ Duckett a great NFL player."- Holly Rowe

Really?

"And Michigan leads Boston College, 7-0."- Mike Patrick (Via Rick James Bible Owner)

During the ESPN Bowl Rundown, the first words from Lou Holtz concerning the Champs Bowl- 'It's 80 degrees and not a breath of fresh air." (Via Gibbon Jockey)

I'm really upset that Lou isn't doing a pep talk for any of these games. That's a travesty.

"Collander on the carry."- Mike Patrick

It's CALendar.....like well a CALendar.

"The offensive line for BC was just over on the sideline after that last punt getting absolutely hammered...(too long of a pause)...by the BC coaching staff."- Holly Rowe (Via Time For 11)

How many Holly Rowe reports are they going to do in the first half? I think were at 6 now....the last one even included a Brett Favre impression.

"The blow was delivered a little lower."- Mike Patrick

"You mentioned both those picks that Ryan threw. Both coming from Jamie Silva."- Rece Davis

Unless MSU and BC made a trade that's physically impossible Rece.

"They came from ahead to lose."- Brad Sham

"He had it on the tip."- Mike Patrick

"You have an I-Pod and an I-Phone?"- Todd Blackledge
"Anything with an I in it I have it. If they come out with an I-Car I'm buying it."- Mike Patrick
"Do you have Britney Spears on that I-Pod?"- Todd Blackledge
"No.............although I hear she might be renting out that double wide to a family member."- Mike Patrick

WINNER! Video in 15.

"A Quarterback has to keep his hands in and ride that center."- Todd Blackledge (Via Gibbon Jockey)

"I like the chunky kickers we have in this game." - Mike Mayock (Via alienaub)

"Now you know why his teammates call him 'Sweet Pea'." - Charles Davis
"He's got a couple of nicknames. Donny Avery called him a white Michael Vick." - Mike Mayock
"I think Sweet Pea is a little safer." - Brad Sham
(Via alienaub)

Are you serious??? The production one had to be cringing at that one.

"He smelled sack and he got sack"- Chris Spielman (Via Fairplay)

"You noticed something between the two teams Chris. What a dichotomy, if you know what that means, between the two teams."- Rob Stone to Chris Spielman

The Emerald Walnuts Bowl
San Francisco, CA- AT&T Park





Florida State (6-6) v. UCLA (7-5)

Weather: Fair/Windy 56 Degrees

Past Results (4):

Dec. 29, 2005	Utah 38, Georgia Tech 10
Dec. 30, 2004	Navy 34, New Mexico 19
Dec. 31, 2003	Boston College 35, Colorado State 21
Dec. 31, 2002	Virginia Tech 20, Air Force 13

Player(s) to Watch: Florida State's DT's Broderick Bunkley (I'm an idiot....I meant Buster Davis who isn't even a DT.) and Andre Fluellen

Bank on this......UCLA plans on rushing the ball. The two big guys up front and the rest of the Seminole D are the only reason they even got to .500 on the year. Drew Weatherford (or whoever starts) is going to make mistakes. It's up to the defense to hold UCLA and give Weatherford a shorter field to work with.

UCLA's Junior Runningback #28- Chris Markey

Markey has 963 yards this season on 4.6 a carry. But oddly he only has 2 rushing TDs.....that might explain UCLA's Red Zone TD's being at only 41% (17 of 41). It's a good thing that UCLA is facing an anemic Florida State offense.

Deciding Factor(s): It's going to boil down to Defense and turnovers in this one. You could ultimately say that about any game, but I'm taking it a step further. One of these defenses will score a TD that will decide the game. The question is which one?

It's basically a wash in special teams with FSU having the better return game, and UCLA having the better kicker. Look for your boy FSU's Michael Ray Garvin to bust one tonight against UCLA's inconsistent coverage team.

Interesting Fact: The UCLA defense has made as big a turnaround as any unit in the country. The Bruins were 116th nationally in rushing defense last season; now they are 11th (89.2 yards per game).

Spread: UCLA -4.5, O/U 38.5

AA's Pick and Analysis: Good lord this is another tough one to pick. The smart pick is obviously UCLA who is peaking at the right time, but my gut is telling me FSU. I think I'm going to take the points in a close game, and FSU's defense might just pull it out for them.

Prediction UCLA 20-17.

I have no idea why they took the Walnuts part out of the Bowl, but it needs to come back. I should be around later if you'd like to have another pseudo Live-Blog. Good Luck.
__________________________

So from the comments I can figure out two things.....Dan Fouts is involved.....not good. And I'm an idiot for thinking that Brodrick Bunkley=Buster Davis. Good start AA.....goooooood start.

P.S.- Thanks Anon for not laying into me harder. I'm feeling very emotional right now and that would have hurt my ego. Not really, but thanks.

7-0 Noles

Wait.....make that 7-7 after a 78 yard catch and run by Breazell. So much for low scoring. Let's make this exciting.

8:41- The Bruins look like they can pass all over State. FSU really needs to blitz every down if they want to keep up.

"Pressure from Geno Davis on the blitz (player gets up and his jersey says Hayes) make that Geno Hayes"- Dan Fouts, not that I'm one for making fun of people who mess names up.

Danny Boy freaks out as Medlock hits a FG...

10-7 UCLA.

8:48-"As Jack talked about this is a flat field because it's a baseball field"- DF, So most football games are played on a hill Dan?

"Steve Barth our referee from the USA.....Conference."- DF, that's Conference USA to those of us who watch football.

I love how Dan Fouts basically turns himself into the main announcer for games.....I thought he was an analyst?

If anyone remembers the quarterback from Not Another Teen Movie who runs on the balls of his feet, and prances around..........that's Cowan. He just looks awkward.

9:13- So awkward that he throws a money pass to Junior Taylor for the score 17-10 UCLA.

"Booker looks looked like he was heading to halelujah land"

20-13 Half. I think Dan Fouts has to be the worst announcer ever.

C- AA, Cowan isn't quite Not Another Teen Movie Quarterback to me -- he's totally the dude from American Pie.

Touche' C.....touche'.

Florida State blocks a punt and runs it in for the 23-20 lead. So much for that over/under.....it's been destroyed.

On a short kickoff....."And the fair catch is signaled and....IT'S MIFFED!"