Rick Gagliano | January 1-6, 2008
All times Eastern
Outback
Wisconsin vs. Tennessee (-3, 59 1/2) Jan. 1, 11 a.m. ESPN - New Year's opens with an early clash between the Big 10 and the SEC. The Badgers were highly-ranked early in the season, but after losing at Illinois and Penn State, they tumbled down the Top 25 in most polls. After losing to Ohio State, they salvaged their season with wins over Michigan and Minnesota to end up 9-3. They're a solid offensive team, led by running back PJ Hill, but an iffy defense was exposed all season long.
The Volunteers' season was tumultuous, to say the least. They went 8-4, and three of their losses were to ranked opponents - Cal, Florida and LSU - with the other loss at arch-rival, Alabama. They did, however, register impressive wins over the likes of Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky and South Carolina. With an offense led by the capable Erik Ainge (29 TDs, 10 INTs) and a defense effective against almost anything that moves, the Vols should manage to deny Wisconsin enough times to win going away.
Prediction: Volunteers 38 Badgers 24
Cotton
Missouri (-3, 69) vs. Arkansas Jan. 1, 11:30 a.m. FOX - Missouri lost only twice all season, and to the same team - Oklahoma - which denied them a spot in a BCS game. The high-powered Tiger offense averaged 40 points per game and 492.7 yards, overshadowing a suspect defense. The Arkansas Razorbacks can score from anywhere on the field, as long as Darren McFadden, who averaged 143 yards rushing per game, is in the backfield. Arkansas' losses all came against SEC opposition as they completed a respectable 8-4 campaign with a thrilling 50-48 win over LSU in their final game. The Razorbacks won't back off from anybody and they'll certainly give the Mizzou all they can handle. Overtime is a definite possibility here as both offense can be very creative in the waning minutes of a game.
Prediction: Razorbacks 48 Tigers 46
Gator
Texas Tech (-6, 59) vs. Virginia Jan. 1, 1 p.m. CBS - What's the best way to stop Graham Harrell and the Texas tech offense? Strong winds and 7-foot defenders come to mind, but what Virginia has - an athletic defense which allowed only 323.4 yards per game - might be able to turn the trick. The 8-4 Red Raiders were held under 34 points just twice this season, and while Virginia will be able to slow down their progress somewhat, it seems that in the end, the fleet receivers and backs will eventually overcome and find their ways to the end zone. The Cavaliers went 9-3 n the season, but only scored more than 30 points twice all year and that's just not going to get it done against Tech, no matter how good the defense is.
Prediction: Red Raiders 35 Cavaliers 27
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Capital One
Michigan vs. Florida (-10, 59) Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ABC - Here's a likely mismatch, though some wise guys may just take the Wolverines on the hunch that the time off has allowed their badly bruised position players to heal up. That may not be a bad idea, as QB Chad Henne and RB Mike Hart were seemingly off the field as often as they were on it in 2007. Michigan did win 8 straight over mostly nothing opposition, bookended by paired losses to open and close their season. The Gators lost three games - to Auburn, Georgia and LSU - and mostly manhandled the rest of the competition, putting up 45 points or more in all but one of their 9 wins. With Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow guiding the offense, there's little any defense can do to stop the Gators from chomping up huge chucks of yardage. Michigan may be able to hang for a half, but this one looks like a runaway for the guys from Gainesville.
Prediction: Gators 45 Wolverines 27
International
Rutgers (-10, 60 1/2) vs. Ball State Jan. 5, noon ESPN2 - Rutgers really had a bad year for their standards, checking in at 7-5 and losing their final two games of the regular season. Ball State also went 7-5 and 502 in the Mid-America conference, with their main claim to fame a 41-40 loss at Nebraska. Too bad nobody is going to watch this game as Ray Rice may set some kind of record, slicing through the Cardinals defense. If Central Michigan could put up 58 on Ball State, imagine what could happen here. OMG!
Prediction: Scarlet Knights 54 Cardinals 24
GMAC
Bowling Green vs. Tulsa (-4 1/2, 76) Jan. 6, 8 p.m. ESPN - The representative runners-up in their conferences, Bowling Green went through the Mid-America at 6-2 and 8-4 overall, while Tulsa compiled a 6-2 record in Conference USA and was 9-4 overall. The Golden Hurricane also lost to UCF in the conference championship game, 44-25, and took a beating from Oklahoma back in September, 62-21. Tulsa has firepower to spare, having never scored less than 21 all season. It's doubtful that the Falcons can keep up the scoring pace. Neither team has what anyone would consider a stout defense.
Prediction: Golden Hurricane 44 Falcons 31
All times Eastern
