**The 2008-09 College Football Bowl Games Thread**

[fkabuckeyesrule]

And the crazy thing about that BYU team was that they played a 6-5 Michigan team in the Holiday Bowl. Pretty silly.

[GOP_Raider]

Oh yeah, somebody on one of the U of Utah message boards made the comment after the Utes finished the regular season unbeaten was “now we need a 6-5 Big Ten school to beat so we can claim the national title”. :)

[GOP_Raider]

I could have swore that was discussed this season, when UGA went out to Tempe to play Arizona State. But anyway...

Being completely honest about it, I don’t think that UGA (or anyone else in the SEC) playing outside of the South in their nonconf. schedule is reallly a bad thing. Most years, you have a tough enough of a schedule in conference play so it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to schedule a road opponent that often.

[PAR35]

Yes, it got discussed this year, but I remember a thread from last season or the year before where I looked up the schedule for this year and tried to puncture the argument. Prior to this one, I only had 20,986 replies, so I don’t know why I can’t remember the thread.

[cleveland gop]

How’s it going Raider?

You know there are 34 bowl games this year, 34!!! And to invite ND to one of them is a travesty of epic perportions!!

Did you sign up for the Yahoo pick ‘em game? Maybe SS can link the thread here!!

[cleveland gop]

Did you see for the first time in the Tressel Bowl era, Ohio State put Fiesta Bowl tickets on sale for the general public, with no limit to the amount of tickets that could be purchased!!!

I don’t know if $155 was or is reasonable enough, but if someone put that under my Christmas Tree, then..........

[GOP_Raider]

Oh, I’m doing okay.

I have tried to think of how I’ll approach a description of the Hawaii Bowl with ND as a contestant, but I’m still working on it.

I haven’t signed up for the pick ‘em, as it’s going to take me about as long to write about each game. Maybe I should just for the hell of it?

[GOP_Raider]

That seems rather unusual. Have ticket sales been rather slow for the Fiesta Bowl?

[cleveland gop]

It seems there are several reasons for the drop in ticket sales......

The economy.
OSU fans being apathetic about ANOTHER BCS trip to the desert.
The same OSU fans think they’re going to get their ass kicked up and down the field.
School starts up that day.

Whatever the reason, a BCS bowl is still a BCS bowl.

[GOP_Raider]

The first bowl games are about to begin. Since I'm going to be hanging out with my very bright and adorable nephew, here are the first set of bowl games for this weekend.

The Eaglebank Bowl: Navy vs. Wake Forest (11:00 am, ESPN) Here we have the very first bowl game ever to be played in Washington, DC. This is also the nice way of saying that this game will be the recipient of a bailout should it fail. (seems to be the “in” thing to do I suppose). Anyway, as I’ve said before, the service academies are always worth a few hours of viewing, and this year’s Midshipmen are certainly no exception. The Midshipmen face a Wake Forest team that might have had higher hopes going into the season, thanks in part to Junior QB Riley Skinner—-again, since the Midshipmen won the regular season contest between the two.

The New Mexico Bowl: Fresno State vs. Colorado State (2:30 pm, ESPN) Last year, in the final year of longtime head coach Sonny Lubick, the Rams won a grand total of 3 games in cash and prizes. This year, they’re better. Good enough to be in a bowl game better. They’ll face a Fresno State squad that many people picked to win the WAC this year (including myself, that worked out well, didn’t it?). And if you like running backs who have hair—long beautiful hair—check out Rams RB Gartrelle Johnson. He’s like Ricky Williams without the flaky, pot smoking demeanor.

The St. Petersburg Bowl: Memphis vs. South Florida (4:30 pm, ESPN2) The second of the two new bowl games is the St. Petersburg Bowl, featuring USF and the Memphis Tigers. Keeping in mind that a) I’ve seen only bits and pieces of the Bulls and b) haven’t seen the Tigers at all, I’m not sure what to make of this match up. That having been said, if you’re a proud Memphis Tiger and you’re focus in on the basketball game against Syracuse, you’ll indeed be forgiven.

The Las Vegas Bowl: byU vs. Arizona (8:00 pm, ESPN) Here is a quick joke for you: former byU head coach Lavell Edwards has been given credit for saying about his fan base that “they’d go to away games with the Ten Commandments and a $20 bill and not break either one”. Well, I thought it was funny. Anyway, the Wildcats will play in their first bowl game in roughly a decade and—wait, did Mike Stoops really take a team to a bowl game? And I thought that would never have happened. Then again, I had Dole beating Clinton in ’96 (don’t laugh, I was a teenager back then).

The R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Southern Miss vs. Troy (Sunday, 8:15 pm, ESPN) So let’s say you’re not all that hot and bothered about the Sunday night NFL game. Well, I give to you an alternative, such as it is. The Sun Belt champion Trojans take on a rather inconsistent Southern Miss squad in one of two games being sponsored by an entity of the truck driving industry (The Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl is the other). Hey, at least it’s a college football game. You could just get nothing and like it, you know.

[Bat_Chemist]

Why a 2007 graphic showing two teams who aren’t in the NO bowl? (The FAU helmet is a dead giveaway...as well as the date.)

[Bat_Chemist]

Don’t diss the Car Care Bowl...it’s been a lot of fun the last few years (plus it’s only a day-trip from Wilmington). This year’s game should be a good matchup.

Additionally, the ACC is 7-0 in that game, mostly against the Big East, but Navy played in it two years ago.

[cleveland gop]

As far as that Sunday bowl game, I think I’ll pass. The game of the year in the NFL just happens to be on at the same time!!!

[sweet_diane]

Yeah... I was thinking.. "that doesn't look like a Troy helmet". lol Here's a link to info on the game R+L Carriers Bowl New Orleans. Go Trojans!! (Hubby is an alum)

FYI... a replay of the Iron Bowl (Alabama vs Auburn) on CBS College (ch 613 on DirecTV)

[personalaccts]

That’s what Mark Packer calls it. He hosts prime time with the packman. it’s on in wilmington. the best sports show on the radio.

[GOP_Raider]

It was late and I was falling asleep.

[Bat_Chemist]

Wilmington being where it is, for us working stiffs it’s our only chance to see some “other” colleges play football. The games have been enjoyable and exciting the past two years; three years ago it was a 14-0 game that wasn’t nearly as much fun (since I was rooting for the loser).

I’ve got great seats, too. Upper level, 20 yard line, in the very first row. I can’t wait!

[GOP_Raider]

While I have a moment, I thought I'd share a pic of a member of the 2025 recruiting class that I have had the pleasure of spending time with.

He runs the 40 in about 4.4 (or he will when he gets older). Likes to watch Toy Story and whatever classic Utah football game I have in my portable DVD player. Keep your eye out for my nephew Tryston in the future, he's something special. :)

[Biggirl]

Looks like a great future football throwing hand. UConn men’s basketball won against Gonziga today. :)

[TejasRose]

My mommy side says, “what a cutie pie!” For his uncle, I’ll say....”he looks like a future Utah football star.” :-)