By Steve Giles, on December 23rd, 2011 From the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl to the Rose Bowl and the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl to the Allstate BCS National Championship, the college football bowl season is upon us. I know there is constant talk about having a playoff in college football, but I personally enjoy bowl season. There are some intriguing matchups between teams that wouldn’t normally face one another. On the other hand, there are also some games that lack the excitement factor, unless of course you have a connection to one of the schools. But if nothing else, bowl games provides us sports fans with our football fix for just over three weeks.
The BCS bowl games are where it’s at, though. They provide us with matchups between the premier teams in college football, which make for some exciting football. All of the games have their own storylines and intriguing factors, but here is how I ranked this year’s five BCS bowl matchups.
5. Discover Orange Bowl
No. 15 Clemson vs. No. 23 West Virginia
Jan. 4, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
This game may not be as close as some people expect. First of all, West Virginia’s schedule was relatively easy and they still managed to lose three games and eek out wins in their last three games of the regular season. Clemson struggled over the last month of the regular season as well, but finished the season strong after crushing Virginia Tech 38-10 in the ACC championship game. READ MORE >>>
By Steve Giles, on December 13th, 2011  After a season where he was limited to 64 games and batted just .220, the Orioles decided not to tender a 2012 contract to outfielder Luke Scott. Last season, Scott was slowed by a torn labrum and wasn’t able to get things going offensively the way the O’s were hoping. So, this didn’t come as much of a surprise considering he would be making close to $6 million through arbitration next season. Manager Buck Showalter said he hopes the organization can work something out with Scott, but there hasn’t been any specific discussions as to what will happen.
Scott, who was named the 2010 Most Valuable Oriole after batting .284 with 27 home runs and 72 RBI, was a popular player in the clubhouse as well as with fans. The “Luuuuuuke” chant was a regular occurrence when Scott stepped in the batter’s box at Camden Yards. His popularity had some to do with his friendly personality toward the media and fans, but the tears he would go on throughout the course of the season were a part of it as well. Scott went through stretches as an Oriole when it just seemed like nobody could get him out. Conversely, he also went on some tough stretches where he couldn’t buy a hit, too. READ MORE >>>
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By Steve Giles, on October 18th, 2011
Wisconsin needs help in BCS standings
The Badgers are off to a 6-0 start this season and have absolutely dominated their opponents in the process. But the BCS computer polls aren’t showing them as much love as they would like. Their average rating in six computer polls was 11th, and they were even ranked as low as No. 17 in Kenneth Massey’s ratings. The reasoning for such a low ranking is simple, though. The Badgers’ non-conference schedule hasn’t been as tough as the teams ahead of them. They have only played one ranked team thus far, which resulted in a 48-17 home win against then-No. 8 Nebraska. But their three nonconference FBS opponents, UNLV, Oregon State and Northern Illinois, have a combined record of 6-13. The Badgers can’t help that their schedule hasn’t been very tough. So their only hope at this point is to win out convincingly and hope a couple of the teams ahead of them lose. READ MORE >>>
By Steve Giles, on October 11th, 2011
SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »
No Florida schools in AP top 25
For the first time since Dec. 6, 1982, there are no Florida schools ranked in the AP top 25. The 472 straight appearances by Sunshine State universities was snapped this week after all of the so-called big three (Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes) weren’t able to break the top 25. Florida State and Florida appeared in the poll last week, but after the Gators were waxed by LSU and the Seminoles were upset by Wake Forest, both were ousted from the rankings. Miami and first-year head coach Al Golden have been struggling all season and are currently 2-3, including a 38-35 loss at Virginia Tech this past Saturday. It was only the second time since Oct. 14, 1978 that Florida, Florida State and Miami lost on the same day. READ MORE >>>
By Steve Giles, on October 4th, 2011
By Steve Giles, on September 27th, 2011 It’s late September in Baltimore and there is meaningful baseball being played at Camden Yards. Granted, it’s not the O’s who have their playoff hopes on the line, but rather their AL East rivals, the Boston Red Sox. I’ve only been here for about 15 minutes, but I already feel that the atmosphere here tonight is going to be electric. It’s sad to say, but this is the closest thing the O’s have had to being a part of postseason baseball in a long while. Even though the O’s aren’t the ones trying to play themselves into the postseason, it is still exciting to be able to witness what is going to transpire here tonight and give me at least a little taste of what it would be like if the O’s were able to someday make the playoffs again.
But we are here today because of what is becoming a historic Red Sox late season collapse. Back on Sept. 3, the Sox had what looked to be a stranglehold on the AL wild card as they led the Tampa Bay Rays by nine games with just under a month to play. Since then, the Red Sox have lost 20 of 27 games and have squandered their once comfortable lead with just two games left to play. The Sox are now tied with the Rays for the final wild card spot and, depending on what happens in the next two games, could possibly face each other in a one game playoff to decide who makes the postseason. The Rays, who have won 15 of 23 games since Sept. 2, face the Yankees at home tonight and tomorrow. READ MORE >>>
By Steve Giles, on September 27th, 2011
Oklahoma State is for real
In years past, Oklahoma State was one of those flashy teams who could score a lot of points, win the games they should win by big margins, but could never win the big game against a highly-ranked opponent. Well, that trend looks to be changing after last Saturday’s win against Texas A&M at College Station. The Cowboys rallied from 17 points down at halftime only to come out in the second half and score 27 straight points to take a 30-20 lead and eventually finish with a thrilling 30-29 victory. READ MORE >>>
By Steve Giles, on September 24th, 2011 Ravens players, coaches and fans can use any excuse in the book about why they were beaten in stunning fashion by the Tennessee Titans last Sunday. Some would say the cornerbacks couldn’t handle the size and speed of the Titans receivers. Some would say they didn’t put enough pressure on Matt Hasselbeck. Some would say Joe Flacco missed a few easy passes to open receivers. But whichever excuse you want to use must include the part about the Ravens being too overconfident after beating the snot out of the Pittsburgh Steelers the week before.
I know that these guys are professionals, but they are humans as well. You can’t tell me that the locker room wasn’t on an incredible high after absolutely destroying their hated rivals and that they didn’t come into the Titans game overlooking them at least a little. I know it’s hard for fans to admit that their team would ever overlook a fellow NFL opponent, but it happens from time to time, and it certainly happened last Sunday. But as they say, you live and you learn. And the Ravens will surely learn from what transpired last Sunday. READ MORE >>>
By Steve Giles, on September 18th, 2011
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