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Football Fri Dec 31 2010
Big Ten Goes Bowling: New Year's Day Party
College football's swollen bowl season features eight Big Ten teams, but hopefully you have better things to do this final week of the year than stare vacantly at the TV for 25 or 30 anticlimactic hours. Let us help you decide which of those games might be worth your time.
Off to a 2-0 start following wins by Iowa over Missouri and Illinois over Baylor, the smorgasbord continues Saturday with Big Ten teams involved in five of the six New Year's Day games.
Rose Bowl
Wisconsin (11-1) vs. TCU (12-0)
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Watchability factor: Very high
Two excellent, well coached, highly entertaining teams that can play with anyone in the nation? Sign me up. Oregon and Auburn set themselves apart this season to a degree, but it would have been great to see the Badgers and Horned Frogs show their stuff in a real playoff system. A historic Rose Bowl matchup will have to do.
Preview information | Wisconsin keys to the game | Extreme scouting nerdiness
Capital One Bowl
Michigan State (11-1) vs. Alabama (9-3)
Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Fla.
12 p.m., ESPN
Watchability factor: High
The Spartans lost out to Ohio State and Wisconsin in bowl selection for Chamber of Commerce reasons, but they were every bit as impressive as their fellow Big Ten co-champions. Their national reputation would get a needed boost with a win over Alabama, a traditional power that began the season ranked No. 1 after winning the BCS title last year.
Preview information | Michigan State keys to the game | Extreme scouting nerdiness
Gator Bowl
Michigan (7-5) vs. Mississippi State (8-4)
EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Fla.
12:30 p.m., ESPN2
Watchability factor: Good
Denard Robinson and the Michigan offense are always worth your time, but the Wolverines were generally an average team this season. Their porous defense will have a hard time holding Mississippi State's spread offense in check. Bad news for Michigan's chances of victory, but good news for the casual viewer.
Preview information | Michigan keys to the game | Extreme scouting nerdiness
Outback Bowl
Penn State (7-5) vs. Florida (7-5)
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
12 p.m., ABC
Watchability factor: Moderate
Two decent teams, but the best things about this matchup are the head coaches -- the 46-year-old is the one who's retiring -- and the shared history of success. Both Penn State and Florida had uneven seasons; a watchable game but hardly a must-see.
Preview information | Penn State keys to the game | Extreme scouting nerdiness
TicketCity Bowl
Northwestern (7-5) vs. Texas Tech (7-5)
Cotton Bowl, Dallas
11 a.m., ESPNU
Watchability factor: Low
Northwestern has been just a mess since losing Dan Persa, one of the nation's most valuable quarterbacks. The youngster(s) filling his role likely have improved through several weeks of bowl practice, but it's hard to envision the Wildcats breaking through for their first bowl win since 1949.
Preview information | Northwestern keys to the game | Extreme scouting nerdiness
