NBL Bowl Analysis

UPDATED – It is with great sadness that Randy and I are not able to bring you a recorded podcast this week. OK, maybe we are not all that sad, as Randy is out on the road enjoying the bowl season and I am enjoying some time off with my family over the holidays. However, we would feel quite guilty if we didn’t provide you with a taste of something, so with that, here are our picks for some of the remaining upcoming bowl games

Armed Forces Bowl

Randy – The Air Force is going to see its worst arial attack
since Vietnam as Case Keenum and Houston pass for over 400 yards and
ground the Falcons. Houston

Eric – I’ve said it before, I know, but why is it that the Air Force Academy doesn’t throw the the football. Maybe they have never learned how to. Well, they are going to get a lesson from Keenum and the Cougars.  Houston
Sun Bowl

Randy – Oklahoma faces their most forbidable foe in Toby Gerheart.
I expect the Sooner D to wear down and Gerheart to get two 4th Quarter
TDs to seal the Cardinal victory. Stanford
Eric – Stanford has been sneaking up on team after team this season, and mostly on the strong legs of Toby Gerheart. Not that Oklahoma is going to be surprised by the Cardinal attack. What would be surprising is if Oklahoma’s defense holds throughout the game. Come to think of it, I have my doubts if the Sooner offense can matchup as well. Stanford
Texas Bowl

Randy – Niumatololo has the troops fired up for win #10 as Navy
pounds Mizzou into submission. Navy by 10. Navy
Eric – 1st of all, Randy officially sucks for going to this game without me, but he is right about the outcome. Missouri is scrambling to recover a pretty shameful season for what it could have been and in years past, it certainly would have been hard to give the edge to Navy. Not this year. If you can’t beat Baylor, you can’t beat Navy. Navy

Insight Bowl

Randy – Ugly matchup, but Minny has struggled with injuries while Rhoades has been able to motivate the Cyclones, so I expect an ugly ISU win. Iowa State
Eric – Tough to find a lot of points for comparison in this one. The Gophers have been here before…too bad they’ve lsot here most of the time and with key offensive injuries, Minnesota’s going to have some trouble getting the ball in the end zone. Iowa State  has had it’s share of injuries as well, but they’ve still manageged quite the turnaround from their 10 loss season of last year. A bowl win would cap it off and give them stronger legs for next season. I think they Cyclones will get it. Iowa State

CFA Bowl

Randy – Virginia Tech has been the benificiary of luck in close
games. Tennessee hasn’t. Hokies get a close victory over the Vols,
extending the Vols losing streak here in Atlanta. Va Tech

Eric – Tennessee really turned out to be a better team than anticipated. A few big losses, but a bit win against Georgia and nearly taking down Alabama in a 2 point game let me know they have what it takes. Virginia Tech may not have been the premier team of college footabll this season, but they showed they can put teams away and have been much more consistent getting the ball in the endzone. Have to take the Hokies. Va. Tech

Outback Bowl

Randy – Both the Tigers and Wildcats have been difficult to predict
this year. Both have exceeded and under performed against expectations
as various points this season. Coin Flip game. I’ll take Auburn. Auburn

Eric – Northwestern doesn’t really believe in bowl games, but on occasion they break from their conventional thinking, make it to a bowl, and lose. Auburn has been to the dance a few times, and in spite of their relative weakness in conference, I’ll take a 7-5 SEC team over an 8-4 Big Ten team this season. Sad, ain’t it? Auburn

Bowden Memorial Game f/k/a the Gator Bowl

Randy – in a matchup that would have been more interesting several times over the past decades compared to this year we say goodbye to one of the greatest coaches to walk the side lines and say “Dad gum.” Unfortunately his last game will go similarly to the way his career ended. Out with a whimper. WVU gives Doc Holiday a send off he’ll never forget as the WVU defense holds FSU to less than 10. West Virginia

Eric – Football is a game of emotions and I assure you that motions will run high in this one. It’s pretty sad to tell you the truth to see a legend leave the field. But, it’s not nearly as sad as the Seminoles on field performance this season. Between Brown and Devine, the Mountaineers will break Bowden’s streak in the Gator Bowl. West Virginia

Some fucking credit card company bowl (Capital One Bowl)

Randy – considering I’m sending these to Eric typed out on my blackberry I’m surprised I haven’t cursed yet, but I’m tired of companies taking over bowl names. I don’t mind them sponsoring the games, but just keep the names. Hear me Citrus, Peach and Motor City Bowls?? Thank God the Cotton, Rose, Orange and Sugar have kept their names. This is college football, and the sport IS about tradition. Oh, you want a pick? Penn State by 7. JoePa and those white socks ARE tradition. Penn State
Eric – Damn…how can I top that one? As far as I’m concerned, LSU winning in double overtime against Arkansas might as well have been a loss. Drop to Ole’ Miss as well right before thanksgiving and it has been a while since the Tigers had a solid win. Besides, it will be Clark to Moye for Penn State and white socks or not, JoePa is a winner. Penn State
Rose Bowl

Randy – Masoli v. Prior is what many thing this game is about, but I
have to think is has more to do with a first year coach vs. The
Sweater Vest. Never trust a man in a sweater vest. While that might be
sage advice, it doesn’t help with this game. The Ducks have a better
ground game, and while their D isn’t as good as the Buckeyes, they
will be good enough to keep Prior in check and keep the Pac-10’s Rose
dominance going. Oregon

Eric – This game belongs to the west coast, so right off the bat the edge goes to the Pac-10. You have to love the Ducks offense. They can certainly run the ball and can throw it if need be. And yes, I agree with Randy that Ohio State has the better defense, Oregon has faced some tough QB’s this year…Kellen Moore and Sean Canfield to name a couple. That, and I’m going to say that I can put Prior into the upper echelon of field generals just yet. A win here would do it, but I don’t think it’s going to happen. Oregon

Sugar Bowl

Randy – Having been in New Orleans in the past 24 hours, I can tell
you that the Cincinnati fans have a complete “Happy to be here” vibe,
while Florida fans are looking to take some frustrations out on the
Bearkats. Crowd numbers might be equal, but the talent level isn’t. I
expect Tim Tebow to jump pass his was to Sugar Bowl MVP and a 20+
point Gator victory. Florida

Eric – No first hand fan experience here, but what I do have is enough experience watching Tebow and add to the fact that Meyer is hanging it up after this one and Cincinnati has been left abandoned by their head coach moving on BEFORE the bowl game, Florida sticks it to them hard. Florida

Post Season Sweep 2009 – Episode 1

Well, we missed the first few, but our first episode of the NBL PostSeason Sweep has now been posted. In this episode, we will be previewing games through the Independence Bowl, with the rest of the bowl season being covered in upcoming episodes.

 

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The Two Minute Drill – Week 14

I know it is a little late posting this, but things haven’t returned to 100% normal at Chez Hinckley. You’ll hear Eric and I talk about the past couple of weeks of football and the off the field changes.

 

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NBL Pre-Snap 2009 – Week 13

Well, it’s been a couple of weeks, but with a crazy travel schedule for me, hectic work schedule for Randy and a national holiday where I am certain we both ate way more than we should, we are finally back. Of course we missed “Rivalry Week” but we make up for that in full measure by taking a close look as 7 conference championship games this week, including Oregon State at Oregon in the Civil War, Ohio at Central Michigan in the MAC championship game, Cincinnati at Pittsburgh in a Big East showdown, Houston at East Carolina for the Conference USA title, Florida at Alabama for the SEC championship and a spot in the BCS title game, Texas at Nebraska for the Big 12 title, and Georgia Tech at Clemson for the ACC championship.

 

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NBL Two Minute Drill and Pre-Snap Read

Due to Eric’s travel overseas and unforeseen demands on my time, there isn’t any audio this week; however, we did want to pass on our picks for the week. I currently have a 15 game lead on Eric, so unless he picks up at least two games on me this weekend the best he can hope for is a statistical tie for the regular season.

California at Stanford

Eric – Stanford is coming off of a big win, and with a lot of raw offensive talent and with Cal missing a key component of their offense, I like Stanford to keep the momentum going and get the win.

Randy – After each big victory by Stanford this season they have had a let down. Whether this holds true this week or not doesn’t play into my analysis though. This being a big rivalry game things like streaks and statistics can be tossed out the window. Cal pulled the upset last week over Zona, but without Jahvid Best their luck runs out this week. Stanford in a fairly close game.

LSU at Mississippi

Eric – LSU’s 2 losses come at the hands of Florida and Alabama. You expect that one. Mississippi has been anything other than what I expected. Ugly losses to South Carolina and Auburn leave a lot to be desired. I’ll take Charles Scott and Keiland Williams running the ball any day against the Rebels defense. LSU win.

Randy – Interesting matchup between Jevan Snead and the LSU secondary. Snead hasn’t been at his best in big games, but my increasing waistband tells me to go with Ole Miss.

Kansas State at Nebraska

Eric – Kansas State dropped a big one to Missouri last week, while Nebraska seems to have recovered from their mid-season slump. Nebraska for the home win.

Randy – Nebraska is three points away from having only one loss on the season. K-State lost by two to Louisiana-Lafayette, and only beat FCS UMass by 4. While neither team has been great this season, Nebraska has been more consistent. I’ll take consistency at home over luck on the road. Nebraska in a close one.

Oklahoma at Texas Tech

Eric – Neither team are impressing much of anyone right now, which is something they have in common. What they don’t have in common is that Oklahoma at least beat Texas A&M. Sorry Tech…big offense or not, Oklahoma holds it off for the road win.

Randy – Oklahoma has lost their last two in Lubbock, partially due to the crowd being fired up more than they have been against A&M. Kids (including my brother Benjamin) have been camping out since Monday to get tickets to the game this weekend. OU has been having injury problems all season. Tech has been down on their luck and is facing a serious quarterback controversy. Landry Jones is better than we think. Techs defense isn’t the dominant force they were at home last year. What does this all add up to? Tech win.

Northern Illinois at Ohio

Eric – You have to like a good MAC game on occasion…this should be one of them. Ohio is going to throw it all night. NIU will run it all night. Not sure that NIU has the kind of secondary to hold off Theo Scott in the air. I’m taking Ohio.

Randy – I love it when Eric makes a pick to try and reverse jinx a game. He really should just give up on picking games with Georgia Tech and Northern Illinois. Ohio wins, and wins big.

Oregon at Arizona

Eric – Oregon! I can stop now. But for the sake of saying I did an analysis. Masoli and James keep the ball on the ground most of the game and Oregon’s defense steps up to shut down Arizona’s favored passing attack.

Randy – Oregon is a tough team and we saw them bounce back against ASU this past weekend. Stoops with have his troops ready, but Oregon comes fully loaded and gets a hard fought victory in Tucson.

NBL Pre-Snap 2009 – Week 11

No long winded summaries this week. Let’s just get right into the analysis of some of the biggest games of the season. Conference  championships hang on a few of these games and coaches careers may just hand on others. so let’s jump right in to this weeks Pre-Snap Read.

 

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NBL Pre-Snap 2009 – Week 9

It’s amazing to think that we are only a few weeks from the end of the regular season. With that being said, it’s not surprising that we’ve come to the point where separation has happened and now it’s pretty much down to a couple of teams in each conference fighting to stay at the top of the mountain.

In this week’s episode you can bet we are going to look at a few of those, plus a couple of rivalry match-ups that should be interesting as well. Some of those games include Kansas at Kansas State, Navy at Notre Dame, Florida State at Clemson, Oregon at Stanford, Ohio State at Penn State, and LSU at Alabama

 

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NBL Pre-Snap 2009 – Week 9

It’s Halloween weekend here at the Naked Bootleg so we are going to do a little trick or treating. If we don’t have all of our eggs confiscated, you can count on us paying every single one of you a visit.  If you somehow manage to evade our mischief, you will at least be treated to our commentary this week on how the Heisman race is shaping up, and our analysis on games this week including, Georgia at Florida, California at Arizona State, Texas at Oklahoma State, USC at Oregon, Louisiana-Monroe at Troy and Central Michigan at Boston College. So forget about smashing in a pumpkin or checking your candy bars for razor blades, just grab a beer, sit back and enjoy some college football this weekend, with your trusted insight from the Naked Bootleg.

 

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NBL Two Minute Drill 2009 – Week 9

It took only nine weeks, but here is an entire episode fully edited by me. I didn’t lose any audio and we don’t sound like chipmunks, so you know what this means. We’re retiring. Eric and I have reached perfection with this episode and we’d rather quit while on top.

Ok, ok… you know we’re not quitting, but the editing gremlins will have the last say before this is all over, and before they return, here is a run down of the topics on this week’s edition of the Two Minute Drill.

• We’re talking fat girls, tacos and bad officiating
• The Davey O’Brien Award has announced their semi-finalist list
• We have a quick should out from our buddy Hutch
• We cover the latest NBL Top 20
• Eric and Randy both went 5-1 this past weekend
  • Randy is now 29-22 on the year
  • Eric is currently 25-26 on the season
• Big 12 Upsets
• Pac-10 Supremacy?
• Eric and Randy vow to swear off USF, Maryland and Cal games.

 

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NBL Pre-Snap 2009 – Week 8

Pretty slim pickins for this coming weekend of college football, but nonetheless, we have been diligent in finding games that have some interest to a few of us at least. In this episode, Eric and Randy preview week 8 match-ups between TCU and BYU, Oregon State and USC, Boston College and Notre Dame, South Florida and Pittsburgh, Wake Forest and Navy, and Air Force and Utah.

 

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