Happy New Year! Were on earth did 2011 and this college football season go? We've about wrapped it all up, and only 4 games remain to be previewed. In this episode, we dive into some of the highlights (and low points) of this bowl season, and preview the remainder of this seasons bowl games, including:

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Week 11 (YTD 34-31-0)

All stats ATS unless denoted w/ “s-u”

FRIDAY

South Florida (-3) @ Syracuse.   USF outgains foes by 124 ypg is 10% better stopping opps on 3rd D, and 9% better at stopping opps in RZ.  Bulls 5-1 s-u all-time v. SYR, incl. 3-0 under the dome.  Aside from anomalous WV thrashing, SYR has struggled mightily at hm TY (besting WF and TOL in OT miracles, losing to RUT and struggling to beat DI-AA URI by just 7).  USF needs to save its ssn starting tonight and has enough rush O and D edge to get it done.  The ‘Cuse will be exposed for the tm that has been outgained all ssn but managed to squeak out 5 s-u Ws in spite of itself.  Gaming gods will get USF off its 5-gm schneid.

SATURDAY

Pittsburgh (+3) @ Louisville.  Cardinals smoke-and-mirrors show that has it on 5-0 tear comes to a crunching halt TW as Pitt gets the rare s-u rd W.  Pitt has all of the O advantages, played better v. CIN than did L’ville, is much better on 3rd down D and commits fewer penalties.  While L’ville does have some D stat edges, Pitt is more disruptive in the backfield and better equipped to handle the anemic Card O.  Any tm that lost to Marsh and FIU at hm should be very leery of Pitt.

Wisconsin (-27) @ Minnesota.  In what should be a colossal mismatch (+209 typg v. -112 typg/+.78 TO v. -.89 TO), Badgers get back to the task of whipping weak opps.  WI has 7 s-u Ws by 31+ TY and gets to take its #2 pass eff O v. Minny’s #108 pass eff D.  Thankfully the Gophers also cannot stop the run (#92/5.1 ypc) and Wisky (#10 rush O) rumbles for 5.7 ypc.  WI #4 score O v. MN #111 score O.  WI #9 score D v. MN #102 score D.  As a harbinger of things to come consider that WI badgered NEB and PUR by 31 and 45, respectively, while Gophs L to those two foes by 27 and 28, respectively.  Should be plenty  ugly.  Badgers 7-3-1 L11 as 20+ fave.

Eastern Michigan (-3’) v. Buffalo.  EMU rushes the ball for 4.9 ypc (BUFF just 4.0) and has a better TO margin.  EMU also better on 3rd D stops and has a whopping 17% edge in RZ TD D.  Buff just 1-10 s-u L11 rd gm and 4-10 L14 as rd dog.  EMU 4-1 s-u hm TY and 4-0 s-u all-time v. BUFF (all by 3+).

Kentucky (+13’) @ Vanderbilt.  Vandy might be the better tm, but the ‘Dores just should not be 13-pt fave v. anyone.  Two close Ls L2G could be weighing on psyche, and Wildcats looked pretty good (esp. late) v. Ole Miss LW.  KY has slight edge in 3rd Down D and RZ TD %.  Also, KY has had a gd run in this series (12-4 s-u L16 mtgs, incl. 6-2 s-u in Nashville.  KY has L only once in L41 mtgs by > 13.

Virginia (-10) v. Duke.  Cavs have huge advantages in both rush D and rush O, so should be able to control the ball and clock.  Devils not scoring (</= 16 L4G) and giving up lots (32 ppg L4G), while UVA #33 score D and has held GT and MIA in check (just 21 ea).  DU blown out by FSU, STAN and MIA and has had success only v. tms under .500 (and even then struggling to beat BC by 1, FIU by 4, and losing by 1 to WF).  VA solid in all D respects w/ large edges in 3rd D and RZ.  VA also much better in TOs.  VA beat ‘Canes by 7, while DU L by 35.  B2B rd gm for DU and a trip where DU has had little historic success (3-13 s-u L16 visits by avg margin of 23 pts).

Rutgers (-7’) v. Army (@ Yankee Stadium, NYC).  History dictates Scarlet Knights will vanquish their Black rivals with relative ease (4-0 s-u L4Y w/ 3 Ws by 17+.  ARM 3 s-u Ws TY v. tms w/ combined 7-22 s-u rec.  But vs. tms w/ s-u winning rec (RUT is 6-3), ARM 0-5 s-u w/ avg margin 14 pts.  ARM away from hm TY Ls by 23, 27, 7, 23 and 10.  Cadets allow 91% RZ scoring (49% RZ TD scores), while RUT is just 64%/33%.  ARM also can’t stop 3rd D (49%) while Scarlet Knights allow just 33%.  ARM awful TO margin of -1/gm.  RUT has flaws, but w/ Cadets at #120 pass O (no balance); #113 and #111, respectively, in PR and KOR (no field pos); and #97 pass eff D (no ability to slow down RUT), it seems like a fairly easy spot for NJ St, esp. w/ ARM QB Steelman doubtful.