On Tap (New Years Day Edition)

Helping you get your weekend viewing priorities straight since 2007

Almost exclusively college football, with a couple of NFL playoff implication games thrown in for good measure.

Thursday

8:00 (ESPN) Holiday Bowl - Arizona State vs. Texas. Arguably the best non-BCS bowl game of the year. ASU surprised a few people by challenging for the Pac-10 title for a little while this season, Texas had a less than ideal season (by Texas standards) but not much was expected from this team. Key Fact: Mac Brown (head coach Texas) has really struggled in big games that Vince Young has not been his quarterback.

Friday

5:00 (ESPN) Champs Sports Bowl - Boston College vs. Michigan State. From #2 in the BCS to the Champs Sports Bowl, kind of a tough fall for BC. MSU will be without their top pass rusher, which should make things tough against the prolific passing of BC QB Matt Ryan. Key Fact: After scoring a first quarter touch down, Matt Ryan will tackle coach Jagodinski in celebration taking him out for the rest of the game.

8:00 (#^%^@ NFL Network) Texas Bowl - TCU vs. Houston. A battle of former SWAC foes. TCU was supposed to be a possible BCS buster, but had a mediocre year. Houston lost their head coach to Baylor. Key Fact: TCU’s mascot is a horned frog, I am sure this is and indigenous species to Texas, but you are telling me they could not come up with a better mascot (hint: Armadillos).

8:30 (ESPN) Emerald Bowl - Maryland vs. Oregon State. The Terrapins take on the Beavers in an all aquatic battle in San Francisco. Maryland’s Ralph Friedgen challenges Mark Mangino for the fastest head coach in the FBS. Oregon State’s Mike Riley is in his second stint with the school and has not been able to attain the same BCS magic the Dennis Erickson had while he was at OSU. Key Fact: Fear the Turtle.

Saturday

1:00 (ESPN) Meineke Car Care - Bowl UConn vs. Wake Forest. Two traditional football powerhouses in a big time bowl game. Seriously though, UConn vs. WF in a post season battle, this has to be a sweet sixteen game. These teams are going to be shocked when they show up and hardwood has been laid down on top of the turf. Key Fact: This game is proof of the parity in college football these days, not too many years ago UConn was a 1-AA school and Wake Forest was like Duke.

4:30 (ESPN) Liberty Bowl - Central Florida vs. Mississippi State. Mississippi State in their first bowl game since… well I have no idea and I am too lazy to look it up. CFU, lead by notorious resume doctorer George O’Leary, had a very nice year, winning the C-USA championship and almost knocking off Texas earlier this season. Key Fact: There are too many games and I can only make so much shit up.

8:00 (ESPN) Alamo Bowl - Penn State vs. Texas A&M. Great things were expected of Penn State this season, apparently some things don’t go as planned. A&M had a pretty typical year for the Aggies, mediocre all year long and then knock off rival Texas. Key Fact: Joe Paterno is old and underpaid. He may not have won too many championships lately but what he has done for PSU is worth far more than a half million per year.

Sunday

1:00 (FOX) San Francisco @ Cleveland. A last audition for Derek Anderson to keep his starting job next year, in case you have not been watching he has struggled the second half. Key Fact: It almost does not matter what the Browns do in this game (see below).

8:00 (ESPN) Independence Bowl - Alabama vs. Colorado. I would like to say something good about this game, really I would. Key Fact: You really have to love college football to watch this game.

8:15 (NBC) Tennessee @ Indianapolis (NFL). If the Titans win they are in the playoffs, if they lose the Browns are in. Key Fact: The only way the out come of the Browns game means anything is if the Titans and Colts tie.

Monday

12:30 (ESPN) Armed Forces Bowl - Cal vs. Air Force. Yet another game featuring a team that was ranked #2 at sometime this year (Cal). This game also features something more common than teams ranked #2, that would be a team that beat Notre Dame (AF). The Air Force hybrid option game should give Cal fits, and with the absolute second half collapse of Cal I would not expect them to be real hyped up about playing in the Armed Forces Bowl. Key Fact: It is always a pleasure to watch the service academies play, and this game should be no different, regardless that is being played at 12:30 on a Monday.

2:00 (ESPN2) Humanitarian Bowl - Georgia Tech vs. Fresno State. Two Words: Smurf Turf. There is really no other reason to tune into watch this game other than watching that hypnotic blue turf. Key Fact: This has nothing to do with this game, but I am very intrigued to see what kind of offense Paul Johnson (formerly of Navy) will be bringing with him to Atlanta next year.

2:00 (CBS) Sun Bowl - South Florida vs. Oregon. A game featuring two teams that were #2 at some point this year. Dennis Dixon is out for Oregon making this game significantly less exciting. Key Fact: Oregon has not beaten anyone since Dixon went down. Also, Oregon barely plays defense, so USF should have a banner day.

4:00 (ESPN) Music City Bowl - Florida State vs. Kentucky. University of “we beat LSU” Kentucky and Florida “we are going to bring our JV team because all of our starters cheated on an online exam” State will be playing in possible the least exciting bowl game of the year. Key Fact: 7 years ago Florida State’s walk-ons would have probably defeated Kentucky’s first string, this year I am not sure if FSU starters could get out with a win.

5:30 (#^%^@ NFL Network) Insight Bowl - Indiana vs. Oklahoma State. Indiana is in a bowl!!!! Actually this is probably the feel good story of the year. After the passing of head coach Terry Hoepner the Hoosiers found a way to pull together and achieve Hep’s goal of playing 13. Key Fact: OK State lost their offensive coordinator to Southern Miss, it will be interesting to see what kind of effect this has on their high octane offense.

7:30 (ESPN) Chick-fil-A Bowl - Clemson vs. Auburn. Hmmm, two words come to mind when I think about this game…orange and tigers. It will be pretty confusing if the announcers continually refer to the tigers during the game. Key Fact: Tommy Tubberville and Tommy Bowden are routinely on the coaching hot seat, the loser of this game will have the pleasure of staring the season on a slightly warmer seat than the other.

Tuesday

11:00 (ESPN) Outback Bowl - Wisconsin vs. Tennessee. SEC speed vs. Big Ten power #1. Everyone seems to forget that last year the Big Ten won two of the three games like this played. I expect Wisco to just pound PJ Hill into the UT front. Tennessee has struggled against teams that show up with a physical defense. Key Fact: Unless Phil Fulmer wins (more) national titles Tennessee fans will never embrace him. I found this hard to understand until my cousin who attends Tennessee compared Fulmer to John Cooper, and then it all became crystal clear.

11:30 (FOX) Cotton Bowl - Missouri vs. Arkansas. If the Holiday Bowl is not the best non-BCS bowl, this one definitely is. Missouri was passed over for BCS spots by two teams they defeated this season (Kansas, Illinois). Arkansas will still be riding high off of their Thanksgiving weekend upset of #1 (current #2) LSU. It will be interesting to see how Arkansas will do with out the services of their former head coach (and resident wacko) Houston Nutt. Key Fact: This game features two of the 4 Heisman finalists (McFadden and Daniel) so look out for some wild individual performances from them or their co-stars Felix Jones or Jeremy Maclin.

1:00 (CBS) Gator Bowl - Texas Tech vs. Virginia. Solid D vs. we will throw the ball on first, second, third, and possibly fourth down. Really though this is what bowl season is all about, providing match-ups that you would not normally see, this game is one of the more intriguing games of the season. Key Fact: Texas Tech head coach (and part-time pirate) Mike Leach has been a rumored candidate for many head coach openings this bowl season. It will be interesting to see what he can do when some high profile team with NFL caliber athletes gives him a shot.

1:00 (ABC) Capital One Bowl - Florida vs. Michigan. SEC speed vs. Big Ten power #2. OK, it would seem that Florida is going to pound Michigan (honestly I would be shocked, shocked, if anything other than that happened), but there is a reason the games are not played on paper. Key Fact: Rumor has it now that Tim Tebow has won the Heisman trophy as a sophomore he will retire from football to challenge the record of the youngest man to be elected Pope.

4:30 (ABC) Rose Bowl - USC vs. Illinois. The Rose Bowl passed up a USC – Georgia match-up to preserve the traditional Big Ten – Pac Ten set up. I understand why they did this, but for their sake I hope this game is better than the experts think it will be. Key Fact: Ron Zook taking on Pete Carroll in a battle of grey haired dudes who can recruit the pants off of anybody in college football.

8:30 (FOX) Sugar Bowl - Georgia vs. Hawaii. Another WAC team with something to prove. After last year I think it would be prudent of Georgia to take Hawaii very seriously. The Warriors should be able to put some points on the board, but I will be surprised if they can slow down the Georgia offense. Key Fact: You have to love watching teams with a unique offense going up against a team that has far more talent. It is fun to watch the game planning and in game strategy that has to take place for the weaker team to win.

* there is very little respect for the word fact around here.

all times eastern