College Football: Fiesta Bowl – #4 Boise State versus #6 Texas Christian University

In my soon to be released article entitled “Surprises and Disappointments of the Bowl Season” I will expand upon my disgust for what the BCS selection committee did in choosing these two teams to play each other. For now I will limit myself to this; more and more people want a playoff system and this game where the BCS has isolated its “mid-major” threats to protect the BCS “major” conferences should make everyone want a playoff system more.

In terms of the game, although robbed of the national stage with which to show they are just as good as the best of the “major” conferences, this will still be an exciting matchup between two high scoring undefeated teams. WAC Champion Boise State will look for revenge after Mountain West Champion TCU just edged them out of an undefeated season last year, 17-16 in the Poinsettia Bowl. TCU’s defense is one of the best in the nation though, leading many to see TCU as the favorite by around 8 points.

This marks the first time that two undefeated teams played in a BCS Bowl other than the National Championship and will act as the “mid-major” National Championship. It is only too bad that the winner doesn’t get to face the winner of the “major” National Championship between Alabama and Texas. Though it should be a close and exciting game, expect fewer points than usual from each team as TCU for the second year in a row stops Boise State from perfection.

January 5^th

NBA: Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers

Usually the best team in the NBA versus the eleventh best (seventh best in the west) is not a reason to be included on What to Watch, but this matchup is different. After taking the Lakers to seven games in last year’s playoffs, the Rockets let Ron Artest leave and signed as his replacement the Lakers then starting Small Forward Trevor Ariza. In November of this season, the Rockets took the Lakers to overtime, eventually losing by one in Houston. Eleven days later, they pulled off the unthinkable, beating the Lakers by ten at the Staples Center. Additionally, Ariza, who is six years younger, has averaged more points, rebounds, steals, blocks, free throws, and minutes per game than Artest. Expect a close one but for the Lakers to yet again ruin Ariza’s return to LA. This game is also perfect to watch for those of us who will be bored by the Orange Bowl and craving a sport fix.

College Football: Orange Bowl – #10 Iowa versus #9 Georgia Tech

In what many see as the most boring of the BCS bowl games, the triple-option offense of ACC Champion Georgia Tech will take on the Slow Ten’s second best team, and BCS at-large bid receiving, Iowa. With starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi and running back Adam Robinson well rested and back from injury, Iowa may make a game of it. Possession will be a key to victory in this game. Iowa will need to stop the run and Georgia Tech will have to make sure the “cardiac kids” are not discounted at the end, even if the Yellow Jackets are up big. Expect the Rambling Wreck to run all over the Hawkeyes.

January 7^th

College Football: National Championship – #2 Texas versus #1 Alabama

Easily the most exciting and star-studded matchups of the BCS Bowl games, the National Championship pits two of the most recognizable high-profile programs in all of college football against each other. Big 12 Champion Texas has the winningest starting quarterback in the history of college football in Colt McCoy. SEC Champion Alabama has Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. Alabama’s defense has stopped every team it has faced this year including the high scoring all-american filled Florida Gators though, leading me to believe that if Texas does not come with a varied game plan on offense they could get embarrassed. That said, Texas had the best defense against the run (Alabama’s bread and butter) in the nation. What gives remains to be seen. Expect a game that lives up to the hype of two undefeated teams from the top two conferences in the nation playing in the National Championship. That said, only one team can win, and my prediction is that after an 18 year wait, Alabama is finally ready to be named National Champions.

January 9^th

UVA Men’s Basketball: at North Carolina State

UVA Men’s Basketball ended the year looking good and giving Cavalier fans hope for the future and faith in Tony Bennett. That said, with the usual set of cupcakes we play behind us, the generally unforgiving ACC regular season schedule begins at North Carolina State. Neither of these teams has really faced that much of a challenge, with UVA being just edged out by Stanford, Penn State, and Auburn while NC State was barely beaten by Florida, Arizona, and Wake Forest. Luckily for the Cavaliers, the Wolfpack do not have a real big man presence and also rely on a lot of threes, making this more of a guard and forward game where the team with the better shooting from beyond the arc will win. If Landesberg can step up again like he did against UAB expect the Cavaliers to start their conference schedule undefeated, if not, may the best 3-point shooting team win.

NFL: Playoffs; NFC Wild-card Round, Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys

Unless the Washington Deadskins were involved in this game somehow, I cannot think of a game where I want both teams to lose more. Being a Giants game, I still cannot get over how our season crumbled at the end, how both these teams and the Jets made the playoffs, yet we did not. What a last year at Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands. A repeat of last Sunday’s matchup between the two teams (oddly a recurrent theme amongst three of the four wildcard games) in the same location. After 14 years without a playoff win, I think Tony Romo and the Cowboys will finally do it. Beating the Eagles twice in the regular season was no easy task, and beating the playoffs won’t be either, but all streaks have to come to an end eventually (except for maybe the Cubs not winning the World Series). Expect a closer game than last week but for the Cowgirls to prevail.

NFL: Playoffs; AFC Wild-card Round, New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals

The Jets are the biggest surprise team in the playoffs, but make no mistake the team with the rookie coach, rookie quarterback, the NFL’s best defense, and the NFL’s top rushing offense (led by UVA alum Thomas Jones) will not be backing down without a serious fight. Though not much should be taken of their 37-0 annihilation of the Bengals this past Sunday in the last game at Giants Stadium, it should serve as a confidence booster for the fearless Jets as they head to Cincinnati. Though I do not think the Jets will be this year’s Arizona Cardinals (who last year at 9-7 ended up winning three straight before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl), I am not counting them out in this game. Cincinnati’s achievements should not be passed over though. Going undefeated in the division with the reigning Super Bowl Champions and another Playoff team is no walk in the park. Doing it after a 4-11-1 season is equally if not more impressive. Keep in mind starting quarterback Carson Palmer has had previous injury problems that did not affect him this season and that the team played well below their potential last season. Regardless of the past, all that matters is how each team plays Saturday. The colder it is the more likely the Jets will win with their superior defense and run game. Expect a close one and maybe, just maybe, the Jets will survive to play another week.

January 10^th

NFL: Playoffs; NFC Wild-card Round, Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals

While this season has been all about Brett Favre, the Packers have quietly gotten things done and finished the season only one game behind the Vikings. Aaron Rodgers has put up similar numbers to Brett Favre (with a little more yards, three fewer touchdowns) while getting sacked about twice as much and without the best running back in the league to take the pressure off of him (or 6 more pro-bowl players surrounding him for that matter). It has earned Rodgers a pro-bowl invite to back-up starter Drew Brees and of course, Brett Favre. The Cardinals on the other hand, yet again won the worst division in the NFL, the NFC West. This time though, no one will be sleeping on them, especially not the Packers. Do not be surprised to see a repeat this Sunday of this past Sunday’s crushing of the Cardinals by the Packers in Arizona.

NFL: Playoffs; AFC Wild-card Round, Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots

This game is overshadowed by the fact that Wes Welker, the all-important receiver for the Patriots is out for the playoffs. He is star quarterback Tom Brady’s number one target and will be sorely missed. Given Randy Moss’ string of not-too-inspired performances, this could be just the kind of thing that leads to an upset by the Ravens. The curse of David Tyree continues to haunt Bill Belichick’s Patriots. First it was Tom Brady’s injury, now this. The once almost perfect Patriots are now two years older. The Ravens will look to avenge their week 4 loss in Foxborough and might just get it. Expect a tight game, but if Moss can get his act together, expect the home crowd and Brady to do the rest of the work and at least get one win this playoffs for the Patriots.

Quarterback Kellen Moore may be the superstar of the Boise State offense, but there are some very good running backs in there as well.  That three headed  monster had three different backs score two touchdowns each in their win over West Virginia tonight, 42-23.

“[Moore] did everything we asked him to do tonight,” Boise State coach Chris Petersen said afterwards.  “He had a lot of great throws that got us down inside the ten or the five but our backs were so good tonight that we just gave them the ball and they got in.”

“When you have that much success in one aspect of the game, you keep going to it until it’s stopped.”

Junior running back Jeremy Avery was key to that success rushing for 122 yards and two touchdowns to put the Broncos up early in the first half.

“It felt good…to play this well in a game like this was really special for me,” said Avery.  “I look forward to doing it again next weekend.”

Courtesy of www.boisestate.edu

So too do his classmate D.J Harper, who also rushed for two touchdowns and added 99 yards of his own, and sophomore Doug Martin, who chipped in another 40 yards and two touchdowns.

“I pity the teams that try to shut them down season after season,” West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said.  “They do so many things well and have so many playmakers that it really is tough for a defense to match up to it.”

“It took us a while to get into our flow and, by that point, it was too late.”

Avery’s two first quarter touchdowns made it 14-0 after one and then Harper and Martin each added another in the second to make it 28-0.  West Virginia did manage to score a field goal just before the half to break up the shutout, but the game was never really in doubt in the second half.

Boise State cruised to another Martin touchdown in the third to make it 35-9 before West Virginia scored their first end-zone trip midway through the fourth quarter.  Sadly for the Mountaineers, the remaining hope was firmly extinguished on the next play from scrimmage as Harper ripped off a 70-yard highlight reel run to firmly ice the game.

The undefeated Broncos will make the trip to Glendale to face the undefeated Horned Frogs of TCU.

“It’s a shame we have to meet so early in the competition,” Petersen lamented.  “We’re both underdogs really so to have one of us get knocked out is a bit of a bummer for Cinderella lovers.”

This will be the best defense Boise State has faced this season as the Horned Frogs entered the playoffs as the number two scoring defense in the nation and allowed zero points to their opponent (Iowa) earlier today.

“It’ll be a tough game, but we’re always ready for a challenge,” said Petersen.  “I have some pretty good memories about that field and the [Fiesta] Bowl from a few years ago and the team and I hope we can add to those next week.”

Results of Other Games:

#1 Alabama vs. #16 Troy

#8 Oregon vs. #9 Ohio State

#4 TCU vs. #13 Iowa

#5 Boise State vs. #12 West Virginia

————–

#2 Texas vs. #15 Central Michigan

#7 Georgia Tech vs. #10 LSU

#6 Florida vs. #11 Virginia Tech

#3 Cincinnati vs. #14 East Carolina

A team with 401 yards of rushing offense, 157 total yards allowed, six sacks, eight first downs allowed, and zero points allowed in a game sounds like a Big Ten team.  But they aren’t; they’re the game stats for TCU against a Big Ten opponent in the first round of the Division I-A Playoffs.

“I don’t think we’ve been beaten as soundly as we were today at all this season,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said.  “We were beaten at our own game, and in every aspect of it.”

For a conference built upon tough, physical football, tonight’s game was a total disaster for that reputation.  TCU dominated from the opening kickoff, pressuring Hawkeye quarterback Ricky Stanzi into bad situations and bad throws and denying the Iowa running attack any room to run.

Stanzi finished with only nine completions with no touchdowns and only 118 yards passing and the Horned-Frog run defense was even more impressive holding Iowa to a mere 39 yards on 38 carries.

It seemed that every time Iowa would begin to get some life, the TCU defense would jab it’s foot back on the throat and kill the drive quickly.

“We had that great run by Adam [Robinson] for 30 something yards and I thought we were going to get back in the game then,” said Stanzi.  “It was only a 14 point hole at that point and we were close to at least a field goal, but they just denied us.  I don’t think we really recovered from that.”

www.deseretnews.com

What they couldn’t recover from after that run by Robinson were three sacks in a row to push the Iowa offense back beyond midfield and into a punting situation.  On the first play after the punt, TCU running back Joesph Turner sprinted for 60 yards setting up player of the game Matthew Tucker’s second touchdown run to make it 21-0.

“Back-breaking.  Absolutely backbreaking,” Ferentz called that sequence.  “When you’re on the road against a team like this, you can’t have those types of drives because they will make you pay.  And we paid today.”

For Horned-Frog fans, this game was like all the others they had seen so far this season.  TCU led the nation in margin of victory (27.6), was second in points allowed per game (11.6), and was sixth in time of possession percentage (54.5%) this season, so frankly, this result should hardly be a surprise.

“We know we can play with these bigger teams and we know we can beat most of ‘em,” TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes said afterwards.  “There’s no issue of confidence amongst us players on this team…it’s getting all the rest of y’all to figure it out.”

After their first round performance tonight, TCU will face the winner of tonight’s Boise State/West Virginia game at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.

And this time, the nation won’t be surprised with an outcome like this.

Results of Other Games:

#1 Alabama vs. #16 Troy

#8 Oregon vs. #9 Ohio State

#4 TCU vs. #13 Iowa

#5 Boise State vs. #12 West Virginia

————–

#2 Texas vs. #15 Central Michigan

#7 Georgia Tech vs. #10 LSU

#6 Florida vs. #11 Virginia Tech

#3 Cincinnati vs. #14 East Carolina