Bowl Projections

OK, so here's the deal. It's in my contract that every now and again I actually contribute something, whether it be snide remarks or the occasional fluff piece. Well, here we go. Every week from now until the end of the season, ITB will be producing not 1, but two bowl projections for the 2006 bowl season. You may say two, isn't that overkill? Of course it is, but there are two completely different metrics being used in the selection process. The one from the beginning of the week, and being unveiled tonight, is the aptly titled "Bowl Projections". This means, simply, where based only what we know now, where each team projects in the bowl pictures. Even so, this is no exact science, so a few guestimations had to occur. The second metric will be called "Bowl Predictions" and will generally appear towards the end of the week, assuming I'm not lazy. This will include some crazy permutations and number crunching (and massive use of ferrets) to get the most accurate bowl predictions known to beast. Given that I haven't devined the formula yet, this puppy will get unveiled next week. So to sate your appetite, here is the initial Week 8 Bowl Projections (P.S.  I apologize for the horrid formatting... only so much you can do with the blog and tables)

Date Bowl Location TV Team 1 Team 2 Jan. 8 BCS Title Glendale, Ariz. FOX Ohio State Southern California Nothing much to be said on this one. 90% of the country will be rooting for both teams to lose. Jan. 7 GMAC Mobile, Ala. ESPN UTEP Kent State Jordan Palmer goes up against a team from Ohio... closest he'll get to playing against his brother's team. Jan. 6 International Toronto, Canada ESPN Central Michigan Connecticut I always get confused, which directional Michigan is known as the Chippewas. For the purpose of this exercise, its Central. In case you hadn't noticed, I'm really just stalling until I see a team I may know something about. Jan. 3 Sugar New Orleans, La. FOX Arkansas Louisville This could be a bigger defensive struggle than people realize. The next-gen Brohm/Bush are in Arkansas in the form of Mustain/McFadden. Lets see if the latter can stay healthy. Jan. 2 Orange Miami, Fla. FOX Georgia Tech Auburn Tuberville will still bitch about not getting in the title game, because his team survived the SEC. At least he gets Chan Gailey. Jan. 1 Fiesta Glendale, Ariz. FOX Texas Florida The third SEC team gets a Texas team with something to prove. Will Tebow be a bigger factor on offense by then? Jan. 1 Rose Pasadena, Calif. ABC Michigan Notre Dame The biggest match-up is a rematch. Tell me that the Rose wouldn't salivate over this pairing. I think they have fantasies of a game like this. Jan. 1 Capital One Orlando, Fla. ABC LSU Wisconsin A team that's great against the run against a team that only runs (sorry Stocco). In other words, I'm not watching either. Jan. 1 Outback Tampa, Fla. ESPN Purdue Alabama See also, no one will watch. Jan. 1 Cotton Dallas, Tex. FOX Nebraska Tennessee

Wasn't so long ago that Nebraska and Tennessee were national champs. A marquee game that features two oddly passing teams Jan. 1 Gator Jacksonville, Fla. CBS Boston College West Virginia Of course, this would mean WVU would have lost. A little chance for some Big East revenge? Dec. 31 MPC Computers Boise, Idaho ESPN Boise State NC State Because I think its a law Boise plays at home, and as of right now they haven't crashed the BCS party. Is this the end of Chuck Amato and chuckem.com Dec. 30 Chick-fil-A Atlanta, Ga. ESPN Clemson Georgia People outside the South may not know this, but these schools hate each other. Intriguing game for Southerners, everyone else envies our copious amounts of Chic-fil-a's... damn closure on Sunday. Dec. 30 Meineke Car Care Charlotte, N.C. ESPN2 Florida State Navy Midshipmen playing FSU in a bowl... never thought I'd see the day. Dec. 30 Liberty Memphis, Tenn. ESPN Tulsa Kentucky This game won't actually happen, but I couldn't find anything else to put here. Dec. 30 Alamo San Antonio, Tex. ESPN Missouri Iowa This is the extremely overrated coaches bowl, starring Gary Pinkel and Kirk Ferentz, who, if you listened to the podcast, I get confused on who is who. Maybe if they didn't have underachieving Midwest teams. Oh, and Brad Smith Ewing Theory. Dec. 29 Insight Phoenix, Ariz. ESPN Penn State Oklahoma This may be the third biggest bowl in the state of Arizona... but it has Penn State and Oklahoma.... that says something. Dec. 29 Sun El Paso, Tex. CBS Rutgers Oregon Is this Schiano's last game? I doubt it, but it does bring up the age old question... who would win in a fight, a Scarlett Knight or a duck? Dec. 29 Music City Nashville, Tenn. ESPN South Carolina Miami Sometime around 1987, Miami and South Carolina played a football game. Miami was talking trash, and a fight broke out after a Miami player body slammed USC QB Todd Ellis. As Ellis walked to the sideline to get away, a Miami player threw a vicious elbow to the back of Ellis's head, knocking him unconscious. Miami won the game, and no players were suspended. Why am I telling you all of this... I dunno, no reason. I guess Miami is setting a new standard Dec. 29 Champs Sports Orlando, Fla. ESPN Indiana Wake Forest

Two overachieving teams, but a feel good story bowl. Dec. 28 Holiday San Diego, Calif. ESPN California Texas A&M Another Ewing Theory with Texas A&M and Stephen McGee at QB. Meanwile, Jeff Tedford continues to show why he is nothing more than a glorified OC. Dec. 28 Texas Houston, Tex. NFL Net. Oklahoma State Pittsburgh Tyler Palko should win the Heisman... that is all. Dec. 28 Independence Shreveport, La. ESPN Texas Tech Vanderbilt Yes, Vandy is in a bowl... and yes, its hard coming up with teams after 7 games. Dec. 27 Emerald San Fran, Calif. ESPN Virginia Tech Washington Ty Willingham gets to face Thug U part 2. Class vs. Ass. Dec. 26 Motor City Detroit, Mich. ESPN Western Michigan Michigan State This will be known as the Michigan Bowl... and I wouldn't be shocked with a directional Michigan win... and I have no idea what their mascot is, the Postmen or something like that Dec. 24 Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii ESPN Washington Hawaii I'm not really sure why I have Washington in here twice, but by now its becoming more difficult to come up with witty things to say, so in lieu of actual editorial oversight and to show that even seasoned vets make errors,they're going to play in two games. If that doesn't make sense, feel free to sub in Oregon State. Beavers will be set loose in Hawaii. Dec. 23 Armed Forces Fort Worth, Tex. ESPN Brigham Young Houston If this were 1984, I would be so stoked. Andre Ware (or was it Klinger) vs. McMahon (or was it Young or Detmer). I would also be two, which would make this writing all the more remarkable. Dec. 23 Birmingham Birmingham, Ala. ESPN2 Southern Mississippi South Florida There are a lot of teams with South in their names. I understand directions are important, but isn't this a bit overkill. Dec. 23 New Mexico Alburquerque, NM ESPN Colorado State Idaho This screams must see TV. Hopefully a new episode of House is on or something. Dec. 22 New Orleans New Orleans, La. ESPN Arkansas State Southern Methodist

From death to bowls in about 20 years. God I need some ice cream Dec. 21 Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nev. ESPN UCLA Air Force mini-USC takes on mini-Navy. Dec. 19 Poinsettia San Diego, Calf. ESPN2 Utah San Jose State Thank God this is the last game. I can now stop feigning interest.