Coincidence? I Think Not...

The two bowls being played on December 22nd are the Las Vegas Bowl and the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. I find it quite odd, or perhaps suggestive, that the Las Vegas Bowl will be immediately followed by a game sponsored by a credit union.

But anyways, we shall head into the match-ups. These early bowl games are difficult because rarely has anyone seen the teams play more than once, if at all. These games are no exception. I have seen each team play exactly once. I didn't (or couldn't bear to) watch the games in their entirety, but at least I know what their uniforms look like. That's something, right?

Las Vegas Bowl

This game features a team that I consider an overachiever at 6-5, BYU, and one that drastically underachieved this year at 7-4, Cal. BYU is currently 8th in scoring offense, and it loves to throw the ball all over the field. Cal, on the other hand, relies heavily on the running game behind RB Marshawn Lynch. This game should be fun to watch. Cal's pass defense is hardly something to brag about, but BYU's is worse. Both teams should be able to throw at will. On the bright side, though, Cal held Oregon to 20 in regulation and USC to 35. It also kept Stanford to 3 points. That's not bad. Cal should beat BYU, but BYU has a much more explosive offense. Consequently, an upset here would not shock the world. I think it will be a fairly close game, but ultimately, the better athletes at Cal will win out. Cal 38 - BYU 28.

Poinsettia Bowl

This match-up between Navy and Colorado State should be a sleeper. I don't think anyone really cares about this game. These are two mediocre teams. Neither has a win over a quality team. The brightest spot for either team is that Navy currently has the nation's number one rushing attack. Go Navy. Colorado State has no chance of stopping Navy's running game. The Rams are ranked 104th in run defense. Can anyone say 'mismatch'? This one should be over by halftime. Navy 35 - Colorado State 21.