College Bowl Picks, December 20: New Orleans, New Mexico, Las Vegas, Idaho Potato, and Camellia
By Joe Micik
Nov 29, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Nevada Wolf Pack flags are sprinted across the end zone after a Nevada touchdown scored against UNLV during a game at Sam Boyd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
The college bowl games are coming, and that means the college bowl picks are coming. Happy times are here again.
Boston College Eagles
Soon, we will get the opportunity to choose Boston College’s bowl game to be played in New York City on December 27, but there are 38 other games going on. What else do you propose to do with your time in between wrapping gifts, unwrapping gifts, and sipping eggnog in uncomfortable mohair sweaters at Auntie Esther’s house while being bored by your droning cousins?
If you answered “college football,” you are correct. Bowl games are as American as apple pie and as much a part of the Christmas/holiday season as pushy salesmen at the mall on December 24. Indulge yourself.
Now for the five college bowl picks on December 20: the New Orleans Bowl, the New Mexico Bowl, the Las Vegas Bowl, the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, and the Camellia Bowl.
College Bowl Picks, December 20: New Orleans Bowl
Nevada (-1) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette | New Orleans, LA | 11am ET (ESPN)
The first bowl of the 2014 season is a 10am local time game. If you want to talk about undesirable time slots, here’s one submitted for your approval.
The Nevada Wolf Pack come into this game with a 7-5 record, while the Ragin’ Cajuns come in at 8-4. How can anyone go against a team called the “Ragin’ Cajuns?” Evidently, Vegas can, because Nevada is a one-point favorite.
These are not the days of Colin Kaepernick, which Eagles fans remember well. Nevada’s offense is average, and their defense perhaps a little below average. Thing is, you could say those exact same things of ULL. On paper, these teams look very even, and in some ways, like points scored and allowed, efficiency of the passing game (or lack thereof) and running game, they are mirror images of one another.
The Ragin’ Cajuns did not face a lot of quality on their schedule, but when they did, they performed poorly. Nevada has been competitive against many of the best teams they faced, like one-score losses to Arizona, Boise State, and Colorado State, with a win over BYU and San Diego State. Nevada looks like the better team here and they should win.
Nevada -1