Schedule 2008-09

ESPN

The 2008-09 bowl season will start in Albuquerque and end in Miami. Here's a look at the schedule from the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl to the BCS National Championship Game in Miami.

Previews and Predictions

2008-2009 BCS Bowl Predictions

I will share my shot at predicting an early outcome of the BCS Bowl games. Please note that this is not exactly true, the team I think will win are :

Thursday January 1rst, 2009

Rose Bowl 3:30PM ABC (HD)
Penn State vs. USC ==> Penn State

Orange Bowl 7:00PM FOX (HD)
Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati ==> Cincinnati
Friday, January 2nd

Sugar Bowl 7:00PM FOX (HD)
Alabama vs. Utah ==> Utah

Monday, January 5th

Fiesta Bowl FOX (HD)
Texas vs. Ohio State ==> Texas

Thursday January 8th

BCS Championship Game FOX (HD)
Oklahoma Sooners 47
Florida Gators 22

Another re-source:

Previews and predictions for the BCS bowls
by Doug Lesmerises/Plain Dealer Reporter
Sunday December 07, 2008, 8:16 PM

BCS National Championship

Miami

Jan. 8, 8 p.m., FOX

Florida vs. Oklahoma

Why you should watch: To see if the all-time bowl scoring record, the 125 points from Marshall's 64-61 double-overtime victory against East Carolina in the 2001 GMAC Bowl, is in jeopardy. It's probably not.

But several BCS Bowl records could go down, including the scoring record -- 85 points from Boise State's 43-42 win over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. And the championship game record is only 79 points from the Texas' 41-38 win over USC in 2006.

There's a lot to talk about with the talent, but for now, dwell on these numbers.

• Oklahoma: 54 points per game (No. 1 in the nation), 562 yards per game (No. 3).

• Florida: 45 points per game (No. 3), 442 yards per game (No. 18).

• The average game of Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford: 23-of-34 for 343 yards and 3.7 touchdowns.

• The average game of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow: 13-of-21 for 193 yards and 2.2 touchdowns, 43 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown.

Prediction: Oklahoma 38, Florida 35

Fiesta Bowl

Glendale, Ariz.

Jan. 5, 8 p.m., FOX

Texas vs. Ohio State

Why you should watch: To discover whether the Big 12 Conference really was playing offense on another level this season or whether no one knew how to play defense down there.

You know that the Buckeyes' defense has dominated in the rankings recently -- finishing 2007 as the No. 1 overall defense and 2006 as No. 12 -- but hasn't held up in national title game losses to LSU and Florida.

Now Ohio State ranks No. 8 in total defense and Texas ranks No. 9 in total offense. But among 119 teams, here's where the defenses of the 12 Texas opponents rank:

65, 72, 73, 79, 86, 87, 93, 94, 99, 113, 114, 115.

That's not great. Ohio State has seen two top-ranked offenses (No. 14 USC and No. 15 Penn State) but Texas hasn't seen a defense like Ohio State's.

The Texas hopes for the Associated Press share of the national title dimmed on Sunday. Last week, the Longhorns were ranked No. 3 in the AP poll, eight points ahead of Oklahoma. After the Sooners crushed Missouri in the Big 12 title game, Texas is 10 points behind Oklahoma. So hoping that the Sooners would win the BCS National Championship game, but that AP voters would stick to their ballots, may not work.

Prediction: Texas 31, Ohio State 17

Rose Bowl

Pasadena, Calif.

Jan. 1, 4:30 p.m., ABC

USC vs. Penn State

Why you should watch: Because Joe Paterno had his hip replaced for this one. And, as always, the Big Ten's reputation is on the line. Since the creation of the BCS, the Big Ten is 28-34 in bowl games and 6-9 in BCS bowls. The last two years, in four BCS games the Big Ten has been outscored 160-73 in four losses.

Offensively, the teams are an equal match. But USC leads the nation in fewest points and fewest yards allowed. In 12 games, the Trojans have given up 7 points or fewer in eight games. Maybe 10 points for Penn State would be a victory in itself.

Prediction: USC 28, Penn State 13

Sugar Bowl

New Orleans

Jan. 2, 8 p.m., FOX

Alabama vs. Utah

Why you should watch: For the love of BCS busters. Utah is the fourth team in BCS history to earn a spot from a non-BCS conference. So far, the teams are 2-1.

• Utah beat Pitt, 35-7, in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl.

• Boise State beat Oklahoma, 43-42, in overtime in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

• Hawaii was thrashed by Georgia, 41-10, in last year's Sugar Bowl.

After holding down the No. 1 spot in the BCS rankings the last five weeks, the Crimson Tide could come out flat with the national title now out of the picture. At the very least, Utah won't be losing by 31.

Prediction: Alabama 21, Utah 17

Orange Bowl

Miami

Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m., FOX

Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati

Why you should watch: Because you hope Virginia Tech, with the nation's 107th-ranked offense, averaging 296 yards per game, can knock Ohio State's ugly mark out of record books. The Buckeyes' 82 yards against Florida in 2007 is the lowest yardage output in any BCS bowl. Because the last time a team ranked as low as Virginia Tech, No. 22 Florida State, played in a BCS game in 2006, the Seminoles took No. 3 Penn State to overtime. Because it's New Year's Day and you're supposed to watch college football and this is the only primetime game. Because your cousin went to Cincinnati.

Prediction: Cincinnati 20, Virginia Tech 14