BCS Bowl Game Previews and Predictions

Eventually, not now, but eventually, we have to stop complaining about how the BCS is responsible for the evils of the world, and move on to watching and enjoying the games themselves. It's still college football, and there are still some great matchups in the BCS bowl games.

The Orange Bowl
Kansas (11-1 Big Twelve) versus Virginia Tech (11-2 ACC)

Awful matchup. First of all, Kansas has no business being in this game. Kansas is ranked #8 in the BCS, and Mizzou is ranked #6, so naturally Kansas is in the Orange Bowl ahead of Mizzou. Huh? Secondly, this will be an awful game. Kansas has played nobody this year. The only team they played that is currently in the Top 25 is Mizzou, a game that the Jayhawks lost.

Virginia Tech has a fast defense with a secondary that will eat up KU's wide receivers and their high-powered offense. I like Kansas QB Todd Reesing, but I really don't think he's going to have the opportunity to do anything when VaTech's defense is going to be chasing him around the backfield all day. Frankly, I don't see how Kansas and the #1 offense in the Big 12 manages to score in high enough doses against the Hokies' D.

Tech also deserves some praise on the offensive side of the ball. They've rebounded from a 41-point loss to LSU early in the season, and a gut-wrenching game they gave away to Boston College after a botched onside kick. Other then those two losses, the Hokies' have made a two-QB system work pretty well, avenging the loss to BC in the ACC championship game. Not to mention that since that stomach-punch BC loss, they haven't dropped a game (5 straight).

Prediction: Hokies 31, Kansas 17

Fiesta Bowl
West Virginia (11-2 Big East) versus Oklahoma (11-2 Big Twelve)