Friday, December 11, 2015

SKSergiokosco: CFB Week Bowl Season Preview

By: Tre Bailey

SKSergioKosco Blogger


This past weekend was the last official weekend for college football and boy was it a great one, with bowl season upon us there will be many great match ups, as well as a few blow outs. I will also be doing a small give away for bowl season. follow this link (http://www.foxsports.com/fantasy/collegefootball/bowlpickem/group/join/?group=16456&password=full+speed) sign in using a google account, use the password " full speed" and enter your picks. The winner at the end of bowl season will win a special SergioKosco care package. Be sure to get your picks in before 12/19 or else you'll miss out on some games. 

Weekly Recap

The SEC champion was crowned in a rather boring matchup. Florida tried to keep the game close while Alabama eventually walked away with the victory behind Heisman Hopeful Derrick Henry. This solidified Bama’s number 2 spot in the top 10 and punched a ticket to the Cotton Bowl. While the SEC is only represented in one other New Year 6 bowl game the conference will appear in a total of 10 bowl games, tied for most along with 2 other conferences

Michigan State Clinches the Big 10 title in the closing seconds of the game against Iowa knocking them out of the Playoff picture and punching their ticket to Arlington to face Alabama in the Cotton Bowl. While many will say that Michigan State should have gotten the 4th spot versus the number three spot. Playing a conference title game plays a large role late in the season versus a conference that doesn’t have a title game. The Big 10 will be represented by 3 teams in major bowl games, Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, Iowa in the Rose, and Michigan State in the Cotton.

As predicted Clemson Remained unbeaten to Claim the number one ranking in the nation going into bowl season. With a close victory over UNC the tigers look to claim their first national title since 1981. The tigers look to be the favorite going into the Orange bowl. Florida State will represent the ACC in a major bowl game alongside Clemson.

While the Pac-12 doesn’t have a representative in the college football playoff, the conference does face off in 10 bowl games tied for most with the Big 10 and SEC for most bowl games by a conference. Stanford will ultimately play in the rose bowl, a game that they are all too familiar with.

Lastly Oklahoma claimed the 4th and final spot in the college football playoff rankings. In my opinion they were shorted by not having a conference title game. Also by Baker Mayfield not being selected as a Heisman Finalist. The conference will be represented in 7 bowl games with 2 teams playing in a major bowl game this year.

As far as non power conferences go, both Houston, and Notre Dame found themselves in major bowl games. Houston will face off with FSU in the peach bowl, and Notre Dame will play Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.



With the final rankings released and the bowl schedule announced, everything played out almost as expected for everyone in the world.

The Final CFP top 10 look a little something like this:

RKTEAMRECTREND
1Clemson13-0
2Alabama12-1
3Michigan State12-1 2
4Oklahoma11-1 1
5Iowa12-1 1
6Stanford11-2 1
7Ohio State11-1 1
8Notre Dame10-2
9Florida State10-2
10North Carolina11-2
11TCU10-2
12Ole Miss9-3 1
13Northwestern10-2 1
14Michigan9-3 1
15Oregon9-3 1
16Oklahoma State10-2 1
17Baylor9-3 5
18Houston12-1 1
19Florida10-3 1
20LSU8-3 1
21Navy9-2 2
22Utah9-3 2
23Tennessee8-4 2
24Temple10-3 2
25USC8-5 5

Memphis in Review


Memphis finds themselves in the Birmingham bowl against Alabama native Auburn. While this isn’t the picture perfect ending for what could have been a fantastic tiger season, they at least have another bowl game to look forward to. They have another opportunity to prove that the SEC is no longer as the powerhouse that they once used to be. In coaching news the replacement for Justin Fuente was named to be Mike Norvell. Former offensive coordinator at Arizona State, Norvell has some pretty hefty shoes to fill as Fuente set a standard pretty high for anyone to compete with.

Heisman Watch


Heisman Finalist have been announced and boy is it a surprise that one individual was left out

1)      Derrick Henry- The dynamic playmaker for the crimson tide. Always reliable, and the reason Alabama still has a chance.

2)      Deshaun Watson- Leading his team to an undefeated season, and the only undefeated team in the nation Watson is a young leader and a dynamic playmaker

3)      Christian McCaffery- The most athletic player in the nation, this kid can make plays out of nothing.

Bowl Matchups

BOWLDATETIMESITEMATCHUP/RESULT
New MexicoDec. 192 p.m.Albuquerque, N.M.Arizona vs. New Mexico
Las Vegas (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 193:30 p.m.Las Vegas, Nev.BYU vs. Utah
CamelliaDec. 195:30 p.m.Montgomery, Ala.Ohio vs. Appalachian State
CureDec. 197 p.m.Orlando, Fla.San Jose State vs. Georgia State
New OrleansDec. 199 p.m.New Orleans, La.Arkansas State vs. Louisiana Tech
Miami BeachDec. 212:30 p.m.Miami, Fla.South Florida vs. Western Kentucky
PotatoDec. 223:30 p.m.Boise, IdahoAkron vs. Utah State
Boca RatonDec. 227 p.m.Boca Raton, Fla.Toledo vs. Temple
Poinsettia (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 234:30 p.m.San Diego, Calif.Boise State vs. Northern Illinois
GoDaddyDec. 238 p.m.Mobile, Ala.Bowling Green vs. Georgia Southern
BahamasDec. 24NoonNassau, BahamasMTSU vs. Western Michigan
HawaiiDec. 248 p.m.Honolulu, HawaiiCincinnati vs. San Diego State
St. PetersburgDec. 2611 a.m.St. Petersburg, Fla.Connecticut vs. Marshall
Sun (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 262 p.m.El Paso, TexasMiami (Fla.) vs. Washington State
Heart of DallasDec. 262:20 p.m.Dallas, TexasWashington vs. Southern Miss
Pinstripe (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 263:30 p.m.Bronx, N.Y.Indiana vs. Duke
Independence (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 265:45 p.m.Shreveport, La.Virginia Tech vs. Tulsa
Foster Farms (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 269:15 p.m.Santa Clara, Calif.UCLA vs. Nebraska
MilitaryDec. 282:30 p.m.Annapolis, Md.Pittsburgh vs. Navy
Quick Lane (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 285 p.m.Detroit, Mich.Central Michigan vs. Minnesota
Armed ForcesDec. 292 p.m.Ft. Worth, TexasAir Force vs. California
Russell Athletic (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 295:30 p.m.Orlando, Fla.North Carolina vs. Baylor
ArizonaDec. 297:30 p.m.Tucson, Ariz.Nevada vs. Colorado State
Texas (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 299 p.m.Houston, TexasTexas Tech vs. LSU
BirminghamDec. 30NoonBirmingham, Ala.Memphis vs. Auburn
Belk (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 303:30 p.m.Charlotte, N.C.Mississippi State vs. NC State
Music City (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 307 p.m.Nashville, Tenn.Louisville vs. Texas A&M
Holiday (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 3010:30 pmSan Diego, Calif.Wisconsin vs. Southern California
Peach (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 31NoonAtlanta, Ga.Houston vs. Florida State
Orange (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 314 p.m.Miami Gardens, Fla.Clemson vs. Oklahoma
Cotton (PrimeSport tickets)Dec. 318 p.m.Arlington, TexasAlabama vs. Michigan State
Outback (PrimeSport tickets)Jan. 1NoonTampa, Fla.Northwestern vs. Tennessee
Fiesta (PrimeSport tickets)Jan. 11 p.m.Glendale, Ariz.Notre Dame vs. Ohio State
Citrus (PrimeSport tickets)Jan. 11 p.m.Orlando, Fla.Michigan vs. Florida
Rose (PrimeSport tickets)Jan. 15 p.m.Pasadena, Calif.Stanford vs. Iowa
Sugar (PrimeSport tickets)Jan. 18:30 p.m.New Orleans, La.Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss
TaxSlayer (PrimeSport tickets)Jan. 2NoonJacksonville, Fla.Penn State vs. Georgia
Liberty (PrimeSport tickets)Jan. 23:20 p.m.Memphis, Tenn.Kansas State vs. Arkansas
Alamo (PrimeSport tickets)Jan. 26:45 p.m.San Antonio, TexasOregon vs. TCU
Cactus (PrimeSport tickets)Jan. 210:15 pmPhoenix, Ariz.West Virginia vs. Arizona State
CFP National Championship
(PrimeSport tickets)
Jan. 118:30 p.m.Glendale, Ariz.Orange Bowl winner
vs. Cotton Bowl winner

Recruiting Spotlight

Kareem Walker (RB) DePaul Catholic HS, Wayne N.J.
This kid is the number one rated RB in the nation for a reason. He is explosive, a great downhill runner, fantastic open field speed, and can break tackles, and or put defenders on skates. This kid has huge upside and a very high ceiling for improvement.

News Updates

Former Florida head coach and current Auburn defensive coordinator has been named the new Head coach for South Carolina, just one year removed from being fired as the Head Coach at the University of Florida. Kirby Smart long time DC at Alabama is now named to be the Head coach at the University of Georgia, Smart looks to resurrect his alma mater back into the national spotlight.


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