Years ago, the term “bowl team” signified achievement. But as bowl bloat has set in, “bowl team” often describes an outfit that merely has managed to bob above the perilous waters of .500. With an all-time-high 25 bowls, 50 of the 114 Division I-A teams are bowl-bound. That’s nearly 44 percent. Talk about grid inflation. If the same percentage of Division I men’s basketball teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament, the field would be 140 teams. This never will be called the best bowl field in history. But it’s the deepest, which is a polite way of saying, “How low can you go to fill a slot in the TVTimeout.com Bowl?”
Common though they are, bowl bids still provide many benefits. Participants receive payouts, although many will lose money on their trips. Bowl teams are allowed three additional weeks of practice–and believe us, most of them need it. They also have a chance to unwind in such scenic locales as Mobile, Ala., and Boise, Idaho, not to mention Houston.
But the biggest perk is inclusion in the Tribune’s annual bowl preview. No wonder everyone wants to be a bowl team. If bowl bloat continues, someday everyone will be.
# = Big Ten Team in bowl
+ = Bowl Championhip Series
MOBILE ALABAMA BOWL
Mobile, Ala.
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Wed. Dec. 20
7 p.m., ESPN2
TCU (10-1) vs. SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI (7-4)
Coach Dennis Franchione is leaving TCU for the University of Alabama, which qualified for the “Immobile Alabama Bowl.”
BAGNATO’S PICK: TCU 27, S. Mississippi 10
LAS VEGAS BOWL
Las Vegas
Thur. Dec. 21
7 p.m., ESPN2
UNLV (7-5) vs. ARKANSAS (6-5)
The hordes of Arkansas fans hollering “Sooo-eee, pig!” on the Strip will have Elvis impersonators jumping out of hotel windows instead of airplanes.
BAGNATO’S PICK: UNLV 20, Arkansas 17
OAHU BOWL
Honolulu
Sun. Dec. 24
7:30 p.m., ESPN
GEORGIA (7-4) vs. VIRGINIA (6-5)
This bid so thrilled Georgia that it fired coach Jim Donnan. Virginia coach George Welsh was so thrilled that he retired.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Georgia 33, Virginia 21
ALOHA BOWL
Honolulu
Mon. Dec. 25
2:30 p.m., ABC
BOSTON COLLEGE (6-5) vs. ARIZONA STATE (6-5)
Arizona State coach Bruce Snyder got permanently lei’d off after earning a return trip to Hawaii, where the Sun Devils fell to Wake Forest last December.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Arizona State 23, Boston College 7
MOTOR CITY BOWL
Pontiac, Mich.
Wed. Dec. 27
3 p.m., ESPN
CINCINNATI (7-4) VS. MARSHALL (7-5)
If the Mid-American Conference champ gets a week in Pontiac, what does the runner-up get? Two weeks?
BAGNATO’S PICK: Cincinnati 33, Marshall 28.
GALLERYFURNITURE.COM. BOWL
Houston
Wed. Dec. 27
7 p.m., ESPN2
EAST CAROLINA (7-4) VS. TEXAS TECH (7-5)
The winner of this Conference USA-Big 12 showdown takes home a lovely eight-piece dinette set.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Texas Tech 42, East Carolina 27
HUMANITARIAN BOWL
Boise, Idaho
Thu. Dec. 28
12:30 p.m., ESPN2
BOISE STATE (9-2) VS. UTEP (8-3).
What, exactly, is humanitarian about making a team leave sunny El Paso to spend Christmas in Boise?
BAGNATO’S PICK: UTEP 24, Boise State 23.
MUSIC CITY BOWL
Nashville
Thu. Dec. 28
3 p.m., ESPN
MISSISSIPPI (7-4) VS. WEST VIRGINIA (6-5)
“Dueling banjos” is the official theme song of this made-in-Deliverance-heaven matchup.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Mississippi 31, West Virginia 13
# MICRONPC.COM.
Miami
Thu. Dec. 28
6:30 p.m., TBS
MINNESOTA (6-5) VS. NORTH CAROLINA STATE (7-4)
The Golden Gophers went all out to get here, losing three of their last four games while conceding 51, 41, 41 and 24 points.
BAGNATO’S PICK: North Carolina State 30, Minnesota 18
INSIGHT.COM. BOWL
Phoenix
Thu. Dec. 28
6:30 p.m., ESPN
PITT (7-4) VS. IOWA STATE (8-3)
Pitt played its home games in a major league baseball stadium this season. The Insight.com Bowl is staged in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ ballpark. Hmmmm . . .
BAGNATO’S PICK: Pitt 24, Iowa State 21
LIBERTY BOWL
Memphis
Fri. Dec. 29
12:30 p.m., ESPN
LOUISVILLE (9-2) VS. COLORADO STATE (9-2)
This underrated game between the Conference USA and Mountain West champions could produce some fireworks.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Colorado State 35, Louisville 33
# SUN BOWL
El Paso, Texas
Fri. Dec. 29
1 p.m., CBS
WISCONSIN (8-4) VS. UCLA (6-5)
Bowl-week festivities include a trip to a boot store in Juarez. One pair per person, Badgers!
BAGNATO’S PICK: Wisconsin 20, UCLA 17
PEACH BOWL
Atlanta
Fri. Dec. 29
4 p.m., ESPN
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GEORGIA TECH (9-2) VS. LSU (7-4)
Bad news: The Yellow Jackets are grounded in Atlanta for the holidays. Good news: LSU is coming over to play.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Georgia Tech 27, LSU 17
HOLIDAY BOWL
San Diego
Fri. Dec. 29
7:30 p.m., ESPN
TEXAS (9-2) VS. OREGON (9-2)
The Longhorns are 3-5 in bowl games outside the state of Texas, and they have lost the last four by an average score of 37-11.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Oregon 17, Texas 16
# ALAMO BOWL
San Antonio
Sat. Dec. 30
7 p.m., ESPN
NORTHWESTERN (8-3) VS. NEBRASKA (9-2)
Both teams have “N” emblazoned on their helmets. Northwestern’s does not stand for “knowledge.”
BAGNATO’S PICK: Nebraska 49, Northwestern 45
SILICON VALLEY CLASSIC
San Jose, Calif.
Sun. Dec. 31
6 p.m., FSN
AIR FORCE (8-3) VS. FRESNO STATE (7-4)
Key stat: Fresno State is 6-2 in bowl games in California. Key stat II: Three of those victories came against Bowling Green.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Air Force 49, Fresno State 33
INDEPENDENCE BOWL
Shreveport, La.
Sun. Dec. 31
7 p.m., ESPN
MISSISSIPPI STATE (7-4) VS. TEXAS A&M (7-4)
Shreveport becomes the Times Square of the South as thousands turn out to watch the ball drop on New Year’s Eve.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Mississippi State 12, Texas A&M 10
COTTON BOWL
Dallas
Mon. Jan. 1
10 a.m., FOX
TENNESSEE (8-3) VS. KANSAS STATE (9-3)
With half the stadium swathed in Volunteer orange and the half in K-State purple, this shapes up as a great game for radio.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Tennessee 24, Kansas State 23
# OUTBACK BOWL
Tampa
Mon. Jan. 1.
10 a.m., ESPN
OHIO STATE (8-3) VS. SOUTH CAROLINA (7-4)
Buckeye coach John Cooper brags he and South Carolina coach Lou Holtz have combined to beat Michigan seven times over the years.
BAGNATO’S PICK: South Carolina 17, Ohio State 15
GATOR BOWL
Jacksonville, Fla.
Mon. Jan. 1
11:30 a.m., NBC
CLEMSON (9-2) VS. VIRGINIA TECH (10-1)
With two of their combined three losses coming in blowouts in Florida, the Tigers and Hokies are petitioning to move this game to Shreveport on New Year’s Eve.
Bagnato’s Pick: Virginia Tech 33, Clemson 13
# FLORIDA CITRUS BOWL
Orlando
Mon. Jan. 1
Noon, ABC
MICHIGAN (8-3) VS. AUBURN (9-3)
One million, one million one, one million two. . . . As soon as Michigan is finished counting the payout it will apologize for taking Northwestern’s bowl slot.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Michigan 33, Auburn 31
# + ROSE BOWL
Pasadena, Calif.
Mon. Jan. 1
3:30 p.m., ABC
PURDUE (8-3) VS. WASHINGTON (10-1)
Purdue isn’t the worst three-loss team ever to represent the Big Ten in Pasadena, and there’s something to be said for that.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Washington 37, Purdue 35
+ FIESTA BOWL
Tempe, Ariz.
Mon. Jan. 1
7 p.m., ABC
OREGON STATE (10-1) VS. NOTRE DAME (9-2).
Admission is free to the first 30,000 Nebraska fans holding ticket stubs from the Sept. 9 game at Notre Dame.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Oregon State 31, Notre Dame 21
+ SUGAR BOWL
New Orleans
Tue. Jan. 2
7 p.m., ABC
MIAMI (10-1) VS. FLORIDA (10-2)
With a victory here, the Hurricanes reach .500-as in 25-25 all-time against the Gators.
BAGNATO’S PICK: Miami 35, Florida 33
+ ORANGE BOWL
Miami
Tue. Jan. 3
7 p.m., ABC
OKLAHOMA (12-0) VS. FLORIDA STATE (11-1)
The Sooners were a wonderful story in 2000. But this game is played in 2001.
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BAGNATO’S PICK: Florida State 35, Oklahoma 13
BY THE NUMBERS
4
Teams that scored at least 50 points in a bowl in the 1990s.
5
Teams that scored at least 50 points in a bowl from 1900-89.
.669
Combined winning percentage of schools playing in December bowls
.818
Combined winning percentage of schools playing in January bowls.
BOWL BIDS
Bowl bids by conference and their all-time winning percentages with current membership:
CONFERENCE BIDS WINNING PERCENTAGE
1. Southeastern 9 .515.
2. Big 12 7 .480.
3. Big Ten 6 .517.
4. Atlantic Coast 5 .525.
5. Big East 5 .459.
6. Pac-10 5 .523.
7. Conference USA 4 .500.
8. Mountain West 3 .418.
Western Athletic 3 .480.
10. Big West 1 .441.
Mid-American 1 .485.
How they stand
The Top 10 bowl victory totals among this year’s bowl teams:
1. Tennessee: 22
2. Oklahoma: 20
3. Georgia Tech: 19
3. Nebraska: 19
5. Georgia: 18
5. Texas: 18
7. Florida State: 17
7. Mississippi: 17
9. Michigan: 16
10. Auburn: 14
10. Louisiana State: 14
10. Ohio State: 14
baiduhai/Drew Sottardi, Phil Geib.
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