Hello football fans!!!
Let me just say one thing before I go right into the Hawks. Have you watched any of these games the past week or so? I freely admit that during the season, I get into rhythm of watching the Hawks, then watching the best teams (match-ups) the rest of the day. When you really sit down and follow some of these games, you really get a sense of JUST HOW BAD some of these teams really are. And even though I don’t really mind, it’s pretty obvious that some of these teams aren’t really “bowl teams”. Yeeesh.
I’m starting to think that playing defense has become something of the past, and that someday I’ll be sitting in a chair with a pipe telling my kids about how they used to play defense in college football. Ridiculous.
——————————————————————-
I’m still stingin’ from the Alamo Bowl, where Northwestern/The Big Ten let one slip through their fingers. I was watching that game with almost the same intensity as watching a Hawk game, or a game where I had just a liiitle too much money wagered. I honestly felt bad for Pat Fitzgerald.
And people can say all they want about how Missouri just wasn’t ready to play that game – and there IS some truth to that. However, that was the best defense that Missouri had played all year, and it resulted in Chase Daniel throwing a career high in INT’s. He looked confused the entire game and he better thank his lucky stars that he had Chase Coffman to bail his ass out the entire game.
Two of the 3 worst Big Ten teams that made it into bowls (Minnesota being the other) have just played the runner up in the ACC Atlantic, and the Big 12 North Champion. The Big East will play something like two WAC teams and a few Mountain West teams. But all of that is lost when Wisconsin gets blown out and Northwestern gets beat. The only thing that we will see is “BIG TEN 0-2 in bowls” because people are stupid and can’t look further than 2” front of their faces. I’m now going to stand up and punch the back of my chair 14 times.
——————————————————————–
The Outback Bowl
Iowa Hawkeyes vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
10:00 AM / ESPN / Line: Iowa by 4
I just have to get something out before I can move forward:
“I can’t wait to beat the cocks.”
Sorry, I couldn’t concentrate until I said that.
———-
Anyhoo, something that my buddy Gotschall pointed out in his weekly rant: It’s amazing how confident Iowa fans all over the planet have become in the past several weeks. It’s almost like we’ve channeled Nebraska fans or something. And I have to count myself in that group. And America is there as well, seeing as how 60% of people on ESPN.com think the Hawks will prevail, and the line has moved from -3 to -4. I’m assuming that most people are looking at how the two teams finished up and leaving it at that. I don’t blame them, as the last thing I remember is us lighting up the scoreboard at the Metrodome as we all got lit up ourselves.
I’m also thinking about a month ago while we waited for our bowl match-up. We were all sitting there wondering if we were going to play the high-powered offense of Missouri, or the top-talent Georgia Bulldogs of the S.E.C. Getting South Carolina, at the time, seemed like the easiest match-up BY FAR. And then that’s exactly who we got. And then we all got cocky. Errr…I mean confident.
We SHOULD win this bowl game. And THAT’S what scares me the most.
Stats (you know I love ‘em – ESPECIALLY the last game of the year)
IOWA South Carolina
Rushing Offense
29th 189 ypg 108th 98 ypg
Passing Offense
89th 185 ypg 54th 219 ypg
TOTAL Offense
52nd 374 ypg 97th 317 ypg
Scoring Offense
35th 30 ppg 92nd 22ppg
———-
Rushing Defense
10th 98 ypg 26th 129 ypg
Passing Defense
38th 191 ypg 3rd 160 ypg
TOTAL Defense
13th 290 ypg 12th 289 ypg
Scoring Defense
8th 13 ppg 30th 20 ppg
———-
MATCH-UPS
Hawkeye Offense vs. Gamecocks Defense
South Carolina has a good defense, folks. It’s not going to be easy for us to move the ball, especially when they know that their going to do everything in their power to stop our running game and get us into 2nd and especially 3rd and longs. They will show absolutely no respect whatsoever for our WR’s, and will probably man them up early and often.
Their defense has been hearing for the past three weeks how good Shonn Greene is, and they want to shut his arse down. (And for the record, the NCAA hasn’t shut Shonn Greene down either as far as I know. It’s all been rumors.) Not that every team since the middle of October hasn’t tried to do the same exact thing, of course, so we’ll just have to see how that goes. I believe Shonn Greene has already made himself a ton of dough in 2008. But he can make himself a top 10 pick – no BS – if he goes OFF and runs away from an S.E.C. defense all morning and into the afternoon. If he has a big day from the start, that is the only way we can run away with this game – both literally and figuratively.
Of course if Rick Stanzi goes off and plays the game of his life – it would be a good day as well. But I just don’t see that happening. I think we’re going to get a Penn State like performance. And that would be fine with me.
* Something that hasn’t received a lot of pub is that South Carolina is missing their leading tackler, a guy name Emanuel Cook. As it sounds, Cook should have spent less time in the kitchen and more in the classroom, as he’s academically ineligible for the game. (Haha! Thank-you, thank-you!) I believe this could be a HUGE deal for three reasons:
1) He was their leading tackler, and leader on defense.
2) That’s the 8th person down in the box to stop Shonn Greene.
3) Who’s gonna cover Brandon Myers now?
Very interesting, and something that could play out well for the Hawks.
Hawkeye Defense vs. Gamecocks Offense
South Carolina has struggled offensively, and there’s no two ways around that. They are flat out bad running the ball. We have a good if not great defense, and now we’re rested and a little bit healthier. All of these things are good.
The part that makes me nervous is that South Carolina and their passing game might just be set-up perfectly to attack our defense. I don’t know if any of you remember, but we like to give up the short and intermediate routes, and we’re not afraid to do that all game long. I don’t think SC will light up the scoreboard, but rest assured they will move the ball on us.
The interesting thing is that I don’t even know who will wind up playing QB for the ol’ Ball Coach. Chris Smelley was the starter at the beginning of the year, then was out, then was back and played OK, then finished the year poorly and was throwing picks left and right. My guess is that they’ll go to their more mobile QB Stephen Garcia – which I don’t want to see.
GAME
This is going to come down to the wire. Rick Stanzi will put us behind early by turning the ball over either late in the 1st quarter, or early in 2nd quarter. However, South Carolina will give us the ball back later on in the 2nd quarter or to start out the 2nd half, which will lead to us getting the lead back. It will be a sea-saw battle the entire game. I’m not sure if a stressful Hawkeye Football football game is a good cure for a hangover, but that’s what we’re gonna get.
I haven’t forgotten my streak…
Iowa Hawkeyes 20 - South Carolina Gamecocks 21
The Best of New Year’s Day
The Gator Bowl
Nebraska vs. Clemson
NOON / CBS / Line: Clemson by 2.5
This just might be the Clemson team that was advertised at the beginning of the year. Maybe just maybe it wasn’t a horribly bad thing that South Carolina got blown out by Clemson, because maybe just maybe Clemson’s O-line finally developed and they’re playing well.
Nebraska better take this game very, very seriously.
Clemson Covers.
The Capital One Bowl
Georgia vs. Michigan St
NOON / ABC / Line: Georgia by 7.5
The biggest reason I don’t like this game for the Big Ten is because Michigan State’s defense scares me. It doesn’t really do anything all that great. I hope that they’ll just focus on stopping Knowshon Moreno and take their chances with Mathew Stafford.
Georgia does not stop the run all that well, and I believe this could be the opening for Michigan State. However, I personally believe that Javon Ringer is over-rated. The only way that Sparty pulls this out is by forcing turnovers, and also with Brian Hoyer playing out of his jock. I don’t like that extra .5, but I’m willing to take that risk.
Georgia covers.
The Rose Bowl
Penn State vs. USC
3:30 / ABC / Line: USC by 9
Let me first say that I HATE USC. I do. I hate their elitist attitude. I hate the fact that they’re bored with going to the Rose Bowl. I hate Rey Maualuga, and I think he’s a cocky bastard that will be a big flop in the NFL because he’s too stupid to fit into a system. I still hate all of their arrogant fans from when I ran into them down at the Orange Bowl 6 years ago.
Everybody keeps talking about USC’s defense. And it IS amazing. Maybe they’ll just shut down Penn State and Penn State won’t put up 3 points on the scoreboard. That certainly could happen.
And maybe USC played defense against several teams in the Pac-10 that were absolutely horrible, and it padded their stats. Maybe one of the few teams they played that actually like to run the ball right at them was Oregon State – and maybe they lost that game because of that. And maybe – just maybe – Evan Royster and Penn State’s offense will look a LOT like that when they play tomorrow afternoon. And maybe just maybe the two teams that Penn State and USC both played – Ohio State and Oregon State – Penn State went 2-0 against them and USC went 1-1.
USC better take this game pretty damn seriously. The difference between Illinois last year and Penn State this year will be BIG. Penn State and their staff have been here before, Pete. This aint’ Ron goddamn Zook.
Penn State + the points.
January 2nd
The Cotton Bowl
Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech
1:00 PM / FOX / Line: Texas Tech by 4.5
I’ve like this one for Ole Miss the second I saw it come out, and I’m a little disappointed that the public has caught on as well, bring the line down from 7 all the way to 4.5.
I’m sticking with my guns. Ole Miss plays some good defense, and they’ll run the ball right at Texas Tech as well.
Ole Miss + the points.
The Sugar Bowl
Alabama vs. Utah
7:00 PM / FOX / Line: ‘Bama by 9.5
I don’t see how you stop this ‘Bama running attack, unless they come into this game under the weather, so to speak. But I think Nick Saban knows that he’s coaching at Alabama, and that their fans don’t want to see this become an embarrassing game. This is still a big game.
Also, I was NOT impressed by TCU and Boise State the other day. Utah’s schedule is not that impressive.
‘Bama covers.
National Football League
Believe it or not – I’m going to send out a Wild Card Weekend JTG on Friday or Saturday morning. It’s a busy week!
HAVE A GREAT NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
GO HAWKS!
- Jeffrey the Greek!
Posted by Jeff Buch 
