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2010 Bowl Projections - Post Week 2

By Bama Hawkeye

It's always a good week when the Big Three of your conference take care of business. Iowa's walloping of Iowa State, Wisconsin's eating of the San Jose cupcake, and Ohio State's victory over Miami saw the Big Ten achieve that feat.  And while it would have been nice to see Penn State shock Alabama, no one really expected that win, did they? 

On the flip side, it's really bad when every good team from you league is pinned with a loss already. Right, ACC? The five front runners in the ACC prior to the season? Miami, Florida State, Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Georgia Tech. At least Miami kept it close. That's more than Florida State could say about their trip to Norman. The Heels showed some valor in their comeback against LSU, but that wasn't enough to actually win. Virginia Tech? Thank you for killing Boise State's best argument at a title game appearance. And under the radar, Georgia Tech lost to Kansas - a team that was knocked off by a 1-AA team a week ago. I don't think that it's too early to say that the ACC will not get either a team in the BCS title game or a second BCS team. Again.

Now remember, these are projections, not "if the season ended today" picks. I'm accounting for what I think will happen in the remaining weeks. Here are the Rules for 2010.

  1. The best teams don't always go to the best games.  In the end, butts in the seat and eyes to the television are the biggest factors. (This isn't new)
  2. The order of BCS selection is 1) Replacement for #1 Team; 2) Replacement for #2 Team; 3) Sugar Bowl; 4) Orange Bowl; 5) Fiesta Bowl.
  3. If a Big Ten or Pac-10 team qualifies for the BCS Championship Game, the Rose Bowl will be required to take a non-automatic qualifier.  This will only be required of the Rose Bowl the first time it occurs over the next four years. 
  4. The Gator Bowl picks its Big Ten team ahead of the Insight Bowl this year.  It will rotate the other way next year.
  5. For the full rules on BCS selections, look here. 

Got it?  Good.  Let's get on to the projections.

Bcs_championship_logo2010_sm_medium_medium Ohio_st_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Nebraska_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium I see an undefeated Ohio State team playing the winner of the Nebraska/Oklahoma Big 12 Championship Game. I do believe that both of those Big 12 teams will be undefeated at that point.
Rosebowl_small_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Oregon_old10_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Boise_st_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Yes, it is entirely possible that the Mountain West winner could get past Boise State in the rankings. For now, we'll stay with the Broncos taking the Big Ten's Rose Bowl slot.
Sugarbowl_2006_sm_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Alabama_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Iowa_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium The SEC will scream when their one-loss champion doesn't play for the title. The horde of Iowa fans make them a good choice at 10-2 against Alabama. .
Orangebowl_2010_sm_medium_medium Miami_fl_medium_medium_medium_medium Auburn_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium This is me projecting that after the SEC Championship Game loss, the SEC East winner will have more losses than 10-2 Auburn. As for the ACC, you figure out that mess...
Fiestabowl_2006_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Oklahoma_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium West_virginia_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium While the teams may change, the likelihood that this is Big 12 Runner Up vs. Big East Champ is pretty high.
Capitalonebowl2002_small_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Wisconsin_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Florida_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium A good Wisconsin team gets left out of the BCS again. Florida with 3 losses gets this pick over LSU, Arkansas and South Carolina.
Outbackbowl_2008_sm_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Penn_state_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium South_carolina_old13_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium South Carolina did a good job of moving themselves ahead of Georgia in the pecking order. The Penn State/Michigan game could decide which of those teams goes here.
Gatorbowl_2008_sm_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Michigan_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Georgia_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium I feel better about the prediction of 8 Michigan wins this year than I did last year. And MIchigan - Georgia just sounds good, doesn't it?
Insightbowl2002_small_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Michigan_st_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Missouri1_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium I'm very wary of the Spartans this year. Last year, they had all of the hype and had their annual Fall crash. This year, they may be better than that. I could see them at 10-2 (and in a much better bowl). I expect that this slot is going to the Big 12 North runner-up, which will likely be Mizzou or K-State.
Texasbowl_non_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Northwestern_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Baylor_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Through 7 teams, this is the deepest Big Ten conference in years. 
Dallasclassic_2010_sm_medium_medium Purdue_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Southern_methodist_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium I think that Purdue gets to six wins while Illinois is stuck at five. That said, the Boilers better improve starting now if they want to get here.
Littlecaesarsbowl_2009_sm_medium_medium_medium_medium Temple_old8_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Troy_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium The Big Ten can't fill it's spot, and the Pizza Bowl is obligated to the second choice from the Sun Belt when that happens.
Images_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium Illinois_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium

Indiana_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium

Minnesota_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium_medium

When you can't get to six wins, you know that you'll spend the bowl season On the Couch with the Queso Bowl (now sponsored by Ro*Tel).  

Minnesota. Oh, Minnesota. Considering the competitiveness of your games, maybe it's time to ditch the traveling trophies with Iowa and Wisconsin and start playing for trophies against the Dakota schools?