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Good morning, OTE! It's your second-favorite Northwestern writer, bringing you a place to talk about the myriad sporting events for this Saturday. As we embark on the most wonderful time of the year, bowl season, there's more than enough to talk about today. Here's your thread to do that!
All times Central, you damn heathens.
Football
Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl
Alcorn State vs. North Carolina A&T || 11am, ABC
Forgot about this one. Sorry! Tune in!
Gildan New Mexico Bowl
Arizona (-9) vs. New Mexico || 1pm, ESPN
Prediction: Arizona, 31-21
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl
#22 Utah (-2.5) vs. BYU || 2:30pm, ABC
It's the Holy War. Unless your squeakyfouls team of choice is playing, you gotta at least tune in to this one to see if proper Utah civility turns into an on-field brawl in Bronco Mendenhall's farewell. Let's check in from Vegas...
HOLY WAR pic.twitter.com/Lmn7wxlsda
— Matt Brown (@MattSBN) December 19, 2015
Oh.
Prediction: Utah, 27-24
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
Ohio vs. Appalachian State (-7.5) || 4:30pm, ESPN2
MACtion meets FUNBELT! This is what it's all about, kids. The high-flying Mountaineers offense should be able to get their points on the Bobcats, and we'll see if Solich's crew can keep up.
Prediction: Appalachian State, 40-28
AutoNation Cure Bowl
San Jose State (-1) vs. Georgia State || 6pm, CBSSN
These are two teams that probably shouldn't be in a bowl. The Spartans are 5-7 and qualified by virtue of APR, while the Panthers somehow upset the heavily-favored Georgia Southern Eagles in an apparent rivalry game. Watch this game -- if you dare!
Prediction: Georgia State, 28-27 on some stupid ending, I hope!
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Arkansas State vs. Louisiana Tech (-1.5) || 8pm, ESPN
Somehow, if the Ragin' Cajuns aren't playing at the Carrier Dome, this one just doesn't feel the same. But when in doubt, take the home team.
Prediction: Louisiana Tech, 34-31
Shootyhoops
#1 Michigan State (-8.5) at Northeastern
11:30am, NBCSN
Some MSU fan is gonna need to explain this one to me.
Prediction: MSU, 84-70
Northwestern (-3.5) at DePaul
1pm, FS1
It's the Battle for the Mayor's Key!* The 'Cats look to pass the last moderate test of their non-conference season against a streaky DePaul team. LincolnParkWildcat sets aside his purple in favor of blue and black today.
Prediction: Northwestern, 68-64
Notre Dame vs. Indiana (-1.5)
1pm, ESPN2
An exciting opener to the Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis. Both these teams are bowling, but there's no need to worry about that! Shootyhoops! Irish and Hoosiers! Which side of the jacket will IU basketball fans use today? TUNE IN!
I feel I should explain. When we did OTE predictions at the start of the season, I had the Hoosiers losing in this one. So I'm sticking to that; not for any particular reason save I'm too lazy to check in and see what's happened to ND basketball.
Prediction: Notre Dame, 86-80
South Dakota at Illinois (-10.5)
2pm, ESPN3
Beware, Illini. Beware.
--WhiteSpeedReceiver, probably
Prediction: Illinois, 80-64
#4 Kentucky (-10) vs. Ohio State
2:30pm, CBS
This one's at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Oh God not in the face. NOT IN THE FACE.
Prediction: Kentucky, 82-67
Drake vs. Iowa (-16)
3:30pm, ESPN3
Tune in to your computer or smartphone to watch some red-hot Hy-Vee Classic action, live from Des Moines! This serves as a nice little undercard to Iowa State-Northern Iowa, which is probably the game people actually want to see.
Prediction: Iowa, 81-58
#17 Butler vs. #9 Purdue (-4.5)
4pm, BTN
Now here's a game, and it follows what should be an exciting opener in the Crossroads Classic. We might find out if the Boilers are for real as they take on the hometown favorite, an under-the-radar Butler club which has gotten off to a solid start.
Prediction: Purdue, 63-56
Youngstown State at Michigan (-20.5)
5pm, ESPN3
I love the Youngstown State mascot.
Prediction: Michigan, 78-60
Princeton at #6 Maryland (-12.5)
6pm, BTN
Checking in with Maryland football:
Maryland just got a commitment from a 27-year-old Australian punter who got BANNED FROM THE AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, life is great
— Pete Volk (@Pete_Volk) December 19, 2015
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Prediction: Maryland, 74-59
Penn State (-5.5) at Drexel
6pm, No TV
Live from the Palestra, no one cares!
Prediction: Penn State, 64-50
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Usual rules apply: No illegal threads, no porn, no being a jackwagon. Don't ruin bowl season for the rest of us -- football football football football!