Alright, so Camerun Peoples rushed for 317 yards and five touchdowns on the totally, predictably porous North Texas Mean Green, and Appalachian St. Mountaineers cruised to a 56-28 win in the Myrtle Beach Bowl over hapless under .500 competition.

Moving on.

We’re rewarded with TWO bowl games today, and...guys, these should be fun. Lots of “Who knows?” in the mid-afternoon opener, with ALL THE POINTS from Boca Raton. I’m fortunate enough that my gal will be upstairs with The Bachelorette season finale going, and I’ll be barricaded in the basement with pizza, a few crowlers from Bent Brewstillery in Roseville, and all the points I can watch.

BOWL GAMES

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Tulane Green Wave (6-5) vs. Nevada Wolf Pack (6-2)

Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
2:30pm | ESPN | Tulane -1.5 | O/U 56

Tulane, a noted Don’t Watch This; Watch That Team of Choice™, remains a complete roulette wheel capable of blowing out or losing to just about anyone. Nevada, with its only two losses to Hawaii on the road and UNDEFEATED San Jose State, has shown a propensity for the tight game as well.

And both teams can score.

All that gives us a game where I’ll quietly slap a few bucks on the over and watch to enjoy.

Tulane, with Willie Fritz’s wacky triple option-spread hybrid, actually has a quarterback this year who can chuck it around a bit—Michael Pratt, who looks woefully out of place on a football field, tossed 19 TDs against just 5 interceptions with big play receiving threats and All-Name Teamers Duece Watts and Phat Watts making this passing attack a boom-or-bust proposition.

That, of course, is set up by the Green Wave crashing over and over with the run: Stephon Huderson and Cameron Carroll both can throw their weight around; the list goes on, with Amare Jones and Tyjae Spears both providing carries AND Pratt a threat to tuck and run. The Wolf Pack not only struggled to slow down Wyoming’s rush attack, but allowed 200 yards to San Jose State as well—I like Tulane to be able to move the ball.

Of course, the Pack will huck it around, too. While Toa Taua is a solid back, supported by 235-pound bruiser Devonte Lee in the Nevada backfield, all eyes should be on Carson Strong and his big-play threats of Romeo Doubs and Tory Horton. What’s more, Jay Norvell’s offense makes good use of TE Cole Turner, the Pack’s second-leading receiver on the year.

Speed and discipline have given the Wave some problems, and Nevada can provide at least some of the former. I like this one to stay interesting, but Tulane’s offense is so all over the board that your guess is as good as mine.

Also, please remember what happens to the winning coach:

Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports

Boca Raton Bowl

UCF Knights (6-3) vs. #16 BYU Cougars (10-1)

FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
6pm | ESPN | BYU -6 | O/U 76.5

According to FEI, we’ve got two of the top 10 offenses in the country here. Is it any wonder the total is pushing 77?

UCF lost its three games this year—to Tulsa, at Memphis, and to #7 Cincinnati—by a combined 12 points. The Citronauts blew out Georgia Tech to open the year, smashed Tulane, Houston, and Temple in back-to-back weeks, and played a 58-46 scorcher with USF in the War on I-4 to close out the year.

BYU beat no one except a mediocre Boise State and San Diego State, then lost at Coastal Carolina in their one big test of the year. Damn shame, that.

So why not get them together on a Tuesday night in sunny Boca Raton and just get weird?

The Cougars bring in one of the best offenses in the country—Zach Wilson is going to get the ball to Dax Milne whether you like it or not, and Tyler Allgeier can break it on the ground—and yes, the Cougs have a couple Romneys as well. The ‘Nauts replaced the now-transferred McKenzie Milton with another Flyin’ Hawaiian, Dillon Gabriel, who tossed a STUPID 30 TD-4 INT line while also giving it to Greg McCrae and Otis Anderson to pretend Josh Heupel cares about something like “balance” in his offense.

UCF goes five-deep at WR, with Marlon Williams (71 rec. for 1039 and 10 TDs) doing the bulk of the lifting, but Jaylon Robinson (51 for 935, 5 TDs) and Jacob Harris (26 for 472, 7 TDs) lifting the lid on coverages as well. This game will be 21-14 at the end of the first quarter, or you get your money back.

Look, I have no faith in the UCF defense to stop payment on a check—holy shit I just dated myself but I can’t edit this out, can I?—let alone the Wilson-to-Milne connection. But Allgeier has been fighting some sort of illness and WR Gunnar Romney—I know, and I’m sorry—has a lingering head injury. Should the Cougs be down a few bodies, playing across the country and against the second REAL opponent of their season, maybe I can see it. But a touchdown BYU win here sounds about right. Let’s hope they crack 100 on the total.

College Hoops

There’s some of this on, too! I can’t be bothered to actually preview Big Ten basketball or wrangle those who know more about it than I—though suck it, Sparty!—so a half-assed schedule is what you get.

No logic to these besides “I think they could be good games” or “Hey this looks like good and stupid basketball that’s on a weird channel or at a weird time”. 24 hours until final grades are in and I can pretend I know something about anything again.

Maine Black Bears at Boston College

11am | ACCN

SEMO State Redhawks at Indiana State Sycamores

12pm | ESPN3 | INSt -12 | O/U 141.5

May you live your life as excitedly as the SEMO State play-by-play man did when the Hawks knocked off A-Sun favorite Lipscomb a couple weeks ago (and yes, I watched this game):

Nicole Auerbach had a line yesterday—I think on Twitter but I’ll be assed if I’m doing research—about how Chris Vannini watches the most G5 football/sports out of anyone she knows and I will take that bet, ma’am and sir.

Niagara Purple Eagles at Albany Great Danes

2pm | ESPN+ | Albany -2.5 | O/U 129.5

Purple Eagles basketball. CATCH. THE. FEVER.

Presbyterian Blue Hose at The Citadel Bulldogs
2pm | ESPN+ | Cit -5.5 | O/U 151.5

The Citadel is 6-0, yet rates in Kenpom, well...uh...

A brief look at how the Bulldogs got to 6-0!

Amazing. This game will be fast and stupid and I’ll tune in for a minute, sure.

Idaho State Bengals at Northern Colorado Bears

3pm | PlutoTV Ch. 1059 | UNC -10 | O/U 134

1. Real shoutout here to the REAL UNC.
2. Get it on your TV right now. PlutoTV. It’s free. You can watch old episodes of Degrassi and Real World Road Rules Challenge and Doctor Who, then you can flip over and catch all the best in Big Sky Conference basketball. Do it now. You won’t be sorry.

Nebraska at #9 wisconsin

6pm | FS1 | wisc -16 | O/U 142

Who knew Big Ten basketball was still happening?

#15 Texas Tech at Oklahoma

6pm | ESPN2 | TTU -2.5 | O/U 136.5

k you know what forget either of these two; the BIG GAME IS ON:

North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Drake Bulldogs

6pm | ESPN+ | Drake -14.5 | O/U 140.5

WOOF WOOF, WEAR THE D

THAT’S RIGHT, YOUR DRAKE BULLDOGS ARE 6-0 AND THEY’RE COMING FOR YOU, BABY.

Are the Hawkeyes ducking them? Yep.

Are the Gophers ducking them? Yep.

Are the Cyclones ducking them? Yep, though they just picked up a transitive loss to Fort Hayes State, so maybe Drake’s a bit out of their league.

Darian DeVries has the Blue and White HUMMING right now, with Green Bay senior transfer ShanQuen Hemphill having been a revelation alongside G Roman Penn, who not only dropped 25 on South Dakota but continues to dole out 6.5 assists a game. Add to that the continued solid play of Tremell Murphy and an inside presence in F Darnell Brodie—who’s replaced transfer Liam Robbins who I totally don’t miss or resent, no sir—and the Bulldogs are gonna make some noise in the Valley.

YOU HEAR THAT, LOYOLA? BRING ON FATS MCCRUTWICK.

anywho the rest of the night is a wash, here are a few other games and then your open thread:

La Salle Explorers at Maryland

6pm | BTN | MD -16.5 | O/U 133.5

#7 West Virginia at #3 Kansas

8pm | ESPN2 | KU -2 | O/U 139

Purdue at #4 Iowa

8pm | BTN | Iowa -6.5 | O/U 154.5

TOO BUSY DUCKING DRAKE WITH SOME INDIANA CUPCAKES, HUH, HOKS? DON’T WANT NONE OF THE 515.

/Glass Shatters

BY GAWD, THAT’S BOILERBETTOR’S MUSIC!

BoilerBettor: Just hold the goddamn phone a second. I make a fucking flawless prediction on the Purdue-Ohio State game and followed it up with this for the Purdue-Fuck Notre Dame game at the Crossroads Classic:

I don’t know how many times I have to say that I hate this damn event. Fans, no fans, doesn’t matter. Purdue is fucking awful (2-7) in this event. That said, the Boilers will likely be favored against fuck Notre Dame. This is another game of whether or not Trevion Williams and Zach Edey can stay out of foul trouble. The Irish do have some size in the post so this will be a different look that Trevion probably won’t be able to no-look pass to open guys cutting to the rim (seriously though, dude was dealin’ against the Buckeyes). Jaden Ivey returned from injury against Ohio State so his athleticism along with Eric Hunter will be key as Purdue’s guard play has been a weak point, to say the least. If the bigs stay on the court, good things happen. If not, it’s going to be on Stefanovic and Hunter to bomb away from Circle Center to keep the Boilers in it. Given this isn’t Mackey Arena and Purdue’s record in this event, I’m hesitant to predict a W.

Oh, look, I fuckin’ nailed it again. So, since I’m sitting here twiddling my thumbs at the most worthless week at work. Here’s my preview of Purdue’s tilt against Iowa (you’re welcome):

Purdue rides into Iowa City feelin’ pretty damn good. A win over Ohio State followed by an unexpected win against Fuck Notre Dame has to have Matt Painter’s Crew in a good place. Now comes the real test. A trip to Iowa City. And honestly, I expect Iowa to flat outshoot Purdue in this one. Garza should be able to get Trevion Williams and Zach Edey into foul trouble. At least, I expect this to be the case. And while I think Sasha should be able to keep Purdue in this one, Iowa’s just got too much firepower (even with their shaky defense). Iowa rolls late and covers.

Saint Mary’s Gaels at San Diego State Aztecs

8pm | CBSSN | SDSU -2.5 | O/U 125.5

If you want tackle basketball, here it is.

North Dakota State Bison at TCU
8pm | ESPNU | TCU -12 | O/U 127

Why would you put this game on national television?

Colorado vs. Grand Canyon Antelopes

10pm | Pac-12 | Colo -10 | 138
Far West Classic: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas

No idea. I don’t get Pac-12 Network anymore, a fact that seriously bums me out.

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Leave your picks above or in the comments, and enjoy the open thread. Happy Tuesday, kids.