WAYNE ROOT
TODAY AND TOMORROW (Wednesday) BOWL GAMES
MILLIONAIRES--STANFORD
---------------------
PERFECT PLAY---NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame started the season 6-0 and there was plenty of talk about the Fighting Irish qualifying for a spot in the first College Football Playoff. Defense was the major issue down the stretch. Notre Dame surrendered an average of 41.3 points a game over their final six games. Senior QB Everett Golson was outstanding this season, throwing for 3355 yards and 29 touchdowns. For the season, Notre Dame ranks 16th in passing offense, 83rd in rushing offense, and 41st in scoring offense at 33 points per game.
The LSU Tigers knew coming into this season that they were probably a year away from competing for an SEC Title. The Tigers were very young this season, especially at the skill positions. Sophomore QB Anthony Jennings struggled to read defenses while throwing for 1460 yards to go along with ten touchdowns and seven interceptions. Jennings only topped 200 yards in passing once this season. Freshman RB Leonard Fournette led LSU in rushing with 891 yards and eight touchdowns. For the season, LSU ranked 116th in passing offense, 29th in rushing offense, and 75th in scoring offense at 27.6 points per game. Not impressive numbers. Brian Kelly and his Fighting Irish squad have a lot to prove after the way they finished the season. I think defensively they can be better against an LSU attack that will likely come straight ahead. Look for Everett Golson to be the difference and spring Notre Dame to the outright win. TAKE NOTRE DAME
------------------
INNER CIRCLE--LOUISVILLE
Head coach Mark Richt has done a fine job leading his Bulldogs to another successful season despite their many injuries. Georgia had the talent to win the SEC East, but the suspension and then season ending injury to RB Todd Gurley put an end to that possibility. True freshman RB Nick Chubb stepped up in Gurley’s absence and ran for 1281 yards and 12 touchdowns. Senior QB Hutson Mason does a good job managing the offense and limiting his mistakes. He has thrown for 20 touchdowns and just four interceptions on the season. For the season, Georgia ranks 88th in passing offense, 13th in rushing offense, and 8th in scoring offense at 41.7 points per game.The Louisville Cardinals enjoyed an outstanding season after the departure of QB Teddy Bridgewater to the NFL. Head coach Bobby Petrino was brought back for a second stint, after Charlie Strong bolted Louisville for the greener pastures of Texas. Louisville fans were hoping Petrino could bring back the kind of offensive success he experienced previously. However, it was the Cardinals’ defense that was the story this year. Senior WR DeVante Parker is Louisville’s most dynamic offensive threat. After missing the first seven games due to injury, Parker returned to catch 35 passes for 735 yards and five touchdowns over the last five weeks of the season. Louisville ranks 6th in total defense and allow an average of 20.5 points. Georgia will have no answer for Parker and meanwhile the Cardinal defense will get things done. TAKE LOUISVILLE
____________________________________________
WEDNESDAY
MILLIONAIRES--BOISE ST.
-------------------
PERFECT PLAY--MISSISSIPPI STATE; Bowl Favorite of Year
On New Year’s Eve, the 7th ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs will tangle with the 12th ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Capitol One Orange Bowl. Mississippi State made great strides this season and spent a couple of weeks as the #1 team in the country. However, losses at Alabama and Ole Miss in their final three games took away their chance of competing in the inaugural College Football Playoffs. The Bulldogs are led on offense by junior QB Dak Prescott. Prescott threw for almost 3,000 yards and rushed for nearly 1,000 to go along with 37 total touchdowns. Junior RB Josh Robinson amassed 1128 rushing yards and scored 11 touchdowns to compliment their offense. For Georgia Tech, they played their game against Florida St and came up short. Georgia Tech ranks 65th in total defense and allow an average of 25.1 points per game. Expect plenty of points and in this high scoring affair, the favorite will cover. TAKE MISS ST
---------------------
Pinnacle--MISSISSIPPI; BOWL GAME OF YEAR
This year’s Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl will feature and exciting matchup between the Ole Miss Rebels and TCU Horned Frogs.
Ole Miss started the season 7-0 and looked poised to be one of the four playoff teams in College Football’s inaugural playoff. Unfortunately, three straight SEC losses at the hands of LSU, Auburn, and Arkansas derailed the Rebels chances. The play that defined the season for Ole Miss was when WR LaQuon Treadwell appeared to have scored the go ahead touchdown late against Auburn. However, replay determined that he fumbled the ball before crossing the goal line and was lost for the season with a leg injury on the play. For the season, Ole Miss ranks 31st in passing offense, 60th in rushing offense, and 57th in scoring offense. The TCU Horned Frogs were the darlings of college football in many ways this season. TCU featured a new and exciting spread attack on offense that resulted in lots of points. Junior QB Trevone Boykin leads the offense with 3714 passing yards and 30 touchdowns. Boykin is a duel-threat QB that rushed for 642 yards and eight touchdowns as well. TCU was crowned co-champions of the Big 12 with Baylor, despite losing 61-58 to the Bears in the middle of the season. In the end, the playoff selection committee gave the nod to Ohio State over TCU and Baylor for the fourth and final playoff spot. Emotionally this will not bode well for TCU. Look for the Ole Miss defense to be able to stop TCU's offense. TAKE MISSISSIPPI.
TODAY AND TOMORROW (Wednesday) BOWL GAMES
MILLIONAIRES--STANFORD
---------------------
PERFECT PLAY---NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame started the season 6-0 and there was plenty of talk about the Fighting Irish qualifying for a spot in the first College Football Playoff. Defense was the major issue down the stretch. Notre Dame surrendered an average of 41.3 points a game over their final six games. Senior QB Everett Golson was outstanding this season, throwing for 3355 yards and 29 touchdowns. For the season, Notre Dame ranks 16th in passing offense, 83rd in rushing offense, and 41st in scoring offense at 33 points per game.
The LSU Tigers knew coming into this season that they were probably a year away from competing for an SEC Title. The Tigers were very young this season, especially at the skill positions. Sophomore QB Anthony Jennings struggled to read defenses while throwing for 1460 yards to go along with ten touchdowns and seven interceptions. Jennings only topped 200 yards in passing once this season. Freshman RB Leonard Fournette led LSU in rushing with 891 yards and eight touchdowns. For the season, LSU ranked 116th in passing offense, 29th in rushing offense, and 75th in scoring offense at 27.6 points per game. Not impressive numbers. Brian Kelly and his Fighting Irish squad have a lot to prove after the way they finished the season. I think defensively they can be better against an LSU attack that will likely come straight ahead. Look for Everett Golson to be the difference and spring Notre Dame to the outright win. TAKE NOTRE DAME
------------------
INNER CIRCLE--LOUISVILLE
Head coach Mark Richt has done a fine job leading his Bulldogs to another successful season despite their many injuries. Georgia had the talent to win the SEC East, but the suspension and then season ending injury to RB Todd Gurley put an end to that possibility. True freshman RB Nick Chubb stepped up in Gurley’s absence and ran for 1281 yards and 12 touchdowns. Senior QB Hutson Mason does a good job managing the offense and limiting his mistakes. He has thrown for 20 touchdowns and just four interceptions on the season. For the season, Georgia ranks 88th in passing offense, 13th in rushing offense, and 8th in scoring offense at 41.7 points per game.The Louisville Cardinals enjoyed an outstanding season after the departure of QB Teddy Bridgewater to the NFL. Head coach Bobby Petrino was brought back for a second stint, after Charlie Strong bolted Louisville for the greener pastures of Texas. Louisville fans were hoping Petrino could bring back the kind of offensive success he experienced previously. However, it was the Cardinals’ defense that was the story this year. Senior WR DeVante Parker is Louisville’s most dynamic offensive threat. After missing the first seven games due to injury, Parker returned to catch 35 passes for 735 yards and five touchdowns over the last five weeks of the season. Louisville ranks 6th in total defense and allow an average of 20.5 points. Georgia will have no answer for Parker and meanwhile the Cardinal defense will get things done. TAKE LOUISVILLE
____________________________________________
WEDNESDAY
MILLIONAIRES--BOISE ST.
-------------------
PERFECT PLAY--MISSISSIPPI STATE; Bowl Favorite of Year
On New Year’s Eve, the 7th ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs will tangle with the 12th ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Capitol One Orange Bowl. Mississippi State made great strides this season and spent a couple of weeks as the #1 team in the country. However, losses at Alabama and Ole Miss in their final three games took away their chance of competing in the inaugural College Football Playoffs. The Bulldogs are led on offense by junior QB Dak Prescott. Prescott threw for almost 3,000 yards and rushed for nearly 1,000 to go along with 37 total touchdowns. Junior RB Josh Robinson amassed 1128 rushing yards and scored 11 touchdowns to compliment their offense. For Georgia Tech, they played their game against Florida St and came up short. Georgia Tech ranks 65th in total defense and allow an average of 25.1 points per game. Expect plenty of points and in this high scoring affair, the favorite will cover. TAKE MISS ST
---------------------
Pinnacle--MISSISSIPPI; BOWL GAME OF YEAR
This year’s Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl will feature and exciting matchup between the Ole Miss Rebels and TCU Horned Frogs.
Ole Miss started the season 7-0 and looked poised to be one of the four playoff teams in College Football’s inaugural playoff. Unfortunately, three straight SEC losses at the hands of LSU, Auburn, and Arkansas derailed the Rebels chances. The play that defined the season for Ole Miss was when WR LaQuon Treadwell appeared to have scored the go ahead touchdown late against Auburn. However, replay determined that he fumbled the ball before crossing the goal line and was lost for the season with a leg injury on the play. For the season, Ole Miss ranks 31st in passing offense, 60th in rushing offense, and 57th in scoring offense. The TCU Horned Frogs were the darlings of college football in many ways this season. TCU featured a new and exciting spread attack on offense that resulted in lots of points. Junior QB Trevone Boykin leads the offense with 3714 passing yards and 30 touchdowns. Boykin is a duel-threat QB that rushed for 642 yards and eight touchdowns as well. TCU was crowned co-champions of the Big 12 with Baylor, despite losing 61-58 to the Bears in the middle of the season. In the end, the playoff selection committee gave the nod to Ohio State over TCU and Baylor for the fourth and final playoff spot. Emotionally this will not bode well for TCU. Look for the Ole Miss defense to be able to stop TCU's offense. TAKE MISSISSIPPI.
HARRY BONDI
College Football Bonus Play
Belk Bowl
LOUISVILLE (+7) over Georgia
6:30 p.m. ET
Any time we can get a touchdown head start with a defense as good as Louisville we love our chances to cash a winning ticket. The Cardinals allow just 17 points per game and have the third-best rushing defense in the country. They were also tied for the most interceptions in the country this season. Meanwhile, the Georgia defense has allowed 28 points per game on the road this season. Head coach Mark Richt has lost four of his last five bowl games and over the last three years he is just 1-6 ATS with more than two weeks to prepare for a game. Take the points with the better defense and the better coach.
College Football Bonus Play
Belk Bowl
LOUISVILLE (+7) over Georgia
6:30 p.m. ET
Any time we can get a touchdown head start with a defense as good as Louisville we love our chances to cash a winning ticket. The Cardinals allow just 17 points per game and have the third-best rushing defense in the country. They were also tied for the most interceptions in the country this season. Meanwhile, the Georgia defense has allowed 28 points per game on the road this season. Head coach Mark Richt has lost four of his last five bowl games and over the last three years he is just 1-6 ATS with more than two weeks to prepare for a game. Take the points with the better defense and the better coach.
