Posted by Higgy Today at 5 p.m. central time, our beloved Golden Gophers square off against the Syracuse Orangemen in the Texas Bowl. It's an interesting matchup, as these two teams just played last season in an unforgettable night game at The Bank. Since it was the only night game on the slate, the Section 117 Classy Gentlemen felt it was worthy of an extra-special effort. Translation: steak and lobster tailgate, Gopher-themed tuxes and top hats and lots and lots of money carlessley tossed throughout Section 117. It worked. Minnesota won a thriller. To top it off, two of the Classy Gentlewomen in our group that day - Mel and Dani - met a U of M staffer while waiting in line to use the Victory Lot "bathrooms." They proceeded to charm this individual into handing over a pair of field passes, resulting in the Classy Gentlemen each taking a turn to roam the TCF Bank Stadium turf. Bruiser and Big Party got a shout-out from President Eric Kaler, Kellen triumphantly hi-fived the entire front row of the student section, and myself and Uptown Magsh (not to be confused with Magsh or Brooks Magsh) wandered into the Gophers' offensive huddle and were questioned by security about how the heck individuals like us made it onto the field with the proper credentials. Here's a quick look at some of the highlights from that glorious day. The 'Cuse will be happy to learn that the Gentlemen couldn't swing the trip to Houston, so this time the sidelines will be safe. However, this look back will hopefully bring a similar result.
Enjoy today's Bowl Game, Gopher Nation, wherever you may be watching it. Here's to hoping we all have one more Christmas present coming our way ...
When your tailgating tent gets destroyed, turn the topper into a Gopher cape!
Lobster tails. Bacon-wrapped filets.
God made sure Magsh had enough light to properly prepare the feast.
First the lobsters ... then the Orangemen!
Life on the other side of 117.
Night game + The Bank = Magic.
"Which lucky cheerleaders want a picture with us?!"
-Uptown Magsh (actual quote)
Uptown Magsh likes the play call.
Field view of a victory.
Classin' up the Gopher sideline.
The student section became big fans of us.
Just another Classy game in Section 117.
Finally, as kickoff nears, Recession Proof brings you one final prediction for today's Texas Bowl. We'd like to welcome honorary Classy Gentleman and new Gopher video blogger, Clubber Lang.
As our beloved team gets prepared to make some orange juice
this afternoon in Houston, several members of the Section 117 Classy Gentlemen
took our Classy Predictions to a new level during bowl season, offering a prediction
for each game involving a B1G team and each BCS game as well. Well, three of us picked the B1G & BCS and
two more picked B1G games only. Let's see who's the smartest! Here's a shocking
hint ... maroon and gold was a popular pick. Bucky and Iowa were not. Who
would've guessed that from this crew?! (FYI - Each person's name is linked to their full preview write-up if you're craving more analysis prior to Texas Bowl kickoff.)
Who do you think has the best bowl predictions? Who do you
think will win the games? Join in the fun in our comments section. Otherwise,
we'll return you to your regularly scheduled pregame routine as we all prepare
for the Texas Bowl and, hopefully, a ninth-win for our beloved squad.
Ski-U-Mah!
CLASSY PREDICTIONS:
B1G & BCS BOWL GAMES
HIGGY
Texas Bowl - Dec. 27 - Minnesota vs. Syracuse - Winner: MINNESOTABuffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Dec. 28 - Michigan vs. Kansas
State - Winner: MICHIGAN Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl - Jan. 1 - Nebraska vs. Georgia
- Winner: GEORGIA Outback Bowl - Jan. 1 - Iowa vs. LSU - Winner:LSU Capital One Bowl - Jan. 1 - Wisconsin vs. South Carolina
- Winner: SOUTH CAROLINA Rose Bowl - Jan. 1 - Michigan State vs. Stanford -
Winner: MICHIGAN STATE Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Jan. 1 - UCF vs. Baylor - Winner: BAYLOR Allstate Sugar Bowl - Jan. 2 - Oklahoma vs. Alabama -
Winner: ALABAMA At&T Cotton Bowl - Jan. 3 - Oklahoma State vs.
Missouri - Winner: OKLAHOMA STATE Discover Orange Bowl - Jan. 3 - Clemson vs. Ohio State -
Winner: OHIO STATE Vizio BCS National Championship - Jan. 6 - Florida State
vs. Auburn: Winner: FLORIDA STATE FLONY Texas Bowl - Dec. 27 - Minnesota vs. Syracuse - Winner: MINNESOTA Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Dec. 28 - Michigan vs. Kansas
State - Winner: MICHIGAN Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl - Jan. 1 - Nebraska vs. Georgia
- Winner: GEORGIA Outback Bowl - Jan. 1 - Iowa vs. LSU - Winner: LSU Capital One Bowl - Jan. 1 - Wisconsin vs. South Carolina
- Winner: SOUTH CAROLINA Rose Bowl - Jan. 1 - Michigan State vs. Stanford -
Winner: MICHIGAN STATE Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Jan. 1 - UCF vs. Baylor - Winner: BAYLOR Allstate Sugar Bowl - Jan. 2 - Oklahoma vs. Alabama -
Winner: ALABAMA At&T Cotton Bowl - Jan. 3 - Oklahoma State vs.
Missouri - Winner: OKLAHOMA STATE Discover Orange Bowl - Jan. 3 - Clemson vs. Ohio State -
Winner: CLEMSON Vizio BCS National Championship - Jan. 6 - Florida State
vs. Auburn: Winner: FLORIDA STATE
This season, the Recession Proof blog sparked our interest
to get more integrated with the Gopher community on Gopher Hole, which led to
our new friendship with Jon Tortomasi, also known to the Maroon and Gold
community as Gopher Bandanna Guy. We invited him to join our weekly prediction
segment, and his witty banter, Gopher fandom and close approximation to Section
117 (perched above us in 219) made him a perfect fit with the Classy Gentlemen.
Here's his prediction for the Texas Bowl and the other B1G and BCS games.
Thanks for joining our wacky fun, GBG!
Happy Holidaze Gopher Friends and Family! Here’s to
those who wish us well, and those who don’t can go to hell! Any and all
disappointment about being passed over for Nebraska at the Gator Bowl has
passed, and this Gopher bandanna-wearing fool is fired up to smack Syracuse in
the mouth and run off with the Texas Bowl title. Brick by Brick
y’all, and this lower-tier bowl is just that. Another brick in the
program to build upon. Let’s carry some momentum in to the 2014 season!
When we first drew
Syracuse as our opponent, my gut reaction was ‘Gopher domination’ for this
game, given our common opponents. Then over the following days, I
tempered that thought as I learned a bit more about Syracuse and heard from
some of their more reasoned fans. But more recently, I’ve reverted back
to my original position. Maybe it’s the Christmas cheer talking,
but we will dominate this game and it will not be pleasant for the Orange.
My reasons for this
conclusion are three-fold. First and foremost, the Gophers have shown
they can run the ball effectively against the some of the best defenses in the
country (Michigan State, anyone?). With all cylinders firing, it seems
likely that the Gophers will be able to execute their ball control offense
against a less impressive defense like Syracuse’s. Second, the Gopher
defense has been absolutely stout in the second half of the season, they tackle
as a unit, and don’t take a lot of risks. Coach Kill and Co. will come up
with an effective scheme to stop Orange QB Terrel Hunt and RB Jerome Smith. And
third, the Orange are not a very disciplined team, and rack up the yellow
flags. This fact, combined with the Gopher’s excellent punting unit
means, lots of long fields for the defense to work with in getting the ball
back.
My only wildcard here is
turnovers. The Gophers keep it to 1 or less, they take this game
easily. They get careless with the ball multiple times, or Nelson’s
sporadic inaccuracy rears its ugly head at the wrong time/place, and this game
becomes a tight one (but still winnable for the Gophs). Given the Gophs
low turnover totals for 2013 on the whole, I’ll wager we’ll be looking at the
former, and minimal turnovers. A final note that makes me even more
confident, is the fact that the Orange’s top defensive back and playmaker,
safety Durell Eskeridge will not be playing.
MINNESOTA 31, SYRACUSE 13
Gopher Bandanna
Guy's B1G & BCS Bowl Predictions
Texas Bowl - Dec. 27 - Minnesota vs. Syracuse - Winner: Minnesota
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Dec. 28 - Michigan vs. Kansas State - Winner:Kansas State
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl - Jan. 1 - Nebraska vs. Georgia - Winner:Georgia
Outback Bowl - Jan. 1 - Iowa vs. LSU - Winner:LSU
Capital One Bowl - Jan. 1 - Wisconsin vs. South Carolina - Winner:South Carolina
Rose Bowl - Jan. 1 - Michigan State vs. Stanford - Winner:Michigan State
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Jan. 1 - UCF vs. Baylor - Winner: UCF
Allstate Sugar Bowl - Jan. 2 - Oklahoma vs. Alabama - Winner:Alabama
At&T Cotton Bowl - Jan. 3 - Oklahoma State vs. Missouri - Winner:Missouri
Discover Orange Bowl - Jan. 3 - Clemson vs. Ohio State - Winner:Ohio State
Vizio BCS National Championship - Jan. 6 - Florida State vs. Auburn: Winner:FSU
Use the links below
to navigate to any of the already-posted Classy Bowl Predictions, and check
back later today and tomorrow for more predictions from your favorite maroon
and gold top-hat-and-bow-tie gang. Happy Hollinsdays, Gopher friends!
A very Merry Christmas to all our families, friends and
fellow Gophers. We hope you enjoy our special Recession Proof Christmas card, with
Santa Jerry, Abominable Goldy, Constable Butler the Snowman and all Santa
Jerry's elves and reindeers, working hard to bring Gopher Nation a
sometimes-interesting and hopefully-entertaining look at our favorite football team. It's been great to create content about our favorite
squad, and we appreciate all our friends, families, the Gopher Hole community and
other Minnesota fans who have stopped by and given any of our posts a read.
We have one final Christmas gift from the Classy
Gentleman below. Enjoy! And a big Merry Christmas and Ski-U-Mah
from our family to yours!
'Twas the Night Before Gopher Christmas
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through
"The Bank"
Visitor lockers last used by the Badgers sure stank.
The Gophers have traveled to Houston with care,
In hopes that win number nine would be theirs.
Section 117, the third and fourth rows,
Were finally quiet and covered in snow.
The Classy Gentlemen stored their attire with care,
So their top hats and bow ties are ready next year.
The players were nestled all snug in their rooms,
For a Texas Bowl matchup with Syracuse looms.
Coach Kill and his staff watched film and made plans,
To earn that ninth win for all Gopher fans.
Limegrover drew up a book of new plays,
And the defensive plans were made by Coach Claeys.
The depth chart was finished for the bowl game,
And Kill called his talented players by name,
On Phillip, on Cobb, on Maxx and Ra'Shede!
On Donovahn, Damien, Aaron and Vereen!
On Murray, On Hawthorne, Epping and Mortell!
Let's get prepared to give Syracuse hell!
Back to Reliant, where we will cut loose!
And squeeze the Orangemen into fresh juice!
A win would give Gopher fans much Christmas cheer,
And fittingly end our remarkable year!
Four nonconference wins all came in a rout,
Then a pair of B1G losses created some doubt.
A needed week off and a break for Coach Kill,
Revealed our heart, our toughness and will.
Then at Northwestern we started a streak,
That featured a win in four-straight weeks.
Nebraska was beat by a great game plan,
And the field was stormed by all of the fans.
Philip and Maxx and Hill saved the day,
To beat Indiana in a game of huge plays.
Another win followed, and it was swell,
Beating Penn State and breaking The Bell.
Though losses to Bucky and Sparty did follow,
Our performances surely did not feel hollow.
The improvement is real, and we've got a chance,
To win even more and cause Jerry to dance.
'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through The
Bank,
Section 117 was still filled with great thanks.
Two-thousand thirteen has been quite a year,
Filled with Gopher pride and many a cheer.
Instead of a sleigh and some flying reindeer,
The Gentlemen hopped in a limo with beer.
And throughout Gopher Nation they shouted with glee,
"Merry Christmas to all, and Hats off to Thee!"
The Section 117 Classy Bowl Predictions rage on with a
mother-and-son combo platter on Christmas eve. The man of the house kicked off
the predictions last week, and now his wife and the youngest of the gentlemen
offer a look ahead to Friday's big game.
CLASSY BOWL
PREDICTION: MRS. MAGSH
Much like my husband, I do not like Syracuse. But for a much
different reason. I worked with a woman who graduated (allegedly) from said
university, and felt the need to boast about her affiliation with the Orangemen
at every opportunity, no matter how flimsy. Things like, “Oh, is that orange
juice you’re drinking? That’s cool. Did you know I went to Syracuse?” Stuff
like that gets old quick. I can only assume that everyone from Syracuse is just
as annoying, and that annoying people can’t be good at football because they’re
too busy being annoying to listen to coaching. Thus, the Gophers are the clear
favorite as far as I’m concerned.
MINNESOTA 21, SYRACUSE 3
CLASSY BOWL PREDICTION: BROOKS MAGSH
Every week before I call my bookie out in Vegas, whom I met
when I was there as an 18-week-old infant for the Gophers/UNLV tilt last year,
I do thorough statistical analysis to be sure my gut is leading me in the right
direction. When I checked out the tale of the tape in this one, I was surprised
to see how close things were. Minnesota’s rushing offense has been slightly
better, while its passing offense has been slightly worse. Syracuse’s rushing
defense is a decent amount better, while their passing defense is a decent
amount worse. So with no huge advantage for either team to exploit, I sense a
close game where coaching will play a big role. Jerry Kill and company have
shown plenty of guts to go along with smarts this season, and Doug Marrone
isn’t walking through that door for the Orangemen. No offense to Scott
Shaffer and his goofy headshot, but I give the edge to the Gophers.
MINNESOTA 24, SYRACUSE 21
Use the links below to navigate to any of the already-posted
Classy Bowl Predictions, and check back leading up to the game for more
predictions from your favorite maroon and gold top-hat-and-bow-tie gang. Merry
Christmas eve, Gopher friends!
A little late to the party, but not to worry. The Constable and Kellen's Classy Bowl Predictions are here.
Sparty looks like he could rip a tree out of the ground...or squish a Cardinal...or do something mean to whatever the hell Stanford actually is.
Rose Bowl Game Presented by Vizio, Jan. 1: Michigan State vs. Stanford A battle of top defenses eventually gives way to a late flurry of touchdowns. Tied 3-3 at the half, Stanford takes a 10-3 lead early in the 4th quarter and has another late score but Sparty manages two touchdowns and a field goal in the final 15 and comes away with a 20-17 victory.
Discover Orange Bowl, Jan. 3: Ohio State vs. Clemson
In a battle of bitterness over dashed hopes and dreams, Ohio
State’s defense sends Tajh Boyd to the sidelines early and walks away with a
relatively comfortable victory. After
being put in their place by Mark D’Antonio and the Spartan defense, B1G fans
will now have to see Buckeye fans’ arrogance begin to re-emerge. Ohio State 34, Clemson 17
Capital One Bowl, Jan. 1: Wisconsin vs. South Carolina
In another battle of disappointed fan bases, South Carolina
gets behind early and is unable to contain Melvin Gordon and James White for
much of the game. Steve Spurrier slams
his visor to the ground and wishes he’d spent more than 14 hours in the office
prepping for the game but ultimately the Gamecocks’ superior athletes provide
the come from behind victory. South Carolina
31, Wisconsin 28.
Outback Bowl, Jan. 1: Iowa vs. LSU
This will be the only B1G bowl game in which the team from
the north gets blown out. LSU is too
talented and too fast for the very traditional B1G defensive players the
Hawkeyes put on the field. LSU 35, Iowa
10
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Dec. 28: Michigan vs. Kansas State
To me, this may be the most difficult matchup to
predict. Both teams have been anything
but consistent but both are capable of playing really, really well at
times. If I had ever gotten good service
from a BW3 (yes, I’m still bitter about the mini corn dogs I ordered but didn’t
get in Ann Arbor in 2005), I might be more interested in this game. Michigan 27, K-State 24
TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, Jan. 1: Nebraska vs. Georgia
I desperately want Nebraska to win this game and for the
same reason as Big Party. Bo Pelini
brings entirely too much entertainment to the B1G for it to come to an end just
yet. Taylor Martinez plays his best game
of the year and Ameer Abdullah runs for 200+ to give the Huskers a close
victory in a shootout. Nebraska 38,
Georgia 35
Maxx goes for the jugular against Syracuse for the final go ahead TD in the second half.
Texas Bowl, Dec. 27, Minnesota vs. Syracuse
I saved the best for last just like I open my biggest
present last on Christmas morning.
Syracuse has demonstrated a relatively stout run defense so winning this
game will require Phil Nelson to make some plays with his arm. Good for him that Drew Wolitarsky and
Donovahn Jones just got an extra few weeks of practice. That time to polish the passing game shows
and Nelson shows that he’ll have three great targets next season in Jones,
Wolitarsky, and Maxx Williams. Combined
with David Cobb running for over 100 in a steady ground game, the Gophers pull
away in the second half. Minnesota 34,
Syracuse 24
Last but not least, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all from the Butler House and all of us at Recession Proof!
Gopher Santa has a bag full of new recruits for Jerry and company!
Posted by Big Party Hey, I’ll bat cleanup on the prediction front. I decided to give predictions for the full
B1G bowl gambit because I felt like it. I don’t need to justify myself to you.
As usual, my predictions will be short on in-depth analysis
and heavy on sarcasm. LET’S GET STARTED!
Texas Bowl, Dec. 27: Minnesota vs. Syracuse
The Gophers have a chance to be back to back
champs! No, I'm not talking about the football game. I’m talking about the the Rodeo
Bowl of course! Even though last
year’s Gophers were very close to besting the Texas Tech Red Raiders on the
field, isn't it even more impressive that a team from Minnesota beat a team from Texas in a rodeo games competition?
Those Syracuse punks from up-state New York don’t have a chance!
As for the Texas Bowl itself, I think the game will be much
more exciting than it’s shaping up to be on paper. Syracuse and Minnesota are both run first
teams that have pretty good defenses and uneven production from the quarterback
position. However, it was in this game last season the Gophers first lined up in the Maryland-I Golden-I. Also,
given an extra week to prepare for Nebraska earlier this year, Coach Limegrover
installed the jet sweep action and a whole mess (sorry to use such scientific
terminology) of pre-snap motion.
Basically, the point I’m trying to make here is that I think we’re in
for a few surprises from the Gopher offense.
The Gophers will hit on a couple gimmick plays early and
race out to a two touchdown lead. Syracuse
doesn’t have the offense to play from behind, and the Gophers will be able to
control the clock the rest of the way with a strong ground game.
Minnesota 27, Syracuse 13
Rose Bowl Game Presented by VIZIO, Jan. 1: Michigan State
vs. Stanford
Pictured: Touchdown Jesus celebrating another flag on MSU.
Stanford won some big games in an overrated Pac -12, but they
also found ways to lose to Utah and the walking dead at USC. Meanwhile,
Michigan State was couple of questionable PI penalties against God’s Favorite Team
(Notre Dame) away from an undefeated season.
I like Michigan State to put a nice cherry on top of a pretty
spectacular season in a hard nosed, throwback Rose Bowl. Michigan State 17, Stanford 13
Discover Orange Bowl, Jan. 3: Ohio State vs. Clemson
Dark Lord of the Sith Urban Meyer and his team of ruffians
will come out on top against future former Minnesota Vikings QB Tajh Boyd in a
game full of offense. (For the nerds out there who know that Sith lords always come in twos, it's not hard to figure out who the other one is. Hint: It rhymes with Nick Saban.) Ohio State 45,
Clemson 41
Capital One Bowl, Jan. 1: Wisconsin vs. South Carolina
Both teams were potentially a laid egg (Penn State for UW and Tennessee for SC) and/or a bad kneel down away
from a berth in a BCS bowl. Despite both teams not quite reaching the heights they had hoped for, I think this could end up being one of the best bowl games this year.
Is Jadaveon
Clowney even playing anymore? (Checks ESPN.com) Yep, he is. Neat! I guess I haven’t heard much about him since
he tried to protect his future earnings potential by sitting out an unpaid game
earlier this year. I would venture to guess that the
people who cover college football lose interest in you as a story after you
blatantly show them that college football is not as important to you as the
NFL.
I respect this Badger team a lot and think that Borland,
Gordon, White, and Abbrederis will all get some play on Sundays, but I think
this is a loaded South Carolina team that will be looking for redemption in a
season of unmet expectations. South Carolina 31, Wisconsin 24
Outback Bowl, Jan. 1: Iowa vs. LSU
I don’t foresee many scenarios that keep the Hawkeyes in
this battle of tenuously tolerated coaches.
All four of the Hawkeye’s losses this year were to quality competition (NIU,
MSU, OSU, UW), but there is too much speed and too much talent on the only team
that beat Auburn this year. If LSU takes
the lead early, the Hawkeyes just don’t have the firepower to catch up. LSU 42, Iowa 20
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Dec. 28: Michigan vs. Kansas State
Note: Objects on the internet appear much larger than they actually are.
Finally, the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl draws a match-up
disappointing enough to accurately represent their restaurants! “Hey, this is going to be good,” you might
say to yourself while either entering a BW3’s or looking at Michigan or K
State’s prospects at the beginning of the year.
But then you see how expensive everything is and how small the wings are, and a feeling of malaise takes hold of you as the meal/season
progresses. The wing sauce is just good
enough to make you forget about how crappy everything else is, and both teams
showed just enough punch at the end of the year to make this game seem
interesting. However, Devin Gardner is just not a very good quarterback. Kansas State 28,
Michigan 20
TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, Jan. 1: Nebraska vs. Georgia
Quarterbacks? Who needs ‘em! Both of these teams suffered the misfortune of losing their star quarterbacks to injury this year (honestly, when was Taylor Martinez ever not injured?). Running backs Todd Gurley and Ameer Abdullah are studs, but Gurley is probably the better back and could carry Georgia to victory in this one. However, for comedic purposes, I want Nebraska to win this game. I want to live in a B1G that contains Bo
Pellini and the ire he inspires in the Husker faithful. Nebraska 30, Georgia 27
Welp, that's all I got for this year folks. I won't have the time to put together a recap after the Texas Bowl as I'll be in panic mode wrapping up loose ends before I leave the country for nearly a month. It has been a joy climbing a out of my comfort zone and into my first blogging experience. I still think it's bizarre that friends, classmates, and coworkers might actually read some of my meandering keyboard diarrhea (internet, you crazy!). I just hope something I wrote resonated with someone on some level, incited the occasional snicker, and made people wonder why this guy with the funny nickname over utilizes parentheses.
Be kind to others this holiday season and have a fantastic new year!
The Section 117 Classy Gentlemen predictions of the Gophers'
return trip to Houston for the newly-renamed Texas Bowl continue. Magsh started
the daily run of postseason predictions, and Flony followed yesterday with his
super-sized installment. Batting third ... Higgy.
An on-field celebration was
definitely an early Christmas present.
If you were so inclined to look up prestigious Syracuse
quarterbacks in the annals of history, you'd likely find the three most famous
to be Donovan McNabb, recently drafted Ryan Nassib and one-year transfer Greg
Paulus, who drew his fame as one of those Duke basketball players you love to
hate. (I'm guessing Josh McRoberts didn't follow to be Paulus' d-bag tight end because you can't see specially gelled hair under a helmet.) In
addition to being three of the most recognizable Orangemen to ever take a snap,
what else do these three wise men all have in common?
They lost to the Gophers.
McNabb couldn't stop Minnesota legend Tyrone Carter from
picking up fumbles and taking them back for touchdowns in a Gopher win over the
Orange in the Metrodome. Years later, Adam Weber outdueled Paulus in his first
game under center in an overtime thriller in New York, and last year the Gopher
defense and a lubed-up TCF Bank Stadium night crowd took down Nassib and the
Orange with a virtuoso defensive performance. A pair of field passes found
their way to the Classy Gentlemen for that one, following a tuxedoed
steak-and-lobster tailgate, so no doubt our presence on the field had a lot to
do with the big win.
The Orange will be pleased to learn the Classy Gentlemen
won't be in Houston, or on the field, this time around, but they can't feel
good that their top gunslingers have come up short against lesser Gopher teams.
Minnesota has a lot going for it in this game. It's familiar with the bowl and
its surroundings (and it has a rodeo bowl title to defend!) and last year's overachieving
performance in the narrow loss to Texas Tech gives us hope that Jerry and the
fellas can really use the time to prepare to our advantage.
Looking at common opponents, Minnesota beat a pair of teams
- Penn State and Northwestern - that beat the 'Cuse. However, I'm not one to
put much stock in transitive properties, especially regarding the Northwestern
game, as they were a much different team in the two games. Syracuse is proud of
its run defense, and its attacking front seven, but after playing Wisconsin and
Michigan State I'm guessing the Orange won't scare the Gophers.
Good news for the 'Cuse ...
we won't be roaming the sidelines this time.
Also - here's a wild card prediction - expect Minnesota to
really give the Syracuse defense fits with the running game ... at the
quarterback position. The Syracuse 56-0 loss to Georgia Tech is telling about
the Orange's vulnerability to a mobile QB, so expect both Full Nelson and The
Lamplighter to play and run. If they can do that early, everything else opens
up and we're off to the races. Defensively, our team has fared well against far
better offenses, and though switching to Terrell Hunt at QB has helped the
Orange improve, he's prone to interceptions. I think Brock Vereen goes out in
style with an interception, and the Optimus Prime era ends with a sack and a
couple additional tackles-for-a-loss.
Christmas came early for me when Santa delivered my No. 1
wish - a signature win for Minnesota. Fortunately, I got to unwrap that present
in October as we celebrated on the field following an amazing day where we
bested the Cornhuskers for the first time in my life. Now, I'm hoping Santa hid
another present under the tree for me to open on the 27th. Feel free to bet
against Santa. I refuse. Happy Holidays and Ski-U-Mah.
MINNESOTA 37,
SYRACUSE 17
We'll be revealing our picks for the rest of the B1G bowl
games and the BCS bowls as well the morning of the Texas Bowl, but I wanted to
share my predictions here. If anyone wants to join in our bowl season guessing
game, leave your predictions in the comments! I think the B1G has a tough draw
in many of the games, but hopefully Minnesota and a few others can represent
the conference well. It's particularly interesting that there are three New
Year's Day matchups vs. the SEC in addition to the Rose Bowl. Clemons vs. Ohio
State should be one of the more entertaining bowl games, and I'll be proudly
wearing my FSU shirt that I picked up on my multiple trips to visit Flony
during his college days. I hope the Noles fare better than they did on my trips
to Doak, which involved way more Tebow than I would've liked. Here goes
nothing...
Higgy's B1G &
BCS Bowl Predictions
Texas Bowl - Dec. 27 - Minnesota vs. Syracuse - Winner: Minnesota
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Dec. 28 - Michigan vs. Kansas State - Winner: Michigan
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl - Jan. 1 - Nebraska vs. Georgia - Winner: Georgia
Outback Bowl - Jan. 1 - Iowa vs. LSU - Winner: LSU
Capital One Bowl - Jan. 1 - Wisconsin vs. South Carolina - Winner: South Carolina
Rose Bowl - Jan. 1 - Michigan State vs. Stanford - Winner: Michigan State
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Jan. 1 - UCF vs. Baylor - Winner: Baylor
Allstate Sugar Bowl - Jan. 2 - Oklahoma vs. Alabama - Winner: Alabama
At&T Cotton Bowl - Jan. 3 - Oklahoma State vs. Missouri - Winner: Oklahoma State
Discover Orange Bowl - Jan. 3 - Clemson vs. Ohio State - Winner: Ohio State
Vizio BCS National Championship - Jan. 6 - Florida State vs. Auburn: Winner: Florida State
The Section 117 Classy Gentlemen Bowl Predictions rage on, with a super-sized entry from Florida State transplant Flony. Beyond the Gophers, he picks all the B1G and BCS games, including his alma mater which is playing in some little game on Jan. 6. Make sure you get to the end of the post to see what Santa brought Flony this year. He must have been a good boy.
Flony's Classy Bowl Predictions
Texas
Bowl - Dec. 27 - Minnesota vs. Syracuse - Winner: Minnesota The 2013 Gophers have shown something that
was lacking under the Brewster regime, a foundation. Jerry Kill & Co. has followed
their proven recipe for turning around programs and this season showed results.
8 solid wins coupled with some losses that you were able to walk away from with
a positive outlook rather than shame and embarrassment. That obviously is a big
picture positive, but returning to the same bowl game as last year sticks with
the theme, been there and now it’s time to get the win. Syracuse is fresh off their first year in
the ACC which had its ups (hey, bowl eligible!) and some downs (losses to FSU
& Clemson that totaled 108-17). I don’t think they match up very well to
Minnesota in this game and most of the fan base is already enjoying the major
plus to their new ACC membership, basketball season. Prediction: Minnesota 34 –
Syracuse 20; another brick down, building onto that foundation. Now, can Coach
Kill continue building or fall into the trap that Glen Mason found himself in?
My money is on Jerry’s ability to build and build and build some more. Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Dec.
28 - Michigan vs. Kansas State - Winner: Michigan Brady Hoke in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl?
This is essentially a home game for the head coach. Luckily he’s not very
hands-on during the games so they don’t have to worry about getting any Mango
Habanero™ sauce on the uniforms. If you do see him putting the headset on it’s
safe to assume that he’s putting another order in. Michigan 31 – Kansas St 30. Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl - Jan.
1 - Nebraska vs. Georgia - Winner: Georgia Damn shame that Aaron Murray’s college
career is over thanks to a late season ACL tear. UGA fans had to suffer through
a heartbreaking loss to Auburn late, as well. Luckily they still have Todd
Gurley who is on another level when it comes to college running backs. Georgia
38 – Nebraska 28. Outback Bowl - Jan. 1 - Iowa vs.
LSU - Winner: LSU #TeamBloominOnion. That speaks for itself.
If LSU wins everyone gets a free Bloomin’ Onion. LSU isn’t nearly as good as it
was last year, but they’re way more athletic than Iowa. I also really want a
free Bloomin Onion. LSU 34 – Iowa 24. Capital One Bowl - Jan. 1 -
Wisconsin vs. South Carolina - Winner: South Carolina I grew up for a severe disdain for the Old
Ball Coach. Now that he’s no longer throwing a UF visor I’ve learned to love
Hatin’ Ass Spurrier. There’s also this intense workout that he subjects himself to.
South Carolina 24 – Wisconsin 20. Rose Bowl - Jan. 1 - Michigan
State vs. Stanford - Winner: Michigan State This is one of my favorite matchups of this
bowl season. Two football teams that play great defense beating the crap out of
each other. I like Michigan State’s defense in this one over Stanford. Michigan
State 23 – Stanford 17. Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Jan. 1 -
UCF vs. Baylor - Winner: Baylor Could George O’Leary fight a bear? His
resume might say as much, but we know that doesn’t mean it’s true. I think
Baylor takes down the feel good story that is Bortles and the Knights. Baylor
51 – UCF 37. Allstate Sugar Bowl - Jan. 2 -
Oklahoma vs. Alabama - Winner: Alabama Nick Saban wants to be in Pasadena.
Unfortunately Oklahoma has to be the outlet for Bama’s anger. This isn’t a 2012
Sugar Bowl/UF situation where they don’t respect the team they’re playing, this
is a situation where they’ll want to beat the Sooners into submission. Bama 38
– Oklahoma 17. At&T Cotton Bowl - Jan. 3 -
Oklahoma State vs. Missouri - Winner: Oklahoma State Oklahoma State will be playing back to back
games at Jerryworld as they close out this season and open next year there
against FSU. One for two isn’t terrible. Oklahoma State 37 – Missouri 31. Discover Orange Bowl - Jan. 3 -
Clemson vs. Ohio State - Winner: Clemson I want Clemson to win. On paper I don’t
think they win. Ohio State is a good football team and they match up well
against the Tigers. The last time Clemson was in the Orange Bowl they got
laughed off the field by WVU. I really like Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins and
would like to see them leave college as winners. That being said, going with
the heart over the head: Clemson 47 – Ohio State 45.
BCS Championship Game tickets?
You did it again, Santa, you ol' SOB.
Vizio BCS National Championship - Jan.
6 - Florida State vs. Auburn: Winner: Florida State
While
I am a member of the Classy Gentlemen and a Gopher fan, my heart belongs to
Florida State University. I grew up a fan of the Noles and graduated from FSU
in 2010, moving to Minneapolis shortly after. I will be in Pasadena rooting on
my beloved Seminoles as they take on the Auburn Tigers. Cross the Rose Bowl off
my bucket list, too.
To
say I’m excited is a massive understatement. This season has been a blast,
exceeding expectations and playing aggressive, fun football. I feel FSU has a
very complete team and can pick and choose how they beat you on offense, while
using nasty athleticism and complex defensive scheme that limits opponents.
Some will say FSU hasn’t played a great schedule, but there is no doubt they’ve
dominated everyone. I’ve nicknamed this Auburn team “Angels in the Endzone”
because of their miraculous run that’s brought them to the title game. They
just need to remember that when they lose, Danny Glover will be there to adopt
them. Auburn’s tempo and FSU’s offensive efficiency spell disaster for the
Tigers as the Noles do enough to limit the run and score on the majority of
their drives. FSU 47 – Auburn 27.
