Preseason bowl projections

The 2009 national championship game may be a couple of months away, but we’ve pulled out the crystal football and projected all 34 bowl games this season. The Athlon 119 and projected wins/losses were used to compile the bowl match-ups. As usual, a few bowl games won’t pick in order of the standings, basing decisions upon potential attendance and to prevent a rematch from a regular season game.

Here’s how each conference did in projected bowl teams:

Conference	Teams	Conference	Teams	Conference	Teams
ACC	9	Conference USA	6	Pac-10	6
Big East	6	Independents	2	SEC	10
Big Ten	8	MAC	3	Sun Belt	1
Big 12	9	Mountain West	5	WAC	3

New Mexico (Mountain West vs. WAC)

Projection: New Mexico vs. Fresno State

The hometown Lobos get a tough draw with Pat Hill’s Bulldogs — a team that will play anyone, anywhere, anytime.

St. Petersburg (Big East vs. C-USA)

Projection: Pitt vs. UCF

The Big East is relatively thin with strong bowl tie-ins, and despite what could be a top 25 season, the Panthers fall to the first match-up for this bowl game.

Las Vegas (Mountain West vs. Pac-10)

Projection: Utah vs. California

With a healthy Brian Johnson under center, the Utes could be a dangerous team this season, while the Golden Bears look to rebound after a disappointing 2007.

Congressional (ACC vs. Navy)

Projection: Maryland vs. Navy

As long as the Midshipmen are bowl eligible, they’ll likely head here to Washington D.C. The Terps join the Midshipmen in the first match-up for this bowl.

New Orleans (Sun Belt vs. C-USA)

Projection: Florida Atlantic vs. UTEP

The Sun Belt has potential tie-ins with a few other bowls, so the Owls could head elsewhere if the SEC fails to have enough eligible schools. Mike Price gets the Miners to their second bowl under his watch.

Poinsettia (Mountain West vs. Pac-10)

Projection: Wyoming vs. Arizona

Cowboys coach Joe Glenn may have a warm seat entering this year, but getting to this San Diego destination should help ease the concerns in Laramie.

Hawaii (WAC vs. Pac-10)

Projection: Hawaii vs. Connecticut

Based upon our preseason picks, no Pac-10 team would be eligible for this spot. The Huskies are the highest ranked (and eligible) team in the Athlon 119 without a bowl, and they’ll match-up against the hometown Warriors.

Motor City (MAC vs. Big Ten)

Projection: Central Michigan vs. Northwestern

If this is the match-up, it will be a busy evening for the scoreboard operator. Both teams ranked in the top 35 of total offense last year and there shouldn’t be much drop off in 2008.

Meineke Car Care (ACC vs. Big East)

Projection: South Florida vs. North Carolina

Butch Davis is expected to have the Tar Heels in the running for an ACC Coastal title this season, but this bowl played in Charlotte would love to have them as a participant. The George Foreman Bowl will see a rematch from the 2007 regular season, when the Bulls defeated the Tar Heels 37-10.

Champs Sports (ACC vs. Big Ten)

Projection: Iowa vs. Florida State

The Hawkeyes and Seminoles may have their eyes on a bigger prize, but a trip to Orlando in December is a nice way to close out the year.

Emerald (Pac-10 vs. ACC)

Projection: UCLA vs. Boston College

With the injuries at quarterback and question marks along the offensive line, Rick Neuheisel’s first season in Los Angeles would be considered a success with a bowl bid.

Independence (SEC vs. Big 12)

Projection: Arkansas vs. Oklahoma State

No Darren McFadden or Felix Jones, but coach Bobby Petrino finds a way to get the Razorbacks bowl eligible. He’ll get to match offensive Xs and Os against a 41-year-old man named Mike Gundy.

Papajohns.com (SEC vs. Big East)

Projection: Mississippi State vs. Rutgers

This Birmingham based bowl changed its lineup to host a SEC team instead of one from C-USA, and scoring a Bulldogs-Scarlet Knights match-up is a nice way to begin this relationship. 

Alamo (Big Ten vs. Big 12)

Projection: Michigan vs. Nebraska

The maize and blue will be hoping for a much different outcome in a rematch from the 2005 Alamo Bowl, where the Huskers rallied from 11 points down.

Humanitarian (WAC vs. ACC)

Projection: Boise State vs. Georgia Tech

Paul Johnson does just enough to get the Yellow Jackets to a bowl game in 2008, but it’s the same destination they ended up last year. This will be the final year for an ACC team to visit Boise in the bowl season, and the Broncos aren’t expected to be kind houseguests.

Texas (Big 12 vs. C-USA)

Projection: Houston vs. Texas A&M

A battle for bragging rights in Texas and the first match-up between these two teams since 1995.

Holiday (Pac-10 vs. Big 12)

Projection: Oregon vs. Texas Tech

This bowl game has produced several memorable offensive performances over the years and this potential match-up would certainly light up the scoreboard.

Armed Forces (Mountain West vs. C-USA)

Projection: TCU vs. Southern Mississippi

The Horned Frogs stay home for the holidays to match-up against the Golden Eagles in what should be a successful first season from coach Larry Fedora.

Sun (Pac-10 vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame)

Projection: Arizona State vs. Kansas

Although the Sun Devils are pegged to finish second in the conference, they swap bowls with Oregon to prevent a repeat of last season’s postseason bids.

Music City (SEC vs. ACC)

Projection: South Carolina vs. Miami

After last year’s disappointment, a solid bowl bid in the Music City is a step in the right direction for Miami coach Randy Shannon.

Insight (Big 12 vs. Big Ten)

Projection: Michigan State vs. Colorado

Two programs on the rise in their conferences meet up for a Tempe tussle.

Chick-fil-A (SEC vs. ACC)

Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Alabama

The Crimson Tide open the year in Atlanta with a match-up against Clemson and they’ll close it there with a date against fellow ACC foe Virginia Tech.

Outback (Big Ten vs. SEC)

Projection: Penn State vs. Tennessee

Could this be Joe Paterno’s last game on the sidelines? 

Capital One (SEC vs. Big Ten)

Projection: Illinois vs. Auburn

The Tigers could be one of the top teams left out of the BCS, but they could use this game as a springboard to even bigger goals in 2009.

Gator (ACC vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame)

Projection: Notre Dame vs. Wake Forest

If the Irish are bowl eligible and not among the 10 teams in a BCS game, they will likely land here against a tough Demon Deacon squad.

Rose (BCS vs. BCS)

Projection: USC vs. Wisconsin

The Rose Bowl sticks with tradition and takes a Big Ten-Pac-10 match-up once again. The Trojans handled Illinois and Michigan in the last two Rose Bowl contests. Will the Badgers make a stand for the Big Ten?

Orange (BCS vs. BCS)

Projection: Clemson vs. West Virginia

Rich who? The Mountaineers make another appearance to the BCS — led by the poise of senior quarterback Pat White — while the Tigers finally get over the hump in the Tommy Bowden era.

Cotton (Big 12 vs. SEC)

Projection: LSU vs. Texas

Can’t rule out LSU and Tennessee switching places, but whichever school is here will get a tough draw in Mack Brown’s Longhorns.

Liberty (C-USA vs. SEC)

Projection: Tulsa vs. Kentucky

If the Golden Hurricane knock off Arkansas in early November, don’t be surprised if they add another SEC victory against the Wildcats.

Sugar (BCS vs. BCS)

Projection: Georgia vs. Missouri

Outside of the national championship, this BCS bowl could be the most intriguing on the schedule.

International (Big East vs. MAC)

Projection: Cincinnati vs. Ball State

Although this should be a solid matchup, most football fans will have their day planned around the first round of the NFL playoffs.

Fiesta (BCS vs. BCS)

Projection: BYU vs. Oklahoma

Sooners beware! The Cougars have more than enough firepower to pull the upset.

GMAC (C-USA vs. MAC)

Projection: East Carolina vs. Miami, Ohio

One more appetizer before the big game. The RedHawks return to the bowl scene after a brief absence, while the Pirates look to notch another quality win under head coach Skip Holtz.

National Championship (BCS vs. BCS)

Projection: Ohio State vs. Florida

Rematch of 2006 season title game gives Buckeyes another shot at the Gators. However, Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin prove to be too much as Urban Meyer takes another trophy back to Gainesville.

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