The Bama Hammer Bowl Picks
It’s our picks for all 41 of this year’s college football bowl games.
ICYMI: I sent Auburn some plans to help with their stadium renovation.
Our picks are straight up and not against the spread.
Saturday December 19th
AFR Celebration Bowl – Alcorn State vs. North Carolina A&T – Noon / ABC
I’m taking Alcorn in this one because I’m from Mississippi and I don’t know anything about this matchup.
Gildan New Mexico Bowl – Arizona vs. New Mexico – 2:00pm / ESPN
You have to hope Rich Rod is able to beat New Mexico, losing to New Mexico for Arizona would be like Alabama losing to Arkansas State.
Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl – BYU vs. (22) Utah – 3:30pm / ABC
BYU is without a coach and Utah always performs well in bowls, go Utes young man.
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl – Ohio vs. Appalachian State – 5:30pm / ESPN
You have to go App State here even though Ohio has had a great year.
AutoNation Cure Bowl – San Jose State vs. Georgia State – 7:00pm / CBSSN
Georgia State for the cure to AutoNation.
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl – Arkansas State vs. Louisiana Tech – 9:00pm / ESPN
Arkansas State because I feel bad about making a joke about them and they always have a chip on their shoulder about getting the respect that Arkansas does.
Monday December 21st
Miami Beach Bowl – Western Kentucky vs. USF – 2:30pm / ESPN
Western Kentucky isn’t half bad this year, Hilltoppers.
Tuesday December 22nd
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl – Akron vs. Utah State – 3:30pm / ESPN
It’s a grudge match with Akron and Utah State, a classic, a legend… a… OK, just take Utah State.
Marmot Boca Raton Bowl – Toledo vs. (24) Temple – 7:00pm / ESPN
As much as I dislike everything sports to come out of Philadelphia… Temple. (GO METS!)
Wednesday December 23rd
San Diego County CU Poinsettia Bowl – Boise State vs. NIU – 4:30pm / ESPN
I’m torn on this one because you naturally want to pick Boise State, but you probably should pick NIU… I’ll pick Boise in honor of Tim Brando.
GoDaddy Bowl – Georgia Southern vs. Bowling Green – 8:00pm / ESPN
Georgia Southern is going to run all over Bowling Green… or not… but probably.
Thursday December 24th
Popeyes Bahamas Bowl – Middle Tennessee vs. Western Michigan – Noon / ESPN
Does anything say Bahamas like Popeyes Chicken? Say what you want about MTSU, Western Michigan, and Popeyes, but they are spending Christmas in the Bahamas and you aren’t. Go with MTSU.
Hawai’i Bowl – San Diego State vs. Cincinnati – 8:00pm / ESPN
Finally we can find out if Tommy Tuberville swims in a t-shirt. Cincinnati in this one.
Saturday December 26th
St. Petersburg Bowl – UConn vs. Marshall – 11:00am / ESPN
If this was basketball I would have picked UConn… it’s not basketball.
Hyundai Sun Bowl – Miami (FL) vs. Washington State – 2:00pm / CBS
Miami is no match for the Pirate king Mike Leach.
Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl – Washington vs. Southern Miss – 2:20pm / ESPN
My heart want’s to pick Southern Miss here, but my head knows that’s ridiculous.
New Era Pinstripe Bowl – Indiana vs. Duke – 3:30pm / ABC
It’s the baseball bowl held in a town that only likes pro sports! Duke over Indiana.
Camping World Independence Bowl – Tulsa vs. Virginia Tech – 5:45pm / ESPN
I really hope VaTech doesn’t let Beamer down in this one.
Foster Farms Bowl – UCLA vs. Nebraska – 9:15pm / ESPN
Boy things really worked out for Nebraska on firing Pelini huh? I’m still going with Nebraska.
Monday December 28th
Military Bowl – Pittsburgh vs. (21) Navy – 2:30pm / ESPN
Both teams have had big years, I think Navy overcomes the “we may lose our coach” distraction and gets a big finish to a big year.
Quick Lane Bowl – Central Michigan vs. Minnesota – 5:00pm / ESPN2
Golden Gophers.
Tuesday December 29th
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl – California vs. Air Force – 2:00pm / ESPN
Cal over Air Force.
Russell Athletic Bowl – (10) North Carolina vs. (17) Baylor – 5:30pm / ESPN
Two teams that made waves this year falling to the Russell Athletic Bowl. I don’t know how Baylor is still favored in this one. North Carolina has a great defense and can put up points, look out for the Tar Heels. I also think Baylor is more disappointed for this finish than North Carolina and in a bowl game it’s often who wants to be there more.
Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl – Nevada vs. Colorado State – 7:30pm / ASN
Colorado State gets the home loan.
AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl – (20) LSU vs. Texas Tech – 9:00pm / ESPN
Houston is in Texas, but it’s far closer to LSU. LSU fans will be out in force and I think LSU and Les Miles feel like they have something to prove. LSU over Texas Tech.
Wednesday December 30th
Birmingham Bowl – Auburn vs. Memphis – Noon / ESPN
Auburn doesn’t want to be in this bowl… Memphis wants to beat two SEC teams in a season… this is recipe for disaster for Gus Malzahn.
Belk Bowl – NC State vs. Mississippi State – 3:30pm / ESPN
Can NC State hang with Dak? No, no they can’t.
Franklin Amer. Mort. Music City Bowl – Texas A&M vs. Louisville – 7:00pm / ESPN
Texas A&M is a tire fire of confusion and chaos right now and if there is one person who can thrive on chaos it’s Bobby Petrino.
National Funding Holiday Bowl – (25) USC vs. Wisconsin – 10:30pm / ESPN
Wisconsin’s season turned out to be rather disappointing while USC has a new coach and something to prove… Trojans on top.
Thursday December 31st
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl – (18) Houston vs. (9) Florida State – Noon / ESPN
On talent FSU should blow Houston away, but they’ve had a disappointing year and Houston is riding high. I’m reluctant on this one, but I’m taking Houston.
Capital One Orange Bowl – (4) Oklahoma vs. (1) Clemson – 4pm / ESPN
Oklahoma is on fire right now and no team in the country is getting more hype… so despite the fact that a loss here would be the ultimate Clemsoning I think Clemson might pull out a win with that “we get no respect” attitude.
Goodyear Cotton Bowl – (3) Michigan State vs. (2) Alabama – 8pm / ESPN
Michigan State plays the kind of football Alabama wants to play, and when you play Alabama’s game you lose.
January 1st
Outback Bowl – (13) Northwestern vs. (23) Tennessee – Noon / ESPN2
Northwestern has had a great year, but they are no match for Tennessee.
Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl – (14) Michigan vs. (19) Florida – 1:00pm / ABC
Florida has had a great year, but they are no match for Michigan.
BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl – (8) Notre Dame vs. (7) Ohio State – 1:00pm / ESPN
No one is more disappointed in their bowl than Ohio State, so I’ll take the Irish.
Rose Bowl Game – (6) Stanford vs. (5) Iowa – 5:00pm / ESPN
Iowa lost to the first good team they played when they played Michigan State in the Big 10 Championship. I expect they will lose to the second good team they play in Stanford.
Allstate Sugar Bowl – (16) Oklahoma State vs. (12) Ole Miss – 8:30pm / ESPN
Ole Miss is looking for redemption for last year’s bowl and to top off what might be their best season in 10 years. I think they get their Sugar Bowl win.
Saturday January 2nd
TaxSlayer Bowl – Penn State vs. Georgia – Noon / ESPN
Georgia is without a coach until Alabama is finished in the playoffs, but Penn State’s Franklin has lost the support of the Penn State fans and boosters. So in this tension filled weird game I’m going with coachless UGA over lame duck coach Penn State.
AutoZone Liberty Bowl – Kansas State vs. Arkansas – 3:20pm / ESPN
IT’S BERT’S TIME TO SHINE IN A CITY FILLED WITH BBQ!
Valero Alamo Bowl – (15) Oregon vs. (11) TCU – 6:45pm / ESPN
Another bowl neither team wanted to be at, but I thin TCU still takes care of business.
Motel 6 Cactus Bowl – West Virginia vs. Arizona State – 10:15pm / ESPN
Arizona has to bowl in Arizona and that sucks, but I still think they end up leaving the light on for you.
Next: The All-Time Alabama Football Team
Stay tuned for our national championship pick and playoff breakdowns later this week!