P-F11: 2011 Bowl Pick'em Challenge - Open Post, Pt 1

LEAGUE NOTES:

12/18/11 10:52 AM Update: Bowl season has officially started. Check back to this post as the bowl season unfolds for league and game results. When navigating the post gets a little unruly, I'll start a new one. We usually end up with about 3 of these.


It's the beginning of the end, and bowl season has begun with some major excitement.



The bowl card is a beast... click the picture to bring up a larger version.

Click to enlarge. Last updated 12/31/11 12:27 AM 


Bowl Games 1-3 of 35
New Mexico Bowl - Albuquerque, NM -  University Stadium
December 17, 2011 1:00 PM
Temple Owls 37, Wyoming Cowboys 15

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl - Boise, ID - Bronco Stadium
December 17, 2011 4:30 PM
Ohio Bobcats 24, Utah State Aggies 23

New Orleans Bowl - New Orleans, LA - Superdome
December 17, 2011 8:00 PM
San Diego State Aztecs 30, Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns 32

What I learned after these games... Just like the first week of college football, the mere presence of amateur football on the tele trumps quality games. Bowl season is awesome y'all. And a playoff wouldn't work because the kids have finals. What's that? Basketball plays through finals? Well that's only like 15 kids. Wait, what? The other college football divisions have a playoff? I don't understand what I'm trying to tell myself here. Moving on.

Thanks to the New Mexico Bowl, we got to see Temple won its first bowl game since 1979. We also got that Nelly video like 10 or 20 too many times. Seriously, I didn't know Nelly was still relevant.

The Potato Bowl seemed interesting, but the ref really screwed up the ending (and my pick, you b@stard). You can watch someone's terrible home movie of the ending if Blair Witch Project football viewing while cooking a TV dinner in the background is your thing.

A six-ton potato. You don't get that in the playoffs.
By the last game of the evening, I had a Rusty Whitt. I took two aspirin and went to bed.


What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... Smokey's Bandits (KH) and Team Awesome jump out to an early lead. Smoke cashed in his top two most confident games, but missed a third. Team Awesome went 3 for 3 on the first day for his share of the lead. I try to also keep track of a (mostly meaningless) stat of who would win if they got all the rest of their picks right. At the moment, 1 Man Wolfpack (MF) wears that mythical crown.

Bowl Game 4 of 35
Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl - St. Petersburg, FL - Tropicana Field
December 20, 2011 7:00 PM
Florida International Golden Panthers 10, Marshall Thundering Herd 20

What I learned after this game... Oh yeah, if I had a Beef 'O' Brady nearby, I probably still wouldn't go. Also, FIU went scoreless for the entire 2nd half. Nice one.

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after this game... In a confidence pool, sometimes you may want to lose a pick. For example, when you wagered less points than someone with more points than you have. This game and the next are good examples of this concept. With an FIU loss, most of us gained some ground on co-leader Mr. Smokeypants (he wagered 30, many had it 10 or under). College football picking guru Chumlee's Banditos (KP) actually picked Marshall and now holds the lead. Northmen (ANo) is in the mythical mathematical lead.

Bowl Game 5 of 35
Poinsettia Bowl - San Diego, CA - Qualcomm Stadium
December 21, 2011 7:00 PM
#16 TCU Horned Frogs 31, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 24

What I learned after this game... Poinsettia Bowl drew the smallest crowd in its 7-year history: 24,607. TCU (and their -lack of- fans) really didn't want to be there. But at least every game in the regular season is important!! Broken record, I know. If there was something interesting about this bowl, then you guys will have to tell me. I was busy catching up on shows from my TiVo.

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after this game... Not much of a change from yesterday. Chumlee is still winning and Northmen has the mythical mathematical lead. Those two will keep this distinction tomorrow too, no matter who wins the MAACO Bowl.


Bowl Games 6-7 of 35
MAACO Bowl - Las Vegas, NV - Sam Boyd Stadium
December 22, 2011 7:00 PM
Arizona State Sun Devils 24, #8 Boise State Broncos 56

Hawaii Bowl - Honolulu - Aloha Stadium
December 24, 2011 7:00 PM
Nevada Wolf Pack 31, #22 Southern Miss Golden Eagles 24
Pew Pew Pew

What I learned after these games... Kellen Moore looks like the real freaking deal. Boise State puts another "W" up to go along with Boise's winningest four-year steak in FBS history. I missed the Hawaii Bowl, but that is because I wasn't at my house and it was up against "White Christmas." wtf?

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... Nothing changed after the MAACO bowl, but the Hawai'i Bowl shook the standings like a bowl full of jelly or something. Mr. Smokeypants (KH) continued his early bowl season super confidence and impressive accuracy by laying 31 on any team that could beat the University of Houston. Chumlee's Banditos was one of only 2 pickers to go with Nevada. The game stats tell me that Nevada couldn't score in the 4th keep Chumlee's NCAA magical streak alive. Northmen (ANo) still has our mythical mathematical lead. However, this stat is becoming more impressive as the bowl season unfolds. She has only missed two picks, but only surrendered a total of 4 points.

CHRISTMAS BRAWL!! (And two "fisticuffs" mentions within a 30-second span.)



Bowl Games 8 of 35
Independence Bowl - Shreveport, LA - Independence Stadium
December 26, 2011 4:00 PM
North Carolina Tar Heels 24, Missouri Tigers41

What I learned after this game... The Missouri mascot, Truman the Tiger, broke the trophy!

In other news... Yep, Mizzou is ready for the SEC. And, UNC is ready for some NCAA sanctions and bowl bans.

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after this game... Team Awesome (SE) is now in the lead and has a chance to keep it for a while with some correct picks. Northmen got another pick correct, and still holds the mythical mathematical lead.

Bowl Games 9-10 of 35
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl - Detroit, MI - Ford Field
December 27, 2011 3:30 PM
Western Michigan Broncos 32, Purdue Boilermakers 37

Belk Bowl - Charlotte, NC - Bank of America Stadium
December 27, 2011 7:00 PM
Louisville Cardinals 24, North Carolina State Wolfpack 31

What I learned after these games... First, it was time for some MACtion! And Purdue. This was a pretty entertaining game, but I don't have anything more interesting to write than "time for some MACtion!" The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl logo is pretty cool too.

Louisville's QB is named Teddy Bridgewater. What an awesome name. Louisville may have lost, but Teddy Bridewater is a winner. But seriously, in the Belk Bowl I saw David Amerson for the first time. This dude finished the season with 13 interceptions, which leads the FBS by the way. #2 on the INT list has 7. Yeah and also seriously, Teddy Bridgewater.

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... If I told you that Chumlee's Banditos were leading and Northmen had a mathematical advantage, would that surprise you?

Bowl Game 11 of 35
Military Bowl - Washington D.C. - RFK Memorial Stadium
December 28, 2011 3:30 PM
Toledo Rockets 42, Air Force Falcons 41

What I learned after this game... Toledo opens fire. Falcons strike. Halftime scoreboard update: Mushrooms clouds. All out assault. It's a battlefield. Get it? Because it is the Miliary Bowl? I read all these off the internets. (Toledo opening fire on the Air Force is probably a little inappropriate though.)

There was a lot of scoring, Air Force scored a TD to tie up the game with under a minute to go, but they go for two, and they fumble, and the Holiday Bowl coverage gets to start on time. The End.


What the Bowl Challenge points look like after this game... No change here, guys.

Bowl Game 12 of 35
Holiday Bowl - San Diego, CA - Qualcomm Stadium
December 28, 2011 7:00 PM
California Golden Bears 10, Texas Longhorns 21

What I learned after this game... Double Manny Diaz's salary.

What the Bowl Challenge points look like after this game... Team Awesome (SE) is back on top y'all. Northmen still winnin' y'all.

Bowl Games 13-14 of 35
Champs Sports Bowl - Orlando, FL - Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium
December 29, 2011 4:30 PM
#25 Florida State Seminoles 18, Notre Dame Fighting Irish 14

Alamo Bowl - San Antonio, TX - Alamodome
December 29, 2011 8:00 PM
Washington Huskies 56, #15  Baylor Bears 67

What I learned after these games... Does anybody *really* remember when Notre Dame actually won bowl games on a consistent basis? I don't.

This happened though, which was pretty awesome:


Things I read during the Baylor game:
- Valero Alamo Bowl. Defense as shoddy as actual Alamo.
- Baylor defensive player. #thingsIcouldbe
- Good thing neither of these teams have a pushup per point mascot. #musclefatigue
- Outscoring a Baylor/Washington basketball matchup
- Both defensive coordinators are already at the hotel bar.

Baylor hadn't had a bowl win in 19 years, so why wouldn't their offense and defense do their best to break the all time bowl scoring record? Below is every single score (courtesy of Deadspin). That's all 123 points, y'all.


Other goodies...
From SBNation: "PHOTO: Sad Baylor Fan Can't Bear To Life His Swollen Hand"

...which makes it worth it to post this unrelated (but sooo related) one too.
What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... Chumlee's Banditos (KP) retakes the lead. Northmen sits tight, but the mathematical lead is getting slimmer.

Bowl Games 15-18 of 35
Armed Forces Bowl - Dallas, TX - Gerald J. Ford Stadium
December 30, 2011 11:00 AM
Brigham Young Cougars 24, Tulsa Golden Hurricane 21

Pinstripe Bowl - Bronx, NY - Yankee Stadium
December 30, 2011 2:20 PM
Iowa State Cyclones 13, Rutgers Scarlet Knights 27

Music City Bowl - Nashville, TN - LP Field
December 30, 2011 5:40 PM
Mississippi State Bulldogs 23, Wake Forest Demon Deacons 17

Insight Bowl - Tempe, AZ - Sun Devil Stadium
December 30, 2011 9:00 PM
Iowa Hawkeyes 14, Oklahoma Sooners 31

What I learned after these games... Nothing happened today that was as great as ESPN's overhead camera falling at the Insight Bowl.



What the Bowl Challenge points look like after these games... KP. ANo. Goodnight.

Comments

  1. Could it happen again? Can the fat butt Chumlee win the bowl picks as well....ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete

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