My Take on Coach Kevin Stallings Yelling at Player

Last night the Vanderbilt Commodores played their in-state conference rival Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. The Commodores came away with the win, but what is making the most noise is what happened after the game. Following the end of the game while players were getting ready to enter the handshake line, Wade Baldwin was seen clapping his hands in the face of Tennessee player Armani Moore. Coach Kevin Stallings was informed of this by a member of the Volunteers staff, and did not take very kindly to this. Stallings exploded on Baldwin on live television, screaming at him, yelling obscenities, and at one point said to Baldwin, "I will f-cking kill you." 

A lot of different opinions have been made about this incident. Some people think that Stallings was right in what he did, and others do not agree with his approach. While I agree that Baldwin was in the wrong with his postgame taunting, I don't believe that Stallings went about it the right way.

Stallings is the head coach for the team. He is a representative of the team and the university. I like his stance on good sportsmanship, but the way he went about it was completely uncalled for. I don't feel as though he was truly threatening Baldwin with murder. It was more about Stallings' anger towards Baldwin taunting opposing players after you just beat them. His language was inappropriate, his conduct was inappropriate, and cussing out his player in front of everyone on live television was inappropriate. I understand that in locker rooms there is all kinds of colorful language, and I am fine with that. Outside of the locker room, players and coaches both need to be aware of what they say and do. Basketball is a game where spectators sit close, and some can hear what you say. Families are there with their kids, and they don't take their kids to a basketball game with the idea that they are going to hear a coach scream obscenities at his players out of frustration. What Stallings should have done is quietly go up to Baldwin and tell him how he felt and make him apologize to the opposing player and team, then yell at him in the locker room. 

I don't think this is a fireable offense, but I do think it should warrant at least a one game suspension. A coach can't keep his composure toward a player on the court makes him look bad. I don't have a problem with the Coach yelling at his player for poor sportsmanship, but the way he went about it should have been saved for the locker room.

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Super Bowl XLIX Preview

This might be the most anticipation I have felt for a Super Bowl since "The Greatest Show on Turf" won it back in 1999. Nothing makes big games even more special than some good old fashion scandal and controversy. The Patriots have been dealing with the "Deflate Gate" while the Seahawks have been dealing with Marshawn Lynch's antics. Even though this isn't really a rivalry, it kind of has the feeling of one that's been brewing the last week or so. The fact that these are two of the most hated teams in the NFL combined with the news that has been surrounding them will make for one of the most watched Super Bowls in history. I will be watching to see two great teams go at it, while many people will watch to see what color of cleats Marshawn Lynch will wear or what he is going to do with his private parts after scoring a touchdown, Who knows, maybe they will have Marshawn Lynch inspect the Patriots balls before the game, he has plenty of experience with ball grabbing. But seriously, this will be a great game. It's like watching the old dynasty take on the up-and-coming dynasty.

There is no question that the Patriots have one of the best offenses in the NFL. Despite what you feel about Brady personally, he is one of the bet quarterbacks of all time. Bill Belichick is one of the greatest coaches of all time, the two make and amazing combination. The Patriots have a great offensive line and they will need to be on top of their game against the Seahawks, who have the best defense in the NFL. The Patriots will have to use their running game a little bit to try and open up the passing game. I don't see the Patriots being able to run much against the best rushing defense in the league.

The Seahawks have the new school coach/quarterback combo in Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll. They seem to have some similar qualities that Brady and Belichick have. Wilson and Brady both have the wholesome, American, nice guy thing going for them, plus they are great quarterbacks. Belichick and Carroll are two of the most hated coaches in the NFL, although Carroll gets most his hatred from his days at USC. They get plenty of hate because they win. Seattle has hands down the best defense in the league. They have tremendous pass rushing, great run stopping, and their secondary is hard to through in. They are great, but they also have had some injuries in Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas. These guys are two very important components to that stifling defense. I'm sure that Carroll will have something to make up for the possibility of those two guys not being 100%.

This game is very hard to call. Like I stated previously, both teams are the best one different sides of the ball. Brady and Belichick will not let the surrounding scandal interfere with their plans for the game, they are very professional when it comes to preparation. Seattle won't be at home, so they will have to get it done without their 12th man backing them up. New England is favored by 1 point, and I have to agree with this. I would take the Patriots and the points on this one. I think the Patriots beat the Seahawks by 2 points with a score of 24-22.

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Interview with De'Michael Jackson

I had the pleasure to interview the starting running back for the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks, De'Michael Jackson. From interviewing him I found him to be a really nice young man that is hard-working, and determined to make it to the NFL. I am very gracious that De'Michael took the time out of his busy schedule to do this interview. I have attached a link to his college highlight video at the bottom of the interview, you should check it out. Here is the interview between De'Michael and myself, Michael Miles.

MM: Can you introduce yourself?
DJ: My name is De’Michael Jackson, I play running back and I’m a senior here at Southeast Missouri State.

MM: You are from Louisville, Kentucky. You had offers from Indiana State, Eastern Kentucky, and even a chance to walk-on at an SEC school at Kentucky. Why did you decide to choose SEMO as your school?
DJ: I had some pretty good offers coming out of high school and people still ask me to this day why did I go to SEMO? But to me it was never about the name or how successful a program was before I came. I wanted to pick a school that I would be comfortable at for the next 4 or 5 years and that was a better opportunity for me to play, and hopefully make it to the next level. SEMO had produced great running backs before I came here, but none of them really got their shot at the next level and I wanted to be that guy that changed that.

MM: How was transitioning from a city of 250,000 people to a town of 30,000 people for you, and being 4 hours away from home?
DJ: The transition from 250,000 people to 30,000 was the hardest thing to me because I’m from the city, and I was raised by a single mother with my 6 other siblings so being away from home on my own was something that took me awhile to get used to.

MM: You were expected to have the best year of your college career, and then you broke your hand in the second game of the season against Kansas. You missed the next four games, but still had a terrific season. If you weren’t injured you would have easily had over 1,000 yards rushing. What did you do mentally and physically to make sure that you would come back and have a great season?
DJ: When I broke my hand I was devastated because I've never in my life missed a game of any sport, and I've had all types of things wrong with me in the past so it was very new to me. I was down on myself real bad for a while, but if it wasn't for the support of my teammates and coaches pushing me and encouraging me then I wouldn't have finished strong like I did.

MM: As a player and as a team, what do you think was the biggest difference this season compared to last season?
DJ: The biggest difference this season was that we was more bought into what coach Tuke was doing and came together as a team.

MM: What do you think you improved on the most this season?
DJ: This season I improved on my pass blocking, last year I struggled at times with my pass blocking but the techniques that Coach Martin taught me, made things a lot easier for me.

MM: If there is one thing that you need to improve on, what would it be?
DJ: My strength. I need to get a lot stronger then what I am now.

MM: What kind of changes did Coach Tuke bring to the program that you enjoyed the most?
DJ:Coach Tuke brought excitement to this program. He made us love the game of football again.

MM: What are the rivalries with Murray State and SIU like for the team? What are they like for you personally?
DJ: The rivalry between Murray State and SIU is the same as it is to any other team we play. I don’t like them, so when it’s time to strap on the pads and the ball is kicked off, it’s straight business. I’m a competitor, and the game of football is what saved me from the streets growing up so I take every game serious and treat every game the same with a lot of serious emotions.

MM: What was your favorite game or moment from a game this season?
DJ: My favorite moment was when Paul McRoberts scored the game winning touchdown against Southeast Louisiana. The place went crazy and it was the best atmosphere I’ve seen since I've been here at SEMO.

MM: What will you take away the most from this season?
DJ: We actually took a step forward this season, so now we gotta add a couple more pieces and get a conference title.

MM: What is your biggest regret about this season?
DJ: I don’t have any regrets this season because every day we went hard as a team and competed. 

MM: How do you feel about the future of the program?
DJ: I feel like the future of this program is going to be great. With the way Coach Tuke runs things and mentors you, I honestly believe there will be some more championships that will be celebrated in Cape Girardeau.

MM: What expectations do you have for yourself for next season? What expectations does the team have for next season?
DJ: I have high expectations for myself next season, I've never won a ring, but I've been on great teams. But just never finish strong, and next season I want to change that.

MM: How have you been spending your time during winter break?
DJ: I've spent time with my family this winter break. I have 6 siblings and 4 nephews so I spend a lot of time with them when I go home because I barely get a chance to see them.

MM: What artists or songs do you listen to before a game?
DJ: The artist and song I listen to is "Understand Me" by Chief Keef.

MM: What do you love the most about SEMO?
DJ: I love the way fans have been sticking by our side even though in the past we've had bad years, they always support us. That's big because we actually see that and get motivated by it.

MM: If you had any advice for the running backs that are coming up what would you tell him?
DJ: That at this level it's a job. Your weakness will be exposed so you have to be on top of your game. You have to study the opponent's weakness, so that means extra film. You have to make fast cuts, be prepared to take big hits, and people stripping at the ball every play. Every move you make has to be faster and better than your opponents. When the ball gets put in your hand do something special with it, because if you don’t the next guy will.

MM: If you had one day to do whatever you want, what would it be?
DJ: Play in a NFL game. I've dreamed about that day since I first started playing football.

MM: If there is one thing you would like to see the football program achieve, what would it be?
DJ: Win a National Championship.

MM: How do you want to be remembered during your time at SEMO?
DJ: As one of the best running backs to play at SEMO.

I'm very confident that De'Michael Jackson will go down as one of the best running backs in the history of SEMO Football. I know that players at FCS schools don't receive the same amount of attention as players at FBS schools, but if he can stay healthy and have the kind of season he is capable of having, then he could have a chance to get taken in one of the later rounds. I wish him nothing but the best of luck. Below is a link to his highlights at SEMO. Give it a look, and check out his skills.

De'Michael Jackson highlight video: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3465964/highlights/198915378

You can Follow De'Michael on Twitter @DMIKE_20

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2015 College Football National Championship

We have finally made it. The College Football Playoff National Championship game has arrived. After years of relying on AP writers to decide the National Champion, and computers deciding who gets into the FBS National Championship game we have come down to thew first ever playoff championship game. The first ever CFB Playoffs have not disappointed. We got to see Ohio State take on powerhouse Alabama, and defending champs Florida State take on one of the most popular teams in Oregon. These two games were the two most watched television broadcasts of all time. The Oregon/Florida State game brought in 28.2 million viewers and the Alabama/Ohio State game brought in 28.3 million viewers. Personally, I hope this helps the expansion to 8 teams, and even up to 16 teams. 16 teams would be the maximum I'd want to see. It's time to focus on the National Championship game played tonight at 7:30 on ESPN.

Oregon (-6) vs Ohio State

There couldn't be a more evenly matched National Championship than this one tonight. Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes look to win their 8th national championship in school history, while the Oregon Ducks look to win their 1st national championship in school history. Both teams are in the Top 5 in scoring (Oregon - 47.2, Ohio State - 45), they are very almost dead even in points allowed (Oregon - 22.3, Ohio State - 22.1), but the big difference between the two teams in the passing game. Oregon averages 311 passing yards per game while Ohio State averages 247.5 yards per game. They are almost equal in the amount of the plays averaged per game with Oregon averaging 77 and Ohio State averaging 74, so this could come down to who has the better conditioned defense.

Heisman winner, Marcus Mariota, is 3rd in the country in passing yards, 2nd in passing touchdowns, 1st in passing efficiency, and 1st in points responsible for. Mariota and the Ducks are hard to stop on the offensive side of the ball. Despite that, they will have to go up against an Ohio State team that is 4th in passing defense efficiency. The Buckeyes average 3 sacks per game, and the Ducks allow 2 sack per game. Oregon's offensive line will have to be at its best tonight, because Ohio State is going to be gunning for Mariota.

When it comes to the running game Ohio State has the advantage. Ezekiel Elliott will be a key factor for the Buckeyes. Elliott averaged 11.5 yards and had two touchdowns against an Alabama team that is 4th is rushing defense. I think Ohio State will look to be run happy against an Oregon rushing defense that is ranked 49th in the nation.

Cardale Jones is only a freshman and making his third start in his college career. Jones has shown signs of being a great quarterback with a lot of future potential, but I'm not totally sold on him against just yet. Oregon won't have to worry much about Jones running the ball, but I wouldn't rule it out completely. I'm sure Urban Meyer has been working on plays that has Jones plowing through defenses with his 6'5 250lb frame, especially in goal line and one yard plays.

Urban Meyer is one of the best coaches in college football, maybe even the best. If Ohio State were to win tonight, then he could arguably go down as the greatest college football coach that is currently coaching, even better than Nick Saban.

Tonight looks to be the biggest night in college football's history to date. The Oregon Ducks are a 6 point favorite against the Ohio State Buckeyes. These teams are pretty even except one team excels in passing (Oregon) whereas another team excels more in rushing (Ohio State). If both teams show up ready to play, and I think they will, then this will be a very close game with a lot of scoring. I think Oregon wins, but by only 2 points with a score of 41-39.


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2015 NFL Playoffs

So far 2015 has been a pretty good year for sports, particularly in football. We have seen some amazing college football playoff games this year, and some pretty good NFL Wild Card games too. Now we have come to the NFL Divisional Playoffs, and there are some exciting match-ups for football fans to watch this weekend.

Baltimore at New England (-7)

These two teams have been two of the best teams in the AFC for the last five years. They both have great quarterbacks, and great defenses this year. The Patriots defense has been surprising this year because their defense was abysmal last year. They are playing much better this year. The ravens defense is once again one of the best defenses in the NFL. They will be tough for Brady, and they are hard to run the ball against. New England does have the home field advantage, both teams are used to playing in the cold so neither of them have the advantage there. I know New England is a 7 point favorite and I think they are going to win, but I think it will be closer than that. I pick the Patriots to win by 3 points with a score of 23-20.

Carolina at Seattle (-11.5)

If you told me in October that the Seattle Seahawks were looking like they were going to repeat as Super Bowl Champions I would have given you a dollar so that you could buy yourself a clue. But, that was when the Seahawks were 3-3, and not playing like the team we saw destroy Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl. Things have changed. The Seahawks are once again looking like the dominant force that many expected them to be. I feel the same way about the Panthers as well. The Panthers are entering the playoffs with a losing record. In late November Carolina was looking like they might not win another game the rest of the season. The Panthers went on a 6 game losing streak, but ended the season winning their last 4, even though 3 out of 4 teams were in the NFC South with losing records. Seattle is the heavy favorite to win this game as an 11.5 point favorite. Anytime a team has to play in Seattle against the "12th Man" it is going to be a long day. Carolina has a really good defense and I don't expect Seattle to beat the spread, but I do expect them to win. I think the Seahawks win by 10 with a score of 19-9.

Dallas at Green Bay (-6)

The Dallas Cowboys are coming off of a very successful season. Many fans were anticipating yet another Cowboys failing year, but this year has not been the case. Tony Romo has been proving the doubters wrong and showing them that he is a really good quarterback. The difference with this year is the offensive line. The Cowboys have a much better offensive line protecting Romo and DeMarco Murray has been running like a man on fire. They will travel to the tundra that is Lambeau Field in Green Bay, where anything over 30 degrees is considered picnic whether for the locals. The Packers will look to beat the Cowboys with star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, who is dealing with a tear in his calf muscle. It is a slight tear, but a tear nonetheless and it could tear more causing Rodgers to go out of the game and possibly the season. Green Bay has a decent defense and they are going to have to be better than that if they want to contain Murray and Romo. I still think the Packers are the better team and they will still get the job done with or without Rodgers. I think the Packers win, but don't cover the spread. I think they will squeak by the Cowboys and win by 2 points with a score of 24-22.

Indianapolis at Denver (-7)

Of course the NFL Playoffs wouldn't be the same without Peyton Manning in it. Manning will look to lead the Broncos to a victory against his former team the Colts. This has become quite the little rivalry between the two teams with the old vs the new in quarterback competition. There have been many people doubting Manning and his abilities as to what he can do on the field this weekend. I too have had some doubts, but I don't see anything to worry about here. Denver has a very good defense and a very legitimate offense. Andrew Luck and the Colts will look to carry the momentum from last week's game against the Bengals and leave Denver with a win. Denver is supposed to be a 7 point favorite, but once again I think this is going to be another game that is close and will come down to whoever has the ball last. Andrew Luck is a phenomenal quarterback and he will continue to get better throughout his career, but I don't see the Colts getting past the Broncos this year. Luck is great, but he still lacks the weapons he needs to be as successful as I know he can be. The Colts don't have a running game, and they aren't going to be able to dominant Denver's defense by passing the ball the entire game. I think the Broncos win a close game by 2 points with a score of 24-22.

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2015 FCS National Championship Game Preview

The time has come for the FCS Championship game in Frisco, TX. This year's championship game will consist of two teams from the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Illinois State Redbirds and the North Dakota State Bison will go head-to-head on January 10th to see who will reign supreme. These two teams did not play each other earlier this season so this will be like a conference championship game as well as a national championship game. With both teams being very similar on both sides of the ball this should be a very good game with a lot of back-and-forth scoring.

The Illinois State Redbirds are making their ever appearance in an FCS Championship game. The Redbirds have been very hot during the playoffs and have shown that they can compete with the best in the FCS. The Redbirds defeated their MVFC foe Northern Iowa by 20 points in the 2nd round, then they beat a very good Eastern Washington team by 13 points in the quarterfinals, and made a 15-0 comeback run against #1 New Hampshire in the semifinals. Illinois State has a very good offense, but they are going against one of the best defensive teams in the FCS,

Indiana transfer Tre Roberson has passed for 3,064 yards, is 4th in average passing yards, 27 passing touchdowns, and is 4th in passing efficiency. The Redbirds running back, Marshaun Coprich is leading the FCS in rushing touchdowns (27) and rushing yards (2,168). He is second in yards per game with 154.9 yards. These two guys are they key to Illinois State's victory over the Bison. That will be a pretty task against one of the best defenses in the FCS.

The North Dakota State Bison are looking for their 4th straight National Championship. The Bison also started the playoffs with a victory over a conference rival in South Dakota State, The Bison were tested pretty good, but came away with a close win against the Jackrabbitts. Then they took on Coastal Carolina and their high powered offense. The Bison did come away with the victory, but it was a close one winning by 7. In the semifinals the Bison met the cinderella team on the playoffs in Sam Houston State, but the Bison showed them why they are the three-time national champions and defeated them 35-3. The Bison are on point and are ready to take home another championship back to Fargo.

North Dakota State has the 3rd best overall defense in the FCS. They only allow 13.2 points per game, which is 2nd best in the FCS. The Bison has the 5th best rushing defense in the FCS, and they will need that defense to show up against Coprich, who is arguably the best running back in the FCS. The Bison are 3rd in passing efficiency defense. They will be put to the test against Tre Roberson and the Redbirds. North Dakota State will have to watch their penalties to help secure their chances of winning. The Bison have 21 more penalties in the year than the Redbirds do. They are going to need to play smarter and watch their penalties.

This is one of those games were the irresistible force meets the immovable object. Two of the best teams in the FCS both with their own specialty. The Redbirds clearly have the better offense while the Bison have the better defense. Besides having a great defense the Bison have another thing going for them, experience. This is the fourth straight trip to the championship game for the Bison. The Bison are working on becoming a dynasty, you could argue that they are already at that status. The Bison are going to show it on the field. I'm not taking anything away from the Redbirds. They are an amazing offensive machine, but this is their first trip to the big game, and I don't know how they will handle it. North Dakota State has been here and know how to prepare for this game. This is going to be a really enjoyable game to watch. It should be the kind of game you would expect a national championship game to be. I think it will close all the way to the end, and if North Dakota State can keep their penalties down then they will come away with a fourth straight national championship. I think North Dakota State wins this game by 2 points with a score of 27-25.


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2014 Season Bowl Game Predictions

The 2014 season has come to an end and it is time for the bowl games to take over ESPN and give us something to watch besides Christmas movies for an entire month. This year is a very monumental year because it marks the beginning of the College Football Playoffs. There are some really great bowl games this year, but the world will be paying the most attention to the playoffs themselves. The four teams that will playing for the National Championship are Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, and Ohio State. I am very excited about the playoffs even though I don't have a team that I am rooting for.

I tried to do something different this year by breaking up the bowl game predictions by posting them as they happen from day to day. This is very time consuming and with the holidays looming around it doesn't leave me very much time to spread out my writing. Instead of trying to do something different I am going to go back to way I have one it before. I shouldn't try to fix something that isn't broke. I am going to go ahead and post my predictions that I already posted, so if you see games on here that have already happened that is why. I will do a separate prediction for the National Championship game. Here are my predictions for the 2014 bowl season.

New Orleans Bowl
Nevada vs Louisiana Lafayette
Nevada wins 25-24

New Mexico Bowl
Utah State vs UTEP
Utah State wins 21-14

Las Vegas Bowl
Utah vs Colorado State
Colorado State wins 30-21

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Western Michigan vs Air Force
Western Michigan wins 29-25

Camellia Bowl
South Alabama vs Bowling Green
South Alabama wins 16-15

Miami Beach Bowl
BYU vs Memphis
Memphis wins 29-22

Boca Raton Bowl
Marshall vs Northern Illinois
Marshall wins 39-23

Poinsettia Bowl
Navy vs San Diego State
San Diego State wins 20-19

Bahamas Bowl
Central Michigan vs Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky wins 38-35

Hawaii Bowl
Fresno State vs Rice
Rice wins 23-20

Heart of Dallas Bowl
Illinois vs Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech wins 32-12

Quick Lane Bowl
Rutgers vs North Carolina
North Carolina wins 28-27

St. Petersburg Bowl
North Carolina State vs Central Florida
Central Florida wins 22-14

Military Bowl
Cincinnati vs Virginia Tech
Cincinnati wins 29-23

Sun Bowl
Arizona State vs Duke
Duke wins 27-24

Independence Bowl
Miami (FL) vs South Carolina
Miami (FL) wins 24-20

Pinstripe Bowl
Boston College vs Penn State
Boston College wins 20-17

Holiday Bowl
Nebraska vs USC
Nebraska wins 31-30

Liberty Bowl
Texas A&M vs West Virginia
Texas A&M wins 28-27

Russell Athletic Bowl
Oklahoma vs Clemson
Oklahoma wins 33-31

Texas Bowl
Arkansas vs Texas
Arkansas wins 26-14

Music City Bowl
Notre Dame vs LSU
LSU wins 22-14

Belk Bowl
Georgia vs Louisville
Georgia wins 36-28

Foster Farms Bowl
Maryland vs Stanford
Stanford wins 20-10

Peach Bowl
Ole Miss vs TCU
TCU wins 41-31

Fiesta Bowl
Boise State vs Arizona
Boise State wins 34-28

Orange Bowl
Mississippi State vs Georgia Tech
Mississippi State wins 31-28

Outback Bowl
Auburn vs Wisconsin
Wisconsin wins 29-24

Cotton Bowl
Michigan State vs Baylor
Baylor wins 43-42

Citrus Bowl
Missouri vs Minnesota
Missouri wins 21-20

Rose Bowl
Oregon vs Florida State
Oregon wins 40-28

Sugar Bowl
Alabama vs Ohio State
Ohio State wins 39-35

Armed Forces Bowl
Houston vs Pittsburgh
Houston wins 23-19

Taxslayer Bowl
Iowa vs Tennessee
Iowa wins 22-21

Alamo Bowl
Kansas State vs UCLA
Kansas State wins 30-21

Cactus Bowl
Washington vs Oklahoma State
Washington wins 25-14

Birmingham Bowl
East Carolina vs Florida
East Carolina wins 31-29

GoDaddy Bowl
Toledo vs Arkansas State
Arkansas State wins 30-27


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2014 Miami Beach Bowl Preview and Prediction

This is a little late, but the holiday had me running around doing errands. I should have done it over the weekend, but I got caught up on other things going on. The game has already started, but I haven't watched or even kept up with the game yet. Here is my short little preview of the game that is currently going on. This seems pretty lame, but I had to get my original prediction out, so here it is.

The Miami Beach Bowl will showcase the BYU Cougars vs the Memphis Tigers.This is the first ever Miami Beach Bowl and I think they got two good teams to play in the inaugural event. Memphis is having one of the best seasons it has ever had. The Tigers are searching for their first 10 win season in over ten years. Memphis has one of the best defenses in college football and will look to keep BYU under control.

The BYU Cougars are going into their 10th consecutive bowl game appearance where they have won 6 out of the last 9 bowl games. BYU has a pretty stellar offense that they will try to use and throw off the Memphis Tigers' defense. That will be pretty tricky to do against a Memphis defense that is 5th in total points allowed.

Look for this to be a close game with Memphis coming out victorious by a score of 29-22.


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2014 FBS Bowl Game Predictions (New Orleans Bowl, New Mexico Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Camellia Bowl)

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and I'm not talking about the holidays. I'm talking about college football bowl season. The thing that makes this one of the most exciting bowls season in history is the beginning of the College Football Playoff. That's right, we will finally have a playoff system in college football. Although it's not a perfect system and needs some tweaking, it is something that fans have been wanting for a long time. To me, the bowl games are like inter-league play in Major League Baseball, where you get to see teams play each other that you normally wouldn't get a chance to see play. This year will showcase some really good teams against each other. My predictions have not been very accurate the last two years, but that is going to change this year. Instead of doing all of the bowl games in one blog, I am going to spread it out a little bit. In this blog I will be going over the bowl games that will be played on Saturday, December 20th. Here are my predictions for this Saturday's games.

Nevada vs Louisiana-Lafayette

This will be a pretty good game to watch between to very even teams.I think this will be a close game throughout its entirety. There's nothing that really special about these two teams, but they are good teams. Nevada has been up and down this year with wins against good teams and losses that should have been wins. Louisiana-Lafayette didn't have a signature win this season, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. They do have a good running back in Elijah McGuire who is averaging 7.8 yards per carry with only 150 attempts. Even though Louisiana-Lafayette will have the home field advantage, I think Nevada will come away with the victory by a score of 25-24.

Utah State vs UTEP

Utah State is coming off of the shellacking they took by the hands of Boise State in hopes to redeem themselves against UTEP. UTEP's running back, Aaron Jones, is averaging 5.7 yards per game, but he is going against a Utah State defense that is only allowing 3.3 yards per game. Utah State has a receiver in Hunter Sharp that is averaging 14.6 yards per catch with 7 touchdowns. Overall I think that Utah State is the better team. They have better wins against better teams, and will win this one by a score of 21-14.

Utah vs Colorado State

This could be the best game out of all of the bowl games this Saturday. Utah is the favorite to win the game, but I think Colorado State will get the victory. Colorado State's quarterback (Garrett Grayson) and receiver (Rashard Higgins) are two of the best in college football. Utah's defense isn't that good against the pass, and I believe that Colorado State's passing game will be the key factor for winning the game. I see Colorado State winning by a score of 30-21.

Western Michigan vs Air Force

The Western Michigan Broncos has had one of the biggest turnaround seasons this year. Last year the Broncos had an abysmal record of 1-11. This year they managed to turn around their program and finished the regular season with an 8-4 record. That is very impressive. This will be the school's 6th bowl game in its history. Air Force has also had a great year as well and shouldn't be looked over. Air Force is ranked 8th in rushing yards. Western Michigan has allowed only 4.2 yards per carry this season and 15 touchdowns. I think that Western Michigan's offense is going to attack in the air with precision and come away with the win by a score of 29-25.

South Alabama vs Bowling Green

This is a game of a couple of firsts. This is the first game of this new bowl, and it is the very first bowl game for South Alabama. South Alabama will have the home field advantage in this one playing in their back yard. But Bowling Green are considered the favorite to win, but not by me. While both of these teams don't have parts of their game that really stand out, I feel as though South Alabama has some things going for them that Bowling Green does not. While Bowling Green may have more experience in the FBS and bowl games, the Jaguars of South Alabama have the energy flowing through them. I think by having South Alabama play their first bowl game only tow hours away from their city in the inaugural Camellia Bowl will have these kids playing on another level. South Alabama will go into this game pumped up with plenty of support. I see South Alabama winning this game, which will be close, by a score of 16-15.


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2014 FCS Playoff Semifinals

We are down to the Semifinals of the FCS Football Playoff. It has been quite exciting so far. The last round I found myself going 3-1 with Sam Houston State pulling off another upset. That puts me at a 14-6 record so far in the playoffs. In the Final Four of the FCS Playoff we have the #1 seed New Hampshire taking on the #5 seed Illinois State, and the surprising team of the playoff unseeded Sam Houston State takes on #2 North Dakota State. I have been very impressed with how all four of these teams have been playing, especially Sam Houston State. I have to give the Bearkats a lot of credit, I didn't see them getting out of the 1st round, and I did not pick them to win any of the games since then.North Dakota State has come away with some close wins which always makes for exciting games. New Hampshire has been dominating throughout the playoff, and Illinois State has been blowing away opponents. So let's see who I think will move into the FCS Championship game.

The first game will be played on Friday at 8:00 pm et, and will feature the Cinderella Sam Houston State and the reigning 3-time champions North Dakota State. So I said earlier that I have picked against the Bearkats every game and they have won every time, and you would think that now I would finally pick them to win right? Wrong. No matter how great Sam Houston State has been I am not going to pick against the current champions. I think North Dakota State will be the team that is too much for the Bearkats to handle. North Dakota has too many weapons that Sam Houston State just isn't ready for. I see North Dakota State coming away with the victory by a score of 27-16.

he second game will played on Saturday at 2:00 pm et, and will feature two of the best offenses in the playoff. The New Hampshire Wildcats will look to knock off the Illinois State Redbirds from championship hopes. Both of these teams are averaging over 35 points per game and are only allowing 21.2 points per game. I think this will be one of the best games so far in the playoff. I expect this to be a back and forth battle of scoring. It will be close throughout the entire game. This will be a game that does not lack in the action department. These teams are very even with each other, and New Hampshire has the home field advantage. The problem is that New Hampshire doesn't get a very big crowd out to the games, so I'm taking the home field advantage out on this one. Like I said before it will be a close game with a lot of action, but ultimately I think Illinois State has been playing better through the playoff. I think Illinois State wins it by a field goal with a score of 35-32.

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