Happy New Year! Now Let's Enjoy the Roses and the Fiesta!

Today's News Links:

ESPN reports that Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien will become head coach of the Houston Texans.  Full story here.

Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher has signed a five-year contract extension.   Fisher's new contract is worth $21 million and it lasts until 2018.  However, the contract does not prevent Fisher from seeking other head coaching opportunities at this point in time.  Full story here.

Aggies head coach Kevin Sumlin has declined all requests to interview for an NFL head coaching position.  Sources say that he plans to honor the six-year contract extension he signed with Texas A&M a few weeks earlier.  Full story here.

I don't normally report on rumors, but CBS Sports has mentioned that Texas has apparently vetted four candidates to replace Mack Brown.  The four mentioned are Louisville's Charlie Strong, Baylor's Art Briles, Florida State's Jimbo Fisher, and Vanderbilt's James Franklin.  Full story here.

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January 1st, 2014, has finally arrived, and with it comes six highly anticipated bowl games.  Four of them feature teams from the Big Ten Conference.
 
 Today's first game is the TAXSLAYER.COM GATOR BOWL, which kicks off a Noon Eastern on ESPN2 from Jacksonville, Florida's, Everbank Field.  This year's edition of the Gator Bowl features a postseason rematch between Nebraska (Big Ten) and Georgia (SEC).  Though Georgia is favored, both teams will be playing without their starting quarterbacks because of injuries.  Since both teams have had their share of injuries this year, it seems to me that this is anybody's game.  Still, it should be very competitive.  ESPN's Mark Schlabach picks Georgia to win by one touchdown.  Projected final score:  38-31.

At the same time, ESPNU will be airing the HEART OF DALLAS BOWL from Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas.  This year's match-up features Nevada-Las Vegas (MWC) versus North Texas (C-USA).  Last year, both teams had a combined six wins. This year marks the first time UNLV has played in a bowl since 2000, and North Texas has not played in the postseason since 2004.  Indeed, UNLV is 3-0 in the postseason but they will be playing in what will likely be a home game for the North Texas Mean Green.  Dallas is within an hour's drive from the North Texas campus in Denton so the Runnin' Rebels should expect a sizable Mean Green fan contingent.  Mark Schlabach picks North Texas to win by a touchdown.  Projected final score:  31-23.

At 1:00 PM Eastern on ABC, The CAPITAL ONE BOWL (formerly the Florida Citrus Bowl and The Tangerine Bowl) features #19 Wisconsin (Big Ten) versus #9 South Carolina (SEC).  At one point in the season, both teams were viewed as at-large picks for BCS-level bowls.  However, Wisconsin's late-season loss to Penn State in Madison and South Carolina's setbacks against Georgia and Tennessee relegated both teams to a non-BCS bowl.  Both teams went 6-2 in conference play and their offensive squads have both averaged at least 450 total yards per game.  The question here is whether or not South Carolina's defense (which has allowed only 20.0 points per game), led by Jadeveon Clowney, can stop Wisconsin's rushing offense (283.0 yards per game), the eighth-best in the country.  Mark Schlabach gives the Gamecocks a four-point advantage in what he believes will be a low-scoring game.  Projected final score:  21-17.

Today's OUTBACK BOWL from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, will also be televised at 1:00 PM Eastern, except ESPN will carry the game.  This year's edition of what used to be the Hall of Fame Bowl features two teams that have only met once before:  Iowa (Big Ten) and Louisiana State (SEC).  The last time they met was in the 2005 Capital One Bowl, where Iowa won 30-25.  It was that Hawkeye victory which spoiled Nick Saban's last game as LSU's head coach.  The Tigers will be starting freshman Quarterback Anthony Jennings after their star QB Zach Mettenberger tore the ACL in his left knee during the Arkansas game.  How Jennings will fare against Iowa's formidable defense, led by James Morris, Anthony Hitchens, and Christian Kirksey.  This trio of linebackers have combined for 298 tackles, 32.5 stops behind the line, six interceptions, 9.5 sacks, 13 Quarterback hurries, six forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries.  Mark Schlabach gives Iowa a three-point advantage.  Projected final score:  24-21. 

At 5:00 PM Eastern, ESPN will present #5 Stanford (PAC-12) vs. #4 Michigan State (Big Ten) in THE ROSE BOWL GAME from Pasadena, California.  Stanford is the defending champion while Michigan State has not been to a Rose Bowl game in twenty-six years.  In fact, had Michigan State won their game against Notre Dame, it is likely that the Spartans would be playing Florida State for the BCS National Championship instead of Auburn.  Instead, Michigan State's top-ranked defense will play against a Stanford offensive squad that averages 413.1 total yards per game.  Though Michigan State's offensive line has not put up as many yards (384.6 yards per game), their Quarterback Connor Cook has completed 58.4% of his passes, accumulated 2423 yards, scored 20 touchdowns, and has only five interceptions.  By contrast, Stanford's QB has scored the same amount of touchdowns, completed 61.4 % of his passes, accumulated 2487 yards, yet has had nine interceptions.  I give the advantage to Michigan State and their defense.  Mark Schlabach gives the Spartans a four-point advantage in a low scoring game.  Projected final score:  17-13. 

Finally, at 8:00 PM Eastern, ESPN will present the TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL from University of Phoenix Stadium at Glendale, Arizona.  #15 Central Florida (AAC) will take on #6 Baylor (Big XII) in a game between conference champions.  Baylor boasts an offensive line that has scored an average of 53.3 points per game while averaging an incredible 624.5 total yards per game!  Indeed, Central Florida's offensive line is not as strong as Baylor's (432.0 Total Yards per game and averaging 33.2 points per game).  However, the Knights boast the 12th best defensive squad in the country in terms of points allowed (19.6 points per game).  I do not think Central Florida can beat Baylor if the game turns into a shootout.  The Knights' defense may have to play their best game of the season if they are going to contain the Bears' offense.  Mark Schlabach picks Baylor to win by at least two touchdowns.  Projected final score:  41-27.