Mandel: Ranking the Bowls 1-34
SI.com’s Stewart Mandel recently ranked all 34 bowl games.
Here are his top 5:
1) BCS National Championship Game (Jan. 7): Alabama (13-0) vs. Texas (13-0). It’s the first-ever matchup of two 13-0 teams. Colt McCoy. Mark Ingram. Rolando McClain. Sergio Kindle. Yeah, I’m thinking you might want to tune in.
2) Sugar (Jan. 1): Cincinnati (12-0) vs. Florida (12-1). It’s spread vs. spread, Tim Tebow vs. Tony Pike, Mardy Gilyard vs. Joe Haden. It may be a letdown game for the Gators, but it should still be entertaining.
3) Fiesta (Jan. 4): TCU (12-0) vs. Boise State (13-0). Enough with the outrage, people: You know you’re going to watch. The nation’s No. 1 passer, Broncos quarterback Kellen Moore, goes up against the nation’s top-ranked defense.
4) Rose (Jan. 1): Ohio State (10-2) vs. Oregon (10-2). Dangerous dual-threat star Jeremiah Masoli is what Terrelle Pryor was supposed to be. But the Buckeyes present the toughest defense the Ducks have faced since Boise.
5) Orange (Jan. 5): Georgia Tech (11-2) vs. Iowa (10-2). You remember the Hawkeyes. They love low scores and dramatic finishes. With a month to prepare, can Pat Angerer, Tyler Sash and Co. stifle Josh Nesbitt and the triple-option?
That’s how I would have my top 5, although the Fiesta and Sugar bowls might be interchangeable. I love watching TCU’s defense play and I’m intrigued about how Gary Patterson will game plan to stop Boise’s offense. That said, I’m interested to see how Cincinnati responds after Brian Kelly ditched them for Notre Dame.
I know Georgia Tech’s triple-option is exciting to watch and Iowa does have a solid front seven, but that matchup just doesn’t have the same appeal as the other four. Maybe it’ll wind up being the best BCS game of the season, but the matchup offers little sizzle compared to the other top bowls.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
Follow the Scores Report editors on Twitter @TheScoresReport. You can also follow TSR editor Gerardo Orlando @clevelandteams and @bullzeyedotcom, and you can follow TSR editor Anthony Stalter @AnthonyStalter.
Improve your game today!
You've got to brush up on your game to get the girl! Find your hookups with this online dating guide.
Posted in: College Football
Tags: 2009 Bowl Games, 2009 College Football Bowl Games, 2010 BCS National Championship, 2010 Fiesta Bowl, 2010 Orange Bowl, 2010 Rose Bowl, 2010 Sugar Bowl, Alabama, Best and Worst 2009 college football bowl games, Boise State, Brian Kelly, Cincinnati, College Football bowl rankings 2009, Colt McCoy, Florida, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Jeremiah Masoli, Joe Haden, Josh Nesbitt, Kellen Moore, Mardy Gilyard, Mark Ingram, Ohio State, Oregon, Pat Angerer, Rolando McClain, Sergio Kindle, TCU, Terrelle Pryor, Texas, Tim Tebow, Tony Pike, Tyler Sash









