TFG: New Year's Day Edition

TAXSLAYER.com Gator Bowl - Mississippi State vs (20) Northwestern NOON ESPN2

Miss State takes on a perennial bowl eligibility contender Northwestern in this one. Wildcats HC Pat Fitzgerald is a good coach that deserves at least an interview from bigger programs for what he has done at NW. He's a NW lifer it seems as he's an alum of the school. Bulldogs senior CB Johnthan Banks looks to solidify his stock into first round territory by having a good game against a decent Northwestern passing attack that had several Big 10 defenses sweating a little.

Host city: Jacksonville, FL (whatever the Sparkle Kittie's stadium is called now)

Heart of Dallas Bowl (formerly TicketCity Bowl) - Purdue vs Oklahoma State NOON ESPNU

A much ballyhooed (in the preseason) Purdue DT Kawann Short takes on one of the best backs in the country in RB Joseph Randle. Oklahoma State comes in with an irritated booster named oilman T.Boones Pickens after head coach Mike Gundy flirted with other programs even being given everything he wanted by Pickens. Purdue visits Texas limping as well, they fired head coach Danny Hope for not being mediocre and just nodding along with the more heralded basketball program.

Host city; Dallas, TX Cotton Bowl (home of the Red River Shootout and the State Fair)

Capital One Bowl - (7) UGA vs (16) Nebraska 1 PM ABC

A bowl that features two teams that lost their conference title games in vastly different ways. Georgia comes into this one after losing the heartbreaking SEC title game to Alabama. Nebraska lost to Wisconsin in an emasculating beating in Indy. Husker RB Rex Burkhead and company will have a tough task facing a stout UGA defense that features future draft picks DE Jarvis Jones, LB Alec Ogletree, CB Sanders Commings, DT Kwame Geathers, S Bacarri Rambo and S Shawne Williams. However, in the Huskers favor is that senior NT John Jenkins has been ruled academically ineligible for the Dogs. The faded luster of the infamous blackshirt defense has to take on redshirt junior QB Aaron Murray (who's been on campus forever it seems like), RB Gurshall (freshmen phenoms Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley), WR Tavarres King, and sleeper prospect OL Dallas Lee.

Host city: Orlando, FL Citrus Bowl

Outback Bowl - (10) South Carolina vs (18) Michigan 1 PM ESPN

South Carolina's monstrous beast true sophomore DE Jadaveon Clowney takes on do it all star Denard Robinson. Clowney could've been a first round pick his freshman season were he eligible. The standout sophomore could've been the top pick in the 2013 draft, he's that good. It's a moot point, however since the NCAA is so archaic in its methods. In the draft eligible portion of the USC team, S DJ Swearinger, DE Devin Taylor, WR Ace Sanders come to play. Michigan in its traditional production line of draft eligible stars, has QB Devin Gardner, "Athlete" Denard Robinson, RB Fitz Toussaint, WR Roy Roundtree, DE Craig Roh. Robinson intrigues me the most as he can play just about anywhere on offense. There has been talk that he will be moved to cornerback. Gardner could be a sleeper prospect at QB next year to keep in mind should Locker be deemed a bust.

Host city: Tampa, FL Raymond James Stadium

The Rose Bowl Game - Wisconsin vs (6) Stanford 5 PM ESPN

The Granddaddy of Them All will feature well, your granddaddy's type of offense. Both teams will look to pound the ball with their stud RBs and hope that the QB doesn't mess it up along with some good defense. *in my best Michael Buffer voice* In the red corner, wearing number 28, measuring in at 5'11 215 pounds, from Wentzville, Missouri, I give you RB Montee Ball!!!, who's rebounded of late after a dismal start. In the other slightly less red corner, wearing number 33, measuring in at 5'11 220 pounds from Arlington, Texas, RB Stepfan Taylor!!!

Host city: LA. Rose Bowl (home of the UCLA Bruins)

Discover Orange Bowl - (15) Northern Illinois vs (12) Florida State 8:30 PM ESPN

This is why FSU needs to leave the ACC, to avoid terrible matchups like these. I won't comment on how big of a joke this game is (it's the worst one in a long line of jokes of the BCS era). NIU junior QB Jordan Lynch faces off against a top 5 ranked Noles defense after talking smack to them that was surely greeted with tear inducing laughter in Tallahassee. FSU features a bevy of draft prospects including junior DEs Bjoern Werner, Brandon Jenkins, senior DE Tank Carradine, junior CB Xavier Rhodes, junior S LaMarcus Joyner, senior QB EJ Manuel, senior WR Rodney Smith, senior K Dustin Hopkins, and junior LB Christian Jones among many others.