Daily Blog • Thursday, December 24th and Friday, December 25th

First I would like to thank everyone who has been using and reading PhilSteele.com this year. Your support and comments have helped us improve the site tenfold the past couple of years and with your help we will make PhilSteele.com even better in the upcoming year! I also want to personally wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy Holiday season!

Each day during bowl season in my daily blog, I will give you my forecasts on the bowl games taking place that day. My forecasts will include a detailed write-up with my computer’s projected box score including rushing and passing yards, points and turnovers along with a detailed write-up on each game.

Also check out the bowl matchup section to get the latest and greatest information on all the upcoming bowl games including, game by game stats, 2009 recaps, and checklists for every position and intangible.

HAWAII BOWL
NEVADA VS SMU
Rushing
Passing
Points
TO’s
ST
NEVADA 352
165
42
2.2
•
SMU
68
305
28
2.5
–
 

Nevada will be playing without their two 1000 yard rushers in RBs Vai Taua and Luke Lippincott. SMU coach June Jones is back in Hawaii and this will be a special game for him. The Mustangs have faced an option attack in Navy this year and played well before losing in OT. The Underdogs have been more motivated so far this post season and while I give SMU a good shot at the upset I will call for Nevada by a field goal.
PHIL’S FORECAST: NEVADA 38 SMU 35


Conference Bowl Standings

Bowl Conference VS Conference Records
OVERALL
vs BCS CONF
W
L
%
W
L
%
MWC
3
0
100%
2
0
100%
BIG EAST
1
0
100%
0
0
0
SUN BELT
1
0
100%
0
0
0
SEC
0
0
0
0
0
0
BIG 12
0
0
0
0
0
0
BIG 10
0
0
0
0
0
0
ACC
0
0
0
0
0
0
INDEP
0
0
0
0
0
0
MAC
0
0
0
0
0
0
WAC
0
1
0%
0
0
0
PAC 10
0
2
0%
0
0
0
CUSA
0
2
0%
0
1
0%

The MWC is off to a great start with a 3-0 record thanks to Wyoming's upset over Fresno St in the New Mexico Bowl and two big wins over the Pac-10 the last two nights. BYU's and Utah's victories also make the MWC the only conference with wins over a team from a BCS conference. The Big East and Sun Belt have picked up early wins while the PAC 10 and WAC have suffered some disappointing losses. CUSA will have their chance to make up for the bad start with Nevada and Marshall playing in the next couple of days.

The Bowl Confidence Contest

Make sure to check the daily blog every day as we will be posting the standings here after every bowl game is played.

There will be two Top 50 leaderboards. The first one will be points won and the second is best win percentage of their points. Sometimes the early leaders are the ones that risked the most on the early bowls and they fall by the wayside as the contest goes on so that is why I will also keep track of those that have the best win percentage.

Out of more than 1200 entries only John Roberts and Don Seebold have picked the first 5 games correctly. William Meleski who was in 2nd yesterday now leads the contest with 110 total points along with Joel Blank. While both have the same point total William has the significant advantage in Win %. In third place is Gene Winters who has been in the top 3 the past three days and now has 105 points.

I still have 20 points but there are 29 bowl games left and there is plenty of time for everyone to rebound.

Thanks again to all that have entered. If you have any problems with your points or do not see your name please email Brandon@philsteele.com. Here are the current leaderboards.

The Top 50 in Points Won

Rk
 Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
1
 William J Meleski
110
30
79%
14
1
 Joel Blank
110
192
36%
331
3
 Gene Winters
105
29
78%
16
4
 John Roberts
97
0
100%
1
5
 Bill Morehead
95
65
59%
71
6
 Don Seebold
91
0
100%
1
7
 Josh Farnsworth
86
28
75%
18
8
 Gary Candon
84
35
71%
27
9
 Matt Thompson
81
34
70%
30
9
 Bob Knight
81
39
68%
38
11
 Timothy Divis
79
33
71%
28
12
 Jack Hawn
76
31
71%
25
13
 Anthony Chapman
73
35
68%
37
13
 Butch Domann
73
51
59%
74
15
 Matthew Edmundson
72
39
65%
47
16
 Jon Sweden
70
35
67%
39
16
 Pete Mackin
70
53
57%
88
18
 Ryan Faulkner
68
54
56%
99
19
 NICK SCHWEMBERGER
67
47
59%
76
19
 Michael Mancini
67
48
58%
78
19
 James Bigley
67
71
49%
156
22
 Jeff Hamilton
66
33
67%
39
22
 Brent Burleson
66
46
59%
73
22
 Dave Klaehn
66
60
52%
116
25
 eric sabo
65
16
80%
12
25
 K. McAbier
65
25
72%
23
27
 Michael Simmons
64
68
48%
157
28
 Steve MacDonald
63
1
98%
3
28
 Lyell Marks
63
97
39%
285
28
 Sherry Shoup
63
97
39%
285
28
 Duston Turner
63
97
39%
285
32
 Earl Heiden
62
34
65%
48
32
 Luke Savage
62
34
65%
48
34
 Richie Thomas
61
47
56%
91
34
 John Homoki
61
50
55%
102
34
 Craig Domingues
61
55
53%
115
37
 Marc Caruso
59
10
86%
10
37
 Marc Ostrom
59
34
63%
53
37
 Buddy Davis
59
47
56%
100
37
 Carl Ciaramitaro
59
51
54%
111
37
 Mark Walsh
59
69
46%
188
42
 Dan Gill
58
48
55%
107
42
 Jeff Hedges
58
64
48%
173
42
 John Geanakos
58
64
48%
173
45
 Dick Rosser
57
47
55%
103
45
 Jared Luginbill
57
47
55%
103
47
 Norm Hitzges
55
29
65%
44
47
 Terry McDowell
55
51
52%
117
47
 Don Deavers
55
58
49%
153
47
 Courtney Moeller
55
59
48%
161
47
 Glenn Davis
55
59
48%
161
47
 John Scagliotti
55
60
48%
167

The Top 50 in Win %

Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
John Roberts
97
0
100%
1
Don Seebold
91
0
100%
1
Steve MacDonald
63
1
98%
3
Robert Devine
14
1
93%
4
Robb Karovic
20
2
91%
5
Frank Scott
49
5
91%
6
Danny Prevatt
36
4
90%
7
Anisha Bowling
41
5
89%
8
Austin Huggins
26
4
87%
9
Marc Caruso
59
10
86%
10
Jeremy Zinn
40
9
82%
11
eric sabo
65
16
80%
12
Michael Prychodczenko
12
3
80%
13
William J Meleski
110
30
79%
14
Daniel Salazar
22
6
79%
15
Gene Winters
105
29
78%
16
Erik Sweress
38
12
76%
17
Josh Farnsworth
86
28
75%
18
Richard Specht
11
4
73%
19
Mike Quinn
41
15
73%
20
Frank Hillman
35
13
73%
21
plhokie
48
18
73%
22
K. McAbier
65
25
72%
23
Cliff Caldwell
49
19
72%
24
Jack Hawn
76
31
71%
25
David Fingado
22
9
71%
26
Gary Candon
84
35
71%
27
Timothy Divis
79
33
71%
28
Matthew Anderson
43
18
70%
29
Matt Thompson
81
34
70%
30
Nick Matcragas
47
20
70%
31
Jerry Bankhead
37
16
70%
32
Steven Turner
23
10
70%
33
John Moss
38
17
69%
34
Russ Wilkerson
50
23
68%
35
ray59
17
8
68%
36
Anthony Chapman
73
35
68%
37
Bob Knight
81
39
68%
38
Jeff Hamilton
66
33
67%
39
Jon Sweden
70
35
67%
39
Gary Magnus
25
13
66%
41
Mike Connors
50
26
66%
41
Dan Maurer
21
11
66%
43
Norm Hitzges
55
29
65%
44
J. Willour
53
28
65%
45
Brent Rogers
47
25
65%
46
Matthew Edmundson
72
39
65%
47
Earl Heiden
62
34
65%
48
Luke Savage
62
34
65%
48
Jim Martindale
46
26
64%
50

Radio Contest Leaderboards

WKNR Cleveland, OH with Michael Reghi
Top 10 POINTS WON
Top 10 WIN %
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Anthony Chapman
73
35
68%
3
Jon Sweden
70
35
67%
4
Dave Klaehn
66
60
52%
9
K. McAbier
65
25
72%
2
Marc Caruso
59
10
86%
1
Jared Luginbill
57
47
55%
8
Dan Weaver
49
36
58%
6
Steve Swinehart
44
77
36%
18
Frank Elia
42
25
63%
5
Jason Ziegler
42
72
37%
17
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Marc Caruso
59
10
86%
1
K. McAbier
65
25
72%
2
Anthony Chapman
73
35
68%
3
Jon Sweden
70
35
67%
4
Frank Elia
42
25
63%
5
Dan Weaver
49
36
58%
6
Anthony Marcello
41
32
56%
7
Jared Luginbill
57
47
55%
8
Dave Klaehn
66
60
52%
9
Scott Jasinkowski
19
18
51%
10

Anthony Chapman leads the KNR contest with 73 pts won already. Jon Sweden is second with 70 points. Marc Caruso continues to have the best win % so far with 86%.

"All Bets Are Off" Sports Time Ohio Cleveland, OH
with Bruce Drennan
Top 10 POINTS WON
Top 10 WIN %
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Gene Winters
105
29
78%
1
NICK SCHWEMBERGER
67
47
59%
3
Matthew Goodman
44
71
38%
11
JOSH SCHOTT
43
47
48%
7
Scott (wox 11)
41
40
51%
6
Kevin Wise
37
28
57%
5
MIKE COON
36
27
57%
4
Frank Elia
34
22
61%
2
DON DAVID
34
46
43%
9
Jim Nalle
33
57
37%
13
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Gene Winters
105
29
78%
1
Frank Elia
34
22
61%
2
NICK SCHWEMBERGER
67
47
59%
3
MIKE COON
36
27
57%
4
Kevin Wise
37
28
57%
5
Scott (wox 11)
41
40
51%
6
JOSH SCHOTT
43
47
48%
7
Lee J Craun
27
35
44%
8
DON DAVID
34
46
43%
9
Taylor Walczak
26
39
40%
10

Gene Winters conitnues to dominate the Sports Time Ohio group with 105 pts won and a 78% win %. Nick Schwemberger has been rising on the list the past couple of days and has 67 pts and a win % of 59%.

ESPN Radio 94.1 Virginia Beach, VA with Tony Mercurio
Top 10 POINTS WON
Top 10 WIN %
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Dan Wagoner
40
60
40%
4
Richard Bidnick
39
44
47%
2
damonbeau
32
47
41%
3
Daryl Baker
30
61
33%
5
don lloyd
29
65
31%
6
dcnev
28
83
25%
8
George Trotman
25
89
22%
11
chris bartnik
24
73
25%
9
wade hotsenpiller
24
84
22%
10
Rob Vanier
20
15
57%
1
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Rob Vanier
20
15
57%
1
Richard Bidnick
39
44
47%
2
damonbeau
32
47
41%
3
Dan Wagoner
40
60
40%
4
Daryl Baker
30
61
33%
5
don lloyd
29
65
31%
6
tony Mercurio
19
54
26%
7
dcnev
28
83
25%
8
chris bartnik
24
73
25%
9
wade hotsenpiller
24
84
22%
10

Dan Wagoner leads the 94.1 group with 40 points won with Richard Bidnick in second with 39. Rob Vanier has the best win % with 57%.

The Sports Animal 790 AM Houston, TX
with Charlie Pallilo

Paul Polsky leads the 790 group with 35 points won.