Daily Blog • Monday, December 28th

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.

INDEPENDENCE BOWL
GEORGIA VS TEXAS A&M
Rushing
Passing
Points
TO’s
ST
GEORGIA 177
240
36
2.4
•••
TEXAS A&M
163
280
34
1.7
–
 

Both teams in their last game benefited from playing teams that had championship games on deck. Georgia is better than their 7-5 record indicates and with 2 games left in the season outgained Kentucky 487-260 but somehow lost 34-27. Georgia has plenty of weapons on offense and even though Texas A&M has the better offensive numbers, Georgia has taken on a tougher set of defenses. Georgia has a large edge on the defensive side of the ball (#29-83) and a good size special teams edge (#10-74). Mark Richt is 6-2 in bowl games while Sherman is coaching his 1st bowl game. There have been a lot of upsets this bowl season but it would be embarrassing if the Bulldogs slip to 7-6 so this one is important.
PHIL’S FORECAST: GEORGIA 39 TEXAS A&M 28


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
2
0
100%
1
0
0
SUN BELT
1
0
100%
0
0
0
C USA
2
2
50%
0
1
0%
PAC 10
1
2
33%
1
0
100%
ACC
1
2
33%
1
2
33%
SEC
0
1
0%
0
1
0%
BIG 12
0
0
0
0
0
0
BIG 10
0
0
0
0
0
0
INDEP
0
0
0
0
0
0
MAC
0
1
0%
0
0
0%
WAC
0
1
0%
0
0
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 week. The Big East has picked up a couple of wins including Pittsburgh's win over North Carolina on Saturday. CUSA after starting 0-2 has won their last two including SMU's impressive win over Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl. The PAC 10 also got their first win of the bowl season with USC beating Boston College 24-13 over the weekend and the ACC got its first victory last night with Clemson beating Kentucky 21-13 in the Music City Bowl. The Big 12 and Big 10 conferences have yet to play in a bowl game.

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.

After 10 bowl games William Meleski continues to lead the contest for the fifth day in a row with 212 points won and a 79% win %. Bob Knight and Jeff Hamilton switched places with Bob Knight taking over 2nd place with 193 points and Jeff Hamilton dropping down to 3rd with 190 points. Both picked Clemson to win however Bob Knight had Clemson for five more points. Gary Magnus is the new leader in win % with 88 points won and only 14 points lost 86%!

After a tough start I now have 101 points and there are still 24 bowl games left!

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

Rank
 Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
1
 William J Meleski
212
55
79%
13
2
 Bob Knight
193
48
80%
11
3
 Jeff Hamilton
190
33
85%
2
4
 Gene Winters
176
79
69%
51
5
 Lyell Marks
169
126
57%
217
6
 Richie Thomas
164
47
78%
15
7
 Don Seebold
161
36
82%
6
7
 Jack Hawn
161
53
75%
19
9
 Matthew Goodman
157
84
65%
90
10
 Marc Ostrom
156
37
81%
9
11
 Dick Rosser
152
61
71%
35
12
 Michael Mancini
151
94
62%
133
13
 Mike Guzzo
147
69
68%
60
14
 Mitchell Sanpei
146
68
68%
59
14
 Tony Orioli
146
92
61%
143
14
 Bud Converse
146
106
58%
202
17
 Ben Brin
141
57
71%
37
17
 Aaron Trauger
141
65
68%
58
17
 Sherry Shoup
141
154
48%
487
17
 Duston Turner
141
154
48%
487
21
 Anthony Chapman
140
75
65%
92
22
 Craig Domingues
139
79
64%
107
23
 Don Deavers
138
70
66%
73
23
 Eugene Mangino
138
71
66%
80
23
 James Bigley
138
90
61%
155
26
 adam muscat
136
68
67%
67
26
 Carl Ciaramitaro
136
103
57%
223
28
 plhokie
135
31
81%
7
29
 Natalie Lindsay
134
48
74%

27
29
 Josh Farnsworth
134
49
73%
28
29
 Jerry Chieffalo
134
55
71%
38
29
 Mark Walsh
134
102
57%
228
29
 Ron Stroman
134
119
53%
308
33
 Jerry Thornton
133
89
60%
166
34
 Frank Elia
131
25
84%
5
34
 John Mina
131
71
65%
93
34
 Steven Birmingham
131
88
60%
169
34
 Michael Sprangers
131
92
59%
187
38
 Kevin Wise
130
68
66%
84
38
 Rich Ribera
130
81
62%
135
38
 Terry McDowell
130
109
54%
276
41
 Joey Novak
129
72
64%
104
41
 Luke Savage
129
74
64%
112
43
 Lisa DiBello
128
42
75%
18
43
 Gordon Goldbach
128
88
59%
178
43
 Doug Nelms
128
94
58%
208
43
 Leon Rosenblum
128
102
56%
250
43
 Dave Klaehn
128
102
56%
249
48
 peggmon
127
65
66%
78
48
 Jim Merriman
127
68
65%
91
48
 Timothy Divis
127
82
61%
151
48
 Jay Henry
127
87
59%
177
48
 Matthew Edmundson
127
97
57%
230

The Top 50 in Win %

Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Gary Magnus
88
14
86%
1
Jeff Hamilton
190
33
85%
2
Dan Maurer
103
18
85%
3
Jerry Bankhead
118
21
85%
4
Frank Elia
131
25
84%
5
Don Seebold
161
36
82%
6
plhokie
135
31
81%
7
Timothy Zelek
82
19
81%
8
Marc Ostrom
156
37
81%
9
Scott Walsky
73
18
80%
10
Bob Knight
193
48
80%
11
Frank Scott
87
22
80%
12
William J Meleski
212
55
79%
13
Matt Schupp
105
28
79%
14
Richie Thomas
164
47
78%
15
Anthony Marcello
116
37
76%
16
Marc Caruso
103
33
76%
17
Lisa DiBello
128
42
75%
18
Jack Hawn
161
53
75%
19
Jason Harris
112
37
75%
20
Phillip Mason
126
43
75%
21
Gary Cotton
82
28
75%
22
Natalie Lindsay
134
48
74%

27
Steve MacDonald
108
37
74%
23
Michael Prychodczenko
69
24
74%
24
Frank Hillman
64
23
74%
25
Giovanni Sicurella
111
40
74%
26
John Galliera
115
42
73%
27
Josh Farnsworth
134
49
73%
28
Don Armstrong
123
45
73%
29
Scott Jasinkowski
71
26
73%
30
Jason Fry
114
42
73%
31
James Marzano
40
15
73%
32
Doug Mayfield
112
43
72%
33
ray59
43
17
72%
34
Dick Rosser
152
61
71%
35
Bobby Welles
114
46
71%
36
Ben Brin
141
57
71%
37
Jerry Chieffalo
134
55
71%
38
DAWN KING
123
51
71%
39
Jeffrey Gans
82
34
71%
40
Mike Magee
90
38
70%
41
James W Phillips
87
37
70%
42
Jeremy Zinn
114
49
70%
43
Erik Sweress
97
42
70%
44
Rick Perk
113
49
70%
45
Matthew Anderson
106
46
70%
46
Patti Lanoy
106
47
69%
47
Jim Martindale
74
33
69%
48
Paul Flatt
103
46
69%
49
Richard Specht
38
17
69%
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
140
75
65%
5
Frank Elia
131
25
84%
1
Dave Klaehn
128
102
56%
17
Chris Hicks
120
143
46%
39
Anthony Marcello
116
37
76%
2
Mike Hay
116
74
61%
12
David Dohar
116
112
51%
29
Jason Johnson
115
118
49%
32
Michael Reghi
114
117
49%
33
Matt Brooks
113
71
61%
11
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Frank Elia
131
25
84%
1
Anthony Marcello
116
37
76%
2
Marc Caruso
103
33
76%
3
Scott Jasinkowski
71
26
73%
4
Anthony Chapman
140
75
65%
5
Keith Fodar
75
41
65%
6
Chris Haynes
91
50
65%
7
Marc Gargiulo
35
20
64%
8
K. McAbier
102
63
62%
9
Gary Osborne
110
69
61%
10

Anthony Chapman has retaken the lead in the KNR group with 140 points. Frank Elia does have the best win % with 80% and is second in points with 131 points.

"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
176
79
69%
2
Matthew Goodman
157
84
65%
4
Kevin Wise
130
68
66%
3
Frank Elia
123
22
85%
1
NICK SCHWEMBERGER
123
86
59%
9
Frank Cellura
116
68
63%
7
WILL BUTLER
111
72
61%
8
John McFarlane
111
108
51%
11
Jim Nalle
110
60
65%
5
TODD RUMMINS
99
117
46%
16
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Frank Elia
123
22
85%
1
Gene Winters
176
79
69%
2
Kevin Wise
130
68
66%
3
Matthew Goodman
157
84
65%
4
Jim Nalle
110
60
65%
5
Tim Johnston
89
51
64%
6
Frank Cellura
116
68
63%
7
WILL BUTLER
111
72
61%
8
NICK SCHWEMBERGER
123
86
59%
9
Opal
69
55
56%
10

Gene Winters has led the Sports Time Ohio group since day 1 with 176 points won and a 69% win %. Matthew Goodman has been rising on the list the past couple of days and has 157 points and a win % of 65%.

ESPN Radio 94.1 Virginia Beach, VA with Tony Mercurio
Top 10 POINTS WON
Top 10 WIN %
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Beau Boughamer
115
110
51%
6
Richard Bidnick
113
57
66%
2
Nick Mataragas
111
56
66%
3
dcnev
111
122
48%
9
David Crews
109
163
40%
13
Phillip Todd
106
110
49%
7
Tony Mercurio
105
63
63%
4
brad mcmasters
98
90
52%
5
George Trotman
90
125
42%
12
don lloyd
88
92
49%
8
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Rob Vanier
79
36
69%
1
Richard Bidnick
113
57
66%
2
Nick Mataragas
111
56
66%
3
Tony Mercurio
105
63
63%
4
brad mcmasters
98
90
52%
5
damonbeau
115
110
51%
6
Phillip Todd
106
110
49%
7
don lloyd
88
92
49%
8
dcnev
111
122
48%
9
Dan Wagoner
74
86
46%
10

The 94.1 group is a very close contest with Beau Boughamer leading the way with 115 points. Richard Bidnick is in second with 113 points and has does have the win % edge. Rob Vanier is #1 in win % with 69%.

The Sports Animal 790 AM Houston, TX
with Charlie Pallilo

Adam Muscat leads the 790 group with 136 points won and a 67% win %. Paul Polsky is in 2nd with 115 points.