Daily Blog •Wednesday, December 30th

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.

HUMANITARIAN BOWL
BOWLING GREEN VS IDAHO
Rushing
Passing
Points
TO’s
ST
BOWLING GREEN 63
345
34
1.2
•
IDAHO
217
255
31
2.7
–

Gametime Projected Weather: 34°, Flurries Wind: WNW 5 mph

Idaho is playing in their home state and figures to have a large crowd advantage. The Vandals have plenty of weapons on offense that starts with QB Nathan Enderle who has 2666 yards (62.3%) with a 18-9 ratio. Idaho has three solid tailbacks in De'Maundray Woolridge 853 rush yards (5.7 ypc) 16 TDs, Princeton McCarty 605 rush yards (5.7 ypc) and Deonte Jackson 584 total yards. The Vandals also have a 1000 yard WR in Max Komar. Idaho is simply the more balanced team as my computer projects them to have more than 200 yards rushing and passing while BG will just be throwing the ball all over the field. Idaho played on the blue turf earlier this year in a loss to Boise St but this time the Vandals will be on the other side of the outcome.
PHIL’S FORECAST: IDAHO 37 BOWLING GREEN 32

 

HOLIDAY BOWL
ARIZONA VS NEBRASKA
Rushing
Passing
Points
TO’s
ST
ARIZONA 132
175
15
2.3
–
NEBRASKA
103
170
22
1.9
–
Gametime Projected Weather: 58°, Partly Cloudy Wind: W 5 mph

Arizona is a dangerous team as they were just a few plays away from being unbeaten in Pac 10 play. Both teams are solid on offense and defense with Nebraska having the edge on defense (#5-20) and Arizona having the edge on offense (#25-62). Generally the Holiday Bowl is one of the higher scoring bowl games each season but with two top notch defenses it figures to be a lower scoring affair this year. While both teams are excited to be playing in this bowl Ndamukong Suh was named the AP College Football player of the year and the Huskers will want to send him out on a winning note.
PHIL’S FORECAST: NEBRASKA 20 ARIZONA 17


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
100%
BIG 10
1
0
100%
1
0
100%
SUN BELT
1
0
100%
0
0
0
PAC 10
2
2
50%
1
0
100%
SEC
1
1
50%
1
1
50%
C USA
2
2
50%
0
1
0%
ACC
1
3
25%
1
3
25%
BIG 12
0
1
0%
0
1
0%
INDEP
0
0
0
0
0
0
MAC
0
2
0%
0
1
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. The Big 10 got its first victory last night with Wisconsin's impressive win over Miami in the Champs Sports Bowl. The PAC 10 after an 0-2 start is now 2-2 after USC and UCLA victories. Similarly, CUSA after starting 0-2 has won their last two. The ACC has played all BCS conference teams in their bowl games and have not fared well going 1-3. The MAC has had a couple of tough losses including Temple's loss to UCLA yesterday where the Owls at one point led 21-7.

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 13 bowl games William Meleski continues to lead the contest for the seventh day in a row with 253 points won and a 77% win %. Gene Winters is a name that has been near the top of the leaderboard since day 1 and he is in 2nd with 226 points won. Matt Schupp is the new leader in win % with an impressive 87% which is 4% better than 2nd place Jeff Hamilton.

After some early tough losses, I now have 140 points and there are still 21 bowl games left! Remember 1st place wins $250, 2nd place gets $100 and a set of regionals and 3rd gets $50 and a set of regionals.

Thanks again to the near 1200 people that have entered. If you have any questions concerning your points or do not see your name in the Top 50 and think it should be 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
253
74
77%
12
2
 Gene Winters
226
96
70%
39
3
 Lyell Marks
216
148
59%
209
4
 Goran Mili
214
102
68%
64
5
 Jeff Hamilton
206
42
83%
2
6
 Michael Mancini
200
112
64%
111
7
 Bob Knight
196
79
71%
31
8
 Bobby Welles
195
46
81%
3
9
 Matthew Goodman
193
105
65%
106
10
 Don Seebold
190
46
81%
7
10
 Mike Guzzo
190
89
68%
57
12
 Matt Schupp
185
28
87%
1
12
 Mitchell Sanpei
185
94
66%
87
14
 Don Armstrong
184
64
74%
17
14
 Mike Hay
184
74
71%
30
16
 Pete Mackin
182
121
60%
198
17
 Don Deavers
181
81
69%
51
18
 adam muscat
180
78
70%
43
18
 Marc Ostrom
180
79
69%
44
18
 Lance Ivy
180
122
60%
203
21
 Mike Bambrick
179
102
64%
120
22
 Natalie Lindsay
178
62
74%
18
23
 John Geanakos
177
93
66%
96
24
 Dave Klaehn
176
133
57%
284
25
 Richie Thomas
175
84
68%
67
25
 Rusty Moreno
175
91
66%
94
27
 Mike Connors
174
79
69%
52
28
 Gary McQuain
173
64
73%
23
28
 Jeremy Zinn
173
67
72%
27
28
 Ed Linton
173
71
71%
34
28
 Jerry Thornton
173
103
63%
136
32
 Jerry Chieffalo
172
57
75%
13
32
 Lisa DiBello
172
72
70%
35
32
 Sephen Fraher
172
116
60%
201
32
 Bud Converse
172
134
56%
304
36
 Jarrett Singer
170
91
65%
101
36
 Andy Mickley
170
111
60%
187
36
 Gordon Goldbach
170
113
60%
197
39
 Patrick Hilt
169
40
81%
4
39
 Fred Kern
169
101
63%
138
41
 Ben Brin
168
75
69%
49
41
 Steven Pegg
168
86
66%
90
41
 Chuck Kreiner
168
94
64%
109
41
 Joey Novak
168
95
64%
116
45
 John Mina
166
92
64%
107
45
 Tony Orioli
166
116
59%
224
47
 Jason Dubeans
165
78
68%
59
47
 Gary Candon
165
96
63%
125
47
 Brian Dereng
165
106
61%
175
47
 Duston Turner
165
182
48%
703
47
 Sherry Shoup
165
199
45%
794

The Top 50 in Win %

Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Matt Schupp
185
28
87%
1
Jeff Hamilton
206
42
83%
2
Bobby Welles
195
46
81%
3
Patrick Hilt
169
40
81%
4
Marc Caruso
139
33
81%
5
Dan Maurer
150
36
81%
6
Don Seebold
190
46
81%
7
Gregory Ewers
72
19
79%
8
Steve MacDonald
144
40
78%
9
Gary Magnus
96
27
78%
10
Mark Ferdinando
143
41
78%
11
William J Meleski
253
74
77%
12
Jerry Chieffalo
172
57
75%
13
Jeffrey Gans
129
44
75%
14
Todd L Jackson
137
47
74%
15
Anthony Marcello
141
49
74%
16
Don Armstrong
184
64
74%
17
Natalie Lindsay
178
62
74%
18
Phillip Mason
162
57
74%
19
Chris Haynes
140
50
74%
20
Christopher Haynes
140
50
74%
20
Jerry Bankhead
143
52
73%
22
Gary McQuain
173
64
73%
23
Richard Bidnick
152
57
73%
24
Michael Kyle
154
58
73%
25
Gene Shue
127
48
73%
26
Jeremy Zinn
173
67
72%
27
John Roberts
160
64
71%
28
Kevin Godrum
132
53
71%
29
Mike Hay
184
74
71%
30
Bob Knight
196
79
71%
31
DAWN KING
153
62
71%
32
Steve Liles
133
54
71%
33
Ed Linton
173
71
71%
34
Lisa DiBello
172
72
70%
35
Doug Mayfield
148
62
70%
36
Gary Cotton
128
54
70%
37
Gary Osborne
163
69
70%
38
Gene Winters
226
96
70%
39
Frank Hillman
70
30
70%
40
Jason Fry
135
58
70%
41
Shawn Reece
86
37
70%
42
Adam Muscat
180
78
70%
43
Marc Ostrom
180
79
69%
44
Jon Lucas
116
51
69%
45
Giovanni Sicurella
160
71
69%
46
James Marzano
63
28
69%
47
Frank Scott
121
54
69%
48
Ben Brin
168
75
69%
49
Art Tocco
141
63
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
Mike Hay
184
74
71%
4
Dave Klaehn
176
133
57%
21
Jason Dubeans
165
78
68%
6
Gary Osborne
163
69
70%
5
Anthony Chapman
157
98
62%
13
Paul Becker
157
107
59%
16
Jason Johnson
153
150
50%
35
Matt Brooks
150
93
62%
12
Mike Fraifogi
149
128
54%
24
Nathan Whitaker
148
93
61%
14
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Marc Caruso
139
33
81%
1
Anthony Marcello
141
49
74%
2
Chris Haynes
140
50
74%
3
Mike Hay
184
74
71%
4
Gary Osborne
163
69
70%
5
Jason Dubeans
165
78
68%
6
Scott Jasinkowski
82
41
67%
7
Frank Elia
132
67
66%
8
Marc Gargiulo
58
33
64%
9
K. McAbier
127
73
64%
10

The KNR group leader changes nearly every day as Mike Hay now leads the contest with 184 points and a 71% win %. Yesterday's leader Dave Klaehn fell to 2nd and now has 176 points. Marc Caruso has been near the top in win % since day 1 and leads with 81%.

"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
226
96
70%
1
Matthew Goodman
193
105
65%
4
Jim Nalle
161
76
68%
2
NICK SCHWEMBERGER
158
105
60%
7
John L Opdycke
154
102
60%
6
Kevin Wise
150
102
60%
8
TODD RUMMINS
146
143
51%
17
John McFarlane
144
140
51%
16
WILL BUTLER
138
104
57%
10
Frank Cellura
133
102
57%
11
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Gene Winters
226
96
70%
1
Jim Nalle
161
76
68%
2
Frank Elia
129
64
67%
3
Matthew Goodman
193
105
65%
4
Opal
105
62
63%
5
John L Opdycke
154
102
60%
6
NICK SCHWEMBERGER
158
105
60%
7
Kevin Wise
150
102
60%
8
Tim Johnston
109
78
58%
9
WILL BUTLER
138
104
57%
10

Gene Winters has led the Sports Time Ohio group every day with 226 points won and a 70% win % which ranks #1 as well. Matthew Goodman continues to hold the #2 spot with 193 points.

ESPN Radio 94.1 Virginia Beach, VA with Tony Mercurio
Top 10 POINTS WON
Top 10 WIN %
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
David Crews
154
184
46%
14
Richard Bidnick
152
57
73%
1
Tony Mercurio
152
91
63%
3
dcnev
151
122
55%
7
brad mcmasters
143
112
56%
5
Daryl Baker
137
98
58%
4
Phillip Todd
130
123
51%
8
chris bartnik
121
124
49%
10
Beau Boughamer
115
131
47%
11
don lloyd
114
132
46%
12
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Richard Bidnick
152
57
73%
1
Rob Vanier
110
50
69%
2
tony Mercurio
152
91
63%
3
Daryl Baker
137
98
58%
4
brad mcmasters
143
112
56%
5
Nick Mataragas
111
89
56%
6
dcnev
151
122
55%
7
Phillip Todd
130
123
51%
8
Dan Wagoner
97
99
49%
9
chris bartnik
121
124
49%
10

David Crews is #1 in the 94.1 group with 154 points. However host Tony Mercurio has been moving up the leaderboard the past couple of days and is now tied for 2nd with Richard Bidnick with 152 points. Richard Bidnick also leads in Win % with 73%.

The Sports Animal 790 AM Houston, TX
with Charlie Pallilo

Adam Muscat conitnues to lead the 790 group with 180 points won and a 70% win %. Kevin Parham is in 2nd with 163 points.