Daily Blog • January 7, 2010

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

With the bowl season finishing up tonight my bowl forecasts have gone 21-12 (63.6%) and 11-3 (78.6%) the last 14 games!

Make sure check out the bowl matchup section to get the latest and greatest information on the bowl games including, game by game stats, 2009 recaps, and box scores of the bowl games.

BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
TEXAS VS ALABAMA
Rushing
Passing
Points
TO’s
ST
TEXAS 70
235
26
2.3
••
ALABAMA
145
155
22
2.2
–

Gametime Projected Weather: 62° Clear Wind: WSW 2 mph

This figures to be a tight low scoring contest. Colt McCoy has faced 2 top defenses this year and struggled in each game. Against Oklahoma he was 21 of 39 (54%) for just 127 yards with a 1-1 ratio. Then in the Big 12 Championship game against Nebraksa he was sacked 9 times and threw 3 interceptions. He will face an even tougher defense in this game as Alabama has my #1 defense. The Tide like to run the ball avg 216 rush ypg but will be facing the #1 rush defense as the Longhorns give up just 60 ypg (2.0 ypc). These two teams fully deserve to be here and they are clearly two of the best teams in the country. It should be an excellent title game and I’ll call this to be a tight low scoring game decided by a late score.
PHIL’S FORECAST: Alabama 21 Texas 17

Conference Bowl Standings

Bowl Conference vs Conference Records
OVERALL
vs BCS CONF
W
L
%
W
L
%
MWC
4
1
80%
2
0
100%
BIG EAST
4
2
67%
2
2
50%
BIG 12
4
3
57%
4
2
67%
BIG 10
4
3
57%
4
3
57%
SEC
5
4
56%
4
4
50%
WAC
2
2
50%
0
0
0
SUN BELT
1
1
50%
0
0
0
ACC
3
4
43%
3
4
43%
C USA
2
4
33%
0
2
0%
PAC 10
2
5
29%
1
3
25%
MAC
1
4
20%
0
2
0%
INDEP
1
0
100%
1
0
100%

The MWC lost its first game of the bowl season on Monday in their most important bowl with Boise St beating TCU in the Fiesta Bowl. The Big East will finish the bowl season a respectable 4-2 but did get trounced in their BCS game. The Big 12 and SEC have had similar bowl seasons with the Big 12 having a slight advantage in win % and are 4-2 vs BCS conference teams. The National Title game tonight between Alabama (SEC) and Texas (Big 12) will decide which conference had the better post season. The Big 10 had their best bowl season in years winning four games over AP Top 15 teams capped off by last nights Iowa win over #9 Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl. Coming into this season the Big 10 was just 9-20 in bowl games from 2005-08 including 1-6 last year. Finally the MAC saw its 14 game bowl losing streak snap last night with Central Michigan beating Troy 44-41 in 2OT in the GMAC Bowl.

Bowl Confidence Contest

Congratulations to Don Seebold who will win the 2010 Bowl Confidence Contest regardless of tonights National Title game!! Don needed Central Michigan to win last night and they came through in 2OT. Had Troy won Rusty Moreno would have led the contest going into the final game. It should be noted that Don has been so dominant in this contest that his most confident pick (Alabama 34) has not played yet!

If Alabama wins tonight Gary Osborne will finish in 2nd with 457 points and Rick Perk will finish in 3rd with 452 points. Even though Rick has Alabama for eight points, he should be rooting for the Longhorns because with a Texas win tonight Rick will finish in 2nd with 444 points. Rusty Moreno has the Longhorns for 1 point and will finish in 3rd if they win.

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
Pts Left
Max Score
1
 Don Seebold
474
87
84%
1
34
508
2
 Rick Perk
444
143
76%
3
8
452
3
 Rusty Moreno
440
154
74%
5
1
441
4
 Gary Osborne
434
138
76%
2
23
457
5
 Clyde Rardin
425
165
72%
11
5
430
6
 Marc Ostrom
423
165
72%
13
7
430
7
 Donnie Holmann
419
156
73%
7
20
439
8
 Patrick Hilt
417
145
74%
4
33
450
8
 Donald Huggins
417
174
71%
20
4
421
10
 Jeremy Ackerman
416
152
73%
6
27
443
10
 Ben Brin
416
164
72%
16
15
431
10
 Mike Bambrick
416
178
70%
23
1
417
13
 Jerry Villela
413
167
71%
17
15
428
13
 Kevin Demitt
413
181
70%
25
1
414
15
 Jason Bellinger
412
159
72%
10
24
436
16
 Gary Magnus
410
153
73%
8
32
442
17
 Pat Fleming
409
181
69%
28
5
414
17
 Dick Rosser
409
185
69%
36
1
410
17
 Jeremy Zinn
409
185
69%
35
1
410
20
 John Tsuji
408
153
73%
9
34
442
21
 Lorin Dickinson
406
187
68%
38
2
408
22
 Frances Ward
405
180
69%
30
10
415
23
 Jim Martindale
404
157
72%
12
34
438
23
 Bobby Welles
404
158
72%
14
33
437
23
 Gary McQuain
404
158
72%
15
33
437
26
 Courtney Moeller
403
191
68%
45
1
404
27
 Joe Russo
401
178
69%
29
16
417
28
 Austin Huggins
400
164
71%
18
31
431
28
 Kristen Domonkos
400
168
70%
21
27
427
30
 Chris Metz
399
190
68%
48
6
405
30
 Al Nagy
399
191
68%
49
5
404
32
 Mike Magee
398
175
69%
26
22
420
32
 Jack Hawn
398
182
69%
37
15
413
32
 Dean Duff
398
193
67%
50
4
402
35
 Blake Ali
396
165
71%
19
34
430
35
 Rob Vanier
396
178
69%
34
21
417
35
 Robert Hood
396
188
68%
46
11
407
38
 Tim Johnston
395
167
70%
22
33
428
38
 Art Hartman
395
177
69%
33
23
418
38
 NY Gator
395
182
68%
39
18
413
41
 Troy Brown
394
192
67%
52
9
403
41
 Sam Orha
394
197
67%
62
4
398
41
 John Roberts
394
200
66%
67
1
395
44
 Roy Hiyama
393
194
67%
60
8
401
44
 Michael Mancini
393
201
66%
70
1
394
46
 Jerry McHugh
392
182
68%
41
21
413
47
 Bernie Lin
391
170
70%
24
34
425
47
 Jeff Enzell
391
175
69%
32
29
420
47
 Dan Dale
391
186
68%
47
18
409
50
 Chris Haynes
390
180
68%
40
25
415
50
 Mike Swerline
390
182
68%
42
23
413

The Top 50 in Win %

Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Pts Left
Max Score
Don Seebold
474
87
84%
1
34
508
Gary Osborne
434
138
76%
2
23
457
Rick Perk
444
143
76%
3
8
452
Patrick Hilt
417
145
74%
4
33
450
Rusty Moreno
440
154
74%
5
1
441
Jeremy Ackerman
416
152
73%
6
27
443
Donnie Holmann
419
156
73%
7
20
439
Gary Magnus
410
153
73%
8
32
442
John Tsuji
408
153
73%
9
34
442
Jason Bellinger
412
159
72%
10
24
436
Clyde Rardin
425
165
72%
11
5
430
Jim Martindale
404
157
72%
12
34
438
Marc Ostrom
423
165
72%
13
7
430
Bobby Welles
404
158
72%
14
33
437
Gary McQuain
404
158
72%
15
33
437
Ben Brin
416
164
72%
16
15
431
Jerry Villela
413
167
71%
17
15
428
Austin Huggins
400
164
71%
18
31
431
Blake Ali
396
165
71%
19
34
430
Donald Huggins
417
174
71%
20
4
421
Kristen Domonkos
400
168
70%
21
27
427
Tim Johnston
395
167
70%
22
33
428
Mike Bambrick
416
178
70%
23
1
417
Bernie Lin
391
170
70%
24
34
425
Kevin Demitt
413
181
70%
25
1
414
Mike Magee
398
175
69%
26
22
420
Tom Guertin
389
172
69%
27
34
423
Pat Fleming
409
181
69%
28
5
414
Joe Russo
401
178
69%
29
16
417
Frances Ward
405
180
69%
30
10
415
Samuel Brown
388
173
69%
31
34
422
Jeff Enzell
391
175
69%
32
29
420
Art Hartman
395
177
69%
33
23
418
Rob Vanier
396
178
69%
34
21
417
Jeremy Zinn
409
185
69%
35
1
410
Dick Rosser
409
185
69%
36
1
410
Jack Hawn
398
182
69%
37
15
413
Lorin Dickinson
406
187
68%
38
2
408
NY Gator
395
182
68%
39
18
413
Chris Haynes
390
180
68%
40
25
415
Jerry McHugh
392
182
68%
41
21
413
Mike Swerline
390
182
68%
42
23
413
Don Armstrong
382
179
68%
43
34
416
Marsha Realgood
382
181
68%
44
32
414
Courtney Moeller
403
191
68%
45
1
404
Robert Hood
396
188
68%
46
11
407
Dan Dale
391
186
68%
47
18
409
Chris Metz
399
190
68%
48
6
405
Al Nagy
399
191
68%
49
5
404
Dean Duff
398
193
67%
50
4
402

Radio Contest Leaderboards

WKNR Cleveland, OH with Michael Reghi
Top 10 POINTS WON
Top 10 WIN %
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Gary Osborne
434
138
76%
1
Chris Haynes
390
180
68%
2
Perrin Sah
384
196
66%
3
Jack Norwillo
380
198
66%
5
Nathan Whitaker
377
196
66%
4
Anthony Chapman
371
218
63%
9
Paul Becker
368
210
64%
7
Jason Dubeans
367
214
63%
8
Jon Sweden
367
205
64%
6
Kurt Latarski
360
234
61%
18
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Gary Osborne
434
138
76%
1
Chris Haynes
390
180
68%
2
Perrin Sah
384
196
66%
3
Nathan Whitaker
377
196
66%
4
Jack Norwillo
380
198
66%
5
Jon Sweden
367
205
64%
6
Paul Becker
368
210
64%
7
Jason Dubeans
367
214
63%
8
Anthony Chapman
371
218
63%
9
Paul Mcabier
354
209
63%
10

Congratulations to Gary Osborne the winner of the KNR group regardless of tonights national title outcome. Gary has 434 points as he finished strong with the last four bowl games giving him 103 points to 0 points lost.

"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
Tim Johnston
395
167
70%
1
NICK SCHWEMBERGER
387
202
66%
3
Scott (wox11)
385
188
67%
2
Frank Cellura
360
201
64%
4
Matthew Slevey
351
210
63%
5
Matthew Goodman
343
218
61%
6
Kevin Wise
341
245
58%
8
John McFarlane
341
246
58%
10
JOSH SCHOTT
338
241
58%
7
WADE ZILER
338
243
58%
9
John L Opdycke
338
255
57%
11
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Tim Johnston
395
167
70%
1
Scott (wox11)
385
188
67%
2
NICK SCHWEMBERGER
387
202
66%
3
Frank Cellura
360
201
64%
4
Matthew Slevey
351
210
63%
5
Matthew Goodman
343
218
61%
6
JOSH SCHOTT
338
241
58%
7
Kevin Wise
341
245
58%
8
WADE ZILER
338
243
58%
9
John McFarlane
341
246
58%
10

Congratulations to Tim Johnston the winner of the STO group regardless of tonights national title outcome. The top 3 all have picked Alabama with Tim having the Tide for 33 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
Rob Vanier
396
178
69%
1
Scott Boyce
381
201
65%
2
Dan Wagoner
349
245
59%
7
Willy Hrachovina
342
228
60%
3
Richard Bidnick
339
231
59%
6
Tony Mercurio
339
230
60%
5
wade hotsenpiller
339
251
57%
10
Nick Mataragas
338
229
60%
4
Phillip Todd
338
240
58%
8
Beau Boughamer
332
241
58%
9
Name
Pts Won
Pts Lost
Win %
% Rank
Rob Vanier
396
178
69%
1
Scott Boyce
381
201
65%
2
Willy Hrachovina
342
228
60%
3
Nick Mataragas
338
229
60%
4
Tony Mercurio
339
230
60%
5
Richard Bidnick
339
231
59%
6
Dan Wagoner
349
245
59%
7
Phillip Todd
338
240
58%
8
Beau Boughamer
332
241
58%
9
wade hotsenpiller
339
251
57%
10

Congratulations to Rob Vanier the winner of the 94.1 group regardless of tonights national title outcome. Rob was tied for 1st in win % yesterday but a mistake in a formula did not give him points for his Fiesta and Orange Bowl picks and today he takes over 1st.

The Sports Animal 790 AM Houston, TX
with Charlie Pallilo

Congratulations to Adam Muscat the winner of the 790 group regardless of tonights national title outcome. Adam has 387 points. Kevin Parham is 2nd with 367 points.