College Bowl Picks: Part One

New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque)…Wyoming wins the battle of two 8-4 teams. Temple is favored, but has to travel too far. Dec 17.

Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise)…similarly, Utah State (7-5) beats Ohio (9-4) on the blue turf. Dec 17.

New Orleans Bowl (Superdome): Having faced superior competition, San Diego State bests fellow 8-4 team Louisiana Lafayette. Dec 17.

Beef O”Bradys Bowl (St. Petersburg): Local school Florida International (8-4) beats faraway Marshall (6-6). Dec 20.

Poinsettia Bowl (San Diego): TCU (10-2) beats Louisiana Tech (8-4). Dec 21.

Maaco Bowl (Las Vegas): Boise State (11-1) trounces 6-6 Arizona State. Dec 22.

Hawaii Bowl (Aloha Stadium): Southern Miss (11-2) loses their coach, but still beats 7-5 Nevada on Christmas Eve.

Independence Bowl (Shreveport): Missouri beats North Carolina. Both enter the game with 7-5 records. Dec 26.

Little Caesars Bowl (Detroit): Nearby Western Michigan (7-5) upsets 6-6 Purdue on Dec 27.

Belk Bowl (Charlotte): In a matchup of two 7-5 teams, NC State beats Louisville on Dec 27.

Military Bowl (Washington): Air Force (7-5) fought to be in this bowl. They’ll upset 8-4 Toledo on Dec 28.

Holiday Bowl (San Diego): Two 7-5 teams. Texas doesn’t want to be there, and Cal gladly supplies the upset. Dec 28.

Champs Sports Bowl (Orlando): Notre Dame beats a fellow 8-4 team, FSU. Dec 29.

Alamo Bowl (Hawaii): In Heisman Trophy winner RGIII’s swan song, 9-3 Baylor beats 7-5 Washington. Dec 29.

Armed Forces Bowl (Dallas): BYU (8-3) handles Tulsa (8-4). Dec 30.

Pinstripe Bowl (Yankee Stadium): Rutgers (8-4) crosses the river and takes care of 6-6 Iowa State. Dec 30.

Music City Bowl (Nashville): In a battle of 6-6 teams, Mississippi State outlasts Wake Forest. Dec 30.

Insight Bowl (Tempe): Oklahoma (9-3) narrowly fights off 7-5 Iowa’s upset bid. Dec 30.