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Mississippi Bowling by Bryan Flynn
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl Jan. 1, 11 a.m., ESPN 2 Mississippi State (8-4) faces Northwestern (9-3) in the Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl. The last time MSU lost a bowl game was in 1999 in the Cotton Bowl against Texas. The low light for the Bulldogs might have been their 41-24 loss to in-state rival Ole Miss. It was their first Egg Bowl loss after winning three straight. The Wildcats are looking for their first bowl victory since the 1949 Rose Bowl. Since that win, Northwestern has lost nine bowl games, four straight from 2008 to 2011. Northwestern features do-everything junior Kain Colter who played quarterback and wide receiver this season. Colter passed for 796 yards with eight touchdowns, ran for 820 yards with 12 touchdowns and caught 16 passes for 169 yards. The Wildcats’ passing leader is Trevor Siemian who passed for 1,192 yards with six touchdowns, and the rushing leader is Venric Mark, who ran for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns. Colter, Siemian and Mark led an offense that averaged 31.5 points per game and 230.9 rushing yards per game. MSU will be without running back Nick Griffin who tore his ACL in an early December practice. Griffin was becoming the main backup to starting running back LaDarius Perkins. That leaves the Bulldogs with Josh Robinson, who rushed for 244 yards, and
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Derrick Milton, who rushed for 165 yards this season, as Perkins’ main backups. Both teams are good at forcing turnovers: Mississippi State ranks fifth and Northwestern ranks 10th nationally. Many experts believe the Wildcats are the best chance for the conference to get a bowl win. My pick: Mississippi State 33, Northwestern 30
lost last year to SMU, 28-6. This is the first time the Panthers head to Birmingham with the man who led them for the season. Current coach Paul Chryst decided to stay at Pitt even with his name being floated as a possible candidate to take the Wisconsin head-coaching vacancy. First-year head coach Hugh Freeze has gotten the Ole Miss program back on track. The Rebels defeated MSU in the Egg Bowl and are in a bowl game for the first time since 2009. They won their last four bowl games with their last loss in 2000 in the Music City Bowl against West Virginia. Ole Miss has won eight of their last nine bowl games. Bo Wallace, who passed for 2,843 yards with 19 touchdowns, leads the Ole Miss offense, was the team’s second leading rusher with 363 yards and added eight touchThe JFP picks Mississippi State to win the Gator downs on the ground. Jeff Scott Bowl in a close game. led the Rebels in rushing with 826 yards and six touchdowns. BB VA Compass Bowl Rebels wide receiver Donte Moncrief Jan. 5, noon, ESPN is the biggest big play threat on the field for Ole Miss faces a Pittsburgh team either team. Moncrief caught 60 passes for that certainly had an interesting year. 948 yards and 10 touchdowns. He put on a The Panthers started the season losing show against MSU in the Egg Bowl catching to FCS Youngstown State and fellow Big seven passes for 173 yards and three touchEast competitor Cincinnati. Pitt stunned downs. The Pitt defense better make sure Virginia Tech, ranked 13th at the time, they know where Moncrief is on every Ole for their first win of the season and sent Miss offensive snap and not blow coverage Notre Dame, who is playing for the Na- on this playmaker. tional Championship, to triple overtime Both teams are 6-6, so the winner gets before falling. to claim a winning season. Pitt is hoping to Quarterback Tino Sunseri, who passed make a statement by beating an SEC team for 3,103 yards with 19 touchdowns, and in its final season in the Big East before leavrunning back Ray Graham, who rushed for ing for the ACC next season. Ole Miss could 1,042 with 11 touchdowns, lead the Pan- be a part of an undefeated SEC bowl group. thers on offense. Both programs want to use this game as a Pitt is playing in the BBVA Compass stepping stone to big things next season. Bowl for a third straight year. The Panthers My pick: Ole Miss 31, Pitt 17
COURTESY MISSISSIPPI STATE
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nly two college football games remain this year that feature teams from our state. Beating their opponent won’t be a daunting task for either the Mississippi State Bulldogs or the Ole Miss Rebels. They will play good teams—Northwestern and Pittsburgh—but neither team has the class of their respective conferences, the Big Ten and the Big East.
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by Bryan Flynn
This is a big week in sports: The NFL Playoffs begin, and a college football national champion will be crowned. Two of college football’s most storied programs will battle it out for all the marbles.
THURSDAY, JAN. 3 College football (7:30-11 p.m. ESPN): The Fiesta Bowl features a contrast in styles as the blue collar, tough and physical Kansas State Wildcats take on the speed, flash and offensive machine that is the Oregon Ducks. FRIDAY, JAN. 4 College football (7-10 p.m. Fox): Other than the national championship game, the Cotton Bowl could be the best bowl-game matchup. Heisman Trophy winner Johnny “Football� Manziel leads the Texas A&M Aggies against former Big 12 foe and rival the Oklahoma Sooners. SATURDAY, JAN. 5 College football (noon-3 p.m. ESPN): Ole Miss Rebels coach Hugh Freeze looks to end his first year in Oxford with a winning season and a bowl victory against the Pitt Panthers. SUNDAY, JAN 6 College football (8-11 p.m. ESPN): There’s nothing better to end Wildcard weekend in the NFL than with some MACtion on Sunday night, as the Kent State Golden Flashes face the Sun Belt champion Arkansas State Red Wolves. MONDAY, JAN 7 College football (7:30-11 p.m. ESPN): Notre Dame is looking to win its first title since 1988, but Alabama is aiming at its third title in four years and the SEC seventh straight when these two teams meet in the BCS National Championship Game. TUESDAY, JAN 8 College basketball (6-8 p.m. ESPN): The Missouri Tigers begin their first season of men’s basketball in the SEC by hosting the Alabama Crimson Tide. WEDNESDAY, JAN 9 NBA (7-9:30 p.m. ESPN): The struggling Los Angeles Lakers hope to start righting their season against the always-tough San Antonio Spurs on the road. The NFL Playoffs begin Saturday with Wildcard Weekend. NBC hosts a double header Saturday with games at 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. The Sunday playoff begins on CBS at 1 p.m. and picks up on Fox at 3:30 p.m. Follow Bryan Flynn at jfpsports.com, @jfpsports and at facebook.com/jfpsports