MCR – New Year’s Eve Eve

Bowlin’ bowlin’ bowlin’ keep those bowls a rollin’, RAWHIDE! Moving along with our scientifically calculated Matchup Comparison Rating, we take a look at the three games today and the solitary game on New Year’s Eve setting up the meat and potatoes on January 1st. Before we begin, as always, we take a look at the ratings for comparison.

Meineke Car Care
Navy (9-3) vs. Boston College (9-3)
Dec. 30, 1 PM - ESPN

Quick – who has the longest bowl winning streak in the country? If you said Boston College you’re either an Eagles fan or have too much time on your hands. BC has won six straight bowl games under coach Tom O’Brien, the nation’s longest such streak. There are so many side notes to this game, O’Brien was a 1971 Navy graduate and this is his last year at BC before moving on to NC State. Navy has the nation’s number one rushing attack utilizing the always fun to watch triple option. The Midshipmen lost their starting quarterback Brian Hampton during the Rutgers game and in stepped Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada. Say that name twice – talk about your Scrabble winning name. BC is lead by Quarterback Matt Ryan who is quite the gamer and deep threat WR Tony Gonzalez. Side note: how many Tony Gonzalezs do we have to deal with, was there a fire sale on that name? Boston College is 13th against the run and has had a month to study the triple option. BC linebacker Brian Toal is solid and comes in on offense on short down yardage plays as the running back in the superbly named “Toal package.”

+1 Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada - suck on that ESPN announcers, say that name all day!
+1 Triple option offense
+1 number 1 rushing offense in the nation
+1 Toal package
+1 great rushing offense vs. great rushing defense
-1 fleeing coach

MCR 4 (Viper/Cobra)

Alamo
Texas (9-3) vs. Iowa (6-6)
Dec. 30, 4:30 PM - ESPN

Statistically these two teams matchup well on paper (Drew Tate has more yards then Colt McCoy), but you know what they say about statistics. Remember when Penn State fans were drooling over Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz – do you think the same fans are still in his corner after a 6-6 (2-6 Big Ten) record? This team was picked to finish in the top 25 in most polls but have been arguably the biggest disappointment of the season. In their defense, Iowa has had to play through a rash of injuries including Drew Tate. The only interesting side note of this game is both starting quarterbacks hail from the Lone Star State.

+1 statistically even matchup
+1 battle of two former Texas high school QBs
-1 record disparity
-1 blowout possibility

MCR 1 (Woman’s Heart)

Chick-fil-A
Georgia (8-4) vs. Virginia Tech (10-2)
Dec. 30, 8 PM - ESPN

If you like defense you will love this game – both teams are sitting right around the 90th position in total offense and neither team possess a great threat to score. The other side of the ball is a different story with Georgia boasting the 9th best overall defense and Virginia Tech ranking 1st. Bulldogs true freshman QB Matt Stafford has thrown twice as many picks as touchdowns and Hokies QB Sean Glennon hasn’t done much better. Neither team has a receiver over 500 yards but Va Tech does have 1000 yard rusher Branden Ore and, as always, superb special teams, but this game will probably come down to a battle of turnovers. Whichever team forces a mistake and sets their offense up in good field position will probably be the victor. Georgia lost to Vandy but reeled off two wins against Auburn and Georgia Tech. The latter beat Virginia Tech earlier in the season, the only common opponent. Virginia Tech lost early but won six straight.

+1 historically superb special teams
+1 potential defensive struggle
-1 record disparity

MCR 1 (Woman's Heart)

MPC Computers
Miami (6-6) vs. Nevada (8-4)
Dec. 31, 7:30 PM - ESPN

Nothing could be more apropos then Miami alone on Sunday in desolate Boise Idaho. Will this team play great for their lame-duck coach Larry Coker or will they pack it in? Miami looked good in shutting down Boston College in their final game and have a far more athletic team then Nevada but who wants it more? The Wolf Pack have a strong rushing attack (22nd in the nation) and a strong defense, but there is no way they can match the athletes of the Hurricanes.

+1 sheer enjoyment of Hurricanes demise
+1 only college game that day
-1 completely meaningless outcome

MCR 1 (Woman’s Heart)