**MIAMI** – Well, wish I had something witty and insightful to say about this game at the moment, but honestly, I haven’t been exposed to either team in the short time I’ve been down here so far. That’ll change Tuesday afternoon, but for now, I’ll rekindle a weekly regular season tradition – the Twisted Pick ’em. I’m fighting to protect a barely above .500 mark on the season, so I’d better be careful……but I won’t.All I can say about Florida so far is that Ft. Lauderdale does New Year’s Eve right. That’s for sure.The only thing I’m wondering after NYE? What ridiculous dance craze will replace the Soulja Boy dance in 2008, inexplicably sweeping over every [man][1], [woman][2], [child][3] and [college football team][4]? (I promise that’s the last time that dance will _ever_ be linked in this blog…had to go out with a bang).So here we go, picking the 2008 bowl games**SEASON RECORD: 67-64-4** **[LAST TIME (Nov. 20)][5]: 4-6**[Outback Bowl][6]: **Tennessee (-2) vs. Wisconsin, Jan. 1** I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…never trust a team with an Ainge as a quarterback, even if his dad did sell his soul (and young nucleus) to make the Celtics great again overnight.But in all honesty, for the second straight season, Wisconsin is one of the nation’s best teams that no one ever talks about. If P.J. Hill and Travis Beckum (probable and questionable, respectively) both play, I like Bucky’s chance to grind it out slowly. **My pick: Wisconsin +2**[Cotton Bowl][7]: **Missouri (-4) vs. Arkansas, Jan. 1**It’s not even worth pointing out anymore that Missouri totally and completely got screwed out of a BCS game, and hopefully the Tigers have put that snubbing behind them (even if most KU fans have not).There’s got to be something to say for Darren McFadden’s [little now-non issue][8] involving a mysterious Cadillac Escalade. Would it surprise me if it were true? Heck no, not with the way college athletics are today. I’m sure it happens several places around the nation.I don’t think it’ll play much of a role as a distraction, though, and on paper this looks to be one of the better New Year’s Day bowl games. I’m a full-on believer in Missouri’s offense being an out-of-this-world show after watching it in person at Arrowhead, but something tells me a sometimes over-confident QB like Chase Daniel might let the BCS snub simmer longer than it should. That goes for the rest of the team. It’ll be competitive, but don’t expect to see the same Mizzou squad that punched KU around. **My pick: Arkansas +4**[Capital One Bowl][9]: **Florida (-11) vs. Michigan, Jan. 1**This pick pains me, but after watching Michigan’s offense look flat-out laughable against Ohio State in the regular season finale, it’s tough to go with the Wolverines landing anywhere close in this one. It’s a great matchup in terms of name brand, but Michigan has trouble with speedy teams, and that has shown in 2007. Florida could wind up doing to Lloyd Carr’s group what it did to Ohio State in the title game a year ago (this is me playing with the karma gods in hopes that Tim Tebow somehow winds up in a Bears uniform 15 months from now, too) **My pick: Florida -11**[Gator Bowl][10]: **Texas Tech (-6) vs. Virginia, Jan. 1**The Red Raiders have won four of their last five bowl games and have two receivers (Michael Crabtree and Danny Amendola) who combined to have 228 receptions for 3,038 yards and 26 touchdowns this year. That’s just sick, and on New Year’s Day, I’m a believer (though, in complete honesty, I probably won’t watch a second of this game). **My pick: Texas Tech -6**[Rose Bowl][11]: **Southern Cal (-14) vs. Illinois, Jan. 1**In the words of the Fresh Prince, ‘too easy.’ This game has turned into an annual Big Ten bludgeoning in recent years, anyway. **My pick: USC -14**[Sugar Bowl][12]: **Georgia (-8) vs. Hawaii, Jan. 1**If I could play football for any college coach in America, it’d be Mark Richt. I came to that conclusion when his team pulled [this stunt][13] in Jacksonville this year. He’s like the Principal Belding of coaches – strict when he needs to be, but he can also cut loose (speaking of which, we were discussing Saved by the Bell last night, how about a [classic moment][14] for your New Year’s Day pleasure?).After watching Washington use two quarterbacks, though, in the season finale against Hawaii and have success to no end – which is rare in football – I’m pretty convinced Hawaii can’t defend Georgia for 60 minutes. Especially not that far away from the islands. **My pick: Georgia -8**[Fiesta Bowl][15]: **Oklahoma (-8) vs. West Virginia, Jan. 2**Ryan Wood says he thinks people picking against schools who have just had a coach leave before a bowl game do so a little too liberally. I agree, but I’m going with my gut here. Oklahoma has to remember what happened [last year][16] in this same game. Plus, you may not agree with me, but I _still_ think OU is the nation’s best team. But when you’ve got a guy [like this][17], it’s hard to think West Virginia can’t stay close at least. Though given that West Virginia pulled the biggest choke job of any of the No. 2 teams this year, (with the most on the line, too) I’ll take the Sooners in a blowout.**My pick: Oklahoma -8**[Orange Bowl][18]: **Virginia Tech (-4) vs. Kansas, Jan. 3**My pick in the paper was Kansas by one. When someone picks a team to win by one, it means they really have no clue. This game is that close of a matchup in my opinion. We’re talking about the game enough on this site this week, no reason to keep you in this blog any longer than you have to be. **My pick: Kansas +4****International Bowl: Ruters (-10) vs. Ball State, Jan. 5**Why are there non-BCS bowl games being played after New Year’s Day? Ridiculous. But Ball State QB Nate Davis (27 TDs, 6 INTs) is the best player you haven’t heard of, and he’ll keep this one close. Heck, if you can go into Lincoln and nearly pull one out, no matter how bad Nebraska’s D might be, you can stay in about any game. **My pick: Ball State +10****GMAC Bowl: Tulsa (-4.5) vs. Bowling Green, Jan. 6**Lock of the year. But no one will watch. **My pick: Tulsa -4.5****BCS Championship Game: LSU (-4.5) vs. Ohio State, Jan. 7**I just don’t see how anyone can go with Ohio State, given what the SEC did to the Buckeyes last year in Glendale. I really wish this game had been Oklahoma vs. LSU, pitting the nation’s two best teams (in my opinion) against each other. But I’m going with LSU, just in the hopes that FOX again shows a gratuitous amount of young Buckeye fans topping their hot dogs and nachos with tears. That was priceless, unintentional comedy…or maybe there was a Wolverine alum at the switch in the truck. **My pick: LSU -4.5**Happy New Year. Talk to you Tuesday night after the day’s media happenings. [1]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TajSyEm-Qg [2]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCyZwVEknfo [3]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_7C_AExSH8 [4]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4US7L6ypRk4 [5]: http://www2.kusports.com/blogs/greene_room/2007/nov/20/picks_110/ [6]: http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/preview?gid=200801010036 [7]: http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/preview?gid=200801010074 [8]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls07/news/story?id=3175498 [9]: http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/preview?gid=200801010067 [10]: http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/preview?gid=200801010008 [11]: http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/preview?gid=200801010062 [12]: http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/preview?gid=200801010068 [13]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnsC5ZxnD_8 [14]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bflYjF90t7c [15]: http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/preview?gid=200801020024 [16]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvfpK67RjEE [17]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hbyq_1Ee30 [18]: http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/preview?gid=200801030016
