Alright, let’s talk about this whole “bowl game predictions” thing. I’ve been following college football for years, and every December, it’s the same old story – everyone and their dog suddenly becomes an “expert” on bowl games. I decided to get in on the action this year, but let me tell you, it’s a wild ride.
First, I started by digging into all the information I could find. I scoured websites, read articles from so-called “prognosticators,” and watched endless hours of game footage. I felt like I was drowning in stats, rankings, and opinions. I found that every source has its own “expert picks.” So much noise, but is there a signal?
Then, I decided to create my own system. I grabbed a giant whiteboard and started mapping out all the bowl games. Wrote down team names, their win-loss records, key players, injuries, you name it. I even factored in things like coaching changes and how teams performed in past bowl games.
I organized the chaos into several buckets, each for a game day.
- December 27: Birmingham, Liberty, Holiday, etc.
- December 28: Another list of games that I don’t fully remember now.
- December 29: And so on…
My living room looked like a war room, covered in notes and diagrams. My wife thought I had lost my mind, but I was determined.
After days of this, I finally had my predictions. I felt pretty confident, but then the games started.
Let me tell you, it was a rollercoaster of emotions. Some of my picks were spot on. I nailed a few upsets, and I felt like a genius. But then, other games went completely sideways. Teams I thought were sure bets ended up losing, and underdogs I dismissed pulled off incredible victories.
The arrival of the 12-team College Football Playoff added another layer of complexity, it made things even more unpredictable than before.
By the end of it all, my predictions were a mixed bag. I learned that predicting bowl games is more art than science. There are just too many variables. One key injury, a bad call by a ref, or even just a weird bounce of the ball can change everything. It’s fun, it’s frustrating, and it’s definitely humbling.
So, will I do it again next year? Probably. It’s like a weird addiction. But I’ll definitely go in with lower expectations and a lot more humility. And maybe a bigger whiteboard.
