Published Dec 20, 2022
Week 2 Staff Bowl Picks and Viewing Guide
Stephen Anderson  •  GamecockScoop
Staff Writer
Twitter
@GCScoopStephen

Week one of the bowl season went just like the regular season, with Alan Cole leading the way in our staff pick 'em. This week is the lightest bowl week of the season with the Christmas Holiday and the NFL taking over both Saturday and Sunday. Only eight bowls will be contested between Tuesday, Dec 20th, and Monday, Dec 26th. Missouri is the only SEC team in action this week. All of our staff picks are made with confidence points and were made prior to the kickoff of the first game.

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Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise): Eastern Michigan +4 v. San Jose State Tuesday 3:30 on ESPN

Roofclaim.com Boca Raton Bowl: Liberty +3.5 v. Toledo 7:30 on ESPN

R+L Carrier New Orleans Bowl: Western Kentucky +4.5 v. South Alabama Wednesday 9:00 on ESPN

Gamecock fans, if you are going to watch one bowl game this week, this might be your choice. Why you ask? Joshua Simon. Simon is a native of Dalzell, South Carolina. He has entered his name into the transfer portal and visited South Carolina last weekend. Simon is a tight end and we know the Gamecocks are in the market for 5-6 of them between the 2023 class and the portal. Carolina fans will also appreciate that despite entering the portal, Simon is finishing his four-year Western Kentucky career by playing in the Hilltoppers bowl game. If you are watching this game, there is a strong chance you are going to see a future Gamecock.

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth): Baylor -4 v. Air Force Thursday 7:30 on ESPN

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl (Shreveport): Louisiana +7 v. Houston Friday 3:30 on ESPN

Union Home Mortgages Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa): Missouri +1 v. Wake Forest 6:30 on ESPN

Conference affiliation aside, there is no reason to for any South Carolina to pull for Missouri. Especially after Missouri's administration and Eli Drinkwitz, lobbied and whined about being matched up with Kansas in a bowl. The reason being, Missouri, like most SEC teams not playing in the playoff, has been hit hard by opt-outs and transfers. They don't want to end the year with a loss to their former rivals.

Ends Isiah McGuire, D.J. Coleman, and safety Martez Manuel have all declared for the NFL Draft and opted out. All three were crucial defenders on Mizzou’s defense. McGuire led the team with seven sacks. Coleman was second with six sacks. The Tigers' third-best DE is Ky Montgomery and he is out with a hip injury. Missouri's best receiver, Dominic Lovett has also entered the portal.

For Wake, Sam Hartman is playing. Which should be enough. Hartman could turn pro or could find himself as the hottest name in the transfer portal. He's a redshirt junior, who I believe would still have two years of eligibility.

EasyPost Hawaii Bowl (Honolulu): Middle Tennessee St +7 v. San Diego St Saturday 8:00 on ESPN

Quick Lane Bowl (Detroit): New Mexico State +3.5 v. Bowling Green Monday 2:30 on ESPN

The Aggies managed to backdoor their way into a bowl game, but that hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm within their fanbase. NMSU had their game against SJSU canceled and added Valparaiso in their place. Valparaiso could not be counted toward bowl status, so the Aggies applied for a waiver and had it approved.

JUCO transfer Diego Pavia took over the reins at quarterback in the last four games of the season and provided a spark for the offense with his arm and legs. He has thrown for 1,283 yards and 11 TDs while rushing for 443 yards and 6 touchdowns. Fellow JUCO transfer Kordell David has been one of the top receiving targets with 289 yards and 4 touchdowns. Star Thomas, another JUCO product, leads the way on the ground with 477 yards and 5 TDs. Defensively, senior Chris Ojoh collected 101 tackles in 2022, while senior Lazarus Williams has been a force rushing the passer with 7.5 sacks.

Bowling Green fielded its best team in Scott Loeffler’s tenure with a 6-6 record. Quarterback Matt McDonald makes the offense go. He has thrown for 2,639 yards and 22 TDs this season. Jaison Patterson has churned out 560 yards on the ground and Alabama A&M transfer wide receiver Odieu Hilary has caught 54 passes for 704 yards and 6 TDs. On the defensive side of the ball, senior Karl Brooks has been a nightmare for opposing offenses with 10 sacks.


 Staff Bowl Picks w/ Confidence
*bold indicated that the pick was correct
GameCaleb AlexanderAlan ColePerry McCartyStephen Anderson

Miami OH vs. UAB

UAB 5

UAB 32

UAB 1

UAB 35

UTSA vs. Troy

UTSA 8

UTSA 5

UTSA 2

Troy 8

Cincinnati vs. Louisville

Louisville 3

Lville 2

Lville 3

Lville 9

Florida vs. Oreg St

OSU 43

Oreg St 43

Oreg St 4

Oreg St 37

Wash St vs. Fresno St

WSU 22

Fresno 19

WSU 5

WSU 20

Rice vs. USM

USM 10

USM 42

USM 6

USM 19

SMU vs. BYU

SMU 18

SMU 10

SMU 7

BYU 18

UNT vs. Boise St

Boise 30

Boise 34

Boise 8

Boise 34

Marshall v. UCONN

Marshall 35

Marshall 33

UCONN 9

Marshall 17

Jackson St v. NC Central

NC Central 4

NC Central 1

JSU 10

JSU 38

Liberty vs. Toledo

Toledo 31

Toledo 26

Toledo 11

Toledo 28

EMU v. San Jose St

EMU 27

EMU 20

EMU 12

SJ St 6

WKU vs. USA

USA 7

South Alabama 36

USA 13

WKU 7

Baylor v. AFA

Baylor 2

Baylor 27

Baylor 14

AFA 1

Louisiana v. Houston

Houston 41

Louisiana 3

Houston 15

Hou 29

Wake vs. Mizzou

Mizzou 6

Wake 35

Mizzou 16

Miz 21

Mid Tenn St vs. SD St

MTSU 11

MTSU 4

SD St 17

SD St 16

NM St vs. BG

NM St 17

Bowling Green 11

NM St 18

NM St 30

GA Southern v. Buffalo

GASO 12

GASO 13

Ga Southern 19

GA So 11

Memphis vs. Utah St

Memphis 42

Memphis 28

Memphis 20

Memphis 27

Coastal vs. ECU

Coastal 39

ECU 25

ECU 21

Coastal 2

Wisc vs. OK St

Ok State 9

OK St 15

Ok St 27

Ok St 15

UCF v. Duke

UCF 1

Duke 17

UCF 26

UCF 6

KU vs. Ark

Ark 21

Ark 22

Ark 32

Ark 22

Oreg v. UNC

Oregon 19

Oreg 41

Oreg 28

Oreg 39

TTU vs. Ole Miss

Ole Miss 38

TTU 7

Ole Miss 33

Ole Miss 12

Cuse vs. Minn

Minn 34

Minn 29

Minn 25

Minn 36

OU vs. FSU

FSU 40

FSU 40

FSU 34

FSU 40

Texas v. Wash

Texas 13

Texas 8

Texas 23

Wash 3

ND vs. SC

SC 14

SC 14

SC 43

SC 26

MD vs. NCST

NC ST 15

MD 9

NC St 22

MD 14

Pitt vs. UCLA

UCLA 16

UCLA 30

UCLA 29

UCLA 31

Ohio vs. Wyoming

Wyoming 20

Ohio 37

Wyoming 30

Wyoming 4

Tenn vs. Clemson

Tenn 23

Clem 24

Clemson 31

Tenn 13

Bama vs. KSU

Bama 24

Bama 23

Bama 41

Bama 25

Iowa vs. UK

UK 25

Iowa 16

UK 35

UK 24

TCU vs. Mich

Mich 26

Mich 38

Mich 40

Mich 43

Ohio St vs. UGA

UGA 28

UGA 39

UGA 42

UGA 42

Miss St vs. Illinois

Miss. St. 29

Miss St 6

Illinois 39

Miss St 32

Tulane v. So Cal

So Cal 32

So Cal 21

So Cal 38

So Cal 23

LSU v. Purdue

LSU 33

LSU 31

LSU 36

LSU 41

Penn St v. Utah

Utah 36

Utah 18

PSU 24

Utah 33

Title Game

UGA 37

UGA 12

UGA 37

UGA 10

Total PTS

130

206

22

177