“It’s The Most Wonderful Time … Of The Year”

Are you ready to be “bowled over?” Because the 2013-14 college football bowl season is ready to oblige …

So stock up on chips, dip and brewskis. Trade out those remote control batteries.  Flip the cushions on your sofa.  And make sure your twitter account is fired up and ready to drop social media “smack bombs” on your fellow football trash talkers (which reminds us  … follow our notoriously smackful founding editor here).

What’s up with this postseason?  Well, for the first time in its seven-year run of Bowl Championship Series domination, the Southeastern Conference backed into this year’s big game – with Auburn earning its title shot by virtue of Ohio State’s loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten championship.

A year after posting a 3-9 record (including an 0-8 mark in SEC play), Auburn is one game away from closing out the BCS era with an eighth straight SEC title – although the Tigers (12-1, 7-1 SEC) are heavy underdogs against Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston and the undefeated Florida State Seminoles.

For those of you keeping score at home, Florida State (13-0, 8-0 ACC) opened the season ranked No. 11 according to the Associated Press and No. 12 according to the USA Today/ Coaches’ poll.  In other words they weren’t supposed to compete for the title.

Of course no one knew just how good Winston – a 6-foot-4, 228-pound redshirt freshman from Bessemer, Alabama – was going to be.  Through thirteen games, Winston has thrown for 3,820 yards and 38 touchdowns – and rushed for nearly 200 yards and another four touchdowns.  He’s completed an impressive 67.9 percent of his passes and only thrown 10 interceptions.

Not bad …

Auburn?  Not only were the Tigers unranked heading into 2013 – they weren’t even in the “others receiving votes” section of either major poll.  Three months later, though, AP Coach of the Year Gus Malzahn has his troops one game away from what would be the most unlikely national championship in recent memory.

How unlikely?  Watch here and here.

In addition to the final BCS national championship game (FBS moves to a four-team playoff next year) there are a ton of other big games on tap – including five Top 15 match-ups.

This website has been outspoken in its coverage leading up to the bowl season – chronicling the dominance of the SEC against other major conferences (here and here).  We also penned a column equating the elevation of unworthy teams to BCS bowls to government welfare.

Seriously … 

This year’s bowl lineup features thirty five games … five of which are already in the books.  Below you’ll find the results of those games and a complete schedule for the rest of the bowl season – including television times, points spreads and our founding editor’s predictions (in red).  We’ve also included a conference record tabulation at the end of the post so you can keep track of how your (most and least) favorite conferences are faring.

Enjoy …

Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl

No. 25 Southern California – 45
(10-4, 6-3 PAC 12)
No. 20 Fresno State – 20
(11-2, 7-1 Mountain West)

Beef O’ Brady’s Bowl

East Carolina – 37
(10-3, 6-2 Conference USA)
Ohio – 20
(7-6, 4-4 MAC)

R+L Carriers Bowl

Louisiana Lafayette – 24
(9-4, 5-2 Sun Belt)
Tulane – 21
(7-6, 5-3 Conference USA)

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

San Diego State – 49
(8-5, 6-2 Mountain West)
Buffalo – 24
(8-5, 6-2 MAC)

Gildan New Mexico Bowl

Colorado State – 48
(8-6, 5-3 Mountain West)
Washington State – 45
(6-7, 4-5 PAC 12)

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl

Oregon State – 38
(7-6, 4-5 PAC 12)
Boise State – 23
(8-5, 6-2 Mountain West)

Line: Beavers by 3
#FITSPick: Boise State 44 Oregon State 38

Little Caeser’s Bowl

Pittsburgh – 30
(6-6, 3-5 ACC)
Bowling Green – 27
(10-3, 7-1 MAC)

Line: Falcons by 4.5
#FITSPick: Bowling Green 49 Pitt 31

S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl

Utah State – 21
(9-5, 7-1 Mountain West)
No. 23 Northern Illinois -14
(12-2, 8-0 MAC)

Line: Huskies by 1.5
#FITSPick: Northern Illinois 38 Utah State 35

Military Bowl

Marshall – 31
(10-4, 7-1 Conference USA)
Maryland – 20
(7-6, 3-5 ACC)

Line: Herd by 2.5
#FITSPick: Marshall 31 Maryland 20

Texas Bowl

Syracuse – 21
(7-6, 4-4 ACC)
Minnesota – 17
(8-5, 4-4 Big Ten)

Line: Gophers by 4
#FITSPick: Minnesota 23 Syracuse 17

Fight Hunger Bowl

Washington – 31
(9-4, 5-4 PAC 12)
Brigham Young – 16
(8-5) *Independent

Line: Huskies by 3
#FITSPick: BYU 33 Washington 24

New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Notre Dame – 29
(9-4) *Independent
Rutgers – 16
(6-7, 3-5 American)

Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Line: Irish by 14
#FITSPick: Notre Dame 37 Rutgers 13

Belk Bowl

North Carolina – 39
(7-6, 4-4 ACC)
Cincinnati – 17
(9-4, 6-2 American)

Line: Tar Heels by 2.5
#FITSPick: Cincinnati 38 North Carolina 30

Russell Athletic Bowl

No. 18 Louisville – 36
(12-1, 7-1 American)
Miami – 9
(9-4, 5-3 ACC)

Line: Cardinals by 3
#FITSPick: Louisville 40 Miami 20

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl

Kansas State – 31
(8-5, 5-4 Big 12)
Michigan – 14
(7-6, 3-5 Big Ten)

Kickoff: 10:15 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Line: Wildcats by 4.5
#FITSPick: Michigan 35 Kansas State 28

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl

Navy – 24
(9-4) *Independent
Middle Tennessee – 6
(8-5, 6-2 Conference USA)

Line: Midshipmen by 6
#FITSPick: Navy 31, Middle Tennessee 21

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl

Ole Miss – 25
(8-5, 3-5 SEC)
Georgia Tech – 17
(7-6, 5-3 ACC)

Line: Rebels by 3
#FITSPick: Ole Miss 34 Georgia Tech 20

Valero Alamo Bowl

No. 10 Oregon – 30
(11-2, 7-2 PAC 12)
Texas – 7
(8-5, 7-2 Big 12)

Line: Ducks by 13.5
#FITSPick: Texas 37 Oregon 35

National University Holiday Bowl

Texas Tech – 37
(8-5, 4-5 Big 12)
No. 14 Arizona State – 23
(10-4, 8-1 PAC 12)

Line: Sun Devils by 14
#FITSPick: Texas Tech 45 ASU 42

AdvoCare V100 Bowl

Arizona – 42
(8-5, 4-5 PAC 12)
Boston College – 19
(7-6, 4-4 ACC)

Line: Wildcats by 7.5
#FITSPick: Arizona 35 Boston College 17

Hyundai Sun Bowl

No. 17 UCLA – 42
(10-3, 6-3 PAC 12)
Virginia Tech – 12
(8-5, 5-3 ACC)

Line: Bruins by 7
#FITSPick: Virginia Tech 31 UCLA 30

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Mississippi State – 44
(7-6, 3-5 SEC)
Rice – 7
(10-4, 7-1 Conference USA)

Line: Bulldogs by 7
#FITSPick: Mississippi State 24 Rice 14

Chick-Fil-A Bowl

No. 21 Texas A&M – 52
(9-4, 4-4 SEC)
No. 24 Duke – 48
(10-4, 6-2 ACC)

Line: Aggies by 11.5
#FITSPick: Texas A&M 44 Duke 21

Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl (Jan. 1 – Jacksonville)

No. 22 Georgia
(8-4, 5-3 SEC)
Nebraska
(8-4, 5-3 Big 10)

Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. EST (ESPN2)
Line: Bulldogs by 9
#FITSPick: Georgia 31 Nebraska 28

Heart of Dallas Bowl (Jan. 1 – Dallas)

North Texas
(8-4, 6-2 Conference USA)
UNLV
(7-5, 5-3 Mountain West)

Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. EST (ESPNU)
Line: Mean Green by 6.5
#FITSPick: North Texas 45 UNLV 30

Outback Bowl (Jan. 1 – Tampa)

No. 16 LSU
(9-3, 5-3 SEC)
Iowa
(8-4, 5-3 Big 10)

Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Line: Tigers by 7
#FITSPick: LSU 45 Iowa 28

Capital One Bowl (Jan. 1 – Orlando)

No. 9 South Carolina
(10-2, 6-2 SEC)
No. 19 Wisconsin
(9-3, 6-2 Big Ten)

Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. EST (ABC)
Line: Badgers by 1.5
#FITSPick: South Carolina 41 Wisconsin 33

Rose Bowl (Jan. 1 – Pasadena)

No. 5 Stanford
(11-2, 7-2 PAC 12)
No. 4 Michigan State
(12-1, 8-0 Big 10)

Kickoff: 5:00 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Line: Cardinal by 5.5
#FITSPick: MSU 26 Stanford 24

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 1 – Glendale)

No. 15 Central Florida
(11-1, 8-0 American)
No. 6 Baylor
(11-1, 8-1 Big 12)

Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Line: Bears by 16.5
#FITSPick: UCF 33 Baylor 30

AllState Sugar Bowl (Jan. 2 – New Orleans)

No. 11 Oklahoma
(10-2, 7-2 Big 12)
No. 3 Alabama
(11-1, 7-1 SEC)

Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Line: Tide by 15
#FITSPick: Alabama 52 Oklahoma 21

AT&T Cotton Bowl (Jan. 3 – Arlington)

No. 13 Oklahoma State
(10-2, 7-2 Big 12)
No. 8 Missouri
(11-2, 7-1 SEC)

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. EST (FOX)
Line: Tigers by 1
#FITSPick: Missouri 41 OSU 38

Discover Orange Bowl (Jan. 3 – Miami)

No. 12 Clemson
(10-2, 7-1 ACC)
No. 7 Ohio State
(12-1, 8-0 Big Ten)

Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Line: Buckeyes by 2.5
#FITSPick: Clemson 38 Ohio State 24

BBVA Compass Bowl (Jan. 4 – Birmingham)

Vanderbilt
(8-4, 4-4 SEC)
Houston
(8-4, 5-3 American)

Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Line: Commodores by 2.5
#FITSPick: Vanderbilt 27 Houston 16

GoDaddy Bowl (Jan. 5 – Mobile)

Arkansas State
(7-5, 5-2 Sun Belt)
Ball State
(10-2, 7-1 MAC)

Kickoff: 9:00 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Line: Cardinals by 7.5
#FITSPick: Ball State 32 Arkansas State 20

BCS National Championship Game (Jan. 6 – Pasadena)

No. 1 Florida State
(13-0, 8-0 ACC)
No. 2 Auburn
(12-1, 7-1 SEC)

Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Line: Seminoles by 8.5
#FITSPick: FSU 35 Auburn 30

CURRENT CONFERENCE STANDINGS

SEC: 3-0
Sun Belt: 1-0
Pac 12: 6-2
Big 12: 2-1
FBS Independents: 2-1
Mountain West: 3-2
Conference USA: 2-3
ACC: 3-6
American: 1-2
Big Ten: 0-2
MAC: 0-4

#FITSPICK RECORD

9-9