[Austroturf]

The problem with this bowl match-up is that we have little to gain from it and plenty to lose.  OK, we are not ranked, so we cannot drop out of the top 25 if the game goes pear-shaped on us (for whatever reason); but a victory will also probably not move us into the Top 25 unless a bunch of teams ahead of us in the rankings lose.  This is reminiscent of the game two years ago when we faced North Carolina and barely survived thanks to Solomon Thomas's sack of Tubrisky on the two-point conversion at the end of the game.  In fact, North Carolina was actually more highly-ranked than Pitt, so the match-up was more even.  We were also in the top 20 at 9-3 and ended the year 12th in the AP poll at 10-3.  Our one extra loss this year will probably leave us on the outside looking in even if we move to 9-4 after the Sun Bowl.  

Anyway, I prefer it when we face a highly-regarded opponent with a ranking that will actually burnish our reputation if we win and not cost us so much if we are on the wrong side of the score.  Beating Pitt will give us a 9th win, but not a lot more.  

Looking at the Pac-12 bowl line-up, I would predict the following:

UW loses to Ohio State
WSU vs. Iowa State: Cougs win
Utah vs. Northwestern: the Utes win if they get Moss and Huntley back.  If not, Northwestern wins
Oregon vs. Michigan State: Oregon wins
Stanford vs. Pitt: Stanford prevails
Cal vs. TCU: Hard to say, but Cal has good chances if they can generate a bit of offense and get a few takeaways.  TCU is not the team we played last year.
ASU vs. Fresno State: I like the Bulldogs in this one.  

So the Pac-12 could go 4-3 or 3-4 this bowl season, which would be an improvement over last year.  Stanford should be one of the wins.  Go Cardinal!

Stanford is playing a team that was in the ACC championship game.  That will get their attention.  And Stanford isn't a big reward for Pitt, is it? 

As for Pac-12 W-L, I'll guess:

Rose: L (OSU too much offense for UW)
Alamo: W (ISU is good, but Leach will be on a mission)
Holiday: W (Utah will physically overpower NU)
Sun: W (Pitt is not scary)
Red Box: W (Michigan State really sucks and will get crushed by Ducks)
Vegas: W (ASU is just better)
Cheez it: L (Don't think Cal can score enough)

So I'm going to say the Pac-12 wins 5/7 bowl games.

I hate to say it, but I think Stanford and WSU are the only Pac-12 Bowl wins.

Hmmm, these are predictions ranging from 5-2 to 2-5.  I would like to see the 5-2 simply to bolster the conference's reputation, but I still think it's going to be a split (4-3 or 3-4).  And that will not allow us to crow about our poor bowl fortunes.  The SEC got 4 NY6 bids (Peach, Cotton, Fiesta and Sugar).  That Fiesta bowl bid was stolen from Wazzu.  But if we don't dominate the bowls we have, we won't have much room to complain.  How about 6-1???

[Austroturf]

The problem with this bowl match-up is that we have little to gain from it and plenty to lose.  OK, we are not ranked, so we cannot drop out of the top 25 if the game goes pear-shaped on us (for whatever reason); but a victory will also probably not move us into the Top 25 unless a bunch of teams ahead of us in the rankings lose.  This is reminiscent of the game two years ago when we faced North Carolina and barely survived thanks to Solomon Thomas's sack of Tubrisky on the two-point conversion at the end of the game.  In fact, North Carolina was actually more highly-ranked than Pitt, so the match-up was more even.  We were also in the top 20 at 9-3 and ended the year 12th in the AP poll at 10-3.  Our one extra loss this year will probably leave us on the outside looking in even if we move to 9-4 after the Sun Bowl.  

Anyway, I prefer it when we face a highly-regarded opponent with a ranking that will actually burnish our reputation if we win and not cost us so much if we are on the wrong side of the score.  Beating Pitt will give us a 9th win, but not a lot more.  

Looking at the Pac-12 bowl line-up, I would predict the following:

UW loses to Ohio State
WSU vs. Iowa State: Cougs win
Utah vs. Northwestern: the Utes win if they get Moss and Huntley back.  If not, Northwestern wins
Oregon vs. Michigan State: Oregon wins
Stanford vs. Pitt: Stanford prevails
Cal vs. TCU: Hard to say, but Cal has good chances if they can generate a bit of offense and get a few takeaways.  TCU is not the team we played last year.
ASU vs. Fresno State: I like the Bulldogs in this one.  

So the Pac-12 could go 4-3 or 3-4 this bowl season, which would be an improvement over last year.  Stanford should be one of the wins.  Go Cardinal!

Stanford is playing a team that was in the ACC championship game.  That will get their attention.  And Stanford isn't a big reward for Pitt, is it? 

As for Pac-12 W-L, I'll guess:

Rose: L (OSU too much offense for UW)
Alamo: W (ISU is good, but Leach will be on a mission)
Holiday: W (Utah will physically overpower NU)
Sun: W (Pitt is not scary)
Red Box: W (Michigan State really sucks and will get crushed by Ducks)
Vegas: W (ASU is just better)
Cheez it: L (Don't think Cal can score enough)

So I'm going to say the Pac-12 wins 5/7 bowl games.

I hate to say it, but I think Stanford and WSU are the only Pac-12 Bowl wins.

Hmmm, these are predictions ranging from 5-2 to 2-5.  I would like to see the 5-2 simply to bolster the conference's reputation, but I still think it's going to be a split (4-3 or 3-4).  And that will not allow us to crow about our poor bowl fortunes.  The SEC got 4 NY6 bids (Peach, Cotton, Fiesta and Sugar).  That Fiesta bowl bid was stolen from Wazzu.  But if we don't dominate the bowls we have, we won't have much room to complain.  How about 6-1???