Editors clash in bowl picking challenge

Sports Editor Danny Parker won the regular season college game picking challenge by three games over me. I'm hoping to redeem myself during bowl season. There are 34 bowl games, and I hope to get at least 25 correct, but that's harder than it sounds.

Sometimes I think bowl games are more like the first game of the next season than they are the last game of the current season -- some teams show up, while others don't.

For the national championship game, I decided to go with Florida. Both teams have great offenses, but Florida's defense will be the difference. Chalk up another National Championship for the SEC, as Florida wins a tight one, 31-27.

The way I see it, there are a few sad facts about the bowl games this year:

One: Tennessee's not in one.

Two: Vanderbilt, Memphis, Ball State, Troy, So. Miss, Hawaii, La. Tech, Rutgers, Rice, Nevada, Houston, Uconn, Buffalo and Tulsa are.

Three: The National Championship won't be played until Thursday, Jan. 8.

Four: Only two SEC teams, Georgia and South Carolina, will be playing bowl games on New Year's Day, my day off.

Philleo's picks:

Wake Forest 31, Navy 27

Fresno State 28, Colorado State 21

South Florida 35, Memphis 28

BYU 42, Arizona 41

Troy 38, Southern Mississippi 24

Boise State 31, TCU 28

Hawaii 24, Notre Dame 21

Central Michigan 38, Florida Atlantic 24

North Carolina 24, West Virginia 21

Florida State 28, Wisconsin 21

California 31, Miami 24

Louisiana Tech 17, Northern Illinois 14

Rutgers 27, North Carolina State 20

Missouri 41, Northwestern 17

Maryland 28, Nevada 24

Oregon 28, Oklahoma State 20

Rice 38, Western Michigan 31

Houston 34, Air Force 28

Oregon State 31, Pittsburgh 28

Boston College 27, Vanderbilt 24

Kansas 34, Minnesota 24

Georgia Tech 24, LSU 17

South Carolina 27, Iowa 21

Georgia 34, Michigan State 27

Clemson 24, Nebraska 21

Southern Cal 31, Penn State 28

Virginia Tech 28, Cincinnati 24

Texas Tech 42, Mississippi 27

Kentucky 28, East Carolina 24

Alabama 31, Utah 27

Connecticut 28, Buffalo 24

Texas 34, Ohio State 24

Ball State 42, Tulsa 35

Florida 31, Oklahoma 27

Parker's picks:

Wake Forest 27, Navy 24

Fresno State 21, Colorado State 18

South Florida 28, Memphis 10

Arizona 54, BYU 49

Troy 20, Southern Miss 12

Boise State 35, TCU 20

Notre Dame 16, Hawaii 14

Central Michigan 32, Florida Atlantic 9

West Virginia 27, N. Carolina 19

Wisconsin 20, Florida State 17

Miami 9, California 7

Northern Illinois 13, Louisiana Tech 9

NC State 33, Rutgers 32

Northwestern 38, Missouri 35

Maryland 40, Nevada 10

Okla. State 42, Oregon 40

Rice 20, Western Michigan 17

Houston 12, Air Force 10

Pitt 24, Oregon State 23

Boston College 31, Vanderbilt 6

Kansas 38, Minnesota 20

Georgia Tech 43, LSU 35

Iowa 26, S. Carolina 22

Georgia 51, Michigan State 20

Clemson 17, Nebraska 13

Southern Cal 14, Penn State 9

Virginia Tech 24, Cincinnati 20

Texas Tech 54, Ole Miss 52

Kentucky 14, E. Carolina 8

Alabama 35, Utah 6

Buffalo 9, Connecticut 6

Texas 27, Ohio State 26

Ball State 49, Tulsa 33

Florida 38, Oklahoma 20