The 2010-2011 NCAA football bowl season begins today, Dec. 18, with the New Mexico Bowl, the Humanitarian Bowl, and the New Orleans Bowl on tap. The first bowl game of the season is the New Mexico Bowl, featuring BYU versus UTEP, and it kicks off at 2 PM EST. The Humanitarian Bowl (Northern Illinois vs Fresno State) follows at 5:30 PM, with the New Orleans Bowl (Ohio vs Troy) scheduled at 9 PM as the evening game. There are 35 total bowl games this year, and at least one bowl game is scheduled every day between Dec. 18 and Jan. 10, except for four bowl-free days where college football fans can surface for air.
2010-2011 NCAA Football Bowl Schedule
College Football Bowl Schedule and Picks for Dec. 18, 2010
New Mexico Bowl - BYU are heavy favorites and should be able to out muscle the Miners.
BYU
UTEP
2:00 PM EST
Humanitarian Bowl - Northern Illinois wins this one to cap the best season in school history.
Northern Illinois
Fresno St.
5:30 PM EST
New Orleans Bowl - Leaning to Troy in what is likely to be a close, defensive game.
Ohio
Troy
9:00 PM EST
Non-BCS Bowls
Besides the major BCS bowls described below, there are 27 other bowl games scheduled, including six bowl games on New Year's Day. The action picks up again after a two day break with the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, followed the next day by the MAACO Bowl, and then the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 23. The best of the non-BCS bowls this year is the Capital One Bowl featuring a match up between defending national champ Alabama and co-Big 10 champ Michigan State. Alabama might win the game but take MSU +10 points!
2011 BCS Bowl Schedule & BCS Bowls Preview and Picks
Rose Bowl
(4) Wisconsin
(3) TCU
4:30 PM EST - The TCU Horned Frogs want to prove that they deserve to play with the big boys, but they will have to beat a physical Badger squad in the Rose Bowl to complete their undefeated season at 13-0. Take Wisconsin.
Fiesta Bowl
Connecticut
(10) Oklahoma
8:30 PM EST - The Huskies will need a lot of things to go their way to win the Fiesta Bowl. Take the Sooners in a blow out.
January 3, 2011
Orange Bowl
(5) Stanford
(12) Virginia Tech
8:00 PM EST - This Orange Bowl match up could be one of the best bowl games of the year. Stanford edges the Hokies in a comeback win.
January 4, 2011
Sugar Bowl
(6) Ohio St.
(8) Arkansas
8:00 PM EST - Arkansas is appearing in its first BCS bowl, and plan to start 2011 on a winning note by beating the BCS veteran Buckeyes in the Sugar Bowl.
BCS Championship Game
(2) Oregon
(1) Auburn
8:30 PM EST - No. 1 Auburn and all-everything QB Cam Newton take on No. 2 Oregon Ducks and their stud QB Darron Thomas. Will Heisman Trophy runner-up LaMichael James be the difference for the Ducks? Not a chance. Cam Newton is destined to win this game and nothing can stand in his way.
For more on the college football bowl season and the BCS title game see:
Complete 2010-11 College Football Bowl Schedule+BCS Bowl Preview
Top 5 Bowl Games in the 2010-2011 College Football Bowl Season
Clayton Browne - Clayton Browne has a BA and an MS in Anthropology, and has been writing professionally since 1994. He worked for many years in both ...
Join the Conversation