'08 BCS Bowl Predictions

With the NFL regular season wrapping up, it's easy to forget that the college football regular season is already over. While there are no playoffs in the BCS, there are bowl games for eligible teams, as well as the national championship game. This year's championship matchup features two two-loss teams in LSU and Ohio State, which leads to many questions in the BCS. What about undefeated Hawaii? Should there be a playoff system? Such topics are not for us to debate, so we'll take the bowls for what they're worth.

We, backed by our SCO expertise, will take a look at the four main bowl games and the national championship game, picking a winner in each while pitching in our two cents. If ESPN analysts leave you confused, we hope these simplified explanations will give you a better idea of what each team brings to the field.

Rose Bowl presented by Citi: Illinois vs. USC
Jan. 1, 2008, 4:30 p.m.

Sean's Pick: USC
For the first time in a long time this season, USC is healthy on both sides of the ball. Even with their spread offense, Illinois will face a lot of problems getting past such a formidable defensive unit. On the flip side, USC's offense is solid with a decent set of wide receivers and a few guys that can break out the big plays. Go Trojans.

Anshul's Pick: USC
USC is known as tailback-U and for good reason too. With a healthy backfield and healthy receivers, the Trojans will keep the Illinois defense on its feet, having to defend both the run and the pass. It's not that that the Illinois defense hasn't been good, but not good enough to support the offense enough to pull out the win.

Allstate Sugar Bowl: Hawaii vs. Georgia
Jan. 1, 2008, 8:30 p.m.

Sean's Pick: Georgia
I hate to be the bearer of bad news for Hawaii, but this is not a Disney movie. Having a perfect season by beating teams who are significantly inferior won't help the Warriors win against a powerhouse like Georgia. This one goes to the Dawgs.

Anshul's Pick: Hawaii
The Georgia running game is good, but Hawaii will remain unbeaten this season. Colt Brennan is playing at the top of his game and is looking like an NFL-quality quarterback. The Warriors had hoped for a berth in the championship game, but their easy schedule and weak conference hurt them badly. This will be a good way for them to go out and prove their worth.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. West Virginia
Jan. 2, 2008, 8 p.m.

Sean's Pick: Oklahoma
The Sooners have a good matchup on paper – they can match the Mountaineers on defense and have a distinct size advantage on the offensive line. The only way they could lose is through their own error, or if West Virginia magically pulls off an upset like their win over Georgia in the 2005 Sugar Bowl.

Anshul's Pick: West Virginia
The Mountaineers have not just one, but two running threats on offense. Steve Slaton and Pat White are both playing at a very high level and the Sooners' defense doesn't look like it has enough to stop them. While Oklahoma has a high-powered offense, this one goes to WVU.

FedEx Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Kansas
Jan. 3, 2008, 8 p.m.

Sean's Pick: Virginia Tech
The Hokies are simply too fast for either the Kansas defense or offense to handle. On the defensive side, the Hokies have one of the best cornerback tandems in the country, which will make it very tough for Kansas to throw the ball. On offense, the Hokies are the fastest team the Jayhawks have played this season.

Anshul's Pick: Virginia Tech
The speed of Virginia Tech is going to tire out the Jayhawks' defense early. On the other side, the Hokies have a speedy secondary that can keep Kansas' receivers from making big plays and can force some tough running.

Allstate BCS Championship Game: LSU vs. Ohio State
Jan. 7, 2008, 8 p.m.

Sean's Pick: LSU
Against star quarterbacks like LSU's Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux, the Buckeyes' defense will have their hands full. In addition, the crowd will be on the Tigers' side, so the Buckeyes need to make big plays early on if they want to win. But even if the crowd were impartial, this looks to be LSU's game.

Anshul's Pick: LSU
For the first time, the BCS Championship game features two two-loss teams, but give LSU some credit, because both those losses came in triple-overtime. A healthy Glenn Dorsey means havoc in the Ohio State backfield, and Matt Flynn and Jacob Hester have stepped up their game for the Tigers. The lack of speed on the Buckeyes' side will lead to a Tiger victory.