What a season it’s been in college football. No team seems able to hang on to a top-10 ranking. How about LSU, which has a chance to reach the #1 spot for the third time this season? Or South Florida and Oregon, two teams that at one point held the #2 place in the BCS but now, after monumental collapses, find themselves playing each other in the Brut Sun Bowl? Never before has the college football landscape seen such parity, and never before has the sport cried out for a playoff system that could resolve messy BCS debates.
But since the Bowl Championship Series remains in place, college football fans will have to settle for a diverse palate of 32 games over 17 days in December and January. Only the truest of fans look forward to, say, the Memphis-Florida Atlantic battle in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, so I’ll stick to the 10 most consequential post-season bowl battles (yes, Virginia, your team is in one of them).
#10 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
 
When: December 31
Where: Atlanta, GA
Who: Clemson (9-3; 5-3 ACC Atlantic) vs. Auburn (8-4; 5-3 SEC West)
The Offenses:
Each team has a solid running game, averaging over 150 yards per game, but Clemson has a dynamic air attack, too (253.6 yards per game, compared to 173.7 for Auburn). Quarterback Cullen Harper ranks best in the ACC with a 149.6 passer efficiency rating, and he has an underrated target in Aaron Kelly, who is leading the ACC with 87 receiving yards per contest. Tommy Tuberville’s Tigers suffer from an occasionally ineffective offense; his team has scored more than 24 points only twice against Division 1-A opponents. Tommy Bowden, on the other hand, finally has some semblance of job security thanks to an offense that averages over 34 points per game.
Edge: Clemson
The Defenses:
Both Tigers sport fantastic defenses: Auburn is eighth nationally, allowing 298.3 yards per game, while Clemson is sixth, giving up only 297. Auburn yields just under 17 points per game, Clemson a shade over 18. Clemson’s Tigers average more sacks, but it is Auburn that has two play-making defensive linemen in Antonio Coleman and Quentin Groves.
Slight Edge: Auburn
The Coaches:
Tommy T. is 79-33 at Auburn, 4-3 in Bowl Games, and is the first Auburn head coach to beat Iron Bowl rival Alabama six consecutive times. He also won the 2004 Walter Camp Coach of the Year award. Tommy B., on the other hand, always seems to be uncertain of his job status this time of year. He recently got an extension, but most Clemson fans never appear satisfied with non-BCS bowl births year after year. He is 60-38 at Clemson, 3-4 in the postseason.
Edge: Auburn
Intangibles:
If this becomes a field-position game, look for Auburn to have the advantage; Tuberville’s Tigers are third nationally in net punting, while Clemson is 103rd. More importantly, though, is the turnover margin. Clemson is +12 on the season; Auburn is +1. Auburn is 3-3 this year in close games (contests decided by seven points or fewer), while Clemson is 3-0.
Edge: Clemson
Key Match-up: An Auburn run defense that allows under 120 yards per game, against the one-two punch of Clemson RBs James Davis (992 yards, nine TDs) and C.J. Spiller (656 yards, 4.8 yards per carry).
The Pick: Auburn 20, Clemson 17
#9 The Outback Bowl
 
When: January 1
Where: Tampa, FL
Who: Wisconsin (9-3; 5-3 Big 10) vs. Tennessee (9-4; 6-2 SEC East)
The Offenses:
The Outback Bowl will feature two explosive offenses led by two dynamic quarterbacks: Erik Ainge (63% completion rate/3,157 yards/29 touchdowns) for Tennessee and Tyler Donovan (58%/2,452/16) for Wisconsin. Both teams average at least 400 yards and 30 points per game, and both have a penchant for the occasional disastrous outing; the Vols’ losses have come by an average of 21 points, while that number is 19 for Wisconsin. The Badgers are a little more balanced, as they average 201.5 yards per game on the ground in addition to the 212.4 they collect through the air; Tennessee, however, is a little more explosive.
Slight Edge: Tennessee
The Defenses:
The Vols give up tons of yards: over 400 yards per game to be exact. The Badgers only allow a hair over 350 yards of total offense per contest. But both of those numbers are misleading, because of the much tougher schedule Tennessee played. Still, Wisconsin has the advantage here, mostly because of strong pass defense and pass efficiency defense.
Edge: Wisconsin
The Coaches:
The jury is still out on Bret Bielema, who is 21-4 (1-0 in bowls) at Wisconsin, but is in just his second year after taking over for the legendary Barry Alvarez. Is he a good coach, or is he just skating by with Alvarez’ players? By contrast, Phil Fulmer has spent his entire life as a Volunteer, and is 145-44 (including the 1998 National Title) as the coach at Rocky Top. He has spent much of that time on the hot seat, but he has to be pleased with the way his team has rallied (the Vols won eight of nine after starting 1-2) to make the SEC Championship Game.
Slight Edge: Tennessee
Intangibles:
These teams each boasted a 7-0 home record, but combined to go 4-7 on the road. Wisconsin in particular struggled away from home, beating only lowly UNLV and Minnesota by seven apiece away from Camp Randall Stadium. Turnovers will be key in this game. Tennessee is +6 in turnover margin on the year and +10 in its nine wins; Wisconsin is -1 for the season and -6 in its losses.
Edge: Tennessee
Key Match-up: The battle in the trenches. The Badgers pass rush (39th in the nation with 28 sacks) has to find a way to get to Ainge. The Vols are the best in the nation in protecting the quarterback, allowing only four sacks on the season.
The Pick: Tennessee 34, Wisconsin 28
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