Today we have the third of our five BCS Bowls of the season. All debates about whether this system is better or worse then a playoff aside, these figure to be some of the best games of the year. Today we have the Sugar Bowl.
SUGAR BOWL (8:30 pm, ESPN)
Although this year's Sugar Bowl lacks the traditional SEC Conference Champion playing in it (as LSU is in the National Championship Game), this years matchup figures to be a good game pitting #11 Virginia Tech vs. #13 Michigan. Although many fans are upset about these two teams being selected with at large bids over the higher ranked Boise St. Broncos and Kansas St. Wildcats, this game will not being lacking in star power with Denard 'Shoelace' Robinson leading his Wolverines in a bounceback season and a return to national prominence under first year head coach Brady Hoke. Hoke's Wolverines have losses versus Iowa and Michigan State this year, but also are riding high after defeating archrival Ohio State for the first time since 2003. On the Virginia Tech side, Frank Beamer returns his 11-2 Hokies to a bowl game for the 19th consecutive year, but both of VT's losses came at the hands of ACC Champion Clemson, by a combined score of 61-13. His team is led this year by Junior RB David Wilson and Sophomore TE-turned-QB Logan Thomas.
When the Hokies have the ball, expect to see a heavy dose of Wilson. The RB is only 29 yards away from breaking the school's single season rushing record. Logan Thomas is a dual threat at quarterback, but relies more on his arm, using his legs mostly just to get himself out of trouble. One x-factor for this game could be the Hokies' special teams. Frank Beamer historically has had his teams play with very strong special teams. However this year, the Hokies only have one blocked punt, and have serious issues at kicker. Beamer suspended first-team Kicker Cody Journell following his arrest on home invasion charges. Journell did not make the trip to New Orleans. Then Beamer sent home backup Kicker Tyler Weiss after Weiss missed the team's curfew. The Hokies are down to third string Kicker Justin Myer, their kickoff specialist who is 0-2 on field goals this season. We will see if this affects Beamer's decisions once the Hokies begin to get into scoring territory, or if Beamer has something up his special teams coaching sleeve.
When Michigan has the ball, the Wolverines attack will be focused on Denard Robinson. Robinson, a well know dual threat at QB, can make spectacular plays with his feet, however Brady Hoke has limited his ability to do so in order to keep Robinson, who has struggled with injuries in past years, healthy. Although Robinson is still not the most skilled passer, his ability to keep defenses honest allows him to still be a very good quarterback. Helping him on offense will be Sophomore Running Back Fitzgerald Toussaint, who has emerged as a threat late in the season. Toussaint has almost 700 yards in Michigan's last five games, has has helped Brady Hoke take much of the load off of Robinson.
This game should be a good one to watch as well, although it will be tough to live up to the standard set by last night's two games. Denard Robinson is one of college football's stars, and Frank Beamer is the longest tenured and winning-est active coach in Division 1.
Prediction- Michigan 34, Virginia Tech 21
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