What’s Going On? The Orlando Magic are struggling through their worst stretch of the season, and their NBA-best road record has taken a slight hit. A trip to Charlotte may not help them bounce back. Losers of three straight, the Magic look to end their road woes against the Bobcats when the teams continue their season series Friday night.
Author: Anthony Rome
Champs Sports Bowl Boston College is looking to extend the nation’s longest active winning streak in bowl games. This certainly is not the game the Eagles hoped to do it in. Having blown chances to play in either the BCS national title game or the Orange Bowl, the Eagles must settle for a Dec. 28 trip to the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando as they try to avoid having Michigan State spoil their perfect bowl record this decade.
International Preview Rutgers already knows Greg Schiano is not headed to Michigan. Ball State remains unsure if Brady Hoke is. While Schiano’s decision to stay with the Scarlet Knights may have kept the Cardinals’ Hoke in the running, both coaches should be on the sidelines on Jan. 5 for the International Bowl in Toronto.
Music City Bowl Preview Florida State was in position to return to national prominence, and Kentucky finally got a taste of the top 10. Neither team, however, was able to parlay its early success into a BCS bid. Late-season meltdowns doomed any chance the Seminoles and Wildcats had at a BCS contest, instead relegating them to a matchup in the Music City Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
Humanitarian Preview Georgia Tech expects new coach Paul Johnson to help take its football program to the next level, but need to wait until 2008 for that to happen. Before Johnson mans the sidelines, defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta will try to lead the Yellow Jackets to their second Humanitarian Bowl victory in five seasons when they meet Fresno State on Dec. 31 in Boise, Idaho.
Armed Forces Preview California had hoped to put the disappointment of last year’s finish behind it this season. Instead, it suffered an even greater letdown. The Golden Bears (6-6) look to salvage the year and finish with their sixth consecutive winning season when they take on Air Force on New Year’s Eve at the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas.
Alamo Bowl Preview Joe Paterno has provided stability for the Penn State program for more than 40 years. Texas A&M has entrusted Gary Darnell to oversee the program for just one game. While the Nittany Lions (8-4) will play their 500th game since Paterno became coach in 1966, Texas A&M (7-5) turns to Darnell to coach the Aggies on an interim basis for the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29 in San Antonio.
Liberty Bowl Preview It has taken a little time, but Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom is in the midst of turning his program around. Central Florida coach George O’Leary can relate. After six straight last-place finishes, Croom’s Bulldogs will make their first bowl appearance in seven years when they play O’Leary’s Knights, who are led by NCAA rushing leader Kevin Smith, in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 29 in Memphis.
Meineke Bowl Preview Connecticut rebounded from a dismal 2006 to win a share of the Big East title this season. Wake Forest, meanwhile, continued to emerge as a force in the ACC by qualifying for consecutive bowls for the first time. Leading their programs to unprecedented success has made Randy Edsall and Jim Grobe two of the most desired coaches for jobs in college football, and their teams will meet in the Meineke Bowl at Charlotte, N.C. on Dec. 29.
Home Sweet Home The Boston Celtics went nearly 15 years between eight-game winning streaks. They’re now on the verge of their second such run in less than two months. Boston also will try to match the best home start in franchise history as it faces the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Banknorth Garden on Friday night.