Orange Bowl Preview While many were surprised when the matchup for the Orange Bowl was announced, the game itself has the potential to be one of the best BCS bowls this season. The pairing of No. 8 Kansas and fifth-ranked Virginia Tech has raised some of the same questions about the BCS selection process that the national title game is evoking. Those concerns are all likely to be forgotten, though, when the Jayhawks and their high-powered offense meet the stifling defense of the Hokies at Dolphin Stadium on Jan. 3.
Author: Anthony Rome
Chick-fil-A Bowl Preview Clemson coach Tommy Bowden believes his team is getting closer to living up to the school’s championship legacy. Winning 10 games for the first time in 17 years would go a long way toward adding credence to that belief. In what figures to be a close game featuring two of the nation’s stingiest defenses, No. 15 Clemson faces 22nd-ranked Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl at the Georgia Dome on Dec. 31.
Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl Brigham Young’s early season struggles included a loss to UCLA, but the Cougars bounced back with the type of run that the Bruins likely would have needed to save Karl Dorrell’s job. One of the nation’s most balanced teams, the Cougars look to extend a nine-game winning streak when they face the reeling Bruins and interim coach DeWayne Walker in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 22.
Papajohns.com Preview Cincinnati first-year coach Brian Kelly is preparing his team for a bowl game following the program’s best regular season in 54 years, but it’s almost like he’s been here before. In fact, Kelly has. The 20th-ranked Bearcats (9-3) will look to give Kelly his second bowl victory in less than a year when they take on Southern Mississippi (7-5) in the PapaJohns.com Bowl on Dec. 22 in Birmingham, Ala.
Suns Take on Jazz The Utah Jazz’s worst stretch of the season has cost them the lead in the Northwest Division. If the Phoenix Suns’ slump continues, they may also be playing catch up soon in the Pacific. Coming off consecutive losses to subpar teams, the division-leading Suns look to capitalize on a matchup with the struggling Jazz on Wednesday.
Denver Heads to Houston It’s a big week for Selvin Young. Denver’s undrafted rookie ran for a career-high 156 yards in a win over Kansas City on Sunday and gets to play in a prime-time game in his hometown Thursday night against the Houston Texans.
Cincy Takes on Xavier Carrying a national ranking into its annual crosstown rivalry game with Cincinnati has been a good thing for Xavier. Then again, being the underdog in this matchup has had its advantages. The No. 17 Musketeers look to remain perfect when facing the Bearcats while ranked in the AP poll and avoid their first home loss in nearly a year as the teams meet Wednesday at Cintas Center.
Big Challenge The Toronto Raptors hoped the returns of Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani and T.J. Ford would give the team a spark. The reunion of Toronto’s three stars, however, appears to be short-lived. Likely without Ford – their second-leading scorer – the Raptors try to end an eight-game losing streak to the Dallas Mavericks when they meet Wednesday at the Air Canada Centre.
Back on Track The Ottawa Senators appear to be back on track after enduring their longest losing streak in more than a decade. They look to win their third game in a row Wednesday night when they continue their season-high five-game road trip against the erratic Carolina Hurricanes.
Solid O, Sorry D The Utah Jazz rode one of the NBA’s highest-scoring offenses to a strong start, but their lackluster defense has led to their longest losing streak of the season. The Portland Trail Blazers, meanwhile, have used a surging offense to bounce back from an ugly stretch with three straight victories.