Bowls in Review: 2014-15

Few expected a champion to emerge from Columbus, Ohio
earlier this season. Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Another season of college football has passed and another champion has been crowned. Sadly, we won't see another major college football game until South Carolina takes on North Carolina on the first Thursday of September. In the meantime, we wait for National Signing Day and then the spring scrimmages. Let's look back on how each bowl team fared at the end of the season.

About a month ago, the bowl season began with Louisiana-Lafayette taking care of Nevada in New Orleans. The win completed the Ragin' Cajuns' run of four consecutive nine-win seasons. The Utah State defense kept UTEP at bay while Utah's offense blew away Colorado State. Air Force downed Western Michigan, winning their tenth game of the season. Bowling Green needed a late touchdown to beat South Alabama.

Memphis earned their tenth victory in an incredible overtime thriller against BYU. Marshall stampeded past Northern Illinois, finishing their season with 13 wins. A late missed field goal sunk San Diego State in the Poinsettia Bowl against Navy. The inaugural Bahamas Bowl turned out to be one of the most extraordinary games ever played. Central Michigan rallied from a 35-point fourth quarter deficit, scored a touchdown on a 75-yard, three-lateral play to bring the point margin to one with no time left, but ultimately lost to Western Kentucky on a failed two-point conversion. Rice battered Fresno State on Christmas Eve.

Michigan State needed to block a field goal in order to stun
Baylor in Arlington, Texas. Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Louisiana Tech conquered Illinois in Dallas while Rutgers knocked off North Carolina in Detroit. North Carolina State was too much for UCF. Virginia Tech surpassed Cincinnati with relative ease. They put up a good fight, but Duke couldn't find a late touchdown against Arizona State. Turnovers helped South Carolina beat Miami and Duke Johnson. A missed PAT in overtime doomed Boston College against Penn State. Nebraska showed spirit in a losing effort against USC.

The Big 12 suffered when Texas A&M outgunned West Virginia, Clemson smothered Oklahoma, and Arkansas stomped Texas. Notre Dame sneaked past LSU with a late game-winning field goal. Louisville wasn't a match for Georgia, but neither was Maryland against Stanford. The New Year's Six began with TCU's destruction of Ole Miss. Boise State outplayed Arizona while Georgia Tech rushed for 452 yards in their rout of Mississippi State. 

The new year began with Melvin Gordon and Wisconsin beating Auburn in overtime. It took an incredible, improbable fourth-quarter comeback and a blocked field goal for Michigan State to defeat Baylor in the Cotton Bowl. The Missouri ground-game won the day against Minnesota. Five devastating turnovers spoiled Florida State's efforts against Oregon in the first-ever playoff game. Ohio State overcame an early deficit to upset Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

The Gators made just enough plays to get past East Carolina.
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Houston scored three touchdowns in the final four minutes to shock Pittsburgh. Tennessee had few problems dispatching Iowa. UCLA built a big halftime lead, but barely held on to top Kansas State. Oklahoma State bested Washington in the Cactus Bowl. Florida was outgained 536 to 339, but fortuitous turnovers secured a Gator victory against East Carolina. Adam Lane rushed for 109 yards while Dante Fowler recorded three sacks. A pick-six by Brian Poole gave the Gators' their first touchdown while an 86-yard dash by Ahmad Fulwood gave them their last. A late interception by Vernon Hargreaves in the endzone repulsed the Pirates' final scoring attempt. Toledo rocketed past Arkansas State in the season's penultimate game.

At last came the grand finale, the first-ever playoff championship game. In it, the Ohio State Buckeyes proved themselves superior to the Oregon Ducks. Ezekiel Elliot and the Buckeye offensive line overpowered the Oregon defense while Cardale Jones impressed many in his third start. Marcus Mariota did not play poorly, but did not receive nearly enough help from his teammates to challenge the Buckeyes. Despite receiving four turnovers, the Ducks were beaten by 22 points. And even though they lost to Virginia Tech earlier this season, the Ohio State Buckeyes demonstrated themselves worthy to the title of champion.

• Nevada (7-6) over Louisiana-Lafayette (9-4), 35-24 16-3
• Utah State (10-4) over UTEP (7-6), 38-20 21-6
• 22 Utah (9-4) over Colorado State (10-3), 24-20 45-10
• Air Force (10-3) over Western Michigan (8-5), 34-27 38-24
• South Alabama (6-7) over Bowling Green (8-6), 23-20 33-28
• Memphis (10-3) over BYU (8-5), 34-31 55-48 (OT)
• Marshall (13-1) over Northern Illinois (11-3), 38-34 52-23
• San Diego State (7-6) over Navy (8-5), 31-27 17-16
• Western Kentucky (8-5) over Central Michigan (7-6), 44-41 49-48
• Fresno State (6-8) over Rice (8-5), 35-31 30-6
• Louisiana Tech (9-5) over Illinois (6-7), 34-26 35-18
• North Carolina (6-7) over Rutgers (8-5), 38-34 40-21
• UCF (9-4) over NC State (8-5), 30-27 34-27
• Cincinnati (9-4) over Virginia Tech (7-6), 27-24 33-17
• 15 Arizona State (10-3) over Duke (9-4), 34-27 36-31
• South Carolina (7-6) over Miami (6-7), 45-42 24-21
• Boston College (7-6) over Penn State (7-6), 23-16 31-30 (OT)
• 24 USC (9-4) over Nebraska (9-4), 38-24 45-42
• Texas A&M (8-5) over West Virginia (7-6), 41-38 45-37
• 17 Clemson (10-3) over Oklahoma (8-5), 27-23 40-6
• Arkansas (7-6) over Texas (6-7), 37-13 31-7
• 23 LSU (8-5) over Notre Dame (8-5), 38-21 31-28
• 13 Georgia (10-3) over 21 Louisville (9-4), 38-31 37-14
• Stanford (8-5) over Maryland (7-6), 21-14 45-21
• 9 Mississippi (9-4) over 6 TCU (12-1), 31-24 42-3
• 10 Arizona (10-4) over 20 Boise State (12-2), 48-45 38-30
• 12 Georgia Tech (11-3) over 7 Mississippi State (10-3), 35-30 49-34
• 19 Auburn (8-5) over 18 Wisconsin (11-3), 42-20 34-31 (OT)
• 5 Baylor (11-2) over 8 Michigan State (11-2), 37-34 42-41
• 16 Missouri (11-3) over 25 Minnesota (8-5), 35-17 33-17
• 2 Oregon (13-1) over 3 Florida State (13-1), 45-38 59-20
• 1 Alabama (12-2) over 4 Ohio State (13-1), 37-17 42-35
• Pittsburgh (6-7) over Houston (8-5), 34-27 35-34
• Iowa (7-6) over Tennessee (7-6), 24-17 45-28
• 14 UCLA (10-3) over 11 Kansas State (9-4), 31-28 40-35
• Washington (8-6) over Oklahoma State (7-6), 30-20 30-22
• Florida (7-5) over East Carolina (8-5), 27-20 28-20
• Toledo (9-4) over Arkansas State (7-6), 52-45 63-44
• 2 Oregon (13-2) over 4 Ohio State (14-1), 43-38 42-20

Bowl Record: 21-18 (54%)

Season Record: 220-106 (67%)

Bowl Predictions: National Championship

Oregon will try to secure their first college football national
championship since their program began in 1894.
Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

The college football season comes to an end tonight with the National Championship Game in Arlington, near Dallas. The Ohio State Buckeyes face the Oregon Ducks after both teams advanced past the playoff semifinals. The Buckeyes look to claim their eighth (claimed) national title, while the Ducks are seeking their first. Both squads will arrive in AT&T Stadium with identical 13-1 records and impressive résumés. Review their seasons in my post on New Year's bowl games.

The Oregon defense forced five turnovers in their blowout defeat of Florida State in the Rose Bowl. The Seminole defense also forced two turnovers, but were otherwise unsuccessful in their attempts to slow down the Oregon offense. The opportunistic Ducks exploited each Seminole giveaway, scoring 34 points off FSU fumbles and interceptions. The Noles had some success moving the ball against the Ducks until their turnover problems ground their effectiveness to a halt. The Ducks only began to pull away in the second half of the third quarter.

Ohio State overcame a 15-point deficit to knock off Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. After falling down 21-6 in the second quarter, the Buckeyes rallied to outscore Alabama 36-14 until the end of the game. The Buckeyes outplayed the Crimson Tide in every significant aspect of the game; most critically, OSU gained 111 more rushing yards than Bama. The Buckeyes lost fewer turnovers than the Tide and were much more effective in converting third downs.

The Buckeyes meet the Ducks for the ninth time in history
tonight. Ohio State has won each of the previous eight
meetings. Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Both the Buckeyes and the Ducks have excellent defenses, but their offenses are even better. Duck quarterback Marcus Mariota played well enough throughout the year to earn the Heisman Trophy while the Buckeyes haven't missed a beat despite losing their top two quarterbacks to injury this season. Cardale Jones was OSU's third-string gunslinger during the preseason, but has impressed in his first two starts. More important to the Ohio State offense is their running game, led by halfback Ezekiel Elliott. While the OSU offense can effectively throw the ball, they are more dependent on the ground game with their productive running backs and scrambling quarterbacks. Oregon has no clear weaknesses on offense and are very balanced, although they will be missing their second-best receiver due to suspension. The Ducks make very few mistakes, despite attacking at a very fast tempo. While the Buckeyes possess a defense at nearly full strength, the Ducks are missing their all-American corner, who cannot play because of injury. Like most national finalists, both squads are very well coached.

This should be a close game decided in the fourth quarter. If the Ducks can manage to hold Ohio State to less than 200 rushing yards, they should come out victorious. However, if the Buckeyes can build a rhythm on the ground, they should down the Ducks.

• 2 Oregon (13-1) over 4 Ohio State (13-1), 43-38