Happy New Year’s Eve SABOWLers! We’ve got an exciting and probably heartbreaking few days ahead of us! Today’s going to be a full day and I’d like to start us with a little inspiration. I came across this song and I doubt any of you have ever heard it before but I think it really captures the quest for the SABOWL

” Ever since I was a kid I’ve been dreaming about this, First day of practice I was thinking about this, Picture on the news, yeah they see about this, Even in the paper they won’t read about this, Cause all of my life, Training day and night, I’m preparing to fight…Cause today is the day, Is the day that I have always dreamed of forever, When you call me, You call me the champ of the world, I can raise my hands, I can scream I’m the best in the world, Whole world, All my blood, sweat and grind, Was all for this time.”

Nice rhymes Nelly, nice rhymes.

Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas
Northwestern (6-6) vs Texas A&M (6-6)
Game Time: Dec. 31 @ 12 PM (ESPN, ESPN 3)

Texas A&M is coming into this game on a bit of a rough streak, 5 of their 6 losses this season came after they were leading at halftime, they’ve lost 4 of 5 and have recently let their coach go. To put this in Meineke terms, there is a hole in their muffler and they have two options (1) pay for a new muffler or (2) patch the current muffler to get bye for now. The Aggies (which is really not much of a mascot, its more of a nickname for students at agricultural schools, see picture for further clarification) are patching their team together for this bowl game. A&M have a bit of an advantage with this game taking place in Texas, their 12th man (A&M’s name for their student section) will be out in full force. The Northwestern Wildcats (much coller mascot than the Aggies) actually still have their coach and they’ll be led today by their Senior QB Dan Persa which is not really all that significant but I just wanted point out that his last name sounds like a woman’s handbag, that can’t be good. Neither defense has been especially effective this year, I doubt this will be another Baylor/Washington but things could get interesting. Expect A&M to jump out ahead and then potentially blow it in the second half and by expect I mean that is one possibility of what could happen in this game.

Texas A&M is favored by 10.5.
Texas A&M: Christina, Emily, Ellen, Danny/Stephen, April, Jim, Joe, Joey, Rebecca
Northwestern: Michael, Jonathan, Jimmy, Josh

KIDS’ SABOWL
This game launches our inaugural Kids’ SABOWL. This should be an exciting shootout between some of the Sabo family’s toughest little ones. Find the spreadsheet here (there’s also a link in the top right).
Texas A&M: Julian, Izabella Maree, Jackson “Mater”, Lydia
Northwestern: Stephen, Caleb “The Kid”, Trey

Hyundai Sun Bowl
Georgia Tech (8-4) vs Utah (7-5)
Game Time: Dec. 31 @ 2 PM CBS

Georgia Tech began the year hot, reeling off 6 wins against average teams. As the competition got tougher, Tech’s offense couldn’t keep up with its at times atrocious defense. Tech’s new defensive coordinator Al Groh has had some time since their last game to asses the horridness of their defense this year and to make some changes. To put this in terms of Hyundais, Tech’s defense this year has been like a mid-90’s Hyundai Sonata (frankly just plain ugly) and their hope is that moving forward it will be like a 2011 Hyundai Sonata (kinda sharp). Tech is capable of making quick strikes to score in a hurry and ranked 3rd in the nation in average yards per game. They’re triple option attack can confuse defenses, Utah is no stranger to the triple option as they play Air Force’s triple option attack each season. Utah’s strengths are its defense and running game. If Tech’s defense can show up, they should be able to hold off the Ute’s in this one and cover the spread.

GA Tech is favored by 3.5.
GA Tech: Michael, Jonathan, Ellen, Danny/Stephen, Josh, Rebecca, Jim
Utah: Christina, Emily, Jimmy, April, Joe, Joey

SABOWL for Kids
GA Tech: Isabella Maree, Jackson “Mater”, Julian, Stephen, Caleb “the Kid”
Utah: Trey, Lydia (picking up on a strong anti-GT focus among a particular family)

Autozone Liberty Bowl
Vanderbilt (6-6) vs Cincinnati (9-3
Game Time: Dec. 31 @ 3:30 PM (ABC)

Vanderbilt is coming off a stronger season than what they are used to, meaning they won more than 2 games, and are looking to fight for new coach James Franklin. Cincinnati had a strong season and tied for the Big East Championship.

Zach Collaros, the Bearcats’ QB, missed the last 3 games of the regular season but is expected to be back for this game. To put this in AutoZone terms, Collaros’ leg was like a dead battery that you had to get jumped to get your vehicle to the nearest AutoZone, once there they rolled the cart out with the diagnostic machine to determine whether your battery or alternator was the problem, they discovered that you had a broken terminal on your battery. With a little repair work and time, you’d be good to go like Collaros is today.

The Commodores (a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral – to put that in terms of liberty, a commodore would be an important military figure in battle) will be playing in only their 5th bowl game which is kinda sad but they’re in the SEC and bowl games can be hard to come by there.

Vanderbilt is favored by 2.5:
Vanderbilt: Michael, Christina, Emily, Jonathan, Ellen, Jimmy, April, Rebecca
Cincinnati: Danny/Stephen, Josh, Jim, Joe, Joey

Sabowl for kids:
Vanderbilt: Jackson “Mater”, Lydia, Caleb “the Kid”
Cincinnati: Stephen, Julian, Trey, Isabella Maree
Kraft Fighting Hunger Bowl
Illinois (6-6) vs UCLA (6-7)

There will be a lot of fighting going on in this one, not just fighting hunger (but kudos to you Kraft for using funds from this game to feed families). After starting off 6-0, the Illini are fighting to salvage the season after losing the last 6. Ron Zook is fighting to find a new job, he was Illinois’ coach when they were 6-0, not so  much anymore.

UCLA is fighting to get back some of the prestige they once had, after being marred in mediocrity for a while now they’d love to win this one. Rick Neuheisal is fighting to explain why UCLA’s poor performance is not his fault in job interviews, he was UCLA’s coach when they lost the Pac-12 title game 50-0 to USC, not really the case anymore. To put this in terms of one of Kraft’s most popular products, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, these teams are fighting for a win like purchasers of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese fight to consume the cheese product as quickly as possible after taking it off the stove so it doesn’t turn into a cold, tasteless, congealed chunk of edible mass. Both of these teams will be eager to get out front first (and as quickly as possible) whoever does may have an advantage as both teams defenses are less than impressive.

Illinois is favored to win by 3.5:
Illinois: Michael, Christina, Emily, Ellen, Danny/Stephen, Joe
UCLA: Jonathan, Jimmy, Josh, April, Rebecca, Jim, Joey

Sabowl for Kids:
Illinois: Izabella Maree, Jackson (Mater), Trey, Stephen
UCLA: Julian, Lydia, Caleb “The Kid”
Chickfila Bowl
Auburn (7-5) vs Virginia (8-4) 

In the Chickfila Bowl we have two teams on different trajectories. Last year Auburn won the BCS National Championship after that they have had to deal with a series of difficulties; losing Cam Newton to the NFL and dealing with the poisoning of Toomer’s Oaks by some hick ‘Bama fan. Virginia on the other hand had  a dreadful season last year and won only four games. This year the Cavaliers have 12 5th year seniors on their team and are having there best season in a while. You may not be aware of this but the University of Virginia was founded by our 3rd President and one of the authors of our Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was so proud of his association with the university that his tombstone doesn’t even mention his presidency but does list that he was the father of the University of Virginia. Auburn’s heritage is not quite as rich, rumor has it that it was started by two cousins who needed a place to educate their children. To put this in terms of Chickfila, The University of Virginia’s heritage is like the classic, beautiful, delicious Chickfila sandwich and Auburn’s is like McDonald’s ripoff Southern Style Chicken sandwich, its still a sandwich but why choose it. The good news for Auburn is that their heritage as a university has little to do with their football abilities.

All you really need to know about this game is that Auburn already has something of a lead. In Chickfila’s sponsored pre-game competition, Auburn leads Virgina 3 -2 by beating them in a milkshake competition, go-kart race, and family feud. Virginia managed to pull out victories in a basketball competition and in whatever the Brazilian Buffet is. This should really pan out to be an interesting game.

Auburn is favored by 1.5:
Auburn: Michael, Christina, Emily, Jonathan, Danny/Stephen, Jimmy, April, Rebecca, Jim, Joe, Joey
Virginia: Josh, Ellen

SABOWL for Kids
Auburn: Stephen, Julian, Izabella Maree, Jackson “Mater”, Lydia
Virginia: Trey, Caleb “the Kid”