FanHouse Meinekecarcarebowl

FanHouse gathers around the TV to bring you insights from Bowl Season '08.

Hakeem Nicks has a monster yards-per-catch average in the fourth quarter. That's the good news for North Carolina. The bad news is that this is probably his last game as a Tarheel.

There have been rumors floating about his departure to the NFL leading up to the Meineke Car Care Bowl and then, well, he absolutely blew the hell up today. With four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Nicks is sitting at a cool eight catches, 215 yards and three touchdowns.

Granted, the first of the touchdowns was a 73 yarder that should have been intercepted after T.J. Yates threw a wounded goose straight up in the air, but still -- the kid has been nothing short of exceptional all season (Carolina's first ever 1,000 yard receiver) and topped it all off by smashing records left and right en route to a career high in yardage.

Unfortunately for the Detroit Lions, there are rumors that Matt Millen is still running things in the front office. And there's no chance he can pass on a wide receiver this talented in the first round.

Ready for bowl season? Join FanHouse as we preview each of the 34 bowls with a lot of analysis, a little irreverence, and, we promise, at least one joke about Karl Malden's nose. Your parents, or Joe Paterno, will explain it to you.

Below are the Week 1 bowl games. Click here for Week 2 and the non-BCS bowls of Week 3. Or click here for BCS bowls analysis.

As the radio and TV keep telling us, it's the most wonderful time of the year. For college football fans, this is most certainly true. We're only 10 days away from the start of the bowl season, and already, the BCS national championship has been analyzed to death. (Hey, did you realize Oklahoma scores a lot of points? Wow, Florida has a good quarterback. I think his name is Tom Turbo or something.)

Some games get substantially less attention than the big time, big money blockbusters, however, and there's a good reason for that. They're only meaningful to the teams involved and their fans. But that doesn't mean that we fans should pay them no attention. It just means we don't need to pay them much attention.

So we at FanHouse have decided to give you a brief summary of these lesser games. I know that calling the Motor City Bowl "lesser" might be controversial, at least to people from Detroit, or people from the planet Gazorpnitz. For the rest of us, we'll keep it short. We start with the games played before Dec. 30, and if you don't see a game previewed here, it'll get more attention from one of us later. Now, onward!

The Navy Midshipmen can win the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Yes, Boston College is bigger. Yes, the Eagles have faster, more highly recruited, and more athletic players. But then again, the Mids have everything to gain from this game and very little to lose, while Boston College faces, at best, only a win-draw situation. I know Paul Johnson has been worried about being "embarrassed" by Boston College, but the reality is that people aren't going to wallow too much if Navy loses (at least I hope they don't). Will a loss constitute a step back for the program? Arguably I suppose it could, but lets just get this out of the way right now; there is no shame in losing to a nationally-ranked Boston College team.

But therein lies the potential this game holds for Johnson and his program. Four years removed from a 2-10 season and five years removed from being one of the very worst teams in I-A, Johnson has created what many believe is one of the best non-BCS conference teams in the entire country. And while no one is doubting the amazing job Johnson has done, questions and concerns still resonate about how good Navy actually is. The Mids have only defeated one ranked team during Johnson's run (picking up a win over 25th ranked Air Force in 2003) and have only defeated three other teams (New Mexico, Colorado State, and East Carolina) which finished the season with .500 or better records in the year in which they played Navy. Boston College is not only ranked, but they've won their last six Bowl games, consistent winning by any stretch of the imagination. You of course can see where I'm going with this.

With the Meineke Car Care Bowl fast approaching, I sat down with Boston College Fan House Blogger Bill Maloney to discuss the upcoming matchup between Boston College and Navy. You can check back later at the Boston College Fan House for the second part of our Q&A, in which I address Bill's questions about Navy football. For more Boston College news, including all your coaching updates, you can also check Bill's Boston College Football Blog Eagle in Atlanta.

First and foremost. By now everyone surely knows (I hope) that Tom O'Brien, who coached the Eagles to seven straight Bowl wins, has moved on to NC State and will not coach in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. What, if anything, changes with interim head coach Frank Spaziani at the helm?

I don't expect any real changes. The rest of the staff is in place through the bowl game and I doubt they'll use this time for new looks or twists (there probably busy looking for homes in Raleigh. What may be different, and will be easy to determine early on, is the team's motivation and emotions. If the assistants don't care, since they are moving on, will the team mirror that attitude? Or will the players come out fighting with something to prove to their former coach? I expect the latter.

I've had the opportunity to watch a number of Boston College games this year, and I think the first word that comes to mind, for me anyway, is inconsistency. They've posted some great wins over the likes of Wake, Clemson, Maryland, and BYU, but have also lost to major disappointments in NC State and Miami. What do you attribute this to?

I attribute it to O'Brien, really. The team is a reflection of its coach and O'Brian's steady but conservative and unemotional style lead to this team coming out flat for the Miami and NC State game. Both teams were bad. Both games were winnable and BC tripped up with the classic O'Brien Achilles heals (defensive letdowns, special team's limitations and stubborn play calling). O'Brian's consistency was a big selling point to NC State. But that even keep approach can be very frustrating. At this point most BC fans found it to be a limitation.

You'd think that after four straight winning seasons and what is to be a fourth straight Bowl game, Navy football would have earned some respect from the local press. And although they certainly have, it's obviously not enough to convince one Baltimore Examiner writer the Midshipmen would make a fine opponent for Maryland in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Matt Palmer, who operates as a sports columnist for the little-read but but not hopelessly biased Examiner, published an article today contending that the Terps won't prove anything by beating Navy in a Bowl game, and would be best to show the country that Maryland football has truly returned to the national stage by tacking their 8-4 record somewhere else. After making several statements about how Maryland would be better to hold out for an invite to play South Carolina in the Music City Bowl, Palmer dropped the hammer on Paul Johnson's 8-3 team.

Maryland, at 8-4, is about two touchdowns better than Navy (8-3) this season, even though Navy has been to four straight bowl games while Maryland is ending a two-year drought. That's no slight on Navy. Maryland's just a better team, more battle-tested against far tougher competition. Navy's good for what it is.

More battle tested? Last I checked, the current Navy team is the most experienced football team in all of Division I-A, at least according to Phil Steele Magazine. And woe to the man who doesn't heed the advice of Phil Steele. Tougher Competition? Would anyone in their right mind classify William and Mary, Florida International, Middle Tennessee State, Virginia, and North Carolina State as "tough competition?" I know Navy plays some cupcakes in Temple, Duke, Stanford, and Eastern Michigan, but at least the Mids blew out those teams. It's not as though Navy needed a last second interception to hold on against what is generally considered to be the worst team in Division I-A (FIU). Maryland played some good teams this year, no doubt, but from what I hear Notre Dame, Rutgers, Tulsa, and East Carolina aren't too bad either.

I'm really not sure what Mr. Palmer is trying to say. Can Maryland beat Navy? Of course, but if last year's game was any indication of how these two teams may face off, I certainly think Navy would stand a shot in the rematch. The Terps have improved this year, but you'd be a fool to think that Navy hasn't gotten better either. Let's face it, Maryland escaped last year on the heals of some "rookie" mistakes by Navy players, most of whom were starting their first college football game ever. Furthermore, Maryland has struggled against the run all season, and looked down right worn-out against Wake Forest last week. I'm not trying to knock Maryland, I'm really not, but I think it stands to reason that the Terps, while a good team, would find playing Navy no easy task.

So, which ACC team will be lucky enough to play the Midshipmen in this year's Meineke Car Care Bowl (Classic)? As it stands right now, it looks like Maryland, Wake Forest, Boston College, or Clemson will all be in the running for the Charlotte based Bowl game, although actually predicting a single team at this point seems next to impossible. That being said, the loser of Saturday's Maryland-Wake Forest contest could take the inside track as Navy's opponent.

Fan House blogger Jason Greer, who has done an outstanding job giving bowl predictions on a weekly basis, is currently predicting a Maryland-Navy showdown in Charlotte. What do Navy fans think of this matchup? Well, it seems as though the opinions are mixed, with most arguments boiling down to whether or not fans want to get "revenge" of last year's 23-20 loss against the Terps. I personally would love to see Navy get a chance to expose the overrated Terps, but am somewhat hesitant to advocate the matchup because of the "bitterness" which has marked the rivalry in the past.

Wake, meanwhile, could end up in the Meineke Car Care Bowl with a loss to Maryland. Concerns over the ability of the fan-base to travel for the team still exist, which may leave the team hanging around after the top Bowls have picked. If the Daemon Deacons do end up in Charlotte, it will showcase two of what I believe are the most unheralded teams in college football this year.

With their loss last night, Boston College also becomes a potential opponent for Navy. This would be a real interesting matchup with former Navy grad Tom O'Brian at the helm for BC, which is arguably the second most disciplined team in the country. I like the way Navy matches up in this game, but I tend to think the Eagles will be picked up by another bowl before the folks from Raycom offer up.

Clemson might also be a choice as Navy's opponent, and for the time being is still a media favorite, with CFN and ESPN's Mark Schlabach projecting the Tigers to play in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. This would appear to be a fine matchup with the proximity of Clemson, but may not come to pass because of the "higher" exposure Bowls the Clemson athletic department is sure to lock onto. Still, if Clemson gets passed up, this could be a great opportunity for Navy to knock off a "name" team for some serious national exposure.

So, who do you want to see Navy play in the Meineke Car Care Bowl? Drop me a line and we'll discuss the pros and cons of playing each team.

I know, I know. We shouldn't be talking about this Bowl nonsense with offensive juggernaut Eastern Michigan up next, but I can't help myself. So, in keeping with the Paul Johnson "Just Get it Out of the Way" principle, I promise you won't be hearing too much Bowl talk out of me for the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, I thought it would be judicious to take a look at some of the teams Navy could play in the December 30th Meineke Car Care Bowl. As AOL Sports explains it, Navy will play either the "fifth, sixth or seventh choice from among the ACC's bowl eligible teams under a deal worked with the Music City and Emerald bowls."

Speculation has been running rampant amongst the Navy community, with fans, media, and players all offering up predictions on which team will make the trip to Charlotte on December 30th. Senior Co-Captain and stud middle linebacker Rob Caldwell told the Capital yesterday that he'd favor Florida State because of the opportunity to play "against guys you know are going to play on Sundays and see how you stack up." Other common predictions have been Wake Forest, Boston College, Clemson, Miami, and even Maryland. Considering the proximity of Charlotte to the Carolina schools and taking into account the rather poor travel reputations of Miami and (to an extent) Boston College, I don't think it would be entirely presumptuous to say Clemson is an early candidate. Yet even with their implosion against Maryland, it's entirely possible Clemson will still play in another Bowl game, specifically the Peach Bowl, where executives clamor at the opportunity for a Georgia-Clemson matchup.

For the time being the ACC is just too tough to call, with plenty of key conference games still left to play before we can get a sense of who will finish where. My tentative predict on will however be Florida State or Miami, seeing as though these two school shave faltered this season and aren't expected to bring a sizable to fan-base to a "lower-tier" Bowl game. As long as their are no swinging helmets I'm fine with this prediction, although I would love to have the opportunity to see Navy avenge last year's fourth quarter meltdown against Maryland.

What a difference a couple of seasons can make. Four years removed from a 2-10 record, The United States Naval Academy has accepted an offer to play in this year's Meineke Car Car Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina on December 30th. The game, which will be played nationally on ESPN, will also feature a team from the ACC which has yet to be determined. The game will mark the fourth consecutive Bowl appearance for the Midshipmen, a feat which has not been accomplished in the entire (and very long) history of Navy football. Navy is 2-1 in Bowl games over the past three seasons, while Head Coach Paul Johnson has earned a reputation for game-planning the heck out of "bigger" and "faster" teams when he has two or more weeks to prepare. Navy Athletic Director and all around program building genius Chet Gladchuck had this to say:

"Our football program is right on track for another highly-successful year. Although we have a number of critical goals yet to achieve, it is certain that we will be in Charlotte on Dec. 30. I am pleased for Coach Johnson, the players, staff, Brigade of Midshipmen, alumni and our friends who continue to comprise a football family that is truly one of the most supportive and dedicated in the country. Charlotte is a terrific destination with a first-class bowl run by professionals who are among the best in the business. We are grateful for their confidence in Navy and, as has been the case over the past three postseasons, their community can count on Navy to deliver both on and off the field."

Tickets will go on sale tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9AM EST, and can be ordered online at Navysports.com or by phone by calling 1-800-US4-NAVY. Tickets can also be purchased at the Ricketts Hall Bow Office. If you were smart like me, you'd have already made your hotel reservations months in advance, but I'm sure there are plenty of Best Westerns to go around for everyone. As for opponent predictions, I don't know enough about the ACC to make that kind of call, although ACC FanHouse blogger Jason Greer has speculated that hometown Wake Forest may get the call. Despite the uneasiness over the proposition to some Navy fans, I would like nothing better then to see the Midshipmen run wild on a demoralized "U" team that doesn't even want to be there.