5-at-10: Friday Mailbag with college bowl contest, Rushmore of Christmas songs and picks (eventually)

Great week gang, and stick with us as we figure out the comments part of the show.

From the “Talks too much” studio, let the games begin.

From Terry

Is it too late to enter the bowl contest?

Thanks and thanks for trying to keep me interested in all these bowl games.

Terry

The contest will be open until 5 p.m. today. We have more than 35 entered so far, which is nice.

Here are the rules one more time for the “Bowling for Bowls of Bowl Game Success while wearing a Bowler” (Hat optional). The prize pot is growing, too. Right now we have some Co-Colas, some tickets, a Dale Jr. autographed Best of Preps program, 2015 Best of Preps banquet tickets, a Chili’s gift card, a TFP umbrella and any other items we can Fred Sanford.

Pick two games from each level, and try to pick the winner of that game using the point spread below. The player with the most points at the end wins. We will establish a tie-breaker for those invovled in the national title game. Please email entries to jgreeson@timesfreepress.com and we’ll update in-game standings on Twitter at @jgreesontfp. Deal? Deal.

Here are the levels and let us know if you have any questions.

The one-point level (pick two)

New Orleans Bowl Nevada vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (Even)

New Mexico Bowl Texas El Paso vs. Utah State (-11)

Las Vegas Bowl Utah vs. Colorado State (+4)

Idaho Potato Bowl Western Michigan vs. Air Force (+3)

Camellia Bowl South Alabama vs. Bowling Green (-2)

GoDaddy Bowl Toledo vs. Arkansas State (+1)

Boca Raton Bowl Northern Illinois vs. Marshall (-11)

Poinsettia Bowl Navy vs. San Diego State (E)

Two point level (pick two)

Bahamas Bowl Central Michigan vs. W. Kentucky (-2)

Hawaii Bowl Fresno State vs. Rice (+2)

Heart of Dallas Bowl Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech (-4)

GoDaddy Bowl Toledo vs. Arkansas State (+1)

Miami Beach Bowl BYU vs. Memphis (+2)

Quick Lane Bowl Rutgers vs. North Carolina (-4)

St. Petersburg Bowl North Carolina State vs. UCF (-3)

Three-point level (pick two)

Military Bowl Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati (-3.5)

Pinstripe Bowl Penn State vs. Boston College (-2.5)

Holiday Bowl Nebraska vs. Southern Cal (-5)

Foster Farms Bowl Maryland vs. Stanford (-13)

Armed Forces Bowl Pittsburgh vs. Houston (+2)

Four-point level (pick two)

Sun Bowl Duke vs. Arizona State (-9)

Independence Bowl Miami vs. South Carolina (Even)

Liberty Bowl West Virginia vs. Texas A&M (+4)

Texas Bowl Texas vs. Arkansas (-5)

Russell Athletic Bowl Clemson vs. Oklahoma (Even)

Five-point level (pick two)

Music City Bowl Notre Dame vs. LSU (-7.5)

Belk Bowl Louisville vs. Georgia (-7)

TaxSlayer Bowl Iowa vs. Tennessee (-3)

Birmingham Bowl East Carolina vs. Florida (-7)

Citrus Bowl Minnesota vs. Missouri (-6.5)

Six-point level (pick two)

Chick-Fil-A Bowl Mississippi vs. TCU (-3)

Fiesta Bowl Boise State vs. Arizona (-4)

Orange Bowl Georgia Tech vs. Mississippi State (-7)

Outback Bowl Wisconsin vs. Auburn (-6.5)

Cotton Bowl Michigan State vs. Baylor (-3)

Seven-point level (pick two yes, that means you have to pick each of them)

Rose Bowl Florida State vs. Oregon (-8.5)

Sugar Bowl Ohio State vs. Alabama (-9)

Whatcha’ got?.

From several of you

Why did you guys change the website/will the comments ever get back to where they were/I miss the old 5-at-10/ (Fill in the blank complaint about the first full week of next to no comments on the 5-at-10).

Gang

The website change has a lot of positives, and with any major overhaul, there have been some kinks we have to overcome.

The Web Team they all actually wear uniforms with capes and a big ‘W’ on their chest is working through them and trying to figure out a way to streamline comments. If you have a Facebook page, it’s no problem, unless of course your employer does not allow you to long on to Facebook at work.

Here’s hoping some of you regulars will keep hanging around as the audience grows and we work through the new set-up. Thanks for your patience.

From Paul

I just started reading the 5-at-10 cause I listen to Press Row everyday. You and Paschall are the best thing to happen to ESPN 105.1 ever. Thanks for making the drive home fun and I love the Rushmores.

So, since it’s Christmas, what is your Rushmore of Christmas songs?

Thanks and keep up the great work.

Paul

Thanks so much for the kind words and for listening, and now for reading the 5-at-10.

The Rushmores have really taken off and we love the feedback and the interaction they provide.

Rushmore of Christmas songs is a tough one, and we almost always think we’re forgetting one, but here goes.

Far left for us is Little Drummer Boy.

We’ll like go Bing Crosby’s White Christmas and a very classical Silent Night after that.

Our fourth one that has made up a lot of ground here in the last few years is the Straight No Shaser acapella combination of Christmas songs that range from 12 Days of Christmas to Africa by Toto.

Good times.

Love the question, and thanks again for playing along.

From JMC

While the big prize of a Mocs/North Dakota State match-up has alluded us; the fact of the matter is we were in uncharted territory to begin with. As you know here in the South, we have two seasons: football and recruitment. While the days of freshmen coming into play appear to be less and less, replacements for Lott, Tull, Keon, and Shaffet for starters have got big shoes to fill. Obviously we’re not going to get 3-4 star prospects as all 100% have been defaulted to Saban’s camp. However, with the annual SEC fire sale (read transfer) practically on our doorstep, what are UTC’s opinions for landing some quality transfers (read Athens and Knoxville) to help continue the now winning program. As a follow-up, have any been eyed as of late that can be commented on or for that matter, any local players on the FBS map looking to consider the local U. instead? Especially with the national coverage of recent days.

JMC

Great question, and we’ll allow UTC football ace Stephen Hargis answer this one with his stories in today’s paper.

Here’s Mr. Hargis’ recap of the likely replacements for the top seniors on this year’s record-setting UTC football team.

As for transfers, well, we certainly could see the Mocs’ increased profile after a record-setting season making them more attractive to potential transfers. Still, Russ Huesman has wisely been a cautious on the transfer market because of the inevitable baggage a lot of them bring.

And with the announcement from Hargis that two UAB transfers are headed this way, this could be a larger than normal class of transfers. We feel certain at least one SEC transfer will find his way to the Scenic City after the bowl season, and there certainly could be a couple more.

From J5

Jay Here is a mailbag question and my picks:

Mailbag: Started with reading the 5-at-10 daily, then started listening to the radio show You and Paschall are incredible at least one uncontrollable laugh on the drive home and at least one cool insight. Question: Name the 5 teams with the most motivation to perform and win in bowl games (TCU and Baylor, for getting left out) and the 5 teams with the least motivation (TCU and Baylor, for getting left out). See what I did there . . . Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Thanks, J-5

J-5

Thanks for the kind words J-5, it’s listeners and callers like you that make it a lot of fun Monday-Friday from 3-6 on ESPN 105.1. And we hope you and yours are ready for Santa, as well.

And yes, we saw what you did there. Well-played indeed. And you touched on the two biggest enigmas in this draft cycle.

Will they answer the bell to prove everyone wrong and make a statement? (Think Boise State a few years ago and/or Utah or a couple of others.) Will they show up listless knowing that in the grand scheme of things they are really playing for fifth place knowing they were right in the mix and got skipped? (Think Florida a couple of years ago and Alabama in its last two Sugar Bowl appearances that were not for the title.)

With that in mind, we’ll skip both TCU and Baylor on both lists because the fact they could be on each means they swing wildly in regard to expectation.

Five to be motivated (not counting the four teams in the playoff of course)

South Alabama.

It’s the first bowl game in the program’s six-year history, and that type of historic moment and the chance to leave a lasting legacy can appeal to a lot of players.

Tennessee. Seriously, the difference between 6-7 and 7-6 is quite monstrous for Team 118, which looks to post the program’s first winning record since Kiffin. Plus, this could be a springboard into a spring that borders on full-fledge excitement. (See what we did there?)

Arkansas. See above. Plus, the Texas Bowl has already been sold out, and it’s a chance for the Razorbacks players from Texas to face the Longhorns. This could be one of the sneakiest best bowl games of the entire postseason.

Louisville. Look at the laundry list of factors for the players and the coaches against Georgia. Chance to be a college football power program? Check. Chance for a 10-win season? Check. Chance to prove your coaching mettle for the head coach returning from scandal? Check. Chance to prove your coaching mettle for the defensive coordinator going against his old school? Big fat check. (See what did there? We’ll call that a Grantham. Thank you very much.)

Georgia Tech. We really enjoy watching this Tech team, and this is another shot to build off a supremely surprising and successful year against another hated SEC team. There is a lot to like about this Tech team and despite the heart-break of losing the ACC title game, the Orange Bowl is not a fallback spot for the Jackets. It’s a chance to make a statement, especially for a team that is senior-laden at some key spots.

BYU. Because the Cougars are more experienced and more mature than the rest of college football. They are older by nature and more physical. It’s not a coincidence that BYU is 6-2 in its last eight bowl games.

Five to be less than motivated

South Carolina.

Let’s get the picture for a Gamecocks player going into the Independence Bowl. It’s going to be cold. USC has sold at last report about 800 of their 7,000 bowl tickets. Plus, it was such an underwhelming season that was a grind from the start with a spanking at home against Texas A&M to the end with a pantsing against Clemson. Now, Steve Spurrier is saying he’s either going to be there two years or until we put an astronaut on Pluto. (That said, USC is playing Miami, which also could be classified as less-than-thrilled to be here.)

Florida. The Gators best upperclassmen are starting to migrate to the NFL. (Do Gators migrate? We think yes.) There’s an interim coach. Florida will be playing in front of about 1,900 people in early January in a decrepit Legion Field. Not exactly how the five-stars expected to wrap the season, you know.

Houston and Nebraska. Each school made a charge and got to a bowl game, and each school fired its head coach because of various reasons. Yes, there is a very small chance that the players galvanize, but we doubt it considering that the coaches were let coach in somewhat puzzling fashion Nebraska cut ties with Bo Pelini who won no fewer than nine gamers per year and Houston canned Tony Levine after he got the Cougars back on track and hired Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman, who has some other matters on his plate.

Oklahoma. There were a lot of options for the final spot here, but let’s go with the Sooners, who were the lone preseason top-five team not to make the college football playoff. Here’s guessing that bunch may show up for the swag, kick back a couple of Co-Colas and let the chips fall where they may.

Great question.

From Believer

OK, in year’s past you have picked the bowl games and I have made some ‘entertainment’ during the holiday season.

Please tell me you are going to do it again. Please.

You have to do this. I need some Christmas ‘entertainment.’

Believer

We are definitely in for the bowl game picks.

We have found our stride down the stretch, and we’ll look to continue that.

We’ll post the first half of picks later today since the bowl season starts Saturday. Deal? Deal.

Thanks for reading and here’s hoping everyone has a very entertaining bowl season.