Friends in fight songs,
We made it. We survived the bowls sponsored by Wasabi and Jimmy Kimmel. Now we get to pick not one, but TWO separate Cheez-It bowls. Top off your Jungle Juices. Let the Moxie runneth over.
Bowl SZN starts TODAY.
BOWL PICKS
- Jungle Juice Bowl Pick'em
- Your group picks
Did we recalibrate our college football brains for our 14-games-in-five-days shotgun Bowl season? THERE’S $1,500 ON THE LINE HERE, PEOPLE.
Our favorites won 76% of the time in the regular season.
But that was back when teams were in the rhythm of a season, and starters weren’t sliding into the portal.
Don’t think that a month off taking finals and playing flip cup messes with these guys?
Historically, underdogs win 23% of the time in the regular season. That number jumps to 37% during bowl season, according to Action Network.
That’s a whopping 60% increase in upsets.
Here’s hoping you raised a glass to Moxie while making your picks.
Or better yet, I hope someone filled out their picks the way Mike Leach would - with a breakdown of mascot fights. RIP, Pirate.
And the Crimson Tide better watch out for those Wildcats.
PICK STATS
Jungle Juice Bowl Pick'em
- Three teams crossed the 90% threshold: Oregon (in a 2023 Heisman teaser over UNC), UCLA (a Bruin-Panther brawl) and LSU (over the Brohm-less Boilermakers).
- Our fourth-most picked team is Georgia, the top seed in the College Football Playoff. The Bulldogs play Ohio State, who is a touchdown underdog.
- In the regular season, Ohio State was favored by at least two touchdowns in all but ONE game (only -9 against Michigan). We are OFF the Buckeyes.
- Favorites are 17-7 in the College Football Playoff semifinals. But three of those underdog wins were bagged by Ohio State.
- Only 15% of us are giving J-Frog’s TCU a chance against Michigan. It’s Groundhog Day, except this groundhog can shoot blood from its eyes.
- USC-Tulane is essentially a pick’em, but 83% of us are on the Trojans, who will be missing Biletnikoff-winning wide receiver Jordan Addison, as well as two NFL-bound offensive linemen.
- In the last five years, the Pac-12 is just 11-25 in bowl games. It entered this season losers of seven straight. (Oregon State broke that streak with a 30-3 win over Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl.)
- Oh, and the loser of the Pac-12 title game is 0-10 in subsequent bowl games. I don’t even know how that’s possible.
- I also read this sentence in a preview about Tulane: “this may be the biggest bowl game the Green Wave have played in since they faced Texas A&M in the 1940 Sugar Bowl.”
- Bama’s also an 83% favorite over TCU-slaying Kansas State. It’s the biggest game the Wildcats have played since…they beat TCU in 2012 to briefly ascend to No. 1 in the rankings? Shoutout Tyler Lockett.
- We picked the Pac-12 to win all five of their matchups. More than 70% of us took Utah in the Rose Bowl, and we gave Washington the nod even though they are field goal dawgs against Texas. Moxie!
- In our two other toss-up matchups, we’re riding with Notre Dame (over South Carolina) and Tennessee (over Clemson).
- Two-thirds of us hope Mississippi State wins one for the Pirate.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Dot the "i" in Moxie Award
Given to the boldest pick - WITH A COMMENT - so be sure to leave one!
@DUERtheCHOSEN1 (Jungle Juice Bowl Pick'em): "Upsets!!! Tulane gonna tear up that weak USC defense"
Merf says: YoTulane-USC is a pick'em. But your pick of the Boilermakers beating LSU as a two-touchdown dog is worthy of a Moxie helmet sticker.
Play Like a Champion Award
The very best comment
@Keiffapro (Jungle Juice Bowl Pick'em): "Jungle Juice?… Gimme some of that purple stuff"
Merf says: I WANT SOME JUNGLE DRINK!
Lennay Kekua Memorial Award
The most convincing comment
@mahatma19 (Jungle Juice Bowl Pick'em): "14 States with one team represented here; 7 states with two teams represented here. This doesn't help me with picking...at all."
Merf says: Maine is SNUBBED once again.
The "I'm a Man, I'm 40!" Award
The spiciest take
@schm0869 (Jungle Juice Bowl Pick'em): "Where’s the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl? All the good teams play on the afternoon of December 29th. Go Gophers! RIP Mike Leach."
Merf says: OK, so according to a quick Google search, naming rights for bowls start at around $500K. So Commish, how about next year's BFIG champ can either claim their winnings, OR have a bowl named after them? The @haveyoucheckedyourbutthole Bahamas Bowl would be must-see TV.
MORE PICK COMMENTS
@kempsoos (Jungle Juice Bowl Pick'em): "This one is for all the marbles! which is great because people keep telling me I've lost mine."
Merf says: I prefer playing for All the Tostitos.
@SABANKER (Jungle Juice Bowl Pick'em): "The Green Wave roll over Riley's defense!"
Merf says: Riley's defense is an oxymoron.
@BigJake08 (Jungle Juice Bowl Pick'em): "Frogs going to make Jim Harbaugh have a heart attack after they shock the world!"
Merf says: I'm down with the sentiment/self-talk. But would you be SHOCKED if the Saints beat the Eagles this weekend? Both games are the same one-touchdown spread. DOES TAYSOM HILL HAVE ANY ELIGIBILITY??
@Nickvan66 (Jungle Juice Bowl Pick'em): "Love the bowl pick em idea, why not include all of them though? Seems kind of weird to just have 14."
Merf says: LOVE your enthusiasm for the Roofclaim.com Boca Raton Bowl. NOTED.
@MONSTERXXX (Jungle Juice Bowl Pick'em): "
Merf says: I know you would have brought that energy to the Hometown Lenders Bahamas Bowl, too.
Yours in baggy khakis and bubble gum,
Merf