Thursday, December 31, 2015

Bowl predictions - New Year's Eve

Only 3 games today, as we start the "New Years Six" games.

Here are my picks:
Chick-fil-a: Florida St (38-Altese; 39-Dehlin)
Orange: Clemson (4- Altese; 2-Dehlin)
Cotton: Alabama (25-Altese; 12-Dehlin)

The Holiday Bowl is still being played, right now I'm still in first in the Altese pool and 3rd in Dehlin.



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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Citrus Bowl prediction based on historical data

Michigan is 194-59-1 in all games I have attended (all data is only for games I attended unless otherwise noted)
M is 1-0 vs. Florida
M is 2-2 vs. schools from the state of Florida
M is 5-2 vs. schools from the SEC (Lloyd Carr 5-0 others 0-2)
M is 4-1 in games played in Florida
M is 7-5 in bowl games
M is 5-5 on January 1
M is 29-4 in games starting at 1pm
M is 12-9-1 in the starting QBs last game as a starter (currently counting Shane Morris in that data)
M is 1-0 when the opposing coach shares the same first name as M's head coach
M is 9-1 when ranked 17
M is 1-1 when opponent is ranked 19
M is 44-18 when playing the opposition in their home state
M is 12-5 in the 8th attended game of the season
M is 5-4 following games where they've given up 40 or more points (1-0 when it was 42)
M is 29-5 when the next lost would make the total losses attended a number evenly divisible by 10

It's easy when you look at the numbers:

Michigan 20
Florida 13


Bowl Predictions - Day 9

Four more games today. Here are my picks:

Birmingham Bowl: Memphis (14-Altese; 17-Dehlin)
Belk Bowl: Mississippi State (8-Altese and Dehlin)
Music City: Louisville (13-Altese; 14-Dehlin)
Holiday Bowl: USC (12-Altese; 11-Dehlin)

Not a big day points wise - but every game counts.

I am still in first place in the Altese pool with a 14 point lead over Sue. In the Dehlin pool I now trail Kevin by 11.
I had also entered my Altese picks into "College Football Expert" Phil Steele's ESPN pool as well. I'm tied for 22 place there out of 1000+.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Bowl Predictions - Day 8

Four bowl games today. Here are my picks:

Armed Forces Bowl: Cal (2- Altese; 6-Dehlin)
Russell Athletic: Baylor (17-Altese; 18-Dehlin)
Arizona Bowl: Colorado St (29-Altese; 21-Dehlin)
Texas Bowl: LSU (41-Altese; 40-Dehlin)

Current standings: I gained ground in both pools yesterday. I extended my lead in the Altese pool to 23 points over my sister Sue. In the Dehlin pool, I cut Kevin's lead to 6.

Today looks to be a big day.

Monday, December 28, 2015

Quick Lane Bowl live blog

Live Blog Quick Lane Bowl
 

Bowl predictions - day 7

Two games on tap for today. Here are my picks:

Military Bowl: Navy (22 - Altese; 29 - Dehlin)
Quick Lane Bowl: Minnesota (37-Altese; 38 - Dehlin)

I hold a precarious 3 point lead in the Altese pool and trail and am in second place in the Dehlin pool. I trail Kevin by 16 points and have a 20 point lead over Sandy's picks.

jiMpossible and I will be at the Quick Lane Bowl this afternoon (weather permitting)

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Th Quick Lane Bowl: Facts, Tidbits and Prediction

Seven teams from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) are in bowls this year.  Central Michigan is the only one to be playing a team from a P5 conference.

Minnesota's Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line coach Matt Limegrover and Quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski were fired the day following their last regular season game.  For the bowl game, Tight Ends coach Rob Reeves will be the acting OC.  The offensive staff is being shuffled, with some graduate assistants and quality control coaches being temporarily promoted as position coaches.  Similar changes are happening on defense due to Tracy Claeys' move from defensive coordinator to head coach.

CMU's defense has a 3.9% sack rate on passing downs, good for 118th in the nation.

John Bonamego is CMU's first alumnus to be the head coach of the Chippewas since Bill Kelley, who coached from 1951 to 1966.

The last time Michigan played Minnesota was on the 31st day of the October 2015.  The last time Michigan played CMU was on the 31st day of August 2013.

CMU is 5-13 in kicking field goals beyond 40 yards

Prior to his college/NFL coaching career, CMU head coach John Bonamego was a player-coach for the Verona Redskins in Italy.

CMU and Minnesota have played one time, in 1987.  Rickey Foggie led the Golden Gophers to a 30-10 victory.

CMU quarterback Cooper Rush threw for an NCAA-tying 7 touchdowns in last year's Bahamas Bowl against Western Kentucky.

Since head coach Jerry Kill has resigned, Minnesota's record is 1-4.

The University of Minnesota has an enrollment/stadium capacity ratio of .996, 4th in FBS (FIU leads with 2.704)

Eight CMU receivers have catches of 25 yards or more.  Five CMU receivers have in excess of 500 receiving yards this year.

CMU is 3-5 in bowl games, 2-2 in bowls played in Detroit.  Minnesota is 5-12 in bowl games and hasn't won a bowl since 2004 (20-16 over Alabama in the Music City Bowl).

Both teams' coaching staffs have dealt with serious medical conditions.  Minnesota's Jerry Kill has had multiple seizures since 2005, finally resulting in his resignation during this past season.  He is also in remission for kidney cancer.  This past June, Central Michigan's John Bonamego announced he had early stages of tonsil cancer.  He has completed his radiation treatment at University of Michigan Cancer Center in Ann Arbor.

CMU has not had a field goal scored against them since October 10 at Western Michigan.

Out of the 10 FBS schools with the most acreage, The University of Minnesota's campus has a student to acreage ratio of 44.07 students/acre, ranked 4th (Texas leads with 118.21 students/acre)

CMU has more alumni voted to this year's Pro Bowl than Alabama.

Prediction:  Minnesota 31, Central Michigan 21



Quick Lane Bowl Prediction based on historical data


  • Minnesota is 3-15 and Central Michigan is 0-4 in games I have attended (all data is for games I have attended unless otherwise noted).
  • This will be the second time I have seen Minnesota play this season. Teams that I have seen play more than once in a season are 188-60-1. 
  • Those teams are 27-6 in that second game.
  • Schools from the Big Ten Conference are 8-5 in bowl games I have attended
  • Schools from the MAC are 3-23 in all games I have attended and 0-1 in bowl games
  • Schools with Native American Nicknames are 8-20-1 in games I have attended
  • Schools with animal nicknames are 217-173-1
  • Schools with nicknames often including a color are 6-23

It's easy when you add it all together...

Minnesota 35 Central Michigan 27

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Bowl predictions - Day 6

Big day - 6 bowls on tap.
Here are my picks:

St Petersburg: Marshall (28 Altese; 31 Dehlin)
Sun: Miami (19 Altese & Dehlin)
Heart of Dallas: Washington (31 Altese; 34 Dehlin)
Pinstripe: Indiana (15 Altese & Dehlin)
Independence: VaTech (39 Altese; 36 Dehlin)
Foster Farms: UCLA (20 Altese; 26 Dehlin)


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Thursday, December 24, 2015

Bowl predictions day 5

Two bowl games in much nicer locations than here...
Bahamas: WMU (Altese-34; Dehlin 32)
Hawai'i: San Diego St (Altese-26; Dehlin28)
Split my picks yesterday. Others had more points on Boise than I did, so I fell back to 3rd in the Altese pool and 2nd in Dehlin.



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Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Bowl Predictions - day 4

Two bowl games today:

Poinsettia Bowl - Boise State (Altese - 7; Dehlin - 5)
GoDaddy - Bowling Green (Altese - 33; Dehlin - 37)

Utah State losing hurt yesterday, but the Toledo victory keeps me in first place in both pools for now.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Bowl predictions day 3

Two bowl games today:

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Utah State (32-Altese; 33-Dehlin)
Marmot Boca Raton Bowl: Toledo (11-Altese; 16-Dehlin)

Western Kentucky's win yesterday moved me into first place in both family pools

Monday, December 21, 2015

Powl Predictions - Day 2

Only one bowl on tap for today - the Miami Beach Bowl.

I have Western Kentucky for 35 in both pools.

Current standings:

Altese pool I'm 3rd out of 34

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SQQSIE980
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Me836

In the Dehlin pool I'm 2nd out of 11


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SpartyPants859
Me794
ElkLakeKent6743

I also joined noted expert, Phil Steele's group with my Altese pool picks - I'm currently tied for 226th out of 1050

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Bowl Predictions 2015-16 Day 1

Today marks the start of bowl season and puts both the Altese and Dehlin family bowl prediction trophies up for grabs.


Here are my picks for today's games (we're using the espn bowl pool as our template):
Celebration Bowl: Alcorn State for 1 point in both pools
New Mexico Bowl: Arizona for 30 in Altese / 20 in Dehlin
Las Vegas Bowl: Utah for 3 / 7
Carmella Bowl: Appalachian State for 27 /30
Cure Bowl Georgia State for 5 / 3
New Orleans Bowl: Louisiana Tech for 23 /22

I'd rather be lucky than good!

jiMpossible and SarcasMike - your one stop for Quick Lane Bowl info