Independence Bowl: Only one of Miami and South Carolina will finish above .500

Duck Commander Independence Bowl

Miami (6-6) vs. South Carolina (6-6)

Shreveport, La.

Dec 27, 2014

This is yet another bowl game between teams that fell short of expectations this season.

Miami has been rebuilding under coach Al Golden and has yet to progress to the level that fans expected when he was hired. In fact, the 6-6 season is his worst since his first campaign in 2011 when they were ineligible for the postseason.

South Carolina was picked to finish first in the SEC East, but was blasted by Texas A&M in the season opener and never fully recovered. The 6-6 campaign was the worst in coach Steve Spurrier’s tenure since 2007 when they didn’t qualify for a bowl game. Two of his teams have finished 7-6, but the last was in 2009. The Gamecocks have won 11 games in each of the last three seasons.

South Carolina will have its hands full with Miami’s top three offensive threats in quarterback Brad Kaaya, running back Duke Johnson and receiver Phillip Dorsett, who led the team with 31 catches for 826 yards and nine touchdowns.

Kaaya was named the ACC Freshman of the Year. His 2,962 yards are the fourth-best by a freshman in ACC history and 25 touchdowns matches the fourth-most in Miami history. Running back Duke Johnson has complemented Kayaa well. After flirting with 1,000-yard seasons the past couple years, he finally broke through with 1,520 and 10 touchdowns. He became the Hurricanes’ all-time leading rusher with 3,387 career yards.

South Carolina has one of the nation’s worst rushing defenses, allowing 214.4 yards per game. It also allows 433.6 yards per game and 31.2 points per game. Nine different players have rushed for at least 100 yards on the Gamecocks this season, including Furman’s Hank McCloud.

But for as bad as the South Carolina defense has been this season, the offense has been able to pick up most of the slack and has the ability to get into a shootout if it needs to. That might be the case if the Miami offense, which can be pretty potent, is allowed to get into a rhythm.

Vegas odds: Miami (-3.5)

FUN FACT

South Carolina running back Mike Davis needs just 73 yards to join Archie Rogers as the only running backs in school history to have multiple 1,000-yard seasons..

PREDICTIONS

Graham: This is Duke Johnson’s final game and I think he makes the most of it against a bad South Carolina defense. Al Golden might not have had a great season, but this game could be the start of a better 2015Miami 38, South Carolina 35.

Nick: Which team wants to finish 7-6. Which team cares? Do either? This is the ultimate crapshoot and the ultimate "game that looks good until you see the records of the teams." SEC. For no good reason. South Carolina 23, Miami 20.

Sam: Both of these teams are pretty puzzling and haven't played up to their potential this year. In the end, Duke Johnson and Brad Kaaya should be able to do what they want against the South Carolina defense. Miami 30, South Carolina 24.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday

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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Independence Bowl: Only one of Miami and South Carolina will finish above .500

Rutgers runs past UNC in Quick Lane Bowl

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Harbaugh stays tight-lipped on 49ers future

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Pat Narduzzi officially introduced as Pitt head coach

Three days after it was reported that Pitt was close to a deal with its next head coach in place, the school made the hire official.

Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi was introduced as the Panthers’ head coach at a press conference on Friday afternoon. Narduzzi, who has been the defensive coordinator for the Spartans since 2007, takes over for Paul Chryst, who left to take over at Wisconsin last week.

Narduzzi has produced a top 10 defense nationally with Michigan State over the last four seasons, including a Spartans team that was No. 7 in the country this season in total defense. Additionally, Narduzzi was the 2013 of the Broyles Award, which is given to the nation’s top assistant coach.

“Our goal was not only to find the best football coach but also a person who would uphold the values and mission of the University of Pittsburgh. In Pat Narduzzi we have found that person,” said Dr. Randy Juhl, Pitt’s acting athletic director.

“His achievements on the football field are well documented. Pat is widely regarded as a rising star in the coaching profession who is ready to lead his own program. It was obvious from our conversations that he also embraces the responsibilities he has beyond the game. Pat wants to impact the lives of his student-athletes long after their Pitt careers end. We are excited about what our young men can accomplish, on and off the field, under his watch.”

Narduzzi has been an assistant under Mark Dantonio for the past 11 seasons. From 2004-06, he was the defensive coordinator at Cincinnati before Dantonio accepted the head-coaching gig at Michigan State.

Additionally, Narduzzi had stints as a defensive assistant at Miami (Ohio), Rhode Island and Northern Illinois.

Before beginning his first job as a head coach at any level, Narduzzi will coach the Michigan State defense for one last time when the Spartans take on Baylor in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day.

“I am very honored to be the new head football coach at the University of Pittsburgh,” Narduzzi said. “I want to thank Chancellor Gallagher, Executive Vice Chancellor Jerry Cochran, Dr. Randy Juhl and Donna Sanft for providing me with this tremendous opportunity. It is an honor to join a program with such great history and tradition.

"I am very eager to begin working with the young men who are already in the program and meet people throughout the Pitt community. We are going to work very hard on the field, in the classroom and in the community to make the University of Pittsburgh proud.”

According to Yahoo Sports’ Pat Forde, the 48-year-old Narduzzi also interviewed for the Colorado State job, but was “more interested” in the opening at Pitt.

Narduzzi is now Pitt’s fifth head coach since 2010, following Dave Wannstedt, Mike Haywood, Todd Graham and Chryst.

Under Chryst, the Panthers went 6-6 this season and will play Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl on Jan. 2.

For more Pittsburgh news, visit Panther-lair.com.

- - - - - - -

Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Pat Narduzzi officially introduced as Pitt head coach

Rutgers players wear NYPD hats on sidelines of Quick Lane Bowl

Rutgers players and staff members sported NYPD hats on the sidelines during Friday's Quick Lane Bowl.

The hats were in support of the two fallen officers, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, who were shot and killed on Saturday by a man who apparently wanted revenge for the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.

Coach Kyle Flood wore a patch on his shirt earlier in the week. From NJ.com:

"I'm the proud sibling of a sergeant on the NYPD,'' Flood said. "My brother’s been a member of the force for the last 23 years. He's a sergeant in what they call Emergency Service Unit. They've gone through a tough time over the last week. I thought it was important for me as a family member, for my grandfather who was a member of the NYPD, (for) my uncle, my brother and three of my cousins ... my family is really intertwined with that organization and we live under their protection.

"So I wanted to support them in whatever way I could.''

Rutgers dominated the first half of the game against North Carolina and took a 23-0 lead into the locker room.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Rutgers players wear NYPD hats on sidelines of Quick Lane Bowl

Miscues cost Illinois in Heart of Dallas Bowl loss to La. Tech

Whether it was penalties, turnovers or missed field goals, Illinois just could not get out of its own way against Louisiana Tech in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

Those miscues, coupled with a solid all-around performance on both sides of the ball from the Bulldogs, led to a 35-18 Tech win on a rainy day at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

Junior tailback Kenneth Dixon had a big day for the Bulldogs, running for 63 yards and a touchdown while also catching four passes for 79 yards and another score. Quarterback Cody Sokol overcame a slow start to throw for 247 yards and lead the Bulldogs to a win.

The real star of the day, however, was defensive end Houston Bates. Bates, a fifth-year senior, transferred from Illinois to La. Tech to be closer to home and he turned in an insane performance – seven tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks – against his former team.

The Illini racked up yards in bunches in the first half, but didn’t have much to show for it on the scoreboard – mainly due to eight penalties. A defensive holding penalty on a La. Tech fourth-and-one set up the Bulldogs’ first score of the game, a Jarred Craft 15-yard run that gave the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.

Illinois was able to respond on its next drive with a 27-yard Taylor Zalewski field goal, but the momentum swung back in Tech’s favor in a big way soon after. On the first play of the Bulldogs’ ensuing drive, Sokol hit Dixon out of the backfield on a wheel route for an 80-yard score.

The next Illinois drive looked promising, but came up empty when Zalewski missed from 42. After forcing a La. Tech three-and-out, Illinois moved down the field quickly and scored on a Reilly O’Toole (24/39 for 295 yards) 25-yard touchdown pass to Jon Davis, but Zalewski missed the extra point, making it 14-9.

Illinois’ next drive resulted in another costly miscue as O’Toole was intercepted by Xavier Woods. Tech appeared to get away with a hold on Illinois receiver Mike Dudek (7 catches, 84 yards) and the ball floated right into the arms of Woods, who returned it 69 yards for a score.

Illinois missed another field goal a few minutes later and the Bulldogs went into the half up 21-9.

The second half was a different story – at first. The Illini were able to cut the lead to three early in the fourth quarter after a Donovonn Young 3-yard touchdown run (two-point conversion failed) and a David Reisner (filling in for Zalewski) 43-yard field goal.

Following the field goal, Illinois looked like it had forced a turnover of its own when LaKeith Walls sacked and stripped Sokol near midfield. Defensive lineman Jihad Ward scooped up the fumble and scampered the other direction, only to have the ball knocked loose. Sokol picked himself up and sprinted down the field and recovered the fumble at the Bulldogs’ 16-yard line.

That hustle paid off for Sokol. Three plays later, he hit Carlos Henderson for a 70-yard gain down to the Illinois 3-yard line which set up a Dixon touchdown run that gave the Bulldogs a 28-18 lead with 6:15 to play.

The La. Tech defense, including two more sacks from Bates, sealed the win from then on out. Blake Martin added the exclamation point in the form of a 28-yard touchdown run with 3:43 to go, giving the Bulldogs their first bowl win since 2008.

After going 4-8 in 2013, the win gave the Bulldogs a 9-5 record in their second season under Skip Holtz.

The Illini finish at 6-7.

For more Louisiana Tech news, visit BleedTechBlue.com.

For more Illinois news, visit OrangeandBlueNews.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @SamDCooper

From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Miscues cost Illinois in Heart of Dallas Bowl loss to La. Tech

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Big-play La. Tech trips Illini in Heart of Dallas

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Richt: Bulldogs RB Gurley heading to NFL

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Mark Richt says Todd Gurley will be entering the 2015 NFL draft

Unsurprisingly, Georgia RB Todd Gurley is turning pro.

Georgia coach Mark Richt said Friday that Gurley would be "moving on" from the school in 2015.

Todd Gurley is turning pro, Mark Richt confirms. "He'll be moving on."

— Seth Emerson (@SethEmerson) December 26, 2014

Gurley will not play in Georgia's game against Louisville in the Belk Bowl because of a torn ACL he suffered against Auburn on Nov. 16. The game against Auburn, where Gurley had 29 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown before suffering the injury, was his first game back from an NCAA suspension for being compensated for his autograph.

He missed four games for the suspension after the NCAA said Gurley received more than $3,000 over a span of two years for autographs. When Georgia first received word that Gurley was compensated for his autograph, it immediately declared him inelgible for the Bulldogs' game against Missouri. In announcing Gurley's suspension, the NCAA said Gurley avoided more missed games because of the way Georgia swiftly handled the case.

Gurley finished 2014 with 911 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. His replacement, freshman Nick Chubb, was a first team All-SEC selection. Chubb has 1,281 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns.

The decision between Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon and Gurley for NFL teams looking to spend an early pick on a running back will likely be a tough one. Gordon, who was a Heisman finalist, may have an edge because of Gurley's knee surgery, but given the nature of ACL injuries and the recovery timeframe, the injury shouldn't hinder Gurley's stock too much and, barring any complications, he should be healthy for the beginning of the 2015 season.

Not long before the game against Auburn, Georgia reportedly upped Gurley's insurance policy which covered him in case he never played football in the pros or fell in the draft. If he falls out of the first round � not an unlikely possibility because of the injury and the declining value of running backs relative to other positions in the NFL draft – Gurley could collect some money on the policy.

For more Georgia news, visit UGASports.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Mark Richt says Todd Gurley will be entering the 2015 NFL draft

La. Tech routs Illinois in Heart of Dallas Bowl

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Mich. State DC Narduzzi named coach at Pitt

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WVU QB Clint Trickett retires after 5 concussions in 14 months

The playing career of West Virginia quarterback Clint Trickett is over.

Trickett, a senior, told reporters on Friday that he has suffered five concussions – including two that he hid from team trainers – in the past 14 months. Because of that, Trickett will miss Monday’s Liberty Bowl against Texas A&M and Trickett will pursue a coaching career.

Trickett just told us he had 5 concussions in 14 months, hiding 2 from trainers. Will retire from football and begin coaching.

— Allan Taylor (@AllanTaylorWVU) December 26, 2014

Trickett made numerous trips to UPMC but couldn't pass protocols. "In the career I'm entering I probably need a few brain cells."

— Allan Taylor (@AllanTaylorWVU) December 26, 2014

Trickett on hiding concussions: "In fairness to our trainers, that's on me." Says they would've held him out had they seen any indicators.

— Allan Taylor (@AllanTaylorWVU) December 26, 2014

Trickett, a Florida State transfer, threw for 3.285 yards, 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for the 7-5 Mountaineers this season. He missed the team’s season finale against Iowa State and was expected to return for the team’s bowl game, but he could not pass concussion tests.

Overall in his career, Trickett threw for 5,837 yards, 32 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.

With Trickett out, Skyler Howard will start at quarterback for the Mountaineers. Against Iowa State – a 37-24 win – Howard completed 21-of-40 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 69 yards on seven carries.

For more West Virginia news, visit WVSports.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @SamDCooper

From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - WVU QB Clint Trickett retires after 5 concussions in 14 months

WVU's Trickett quits football over concussions

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Virginia Tech DE Dadi Nicolas to return for senior season

Virginia Tech will have one of its best defensive players back in 2015.

Redshirt junior defensive end Dadi Nicolas announced on Twitter that he will return to the Hokies for his final season of eligibility.

Looking forward to coming back to school next year to accomplish all the goals I have set for myself and becoming the man God wants me to be

— Dadi (@YYBAQB) December 26, 2014

& the team goals that my teammates and I desire to fulfill

— Dadi (@YYBAQB) December 26, 2014

The 6-foot-4, 231-pound Nicolas established himself as one of the top pass rushers in the ACC and earned second-team All-ACC honors. Nicolas led the 6-6 Hokies with 17.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks this season. In all, he had 63 total tackles and also blocked two kicks and recovered a fumble.

He made significant leaps from the 2013 season, where made 32 tackles, seven tackles for loss and four sacks. Additionally, as a redshirt freshman in 2012, Nicolas had 17 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

According to the Roanoke Times, Nicolas said in recent weeks that he would declare for the NFL Draft if he received a first or second-round grade from the NFL Draft advisory board.

Defensive line coach Charley Wiles said last week that an extra year would help Nicolas at the next level.

"Dadi can certainly use more growth as a football player," Wiles said. "And then in the weight room when you’re just talking about over a 25-week period, it’s a lot of football. Can he sustain and hold up and hold his body weight? So it’s obviously not going to hurt him getting a year older, getting a year more experienced. And Dadi is a first- or second-round talent. But is he at that point right now?"

Nicolas and the Hokies will play Cincinnati in the Military Bowl on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. ET in Annapolis, Maryland.

For more Virginia Tech news, visit HokieHaven.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @SamDCooper

From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Virginia Tech DE Dadi Nicolas to return for senior season

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Holiday Bowl: Can Nebraska beat USC without Bo Pelini?

National University Holiday Bowl

Nebraska (9-3) vs. USC (8-4)

San Diego

Dec. 27, 2014

Nebraska and USC enter Saturday night’s Holiday Bowl under very different circumstances.

Cornhuskers athletic director Shawn Eichorst made the decision to fire head coach Bo Pelini after a 9-3 season, much to the chagrin of many players. Pelini was fired on Nov. 30, two days after the Huskers overcame a big deficit to beat Iowa 37-34 in overtime.

Eichorst hired Mike Riley away from Oregon State, but Riley won’t coach in the bowl game. Barney Cotton, Pelini’s offensive line and associate head coach, will lead the team against the Trojans in an interim role. Following the game, Cotton will head to UNLV, where he has accepted the offensive coordinator job.

It’s hard to predict how the Huskers will play with all that’s happened in the last month, but their high-powered rushing attack should pose a challenge for a USC defense that had one of its best efforts of the season in a 49-14 win over Notre Dame in the regular season finale.

Though he was banged up down the stretch, Ameer Abdullah led the team with 1,523 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the season. Dual-threat quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. added 664 yards and five scores on the ground in addition to his 2,314 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions through the air.

Nebraska struggled mightily on the defensive side of the ball down the stretch, giving up 59, 28, and 34 points to Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, respectively. USC and its 29th-ranked offense should have plenty of chances to exploit Nebraska’s weaknesses.

The Trojans, in their first year under Steve Sarkisian, won three of their final four games to finish 8-4. The win over Notre Dame was most impressive. Junior quarterback Cody Kessler threw for 372 yards and six touchdowns to cap off a season in which he totaled 3,505 yards, 36 touchdowns and just four interceptions while completing 70.7 percent of his passes.

Kessler looked to fellow junior Nelson Agholor early and often. The speedy Agholor caught 97 passes for 1,223 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season to lead the Trojans while tailback Javorius Allen, another junior, led the team with 1,337 yards and nine touchdowns while also catching 40 passes for 442 yards out of the backfield.

Both teams won their bowl games last year. Nebraska beat Georgia in the Gator Bowl and USC beat Fresno State in the Las Vegas Bowl. The efforts of the defenses will likely decide which team wins a second straight bowl.

ODDS

USC (-7)

FUN FACT

In four matchups, Nebraska has never beaten the Trojans. The Trojans beat the Huskers 31-21 in 1969, 28-10 in 2006 and 49-31 in 2007. In 1970, the teams played to a 21-21 tie.

PREDICTIONS

Graham: USC is the better team here, but Nebraska's emotion might be tough to ignore. Will this Huskers team win one final game in coach Bo's honor? I'm not buying it. USC wins and quarterback Cody Kessler puts up a lot of points. USC 35, Nebraska 17.

Nick: This would be a really cool buddy cop movie idea if Bo Pelini and Ed Orgeron showed up, did a little surfing, had some fun and then parachuted into the game. Please tell me that's going to happen, right? USC 33, Nebraska 24.

Sam: It’s tough to say if Nebraska will bounce back from losing Bo Pelini, but I expect Ameer Abdullah to put up some big numbers in his final game. Ultimately, USC – led by an underrated Cody Kessler – is just a better overall team and will come out on top. USC 37, Nebraska 27.

For more USC news, visit TrojanSports.com.

For more Nebraska news, visit HuskerOnline.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @SamDCooper

From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Holiday Bowl: Can Nebraska beat USC without Bo Pelini?

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DIY Tutorial: Jeweled Holiday Clutch

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Pinstripe Bowl: Two of the nation's best defenses square off at Yankee Stadium

New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Boston College (7-5) vs. Penn State (6-6)

New York City

Dec. 27, 2014

Two of the better defenses in all of college football will square off when Penn State and Boston College meet in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

The Eagles, ranked No. 12 nationally in total defense, gave up an average of 313.5 yards and 20.5 points per game en route to a 7-5 record on the season. Linebackers Justin Simmons and Josh Keyes have been all over the field for BC and will look to make life difficult for Penn State sophomore quarterback Christian Hackenberg. Simmons led the Eagles with 70 tackles while also adding two tackles for loss, one sack and two interceptions. Keyes led the team with 11.5 tackles for loss and four sacks on the season while tallying 63 total tackles.

Offensively, the Eagles live and die by their running game with 251.8 yards per game on the ground. The Eagles ran the ball 589 times this year compared to 223 passing attempts. Dual-threat quarterback Tyler Murphy, a Florida transfer, led the way with 1,079 yards and 10 touchdowns on 170 carries. Freshman running back Jon Hilliman gained 712 yards and scored 12 times this season, but he averaged just 3.8 yards per carry.

When forced to go to the air, Murphy hasn’t been the most efficient passer. He completed 120-of-211 attempts (56.9 percent) for 1,526 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His top target – senior Josh Bordner – had only 26 catches on the year.

Murphy faces a tough task against the 6-6 Nittany Lions, who will make their return to postseason play for the first time since 2011. Penn State boasts the nation’s best rush defense, allowing just 84.8 yards per game and 2.56 yards per rush. Overall, the Nittany Lions are second nationally in total defense at 259.6 yards allowed per game.

Senior Mike Hull, the Big Ten linebacker of the year, led the unit with 134 total tackles (seventh-best in the nation), 10.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one interception. Junior defensive tackle Anthony Zettel also had a huge year for Penn State with 39 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three interceptions.

While its defense had a great year, Penn State’s offense (ranked No. 114 nationally) struggled mightily for most of the season. The Nittany Lions started the year at 4-0, but limped to a 6-6 finish. Playing behind an inexperienced offensive line that allowed 42 sacks, Hackenberg, the 2013 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, took a step back as a sophomore, throwing for 2,606 yards with 15 interceptions and only eight touchdown passes.

Redshirt freshman DaeSean Hamilton (75 catches, 848 yards) emerged as Hackenberg’s top target while sophomore Akeel Lynch (603 yards, 4 TDs) and senior Bill Belton (518 yards, 6 TDs) were the Nittany Lions’ best backfield options.

Despite winning only six games in James Franklin’s first season with the program, the Nittany Lions are just happy to be back in postseason play two years after being issued a four-year postseason ban by the NCAA amid the Jerry Sandusky scandal. The NCAA reduced those sanctions, which included severely reducing the number of scholarship players on the roster, in September, and Franklin hopes a bowl win can help the propel the program forward.

ODDS

Boston College (-2.5)

FUN FACT

Excluding freshmen who are redshirting, Franklin said that Penn State will play in the Pinstripe Bowl with just 41 scholarship players.

“We ended the season playing with 41 scholarship players,” Franklin said Monday on the Jim Rome Show. “We started the season with 65, and then you take the redshirt guys out and the guys who got injured, it was some real challenges."

PREDICTIONS

Graham: It's exciting to see Penn State back in a bowl game after its ban, but I’m not sure this team has the horses to pull out a win against an underrated Boston College team. Dual-threat quarterback Tyler Murphy leads the Eagles to a late win in this one. Boston College 24, Penn State 17.

Nick: This could be a long hard slog. Penn State has the best defense, in terms of yards per play, in the country. Can they keep Boston College in check? Boston College 17, Penn State 13.

Sam: This should be an ugly one. If Boston College can’t do some damage through the air, it won’t do much damage at all. Penn State’s seniors have been through a lot of rough times over the past few years. They’ll be inspired and come out with a win on a Sam Ficken field goal. Penn State 16, Boston College 13.

For more Boston College news, visit EagleAction.com.

For more Penn State news, visit BlueWhiteIllustrated.com.

- - - - - - -

Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @SamDCooper

From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Pinstripe Bowl: Two of the nation's best defenses square off at Yankee Stadium

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Sun Bowl: Arizona State and Duke can clinch back-to-back 10-win seasons

Hyundai Sun Bowl

Arizona State (9-3) vs. Duke (9-3)

El Paso, Texas

Dec. 26, 2014

It’s hard to believe there was a point where Arizona State and Duke were contending for division titles with 8-1 records, but both teams unexpectedly lost two of their final three games to hand over their divisional title hopes.

In the case of No. 15 Arizona State, the Sun Devils were poised to possibly play in the College Football Playoff if it could have won out in November and then toppled Oregon.

While the Sun Bowl is a tough consolation prize after being in the running for a shot at the national title, it does give Arizona State a chance at its first back-to-back 10-win seasons since the early 70s and Duke has a chance for back-to-back 10-win seasons for the firs time in program history.

Arizona State’s offense has been clicking all season even without star starting quarterback Taylor Kelly at times. Kelly, who suffered a foot injury during the middle of the year, will start, but backup Mike Bercovici might play as a change-of-pace option. Regardless of who is the quarterback, the main target will be Jaelen Strong, who led the team with 75 catches and had 1,062 yards, his second consecutive 1,000-yard season. This will be Strong’s final game as a Sun Devil, so he’ll likely want to make it a good one.

Duke boasts a similar offensive weapon in receiver Jamison Crowder, who has 78 catches for 942 yards and six touchdowns and also is a threat on special teams. However, Crowder does not have a consistent quarterback who can get him the ball. Anthony Boone was one of the worst passers in the ACC and struggled mightily in the Blue Devils’ two losses down the stretch with three interceptions to two touchdowns.

The difference in this game is going to come down to quarterback play and diversity on offense. Arizona State has it and Duke does not. Even with Duke’s 8-1 start, it did struggle against some lesser teams and will no doubt have a hard time keeping pace with the Sun Devils potent offense.

Vegas odds: Arizona State (-7.5)

FUN FACT

Duke is looking for its first postseason win since defeating Arkansas in the 1961 Cotton Bowl. A win also would give the Blue Devil their first win against a Top 25 team outside of the ACC since beating Stanford in 1971.

PREDICTIONS

Graham:Taylor Kelly hasn’t played especially well since returning from a foot injury, which gives me a little pause in picking the Sun Devils, but not that much. ASU is a much better team than Duke and I think it runs away with this one early and receiver Jaelen Strong goes out with a bang. ASU 45, Duke 17.

Nick: Devil, devil, you keep playing on my mind. Is it better to be a devil of the blue or a devil of the sun? ASU is the better team, but a Duke win shouldn't be surprising. Arizona State 30, Duke 28.

Sam: Arizona State looked like a team that could crack the College Football Playoff before it lost to Oregon State. The Sun Devils are the better team. As long as they limit the turnovers, they should handle Duke. Arizona State 31, Duke 21.

- - - - - - -

Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday

And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook

From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Sun Bowl: Arizona State and Duke can clinch back-to-back 10-win seasons

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Military Bowl: It's Cincinnati's strength vs. Virginia Tech's best asset

Military Bowl presented by Northrup Grumman

Cincinnati (9-3) vs. Virginia Tech (6-6)

Annapolis, Md.

Dec. 27, 2014

No, this isn't a matchup of two former Big East foes.

Yes, both Cincinnati and Virginia Tech were once in the Big East conference, but at separate times. The Hokies left the Big East for the ACC after the 2003 season and Cincinnati joined the Big East from Conference USA after 2004. The two never played each other as conference opponents and last met not too far away in 2012 at FedEx Field, when Cincinnati (under Butch Jones) beat Virginia Tech 27-24.

While Jones is at Tennessee now, Frank Beamer is still at Virginia Tech. Beamer, who is coaching Saturday's game from the press box after throat surgery after the regular season, has led the Hokies to 22 straight bowl games including the Military Bowl. Though we'll admit the streak was looking a bit dicey. The Hokies needed two go-ahead scores against Virginia in the second half to make this game.

The Military Bowl is a matchup of strength vs. strength and weakness vs. weakness. After beating Ohio State, Virginia Tech's offense has looked paltry (and that may be a nice thing to say). The Hokies are 98th in points scored, 96th in rushing yards and 71st in passing yards. And their yards per play ranking is even worse. The Hokies average 4.6 yards a play, good for 114th in the country out of 128 teams.

While the Bearcats are 70th in the country in rushing yards, the passing attack is No. 13 and is No. 26 in scoring offense. Cincy also averages 6.2 yards per play, which is 27th in FBS.

On defense, it's flipped. Virginia Tech is 18th in scoring defense and 22nd in opponent yards per play. Cincinnati is 66th in points against and 92nd in the country in ceding yards per play. Which strength will falter?

Vegas odds: Cincinnati (-2.5)

FUN FACT

Virginia Tech last missed a bowl in 1992, when it went 2-8 in its second season in the Big East. While making bowls in the previous 21 seasons, it's never made a bowl at 6-6. So if the Hokies lose to the Bearcats, it'll be Tech's first losing season since that 1992 campaign.

PREDICTIONS

Graham: Cincinnati is riding its longest winning streak in five seasons and Virginia Tech's season has been wrought with inconsistency. I have a hard time seeing the Hokies keep pace in this one. Cincy 31, Virginia tech 21.

Nick: I'm going with the offense in this game as well. Making a bowl was nice for VT to continue the season, but Cincinnati gets to 10 wins. Cincinnati 30, Virginia Tech 23

Sam: Virginia Tech has a pretty tough defense, but its offense really struggles to put points on the board consistently. Gunner Kiel and the Bearcats should be able to put up enough points to pull out a win. Cincinnati 27, Virginia Tech 17.

For more Cincinnati news, visit BearcatReport.com.

For more Virginia Tech, visit HokieHaven.com.

- - - - - - -

Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Military Bowl: It's Cincinnati's strength vs. Virginia Tech's best asset

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