B&S BOWL BONANZA RECAPS
The SEC has 13 teams that made a bowl game, more than any other conference. It’s time to get our previews on.
By: Bossman Slim, The Hammer, The Waco Kid
Shane Beamer is a man of his word and got Duke’s Mayo dumped all over him after the Gamecocks defeated North Carolina. Photo via @ESPN
Alright folks, the 2021 season is over and we’ve crowned a national champion. Now it’s time to recap the games and the meaning they had (if any) on next season. Hand up, we completely forgot to preview the Texas Bowl game between LSU and Kansas State. We were going through the recaps and realized we didn't even mention that game in previews. Shame on us, but also credit to us at the same time because that game was a snooze fest. Why it was played at 9pm ET/8pm CT on a random Tuesday after the CFP semifinals and New Year’s Day bowl games remains a mystery. Yes, I realize college football doesn't want to compete with the NFL for viewers, but this game could have been played before Christmas. Give credit to LSU for playing the game with a depleted roster and WR at QB, but they still got whooped. Anyway, back to bowl season. This was a wild, wild ride for the SEC and all of college football. Bowl season is always hard to predict as fans try to pinpoint “who wants to be there” more between opponents, but the rise in opt outs and COVID really exacerbated that in 2021. We had no clue who would be suiting up for what teams, and it made for some head scratching yet entertaining results. One thing is for sure, I love bowl season and anyone who complains about there being too many bowl games is a wet blanket. At Biscuits & SEC, we like football and we don't care who knows.
The Hammer: Bowl game picks 5-6, overall: 88-26
Bossman Slim: Bowl game picks 4-7, overall 85-29
The Waco Kid: Bowl game picks 3-8, overall 71-33
The Hammer had a slight lead after the regular season, but Bossman Slim and the Waco Kid were in striking distance to take the 2021 picks crown. But their efforts came up short as not only did they not catch The Hammer, he extended his lead, securing his place in history as the champion of 2021 picks. Now onto the recaps!
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Army 24 - Missouri 22
Bossman Slim: This one was the start of the “SEC IS 0-4 AND LOST TO ARMY HAHA” crowd on Twitter. I don’t know what rock those people live under, but Mizzou literally had to play the guys who are going to defend our country. These guys are War Dogs. True warriors. I don’t know how y’all thought Mizzou had a chance (I didn’t!) when you put it that way. Not to mention Connor Bazelak was hurt and couldn’t play and Tyler Badie sat out to prep for the NFL Draft. This one was ripe for an Army win - and jokes aside, the Black Knights are a good football team. Good win for the men in uniform and an ugly loss for Mizzou. The Tigers will have to move on from Bazelak (who entered the transfer portal after the game) and rebuild with the incoming, highly-ranked recruiting class.
The Hammer: I didn't have a great bowl season predictions wise, so I’m going to gloat when I get it right to make myself feel better. I got this one right for the most part. Mizzou fought hard despite missing Connor Bazelak and All-SEC running back Tyler Badie, but Army got the last laugh as they kicked a field goal as time expired to win the game. The Tiger’s rush defense held up better than expected, continuing their improvement from the back half of 2021, but Army is a good team. And they found a way to win. Give a ton of credit to Jeff Monken and the Black Knights for winning 9 games this year.
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: UCF 29 - Florida 17
Bossman Slim: Sheesh man. UCF wasn’t a very good football team this year. Problem is, Florida was worse. Even with Emory Jones hanging on for one last game in the Gators uniform, it wasn’t enough to beat the Gus Bus. UCF has been wanting to play one of the top Florida schools for a while to show them their “national championship” rings and beat them like a drum. It wasn’t a drubbing, but UCF won this one handily. I thought it would be close, but it wasn’t very close in the end. Florida got beat, straight up. Gators fans can’t turn the page fast enough from 2021, and would happily erase the season from the record books. Billy Napier has some momentum in recruiting, something the fanbase welcomes after Mullen treated recruiting like a gnat he needed to swat away.
The Hammer: And right on queue here is a game I got totally wrong. I liked the fight I saw in the Gators against FSU in the final regular season game and bought into some sort of pride they would play for against another in-state opponent in UCF. Swing and a miss. UCF wanted this game more and took it to Florida on the ground. Isaiah Bowser carried the ball 35 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Knights ground attack which totaled 288 yards on 50 carries. Emory Jones announced his intent to transfer before the game but elected to play anyway. With Anthony Richardson sidelined by injury, that seemed like good news for the Gators but unfortunately Jones has a poor outing. Jones went 14/36 for 171 yards through the air and added 60 yards on the ground and Florida was never able to find any rhythm offensively. A forgetful end to a forgetful season for the Gators.
TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl: Houston 17 - Auburn 13
Bossman Slim: Guys…Houston? Dana Holgersen is a good coach, but…Houston? Auburn is better than these guys, I don’t care about the circumstances. The Tigers came out flat. Not having Bo Nix turned out to be a dagger, as the offense sputtered and couldn’t get anything going. That was too bad because the defense put in a performance that should have been worthy of a win, sans the 80-yard TD drive they allowed in the 4th quarter that included a 15-yard personal foul penalty. Auburn is on shaky ground right now under Harsin, losing Nix and having to replace both top assistants with the departure of Derek Mason. I know it’s only year 2…but this is Auburn. They pride themselves on having the fastest axe east of the Mississippi. 2022 could be a make-or-break year for Hardass Harsin.
The Hammer: Come on Auburn. I know Bo Nix has been hurt and transferred to Oregon, and there were some opt out, most notably leading tackler Zakoby McClain, but this was a very winnable game. Not just on paper, but the way it played out. Auburn’s defense played a good game but gave up a costly touchdown with just under 3 and half minutes left, and the Cougs held on to win. Aside from Tank Bigsby, who accounted for 194 of Auburn’s 252 total yards, the Tigers offense was pitiful. It’s been bad most of the year but teams like Texas Tech, Navy, Tulane, East Carolina, SMU, USF and Cincinnati all scored more than 12 points on Houston. The Cougs are good but they aren’t a stout team defensively. TJ Finley only managed 227 yards and one touchdown on 19/37 attempts and leaves a big question mark at QB for Auburn in 2022. Zach Calzada and Robby Ashford just transferred in, so a competition will be coming, but I’m not sure I’d feel great about either option if I was an Auburn fan. Bryan Hardass Harsin has a lot of work to do this offseason.
AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Texas Tech 34 - Mississippi State 7
Bossman Slim: What the hell? Leach was supposed to bury these guys, getting revenge on his former employer and pounding them into the Memphis dirt. Turns out, Texas Tech buried Leach one more time for good measure. With an interim coach, Texas Tech punched Hail State in the mouth all day long. This one was ugly. State had almost all of their offensive firepower playing and only managed 7 freaking points. Not much else to say about this one except that it was a total head-scratcher and should leave Bulldogs fans exasperated. I would be questioning if Leach is the guy after this, and I’m a Pirate apologist.
The Hammer: I don’t even know what to say about this one. I could not believe what I was watching here. No shade at Texas Tech but that was a 6-6 team from the Big 12 who fired their coach. Mississippi State had no business losing this game, but they didn't just lose, they got absolutely whipped for 60 minutes. Massive shoutout to Sonny Cumbie, who had already accepted the head coaching job at Louisiana Tech but coached out the remainder of the season for the Red Raiders. He outcoached Mike Leach by a West Texas country mile. Texas Tech was more physical and steamrolled the Bulldogs from start to finish. They wanted it more. And I know Mississippi State was missing a lot of guys on defense so giving up 34 is somewhat understandable. But how in the hell did they only manage 7 points on offense? When the Leach air raid is working it’s a thing of beauty, but he can't seem to get consistent production so far in Starkville. Will Rogers, Makai Polk, Jo’quavious Marks and Jaden Walley all played. Sure, star-left tackle Charles Cross had opted out but my goodness, man. Inexcusable for a Mike Leach offense to only manage 7 points. Just a massive disappointment to an otherwise pretty solid season for Mississippi State.
Duke's Mayo Bowl: South Carolina 38 - North Carolina 21
Bossman Slim: I was able to get over my failure of a prediction on this one when I saw Coach Beamer get slimed with mayo. Also, did anyone else see the guys pouring the mayo almost give Coach Beamer a concussion?? Y’all need to relax man, that guy is the hope and pride of the Palmetto State. As far as the game goes, this was a solid win for the Gamecocks. Sam Howell is a much-hyped QB despite the Tar Heels record, and USC was able to hold him to a 57.7 QBR and just 205 yards passing and 1 TD. He was outplayed by Dakereon Joyner, a wide receiver who started at QB and put up a 100% completion percentage and averaged 17.8 yards per completion. His interview after the game was gold too. A big win for Spurs Up, and it gives them another boost of momentum heading into 2022 - look out for Beamer and the Gamecocks. He’s got something brewing in Columbia.
The Hammer: Shame on me for doubting Shame Beamer and the Gamecocks! I should have known a 6-6 SEC team is far better than a 6-6 ACC team, especially this year. I bought into the Sam Howell last hurrah hype and it bit me in the ass. South Carolina started wide receiver Dakereon Joyner at QB and he played a whale of a game. Joyner went 9/9 for 160 yards and a TD in the air and added 64 yards rushing. A solid send-off for running back Kevin Harris who feasted on that porous UNC front for 182 yards rushing and a TD. A great end to his career after a very disappointing 2021 season. The Gamecocks never took their foot off the gas and outgained the Tar Heels 543 to 333 on the day. A massive win for Shane Beamer who had a hell of a year one in Columbia. Beamer continued winning even after the game by getting a Duke’s Mayo bath and dunking on Dennis Dodd for complaining about too bowl games like a loser (after searching for Dodd’s tweet, it appears the coward deleted it).
TransPerfect Music City Bowl: Purdue 48 - Tennessee 45
Bossman Slim: I just had a feeling. Purdue had two top-three wins this year and is a darn good team. Tennessee is tough too, which is why the score was so darn close. This was a helluva game to watch as the offenses just went back and forth. The defensive coordinators may as well have gone out to lunch with each other because this one hardly featured either defense. Should Tennessee have won this one based on the play in OT that was inexplicably whistled dead…AFTER the ball crossed the goal line? Honestly, I was against the grain on this one. I thought his forward progress was stopped watching it live…but if it was, the whistle should have been blown when progress was stopped. It was not, so it should have been a touchdown. Just add it to the heap of officiating blunders in 2022. However - I also think Josh Heupel deserves some criticism for the final drive that started with 44 seconds left on the clock and three timeouts. The Vols had been gashing Purdue all day through the air, yet started off the drive with two run plays. HUH? By the time they tried a 56-yard attempt (yeah, right), they still had a timeout left. The blown call at the end of the game overshadowed Huepel’s clock/play calling mismanagement at the end of regulation. With all that said, Heupel has this program headed in the right direction and the future looks bright in Knoxville.
The Hammer: Wow what a game this was. Back and forth all game with both offenses throwing haymaker after haymaker. Rock vs Drago style haymakers. Give a ton of credit to Purdue for never flinching in this one and pulling out a win despite being without their two best players in David Bell and George Karlaftis. This game was a total roller coaster and featured 1,293 yards of total offense (666 for Tennessee and 627 for Purdue). Former walk-on Aidan O’Connell was a total gunslinger throwing for 534 yards, 5 TDs and 3 interceptions. Both defensive coordinators need to take a long hard look in the mirror after this one. To address the forward progress call that cost Tennessee a touchdown in overtime, it was garbage. The refs blew that call, no question. But I don’t subscribe to the feeling that the refs stole that game from Tennessee. Purdue still had to score after that, so even if the Vols were given a TD there, the game wasn't done. If you want to find someone to blame Vols fans, I would start with the defense instead of the refs. Purdue racked up 627 yards of total offense without their leading receiver. Y’all really think a stop was coming in overtime? Touchdown or not (it was a TD), blaming the refs isn’t the answer.
Outback Bowl: #21 Arkansas 24 - Penn State 10
Bossman Slim: Yeeeessssssiiiirrrrrrr!! Dadgone, I had the Nittany Lions in a close one here. Not so, Arkansas took it to James Franklin and Penn State, playing smash mouth football and running down their throat. KJ Jefferson went off for 208 total yards and two TDs, going over 100 on the ground. The guy is a beast and will be a dark horse Heisman candidate in 2022. This is another big win for the Razorbacks on their way back to prominence. No one can ignore the Hogs now.
The Hammer: Turn that damn jukebox on, Hogs! Sam Pittman and the Razorbacks pounded Penn State in the Outback Bowl, flexing their muscles in the run game. The Hogs ran for 353 yards in this one. The Nittany Lions had no answer for KJ Jefferson and the Arkansas running backs on the ground and it was a joy to watch. Such a physical team all year and they kept it going through the bowl game. News flash: Sam Pittman can coach offensive line. On the Penn State side, they missed Jahan Dotson dearly. But Arkansas missed Treylon Burks too. The Hogs just have a running game and Penn State doesn't. They haven't all year, and it came back to bite them here as their offense had nothing. Getting to 9 wins in year two is a huge achievement for Sam Pittman and the Razorbacks.
VRBO Citrus Bowl: #22 Kentucky 20 - #15 Iowa 17
Bossman Slim: Wan’Dale Robinson, anyone? The kid can flat out play. This one had Kentucky fans on the edge of their seats, wondering if the Wildcats were going to blow their lead late or if they could pull it out. They pulled out! Iowa is a good football team, and Big Blue was able to get it done. Mark Stoops keeps the train rolling in Lexington, notching 10 wins and cashing in with that new, well-deserved contract. Kentucky isn’t going anywhere in the East.
The Hammer: Phew…The SEC needed this one and Big Blue Nation came through. Kentucky was in the lead for the first three quarters, but could never pull away. With just under 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter, Iowa’s Spencer Petras hit Sam LaPorta on a 36 yard touchdown pass to take the lead 17-13. The Wildcats had a few chances to retake the lead and finally got it done with under 2 minutes left on the game. Wan’Dale Robinson accounted for nearly half of Kentucky’s total yardage with his 10 catch, 170 yard performance. Chris Rodriguez added 107 yards on the ground and scored the game winning TD. Big win for Kentucky over a very sound Iowa team. 10 wins again in Lexington for Mark Stoops, and that is no small feat.
Allstate Sugar Bowl: #7 Baylor 21 - #8 Ole Miss 7
Bossman Slim: I thought this one would be within a TD all game. With Baylor scoring only 21 points, I would have been right if not for Matt Corral’s injury in the first quarter. After Corral threw a pick on the opening drive, it was all downhill for the Rebs. The worst-feared scenario happened when Corral was carted off, and while Luke Altmeyer showed flashes, he was not ready for the big stage. After a nice drive to get the ball in the red zone, Altmeyer threw a 96-yard pick-six that put Baylor up 7-0. The Rebs would tie it in the 3rd quarter on a 37-yard Altmeyer pass to Braylon Sanders and had chances to make this a real game, but Baylor pulled away in the 4th by turning another Altmeyer INT into a touchdown on the subsequent drive, making it 21-7 and out of reach for a sputtering Ole Miss offense. A good win for Baylor, who should be an interesting team to watch in 2022. The Rebels have many questions heading into next season, starting under center with the departure of Corral.
The Hammer: Well this game, and my prediction, kind of flew out the window when Matt Corral was carted off early in the game. I think Baylor was the better team overall, but Matt Corral is capable of leading his team to victory in a game like this. Without him, the Rebs were in trouble. I knew Dave Aranda would have an excellent defensive plan for the Ole Miss attack, and with a true freshman getting his first real snaps of the year (outside of a few at Auburn), it was going to be very difficult to score on the Bears. And that proved true as Ole MIss only managed 7 points and 322 yards of total offense. The main reason they couldn't get anything going is they gave up 10 sacks. The Baylor defensive line dominated the Rebels who had trouble running the ball and getting any time to throw. Luke Altmeyer didn't play terribly, he was just put into a tough spot against a great defense. The Rebel’s defense played well in their own right, but was put into a few tough spots due to turnovers. Ole Miss threw 3 interceptions, including a 96 yard pick six from Baylor defensive back Al Walcott. Abram Smith ran for 172 yards on the ground for the Bears and really allowed them to control the game and limit the Rebel’s offensive snaps. Tough ending to a very, very good season in Oxford.
And now for the CFP…
Goodyear Cotton Bowl: #1 Alabama 27 - #4 Cincinnati 6
Bossman Slim: Was this going to go any other way? Cincy showed some fight early, but their offense could do absolutely nothing against this stacked Crimson Tide defense. Not a lot to say about this one except screw you Oklahoma State for losing to Baylor. I would have relished the chance to see that defense against the Tide offense, but instead, we had to act like we were excited to watch Cincinnati get pounded into a pancake.
The Hammer: Thanks for coming out, Cincy! This game is not a referendum on Cincinnati or any other group of 5 teams potentially making the CFP. Cincy deserved to be there. They earned the right just like Michigan State, Washington and other CFP teams that ended up getting smacked in the semifinals. Are they one of the four best teams in the country? Probably not, but I don’t think any team behind them in the rankings deserved that spot. And if any other team did get the 4th seed, Alabama would have probably whooped them too. The biggest mismatch here was in the trenches. Cincy got steamrolled by Alabama up front and Brain Robinson railroaded Bearcat defenders all game, finishing with an Alabama bowl rushing record of 204 yards. Bryce Young had a decent game, but with how the Tide ran the ball, they didn’t need him to play great. Cincy’s offense had no answer either. They couldn’t run the ball (2.8 yards per carry) and they never challenged Alabama down field for some reason. You could play this game 10 times and 9 of those times, the game would play out just like it did on New Years Eve. Alabama is much better and more complete than Cincinnati, it’s that simple.
Capital One Orange Bowl: #3 Georgia 34 - #2 Michigan 11
Bossman Slim: Hey Jim, hope you enjoyed all the praise you got for winning the Big Ten. This is big boy football. Aidan Hutchinson, who inexplicably was included in the Heisman finalist ceremony over Will Anderson, was rendered useless by the Georgia offensive line. Michigan’s offense couldn’t do anything against the ravenous Georgia defense. It was fun to watch the annihilation of Michigan, I can’t lie. Now it looks like ol’ Jim may have had enough of getting smoked against the big timers and wants back in the NFL. If so - bye, Jim! Fitting send off game.
The Hammer: Most predicted a blowout in the Bama v Cincy semifinal matchup, but I didn't see many pundits predicting this massacre. Georgia had the petal to metal from opening kickoff and completely wiped the floor with Michigan. It was 27-3 at halftime. Harbough and Michigan had no answer offensively for Georgia’s front seven, who accounted for 4 sacks and 7 tackles for loss. The Joe Moore Award winning offensive line got their clock cleaned, only mustering 3.4 yards per carry. As expected, if you can stop the Wolverines run game, their offense will stall. They aren’t built to win a game throwing the ball all over the yard and it showed. Cade McNamara threw two interceptions and never got anything going downfield. On the other side, Stetson Tombstone Bennett was as cool as the other side of the pillow. The flip phone touting, former walk-on threw for 313 yards and three touchdowns on 20/30 attempts. Will that be enough to beat Alabama? Maybe. But one thing is for sure: Georgia is one of the two best teams in the country. The Dawgs made that very clear after this game.