Picking and choosing: staring at a smorgasbord of 28 bowl games can be daunting, so sink your teeth into these storylines and matchups first

Sporting News, The, Dec 22, 2003 by Tom Dienhart

TSN's expert picks

Bowl               Matt Hayes
                   Insider columnist

New Orleans        Memphis 23, North Texas 16
GMAC               Miami (Ohio) 38, Louisville 24
Tangerine          N.C. State 30, Kansas 20
Fort Worth         Boise State 36, TCU 16
Las Vegas          Oregon State 19, New Mexico 17
Hawaii             Hawaii 45, Houston 42
Motor City         Bowling Green 26, Northwestern 23
Insight.com        California 24, Virginia Tech 20
Continental Tire   Virginia 27, Pittsburgh 26
Alamo              Michigan State 28, Nebraska 21
Houston            Texas Tech 48, Navy 10
Holiday            Texas 21, Washington State 17
Silicon Valley     Fresno State 14, UCLA 10
Music City         Auburn 28, Wisconsin 10
Sun                Minnesota 41, Oregon 40
Liberty            Utah 23, Southern Miss 21
Independence       Arkansas 34, Missouri 21
San Francisco      Colorado State 27, Boston College 24
Outback            Iowa 16, Florida 13
Gator              West Virginia 30, Maryland 23
Capital One        Purdue 17, Georgia 14
Rose               Southern California 31, Michigan 23
Orange             Miami (Fla.) 30, Florida State 21
Cotton             Mississippi 27, Oklahoma State 24
Peach              Tennessee 24, Clemson 10
Fiesta             Ohio State 16, Kansas State 13
Humanitarian       Georgia Tech 35, Tulsa 30
Sugar              LSU 24, Oklahoma 20

Bowl               Rick Ballou                Michael Bradley
                   Sporting News Radio host   Contributing writer

New Orleans        Memphis, 27-24             North Texas, 23-20
GMAC               Miami, 41-27               Miami, 27-17
Tangerine          N.C. State, 38-24          N.C. State, 30-17
Fort Worth         Boise State, 34-24         Boise State, 38-27
Las Vegas          Oregon State, 29-26        Oregon State, 27-20
Hawaii             Hawaii, 38-26              Hawaii, 30-16
Motor City         Bowling Green, 30-24       Bowling Green, 35-23
Insight.com        Virginia Tech, 34-31       California, 23-20
Continental Tire   Pittsburgh, 26-25          Virginia, 27-20
Alamo              Nebraska, 24-21            Nebraska, 27-23
Houston            Texas Tech, 50-36          Texas Tech, 38-35
Holiday            Texas, 31-17               Texas, 30-21
Silicon Valley     Fresno State, 21-20        Fresno State, 24-14
Music City         Auburn, 24-21              Auburn, 20-16
Sun                Minnesota, 28-25           Minnesota, 43-28
Liberty            Utah, 21-19                Utah, 24-17
Independence       Missouri, 28-27            Arkansas, 31-17
San Francisco      Boston College, 35-34      Colorado State, 27-17
Outback            Florida, 27-21             Florida, 23-20
Gator              West Virginia, 28-27       Maryland, 31-10
Capital One        Georgia, 21-17             Georgia, 24-13
Rose               USC, 38-31                 USC, 24-20
Orange             Miami, 28-27               Florida State, 27-17
Cotton             Mississippi, 30-29         Mississippi, 30-27
Peach              Tennessee, 31-28           Tennessee, 24-16
Fiesta             Kansas State, 21-20        Kansas State, 27-20
Humanitarian       Georgia Tech, 29-20        Georgia Tech, 20-9
Sugar              Oklahoma, 30-24            Oklahoma, 20-16

Bowl               Tim Brando                 Peter Brown
                   Sporting News Radio host   Sporting News Radio host

New Orleans        Memphis, 24-13             Memphis, 27-14
GMAC               Miami, 48-24               Miami, 48-31
Tangerine          N.C. State, 35-21          N.C. State, 31-16
Fort Worth         Boise State, 55-17         Boise State, 26-16
Las Vegas          New Mexico, 16-13          Oregon State, 17-13
Hawaii             Hawaii, 35-21              Hawaii, 31-28
Motor City         Bowling Green, 28-21       Bowling Green, 13-10
Insight.com        Virginia Tech, 31-17       California, 26-17
Continental Tire   Pittsburgh, 24-21          Virginia, 12-6
Alamo              Michigan State, 28-24      Michigan State, 23-13
Houston            Texas Tech, 55-24          Texas Tech, 49-19
Holiday            Washington State, 31-28    Texas, 35-27
Silicon Valley     Fresno State, 24-21        Fresno State, 24-13
Music City         Wisconsin, 16-13           Auburn, 13-3
Sun                Oregon, 27-24              Minnesota, 21-10
Liberty            Southern Miss, 21-17       Utah, 24-6
Independence       Arkansas, 28-17            Arkansas, 35-10
San Francisco      Colorado State, 35-34      Colorado State, 26-23
Outback            Iowa, 28-24                Iowa, 20-17
Gator              West Virginia, 31-28       Maryland, 35-30
Capital One        Georgia, 24-21             Georgia, 28-16
Rose               USC, 35-31                 Michigan, 17-13
Orange             Miami, 24-21               Miami, 25-16
Cotton             Oklahoma State, 38-35      Oklahoma State, 42-40
Peach              Clemson, 27-21             Tennessee, 16-13
Fiesta             Kansas State, 16-13        Ohio State, 20-10
Humanitarian       Georgia Tech, 24-13        Georgia Tech, 20-10
Sugar              LSU, 21-17                 Oklahoma, 31-10

Bowl               Tom Dienhart            Pete Fiutak
                   Associate editor        Collegefootball.com

New Orleans        North Texas, 24-21      Memphis, 23-14
GMAC               Miami, 33-28            Miami, 34-30
Tangerine          N.C. State, 44-24       N.C. State, 45-17
Fort Worth         Boise State, 29-20      Boise State, 24-14
Las Vegas          New Mexico, 20-19       Oregon State, 31-14
Hawaii             Hawaii, 37-27           Hawaii, 45-38
Motor City         Northwestern, 33-31     Bowling Green, 48-17
Insight.com        California, 28-19       Virginia Tech, 27-20
Continental Tire   Pittsburgh, 30-28       Virginia, 34-30
Alamo              Nebraska, 31-17         Nebraska, 24-20
Houston            Navy, 44-38             Texas Tech, 44-38
Holiday            Texas, 28-24            Texas, 38-20
Silicon Valley     Fresno State, 24-21     UCLA, 24-16
Music City         Auburn, 31-28           Wisconsin, 24-20
Sun                Minnesota, 35-28        Minnesota, 31-17
Liberty            Utah, 17-16             Southern Miss, 17-13
Independence       Missouri, 27-24         Arkansas, 31-24
San Francisco      Boston College, 29-27   Boston College, 31-17
Outback            Florida, 21-20          Iowa, 24-20
Gator              West Virginia, 30-27    Maryland, 27-24
Capital One        Purdue, 23-20           Georgia, 20-17
Rose               Michigan, 24-21         USC, 31-28
Orange             Florida State, 24-14    Miami, 23-17
Cotton             Mississippi, 40-35      Oklahoma State, 24-20
Peach              Tennessee, 31-27        Clemson, 21-17
Fiesta             Kansas State, 14-10     Kansas State, 17-16
Humanitarian       Georgia Tech, 25-21     Georgia Tech, 24-7
Sugar              LSU, 24-14              Oklahoma, 20-10

Bowl               Artie Gigantino         Steve Greenberg
                   FOX Sports analyst      Managing editor

New Orleans        North Texas, 17-14      North Texas, 23-17
GMAC               Miami, 42-24            Miami, 38-31
Tangerine          N.C. State, 42-17       N.C. State, 41-31
Fort Worth         Boise State, 49-31      Boise State, 27-26
Las Vegas          Oregon State, 31-14     Oregon State, 34-20
Hawaii             Hawaii, 37-10           Hawaii, 52-28
Motor City         Northwestern, 24-10     Bowling Green, 34-31
Insight.com        Virginia Tech, 24-10    California, 27-16
Continental Tire   Pittsburgh, 35-27       Virginia, 35-28
Alamo              Michigan State, 27-10   Michigan State, 24-21
Houston            Texas Tech, 51-37       Texas Tech, 42-35
Holiday            Texas, 38-10            Washington State, 33-31
Silicon Valley     Fresno State, 31-10     UCLA, 20-10
Music City         Wisconsin, 17-10        Auburn, 30-14
Sun                Oregon, 31-30           Minnesota, 34-20
Liberty            Utah, 40-21             Utah, 13-7
Independence       Missouri, 31-30         Missouri, 26-24
San Francisco      Colorado State, 17-10   Boston College, 45-34
Outback            Florida, 31-21          Florida, 23-10
Gator              Maryland, 35-21         Maryland, 24-21
Capital One        Purdue, 17-10           Purdue, 17-14
Rose               USC, 41-31              USC, 45-30
Orange             Florida State, 24-20    Miami, 31-7
Cotton             Mississippi, 37-17      Oklahoma State, 38-34
Peach              Tennessee, 17-10        Tennessee, 21-16
Fiesta             Kansas State, 31-28     Kansas State, 23-9
Humanitarian       Georgia Tech, 28-24     Georgia Tech, 31-14
Sugar              Oklahoma, 31-24         LSU, 27-19

Bowl               Bob Hille
                   Executive editor

New Orleans        Memphis, 24-17
GMAC               Miami, 42-21
Tangerine          N.C. State, 31-7
Fort Worth         Boise State, 45-28
Las Vegas          Oregon State, 28-24
Hawaii             Hawaii, 45-42 (OT)
Motor City         Bowling Green, 35-10
Insight.com        California, 28-21
Continental Tire   Virginia, 17-14
Alamo              Michigan State, 24-21
Houston            Texas Tech, 38-35
Holiday            Texas, 34-28
Silicon Valley     UCLA, 17-16
Music City         Auburn, 27-21
Sun                Minnesota, 38-21
Liberty            Utah, 28-14
Independence       Arkansas, 35-28
San Francisco      Boston College, 28-17
Outback            Florida, 35-21
Gator              Maryland, 28-27
Capital One        Georgia, 24-21
Rose               Michigan, 17-7
Orange             Florida State, 28-21
Cotton             Oklahoma State, 31-28
Peach              Tennessee, 42-17
Fiesta             Kansas State, 23-14
Humanitarian       Georgia Tech, 45-21
Sugar              Oklahoma, 21-14