December 29, 2008

Insight Bowl -- Kansas (7-5) vs. Minnesota (7-5) (Sun Devil Stadium Tempe, Arizona December 31, 2008 5:30pm NFL Network)


Tie Ins: Big 10 #6 vs. Big 12 #6

Dan: Kansas -10.5

For the most part Kansas blew out inferior teams and got blown out by superior teams. Minnesota though was in a late season funk and I don’t think they’ll be out of it even after the month off. Expect a good offensive performance from Kansas and another dud from a Big 10 team.

Kansas 42 Minnesota 17

Matt: Kansas -10.5

This is one of the worst bowl matchups if you ask me. Minnesota, who played the system to get bowl eligible despite a losing conference record, against a team that was largely irrelevant in its own conference. This game is right where it deserves on the NFL Network where nobody can watch it.

Kansas 49 Minnesota 3

Mike: Minnesota +10.5

I realize that Minnesota did not exactly sprint to the finish line, but I do not give much credence to the theory of “momentum.” In fact, I posit that this concept is particularly dubious during bowl season, insofar as teams are idle for an extended period of time before their games. As with my Missouri-Northwestern pick, I refuse to lay a huge number of points on a Big 12 team that does not play defense (yes, I realize that “Big 12 team that does not play defense” is redundant).

Kansas 27 Minnesota 21

Doug: Kansas -10.5

Maybe not a great bowl game, but you can't beat the location. I can't say enough good things about the Tempe area and the Mill Avenue location. I personally think the BCS should go back to Tempe and forget the Glendale experiment. From what I have heard from Buckeye fans who went out there for the Florida game a couple years ago, it's the equivalent of having a game in the middle of the suburbs. What is the appeal for that?

This pick is all about conference affiliation. I’ll be the first to admit that I think the Big 12 is overrated, but the Big 10 is an abomination this year. And of all the teams to be in a bowl game, Minnesota is probably the least deserving of the bunch. They lost 55-0 to Iowa in the last game of the year!! How are they in a bowl game??

Kansas has been up and down, but at least they have done some nice things this year. Todd Reesing is a playmaker at quarterback, and they can put up some points.
10.5 points is a lot to give here, and I do think that Minnesota could show up in this game with a chip on their shoulder. But Minnesota is maybe the worst bowl team out there this year, and I don’t see them being competitive in this game.

Kansas 34 Minnesota 21

No comments: