First I want to wish everyone a Happy and Safe New Year! I also would like to thank everyone who has been using and reading PhilSteele.com this year. Your support and comments have helped us improve the site tenfold the past couple of years and with your help we will make PhilSteele.com even better in the upcoming year!

Each day during bowl season in my daily blog, I will give you my forecasts on the bowl games taking place that day. My forecasts will include a detailed write-up with my computer’s projected box score including rushing and passing yards, points and turnovers along with a detailed write-up on each game.

Also check out the bowl matchup section to get the latest and greatest information on all the upcoming bowl games including, game by game stats, 2009 recaps, and checklists for every position and intangible.

Armed Forces Bowl

Air Force vs Houston

Team	Rush	Pass	Points	TO’s	ST
Air Force	345	90	31	2.1	••
Houston	100	395	33	1.9	–

Gametime Projected Weather: 47° Cloudy Wind: NNE 5-10 mph

It will be a classic matchup of Houston (offense) vs Air Force (defense). These two met in the same bowl last year with Houston winning 34-28.  While Houston’s offense is even more dynamic this year, Air Force’s defense is much improved as well.  Both teams know how to defend each other’s offenses but will still struggle with the contrasting style of play. Expect a lot of points on the board and I’ll call for each team to add a field goal to their points from last year.

PHIL’S FORECAST HOUSTON 37 AIR FORCE 31

Sun Bowl

Stanford vs Oklahoma

Team	Rush	Pass	Points	TO’s	ST
Stanford	185	150	23	2.3	–
Oklahoma	140	310	32	2.4	–

Gametime Projected Weather: 50° Sunny Wind: NNW 10-15 mph

Oklahoma center Brian Lepak will miss the game and the backup has little to no playing experience. The Sooners have struggled away from Norman this season going 1-5.  Stanford RB Toby Gerhart should be able to establish the run despite the Sooners great front seven as Oklahoma’s defense is geared to stop the spread offenses in the Big 12 and not the power-I that the Cardinal feature.  Stanford will be playing without starting QB Andrew Luck (finger) but new QB Tavita Pritchard has 19 career starts.  I would not be surprised with a Cardinal upset but I’ll call for the Sooners by 3.

PHIL’S FORECAST: OKLAHOMA 27 STANFORD 24

Texas Bowl

Missouri vs Navy

Team	Rush	Pass	Points	TO’s	ST
Missouri	109	295	28	1.5	••
Navy	211	100	23	1.3	–

Gametime Projected Weather: 65° Partly Cloudy Wind: WSW 5mph

Missouri features two of the best players of the 2nd half of the season in QB Blaine Gabbert and WR Danario Alexander. Gabbert is now fully healthy and Navy has allowed a couple of WRs 100+ yards in the same game this season.  Missouri is worried about the chop blocks of Navy. The Midshipmen have a lot of players from the Houston area and will have the crowd edge but that won’t be enough to overcome the Tigers big talent edge as I’ll call for Missouri to win by 7.

PHIL’S FORECAST: MISSOURI 34 NAVY 27

Insight Bowl

Minnesota vs Iowa St

Team	Rush	Pass	Points	TO’s	ST
Minnesota	142	230	23	2.9	–
Iowa State	168	205	21	2.7	–

Gametime Projected Weather: 64° Sunny Wind: ENE 5 mph

Iowa St is excited to be playing in a bowl for the first time since 2005, but the bowl experience is brand new to all the players.  Meanwhile Minnesota coach Brewster is in his 2nd bowl game and will want a better showing than last year.  The Gophers are familiar with the setting as they played in the same bowl last year and in 2006.  Minnesota has played the tougher schedule and if you look at the checklist in the Bowl Matchup, you’ll find the Gophers with a 6.5 check advantage which means they should win the game as I’ll call for the Gophers to win easier than expected.

PHIL’S FORECAST: MINNESOTA 28 IOWA ST 20

Chick-Fil-A Bowl

Tennessee vs Virginia Tech

Team	Rush	Pass	Points	TO’s	ST
Tennessee	160	190	21	2.2	–
Virginia Tech	200	145	30	1.9	••••

Gametime Projected Weather: Played in the Georgia Dome.

Both teams have excellent run games and play great defense as they nearly mirror each other. Tennessee is excited to be here after missing out on a bowl last year and they figure to have the crowd edge.  Virginia Tech does have a large special teams advantage and with both teams evenly matched everywhere else a special teams play could be the difference.  It should be an excellent and exciting Chick-Fil-A bowl as they usually are and I’ll call for the Hokies by 4.

PHIL’S FORECAST: VIRGINIA TECH 24 TENNESSEE 20

Conference Bowl Standings

Bowl Conference VS ConFerence Records
	OVERALL			vs BCS CONF
	W	L	%	W	L	%
MWC	3	0	100%	2	0	100%
BIG EAST	2	0	100%	1	0	100%
BIG 10	1	0	100%	1	0	100%
SUN BELT	1	0	100%	0	0	0
SEC	1	1	50%	1	1	50%
BIG 12	1	1	50%	1	1	50%
C USA	2	2	50%	0	1	0%
WAC	1	1	50%	0	0	0
PAC 10	2	3	40%	1	1	50%
ACC	1	3	25%	1	3	25%
INDEP	0	0	0	0	0	0
MAC	0	3	0%	0	1	0%

The MWC is off to a great start with a 3-0 record thanks to Wyoming’s upset over Fresno St in the New Mexico Bowl and two big wins over the Pac-10 the last week. The Big East has picked up a couple of wins including Pittsburgh’s win over North Carolina on Saturday. The Big 10 got its first victory on Tuesday with Wisconsin’s impressive win over Miami in the Champs Sports Bowl. The PAC 10 and ACC have had disappointing starts to the bowl seaoson as they are a combined 3-6 so far. The MAC is 0-3 but all of the losses have been by single digits and Temple and Bowling Green both led late in the 2nd half before losing.

Bowl Confidence Contest

Make sure to check the daily blog every day as we will be posting the standings here after every bowl game is played.

There will be two Top 50 leaderboards. The first one will be points won and the second is best win percentage of their points. Sometimes the early leaders are the ones that risked the most on the early bowls and they fall by the wayside as the contest goes on so that is why I will also keep track of those that have the best win percentage.

After 15 bowl games William Meleski continues to lead the contest for the eigth day in a row with 270 points won and a 75% win %. Lyell Marks moved up to 2nd with 257 points and Goran Mili is now in 3rd with 238 points. Jeff Hamilton has been near the top of the leaderboard in win % for the past week and takes over 1st with 84%. Patrick Hilt is in 2nd with 83% which is about .4% better than Matt Schupp who was 1st yesterday.

I now have 157 points and there are still 19 bowl games left including 15 in the next three days! Remember 1st place wins $250, 2nd place gets $100 and a set of regionals and 3rd gets $50 and a set of regionals.

Thanks again to the near 1200 people that have entered. If you have any questions concerning your points or do not see your name in the Top 50 and think it should be please email Brandon@philsteele.com.

Here are the current leaderboards.

The Top 50 in Points Won

Rank	Name	Pts Won	Pts Lost	Win %	% Rank
1	William J Meleski	270	92	75%	14
2	Lyell Marks	257	148	63%	114
3	Goran Mili	238	102	70%	42
4	Michael Mancini	232	143	62%	152
5	Gene Winters	226	145	61%	193
6	Jeff Hamilton	221	42	84%	1
7	Bobby Welles	220	52	81%	6
8	Don Seebold	217	46	83%	4
9	Don Armstrong	216	64	77%	9
10	Richie Thomas	215	84	72%	27
10	Bud Converse	215	134	62%	165
12	Mike Guzzo	213	91	70%	41
13	Ben Brin	212	75	74%	17
14	Mike Bambrick	211	102	67%	63
14	Pete Mackin	211	121	64%	113
16	Sherry Shoup	206	199	51%	568
17	Rich Ribera	205	113	64%	96
18	Matt Schupp	203	42	83%	3
18	Tony Orioli	203	116	64%	110
18	Dave Klaehn	203	155	57%	306
21	Jerry Chieffalo	202	61	77%	10
21	Don Deavers	202	103	66%	75
21	Mitchell Sanpei	202	119	63%	122
21	Matthew Goodman	202	134	60%	213
25	Jerad Risley	201	146	58%	273
26	Lisa DiBello	200	72	74%	20
26	Bob Knight	200	84	70%	37
28	Patrick Hilt	199	40	83%	2
28	John Mina	199	92	68%	52
28	Chuck Kreiner	199	94	68%	59
31	Joseph Gutierrez	198	96	67%	64
32	Marc Ostrom	197	79	71%	28
32	David Ruth	197	142	58%	265
34	Steven Pegg	196	86	70%	46
34	Rusty Moreno	196	91	68%	53
36	Andy Mickley	195	123	61%	174
37	Gordon Goldbach	193	113	63%	119
37	Greg Rockers	193	114	63%	125
37	Sephen Fraher	193	116	62%	141
40	adam muscat	191	78	71%	32
40	Lance Ivy	191	136	58%	253
42	Bob Siciliano	190	106	64%	99
43	Larry Goodwin	189	132	59%	243
44	Giovanni Sicurella	187	71	72%	25
44	Joe Russo	187	81	70%	45
44	Jason Dubeans	187	99	65%	86
44	Carole Wood	187	119	61%	186
44	Jon Hansen	187	143	57%	307
49	Gary Cotton	186	54	78%	8
49	Mike Connors	186	79	70%	40
49	Jerry Thornton	186	112	62%	142
49	Courtney Moeller	186	115	62%	156
49	Michael Sprangers	186	129	59%	237

The Top 50 in Win %

Name	Pts Won	Pts Lost	Win %	% Rank
Jeff Hamilton	221	42	84%	1
Patrick Hilt	199	40	83%	2
Matt Schupp	203	42	83%	3
Don Seebold	217	46	83%	4
Dan Maurer	171	40	81%	5
Bobby Welles	220	52	81%	6
Jeffrey Gans	152	44	78%	7
Gary Cotton	186	54	78%	8
Don Armstrong	216	64	77%	9
Jerry Chieffalo	202	61	77%	10
Austin Huggins	171	53	76%	11
Gene Shue	152	48	76%	12
Gary Magnus	115	38	75%	13
William J Meleski	270	92	75%	14
Robert Vanier	145	50	74%	15
Timothy Zelek	142	49	74%	16
Ben Brin	212	75	74%	17
Anthony Marcello	158	56	74%	18
Natalie Lindsay	184	66	74%	19
Lisa DiBello	200	72	74%	20
Donnie Holmann	155	56	73%	21
Jim Martindale	126	46	73%	22
Ed Spillane	113	42	73%	23
Jason Bellinger	184	69	73%	24
Giovanni Sicurella	187	71	72%	25
Jason Harris	172	67	72%	26
Richie Thomas	215	84	72%	27
Marc Ostrom	197	79	71%	28
Gary McQuain	181	73	71%	29
Steve MacDonald	153	62	71%	30
Steve Liles	147	60	71%	31
adam muscat	191	78	71%	32
Richard Bidnick	175	72	71%	33
Tom Guertin	85	35	71%	34
Michael Kyle	162	67	71%	35
Doug Mayfield	163	68	71%	36
Bob Knight	200	84	70%	37
Jim Merriman	185	78	70%	38
Todd L Jackson	158	67	70%	39
Mike Connors	186	79	70%	40
Mike Guzzo	213	91	70%	41
Goran Mili	238	102	70%	42
Scott Boyce	184	79	70%	43
Donald Huggins	139	60	70%	44
Joe Russo	187	81	70%	45
Steven Pegg	196	86	70%	46
Marc Caruso	139	62	69%	47
Nate Haas	154	69	69%	48
Rick Perk	183	82	69%	49
Gary Grodin	176	79	69%	50