Capital One Bowl Week Kicks Off....

In my opinion, the best time of the sports season starts today. From now until January 10, the world of college football offers up a veritable buffet of 35 bowl games, featuring 70 different teams, and games in locations as diverse as Boise, Idaho, Detroit, Michigan, and Yankee Stadium.

But, before those teams get their chance in the spotlight, three games are on the bill for today. BYU and UTEP have already kicked off, and in this battle of 6-6 teams, the Cougars struck the first blow, and lead 14-3 after two first-quarter scores.

Later today, the Huskies of Northern Illinois take on Fresno State in the Humanitarian Bowl. The 10-win Huskies take the field without coach Jerry Kill on the sidelines-he's the newly-appointed head man at Minnesota, but, they have plenty to play for, regardless of that departure. One more win gives NIU their most successful season in school history, and they certainly have the weapons to make that happen. Chad Spann keys the nation's seventh-best rushing attack, and has already topped 1,200 yards on the year. In the cold weather of Boise, expect him to get a significant number of carries.
On the opposite side of the ball, Fresno State's ability to shut down NIU will be key. The Bulldogs rank seventh in the country with 11 sacks as a unit, and in a game where defensive pressure will be crucial, Pat Hill's crew has that advantage. But, I'll pick the motivated Huskies in a low-scoring, physical brawl.

Top off a day of college football action by switching your T.V. set over to the New Orleans Bowl, where Ohio and Troy face off. For the second straight year, coach Frank Solich has the Bobcats of Ohio in a bowl game, but their opponent's accomplishments are equally impressive. Although they play in the Sun Belt, Troy just claimed a share of a conference title for the fifth straight year, and as a result, they're playing in this game in the Superdome for the third time in five seasons. Although neither team is statistically impressive, Troy holds the edge through the air, outpassing Solich's crew by an average of 135 yards per game. They also average over 30 points a game on offense, and tonight in particular, I'll take the Sun Belt champs in a close, high-scoring affair.

For complete coverage of Capital One Bowl Week, check back here later this week.

--Beau