Dec. 15, 2012 10:00 a.m.
Gildan New Mexico Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Nevada 48
Arizona 49
Dufresne's thoughts: Co-host city Roswell urges fans to beware of possible unidentified flying objects in Nevada's seating Area 51.
Pick: Arizona
Location: Albuquerque, N.M.
(Eric Draper / Associated Press)
Dec. 15, 2012 1:15 p.m.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Toledo 15
Utah State 41
Dufresne's thoughts: The MAC vs. the WAC… with a side of curly fries. Toledo lost in overtime at Arizona and to BCS-bowl-bound Northern Illinois. Utah State lost two games by five points.
Pick: Utah State
Location: Boise, Idaho
(Matt Cilley / Associated Press)
Dec. 20, 2012 5:00 p.m.
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
BYU 23
San Diego St. 6
Dufresne's thoughts: Brigham Young lost four games by 13 total points and ranks third nationally in total defense. Shamu State owns a signature win at Boise State.
Pick: BYU
Location: San Diego, Calif.
(Kent C. Horner / Getty Images)
Dec. 21, 2012 4:30 p.m.
Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
C. Florida 38
Ball State 17
Dufresne's thoughts: Big East teams have won three of the first four Beef bowls, but close games have been rare (to medium rare).
Pick: Central Florida
Location: St. Petersburg, Fla.
(Chris O'Meara / Associated Press)
Dec. 22, 2012 9:00 a.m.
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
La Lafayette 43
E. Carolina 34
Dufresne's thoughts: Good luck matching last year's ending when Louisiana Lafayette's Brett Baer beat San Diego State with a 50-yard field goal as time expired.
Pick: Louisiana Lafayette
Location: New Orleans
(Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
Dec. 22, 2012 12:30 p.m.
Maaco Bowl Las Vegas
Non-BCS Bowls
Washington 26
Boise St. 28
Dufresne's thoughts: Fans must purchase separate ticket for second game of doubleheader that starts when Boise opens the 2013 season at Washington.
Pick: Boise St.
Location: Las Vegas, Nev.
(David Becker / Associated Press)
Dec. 24, 2012 5:00 p.m.
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Fresno State 10
SMU 43
Dufresne's thoughts: Former Hawaii coach June Jones, now with SMU, returns to the islands to relive memories and retrieve a Hawaiian shirt he left in his old gym locker.
Pick: Fresno State
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
(Eugene Tanner / Associated Press)
Dec. 26, 2012 4:30 p.m.
Little Caesars Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
W. Kentucky 21
C. Michigan 24
Dufresne's thoughts: Get your motor (city) runnin'… Newly hired Bobby Petrino will not coach Western Kentucky or change the team nickname to the Hill-Choppers.
Pick: W. Kentucky
Location: Detroit, Mich.
(Mark A. Cunningham / Getty Images)
Dec. 27, 2012 12:00 p.m.
Military Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
San Jose St. 29
BGSU 20
Dufresne's thoughts: Cpl. Klinger thinks departing San Jose State Coach Mike MacIntyre could be a Section 8 candidate for taking the Colorado job.
Pick: San Jose St.
Location: Washington, D.C.
(Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Dec. 27, 2012 3:30 p.m.
Belk Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Cincinnati 48
Duke 34
Dufresne's thoughts: Duke makes its first bowl appearance since 1994 but can still keep with tradition by finishing with a losing record.
Pick: Cincinnati
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
(Chuck Burton / Associated Press)
Dec. 27, 2012 6:45 p.m.
Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl
UCLA
Baylor 49
UCLA 26
Dufresne's thoughts: Coach Jim Mora to implement a full game plan after he's assured by Pac-12 office that UCLA won't have to play Baylor in a rematch six days later.
Pick: UCLA
Location: San Diego, Calif.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times )
Dec. 28, 2012 11:00 a.m.
AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Ohio 45
La. Monroe 14
Dufresne's thoughts: Louisiana Monroe started 6-2 with a win over Arkansas and losses to Auburn and Baylor by a total of eight points. Ohio started 7-0. If only the season ended in mid-November.
Pick: Louisiana Monroe
Location: Shreveport, La.
(Rogelio V. Solis / Associated Press)
Dec. 28, 2012 2:30 p.m.
Russell Athletic Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Rutgers 10
Virginia Tech 13
Dufresne's thoughts: Rutgers choked away a chance to win its first Big East crown; Virginia Tech was a bigger flop than "Cloud Atlas."
Pick: Rutgers
Location: Orlando, Fla.
(J. Meric/Getty Images)
Dec. 28, 2012 6:00 p.m.
Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas
Non-BCS Bowls
Minnesota 31
Texas Tech 34
Dufresne's thoughts: A rematch of the 2006 Insight Bowl in which Minnesota blew a 31-point lead. Stories filed on deadline with Minnesota winning are available by request.
Pick: Texas Tech
Location: Houston, Texas
Dec. 29, 2012 8:45 a.m.
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Rice 33
Air Force 14
Dufresne's thoughts: Scenic drive: Route 66. Sponsor: Phillips 66: Game temp: 66. Stadium capacity: 66,666. Suggested alternative bowl date: June 6 (6-6).
Pick: Air Force
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Where to watch it: ESPN
Dec. 29, 2012 12:15 p.m.
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
West Virginia 14
Syracuse 38
Dufresne's thoughts: This third-year bowl game at Yankee Stadium will commence with the singing of the national anthem and the booing of Alex Rodriguez.
Pick: West Virginia
Location: Bronx, N.Y.
Dec. 29, 2012 1:00 p.m.
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Navy 28
Arizona State 62
Dufresne's thoughts: Arizona State Coach Todd Graham voted his own team No. 20 in the final USA Today coaches' poll but didn't think Navy was in ship shape.
Pick: Arizona State
Location: San Francisco, Calif.
Dec. 29, 2012 3:45 p.m.
Valero Alamo Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Texas 31
Oregon State 27
Dufresne's thoughts: No jokes: Three Oregon State players recently walked into a bar … and were arrested. Texas recruited Johnny Manziel … to play defensive back.
Pick: Oregon State
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Dec. 29, 2012 7:15 p.m.
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
TCU 16
Michigan State 17
Dufresne's thoughts: No coin toss for the former Insight Bowl. Opening possession will be determined by spinning a bottle of mango habanero sauce.
Pick: TCU
Location: Tempe, Ariz.
Where to watch it: ESPN
(Paul Connors / Associated Press)
Dec. 31, 2012 9:00 a.m.
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
N.C. State 24
Vanderbilt 38
Dufresne's thoughts: Ain't that a boot in the head? One of the few bowls in which a kicker and a punter have been the game's most valuable player.
Pick: Vanderbilt
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
(Associated Press)
Dec. 31, 2012 11:00 a.m.
Hyundai Sun Bowl
USC
USC 7
Georgia Tech 21
Dufresne's thoughts: The Sun sets on defensive coordinators. Georgia Tech fired Al Groh in October; Monte Kiffin's resignation was recently accepted by his son.
Pick: USC
Location: El Paso, Texas
(Associated Press)
Dec. 31, 2012 12:30 p.m.
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Iowa State 17
Tulsa 31
Dufresne's thoughts: The Liberty reportedly chose Iowa State over Louisiana Tech, so this game deserves to end early because of a power outage.
Pick: Tulsa
Location: Memphis, Tenn.
(Associated Press)
Dec. 31, 2012 4:30 p.m.
Chick-fil-A Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
LSU 24
Clemson 25
Dufresne's thoughts: Irresistible-force offense meets immovable-object defense in a paradox matchup brought to you by drive-thru chicken sandwiches.
Pick: Clemson
Location: Atlanta, Ga.
(Associated Press)
Jan. 1, 2013 9:00 a.m.
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Miss. State 20
Northwestern 34
Dufresne's thoughts: Mark this down: Northwestern wins first bowl game since election season in Chicago when Dewey beat Truman in presidential race.
Pick: Northwestern
Location: Jacksonville, Fla.
Where to watch it: ESPN2
(Associated Press)
Jan. 1, 2013 9:00 a.m.
Heart of Dallas Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Purdue 14
Oklahoma St. 58
Dufresne's thoughts: Hearts are ripped out of Dallas as Purdue fires coach and Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken bolts to become head coach for Southern Mississippi.
Pick: Oklahoma State
Location: Dallas, Texas
(Associated Press)
Jan. 1, 2013 10:00 a.m.
Capital One Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Georgia 41
Nebraska 31
Dufresne's thoughts: Georgia came within five yards against Alabama of playing for the national title. Nebraska came within 70 points of shutting out Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game.
Pick: Georgia
Location: Orlando, Fla.
Where to watch it: ABC
(Associated Press)
Jan. 1, 2013 10:00 a.m.
Outback Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
S. Carolina 33
Michigan 28
Dufresne's thoughts: One of these schools played Alabama during the season and the other one plays in the Southeastern Conference.
Pick: South Carolina
Location: Tampa, Fla.
(McClatchy-Tribune)
Jan. 1, 2013 2:00 p.m.
Rose Bowl Game
BCS Bowls
Wisconsin 14
Stanford 20
Dufresne's thoughts: Call in "Ghost Hunters" if Pop Warner comes out of retirement to coach Stanford against Barry Alvarez.
Pick: Wisconsin
Location: Pasadena, Calif.
(Los Angeles Times)
Jan. 1, 2013 5:30 p.m.
Discover Orange Bowl
BCS Bowls
N. Illinois 10
Florida State 31
Dufresne's thoughts: Team that barely survived 6-6 Georgia Tech to win Atlantic Coast Conference faces non-automatic qualifier scourge lambasted for losing one game by one point.
Pick: Northern Illinois
Jan. 2, 2013 5:30 p.m.
Allstate Sugar Bowl
BCS Bowls
Louisville 33
Florida 23
Dufresne's thoughts: Herbstreit mixes Sweet'N Low with his fizzle stick after ingrates from Northern Illinois knock Oklahoma out of this Bowl Championship Series game.
Pick: Florida
Jan. 3, 2013 5:30 p.m.
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
BCS Bowls
Oregon 35
Kansas State 17
Dufresne's thoughts: You won't believe how up-tempo Oregon Coach Chip Kelly is going to get once NFL teams start calling his cellphone.
Pick: Oregon
Location: Glendale, Ariz.
(Associated Press)
Jan. 4, 2013 5:00 p.m.
AT&T Cotton Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Texas A&M 41
Oklahoma 13
Dufresne's thoughts: Oklahoma takes on quarterback Johnny Manziel as it tries to avoid going 0-3 against this year's Heisman finalists.
Pick: Texas A&M
(McClatchy-Tribune)
Jan. 5, 2013 10:00 a.m.
BBVA Compass Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Pittsburgh 17
Ole Miss 38
Dufresne's thoughts: Pittsburgh lost to Youngstown State but took Notre Dame to triple overtime. Mississippi was routed by Texas, 66-31, but nearly defeated Texas A&M and Louisiana State.
Pick: Ole Miss
Location: Birmingham, Ala.
(Associated Press)
Jan. 6, 2013 6:00 p.m.
Godaddy.com Bowl
Non-BCS Bowls
Kent St. 13
Arkansas St. 17
Dufresne's thoughts: The coaches are gone, Daddy. Kent State's coach left for Purdue and Arkansas State's took off for Auburn.
Pick: Arkansas State
Location: Mobile, Ala.
(Getty Images)
Jan. 7, 2013 5:30 p.m.
Discover BCS National Championship
BCS National Championship
Alabama 42
Notre Dame 14
Dufresne's thoughts: Notre Dame has been preparing for a national title since 1988. One month is all Alabama Coach Nick Saban has ever needed.
Pick: Alabama
Location: Miami Gardens, Fla.
Where to watch it: ESPN
(Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)