On The Line: Bowl Edition
The Daily Iowan football staff goes head-to-head in the most competitive prediction contest journalism has to offer.
December 12, 2018
Iowa vs. No. 18 Mississippi State
Adam Hensley (Pregame Editor, 35-25): Mississippi State – I’m going to get a bulldog once I graduate.
Pete Ruden (Sports Editor, 38-22): Mississippi State – I hope the Bulldogs use a 5-Mississippi count before they blitz in practice.
Anna Kayser (Assistant Sports Editor, 39-21): Iowa – New Kirk better go out on a high note.
Jordan Zuniga (football reporter, 39-21): Iowa – This game isn’t for anyone who likes scoring.
Lucy Rohden (Co-DITV Sports Director, 40-20): Mississippi State – I got a fever. And the only prescription is …
Beau Bowman (Co-DITV Sports Director, 44-16): Iowa – M-S-U? More like M-S-Poo.
Jason Brummond (Publisher, 41-19): Mississippi State – Iowa fans have Tampa fatigue. Apparently, so does the team’s second-best TE.
No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Notre Dame
Hensley: Clemson – Dab on ‘em, Dabo.
Ruden: Clemson – Am I supposed to think it won’t be a Bama-Clemson national championship?
Kayser: Notre Dame – Every time I try to do an Irish accent, it somehow turns out Australian.
Zuniga: Clemson – The Fighting Irish haven’t won a big game in January in 30 years. Some things don’t change.
Rohden: Notre Dame – I’ve never seen the movie Rudy.
Bowman: Clemson – NOTRE DAME IS THE FAKE ID OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL.
Brummond: Notre Dame – I don’t feel great about this.
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Oklahoma
Hensley: Oklahoma – A Kyler Murray-Tua Tagovailoa matchup is the best Christmas present I could ask for.
Ruden: Alabama – Time for Sheck Wes to drop a track called Mo Bama.
Kayser: Alabama – Coming soon: Alabama versus the World.
Zuniga: Alabama – Kyler Murray is good, but he can’t play defense.
Rohden: Alabama – Nick Saban is an evil genius.
Bowman: Alabama – “thank u, next” — Tua after the first quarter.
Brummond: Alabama – Always pick ‘Bama.
No. 13 Washington State vs. No. 24 Iowa State
Hensley: Washington State – Ames is good for $2.50 Coronas in the summer, and that’s it.
Ruden: Washington State – Mike Leach and his Air Raid offense is better than Drake’s offense.
Kayser: Washington State – ISU fans peaked in high school.
Zuniga: Washington State – Maybe Iowa State will finally get to double-digit wins next year.
Rohden: Washington State – “I’ve specifically concentrated on not concentrating on this, and up to this point, I’ve done a really good job.” – Mike Leach
Bowman: Washington State – Matt Campbell is a phony. A big fat PHONY.
Brummond: Washington State – Slightly tougher opponent than Drake.
No. 7 Michigan vs. No. 10 Florida
Hensley: Michigan – What’s Jim Harbaugh doing if he can’t beat Ohio State?
Ruden: Michigan – Tim Tebow should still be in the NFL, though.
Kayser: Michigan – Can we just award Jim Harbaugh the 2019 Most Hated Big Ten Coach Award now?
Zuniga: Michigan – I’m just glad Harbaugh isn’t going to Green Bay.
Rohden: Michigan – Don’t worry Harbaugh, Urban isn’t the head coach at Florida anymore, so you actually have a chance.
Bowman: Michigan – Florida smells like old people.
Brummond: Michigan – Wait. Adam, did you forget to include Nebraska’s bowl game?
Miami vs. Wisconsin
Hensley: Wisconsin – 2018 Toilet Bowl?
Ruden: Miami – How does a school that starts with “M” become “The U”?
Kayser: Miami – Sorry Wisconsin, you lost your chance to impress us like 12 weeks ago.
Zuniga: Miami – The real question is over or under 2.5 picks for Hornibrook. I’ll take the over.
Rohden: Wisconsin – Turnover chain my —
Bowman: Wisconsin – Paul Chryst vs. The Turnover Chain Part II.
Brummond: Wisconsin – A matchup of two top-10 teams (in the preseason poll).
Georgia Tech vs. Minnesota
Hensley: Georgia Tech – Things that should be abolished: the penny and the triple option.
Ruden: Georgia Tech – TaQuon Marshall is a quarterback with more rushing yards than passing yards but somehow, I’m not surprised.
Kayser: Georgia Tech – Only good thing about football szn ending is everyone can forget I had Minnesota at No. 4 in week 1 power rankings.
Zuniga: Georgia Tech – How can Georgia Tech be called the Yellow Jackets and not have yellow uniforms?
Rohden: Georgia Tech – A December bowl in Detroit? Everyone is a loser here if you ask me.
Bowman: Georgia Tech – This game is in Detroit. No one is a winner in this city.
Brummond: Georgia Tech – Too bad. A Quick Lane Bowl win would have been elite.
No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Washington
Hensley: Ohio State – Urban Meyer is gonna go out on a high note whether we like it or not.
Ruden: Ohio State – Haskins Heisman revenge game.
Kayser: Ohio State – So long, farewell, no one will miss you, Urban.
Zuniga: Ohio State – So long, Urban, never forget 55-24.
Rohden: Ohio State – Bye-bye Urban, see ya back in college football in like two years when you change your mind (again).
Bowman: Ohio State – tHeY nEeD tO eXpAnD tHe CoLlEgE fOoTbAlL pLaYoFf To EiGhT tEaMs.
Brummond: Ohio State – The year is 2020. Urban Meyer’s “memory issues” have improved. He returns to coaching.
No. 12 Penn State vs. No. 14 Kentucky
Hensley: Penn State – Kentucky Fried Wildcats
Ruden: Penn State – Ahmad Wagner Stat Tracker: 0 rec, 0 yds, 0 TDs. Pete Ruden Stat Tracker: 0 rec, 0 yds, 0 TDs.
Kayser: Kentucky – Penn State, who?
Zuniga: Penn State – Apparently, Kentucky forgot it’s supposed to suck at football. Penn State should remind it.
Rohden: Penn State – Hey, Ahmad Wagner, sup?
Bowman: Penn State – Sup, Ahmad Wagner.
Brummond: Penn State – Trace McSorley’s final college game. Thank God.
No. 17 Utah vs. No. 22 Northwestern
Hensley: Utah – Northwestern made it this far because Wisconsin and Iowa wet the bed.
Ruden: Northwestern – It’s a shame Utah doesn’t have a player named Mario, because we could’ve had Mario vs. Bowser.
Kayser: Utah – On the bright side: Northwestern will be irrelevant again after this season (hopefully)
Zuniga: Utah – Pat Fitzgerald’s team is 0-3 in non conference games. How did it win the West again?
Rohden: Utah – Pat Fitzgerald called me missy one time, and I’m still not over it.
Bowman: Utah – Our photographer Nick Rohlman was very upset that Iowa isn’t playing Utah.
Brummond: Utah – Incredibly, Northwestern going for its sixth loss.