On The Line: Bowl Edition
The Daily Iowan football staff goes head-to-head in the most competitive prediction contest journalism has to offer.
Iowa players rush on the field before the Iowa vs. Nebraska game on Friday, November 23, 2018. Iowa defeated the Huskers 31-28.
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.