Valero Alamo Bowl
San Antonio, Texas
December 29, 2008, 7pm Central
#21 Missouri Tigers (9-4) vs. #23 Northwestern Wildcats (9-3)
Television: ESPN
The Chase Daniel era comes to a close tonight in San Antonio, Texas at the Alamo Bowl. Missouri’s season is a mixed bag, having won the Big 12 North for the second year in a row, but failing to to win the conference championship game or make a BCS game. In fact, in rankings they’re lower than four teams from the Big 12 South.
In addition to the Big 12 Championship Game, they lost to Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma State. They’re best win of the season was against Nebraska.
For Northwestern, this season exceeded expectations, with head coach Pat Fitzgerald molding the Wildcats into a viable contender, albeit not a major football power by any stretch of the imagination. Northwestern has not won a bowl game in 59 years.
The Alamo Bowl is often one of the more entertaining bowls of the season, with close games being the norm. Tonight’s game should not disappoint.
Missouri’s Daniel has passed for 4,135 yards this season, with his two favorite receives being Jeremy Maclin and Chase Coffman. Missouri’s spread attack will be unlike anything Northwestern has seen in the Big 10 this year, and stopping it a tall order for their defense.
Offensively, the Wildcats get back Tyrell Sutton. The team’s leading rusher missed the last four games with a broken left wrist. He has 776 yards rushing with six touchdowns and 276 yards receiving with two scores.
While I’m hoping for a close, entertaining game, my suspicion is that Northwestern will get all Northwesterny tonight, and Missouri will roll.
Prediction: Missouri 31, Northwestern 17