Introducing the Victoria Times Big Ten Bowl Pick'em Challenge

It's bowl season once again, and if you remember last year at all, you know I get into them. This year, we're inviting several other blogs, namely those with an interest in Big Ten Sports, to join the party. Look around the internet at the following sites that have been invited to participate. The entries are slowly trickling in but everyone has until Saturday to get their picks in. The invitees:
Sparty MSU was the first to respond and is doing a wonderful job with their preview.
Paging Jim Shikenjanski (For my money, the best named blog in the state of Minnesota)
Boiled Sports
Mondesi's House
Hoosier Report
Illini Talk
Black Heart, Gold Pants (Iowa, for those that don't know)
Maize N Brew
MGoBlog
Lake The Posts (Northwestern)
Around the Oval (Ohio State)
Buckeye Commentary
Halftime Adjustments (Ohio State)
Black Shoe Diaries (Penn State)
There is No Name On My Jersey (Penn State)

As I said, the entries are coming in, and as I was compiling that list, I got another. Here are the rules. We're just picking the Big Ten bowl games, both the winner and the score, and we'll sort everything out by the number of correct games followed by the nearness to the correct score, if, in fact, nearness is a real word. Be sure to check out all of those sites, because if they want their picks made public, they will appear on their own site, much like the picks Steve and I will be making, which are found below. For every game, the first pick is mine, the second Steve's.

Motor City Bowl
Ryan
Purdue 38 Central Michigan 21 - I get the feeling that this is the type of game where everyone says in the first half "Wow, how is Purdue only playing in the Motor City Bowl" then in the second, we are reminded of way. But Purdue will still win.
Steve
Purdue 45, Central Michigan 17
Purdue was up 38-0 when they played earlier this year before the defense got soft and gave up some garbage time points. I expect the same to happen here.

Champs Sports
Ryan
Boston College 49, Michigan State 14
I don't remember when we've been given any evidence that Michigan State is remotely close to as talented as BC. I will say this though, MSU tends to play to their opponents skill level, so I could be totally off on this one.
Steve
Boston College 34, Michigan State 14
BC was nearly in a BCS bowl. MSU was 6th in the Big Ten

Alamo
Ryan
Penn State 24, Texas A&M 16
I like Penn State in any game where there defense is well rested (their offense has been mostly irrelevant). A&M has been mediocre all year.
Steve
Texas A&M 42, Penn State 40 (3 OT)
This is a pretty even matchup between 2 middle of the pack teams in 2 big conferences that weren't that strong this year. I think A&M takes this after Penn State misses a 2 point conversion in OT. 1 OT for every poop break that Paterno takes during the game

Insight
Ryan
Oklahoma State 30, Indiana 21
I truly know nothing about Indiana this year, aside from the fact that they were playing for the memory of their deceased coach. Last year, they would be on ESPN Plus and I could see them play a couple times a year, but this year they've always been on the Big Ten Network. I just have to go with tradition and pick IU to lose.
Steve
Oklahoma State 48, Indiana 37
This will be a shootout between 2 teams that don't really have any impressive wins. OK State wins because his coach IS A MAN......HE'S 40!!!!!!!!!!!

Outback
Ryan
Tennessee 21, Wisconsin 20
I think this will be a fantastic game between two nearly evenly matched opponents. I think I'm basing this pick on how much I like the Tennessee spirit I always see and the fact that Wisconsin is almost aggressively dull.
Steve
Tennessee 28, Wisconsin 24
On paper, Tennessee had a more impressive year, but Wisconsin historically plays tougher in bowl games so this one could be close.

Capital One
Ryan
Florida 34, Michigan 20
While I expect this game will be closer than expected, primarily because Tebow isn't a spread quarterback, I also expect Michigan to lose. They haven't got up for a big game yet this year. Why start now?
Steve
Florida 52, Michigan 20
Michigan is in for a world of hurt. This will be like the national championship game last year and UM vs. Oregon this year.

Rose
Ryan
USC 53, Illinois 10
I really don't think Illinois is all that good, merely resilient, which can only get you so far. Rashard Mendenhall is my favorite name in college football though.
Steve
USC 42, Illinois 13
BCS mismatch of the year. I'm proud of Illinois for taking Notre Dame's spot for them this year

BCS Championship
Ryan
LSU 17, Ohio State 14
Both teams have made a name for themselves on defense this year, and I fully expect this to be a low scoring affair. When LSU gets into the high scoring shootouts, they find trouble. Fortunately, Ohio State isn't a huge threat to score a ton of points.
Steve
Ohio State 24, LSU 23
Call me crazy, but the underdog was won 7 of 9 BCS title games. I think Ohio State is getting angry about getting written off, embarrassed about last year, and LSU just seems a little too shaky to trust here.

So those are our picks. We'll have a list of participants perhaps on Saturday. It should be fun