With the holiday season upon us, it can only mean one thing. No, Santa isn’t coming to town yet, nor is it time to light the candles on the Menorah, but it is time for the Bowl Bash to begin! Here are my predictions and analysis of each of the bowl games upcoming this bowl season:

Gildan New Mexico Bowl

The first game of the bowl season will see the Temple Owls (8-4), expected to be contending for the MAC title this season, against the surprising Cowboys of Wyoming (8-4). The difference maker in this game will be Temple’s junior running back Bernard Pierce, who averages 125.5 yards per game on the ground. My Prediction:  Temple 20, Wyoming 10

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

The once again renamed bowl on the blue turf of Boise will see the runner-up in the MAC title race Ohio Bobcats (9-4) face Utah State (7-5) from the Western Athletic Conference.The duo of Utah State quarterback Adam Kennedy and running back Robert Turbin will be a sight to see, while Ohio attempts to finish the season with double digit wins. My Prediction:  Ohio 27, Utah State 24

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

The New Orleans Bowl will certainly be a showcase of high-powered offense. San Diego State (8-4) averages 29.8 points per game, while Louisiana-Lafayette (8-4) averages 32.3 points per game. The game will also showcase the country’s third leading rusher, the Aztecs’ Ronnie Hillman. My Prediction:  San Diego State 37, Louisiana-Lafayette 21

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl

Florida International (8-4) continues their upswing, bowl eligible once again under the leadership of quarterback Wesley Carroll. Meanwhile, Marshall’s Thundering Herd (6-6) look to finish the season with a winning record after finishing the season on a two game win streak to become bowl eligible. Florida International’s T.Y. Hilton will be looking for a number of passes from Carroll to come his way, averaging 14.8 yards per catch. Meanwhile, Marshall brings a slew of players from Florida, looking for a bowl win in the Sunshine State. My Prediction:  Florida International 31, Marshall 21

Poinsettia Bowl

This Christmas week staple this year features a western title battle, as Mountain West champ TCU (10-2, #18 BCS) battling WAC champ Louisiana Tech (8-4). TCU looks to continue their bowl dominance one year removed from a Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin. Louisiana Tech meanwhile will be making their sixth bowl appearance in school history, facing a tough TCU defense that helped the team win ten of their last eleven games. My Prediction:  TCU 50, Louisiana Tech 16

Las Vegas Bowl

When Boise State (11-1, #7 BCS) isn’t playing in BCS bowl-land, they always seem to land in Vegas. And once again, after just missing out on the BCS after a close loss to TCU, the Broncos will head to Vegas to play the Sun Devils of Arizona State (6-6). Arizona State had a disappointing season overall, after starting the season as the favorites to win the Pac-12 South, they fell flat, jumping in and out of the BCS rankings before totally falling out late. Kellen Moore looks to pick apart the Sun Devils defense in Boise’s second home. My Prediction:  Boise State 52, Arizona State 27

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl

This Christmas Eve classic features another team that had BCS aspirations dashed by the system in Southern Mississippi (11-2, #21 BCS) holding court against the WAC’s (soon to be Mountain West’s) Nevada (7-5). After coach Larry Fedora sparked controversy by saying his Golden Eagles deserved a spot in the BCS after topping undefeated Houston in the Conference USA title game, the Southern Miss crowd will head to the Aloha State, looking to defeat the Wolfpack and quarterback Cody Fajardo, who leads Nevada’s eighth ranked rush attack. My Prediction:  Southern Mississippi 28, Nevada 17

Little Caesars Bowl

The second bowl out after Christmas will feature a frequent MAC championship contender in Western Michigan (7-5) takes on the resurgent Boilermakers of Purdue (6-6). Purdue returns to postseason form after being at the bottom of the Big Ten for years, while Western Michigan looks for a little home-field advantage while playing in Detroit. My Prediction:  Purdue 21, Western Michigan 17

Belk Bowl

The bowl in the Queen City will play host to in-state team NC State (7-5) against the Big East’s Louisville (7-5). Louisville was reinvigorated under the leadership of coach Charlie Strong, and was in the contention for a BCS birth down to the final week of the season. NC State, meanwhile, maintained from where they were under the leadership of last year’s quarterback Russell Wilson, and shocked the ACC ranks with a win against eventual champion Clemson (#7 in the BCS at the time). My Prediction:  Louisville 38, NC State 24

Armed Forces Bowl

The first in what ESPN is dubbing 12 hours of straight bowl games is the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl between new independent BYU (9-3) taking on Tulsa (8-4) from Conference USA. BYU’s high-powered offense led by sophomore quarterback Jake Heaps will face a tough task of keeping up with the high-scoring Tulsa offense, led by running back Ja’Terian Douglas. This game will certainly be a high scoring affair, though I doubt it will reach the numbers in the previous night’s Alamo Bowl. My Prediction:  BYU 37, Tulsa 31

Pinstripe Bowl

The second year of the “Yankee Bowl” will see Rutgers (8-4) come across the river into New York to take on the Big 12′s Iowa State Cyclones (6-6). Rutgers is led by their standout wide receiver Mohammed Sanu, who is looking for a big game against the Cyclones D. However, the Cyclones come in looking to pull the upset after a huge win earlier this year in overtime, dashing Oklahoma State’s hopes at a national title game berth. My Prediction:  Rutgers 31, Iowa State 17

Music City Bowl

The Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl this year will pit Mississippi State (6-6) from the SEC against Wake Forest (6-6) from the ACC. Mississippi State comes into the game with a four game bowl win streak, and Dan Mullen plans to continue that streak against a surprising Demon Deacons squad that surprised many this year in the ACC. My Prediction:  Mississippi State 17, Wake Forest 14

More predictions to come as the bowl season continues…