College football bowl season -- Five big questions

It's time to ask the big questions for the bowl season.

1. Are there too many bowl games?

Yes, way too many. There are 25 bowl games in a little over two weeks. I have no problem with all football, all the time, but some of these games are a little ridiculous. I mean Colorado State vs. North Texas? I thought North Texas was the school from the movie "Necessary Roughness." I half expected Scott Bakula to come rolling out of the tunnel and throw the ball to Sinbad. The Independence Bowl, the GalleryFurniture.com Bowl, The Music City Bowl? Are you telling me that all of these bowls are that important to the bowl system?

2. Who's the quarterback to watch?

Rex Grossman is good, Eric Crouch is exciting, David Carr could be a future NFL star, but if you watch one quarterback this Bowl season, please watch Joey Harrington play. The Oregon Ducks quarterback is one of the best players in the country and a lot of people have never had a good look at him. He is the main reason Oregon is 10-1. He threw for 2,414 yards this season and had 23 TDs and five INTs. Also "Captain Comeback" is a great fourth quarter QB. Harrington has lead the Ducks to nine-fourth quarter rallies in his career. Besides he has that whole "quarterback attitude thing" going on that a lot of these guys don't seem to have anymore.

3. What is the most interesting non-BCS bowl game?

The Holiday Bowl matching No. 21 Washington (8-3) vs. No. 9 Texas (10-2) on December 28th at 8:30 p.m. EST. Texas returns to the same bowl where it lost to Oregon last year. The Longhorns were last seen blowing a chance to play for the national title by losing to Colorado. Major Applewhite is the starting QB again after being unfairly benched in favor of Chris Simms who is mainly responsible for that loss. Washington is playing in its first game since losing 65-7 to Miami on November 24th. Texas will be playing in its 41st bowl, the third most behind Alabama (51) and Tennessee (42). Washington has lost five of its last seven bowl games, but defeated Purdue, 34-24, in last season's Rose Bowl.

This could be a possible preview of the 2002 National Championship game. Hey, I said possible!

4. Which BCS bowl game will be the biggest blowout?

Miami should win the Rose Bowl, but they won't blow away Nebraska. Oregon and Colorado should be fairly competitive in the Fiesta Bowl. The Sugar Bowl should be exciting with LSU and Illinois going at it. I'm sorry to say that the mismatch appears to be the Orange Bowl. The last time Maryland went to Florida, the FSU spanked them and the Gators are a heck of a lot tougher than the Seminoles. Florida's speed should prove to be too much for an overachieving Terrapins squad. The Fridge has done a great job, but he needs more talent to dance with the big boys.

5. Who will be Notre Dame's new coach?

That's an easy one. Jon Gruden. Or maybe Tyrone Willingham. Or Tom Coughlin. Or Steve Mariucci. Or Tom O'Brien. Or...oh I have no idea.