Marqise Lee and the USC Trojans head to this year’s Hyundai Sun Bowl where they’ll meet the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in what should be a high-flying shootout. It’s a game with too many story lines to miss. Photo by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Before the New Years Day’s bowls fill the schedule Tuesday, there’s some tasty matchups on Monday across the country as four bowl games fill the day. One of the bowls that will have plenty of attention is the mid-afternoon matchup of the pre-season #1 USC Trojans and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Sun Bowl. USC is back to bowling after a couple year’s of sanctions as they take on the ACC Coastal champion (and 6-7) Georgia Tech. It should be an interesting game on multiple levels as USC looks to build for the future and plenty of future NFL-players fill the field. Here’s a quick look at what to expect:

When to Watch: 2:00 PM Monday, December 31

Where to Watch: Live on CBS from the Sun Bowl, El Paso, Texas

What to Watch for

Dec 1, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Tevin Washington (13) pitches the ball to running back B.J. Bostic (7) in the second quarter of the ACC Championship at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

When Georgia Tech has the ball: Georgia Tech’s offense is far from balanced, but they’re good at what they do. They ranked 119th in the country in passing yards besting just five teams but were fourth in the nation in rushing yards behind only Oregon, Air Force, and Army. They finished the regular season in a three-way tie for the most rushing touchdowns with Oregon and Louisiana Tech.

The running attack is led by quarterback Tevin Washington who threw for just 1,173 yards and seven touchdowns but led the team with 19 rushing touchdowns to go with his 638 yards on the ground. The Yellow Jackets leading rusher on the season was Senior Orwin Smith who has averaged nine yards a carry while rushing for 673 yards and five touchdowns so far this season.

USC’s defense finished in the middle of the rankings in rushing defense but struggled down the stretch allowing 38 points or more in three of four games during their end of the season skid. Lane Kiffin’s dad, Monte Kiffin will be on the sidelines as defensive coordinator for the last time on Monday as he’s leaving the program after the season. Defensive end Leonard Williams is a player to watch after winning fresman defensive player of the year in the Pac-12 as a result of his 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Morgan Breslin, the defensive end opposite Williams, has 12 sacks and 18 tackles for loss making the All-Pac-12 second team and being named a finalist for the 2012 Hendricks Award for the best defensive end of the year.

Nov. 24, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lane Kiffin gives instructions to quarterback Max Wittek (13) in the fourth quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Notre Dame won 22-13. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

When USC has the ball: USC came into the season with a Heisman favorite at quarterback and a pair of dynamic wide receivers as well as a running back transfer from Penn State with high expectations. Unfortunately, the season didn’t unfold according to the Trojans script. Matt Barkley announced on twitter that he still has not been cleared to play which leaves freshman Max Wittek at the controls for USC. The extra practices have surely helped Wittek who has a cannon for an arm and made some nice plays in his collegiate debut in the Trojans finale against the tough Notre Dame defense.

The weapons Wittek has at his disposal are definitely formidable. Sophomore receiver Marqise Lee was the Pac-12 Offensive player of the year. Lee enters the game just behind Terrance Williams of Baylor in yards per game receiving and leading the country in receptions with 112. He caught 14 touchdowns on the year and is averaging 215.67 all-purpose yards per game. Lee is a special talent who is also vitally involved in the return game and is a threat to go the distance whenever he touches the ball. Across the field from him is Robert Woods who has 11 touchdowns of his own to go with 813 yards on 73 catches.

After transferring from Penn State, Silas Redd was unable to reach 1,000 yards but did lead the team with 817 yards and nine touchdowns. Redd could really help the Trojans balance their attack and take pressure off Wittek with a big game against the Georgia Tech defense.

The Yellow Jackets come in ranked 47th in the country against the rush and 69th against the pass, but allowed 30.0 points per game which ranked them 11th out of the 12 teams in the ACC. Defensive coordinator Al Groh was replaced in early October but the defense still allowed 50 points to North Carolina and 42 to Georgia as they went 3-2 coming down the stretch.

Who to Watch (NFL Prospects)

Sep 24, 2011; Tempe, AZ, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley (7) and receiver Robert Woods (2) react during the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

The big name is obviously Matt Barkley although he won’t be playing in this game. The USC quarterback hurt his draft stock a bit this season and has probably become the #2 quarterback picked after Geno Smith goes first overall. There’s still lots of time before the draft for that to change but his injury clouds the situation.

The other Trojans who could be drafted this year include receiver Robert Woods who would likely go in the late first or early second round if he declares early. In the second or third round we could also see cornerback Nickell Robey, defensive end Morgan Breslin, and center Khaled Holmes selected if Breslin and Robey opt to forego their final year of eligibility. Later in the draft, expect seniors T.J. McDonald and Wes Horton to come off the board at safety and defensive end respectively.

While not matching the Trojans glut of NFL-level talent, there should be at least two Yellow Jackets picked this year. Omoregie Uzzi could be a third of fourth round selection after making the All-ACC first team at offensive guard. Rod Sweeting is the other likely draftee at cornerback. His situation is extremely fluid based on measurables and how he fares at the combine.

Final Verdict

Some may think USC will sleep-walk through this game since its only a mid-tier bowl and far below their preseason expectations. However, it’s important to remember that there has been no bowls at any level for Coach Lane Kiffin and USC the last few years. It definitely hurts not having Barkley, but I think Wittek will have a solid game and lead the Trojans past the Yellow Jackets in a high-scoring, wildly entertaining shootout in the desert.

Georgia Tech has lost seven straight bowl games including a loss to Utah last year in the Sun Bowl. They finished the year at just 6-7 with some ugly losses including one to Middle Tennessee and getting blown out at home by BYU. Their defense has been struggling and the USC defense has the athletes to chase down their option.

The spread is at 7.5 right now after falling the last few days since Barkley was ruled out. At 10 points, I liked Tech to cover like they did against Florida state their last time out, but as the line falls I think more and more I’ll give the points and go with Wittek to win and cover.

The Michigan State Spartans head into the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl in Arizona looking to ride running back Le’Veon Bell to a win over the TCU Horned Frogs. Find out why I think they’ll get it done below. Photo by Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

A full day of college football this Saturday wraps up with the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl as TCU and Michigan State both look to end somewhat disappointing seasons with a bowl win despite posting a losing record in their conferences. In many ways, the programs mirror each other coming off 11-win seasons with solid defenses but offenses that struggled resulting in underwhelming seasons including failing to win a conference game at home. One of these teams will end their season on a positive note with a win out West.

When to Watch: 10:15 PM ET, Saturday, December 29, 2012

Where to Watch: Live on ESPN from Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona

What to Watch for

Nov 24, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA: Michigan State Spartans quarterback Andrew Maxwell (10) drops back to throw a pass in the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium. Michigan State won 26-10. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

When Michigan State has the ball: The Spartans  offense has struggled all year after losing Kirk Cousins, B.J. Cunningham, and Keshawn Martin to the NFL. They rank 109th in the country in scoring offense averaging just 20 points per game. The Spartans reached 30 just twice this season and were held under 20 six times. Their quarterbacked by junior Andrew Maxwell who threw for 2,578 yards while starting all of Spartans games and throwing just 13 touchdowns to go with his nine interceptions.

The strength of the Spartans offense is definitely their running game behind Le’Veon Bell who opened the year with a bang running for 210 yards and a pair of touchdowns against a tough Boise State defense and added two more 200-yard games including a season-high 266 in the regular season finale at Minnesota. Bell totaled 1,648 yards good enough for third in the country in rushing yards per game.

To run the ball effectively, Bell will have to overcome a TCU rushing defense that finished in the top 10 in rushing defense and the top 20 in total defense. Freshman Devonte Fields is one of the top defensive ends in the country leading the Big 12 in tackles for loss with 17.5 including 9.0 sacks. The leader in the defensive backfield is Junior Jason Verrett who was on multiple postseason awards lists after finishing with six interceptions, and 20 passes defended. Verrett also had a huge blocked FG in the Horned Frogs win over West Virginia.

Dec 01, 2012; Fort Worth, TX, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Trevone Boykin (2) throws during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Oklahoma won 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

When TCU has the ball: The TCU offense has taken some time to round into form after a mid-season setback and having to go to a freshman under center.  The Horned Frogs started the season with junior Casey Pachall under center as they ran out to a 4-0 start and a #15 ranking. On October 4, the season changed when Pachall was arrested on suspicion of DWI and eventually left the program. Trevone Boykin stepped in and started the final eight games of the season finishing the regular sesason with 1,853 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. The offense of TCU finished in the middle of the national rankings in most major categories lacking a big-time playmaker, but getting nice road wins at Texas and West Virginia to finish 2-2 in their final four games all of which came against ranked teams.

The defense of the Spartans was one of the tops in the nation finishing tenth in scoring defense, eighth in rushing defense, ninth in passing defense, and fourth in total defense. Michigan State allowed just five rushing touchdowns all year and had three players named to the All-Big Ten first team. Junior linebacker Max Bullough was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award after leading the team in tackles with 102 and tackles for loss with 12. He was joined on the team by defensive backs Johnny Adams (who won’t be available for this game) and Darqueze Dennard who finished with three picks, seven pass break-ups, and ten passes defended. The Spartans have leaned on their defense all year and they should be able to count on them again in this one.

Who to Watch for (NFL Prospects)

October 20, 2012; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Denard Robinson (16) is tackled by Michigan State Spartans defensive end William Gholston (2) during 2nd half of a game at Michigan Stadium. Michigan won 12-10. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

From Michigan State, the junior class has standouts who may or may not enter the draft early this year. Defensive end William Gholston and running back Le’Veon Bell could both be third or fourth round selections if the elect to forgo their final year of eligibility. Bell has reportedly dropped some weight and feels quicker and faster which could help him move up draft boards. However, Bell could return to East Lansing for another season. Gholston could easily move into the first round after another monster year with a positive pre-draft process. The Spartans could also have cornerback Johnny Adams (injured for this game), defensive tackle Anthony Rashad White, offensive guard Chris McDonald, and kicker Dan Conroy drafted in the later rounds this year.

From TCU, the best prospect is Blaize Foltz, an offensive guard who could be picked toward the end of the draft after a solid season which earned him All-Big 12 honorable mention from the coaches in his conference.

Final Verdict

Michigan State’s physical defense should be able to contain the TCU offense although the extra practices are sure to have helped Boykin’s development. The Spartans have gone the whole year relying on their defense and Le’Veon Bell which should be a recipe for success in this one. The physical run-first style of the Big 10 plays to their advantage and they should be able to impose their will up front and ride the game’s best play-maker, Le’Veon Bell to bowl success. Michigan State finally got a bowl win after a long draught last year beating Georgia in a thrilling triple-overtime Outback Bowl. That experience will help them as they face TCU’s freshman stand-outs. On Friday, the Golden Gophers of the Big 10 hung right in with Texas Tech of the Big 12 although they ultimately came up short. In this one I thienk the Big 10 kocks off the Big 12.

Michigan State comes in at 3.5 point underdogs which in a game where points will be precious is actually more than it seems. I’d gladly take the Spartans and the points as they close a busy day of football out with at least a cover, but I’m comfortable picking them to win this one outright. I don’t have a ton of confidence points on this one in Bowl Mania, but I’m picking MSU for the close, dramatic victory.