2012 Rose Bowl: Russell Wilson Leads Wisconsin Against Oregon After Leaving Colorado Rockies

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Russell Wilson has had quite a year. After winning the Champ Sports Bowl against the West Virginia Mountaineers, 23-7, on Dec. 28, 2010, Wilson appeared ready to give up the gridiron with the N.C. State Wolfpack for the baseball diamond. A few weeks later he committed to the Colorado Rockies, who drafted him in Round 4 of the 2010 MLB Draft. He played a bit that summer before returning to the Wolfpack.

Wilson started the 2011 season with the Low-A Asheville Tourists. He struggled mightily and by May rumors of his returning to football began. At the end of June, Wilson had settled on Wisconsin. He finished his baseball season hitting .228/.366/.342 in 61 games. Wilson was a raw baseball player who was adjusting to being an everyday player and using a wood bat. He had to return a large portion of his signing bonus and was placed on the restricted list.

Wilson went on to an 11-2 record, a Big Ten Championship and the Rose Bowl -- all in his only season in Madison, WI. He completed 206-of-284 passes for 2,879 yards with 31 touchdowns and three touchdowns. He could certainly be one of the lesser candidates for the 2011 Heisman Trophy.

Wilson will attempt to make it in the NFL, but the CFL has also been talked about during the summer. The Rockies would certainly welcome him back into the organization if he wanted to pursue baseball again.

Visit Bucky's 5th Quarter for more on Wilson and the Badgers. Addicted to Quack has you covered for Oregon. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2012 BCS Bowl Games Include Oregon And Stanford, Both Victors Over Colorado Buffaloes

The 2012 BCS bowl games have been decided and the Pac-12 is represented by the Oregon Ducks and the Stanford Cardinal. The Ducks will play the Wisconsin Badgers in the Rose Bowl, which came as no surprise once both teams won their respective conference championships. The Stanford Cardinal will head to the Fiesta Bowl to face the Oklahoma St. Cowboys, a team that was just 0.0086 points behind the Alabama Crimson Tide in the final BCS standings.

The Colorado Buffaloes can now say that they lost to two BCS teams in their inaugural season as a member of the Pac-12. But that isn't much comfort since both games were blowouts. Andrew Luck threw for 370 yards and three touchdown passes for the Cardinal in the 48-7 decision. The Buffs were able to score just two points against Oregon. The Buffs recorded the safety in the final minutes of the third quarter for the last points of the game.

The Rose Bowl can be seen on Jan. 2, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. MT (ESPN). The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on the same day and channel at 6:30 p.m. MT.

For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

Military Bowl 2011: Air Force Vs. Toledo Game Time, TV Schedule And More

For the first time since 2008, the Military Bowl will feature one of the US service academies, as Air Force will face Toledo in the 2011 edition. Air Force enters this game on a two-game winning streak, while Toledo has won three in a row following a 63-60 loss to Northern Illinois, which kept the Rockets out of the Mid-American Conference championship game.

Since its inaugural game in 2008, the Military Bowl has been searching for a competitive matchup. The only meeting that was decided in single-digits was UCLA's 30-21 victory over Temple in 2009. While UCLA won the 2009 edition, the two other winners have come from the ACC, with Maryland and Wake Forest both earning victories in previous editions.

Maryland cruised to a 50-21 victory over East Carolina in the 2010 edition of the Military Bowl. In the final game of the Ralph Friedgen era, Da'Rel Scott rushed for a career-high 200 yards on just 13 carries to earn the Most Valuable Player award.

Game Time, Date: 3:30 p.m., CST, Wednesday, Dec. 28

Location: RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.

Television: ESPN

2010 Winner And Loser: Maryland 50, East Carolina 21

For more on each bowl game as it is announced, stay tuned to SB Nation's 2011 college football bowl game bids coverage. Also, be sure to visit our many college football blogs.

Latest 2011 Bowl Predictions Might Mean Boise State Or TCU In BCS Bowl Game

The 2011 bowl game predictions are heating up just hours away from the formal announcement of these games. One of the latest rumors is that either the Boise St. Broncos or the TCU Horned Frogs have jumped into a BCS bowl bid.

According the Oklahoman's Travis Haney, if reports of the Texas Longhorns going to the Holiday Bowl are true that means Kansas State is outside of a BCS bowl bid. However, the Wildcats could be in if both 6-6 teams in the Big 12 make bowl games.

If the former is true, that would mean the Wildcats would play in the Cotton Bowl and the Oklahoma Sooners would be heading to the Insight Bowl. That leaves an at-large BCS bid for the Broncos or TCU. If TCU is in the top 16 of the final BCS standings, they would get the game since they are the Mountain West Conference champions.

The rumors are far from over.

For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

BCS Bowl Games Selection Show: Sunday Night Reveals All

Outside of the actual games being played, one of the most anticipated moments of the college football season is the Bowl Game Selection Show in early December. While it's nowhere close to the frenzy of Selection Sunday for March Madness, the Selection Sgow finally answers the question: who are the top two teams in the BCS standings?

While it's almost assured that the LSU Tigers are the No. 1 team, there are plenty of question marks to be found below that, including at the No. 2 spot. But we'll all need to wait until after 6:00 p.m MT to find that out. ESPN has its usual unveiling of the BCS standings in an hour-long show that begins at that time. While we already know LSU, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Wisconsin, Clemson and likely West Virginia are the conference champions (the latter expected to take the title with the highest BCS average of the three co-champions), there are four at-large bids left. Two should go to Alabama and Stanford since they will likely be Nos. 3 and 4.

The two remaining spots are what add the intrigue to this drawn-out show that will obviously have Craig James talking about like and uninformed observer. After that, at 7:00 p.m. MT, the rest of the non-BCS bowl games will be revealed. For fans of the Air Force Falcons and the Boise St. Broncos, this is the time to tune in and see where the teams are going (unless the latter team gets an at-large bid, a possible but unlikely outcome).

BCS Selection Show Time: 6:00 p.m. MT, ESPN
Bowl Selection Show: 7:00 p.m. MT, ESPN

For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Projections: Independence Bowl For Air Force, According To SB Nation

The Air Force Falcons will learn on Sunday evening which bowl game they will be going to later this month. With the Houston Cougars' loss to the Southern Miss Golden Eagles in the Conference USA championship game, the Falcons aren't sitting comfortably in line to go to the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman any longer. Conference USA has a tie-in for that game and Houston could be selected for that game.

However, Houston could be a good selection for the TicketCity Bowl, which is played in the Cotton Bowl. Jason Kirk of SB Nation predicts Houston to that bowl and Temple and Wake Forest to clash in the Military Bowl. That apparently leaves Air Force to play the N.C. State Wolfpack in the Independence Bowl, the same game the Falcons played in last year.

The Independence Bowl committee reportedly decided to leave the Falcons off its list of teams to take to the game, but plenty can happen to change minds in the two weeks since that info came out.

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Falcons and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Predictions: Boise State, Las Vegas Bowl Look Like Good Fit

Even with slight hopes that they can make a BCS bowl game, the Boise St. Broncos are more than likely to play in one of the early bowl games of the season. The Mountain West has many tie-ins with the early games, be it the New Mexico Bowl, the Poinsettia Bowl, the Las Vegas Bowl or the Independence Bowl. And there's always an outside chance that a conference doesn't have a team eligible to make a particular bowl game, allowing other negotiations to happen.

But CollegeBowlProjections.com has the Broncos heading to the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl, the same bowl game the Broncos played in and won last year (defeating Utah, 26-3). The Las Vegas Bowl appears to have no objections to bringing in the Broncos for a second year in a row.

The Broncos would face a team from the Pac-12. CBP.com projects the Arizona St. Sun Devils to be the Pac-12 team. The Sun Devils don't have the greatest resume after ending the season at 6-6. They lost four straight games to end the season: UCLA (Pac-12 South champions, 6-7 overall, needing a waiver to play in a bowl and potentially a selection for this bowl), Washington State, Arizona and California. The team started 5-1.

Bowl selection comes on Sunday night after the BCS standings are announced. The latter takes place after 6:00 p.m. MT while the former should begin around 7:00 p.m MT.

For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Projections: Air Force Still Predicted For Military Bowl A Day Away From Selection Sunday

The college football season is winding down with Championship Week and other miscellaneous games. But for the Air Force Falcons, the season has already ended. The team became bowl eligible last week when they beat the Colorado St. Rams for their seventh win of the season (only one of the two wins against FCS teams counts toward eligibility).

Scout.com still predicts that the Falcons will participate in the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman. With neither Navy being bowl eligible nor a Conference USA team looking likely to go to the bowl, the Falcons have been speculated as the choice to face an ACC team. This is the only bowl that makes sense since the Independence Bowl would rather not have Air Force again. Wyoming is projected to go to that bowl, anyway.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are predicted to be the team that makes it for the ACC. The Tar Heels went 7-5 overall and 3-5 in conference play.

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Falcons and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Predictions: Air Force Heading To New Mexico Bowl? SB Nation Thinks So

While many bowl projections are calling for the Air Force Falcons to go to the Northrop Grumman-sponsored Military Bowl in Washington, D.C., SB Nation's Bill Connelly, however, projects the Falcons to play in the first bowl game of the season: the New Mexico Bowl. Ooph.

The games takes place on Dec. 17 in Albuquerque, NM. Gildan is in its first year sponsoring this bowl. If Connelly's prediction holds up, the Falcons would face the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, who are 7-5 and are likely going to their first bowl game ever. The Hilltoppers joined the FCS level in 2007.

It will take some help to get Western Kentucky into this bowl, since the Pac-12 has the other tie-in to this game (the Mountain West took over from the WAC this season). The Hilltoppers are from the Sun Belt.

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Falcons and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Projections: Air Force To Military Bowl, Says ESPN

It's looking clearer now that the Military Bowl presented By Northrop Grumman will look to invite the Air Force Falcons on Sunday, Dec. 4. The Falcons became bowl eligible when they defeated the Colorado St. Rams on Saturday.

ESPN's Mark Schlabach and Brad Edwards are both in agreement about the Falcons will head to the Military Bowl, which is played on Dec. 28 in Washington, D.C.'s, Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. Navy, situated in Annapolis, usually has the tie-in to this game, but the Midshipmen aren't bowl eligible this season. Conference USA usually fills in if Navy can't go, but there doesn't appear to be a team able to go. Choosing another service academies works well here.

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons finished 6-6 and are projected to be Air Force's opponent. Air Force is 1-0 all-time against the Deacons, a 42-0 victory back in 1998, for whatever that may be worth.

For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Predictions: Fiesta Bowl Could Feature Oklahoma State Vs. Stanford

The Stanford Cardinal will go to a BCS bowl outside of the National Championship Game and the Rose Bowl as long as they stay in or above the No. 4 spot in next week's final rankings. That guarantees the school an automatic BCS bid, but there's nothing that could move Stanford into the top two of the BCS standings. And since the school is not the Pac-12 North's representative in the conference championship game (Oregon is), the Rose Bowl is out of the question.

Samuel Chi, the BCS Guru, predicts that Stanford will face the Oklahoma St. Cowboys in the Fiesta Bowl. That matchup depends on the Cowboys downing the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday, a very likely possibility. A contest between quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Brandon Weeden would certainly prove to be an entertaining watching experience.

The Colorado Buffaloes are certainly familiar with both those teams. The Buffs lost to Stanford this season in their first season as part of the Pac-12. When they were part of the Big 12, Colorado went 4-4 against the Cowboys.

For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Predictions: Boise State Looking At Poinsettia Bowl

Barring a loss by the Houston Cougars losing the Conference USA Championship Game and seeing a few other dominoes fall, the Boise St. Broncos will need to settle for a pre-New Year's Day bowl game. The Broncos could go to the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl or the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia. The Las Vegas Bowl gets the first pick of teams from the Mountain West and could take the TCU Horned Frogs over Boise State, unless TCU gets a BCS bowl bid.

But working under the assumption that TCU does not, Scout.com projects Boise State to go to the Poinsettia Bowl and TCU to head to Las Vegas. The Poinsettia Bowl takes place on Dec. 21 and, while Scout projects Nevada to the game, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs received and accepted the bowl bid on Saturday night. Boise State moved to the Mountain West from the WAC this season.

TCU goes up against the Utah Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl. The Utes had been Mountain West members until this summer when the team moved to the Pac-12.

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to Once Bronco Nation Under God. For more news on the Falcons and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Projections: Air Force Falcons Still Projected For Military Bowl

The Air Force Falcons attained bowl eligibility on Saturday when they defeated the Colorado St. Rams. It was their seventh win of the season, but for bowl purposes the Academy has just six wins. Two victories came against FCS teams and bowl criteria states that only one of those counts per season.

But at 7-5 the Falcons can go bowling, and Scout.con projects the Military Bowl for the team. The Northrop Grumman-sponsored game takes place on Dec. 28 in Washington, D.C., at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. The projected opponent is North Carolina, an ACC team. The Falcons would actually be taking this bowl spot from a Conference USA team, which has a bowl tie-in here, and Navy. The Midshipmen are not bowl eligible and no C-USA team is expected to be eligible. 

And, let's face it, the Military Bowl needs to have one of the nation's service academies there, pending team eligibility.

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Falcons and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Projections: Boise State Winds Up In BCS National Title Game How?

Sure, it's a real long shot for the Boise St. Broncos to make it to the CBS National Title game, but don't count it out. Over at SBNation.com, Andy Hutchins breaks down  possible BCS Bowl projections and saves the Boise State one for last (because, it's the best, right?). Howe does it happen?

This weekend the Broncos would first need to defeat Wyoming and then send New Mexico to another loss. That's the simple part. Arkansas needs to lose to LSU on Friday, as does Alabama to Auburn on Saturday. That would set up an LSU-Georgia Championship Game, which LSU needs to lose by a wide margin. But those aren't the only losses that need to happen.

Here are the others, according to Hutchins:

Virginia Tech to Virginia; Oklahoma State to Oklahoma; Oklahoma to Iowa State; Stanford to Notre Dame and/or Pac-12 South team in Pac-12 Championship Game; Houston to Tulsa; Oregon to Oregon State.

That's a mighty tall order, and one that shouldn't causes individuals to hold their breath for over the next two weeks.

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Falcons and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Projections: Independence Bowl Will Not Take Air Force

The Air Force Falcons still need to defeat the Colorado St. Rams on Saturday to become bowl eligible, but if they win they should not expect to be heading back to the Independence Bowl for a second consecutive year. The bowl has come out and said that they do not want Air Force in their bowl in consecutive years. With this news, Air Force could be on the outside looking in at a bowl game with Mountain West ties. The Las Vegas and Poinsettia Bowls are likely to take either the TCU Horned Frogs or Boise St. Broncos and that leaves the New Mexico Bowl -- who is fourth in the bowl pecking order - as the other Mountain West bowl tie.

Since Air Force lost to both the Wyoming Cowboys and San Diego St. Aztecs it is likely that Air Force would be the last team considered from the Mountain West bowl teams. However, several bowl projections from the past week have Air Force slotted to be in the Military Bowl where they would face an ACC team likely the North Carolina Tar Heels or the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Falcons and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Projections: Boise State Lined Up For Either MAACO Or Poinsettia Bowl

The Boise St. Broncos, barring a miracle, won't make a BCS game this season, but they are already in the discussion for other lesser bowls. Late on Sunday night, news broke that the Broncos are a favorite to go to the MAACO Bowl in Las Vegas.

If the MAACO Bowl winds up opting for the TCU Horned Frogs, it would appear that the Poinsettia Bowl would take the Broncos (and take TCU if the Broncos do go to the MAACO Bowl), reports the Idaho Statesman. The La. Tech Bulldogs will be the opponent for either team, as long as they win this weekend.

Of course, the Wyoming Cowboys could be in the mix if they upset the Broncos this Saturday.

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Falcons, Rams and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Projections: Military Bowl Looks Like Good Fit For Air Force

The Air Force Falcons still need to win the season finale against the Colorado St. Rams on Saturday, but if they do pick up the victory, the Military Bowl could be calling for them. Both ESPN and Scout.com project the Falcons to participate in the Dec. 28 game in Washington, D.C.

The Navy Midshipmen would have had the tie-in to this bowl game, but the team is not bowl-eligible this season. Also, Conference USA has a tie-in for that spot, but there aren't any teams that project for this bowl. That allows the Northrop Grumman-sponsored bowl to take another service academy, the Air Force Falcons.

The Falcons will face an ACC opponent, and right now the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons could make the bowl.

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Falcons, Rams and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Projections: Boise State Favored For MAACO Bowl

While the Boise St. Broncos have a narrow chance at making a BCS bowl game, it is more than likely that the team will need to settle for one of the early games during the bowl season. Over at SBNation.com, Jason Kirk predicts the Broncos will play in the Poinsettia Bowl against the La. Tech Bulldogs on Dec. 21.

Late on Sunday evening, though, Chadd Cripe of the Idaho Statesman reported that the MAACO Bowl in Las Vegas would want the Broncos back for the game. Because the Broncos have played there in previous years, they would be favored for the offer over Mountain West champion TCU.

Bowl selections are announced on Dec. 4 (though several are already trickling out early).

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Falcons, Rams and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Predictions: Air Force to Military Bowl

Despite still needing a victory in the final week of the season to become bowl eligible SB Nation's Jason Kirk is projecting that Air Force will be headed to the Military Bowl this bowl season. Despite currently sitting at 6-5 on the season, Air Force needs to beat Colorado State this coming Saturday in order to reach bowl eligibility thanks to having two victories over FCS teams, of which only one counts.

Kirk projects Air Force to take on Wake Forest in the Military Bowl, though that could obviously change depending on how the ACC shakes out. The Deacons, who are also 6-5 on the season, gained bowl eligibility on Saturday with a win over Maryland and will finish out the season against Vanderbilt.

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Falcons, Rams and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Predictions: Air Force To Military Bowl?

Coming off a tough loss at home to the Wyoming Cowboys, the Air Force Falcons must win their final two regular season games in order to reach bowl eligibility. ESPN's Mark Schlabach and Brad Edwards both think the Falcons can do just that. Schlabach has Air Force in the Military Bowl against Wake Forest, while Edwards thinks the Falcons will land in the Poinsettia Bowl against North Carolina.

Elsewhere in the region, Colorado State has lost five straight but could still become bowl eligible by winning out. One of those wins would have to come against Air Force, so that game could prove to be an elimination game of sorts. Of course, the Rams would first have to find a way to win at TCU for a high-stakes game against Air Force to become a possibility.

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Falcons, Rams and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

Bowl Projections 2011: Boise State Loses Out On BCS Game, Could Head To Poinsettia Bowl

From a slight chance at making it to the BCS National Title game to a slim chance of making any BCS bowl game, the Boise St. Broncos have lost the most this weekend after joining the ranks of the undefeated. The Broncos lost to the TCU Horned Frogs, 36-35, on a missed field goal and saw their BCS chances destroyed.

With the National Title game, the Sugar Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl and the other BCS games likely out of reach, where will the Broncos play this postseason. Jason Kirk at SB Nation predicts the Poinsettia Bowl, which is played on Dec. 21. The Broncos' opponent? The Nevada Wolf Pack. As we should recall by now, Nevada was the team that dashed the Broncos' chances of playing in a BCS game last season.

We'll get a better idea of the Broncos' bowl position after Sunday's BCS rankings come out.

For more on the Broncos, check out One Bronco Nation Under God. Visit SB Nation NCAA Football for more on college football.

2011 Bowl Projections: Air Force Projected For TicketCity Bowl

The Air Force Falcons have a rocky road to actually become bowl eligible in 2011. After Saturday's 25-17 loss to Wyoming, the Falcons are now 5-5 and need to win their last two games of the season to reach eligibility. Normally it takes only six wins to make a bowl game, but the Falcons have two wins against FCS teams (South Dakota, Tennessee State). Only one win against and FCS team per year is counted. That means the Falcons need defeat the UNLV Rebels at home and then win the regular season finale on the road against the Colorado St. Rams. It's certainly doable, but by no means should anyone guarantee it.

However, Jason Kirk over at SBNation.com projects the Falcons to play in the Jan. 2 TicketCity Bowl against the Big 10's Iowa Hawkeyes. A post-New Year's Day bowl game would be a step up for the Falcons

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Falcons and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Projections: Air Force To New Mexico Or Shreveport

Air Force didn't play its best football against Army on Saturday, but the Falcons emerged with the win nonetheless, taking the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy and putting themselves one step closer to bowl eligibility. ESPN's Mark Schlabach and Brad Edwards expect Air Force to go bowling, though they disagree on the destination.

Schlabach has the Falcons in the New Mexico Bowl against Ball State, while Edwards has them in the Independence bowl against North Carolina. Suffice it to say that the latter would be a bit more exciting for everyone involved.

The 5-4 Falcons finish with home games against UNLV and Wyoming, then close out the regular season at Colorado State. A 3-0 finish is well within the realm of possibility.

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Rams and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Projections: Air Force To The Poinsetta Bowl?

With an easy 42-0 victory over the New Mexico Lobos this past Saturday, the Air Force Falcons moved to 4-4 on the 2011 season. With the tough part of their schedule now firmly in their rearview mirror, the Falcons are poised to make a run at postseason play. Air Force will take on Navy on Saturday, who they haven't lost to since 2005. After that comes Wyoming, UNLV and Colorado State. The latter two should be easy victories for the Falcons, though their showdown versus the Mountain West leading Cowboys will likely decide where they end up this bowl season.

In his newest bowl projections, SB Nation's Bill Connelly is bullish on the Falcons. He has them projected to win out and finish 8-4, which according to his math would have Air Force shipping out West to face Utah State in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsetta Bowl. Connelly has the (other) Aggies pegged for a 6-6 finish, which would potentially open the door for Air Force to finish 2011 with nine wins.

2011 Bowl Projections: Colorado State To The New Mexico Bowl?

The Colorado State Rams have lost four consecutive games and sit two games below .500 with four to play, but there is at least one pundit who believes the Rams can reach bowl eligibility this season. Phil Steele thinks the Rams could land in the New Mexico Bowl and face Northern Illinois.

Colorado State is coming off a devastating loss on the road to a dreadful UNLV team; if they're to find their way to six or seven wins, they're going to have to right the ship in a hurry. Assuming they drop their road game at Texas Christian, they'd need to win all of the other remaining games--against San Diego State, Air Force and Wyoming--in order to reach 6-6 and bowl eligibility. That's feasible, perhaps, and all three of those contests are in Ft. Collins, but the Rams figure to be underdogs from here on out.

For more as this story develops, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more news on the Rams and the rest of the MWC, visit Mountain West Connection. For news and notes from around college football, head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Projections: Air Force Could Return To Independence Bowl In 2011

The Air Force Falcons are just 4-4 as October ends, but barring an unforeseen losing streak the team should go to a bowl game for the fifth time in Troy Calhoun's five-year tenure at the academy. The Falcons are on a two-game winning streak, having won the Armed Forces Bowl in 2009 and the Independence Bowl in 2010. Where might they wind up this season?

SB Nation's collected some of the major bowl projections and has found three different bowl destinations for the Falcons so far. Phil Steele and ESPN's Brad Edwards both see the Falcons reaching the Independence Bowl again--Steele predicting Wake Forest as the opponent and Edwards seeing the Miami Hurricanes making it there. The Falcons defeated Georgia Tech, 14-7, in Shreveport, La., last year.

Scout.com predicts the Poinsettia Bowl against Louisiana Tech, while Mark Schlabach sees them going to the New Mexico Bowl.

The Independence Bowl is the best possible result for the Falcons this season.

For more 2011 college football bowl projections make sure to head over to SB Nation's college football hub.

2011 Bowl Projections: Air Force To Poinsettia Bowl

Air Force looks to be heading to the Poinsettia Bowl where they will face a team from the WAC, and this week has them lined up against Louisiana Tech.