by Paul Grossinger
(Balt. Md)
2010 Capital One Bowl Preview
Prediction: LSU 30; Penn State 24
This game features two teams that featured impressive records but both lost the games that actually mattered. LSU (9-3) lost its games against Florida and Alabama to make itself the SEC's third wheel. Penn State (10-2) was solid all season but lost to the other two power players in the conference and its loss to the Hawkeyes earlier in the season meant it wouldn't get the second BCS berth for the Big 10.
Ultimately, its a matchup of two solid, if unspectacular, squads that will duke it out for the title of best team left outside the BCS Bowl Series. Penn State is fairly impressive offensively, with QB Darryl Clark and RB Even Royster as top performers in the Big 10 but it faces an impressive LSU defense that held both Florida and Alabama under 25 points.
On the other side of the ball, LSU's offense, competent but hardly special, faces a solid Nittany Lions defensive group. If there is a stat to remember it is that Les Miles is a terrible time manager and the Tigers have lost three games in the fourth quarter.
That said, I think LSU will pull out a tough game because they did fairly well against the big boys (Florida and the Tide) while Penn State lost to the only two national contenders in the Big Ten.
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If you'd like to read other SEC Bowl Previews, check out 2009 - 2010 SEC Bowl Predictions.