Dave Hackenberg s pigskin picks

12/20/2003

The Old Swami is pretty excited about the college bowl season. There s something about Oregon State and New Mexico that really gets the blood boiling on a cold winter night. And Art Modell always gets the blood boiling in these parts. His Baltimore Ravens come to Cleveland, Modell s old stomping grounds, tomorrow for the final time under his majority ownership. Your fearless forecaster fears he ll get the last laugh.

College

•  N.C. State 28, Kansas 17: A 6-6 Jawhawk team in a bowl game? It is indeed the land of opportunity.

•  Oregon State 38, New Mexico 35.

•  Boise State 42, TCU 30: If you like so-so teams with gaudy records, this is a dandy.

•  Hawaii 24, Houston 21.

•  Bowling Green 33, Northwestern 14: Josh Harris goes out in style and Falcons cap fine season.

•  Cal 20, Virginia Tech 17.

Season: 100-50.

•  Baltimore 17, Cleveland 10: Tim Couch struggles against motivated Ravens defense.

•  Tampa Bay 14, Atlanta 9.

•  Carolina 20, Detroit 10: Lions may have trouble getting 200 yards against this team.

•  Kansas City 30, Minnesota 21.

•  Chicago 14, Washington 10: Do you think the Nebraska search committee is on Spurrier watch?

•  New England 14, N.Y. Jets 10.

•  N.Y. Giants 24, Dallas 14: An early going-away present for lame-duck coach Jim Fassel.

•  Philadelphia 28, San Francisco 17.

•  Indianapolis 23, Denver 16: Manning puts crimp in Broncos playoff hopes.

•  St. Louis 31, Cincinnati 20.

Season: 101-39.