The Golden State Warriors have become more competitive of late whiel still implementing a fun, up-tempo offense they’ve been known for over the last 20-plus years. The Oklahoma City Thunder also likes to run, and it has been running teams out of the gym while playing decent defense to keep teams at bay. These two have played two high-scoring games this year, and the Warriors and Thunder will renew acquaintances Friday night in Oklahoma. Here is a preview on the game, plus my NBA picks for it.

Golden State Warriors (11-15) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (22-7), 8 p.m. ET

The Warriors saw their three-game winning streak game to an end Wednesday night at home, falling 93-91 against Portland. However, Golden State had beaten Houston and Denver in recent days, and played the Thunder to within three points at home just before the streak. Golden State ranks fourth in the league in scoring (99.1 ppg), but is among the five worst defensive teams (100.2 ppg), so it appears it will have to outscore teams to win. Five players score in double figures, but the team has raised its level of play of later alongside the recent rise of David Lee, who had 29 points and 11 rebounds vs. Portland and averages 19.0 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. He likely will need a great game Friday to keep Golden State in reach of an upset of Oklahoma City.

The Thunder, relative to its hot start, is sort of stumbling along, losing 96-95 at Houston Wednesday night to split its last four games. However, the Thunder has not stumbled much at home, posting a 10-1 mark on its home court, winning the last seven since a 103-93 loss to Portland. In two games in Oakland, the Thunder had no trouble with its third-ranked offense (103.1 ppg), scoring 120 and 119 in the two wins. This is still a three-man perimeter show, led by Kevin Durant (27.0 ppg, 8.1 rpg), Russell Westbrook (22.8 ppg, 5.5 apg) and reserve guard James Harden (16.8 ppg, 3.5 apg).

The latest NBA odds list the Thunder as 10-point favorites, while the total sits at 208. Since David Lee has stepped up and played well the last few games, the Warriors have pulled off fa couple of nice wins and have seriously challenged good teams like Oklahoma City and Portland – the last two losses by a combined five points. Oklahoma City is a perimeter-oriented team with not much of an inside threat, so teams with a presence can stay close and have a chance. If Lee has a strong game and demands the ball inside, he alone could control tempo and keep OKC around 100-105 rather than 115-120 points, which just might be the secret to winning this track meet. Golden State has been better of late, but the Thunder is at home and won’t take the Warriors lightly. OKC should win, but it may not be very lopsided – and should be entertaining for those who like full-court basketball.

Final Score Prediction: Thunder 105, Warriors 96

The Atlanta Hawks have been without two centers in the post recently, and have struggled as a result. Maybe hitting the road will help take off some pressure. Meanwhile, down in Florida the Orlando Magic continue to succeed with defense. Coming off a win over its in-state rival will certainly give the Magic some confidence entering Friday’s home contest with the Hawks. This will be the first of three meetings between the teams this year. Here’s a look at my NBA picks and a preview on the game.

Atlanta Hawks (17-9) @ Orlando Magic (16-10), 7 p.m. ET

Atlanta had lost three straight home games (after an 8-1 start) without the services of centers Al Horford (torn pectoral) and Jason Collins (elbow), but did finish the homestand with a 97-87 victory Wednesday night vs. Indiana. With Horford out potentially the rest of the regular season and Collins out at least another week, the pressure of the post game has had to fall on Josh Smith (15.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg) and Zaza Pachulia (6.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg). Clearly, without Horford or Collins to provide that physical presence to make Dwight Howard work, the Hawks will have some trouble containing Orlando’s big man. That means that Joe Johnson (18.6 ppg, 3.7 apg), Jeff Teague (12.3 ppg. 5.0 apg) and Marvin Williams (10.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg) will have to help defensively and likely do much more than their season averages to keep Atlanta in the game. The good news is, Atlanta is sound defensively, ranking fifth in the league in scoring defense (91.3 ppg) – so they will find a way to either corral Howard or control the perimeter.

The Magic enter this game with a 4-1 mark in its last five games, most recently posting a 102-89 win over Sunshine State rival Miami Wednesday night. Howard was the story in that game, overshadowing Miami’s “Big Three” by posting 25 points, 24 rebounds, three steals and two blocks to help the Magic to the win. Howard is key to opening up the Magic’s perimeter game, which lit up Miami with 17 3-pointers at a 41-percent clip. With Atlanta so short-handed inside, it will be a case of “pick your poison” with Orlando – let Howard dominate you inside, or leave the shooters free at the arc? Ryan Anderson posted 27 points and had five triples in Wednesday’s game to lead the perimeter attack. Orlando has another advantage in that it also is a very good defensive team, ranking eighth in the NBA in points allowed (91.6 ppg).

The latest NBA odds list the Magic as 5-point favorites, while the total is set for 182 points. On paper, this does not look good for Atlanta. Even if it was at full strength, the team was going to be challenged as to how to best defend the Magic, who have Howard patrolling the paint and very good shooters around him on the perimeter (Anderson, Jason Richardson, J.J. Redick, Hedo Turkoglu, among others). Atlanta’s best hoope might be to become a Western Conference team and try to run at ever opportunity – the Hawks may have a speed and athleticism advantage. But if Orlando stays within its disciplined system and dictates tempo on its home floor the Magic should come away with the win. A game around 90 points will be in Orlando’s favor; Atlanta’s chances go up if hey can get the game near 100 points.

Final Score Prediction: Orlando Magic 98, Atlanta Hawks 86

The New York Knicks finally broke out with one of their highest-scoring games of the season their last time out, taking out some frustration from a rough stretch. The Boston Celtics have also struggled, but they have started turning the corner and finally got above .500 this week. The two longtime Atlantic Division rivals will renew acquaintances and try to pay forward some positive momentum when the two meet at TD Garden Friday night. This is the second of four meetings this year, with the Knicks winning the first, 106-104, at home in the season-opener Christmas Day. Here is a preview and my NBA picks for the game.

New York Knicks (8-14) @ Boston Celtics (11-10), 8 p.m. ET

The Knicks got out to a 6-4 start to the season, but had lost nine of 10 since until breaking out with a 113-86 thumping of Detroit at home Tuesday night. This game will be the second of three in three nights, as New York hosted Chicago Thursday night, visits Boston Friday and returns home to face the Nets Saturday. The Knicks had their highest scoring regulation effort since pouring in 114 against Sacramento in December, burying the Pistons with 60-percent shooting from the floor and a 25-point night from leading scorer Carmelo Anthony in his first game back after missing a week with injuries. If ‘Melo is truly healthy, his presence changes the dynamic of the New York offense and may make the Knicks once again competitive like they were expected to be when the season began. The Knicks will need to improve on their 15 th -ranked scoring offense to make up for mediocre defense (16 th , 95.1 ppg) and rebounding (17 th , 41.9 pg).

The Celtics, meanwhile, seem to have found their groove. After a home loss to Phoenix, Boston has won six of seven, with the lone loss a one-point fall-from-ahead loss to Cleveland. Most recently, Boston buried the Raptors Wednesday night, 100-64, to open a five-game homestand. Interestingly, the Celtics have played this recent stretch without starting point guard Rajon Rondo (wrist), who may be back in the lineup Friday. In the eight games he has missed, the Celtics have shot better and played better defense. Whether that continues with Rondo back will be an interesting X-factor for this game. The C’s are second in the league in scoring defense (86.9 ppg), but are one of the worst units in scoring (90.3 ppg, 25 th ) and rebounding (38.6 pg, 29 th ).

The latest NBA odds show the Celtics favored by 6.5 points, while the total is set for 182. Anthony’s health and Rondo’s effectiveness if he plays will both play a role in this matchup. With New York playing three-in-three here, coach Mike D’Antoni will likely be forced to play deeper into his bench than his usual eight-man rotation, which could make his team very vulnerable. But like so many games in the NBA, this will be a battle of tempo. New York won the first meeting at home because it dictated tempo and got into triple-digits. It might not need to hit 100 to win, but New York might need to reach at least 96 points to pull off the win. Boston has gotten back to its tenacious defensive self lately as part of this current run, and until New York can prove that the Detroit game wasn’t just a fluke, it will be hard to go against the home team in this game. It is an intense rivalry and these two teams are pretty closely matched talent-wise, but the slight edge goes to the Celtics.

Final Score Prediction: Celtics 89, Knicks 84

The Milwaukee Bucks were already going to be an underdog entering their game Friday night at Chicago. But after the events that unfolded Wednesday night, the question is not so much if the Bucks will be an underdog, but how big of an underdog will they be? The Bulls, with the best record in the Eastern Conference, will look to bounce back from a rare loss when their Central Division-rival Milwaukee Bucks come to town. This will be the first of four meetings between the teams this season. Here are my NBA picks for the game tonight.

Milwaukee Bucks (7-10) @ Chicago Bulls (16-4), 8 p.m. ET

The Bucks had struggled mightily on the road, losing their first eight dates, but they turned it around of late with a three-game road win streak (while losing the last two home games in the process) after a 105-99 win at Houston Wednesday night. The other two road wins have come at New York and at Miami. Just as it seemed the team was turning the corner once Andrew Bogut returned to the lineup, he turned his ankle Wednesday night and is listed as day-to-day (but may miss at least a week). The load will go right back onto Brandon Jennings (20.2 ppg, 5.5 apg), who has been very capable, and scorer Stephen Jackson (13 ppg, 3.1 apg). The team is middle-of-the-pack in the league in both scoring and points allowed per game.

For the first time this year the Bulls are coming off of a home loss. After an 8-0 start in front of friendly fans, Chicago was stunned by Indiana Wednesday night (95-90) to snap a four-game win streak and a 9-1 run overall. The Bulls can fall back on their defense and rebounding, though, as Chicago ranks No. 1 in the league in points allowed (86.3 ppg) and rebounding (45.2 rpg). The team is without starting 2-guard Luol Deng due to injury, but the Bulls still have reigning league MVP Derrick Rose (21.1 ppg, 8.3 apg) and power forward Carlos Boozer (15.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg) to lead the way.

In large part due to the Bogut injury, the NBA odds list Chicago as an 11-point favorite, while the total sits at 182 points. The Bucks have become much better on the road of late – but that has been with Bogut in the lineup. With him out, there is a decided lack of a post presence to give Boozer or Joakim Noah something to do defensively. Jennings vs. Rose will be an entertaining point-guard matchup, but Jennings might have to score 40 to give the Bucks a chance at the upset. With Chicago’s stifling defense, that isn’t likely to happen.

Final Score Prediction: Bulls 96, Bucks 84

Two teams with young point guards are currently looking to shake off losing streaks. One team is more veteran and has a bigger payroll with the expectation of competing for the top half of the Eastern Conference. The other team is young and hungry but still has some maturing to do, plus much lower expectations.

Two of the most dynamic young floor generals will face off Friday night when Brandon Jennings and the Milwaukee Bucks visit Iman Shumpert and the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden. The latest NBA odds list the Knicks as 5.5 point favorites, while the total sits at 190.5 points.

Milwaukee Bucks @ New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m. ET

The Bucks are 0-8 on the road this year and have lost three games in a row overall, dropping a 105-95 game at home to Denver Tuesday night – the team’s first loss at home this year. Jennings led the way with 30 points and six assists in that ghame and paces the team overall with 18.7 points and 5.1 assists per game. Scott Skiles’ teams are usually known for hard-nosed defensive play and intense effort, but this team has struggled on that side – and even with the acquisition of Stephen Jackson and Mike Dunleavy, the team ranks in the bottom-10 of scoring offense (91.8 ppg). Dunleavy has missed 10 games and Andrew Bogut has missed five already this year, which has cramped the Bucks’ plans.

Knicks have their own struggles, as they lost their fourth straight game in a 91-88 home defeat to Phoenix Wednesday night. While the Bucks have trouble living up to their defensive reputation of recent years, the Knicks’ offensive reputation has been stunted this year, as the Knicks rank just 18 th in the league in scoring (93.5 ppg), despite Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and new acquisition Tyson Chandler on the roster. One positive surprise is the play of rookie Iman Shumpert, who records 12.6 points and 3.1 assists per game and posted a solid 20 points and four steals vs. Phoenix.

The Knicks want to run and score; the Bucks want to be in the half-court. Though both teams need wins, the tempo of this game should be in the Knicks’ favor on their home court. New York’s defense is decent this year, while the Bucks have struggled. Jennings should be fun to watch, but without a consistent No. 2 and.or No. 3 option in the offense, Milwaukee will have a hard time breaking its road slump in the Garden.

Final Score Prediction: Knicks 98, Bucks 90

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This year’s BCS National Championship game pits two teams out of the same side of the same conference that have already played eachother this year – LSU and Alabama. LSU was college football’s only undefeated team, including winning the SEC Championship game, while Alabama lost just the one game (to LSU).

No matter what you may think of the system, there is some or little argument that LSU and Alabama have proved themselves to be two of the best, if not the best, teams in the nation at the end of a wild 2011 season. And these two longtime rivals get a rare rematch for a national title. While the first meeting was in Tuscaloosa, this one will be in New Orleans the Tigers’ adopted home.

This should make for a very interesting end to an entertaining bowl season, and a college-football campaign overall.

LSU has won the last seven meetings between these two storied programs, including the 9-6 win in Tuscaloosa and a 24-21 win in Baton Rouge a year ago.

The latest BCS Championship odds list Alabama as a 2-point favorite, while the total has been set for 41 points.

Alabama

After the epic 9-6 home loss to LSU, the Crimson Tide finished the regular season with three straight wins, outscoring the opponents 111-42. The Tide has allowed fewer than 10 points seven times in 12 games. Alabama is 5-0 away from home this year and is coming off a 42-14 Iron Bowl win over Auburn.

Alabama enters the game with the nation’s top defensive unit (9 points per game) and allows 191 yards per game (116 passing, 75 rushing) while recording 26 sacks and forced 18 turnovers four of which were returned for touchdowns (DeMarcus Milliner, DeQuan Menzie and Courtney Upshaw, interceptions).

Dont’a Hightower leads this unit with 81 tackles, while Upshaw leads the squad with 8.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Milliner has three interceptions and Dre Kirkpatrick has two forced fumbles.

Offensively, Alabama ranks 16th nationally in scoring (36 ppg) while compiling 433 yards per game (220 rushing, 213 passing).

Trent Richardson anchors the running game with 1,583 yards and 20 TDs on 6.0 yards per carry, while Eddy Lacy adds 631 yards and seven TDs on 7.5 ypc. A.J. McCarron has completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,400 yards and 16 touchdowns with five interceptions, while the offensive line allowed 15 sacks. Marquis Maze is the top pass-catcher with 56 receptions (29 more than anyone else) for 627 yards and a TD.

LSU

The Tigers finished the regular season as the only unbeaten team in college football, and their difficult schedule made the feat all the more impressive. They defeated Alabama, of course, and won their last four games by a combined 177-39.

The Tigers field the 2nd-best scoring defense in the nation (10 ppg), ranking only behind Alabama, and allows 252 yards per game (167 passing, 85 rushing) while compiling 37 sacks and forcing 30 turnovers six of which were returned for TDs (Morris Claiborne and Ron Brooks, three interceptions; Tyrann Mathieu and Kevin Minter, three fumbles).

Mathieu paces the defense with 70 tackles, six forced fumbles and five recoveries, while Sam Montgomery has recorded nine sacks and Barkevious Mingo added eight. Claiborne is one of the top pickoff artists in the nation with six interceptions.

The Tigers rank 12th in the country offensively (38 ppg) while recording 375 yards of offense per game (215 rushing, 160 passing).

Michael Ford and Spencer Ware lead the rushing attack with a combined 1,455 yards and 15 TDs on 4.7 yards per carry. Jordan Jefferson has completed 60 percent of his passes for 684 yards and six TDs with just one interception, while the offensive line has allowed 14 sacks. Reuben Randle is the top receiving target with 50 catches for 904 yards and eight TDs.

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BCS Championship Free Pick: Alabama -2

I trust Nick Saban more than Les Miles, and I think Saban will have his team ready for this one. Alabama outgained LSU in the first meeting, and they only lost because of kicking issues. Look for Trent Richardson to have a better game today. I think Alabama wins another very hard fought tight battle between these two SEC rivals.

My BCS Championship Total DOMINATION play is all set for this game. 20-10 in my last 30 NCAA FB plays. Finish the season strong! Also, be sure to sign up for my free newsletter in the upper right of this page for free premium picks throughout the year!

The SMU Mustangs and Pittsburgh Panthers square off in this year’s version of the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Alabama.

These two schools have met five times before, with an even 2-2-1 series. The last meeting came in the 1983 Cotton Bowl, with SMU recording a 7-3 win. Prior to that, the teams met four times between 1938 and 1948.

Our latest Compass Bowl odds list Pitt as the favorite by 3.5 points while the total has been posted at 47 points.

SMU

SMU started hot at 5-1 this season, but lost four of their next five games before finishing off the season with a win over Rice in their final regular season game. The Mustangs finished 3rd in Conference USA (5-3), but were just 2-4 in all road games this season, including a current three-game road losing streak.

Defensively, SMU ranks 54th in the country in points allowed (24 points per game) and allow 351 yards per game (224 passing, 127 rushing) while recording 27 sacks and forcing 14 turnovers two of which were converted to touchdowns (Chris Parks and Ja’Gared Davis, fumbles).

Taylor Reed leads the unit with 93 tackles (16 more than anyone else), while Taylor Thompson has seven sacks and six forced fumbles. Davis and Richard Crawford each have two interceptions and Margus Hunt has four blocked kicks.

The SMU offense ranks just 71st in the nation in scoring (26 ppg) while compiling 396 yards per game (278 passing, 118 rushing).

J.J. McDermott has completed 59 percent of his passes for 3,182 yards with 16 touchdowns with 16 interceptions, while the offensive line allows 27 sacks. Cole Beasley (79 receptions) and Darius Johnson (72) leads the receiving crops with 151 combined catches for 1,952 yards and nine TDs, while Zach Line anchors the running game with 1,224 yards and 17 TDs on 5.9 yards per carry.

Pittsburgh

It’s been an up-and-down season for the Pitt Panthers. They alternated wins and losses in their last six games of the year, and ended up losing their head coach, Todd Graham, to Arizona State. Pitt managed just a 1-3 record on the road this season, but keep in mind that two of those losses (Iowa and West Virginia) came by a combined five points.

Defensively, Pittsburgh ranks 33rd nationally in points allowed (22 ppg) and gives up 355 yards per game (233 passing, 122 rushing) while recording 39 sacks and forcing 20 turnovers one of which was returned for a TD (Antwaun Reed, fumble).

Max Gruder leads this unit with 107 tackles (43 more than anyone else), while Aaron Donald has 10 sacks and Brandon Lindsey has 8.5. K’Waun Williams has posted three forced fumbles.

On offense, Pittsburgh ranks 70th nationally in scoring (26 ppg) while recording 362 yards per game (211 passing, 151 rushing).

Tino Sunseri has completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,433 yards and 10 TDs with 10 interceptions, while the offensive line has allowed 56 sacks. Devin Street leads the receiving corps with 48 receptions (13 more than anyone else) for 692 yards and two TDs, while Ray Graham has needed just eight games to lead the team in rushing with 958 yards and nine scores on 5.9 yards per carry and Zach Brown adds 336 yards and five scores on 4.1 yards per attempt.

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Compass Bowl Free Pick: SMU +3.5

Pittsburgh isn’t a program with a ton of positive things going for it right now. June Jones has done a great job with SMU, and I think he’ll have them ready for this one. Take the points.

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Two of the top non-conference winners in college football this year, Arkansas (2nd, SEC West) and Kansas State (2nd, Big 12), meet in the 2012 version of the Cotton Bowl. The meeting marks the first time in over 80 years that these two squads have played eachother.

This is the 5th time all-time that these two teams have met, but all four previous meetings were between 1910 and 1926, with K-State holding a 3-1 advantage.

Our latest Cotton Bowl odds list Arkansas as 7.5-point favorites, while the total (over/under) has been posted at 63 points.

Kansas State

Kansas State got off to a blistering-hot start, winning their first seven games of the season. The Wildcats then dropped two in a row before finishing out the season with three-straight victories. K-State enters the game with a 4-1 road record, their lone loss coming to a Oklahoma State.

The KSU offense ranks 30th nationally in scoring (33 points per game) while recording 344 yards per game (194 rushing, 150 passing).

Collin Klein runs this offense by leading the running game with 1,099 yards and 26 touchdowns on 3.8 yards per carry and completing 58 percent of his passes for 1,745 yards and 12 touchdowns with five interceptions. The offensive line has allowed 36 sacks.

When Klein hands off, his top running mate is John Hubert with 933 yards and three TDs on 5.0 yards per carry. When Klein throws, his top receiving target is Chris Harper with 39 catches (16 more than anyone else) for 536 yards and five TDs.

Defensively, the Wildcats rank 71st nationally in points allowed (28 ppg) and surrender 399 yards per game (267 passing, 132 rushing) and recording 19 sacks and forcing 26 turnovers three of which have been returned for TDs (Nigel Malone, David Garrett and Allen Chapman, interceptions).

Arthur Brown leads the unit with 95 tackles, Meshak Williams paces the group with seven sacks. Malone has seven interceptions, Garrett has two fumble recoveries, Emmanuel Lamur has two forced fumbles and Raphael Guidry has four blocked kicks.

Arkansas

The Razorbacks were probably the best team out of the SEC not named LSU or Alabama. Arkansas only lost to the two teams playing in the BCS Championship game, and both of those games were on the road.

Offensively, the Razorbacks rank15th in the nation in scoring offense (37 ppg), compiling 446 yards per game (308 passing, 138 rushing).

Tyler Wilson completes 63 percent of his passes for 3,422 yards and 22 TDs with six INTs. The offensive line has allowed 25 sacks. Jarius Wright is the top receiver with 63 receptions (14 more than anyone else) for 1,029 yards and 11 TDs, while Dennis Johnson and Ronnie Wingo Jr. anchor the running game with a combined 1,077 yards and six TDs on 5.5 yards per carry.

The Razorbacks rank 37th in the nation in points allowed (23 ppg) and gives up 371 yards per game (197 passing, 174 rushing) while recording 22 sacks and forcing 19 turnovers two of which were returned for TDs (Jerry Franklin and Alonzo Highsmith, fumbles).

Franklin leads the unit with 93 tackles and two fumble recoveries, while Jake Bequette has eight sacks and four forced fumbles. Tramain Thomas has five interceptions to go with 87 tackles.

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Cotton Bowl Free Pick: Under 63

Both defenses have improved as the season progressed. The under is 8-0 in Arkansas’ last 8 bowl games. There will be plenty of points scored here, but I think the posted total is set a little too high.

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The Orange Bowl takes place in Miami and features the champions of the Big East Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference. Though the conference are geographically close to each other, the two league champs this year will be meeting for the first time in more than two decades as West Virginia takes on Clemson.

These two haven’t met since the Gator Bowl back in 1989, with Clemson earning a 27-7 victory.

The latest Orange Bowl odds have Clemson listed as 3-point favorites, while the over/under is set for 62.5 points.

West Virginia

The Mountaineers won their final three games to earn a three-way share of the Big East title (5-2), earning the league’s automatic BCS bid into this game thanks to having the highest ranking in the BCS standings (No. 23). Their last three wins have come by a total of seven points. WVU was 4-1 as the visiting team this season, including winning their final three road games in a row.

The Mountaineers are ranked 19th in the nation in points scored (35 points per game) while recording 460 yards per game (342 passing, 118 rushing).

Geno Smith enters the game having completed 65 percent of his tosses for 3,978 yards and 25 touchdowns with seven interceptions, with the offensive line allowing 26 sacks. Tavon Austin is the top receiving threat with 89 catches for 1,063 yards and four TDs, with Stedman Bailey recording 67 grabs for 1,197 yards and 11 scores. Dustin Garrison heads up the running game with 742 yards and six touchdowns on 5.5 yards per carry.

Defensively, the Mountaineers rank 63rd in points allowed (26 ppg) and give up 341 yards per game (200 passing, 141 rushing) while recording 28 sacks and forcing 19 turnovers with three returned for TDs (Terence Garvin and Pat Miller, interceptions; Julian Miller, fumble).

Najee Goode leads this unit with 84 total tackles with Darwin Cook adding 81 stops. Bruce Irvin has 7.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, Keith Tandy has three interceptions and Julian Miller has three fumble recoveries.

Clemson

Clemson started off hot, winning their first eight games of the season. They then lost three of the next four, but rebounded by scoring a dominating win in the conference championship over Virginia Tech (38-10). All three of the Tigers’ losses came on the road this year.

Clemson enters the game ranked 27th in the nation in scoring offense (34 ppg) while recording 441 yards per game (285 passing, 156 rushing).

Tiger quarterback Tajh Boyd has connected on 60 percent of his passes for 3,578 yards and 35 TDs with 10 interceptions, while the offensive line has allowed 30 sacks. Sammy Watkins leads the receiving corps with 77 receptions for 1,153 yards and 11 TDs, while DeAndre Hopkins adds 62 grabs for 871 yards and four scores. Andre Ellington anchors the running game with 1,062 yards and 10 TDs on 5.0 yards per carry.

The Clemson defense ranks 62nd nationally in points allowed (26 ppg) and gives up 379 yards per game (203 passing, 176 rushing) while compiling 24 sacks and forcing 22 turnovers two of which became scores (Kourtnei Brown, interception and fumble).

Rashard Hall leads the unit with 81 total tackles and two fumble recoveries, while Andre Branch has 78 to go with 10.5 sacks. Jonathan Meeks has three interceptions and two recoveries and Stephone Anthony has two forced fumbles.

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Orange Bowl Free Pick: Clemson -3

West Virginia played in a weaker conference, and the Mountaineers struggled with consistency this year. Clemson is pretty healthy for this time of the year. I think Tajh Boyd and the Clemson offense will put on a show in this one.

I have a big premium play on the total in this one. The Sugar Bowl was a winner last night and so was the Rose Bowl play from two days ago. Join in the winning! Let’s finish the season strong!

This season’s Chick-fil-A Bowl features Virginia, of the ACC, and last year’s national champions, Auburn, of the SEC.

These two schools have played twice before, in 1997 and 1998, splitting the two meetings. Auburn won 28-17 at Virginia in 1997, but the Cavaliers returned the favor in 1998 with a 19-0 win at Auburn.

The latest Chick-fil-A Bowl odds list the spread at Auburn -1 and the total (over/under) at 49 points.

Virginia

The Cavaliers were ending their season on a positive note with a four-game win streak, but the momentum was stopped in its tracks with a 38-0 loss to Virginia Tech in the regular-season finale to finish second in the ACC Coastal Division (5-3). Virginia was a strong 4-1 away from home this year with wins at Miami and Florida State as part of a current three-game road win streak.

Defensively, Virginia ranks a respectable 32nd nationally in scoring defense (22 points per game) and surrenders 343 yards per game (215 passing, 128 rushing) while recording 19 sacks and forcing 21 turnovers one of which was returned for a touchdown (Chase Minnifield, interception).

Steve Greer leads the defensive unit with 103 tackles (22 more than anyone else), adding two sacks and one fumble recovery, while Matt Conrath has three blocked kicks and two forced fumbles to go with two sacks and 64 tackles. Rodney McLeod has four interceptions with 55 tackles and Cam Johnson has four sacks with two forced fumbles.

On offense, the Cavaliers rank just 88th nationally in points scored (23 ppg) while compiling 397 yards per game (232 passing, 165 rushing). Michael Rocco has completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,359 yards and 11 TDs with 11 interceptions. The offensive line has allowed 15 sacks.

Perry Jones and Kevin Parks anchor the running game by combining for 1,544 yards and 13 touchdowns on 4.9 yards per carry. Kris Burd paces the receiving corps with 60 receptions for 810 yards and one TD, while Jones has 41 grabs for 416 yards and three scores.

Auburn

The 2010 national champion started its title defense with a 4-1 start, but it has alternated wins and losses the last seven games, and is coming of a 42-14 Iron Bowl loss to Alabama to finish fourth in the SEC West (4-4). Auburn is 1-4 away from home this year, losing the last three games.

Auburn ranks 80th nationally in points allowed (29 ppg) and allows 406 yards per game (211 passing, 195 rushing) while recording 21 sacks and forcing 21 turnovers with three returned for TDs (Demetruce McNeal and Jermaine Whitehead, interceptions; Kenneth Carter, fumble).

Daren Bates leads the defense with 96 tackles, while Neiko Thorpe has 94 stops to go with a team-high three interceptions. Corey Lemonier has team-highs of 9.5 sacks and five forced fumbles, while Eltoro Freeman has two fumble recoveries and a pair of forced fumbles.

On offense, the Tigers rank 82nd nationally in points scored (24 ppg) while compiling 328 yards per game (175 rushing, 153 passing). Michael Dyer and Onterio McCalebb anchor the running game with 1,774 yards and 14 touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry.

Barrett Trotter and Clint Moseley have combined to complete 58 percent of their passes for 1,803 yards and 15 TDs with nine interceptions. The offensive line has allowed 31 sacks. McCalebb and Emory Blake are the top pass-catchers with 60 combined receptions for 796 yards and six scores.

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Chick-fil-A Bowl Free Pick: Under 49

Auburn’s offense will be slowed by the loss of Michael Dyer in this one. Virginia’s offense isn’t very good to start with, but the defense has been great in big games this year. I like the under here.

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