Outback Bowl

Bowl History: The bowl was established in 1986 as the Hall of Fame Bowl (1986-94) renamed in 1995 …. through 2013 to the Outback Bowl. The first game was played on December 23,1986, Boston College beat Georgia, 27-24. Last year’s game featured Michigan State & Georgia, a game won in OT by the Spartans, 33-30! The Bowl conference tie-ins are the SEC & the Big Ten … the bowl payout is $6,800,000.00!

Teams: Michigan   Conference Affiliation: Big 10; Overall Record 8-4, Conference Record 6-2, Divisional Record 4-1 (Big Ten’s Legends Division) vs South Carolina: Conference Affiliation: SEC; Overall Record 10-2, Conference Record: 6-2, Divisional Record 5-1 (SEC’s East Division)

Bowl Location: Tampa, Florida … played @ the Raymond James Stadium, the seating capacity @ the facility is 65,908. Last year’s game which featured Michigan State and Georgia, was attended by 49,424 or 75% of Raymond James Stadium’s capacity.

Day, Date, & Time: Tuesday, 1/1/13 @ 12:00 p.m CST

Network: ESPN

Best Wins: Michigan: beat Michigan State, 12-10, & Northwestern, 38-31 in OT: South Carolina: beat Vanderbilt, 17-13, Georgia, 35-7, & Clemson, 27-17!

Worst Losses: Michigan: lost in every big game they played … other than the MSU game… Bama, 41-14, ND 13-6, Ohio State, 26-21, & Nebraska, 23-9; South Carolina: LSU, 23-21 & Florida, 44-11!

Common Opponents: None

Las Vegas Hotsheet: The game opened @ South Carolina -6 and has stayed right @ USC -6

Offensive Team Data: Michigan: Total Yards, 385 YPG; Passing Yards, 198 YPG;  Rushing Yards, 187 YPG; Scoring Average 30 PPG, Turnovers, 2.08 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 51.3%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 93% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 63%

Offensive Team Data: South Carolina: Total Yards, 373 YPG; Passing Yards, 230 YPG;  Rushing Yards, 143 YPG; Scoring Average 31 PPG, Turnovers, 1.58 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 43.4%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 83% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 65%

Defensive Team Data: Michigan: Total Yards, 311 YPG; Passing Yards, 155 YPG;  Rushing Yards, 156 YPG; Scoring Average 19 PPG, Turnovers, 1.42 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 36.3%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 83% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 45%

Defensive Team Data: South Carolina: Total Yards, 312 YPG; Passing Yards, 193 YPG;  Rushing Yards, 119 YPG; Scoring Average 17 PPG, Turnovers, 1.83 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 36.4%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 72% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 44%

Sully’s Game Simulator: is a statistical analysis / predictor of how these teams will perform, based solely on their numbers, when they face off on the gridiron! Keep in mind, these stats were established against different teams and conferences and these differences must be taken into account to get a complete picture when attempting to predetermine a winner. If you are interested in how the Simulator works … read this part … if not … skip it! The process used is … we take Michigan’s total yards on offense, add it to what USC gives up on defense, …  get a total and then divide that number by 2 … to get the mean. We then invert the process by taking USC’s total offense, add it to what Michigan gives up on defense, get a total and divide that number by 2  to get the second mean… the greater number (with the exception of Turnovers) is then determined to have the advantage ( please note …. statistical advantage). We repeat this process in each of the eight statistical categories assessed!  That said… here are the results of the Head to Head Analysis:

Total Yards:  Advantage Michigan 349 to 342

Passing Yards: Advantage Michigan 196 to 193

Rushing Yards: Advantage Michigan 153 to 150

Scoring: Advantage South Carolina 25 to 24

Turnovers: Advantage South Carolina 1.5 to 1.9

3rd Down Conversions: Advantage Michigan 43.85% to 39.85%

Red Zone All Scores: Advantage South Carolina 83% to 82.5%

Red Zone TD’s Only: Advantage South Carolina 55% to 54%

Individuals to Watch: Michigan: Denard Robinson is returning home for his final game as a Wolverine …. he will be fired-up! Where he will play is the interest …. Q,B, WR, RB, or all three? .. Stay Tuned! South Carolina: Jadeveon Clowney may be the best football player in the country… he and Robinson on the field @ the same time is worth the price of admission and  … then some!

Sully Says: Another battle between the Big Ten and the SEC … although of late … better described as routs (South Carolina 30-13 over Nebraska, Alabama hammered Michigan State 49-7 , Mississippi State bombed Michigan, 52-14); as the SEC teams seem to be a quarter second or so quicker then their counterparts in the Big Ten! Sully’s CFP Game Simulator has the game as a statistical tie, 4 to 4 (see above)! Sully Says … the Gamecocks have to much team speed for the Wolverines …. Carolina wins and covers the 6!