The Capn's Arbitrary Bowl Prediction Method- The BCS Bowls

Before you read any further be sure to read Part 1 and Part 2 of this series.

Tostitos FiestaNotre Dame (9-2) vs. Ohio State (9-2)
The Songs: These were two songs I didn’t have to seek out. I can hear them in my head whenever I think of college football. Don’t worry, I still took the opportunity to go back and listen to two unforgettable anthems of the gridiron. I can only guess at how many millions of fans across the generations have sung along to these songs, during the great history of both schools. This is truly a fight song match-up for the ages, the kind we don’t see often enough this time of year. We should all appreciate just how lucky we are to get to hear these songs played side by side.
“Notre Dame Victory March” is in many ways the unofficial theme song for college football in general. It has stood the test of time as well as any song in the whole of American music. The melody and lyrics are as rousing as anything I have ever heard. I especially like the fact that the music has slight undertones of Eastern European influences hinting at the ethnic and immigrant populations who supported Notre Dame so fiercely during its formative years. Notre Dame is a unique institution in America, and it has a fight song befitting such a school.
Ohio State and The Best Damn Band In The Land, or TBDBITL for short, are graced with a fight song nearly as famous. “Across the Field” is among the few immortal songs of college football. It’s so popular and easy to like that I have personally head Michigan Wolverines humming the tune. It has almost reached the same level of recognition as “Notre Dame” victor march so that it belongs not so much to a particular team as to college football in general. “Across the Field” receives bonus points, because it is so hard to imitate the sound exactly do to TBDBITL’s rare instrumentation modeled after old British brass bands. That’s part of what gives it such a unique and easily identified sound. I also have to give it extra bonus points for including one of the greatest lines in the whole of the English language “set the Earth reverberating”. It’s such a cool phrase I’ve turned it into sort of a personal motto.

The Game: This is likely to be the closest and hardest fought battle we’ll see in this whole bowl season. It will be one for the ages, and I’m too scared of ruining the event when it actually happens to make any specific predictions. In the end it comes down to the song with the broader appeal and longer history.

The Prediction: Notre Dame-31 The Ohio State University-30


Nokia SugarWest Virginia (10-1) vs. Georgia (10-2)
The Songs:
Everyone get out your pencils and dial your bookies, because I am about to make a huge upset prediction. If you don’t believe that West Virginia will beat Georgia, then you have not truly listened to their fight songs. All the evidence is there you just have to hear it.
UWV plays “Hail West Virginia” like it wants to not only win, but to rub your face in it too. The song as such a brash, unapologetically forward sound you can easily see them playing it more to gloat than to celebrate. This is the sound of a school that doesn’t just savor victory, they lust over it. Do not come between the Mountaineers and their goal if you know what’s good for you.
UGA, the school not the dog, promotes a song called “Glory” as their anthem of choice. It is a good song and one sure to inspire a lot of people and raise a big cheer. There’s a good reason for that, it’s because this song is better known as “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”. This song has been around since the Civil War (on the side opposite of Georgia I might add), and it has worked long and hard to earn its reputation and credibility within the heart’s and minds of the American people. To allow the University of Georgia to rip the song off –making only one change, a horrific watering down of the lyrics- and apply it to their victory efforts would be a grave injustice.

The Game: Don’t ask me to explain how the score I predict will actually come to pass, because I can’t. I don’t think any reasonable prediction of how the game actually progresses producing the result I predict in all likelihood. My rule is that if you can’t get your own fight song, you get shutout in my prediction.

The Prediction: West Virginia-17 Georgia-0


FedEx OrangePenn State (10-1) vs. Florida State (8-4)
The Songs:
The Nittany Lion Blue Band has a real pleaser in “Fight On, State”. For starters it’s a jazzy number with the modern sound, fans love. Second it has plenty of tempo changes which make it great for priming a home crowd. Most importantly you can hear the joy of the musicians playing it through the music. That kind of good attitude is infectious. This song is so jubilant it nurtures victories like the sun nurtures flowers, with a constant bombardment of warm, positive energy.
Florida State’s fight song sounds like it came straight from the sound track of a 1940’s movie. The tempo shifts are a little abrupt, and I am not convinced the key is good for singing. I would rather her something with a little more saber rattling behind it too. This song sound like it is just glad you chose to listen to it. The band plays with such restraint you wonder if the retirement community down the street asked them to keep the volume down. I just feel like I should be watching a movie instead of a football game.

The Game: Penn State has this one in a walk. Florida State shows some real spirit, and the players may just have a real fire in their belly, but on this occasion it’s all for not. The superior Penn State team controls the game in all aspects and never lets FSU get close.

The Prediction: Penn State- 45 Florida State-20


The Rose Bowl Game Presented by CitiUSC (12-0) vs. Texas (12-0)
The Songs: I will try to keep this brief, since I know more people will be interested in my thoughts on the game than my thoughts on the fight songs.
Southern California sings “Fight On!” a pretty zippy and perky little tune that stands out from the rest of their musical repertoire mostly based on cinematic music from sword and sandal epics. The bright notes of ‘Fight On” have an odd way of inspiring the dewy eyed optimism of a college student whose definition of bad weather is 70 degrees and mostly sunny. This is a fight song for those who are comfortable in their situation, not for those who want to fight and scrap for whatever they can get. The songs simple lyrics and very brief playing time reflect a general philosophy that if you can’t get it easily, it isn’t worth having. I do admire the studio orchestra quality sound their marching band produces.
Texas has “Texas Fight!” on which to hang their unsightly cowboy hats. While I think the costumes the Texas marching band has to wear are a crime against both the young musicians and their audience, I admire the pluck with which they play this quirky fight song. It reflects a certain blue collar appeal. There’s something brawny and masculine to the song that suggests a willingness to stick your nose where it don’t belong. However the song is also a little scattered in its focus, implying a slightly unbalanced view of the world. That certainly raises questions of stability and reliability. I am unimpressed with the lyrics, but I love the attitude. This song is a little like a cowboy in a movie. He may get shot down and die alone, but until he does he’ll go where he wants and do what he wants and dare anyone to try and stop him

The Game: Here’s the prediction we all want to see. Who’s going to win one of the most eagerly anticipated games in college football in years (or in a year at least)? After listening to the fight songs I can say it comes down to a few things. USC, as I hear it in the song, is certainly confident and capable, but they may be a little soft. Texas is certainly brash and tough, but that could all be for not if they aren’t focused. It’s a competition between speed and talent or power and will. In my experience I believe that a superior will can overcome many obstacles, but natural talent is rarely one of them. Everything about USC that I can hear in their fight song is just too bright and elysian to be spoiled by the audacity of Texas. This is a game that goes back and forth for a long time. It will be high scoring and fun to watch. In the second half USC takes the lead and holds it. Texas comes close, but USC prevents a miracle and pulls the win out of the toughest game either of these teams have played all year.

The Prediction: USC-45 Texas-38

So after 28 bowls and 56 songs, you now have all the predictions you'll need this bowl season. I sincerly hope you have as much fun using them as I did creating them.