"DE-FENSE!"

For millions of Americans, the holiday season isn’t only a magical time because of the standard stocking stuffers and gingerbread houses, but also because it means college football bowl season is here (!!!!).

Unless you’re a die-hard football fan or your team is playing in one of these games, you probably won’t have the time to tune into some of the smaller bowl games such as the Beef ‘O’ Bradys’ St. Petersburg Bowl (yup, this is an actual name of a bowl game). But for everyone else (and yes, I mean everyone – from the dedicated college football fan to the dedicated Saturday tailgater), the big bowl games are fun and exciting to watch.

Here is a quick guide to the biggest bowl games this season, and the deets you need to know while watching each. So grab a couple friends and a couple beers (optional) and park yourself on the couch. It’s time to go “bowling”!

Be honest, what else do you have to do over winter break?

Rose Bowl (January 1, 5:00 ET on ESPN)
Who: TCU Horned Frogs (3) v. Wisconsin Badgers (5)
What to know: The third-ranked Horned Frogs (intimidating right?) will take on the fifth-ranked Badgers in the Rose Bowl, the historical New Years day game held in Pasadena. TCU offense is led by quarterback Andy Dalton who is coming off a successful senior season, and their much-hyped defense is number one in the nation for holding their opponents to the fewest points. TCU will be playing with a lot of emotion; they finished the season undefeated and feel as though they should be playing for the national championship.

Wisconsin offense is led by quarterback Scott Tolzien and three standout running backs. Badger linemen Gabe Carimi and John Moffitt were just named all-American first team and will provide a note-worthy match up with the TCU defensive line.
Fun Facts: The Rosebowl is known as the ‘Granddaddy of Them All’ because it is the oldest and formerly most prestigious game… Wisconsin has scored over 70 points in three of its wins this season… This is the first ever Rosebowl for TCU.

Fiesta Bowl (January 1, 8:30 ET on EPSN)
Who: Connecticut Huskies v. Oklahoma Sooners (7)
What to know: This will be an emotionally charged game for both teams. Last season, UConn star Jasper Howard was tragically murdered on campus. Oklahoma will also come out fired up; they are 1-3 in their last four bowl appearances. The Huskies are the champions of the Big East, which is arguably one of the weakest conferences in the country. UConn tailback Jordan Todman is second in the nation in rushing and could be a key factor considering Oklahoma has struggled stopping runs this season. Oklahoma is coached by legendary Bob Stoops and their high-powered offense is led by sophomore QB Landry Jones, running back Demarco Murray, and receiver Ryan Broyles.
Fun Facts: Many analysts don’t think UConn’s 8-4 record (with two losses to inferior teams) merits them a spot in this game… Sooners are the heavy favorites.

Orange Bowl (January 3, 8:30 ET on ESPN)
Who: Stanford Cardinal (4) v. Virginia Tech Hokies (13)
What to know: This will be a battle between two hard-nosed football teams. Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh has taken Stanford from one of the worst teams in the Pac 10 to nearly playing for the National Championship. Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was a Heisman trophy runner-up (award given to the best college football player in the country) and is expected to be the first pick in the NFL draft. In other news, sports journalists have way too much fun coming up with headlines that incorporate “Luck” or “Lucky.” Expect to hear play-on-words with this name inevitably before, during and after the game.

Virginia Tech suffered two tough losses in first two games of the season, but then rallied and have come back to win 11 straight. Keep an eye out for Ryan Williams, David Wilson and Darren Evans, the three dynamic running backs for the Hokies.
Fun Facts: ESPN’s Monday Night Football crew is calling the game… Stanford’s last bowl victory was in 1996 (in more relatable terms, the last time Stanford won a bowl game, Miley Cyrus was 4 years old!)… Ready to feel bad about yourself? Stanford’s Owen Marecic starts on both offense and defense and is a human biology major with a near perfect GPA… It is the Stanford Cardinal, not Cardinals (no ‘s’!)

Sugar Bowl (January 4, 8:30 ET, ESPN)
Who: Ohio State Buckeyes (6) v. Arkansas Razorbacks (8)
What to know: This game features two of college football’s most popular teams, two well respected coaches, two star quarterbacks, and will undoubtedly intensify the bitter rivalry between the Big 10 and the SEC. Look out for Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, the leader of the explosive Ohio State offense, to spend just as much time running the ball as he does passing it. Ohio State’s versatile offense may give them a slight advantage. Arkansas will rely on quarterback Ryan Mallet and running back Knile Davis, and will enjoy huge turnout of loyal fans who will travel to New Orleans for the game.
Fun Facts: Mallet began his college career at Michigan (Ohio State’s biggest rival) before transferring… Ohio State has a 0-9 record against SEC teams in the post season and such struggles have prompted claims of an “SEC curse.”

BCS National Championship Game (January 10, 8:30 ET on ESPN)
Who: Oregon Ducks (2) v. Auburn (1)
What to know: Both teams have high-powered offenses and this game is expected to be a quick-paced and high scoring one. Oregon is averaging 49.3 points per game and stars running back LaMichael James and receiver Jeff Maehl. Oregon defense is solid too and has recorded 20 interceptions this year. Heisman winner Cam Newton is the physical and moral leader for Auburn. Auburn defense has struggled defending against the passing game, and this weakness could be their downfall if it goes uncorrected.
Fun Facts: Neither team has played for the National Championship before… Auburn (then called Alabama Polytechnic Institute) was named national champion in 1957, but was ineligible to play in a bowl game… If the name Casey Matthews (Oregon lineman) sounds familiar, it’s because his grandfather, dad, and uncle have played in the NFL and his brother Clay is currently on the Green Bay Packers.

Needless to say, the past 6 weeks sans college football has been somewhat difficult. I wander aimlessly around my apartment on Saturdays, unsure what to do with all that time. I fill the void by hunting down the players on campus, but now that they’re not training as much as usual, they’re not so easy to find. And trust me, I’ve tried.

Thank god, then, that Bowl Season is upon us! I finally have a reason to drink before 11am on a Saturday! have some exciting burly-man-on-burly-man action to fill my Saturdays! Yes, ladies, it’s officially time for the best of the best in college football to duke it out in the BCS bowl games.

Confused on how the BCS works? Everyone is. But until the government sorts this shiz out, I’ve got you covered. This guide will give you a look at all of the upcoming BCS games, the teams, and who you (or more importantly, me) think deserves to win. So grab those wings, crack open a beer and get ready for some serious football showdowns.

The Rose Bowl presented by Citi:
No. 7 Oregon Ducks (10-2) vs. No. 8 Ohio State (10-2)
Pasadena, CA; January 1st at 5pm EST on ABC
I will try to put aside my personal feelings towards Ohio State (did Tressell win Big Ten Coach of the Year?) but my heart is still filled with bitter rage. OSU is heading to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1997, and Oregon is trying to win its first Rose Bowl since 1917. The Ducks have one of the most aggressive and quickest offenses in the nation, while Ohio State is known for an impenetrable (hehe) defense, which should make the game an interesting one. One I might watch if the nausea from Andre on NYE doesn’t prove lethal when mixed with the nausea and rage from seeing a Buckeye fan.

Who Will Win?
Expert Says: Oregon: 28 Ohio State: 20
I Say: Oregon. I want to see Puddles wearing Tressell’s sweatervest. Or at least see LeGarrette Blount punch someone.
Hot Quarterback: Oregon’s Jeremiah Masoli vs. OSU’s Terrelle Pryor

All-State Sugar Bowl:
No. 5 Florida Gators (12-1) vs. No. 3 Cincinnati Bearcats (12-0)
New Orleans, LA; January 1st at 8:30pm EST on FOX
The Gators have been un.stop.able. this whole season and Cincinnati’s coach just peaced out for Notre Dame. The odds are def against the Bearcats, but I’m all about the underdogs. Plus, I think they are out to prove themselves since Brian Kelly left. Cinci is rightfully undefeated, but Florida has Tim Tebow, a proven uber-man-beast-machine. It will basically come down to Florida’s offensive line’s ability to keep those out-for-blood Bearcats away from their moneymaker.

Who Will Win?
Expert says: Flordia 34 Cincinnati 17
I say: Cincinatti. Tim Tebow makes me yawn. And I think he’s lying about being a virgin; his gf is HOT.
Hot Quarterback: Cinci’s Tony Pike vs. Florida’s  Timmy T

Tostito’s Fiesta Bowl:
No. 6 Boise State Broncos (13-0) vs. No. 4 TCU Horned Toads (12-0)
Glendale, AZ; January 4th at 8:00pm EST on FOX
Mmmm. I love Tostito’s. Wait. Where was I? Oh yeah, so the Broncos beat Oregon in the first game of the season to prove that, like WuTang, BSU ain’t nothing to fudge with. In my opinion, they have the upper hand in this game: their insane offense remains virtually the same since last season when they played TCU in the Poinsetta Bowl. But, the Horned Toads (Editor’s Note: Worst. Name. Ever?) have had a huge chunk of the spotlight lately with their equally as scary defense, which could make this THE game to watch. Through my fingers though, because high-intensity football gives me a heart/panic attack.

Who Will Win?
Experts Say: Boise State 24 TCU 21
I Say: Toughie – both teams deserve it. I’m just thankful they aren’t playing on Boise State’s vom-inducing blue field
Hot Quarterback: TCU’s Andy Dalton vs. Boise State’s Kellen Moore

Fed-Ex Orange Bowl:
No. 9 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (11-2) vs. No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes (10-2)
Miami, FL; January 5th at 8:00pm EST on FOX
Okay, I may or may not be biased (and my kitten may or may not be wearing a tiny black and gold cheerleader outfit), but Iowa has come from basically out of nowhere to being one of the best teams in the nation. Our (yes, I’m on the team) defense has, on average, allowed less than 200 yards per game, while Georgia Tech’s mind-boggling option-offense has averaged over 300 yards per game. The two teams have never played each other, so, unlike a Hugh Grant movie, the outcome is a mystery.

Who Will Win?
Experts Say: Georgia Tech 27 Iowa 17
I Say: Iowa. Our QB is nice and healthy again and I will be rooting them on (read: screaming at Tech fans) from the stands in Miami.
Hot Quarterback: Iowa’s Ricky Stanzi vs. Tech’s Josh Nesbitt

BCS Championship Game:
No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (13-0) vs. No. 2 Texas Longhorns (13-0)
Pasadena, CA; January 7th at 8:00pm EST on ABC
Thank goodness Texas won out against Nebraska, because not only would it have blown Iowa’s chance at a BCS bowl, but Texas has definitely proven itself to be one of the best teams in the nation this season. And thank goodness Alabama took down almighty Tebow, because they deserve this opportunity as well. Both teams have incredible offenses, Texas with Heisman nominee Colt McCoy and Bama has Heisman winner Mark Ingram, which will make this game a clash of the college football gods.

Who Will Win?
Experts Say: Alabama 28 Texas 24
I Say: Another toughie. I’m going to go with Texas because the Crimson Tide is already jinxing themselves
Hot Quarterback: Alabama’s Greg McElroy vs. Texas’ Colt McCoy

What do you guys think? Which teams deserve to win? Which do you hate with a passion? Or, if sport ain’t your thing, which football hottie do you want to see get his pants pulled down mid-game?

When I was a freshman my sorority whisked my pledge class away to an undisclosed location for a girls-only bonding weekend. We were told nothing about where we were headed; our only instructions were to bring some sweats and a going-out outfit or two.

It was only once we were 45 minutes into our drive that we learned where we were going: Ohio State University. Apparently our sorority had a chapter on that campus and it was the perfect place for us to hang.

Riiight.

Naturally, I was scared. I was wearing Michigan sweats from head to toe! (I was a freshman, gimme a break.) And it turns out my fears were justified. After spending a mere hour walking around the campus and having full beer cans and rocks thrown at our heads (we were 40 defenseless Jewish girls, mind you), we were forced to have police escorts for the rest of the weekend.

Yeah, those OSU people are some crazy sons of bitches. (And I can say that from [my life threatening] experience.)

It didn’t surprise me, then, when I discovered this PSA online. Only the Buckeyes would require a YouTube video PLEADING their fans to be nice to the men that serve our country when they show up to play some football on September 5th.

I just hope those Buckeyes listen. These men fight for our freedom (to get wasted and watch football games on Saturdays), so the least they can do is not throw batteries at their heads.

Is that too much to ask, OSU?

(P.S. GO BLUE!)

Last week, I warned you that the grad school application process is quite a time consuming effort. Well guess what folks? You’re going to need to put ample time into choosing your prospective grad schools too! Sure, this might seem a bit obvious, but this columnist doesn’t always think things through.

For me, grad school was a roll of the dice, and six possible schools came up for me: Georgetown, Rutgers, Ohio State, North Carolina State, San Francisco State, and the school I eventually chose, hereafter refered to as X University.I chose these schools on a whim. Georgetown was my “reach,” and the closest I could get to Ivy League while maintaining a glimmer of hope for acceptance. Rutgers was relatively close to my hometown (by close I mean a 5 hour drive); Ohio State is a party school notorious for it’s tailgating parties (I swear, that’s why I applied- don’t judge); North Carolina State was an hour from my only other friend attending grad school; and San Francisco just seemed like a cool city to live in, as did the location of X University.

Rule number one in choosing grad school? Don’t be superficial when planning your future!

Take your time to research graduate programs across the country. If you want to focus on a particular location, check out as many schools in that region as you can. Take notes. Google the faculty. Check out some of the courses being offered, and find out what the plan of study entails. Many grad schools have student ambassadors that you can email to get a current students’ point of view on the program. Seriously, folks, exhaust the freaking websites. Scour them like you scour Perez Hilton.

In college, you have a lot of room to change your mind. Changed your major? No biggie. Transfer student? Piece of cake. On the five- or six-year plan? Join the club. Masters programs, on the other hand, are only two years long. Stretching out the plan of study can raise flags when you are applying for jobs or PhD programs, and not only is transferring schools relatively rare, you’re likely to lose the credits you’ve already earned. Having transferred schools and changed majors in undergrad, I can appreciate the trial-and-error aspect of college. In graduate school however, you’re in it for the long haul.

In the end, my final decision was between Georgetown and X University. Georgetown= awesome school. X University= tuition waiver. I reasoned that completing a M.A. in itself would be an accomplishment. Where I got the degree wasn’t that important right? Let’s just say I plan on framing my Georgetown acceptance letter and hanging it above my X University diploma. Oh, what could have been.

I realized I was at the wrong school during my first semester, when the homework for a required course consisted of blogging about our experience as graduate students each week. That’s what Myspace bulletins are for! Though my friends and I drank away our frustrations that fall, it wasn’t until the following semester that I realized I would give anything to transfer to Northeastern University, a school that hadn’t been picked up on my original radar, but that I thought was pretty much the perfect school for me. I was shit out of luck.

Make a list of you want to get out of your education. Trust me, you’re going to be working your butt off in grad school, so it might as well be worth it. Take your time looking at schools, my friends. A few extra hours of your time now is much more efficient than two years of your life at a school that isn’t right for you.

Imagine my excitement, then, when I found out that their newest album, All Sides was coming out July 15th (tomorrow!), I was going to be able to listen to it before it was released, and I was going to be able to interview them! Life doesn’t get much better than this. Below is my dream realized – a jovial chat with Jerry DePizzo, the ridiculously talented man behind the sax for O.A.R.

CC: I have been listening to the new album-I think it’s fantastic. Why did you call it, All Sides?

O.A.R.: Well, we wanted to make it self-explanatory, we always kind of like to – not necessarily wear our emotions on our sleeves – but kind of let everything hang out. It just means you see all sides of the band, what we can do musically and stylistically and different subject matters of which we speak out. It’s an all-encompassing perspective of OAR.

CC: In your earlier albums, you took a lot of inspiration from college, and growing up–what was your inspiration for the songs on this album?

O.A.R: Well, it’s always life experiences. Mark always takes experiences either he’s gone through himself, or people close around him have experienced and puts them into words that people can really relate to and connect with.

CC: How have those life experiences changed since you guys recorded your last album?

O.A.R.: Nothing really has changed as far as this record, other than the fact that we’ve gotten a little older, hopefully a little wiser. The 1st couple records were of wonderment and soul-searching, wondering what’s out there.

CC: Putting together an album is obviously a lot of work; what is your process? How do you decide what you want on an album?

O.A.R.: We wrote a whole batch of songs. God knows how many; 25 or 30, and we narrowed it down to 15 or 16 that we were gonna record. We wanted each one to have really a specific purpose to it and show a specific side of who we are.

CC: What was the biggest challenge for you guys when you were working on the album?

O.A.R: You know, our core audience is like 16-22, that “just getting out high school, getting into college”-aged people–and it’s pretty easy to relate to someone like that when you’re that age. As you get older, you’re obviously gonna lose touch. So, the challenge on this record is to write music that really speaks to us, and tells really what we’re dealing with and going through, but also tells it in a way that our audience really connects with us.

CC: You guys have sold over a million records in your career – what’s your next big goal?

O.A.R.: Goals change as you kind of evolve and go through things. There’s a lot of different goals that I have: I’d love to sell a million of one specific record, and I’d love to sell out stadiums and arenas and tour all over the world. I’d love to get a Grammy–all kinds of different things like that–and be recognized by our peers, and get the cover of Rolling Stone. But really, what I’d honestly love to do more than anything is just keep doing this as long as I want to do it.

CC: Do you ever think to yourself that you never want to play “A Crazy Game of Poker” again?

O.A.R.: I never want to play it the same way. We play that song every night, and if we played it the same it would be boring and uninspired, and you guys probably wouldn’t like it too much either, because it would show.

CC: So, how do you keep from getting bored with it?

OAR: We try to do it differently every night, something new and fresh–it’s kind of self-serving, but it helps you guys as well, because if we come up with something new and fresh and exciting and that we’re inspired by, we’re gonna play it all the more inspired. It’s gonna translate more, and you’re gonna be like ‘Wow, that’s awesome,” and “that was worth the $30 to go see them play that one song.’

CC: I’ve seen a lot of shows in my time and I have always thought it was worth the money. You guys always look like you are having the best time. Do you have as much fun onstage as you seem to, or are you playing it up?

O.A.R.: Oh, I have a blast. It’s hard to tour; if it weren’t the most fun I could ever conceive of having, it wouldn’t be worth it, to be honest. It’s pretty taxing on the people around you – you see the wear and tear it takes on your family and relationships. After a while, you question yourself: is it worth it? Then you get out on that stage and go, “Yep, definitely worth it. 110%” We really do enjoy what we do, we love what we do and love playing for people. It’s a great experience.

CC: OSU is a huge football school; were you a big Buckeye fan?

O.A.R.: I was never a guy who tailgated and stuff–I waited tables in college, and if we weren’t out touring, game days were really a good day to work because you made a ton of money. I’d buy tickets and then hawk ‘em or whatever.

CC: You’ve never been to a game??

O.A.R.: I only went to one game, and I wasn’t even in college when I went. I went to Texas-OSU game at the Horse Shoe. It was great, it was an awesome experience–people are goings nuts, you can’t help yourself but take part in it and feel a part. And when they win, and you feel like you willed them to victory. And when they lose, they take a piece of you with them.

CC: So, you didn’t do football Saturdays; what was your college experience like!?

O.A.R.: Well, we had such a unique experience, almost like an athlete really, because we went to school–most of us at least went to class–Monday through Thursday or Friday, and then Friday nights we’d go out on tour, and we did that for like three years. It was a pretty unique college experience. It’s not your norm, I’ll say that.

CC: What did you learn at school that you think everyone should take to heart?

O.A.R.: I imagine at orientation, when everyone goes and you sit down, the Dean of Students or something, or president of university, will give you some sappy speech about bonds for life and meeting people, that the people you meet in college will be around and surround you for the rest of your life, and the ties that you have will be there forever. It’s sappy and completely cheesy, but it’s 110% true.

CC: I agree. Any other truths you learned in college?

O.A.R.: College is a time to really find out who you are as a person and who you want to be. It’s funny how you figure that out and move on from it, and it sticks with you.

CC: What are you guys most excited for right now?

O.A.R.: We have this new record coming out. We’re just immensely proud of it and we hope everyone enjoys it as much as we do. I hope we’re able to reach a broader audience and kind of show everybody everything we’re capable of and not just be pigeonholed as a band that people really like to drink beers to. I think there’s a lot more substance to this band and if you give it a listen, you’ll see that.

CC: I think anyone who picks up this album will fall in love. What do you think it is about the band that makes you so successful?

O.A.R.: I was trying to figure it out for years–what is it that set O.A.R. apart? What is it that we do that people really gravitate towards and connect to? And it took me forever, and I just figured it out a couple months ago–it’s not rocket science and it’s not some crazy formula: it’s just the fact that we make people feel good when we play music. We make people feel good, regardless of what we really talk about in the songs.

]Editor’s Note: All Sides is O.A.R.’s best album yet. This is a must-have. Go get it!]

Remember when you were in high school and you began to hunt for a college? As if you weren’t having enough trouble balancing those AP classes and inevitable girl drama and all of a sudden – BAM – here come like 10,000 books/essays/magazines/guides/counselors bombarding you with information on choosing the right college.

• Do you want big or small?

• Liberal arts? Science? Big city? Small campus? Close to home? Great sports teams?

Some books had statistics. Others had tests to place you in the right “type” of school. Still others were filled with advice from the students who went there. But where was the guarantee that any of this research would put us in a school that we loved, that would get us where we wanted to in life, and that would ultimately be our perfect fit?

According to some research over at the New York Times, the guarantee doesn’t exist. And if we do happen to find that perfect place, all that crap we researched does nothing to guide us.

With thousands of colleges in the United States, the variety of experiences for soon-to-be college students is endless. Once you actually choose an institution, there are hundreds of groups, classes, and options to choose from; especially at a big school. So that means that basically anyone – from the tree hugger to the Marc Jacobs lover – can find happiness at any school.

Yes, choosing a college is a huge decision; it will impact the rest of our lives. But to spend so much time and money researching the best place to go is pointless. Because in the end, any school can be that best place for you. There is no way to know.

I chose to go to Michigan because I grew up in Michigan and I always heard what a great place it was. I never visited it or any other school; I just went. And I had the time of my life. No book would have predicted that I would have met the coolest people on my dorm hall the very first day. Or that my Saturdays pre-partying before football games would be some of the best memories I could ever have (with the aid of pictures, of course; those were some drunk Saturdays). Or that the debates I would have in my History classes would be the best learning I would ever do. Or that the combination of all those experiences would guide me down the path I am currently on as a grad.

And I am sure I could have found different reasons to feel just as strongly about the other 4 schools I got into. But I chose U of M and that just happened to become the school that was my perfect fit.

Knowing this is not going to stop people from researching potential colleges – we all have to get a little information before handing over all our parents’ money – but I do hope it will take a little stress out of your decision. Don’t over analyze; just enjoy yourself. And try to stick around for an extra year if you can. It ain’t so pretty on this side of graduation.