Adams: Big 12 a nemesis for Vols

Don't worry, guys. That nightmare is behind you.

UT's new problem is an old nemesis. Don't think "Texas A&M." Think "Big 12."

Conference affiliation alone makes this a scary matchup for the Vols, who have been embarrassed in their last three games against Big 12 opponents.

Nebraska beat UT 42-17 in the 1998 Orange Bowl and 31-21 in the 2000 Fiesta Bowl. Kansas State beat UT 35-21 in the 2001 Cotton Bowl.

Those games weren't as close as the final score.

Cotton Bowl

UT 38, Texas A&M 34: UT isn't the only one with defensive liabilities.

The Aggies' defense, known as the "wrecking crew" under R.C. Slocum, has become the "wrecked crew" under Dennis Franchione. The Aggies are giving up an average of 31.3 points per game in 23 games under Franchione.

Better to face the Aggies' defense now than later. They will have eight starters, including three freshmen returning, and defensive coordinator Carl Torbush, a Knoxville native, has a history of building dominant defenses.

Outback Bowl

Georgia 23, Wisconsin 13: You don't need to know college football to predict this game. You just need to know math.

The Badgers gave up 82 points in their first nine games and 79 in their last two.

Gator Bowl

Florida State 27, West Virginia 17: Don't tell the Seminoles that defense wins championships.

Florida State's defense was good to enough to win a national title. Its offense wasn't good enough to win the ACC.

Capital One Bowl

LSU 23, Iowa 20: Each offense might be a little envious of the other.

Imagine what the Tigers could have done with a quarterback like first-year Iowa starter Drew Tait. And imagine what the injury-riddled Hawkeyes could have done with LSU's healthy tailbacks.

Rose Bowl

Texas 34, Michigan 31: This prediction is made with the assumption that Texas coach Mack Brown won't lobby his team into the national championship game by this afternoon.

Fiesta Bowl

Utah 45, Pittsburgh 27: The Utes get an $11.14 million bowl payoff and an unbeaten season. But they lose coach Urban Meyer.

A Mountain West Conference school will make that trade every time.

Sugar Bowl

Auburn 24, Virginia Tech 20: Both teams have great defenses, but the Tigers have an All-SEC backfield of quarterback Jason Campbell and running backs Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown.

Orange Bowl

Oklahoma 34, USC 31: The Sooners finished one great running back short of a national championship last season. Freshman tailback Adrian Peterson will make the difference.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.