WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross loves a lot of things in life. WWE, BBQ and his beloved Oklahoma Sooners football team. As the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) bowl games get underway today, JR offers his picks for the winners, the losers and the Sooners for the 2009 Bowl season.

Rose Bowl
Jan. 1, 4:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Penn State vs. Southern Cal

This is essentially a home game for USC and even though the alums at rival school UCLA like to say the USC Trojans are named after a condom – not that there is any thing wrong with that – I see USC having too much speed for Penn State, under normal considerations. However, the return of 80-something year old Nittany Lion coach Joe Paterno, who was rumored to have taken Mae Young to his high school prom, has me thinking. I want JoePa to win this game. Who knows when the “old timer” will make it back to the Rose Bowl at his stage of his game? Yeah, I’m sentimental, so what? USC has a magnificent program, is the Alma Mater of one of my heroes, John Wayne, and are a nine point favorite. I’m taking JoePa’s boys and the nine and only wish O.J. was out of jail so he could give the Trojans a “pep talk.”

Orange Bowl
Jan. 1 - 8:30 p.m. ET (FOX)
Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech

I saw Cincy play in person in Norman this year against OU and they are tougher than a $2 steak – tougher than seeing “The World’s Angriest Announcer” in a good mood – tougher than a government mule – and even tougher than understanding what in the hell ESPN’s Lou Holtz is saying most of the time. Va. Tech is well coached and we know that some of their alums are dog lovers (Michael Vick) and they play physical football. However “Beamer Ball” has been in the “big city” and under the “bright lights” before, but this is a new piece of business for the Bearcats. In the name of Skyline Chili and the Montgomery Inn BBQ Restaurants, along with my late pal Brian Pillman who grew up in Cincy, I’m laying the 2 ½ and going with Coach Brian Kelly’s Bearcats.

Cotton Bowl
Jan. 1 - 2 p.m. ET (FOX)
Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss

Tech represents the Big 12 South and now that the game isn’t starting at 10 a.m. local time, I feel the Tech head honcho, “Mad Scientist” Mike Leach, will be able to sleep late, watch a pirate movie and then outcoach a man named Nutt. Red Raider QB Graham Harrell needs to be healthy from a broken finger and be able to throw to arguably the best wide receiver in college football, Michael Crabtree, who has to put the NFL $$$ out of his mind for a few more hours for Tech to win. Objectively, (he says with a smile) Crabtree should take the cash and make a made dash for the NFL. Tech can win their 12th game of the season and, if so, Leach overtakes loveable, sweater wearing Bobby Knight as Lubbock’s most popular celebrity if he’s not there already. Mississippi’s Houston Nuttm who essentially lost a loser leaves his home state match last year at Arkansas has done a remarkable job in Oxford, not England…Mississippi, and the Rebels will be ready to play. But I like Tech to regroup from a throttling at Oklahoma and barely getting by an over achieving Baylor at the end of the regular season and to cover the 4 ½ point spread. Beware of this game.

Liberty Bowl
Jan. 2 - 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)
East Carolina vs. Kentucky

I bring this one up as both Vince and Linda McMahon are East Carolina alums and if Skip Holtz, ECU’s head coach doesn’t win, Mr. McMahon might show up and pop a vein screaming, “YOU’RE FIRED!!!” Plus I hear the King is the official chaperone for the cheerleaders of both teams. So this game, played in the home town of Jerry Lawler and his cousin the Honky Tonk Man does have some hidden meaning for the WWE. ECU has won nine games and Kentucky only six and I don’t think six win teams should even be in a bowl game so I’m leaning toward the University of McMahon and laying the 3.

Sugar Bowl
Jan. 2 - 8 p.m. ET (FOX)
Alabama vs. Utah

Nick Saban has nice hair and he may be known as “Little Nicky” in his former hometown of Baron Rouge, but he’s not one of my favorite people – I’m just saying. However Utah, who is 12-0, should have lost to TCU in the regular season and ‘Bama has only lost once and that was to Florida in the SEC Title game. The legendary “Bear” Bryant still lives in my heart and even though I’m not a Saban guy (Saban would have made a great wrestling manager as he is SO easy to dislike), and even though Utah has nothing to lose and every thing to gain, I reluctantly lay 9 ½ and take the Crimson Tide because I like their fans and ECW’s Todd Grisham is a major ‘Bama booster. If one took Utah and the points, Bama could still win and not cover, which might merit further consideration if you catch my drift. I just can’t pull against a team that has Dreamland BBQ near their campus.

Fiesta Bowl
Jan. 5 - 8 p.m. ET (FOX)
Texas vs. Ohio State

The fruits of Road Warrior Animal’s loins, Ohio State MLB James Laurinaitis, who will wear #33 for the Buckeyes, is one of the college game’s great hitters and a throw back to the days of Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke, Mike Singleterry, and Ray Lewis. But he will have his hands full corralling Texas QB Colt McCoy, whose dad played college football with JBL at Abilene Christian. UT obviously likes “whine” with their BBQ’ed beef ribs but make no mistake about it, the Steers has a Helluva team. Texas is favored by 8 but the line started at 10 which means lots of money is going to the Buckeyes. I saw UT beat OU in the Cotton bowl and know they have amazing athletes. UT paid their D-coordinator Will Muschamp $900K to be their head coach in waiting, what exactly does that load of manure, ”head coach in waiting” mean any way? But regarding that, it will probably end up being former Texas QB and current UT assistant coach Major Applewhite, but that’s another story. There seems to have been lots of distractions in the land of burnt orange but there’s a lot of talent in Austin. I like Ohio State and the points but I see Texas winning a close one. The best battle between these two schools would have come back in the day in a bar fight between Texas football fanatics Dick Murdoch and Dusty Rhodes against the Road Warriors in the night before the game.

BCS Championship Game (Miami, Florida)
Jan. 8 - 8 p.m. ET (FOX)
Oklahoma vs. Florida

The Gators are favored by 3. The game is being played in Florida. OU has lost their last 4 BCS Bowl games. One I missed because I was broadcasting the vaunted K-Fed vs. John Cena tilt on New Year’s night. Many pundits and most of the nation feel that UF will win to the tune of about 60 percent of those voting. I know my Okie pals the Brisco Brothers are pulling for the Gators. Dusty Rhodes is pulling for the Gators. Edge told me in his own “unique” (can you say saucer eyes?) way that HE was a Gators’ fan and hoped my team would lose. Well, in the name of such wrestling greats as Wahoo McDaniel, Cowboy Bill Watts, Danny Hodge, Dale Lewis, Dr. Death Steve Williams and even newcomer Jack Swagger, one doesn’t’ have to wonder where my loyalty lies. I have not missed an OU game all year being it at home or on the road, including traveling to Seattle and from College Station, Texas to Manchester, England. I’m sure I will hear my share of “Gator Bait” references directed my way over the next week or so, but after joining the “Mr. McMahon Kiss My Ass Club” I think I can handle it. Ric Flair was at one time a HUGE Gator fan but not so much any more –divorce has a way of altering one’s thinking – and he is great friends with OU’s Coach Bob Stoops, who used to coordinate the Gator “D” when they won a National Title under the old ball coach Steve Spurrier. So “The Naitch” is pulling for the Sooners.  As is “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, who might even wear his camouflage OU ball cap for good luck. So, with no surprise, I obviously am picking the Sooners to win the National Title in what should be an amazing conclusion of what has been a great bowl season. It’s Slobber-Knocker time. I plan on being on the Sooner sideline attired in OU gear and my black hat. It’s worked more often that not this season so why not saddle up and try it one more time?

I realize that I passionately represent Oklahoma and that when I do that I set myself up to catch hell when they lose, which isn’t that often by the way – but so be it. Commitment is a good personality trait to have and I am committed to supporting my Sooners win or lose. None of this is new info but I want to clarify that I am not a hater of other teams but instead a lover of my team. That seems to be a healthier philosophy wouldn’t you agree?

Oh, yeah one final thing. No wagering please. These picks are for entertainment purposes only.

Boomer Sooner!
J.R.