TheSpread.com 2008 - 2009 Bowl Game Previews

ORANGE BOWL

Miami, FL - When recruits visit Cincinnati's football complex this weekend, they'll see items the Bearcats haven't been able to show before.

Specifically, Orange Bowl souvenirs.

Yes, Ohio, it's not just the school in Columbus that can play its way into the Bowl Championship Series - and the Bearcats can't wait to begin using that as a selling point to recruits. So sometime Friday, a box of Orange Bowl knickknacks will arrive in Cincinnati, visual evidence of the Bearcats' breakout season that landed them in a BCS game for the first time.

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Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made the Cincinnati –1 point spread favorites for the Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 66% of more than 2,471 bets for this game have been placed on the Virginia Tech +1.

``All due respect to the PapaJohns.com Bowl, I think we've got a big upgrade,'' Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly said Thursday, when he visited Dolphin Stadium to preview the Big East champion Bearcats' Jan. 1 matchup against Atlantic Coast Conference winner Virginia Tech (9-4).

The Bearcats' rise was relatively quick and rather unexpected by most outside of the program's most ardent supporters, especially considering most of their home state's attention on football Saturdays is almost certainly directed at Ohio State.

But Cincinnati (11-2) has won 28 of its last 35 games dating back to a loss at Virginia Tech 2 1/2 seasons ago, and Hokies coach Frank Beamer has said he could tell even then that the Bearcats were on the rise.

He's about to get an up-close view of how far Cincinnati - which joined the Big East and began getting BCS exposure three years ago - has really come.

``First and foremost, you've got to be in that conference,'' Beamer said by phone; he missed Thursday's event because of weather-related travel problems. ``What the Big East did for Virginia Tech, it's doing the same thing for Cincinnati right now. You'd like to go back and think Virginia Tech was good for the Big East and I know Cincinnati has been good for the Big East. But you've got to have that avenue. ... You win your conference, and there you are.''

Beamer sees plenty of similarities between the programs.

He knows what the Bearcats are feeling now on the cusp of their first BCS appearance. The memories of the mid-1990s, when the Hokies were newcomers on the big-time national scene, are still fresh in his mind. Virginia Tech has been among the nation's best since.

``Cincinnati's got a lot more good years in front of them, too,'' Beamer said.

That's the message Kelly will give recruits this weekend, assuming those prep players can take their attention off the new Orange Bowl doodads for a few moments.

He knows the Big East was much-maligned this season, just as it's often been in recent years. So Kelly won't ignore the perception problem - he'll fight it instead, pointing out that six of the league's eight members qualified for the postseason, and perhaps most importantly, that the Big East has won each of its last three BCS games.

``It's so important today, when people look at your conference, to represent your conference nationally in a positive way,'' Kelly said.

The ACC, on the other hand, has lost in eight straight BCS appearances - something Beamer is taking very personally.

Kelly doesn't have that burden to deal with. But he doesn't want his team to think that just getting to the BCS and already setting a school record with 11 wins makes the job complete, either.

No, the way he sees it, Cincinnati is playing for a bowl of oranges and a heap of national respect. The Bearcats might have cemented themselves as a Big East force, but even despite their current run of wins, they're not exactly a group that commands the sort of attention given to year-in, year-out BCS contenders.

Not yet, anyway.

``Our kids have heard this from me since Day 1,'' Kelly said. ``They've responded very well to the challenges, and the challenges are, you still don't have the respect nationally until you come down in the Orange Bowl and show a national audience that you deserve to be here.''

Orange Bowl Trends:
All games in this series since 1992
CINCINNATI is 2-0 against the spread versus VIRGINIA TECH since 1992
CINCINNATI is 1-1 straight up against VIRGINIA TECH since 1992
0 of 0 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL since 1992
Games over the last 3 seasons
CINCINNATI is 1-0 against the spread versus VIRGINIA TECH over the last 3 seasons
VIRGINIA TECH is 1-0 straight up against CINCINNATI over the last 3 seasons
0 of 0 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

Orange Bowl Key Injuries:
VIRGINIA TECH
[RB] Ryan Williams will redshirt. - None - 09/17/08
[WR] Zach Luckett is out indefinitely - Suspension - 09/08/08
[WR] Ike Whitaker is out indefinitely. - Suspension - 10/02/08
[WR] Brandon Dillard expected to miss entire season - ACL - 07/17/08
[SS] Davon Morgan is expected to miss the rest of the season. - Knee - 09/
[FS] Ron Cooper is expected to miss the season. - ACL - 08/11/08
[RB] Kenny Lewis out for the season - Ankle - 10/04/08
[LB] Bruce Taylor likely to miss the rest of the season. - Shoulder - 10/0
[WR] Xavier Boyce is expected to miss the rest of the season. - Knee - 10/
CINCINNATI
No significant injuries.

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ALAMO BOWL

San Antonio, TX - Quarterback Chase Daniel and receiver Jeremy Maclin helped put the Missouri program back on the map last season, raising expectations for what they thought could be a run at the national championship in 2008.

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With no All-Americans to speak of, Northwestern wasn't nearly as optimistic in August.

Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made Missouri –12 point spread favorites for the Alamo Bowl against Northwestern. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 71% of more than 4,570 bets for this game have been placed on the Missouri -12.

Though the teams started the season in very different spots, they'll end it at the same one Dec. 29, when the 25th-ranked Tigers meet the 22nd-ranked Wildcats in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.

Daniel was a second-team All-American and a Heisman Trophy finalist last season, when he led Missouri to its first Big 12 North title, a school-record 12 wins and a No. 4 finish in the AP poll - also a team best. The Tigers hadn't finished a season ranked since 1998.

Daniel got plenty of help from Maclin, who was also named an All-American after setting an NCAA freshman record with 2,776 all-purpose yards.

With that duo returning for 2008, the Tigers (9-4) entered the season ranked sixth and primed for a run at their first national championship. They climbed as high as No. 3, but faltered down the stretch, losing four of their last eight games, including a blowout loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game for the second consecutive year.

Daniel threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in the 62-21 loss to the Sooners, who are on their way to the BCS title game. After throwing only one interception during the Tigers' 5-0 start, the senior totaled 14 the rest of the way, finishing with a conference-high 15.

"It's going to sting for a while and why wouldn't it?" Daniel said after the end of the regular season. "But we can finish off in style. When was the last time a Missouri team won 10 games back-to-back in history? Never. We still have a chance to make history."

Pinkel refused to say this was a disappointing season for his team, but did admit that Missouri missed an opportunity to do something special.

"Well, I don't think that," he said when asked if 2008 was a letdown. "Do I wish the regular season would have ended up that we were 11-1 instead of 9-3? Yeah, we should have done that. But I think we had a good year. ... My players battle, and I'm not going to in any way say that we didn't have a good year. We had a great year."

So did the Wildcats, who didn't enter the season with nearly as much fanfare.

Northwestern (9-3) wasn't ranked until after its season finale Nov. 22, a 27-10 win over Illinois - the only common opponent for the Wildcats and Tigers. Missouri beat Illinois 52-42 in both teams' season opener Aug. 30.

Northwestern's win over Illinois gave the team nine wins for the fifth time in school history and the first time since 1996, coach Pat Fitzgerald's last season as a star linebacker for the Wildcats.

"To be at nine wins right now with an opportunity for number ten, the opportunity to achieve our main goal this year - to win a bowl game - is all right here in front of us," said Fitzgerald, the second-youngest head coach in the nation at 33 and a coach of the year finalist in his third season after taking over following the unexpected death of Randy Walker in June 2006.

"All we have to do is go 1-0 when we kick the ball off on the 29th."

The only 10-win team in school history was Fitzgerald's 1995 team that lost in the Rose Bowl. That was the first of five straight bowl losses for the Wildcats, who haven't won a bowl game since beating California in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 1949. In its most recent postseason appearance, Northwestern fell 50-38 to UCLA in the 2005 Sun Bowl.

"I think, if anything, (the bowl drought) will provide a little extra motivation," senior quarterback C.J. Bacher said. "At the beginning of the year we set out to win a bowl game and we've put ourselves in a position to do that."

Missouri, which is making a bowl appearance for the fourth straight season and fifth time in six years, beat Arkansas 38-7 in last year's Cotton Bowl, and is 2-2 in bowl games under Pinkel.

The Tigers totaled 459 yards in that game, and though they may not have accomplished all their goals this season, they've once against boasted one of the Football Bowl Subdivision's most prolific offenses. They're sixth with 43.2 points and 497.5 scrimmage yards per game.

That's largely due to Daniel, who despite turnovers problems down the stretch, is fourth in the FBS with 4,135 passing yards and sixth with a career-high 37 touchdowns. With 99 career TDs, he's one away from becoming the eighth player in FBS history to reach 100.

Daniel and the Tigers' offense, however, will no doubt get tested by a Northwestern defense that engineered an incredible turnaround in 2008.

The Wildcats held opponents to 19.3 points and 343.0 scrimmage yards per game this season after ranking 10th in the 11-team Big Ten by giving up 31.0 points and 410.5 yards per contest during their 6-6 campaign in 2007.

Northwestern had a conference-low 16 sacks last season before leading the Big Ten with 33 in 2008. The team's pass rush is led by 6-foot-7, 280-pound defensive end Corey Wootton, who was fifth in the conference with nine sacks in becoming the Wildcats' only all-conference selection and their first since quarterback Brett Basanez in 2005.

"There's no greater turnaround maybe this year statistically and on the field from a results standpoint than our defense and the job that (defensive coordinator) Mike Hankwitz and our defensive staff has done," Fitzgerald said.

The Wildcats could get some help on the offensive end for this game, as senior running back Tyrell Sutton could return from a wrist injury that kept him out of the team's last four games of the regular season.

Sutton, who ran for 1,474 yards as a freshman in 2005 but had each of his last two seasons cut short by injury, has had the pins removed from his left wrist. Fitzgerald said Sutton is progressing "exactly according to the plan" and said the late bowl date "will help with that timetable."

This will be the first game between Northwestern and Missouri since the Tigers took a 28-3 home win in 1987 to even the all-time series at four wins apiece.

Alamo Bowl Key Player Injuries
NORTHWESTERN
[DB] Justan Vaughn out for the season - Illness - 09/19/08
[RB] Tyrell Sutton expected to miss the rest of the regular season.
[RB] Omar Conteh out for the rest of the season - Knee - 11/09/08
[WR] Drake Dunsmore expected to miss entire season - ACL - 08/11/08
[DE] Vince Browne expected to miss the rest of the season. - Knee - 11/08/
[LB] Malcolm Arrington expected to miss the rest of the season - Knee - 10
[DT] Corbin Bryant expected to miss the rest of the season. - Knee - 11/20
MISSOURI
[TE] Chase Coffman limiteted last game, probable - Toe - 12/03/08

Bryan Webb has quit the team. - Personal - 08/16/08
[DE] Michael Keck has quit the team. - Personal - 09/03/08
[LB] Steve Redmond expected to miss entire season - MCL - 09/15/08

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PAPAJOHNS.COM BOWL

Birmingham, AL - When Mike Teel arrived at Rutgers in 2004, the Scarlet Knights had no history of success as a Football Bowl Subdivision program.

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Entering his final collegiate game, the fifth-year quarterback has a chance to lead his team to a bowl victory for the third straight year as Rutgers plays North Carolina State in the Papajohns.com Bowl on Dec. 29 at Birmingham, Ala.

Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made Rutgers –7 point spread favorites for the Papajohns.com Bowl against NC State. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 57% of more than 2,154 bets for this game have been placed on the Rutgers -7.

Convincing Teel, a two-time all-state high school quarterback, to stay in-state and go to Rutgers (7-5) may be remembered as the key event in coach Greg Schiano's efforts to turn around the Scarlet Knights. In his first three seasons at Rutgers, a perennial college football doormat, Schiano went 8-27 and 2-19 in the Big East.

After redshirting in 2004 and seeing limited playing time in '05, when Rutgers broke through for its first winning record since 1992 and reached the Insight Bowl, Teel has spent the last three seasons breaking the school's passing records. This year, he's led a stunning mid-season turnaround for the Scarlet Knights, who are riding a six-game winning streak after a 1-5 start.

Teel threw for 1,929 yards and 20 touchdowns in those six victories, and was at his best in his final home game. He set school records with 447 yards and six touchdowns in a 63-14 pounding of Louisville on Dec. 4 as Rutgers finished in a three-way tie for second in the Big East.

"It's kind of come full-circle,'' said Teel, the school's all-time leader with 9,064 passing yards and 57 TDs. "Bottom line is, it's extremely satisfying that this team stuck together and my teammates stayed and rallied behind me - and coaches stayed behind me - and we were able to turn things around. That's something that's pretty special."

With 3,099 yards this year, Teel is 56 away from breaking Ryan Hart's school mark of 3,154 set in 2004. He has also delivered in Rutgers' bowl victories the last two seasons, throwing for 571 total yards and five touchdowns against Kansas State in the 2006 Texas Bowl and Ball State in the 2008 International Bowl.

Rutgers is the seventh team in NCAA history to make a bowl game after starting 1-5, a surge that has capped an impressive run for the Scarlet Knights' seniors.

"Four years ago, Rutgers didn't go to any bowl games, and right now we've gone to four straight bowl games," defensive tackle Pete Tverdov said. "So I can only imagine what the program will be like four years from now (and) I'm excited to be able to say I was a part of it."

Tverdov will be without his defensive line teammate Jammal Westerman, who underwent surgery Friday for a torn biceps, an injury he played through since late October. Westerman had 33 tackles - 10.5 for a loss - and a team-high five sacks.

North Carolina State (6-6) also rallied late in the season, winning its last four games in a highly competitive ACC to make a bowl for the first time in five years. The Wolfpack played spoiler in their final two contests, routing archrival and then-No. 25 North Carolina 41-10 before preventing Miami from gaining a spot in the conference title game with a 38-28 victory.

While Rutgers has a veteran quarterback that's playing for the final time, North Carolina State enters this game with an eye on the future behind ACC rookie of the year and conference first-team selection Russell Wilson. The redshirt freshman, who won a five-way battle for the starting job, threw for 1,769 yards and 16 touchdowns with only one interception in 252 attempts.

"When you have a young player coming in, a freshman, you have your jitters about him, especially in the preseason," said receiver Owen Spencer, who has team highs of 29 catches and 626 yards. "But you had to just believe, and when Coach made the decision to start him, we all pulled together. He's grown so much as a player and a person. We love him so much. He's our leader on the team."

Wilson has a six-game streak of multiple touchdown passes and also emerged as a decent running threat his last three games, totaling 177 yards and two scores on the ground.

The Wolfpack are making their first bowl appearance under second-year coach Tom O'Brien and playing their first bowl game since defeating South Florida in the 2005 Meineke Bowl. North Carolina State has won its last five bowl games, coming from 2000-03.

This will be the first meeting between these teams.

Papajohns.com Bowl Key Player Injuries:
NC STATE
No significant injuries.
RUTGERS
[QB] Jabu Lovelace is out indefinitely - Leg - 09/25/08
[DE] Gary Watts is out for the season. - Knee - 09/12/08
[LS] Jeremy Branch missed last game doubtful - Knee - 11/22/08

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EMERALD BOWL

San Francisco, CA - A pair of outstanding performances by star sophomore running back Jahvid Best helped California to wins in its final two regular-season games.

He ensured the Golden Bears a short drive across San Francisco Bay for their sixth straight bowl appearance.

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If not for a major breakdown of its run defense, meanwhile, Miami could have had bigger plans for its postseason.

Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made Calironia –7.5 point spread favorites for the Emerald Bowl against Miami. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 71% of more than 4,491 bets for this game have been placed on the California –7.5.

Instead, Best will try to exploit the Hurricanes' struggling unit on Dec. 27 in the Emerald Bowl as Miami looks to bounce back on a winning note after its nine-year bowl streak ended last season.

November losses at Southern California and Oregon State crushed any hopes Cal had of winning the Pac-10 title, but that didn't stop the Bears (8-4) from earning blowout victories in their final two games.

Best led the way, rushing for 201 yards and scoring three touchdowns in a 37-16 win over rival Stanford on Nov. 22, then setting a school record with 311 rushing yards and adding four TDs in Cal's 48-7 drubbing of winless Washington on Dec. 6.

"I didn't even know I was close to it," Best said of the school record. "We just feel like no matter where we are on the field, if we block and do our assignments, we can run it on people."

The sophomore's 8.0 yards per carry leads the nation among players who average at least 10 carries per game, and his 1,394 rushing yards rank eighth nationally.

"I'm very proud of him," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said of Best, who has dealt with elbow, foot and ankle problems. "He's a guy who has played through a lot this year as far as injuries are concerned. You have to take your hat off to him. He comes out every week and he tries to practice, and we have to sit him down and rest him. And every week, he shows up at the game and puts his best effort forward."

Best also had strong performances in some of Cal's most impressive wins this season, as the Bears beat a pair of teams currently ranked in the Top 25 in Oregon and Michigan State.

But it was their fourth-place finish in the Pac-10 that earned the Bears a bowl bid in the Bay Area for the first time in school history. The Emerald Bowl is held at AT&T Park, home of major league baseball's San Francisco Giants.

"It's going to be exciting to be close to home," Best said. "We'll have a lot of good fans there, and hopefully it will feel like a home game."

That likely won't help Miami, which will have something to prove after the way it finished the regular season.

The Hurricanes (7-5) had won five straight going into their final two games, giving themselves a chance at reaching the ACC title game, but they allowed a combined 691 rushing yards in losses at Georgia Tech and North Carolina State.

Miami held seven of its first 10 opponents under 100 yards on the ground, but the Yellow Jackets rushed for a staggering 472 in the Hurricanes' 41-23 loss on Nov. 20, and the Wolfpack followed with 219 yards on the ground in Miami's 38-28 defeat nine days later.

"As a football team, we don't accept losing," Hurricanes coach Randy Shannon said. "I think the players understand one thing, as a football team, we always want to win, and we always going to be competitive. We are not going to sit up here and say, 'Oh, we are going to a bowl game.'"

Coming off a 5-7 season in 2007, Miami is going to its 23rd bowl game in the last 26 years, but that's not much consolation for a program that played on or after New Year's Day 18 times between 1980 and 2004. The Hurricanes have won eight of their last 10 bowls, including the 2001 BCS national championship.

Cal, meanwhile, has extended its school-record streak of six straight postseason appearances under Tedford. The Bears have averaged 41.0 points in the first five, winning four of them - including the last three.

Last season, they beat Air Force 42-36 in the Armed Forces Bowl. While Best missed that game with a hip injury, quarterback Kevin Riley - then a freshman - went 16-of-19 for 269 yards and three touchdowns.

Riley has seen most of the action lately over senior Nate Longshore, although he only attempted a combined 18 passes in the wins over Stanford and Washington. He's thrown 14 touchdown passes and six interceptions this season.

Miami's quarterback situation is a bit more complicated, as freshmen Robert Marve and Jacory Harris have split snaps all season for Shannon's young team. The Hurricanes' leading rusher, Graig Cooper, is a sophomore, while leading receivers Aldarius Johnson and Thearon Collier are both freshmen.

Those players were at most toddlers the last time Cal and Miami met, a 52-24 Hurricanes win in 1990. The Bears have only beaten Miami once in three all-time meetings, 9-7 on the road in 1964.

Emerald Bowl Key Player Injuries
MIAMI
[WR] Tommy Streeter is expected to miss entire season - Wrist - 09/01/08
[WR] Tommy Streeter is expected to miss entire season - Wrist - 09/01/08
[DE] Courtney Harris expected to miss entire season - Achilles - 09/01/08
[DE] Courtney Harris expected to miss entire season - Achilles - 09/01/08
[DE] Eric Moncur is expected to miss the rest of the season. - Back - 10/0
[DE] Eric Moncur is expected to miss the rest of the season. - Back - 10/0
[LB] Colin McCarthy expected to miss the rest of the season. - Shoulder -
[LB] Colin McCarthy expected to miss the rest of the season. - Shoulder -
CALIFORNIA
[WR] Marvin Jones is out indefinitely - Knee - 09/23/08
[WR] Michael Calvin is expected to miss the rest of the season. - Knee - 1

Chris Guarnero out for the rest of season - Toe - 09/28/08
[OT] Chet Teofilo expected to miss remainder of the season - Ankle - 11/06

Mike Tepper is downgraded to expected to miss - Pectoral - 11/30/08
[SS] Brett Johnson missed last game %27?%27 - Shoulder - 11/22/08
[DL] Kendrick Payne out for season - Knee - 09/29/08

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ROSE BOWL

Pasadena, CA - The brown khakis were slightly rumpled, and the Nike sneakers were the trademark jet black. A cane, however, was nowhere in sight when Joe Paterno walked into the auditorium with nary a limp.

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Nearly three weeks after hip replacement surgery, the Hall of Famer is easing back into his old routine at the job he's had 43 years: coaching No. 6 Penn State (11-1).

Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made USC –10 point spread favorites for the Rose Bowl against Penn State. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 63% of more than 8,649 bets for this game have been placed on the USC -10.

And there's quite a workload awaiting: preparing the Nittany Lions for a glitzy New Year's Day matchup against No. 5 Southern California at the Rose Bowl.

He'd like to coach that game from the sideline, where he hasn't been able to work since the Sept. 27 win over Illinois because of the injury. Paterno said he won't make that decision until he tests his legs on the practice field closer to the game.

Otherwise, rehab appears to be going well for Paterno, who turns 82 on Dec. 21.

``Oh gee, I feel great, I really do,'' he said Friday. ``It's tough when you're in pain all day and sometimes you get to the point where you don't know whether it's worth it. Now, I feel good.''

He has been back on his feet at times at practice, though on Friday he spent the first 20 minutes in a golf cart with a cane close by, offering soft advice.

He pitched a walker two days after surgery. The cane only comes out if he's going to be on his feet for too long, he said.

``It's amazing, last Saturday, he was out of his cart walking around. I haven't seen him do that for a while,'' safety Anthony Scirrotto said. ``It's just amazing how he keeps bouncing back.''

Away from the constant prodding and poking of doctors, Paterno can concentrate once again on coaching, though one of the biggest issues this week has been a player who won't be with the team in Pasadena.

Pat Devlin's decision to transfer left the Nittany Lions with just one scholarship quarterback, senior Paul Cianciolo, behind Daryll Clark headed into the bowl game. Clark has turned into a topflight starter in the tough Big Ten.

Receiver Derrick Williams has also lined up at quarterback a few times this season on running plays.

While Devlin didn't see much playing time, his steady presence was a nice security blanket for the offense given that the physical Clark has had minor injuries at times. Devlin scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter of the win over Ohio State after Clark left with a concussion.

Paterno initially asked Devlin if still wanted to come to the Rose Bowl, but Devlin left the decision to the head coach, at which point Paterno said he then thought his presence in Pasadena might be a distraction.

Both Clark and Paterno said the offense won't change for the bowl with depth now an issue at quarterback.

``One thing that no one notices, if someone were to get hurt, the game plan doesn't change,'' Clark said. ``I don't think the confidence will be shaken if I we to go down, God forbid ... We'll be fine either way.''

There is, however, concern for next season and beyond. With Cianciolo graduating, there will be no one behind Clark who has seen time at QB, so Penn State must press for a top high school player in the next recruiting class to replenish depth. Clark has one year of eligibility left.

For now at least, that issue in on the backburner.

``We got a ballgame to play in a couple weeks,'' Paterno said. ``I'll worry about that when the game is over.''

His coaching future also isn't a pressing concern, even though JoePa's current contract expires after the season is over.

Following the Nov. 22 win over Michigan State, Paterno ended weeks of retirement speculation by saying he planned to return in 2009, and that he hoped to hammer out details with his bosses in the weeks following.

But Paterno went into surgery the next day, and he has been busy with rehab and bowl prep since then.

Paterno said Friday he has spoken with athletic director Tim Curley about a ``couple possibilities,'' but won't be concerned if something doesn't happen before the bowl game.

As for the seemingly age-old question as to when exactly he does plan to retire, Paterno stayed vague.

``There's no reason I can't go for a while,'' Paterno said. ``How long is a while? I don't know.''

Rose Bowl Public Betting Trends:
All games in this series since 1992
USC is 2-2 against the spread versus PENN ST since 1992
PENN ST is 3-1 straight up against USC since 1992
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL since 1992

Rose Bowl Key Player Injuries:
PENN ST
[RB] Brent Carter out for season - Knee - 10/15/08

Doug Klopacz is out for the season - ACL - 09/24/08
[DT] Phillip Taylor dismissed from team. - Dismissed - 08/01/08
[DT] Chris Baker dismissed from team. - Dismissed - 08/01/08
[DT] Devon Still is out for the season. - Ankle - 09/10/08
[LB] Jerome Hayes is out for the season - ACL - 09/07/08
[SS] Nick Sukay is expected to miss entire season - Foot - 09/01/08
USC
[RB] Stafon Johnson is probable - Thigh - 12/03/08
[FB] Stanley Havili injured last game, %27?%27 - Ankle - 11/30/08
[C] Michael Reardon is out indefinitely - Hip - 09/07/08

Nick Howell downgraded to expected to miss - Ankle - 12/01/08
[CB] Shareece Wright is expected to miss up to 6 weeks. - Neck - 09/23/08

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CAPITAL ONE BOWL

Orlando, FL - The expectations placed on Georgia entering the season couldn't have been higher. The Bulldogs didn't come close to meeting them.

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The preseason No. 1 team in the country isn't playing for a national title and couldn't even make a BCS bowl game, so escaping with a 10-win season by beating Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl on New Year's Day is their only potential consolation.

Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made Georgia –7.5 point spread favorites for the Capital One Bowl against Michigan State. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 79% of more than 1,917 bets for this game have been placed on the Georgia –7.5.

Both teams have 9-3 records, but the 19th-ranked Spartans can be proud of achieving the program's best season this decade while the No. 16 Bulldogs might be disappointed by the Florida city they ended up visiting for bowl season. This game is in Orlando, and a few months ago, they had high hopes of making it to Miami for the BCS national championship game.

By closing last season with seven straight wins and routing Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl to finish No. 2 in the AP poll, Georgia was voted to the top of the rankings at this season's outset with many star players returning from that 2007 squad.

The Bulldogs opened with four straight wins before losing 41-30 to Alabama on Sept. 27, then struggled to beat Tennessee and Vanderbilt at home in their next two games. The low point of the season - and the most lopsided defeat of coach Mark Richt's career - came on Nov. 1 with a 49-10 home loss to then-No. 5 Florida.

The next two weeks saw Georgia barely hang on to beat unranked foes Kentucky and Auburn, and things only got worse in the regular-season finale. The Bulldogs blew a 16-point lead in the second half and saw a seven-game winning streak over rival Georgia Tech come to an end with a 45-42 defeat.

"We're going to do a better job next year," Richt said the day after that loss. "We will critique everything from top to bottom. We have to be open and honest in our evaluations of ourselves."

The evaluation of the three losses shows the difference to be star running back Knowshon Moreno getting shut down and the defense failing to stop anyone.

Moreno led the SEC with 1,338 rushing yards, but was held under 100 in each of the three defeats. Those games saw the Bulldogs allow more than 40 points each time while giving up an average of 241.0 rushing yards, including 409 versus Georgia Tech - the most they've surrendered since 1994.

"We've just got to look at this season, learn from our mistakes, learn what went wrong and try to improve on it," sophomore linebacker Rennie Curran said.

This matchup features the two Doak Walker finalists who didn't take home the honor - it went to Iowa's Shonn Greene - with Moreno looking to outshine Javon Ringer.

It's possible both players could be first-round picks in this year's NFL draft if Moreno decides to leave school after two impressive seasons. Ringer, meanwhile, is a senior who has run for 132.5 yards per game to rank third nationally and is tied for second with 21 rushing touchdowns.

"The perfect game for me would be something like 25 carries, 200 yards, three touchdowns and a victory," Ringer said. "That's the way I want to go out.

"I'm not naive. That perfect game is something you dream about. Georgia has a tremendous defense. And they are going to make it tough. But we've got a good enough team that the dream could become reality."

He's probably the biggest reason why Michigan State already has put together its winningest season since finishing 10-2 in 1999. The Spartans had a chance to share the Big Ten title, but they lost 49-18 at Penn State in their regular-season finale.

While Ringer carries the Michigan State offense - no player in the country had more carries than his 370 - Georgia is more balanced with another potential NFL first-rounder under center in Matthew Stafford.

The junior topped the SEC with 3,209 passing yards, throwing for 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He could hardly be blamed for the Georgia Tech loss, having thrown for 407 yards and five TDs, but he was more at fault versus Florida after tossing three interceptions and no TD passes.

"Personnel-wise, I would put them up there with the Penn States, the Ohio States." Spartans quarterback Brian Hoyer said of the Bulldogs. "You can see they have talent. We definitely have our work cut out for us."

Hoyer might need to step up because the Georgia defense will clearly focus on Ringer. However, the senior signal-caller has been struggling, throwing no touchdown passes and four interceptions over the last three games while barely completing more than half of his attempts.

Second-year coach Mark Dantonio will be looking to lead Michigan State to its first bowl win since beating Fresno State in the 2001 Silicon Valley Football Classic.

The only meeting between these programs was Georgia's 34-27 win in the 1989 Gator Bowl.

"I think win number 10 is very significant in any program," Richt said, "and I think both of us are going to be battling pretty hard for that."

Capital One Bowl Key Player Injuries:
MICHIGAN ST
[SS] Enrique Shaw has left the team. - Personal - 08/15/08
[SS] Roderick Jenrette has left the team. - Personal - 08/31/08
GEORGIA
[LS] Jeff Henson is out for the season. - Suspension - 09/19/08
[OT] Trinton Sturdivant is expected to miss entire season. - Knee - 08/12/

Vince Vance out for season - Knee - 10/12/08
[WR] Tony Wilson out for season - Ankle - 10/07/08
[DL] Jeff Owens is expected to miss entire season - ACL - 08/31/08
[LB] Charles White is expected to miss entire season - Achilles - 09/06/08
[LB] Darryl Gamble is doubtful for the bowl game. - Leg - 12/02/08
[SS] Quintin Banks could return for the bowl game. - Knee - 11/28/08
[LB] Akeem Hebron out for the rest of the season - Ankle - 11/15/08

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MUSIC CITY BOWL

Nashville, TN - Vanderbilt's first bowl appearance in 26 years will be at least in part a celebration for the hometown Commodores, who haven't won in the postseason in more than half a century.

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If recent seasons are any indication, Boston College plans on crashing the party.

The Eagles will look to extend the nation's longest active bowl winning streak to nine on Dec. 31 in Nashville's Music City Bowl, where Vanderbilt hopes to erase a dismal second half with just its second bowl victory in school history.

Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made Boston College –3.5 point spread favorites for the Music City Bowl against Vanderbilt. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 78% of more than 1,917 bets for this game have been placed on the Boston College –3.5.

Coming off 25 straight losing seasons, Vanderbilt was college football's surprise story early this year, winning its first five games and rising as high as No. 13 in the rankings in early October.

After that start, it seemed like the Commodores would cruise to their first bowl bid since 1982, but the rest of the season was a struggle. Vanderbilt (6-6) would lose its next four games, including a 10-7 home loss to lowly Duke, before finally becoming bowl eligible with a 31-24 win at Kentucky on Nov. 15.

The Commodores also went on to drop their last two games, including another disappointing defeat at home to in-state rival Tennessee, but they still were offered a bid to play in their hometown at LP Field, home of the NFL's Tennessee Titans.

"We are really thankful that a lot of our fans will be able to get here for the game and hopefully a lot of our out-of-town fans will load up the car or get on the plane and head to Nashville," said Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson, a former player at Clemson who has never played or coached in a bowl. "... It has been a long time and awful lot of hard work, so we're excited."

None of Vanderbilt's players had been born the last time the Commodores reached the postseason, when they lost 36-28 to Air Force in the Hall of Fame Bowl on Dec. 31, 1982.

In their previous two bowl appearances, they tied Texas Tech 6-6 in the 1974 Peach Bowl, while their only win came in the 1955 Gator Bowl, 25-13 over Auburn.

"Normally at this time we are working on getting ready for next year, but this year we are still finishing out this season, so this is exciting," senior safety Reshard Langford said. "We have had a couple of practices lately and the team is practicing hard and trying to get healthy."

The injury problems may slow down Vanderbilt's struggling quarterbacks even more. Three different players, including redshirt freshman Larry Smith, threw at least eight passes in Vanderbilt's most recent game, a 23-10 loss at Wake Forest on Nov. 29.

Senior Chris Nickson was injured on the fourth offensive play and replaced by junior Mackenzi Adams, who has completed 47.7 percent of his passes and thrown three touchdowns and eight interceptions in his last six games.

Nickson, who has 485 rushing yards and six touchdowns this season, returned after Adams injured his shoulder, but was eventually replaced by Smith. The freshman couldn't cure Vanderbilt's passing offense, as the Commodores have scored more than 14 points just once in their last eight games and rank 113th nationally with 122.8 passing yards per game.

It's unclear who will play on New Year's Eve, but they will almost certainly have to do better against the Eagles (9-4).

BC leads the nation with 26 interceptions, as safety Paul Anderson and linebacker Mark Herzlich have each grabbed six. Five of the interceptions have been returned for touchdowns, tied for the most in the Bowl Subdivision.

Anchored by All-ACC defensive tackle B.J. Raji, the defensive unit is ranked sixth nationally, allowing 273.4 yards per game.

The Eagles have reached a bowl each of the last nine years, winning the last eight - including a 20-16 win over Georgia in the 2001 Music City Bowl.

They also won their final four regular-season games this year and had a shot to advance to the Orange Bowl, but they lost 30-12 to Virginia Tech in the ACC title game on Dec. 6.

"We fell a little bit short, but it takes nothing away from what these guys accomplished this year," second-year coach Jeff Jagodzinski said. "They kept battling. It didn't go our way."

The main culprit for BC has been an inconsistent offense looking to recover from the loss of quarterback Matt Ryan. The ACC player of the year in 2007, Ryan was drafted No. 3 overall and has led the Atlanta Falcons into playoff contention as a rookie, but the Eagles haven't exactly filled his shoes.

Senior Chris Crane threw 10 touchdowns and 13 interceptions before breaking his collarbone on Nov. 22 against Wake Forest. Freshman Dominique Davis stepped in and led BC to tight victories over the Demon Deacons and Maryland, but he was just 17-of-43 with a touchdown, two interceptions and a lost fumble against the Hokies.

"It wasn't the game I thought it was going to be. It was totally opposite," Davis said. "I'm not going to have this feeling again. If we make it back, we're going to win. I'm not going to let my team down like this again."

He'll try not to against Vanderbilt, whom BC has beaten in the schools' two previous meetings in 1962 and 1963.

Last year, the Eagles also lost to Virginia Tech in the conference title game, then beat Michigan State 24-21 in the Champs Sports Bowl to finish 11-3.

With the program lacking a large group of traveling fans, this season's squad - again the ACC runner-up - slipped to the Music City Bowl, which had the fifth selection in the ACC. The bowl was obliged to choose the title game's loser if it had not yet been selected.

Music City Bowl Key Player Injuries:
BOSTON COLLEGE
(!) [QB] Chris Crane expected to miss remainder of season - Collarbone - 1
[RB] Josh Haden is upgraded to probable - Shoulder - 12/03/08
[WR] Clarence Megwa expected to miss the rest of the season. - Leg - 11/03
[FB] James McCluskey is expected to miss remainder of the season. - Fibula
[WR] Dominick Magazu has transferred - None - 08/31/08
[PK] Billy Bennett has been suspended indefinitely - Suspension - 10/30/08
[DL] Ron Brace is upgraded to probable - Foot - 12/01/08
[DL] Alex Albright out for the season - Neck - 09/15/08
[LB] Brian Toal out for season - Ankle - 10/19/08
VANDERBILT
[WR] Chris Reinert out for season - Leg - 09/07/08
[RB] Jermaine Doster is suspended for 2008-2009 season. - Legal problems -
[RB] Jared Hawkins is expected to miss - Foot - 11/23/08
[WR] John Cole is expected to miss at least 8 weeks. - Knee - 09/02/08
[DT] Derrius Dowell expected to miss entire season - Knee - 08/15/08
[DE] Broderick Stewart out for season - Ankle - 11/23/08
[LB] Brandon Bryant is expected to miss the rest of the season. - Leg - 10

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HOLIDAY BOWL

San Diego, CA - Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy already has fond memories of the Holiday Bowl. A win over Oregon in this year's game will also give him something to be happy about for years to come.

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Trying to lead the 13th-ranked Cowboys to a school record-tying 10th win, Gundy will become the first person to play and coach in a Holiday Bowl when his team takes on the No. 15 Beavers for the first time on Dec. 30 in San Diego.

Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made Oklahoma State –3.5 point spread favorites for the Holiday Bowl against Oregon. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 58% of more than 9,124 bets for this game have been placed on the Oklahoma State –3.5.

Gundy is in the Holiday Bowl Hall of Fame after completing 20 of 24 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns in Oklahoma State's 62-14 victory over Wyoming in 1988, the only appearance in the Holiday Bowl for the Cowboys.

Oklahoma State (9-3) is returning to this year's game because it was the highest-ranked remaining team in the Big 12 after No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 3 Texas were selected for BCS games and eighth-ranked Texas Tech was picked by the Cotton Bowl.

"We're very excited about heading to San Diego for the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl," Gundy said. "It was a tremendous experience for me as a player and I'm happy our team will get to enjoy San Diego and the festivities that surround a great bowl game. ... We look forward to playing an excellent Oregon team."

The Ducks (9-3) and Cowboys are very similar, with each team boasting an outstanding rushing attack and a high-scoring offense. Oregon is averaging 41.9 points while Oklahoma puts up 41.6 per game, and the Ducks have rushed for 3,334 yards compared to 3,072 for the Cowboys.

"They rush the football very well and statistically they are ahead of us in that area," said Gundy, who received a new seven-year, $15.7 million contract Dec. 5 after guiding the Cowboys to just the sixth nine-win regular season in school history. "I think they use multiple formations and have skilled players that make plays."

One of those skilled Oregon players is senior running back Jeremiah Johnson, who finished the regular season with 1,082 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Junior LeGarrette Blount, a 6-foot-2, 229-pound junior college transfer, set a school record with 16 rushing TDs and also ran for 928 yards.

Oklahoma State is led on the ground by sophomore running back Kendall Hunter, who rushed for a conference-best 1,518 yards on just 228 carries and also scored 14 touchdowns.

"Both of these teams run the ball really well," Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said. "But in the final analysis the team that plays the best defense in the game is going to win."

Oklahoma State's defense didn't play well down the stretch. The Cowboys opened the season with seven straight wins, holding opponents to 20.6 points, but went on to give up 48.3 in three losses in their last five games. Each of those defeats, though, came to teams ranked in the top 3 at the time.

The Cowboys ended the regular season with a 61-41 defeat to the Sooners, who went on to win the Big 12 title game and will be playing top-ranked Florida for the national championship Jan. 8. Oklahoma State allowed Oklahoma's Sam Bradford to go 30-of-44 for 370 yards and four TDs, falling to 110th out of 119 Football Bowl Subdivision teams against the pass.

"We do have a bowl game to finish the season with, and we can still finish with a win," Gundy said. "And what the seniors need to know is that they're responsible for turning this program around and bringing it to the level it is right now. They've provided great leadership."

To make matters worse for Oklahoma State, it will be without defensive coordinator Tim Beckman, who has accepted the head coaching position at Toledo, as it faces an Oregon team riding high after its latest win.

The Ducks had a chance to help end Pac-10 rival Oregon State's Rose Bowl hopes in their final game of the regular season, and they routed the Beavers 65-38 on Nov. 29. Southern California beat UCLA the following week to earn the spot in Pasadena.

Oregon finished the regular season on a three-game winning streak, averaging 51.7 points behind the play of sophomore Jeremiah Masoli, who completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 716 yards with six TDs and no interceptions. He also rushed 34 times for 188 yards and four scores over that span.

Masoli started fall practice as Oregon's third-string quarterback, behind Nate Costa and Justin Roper. Costa, though, suffered a knee injury a week before the opener that required season-ending surgery and Roper missed nearly four weeks because of a knee injury and an illness.

Masoli's counterpart, Zac Robinson, passed for 2,735 yards with 24 TDs and eight interceptions this season for Oklahoma State. He'll be facing an Oregon defense that is 108th in the nation against the pass.

"We can talk about the offenses coming in but I have a feeling well be talking about the defenses going out," Bellotti said.

Oregon State is led defensively by senior Nick Reed, who topped the nation with five fumble recoveries and was second with a school record-tying 13 sacks.

The Cowboys will be making their sixth bowl appearance in the last seven seasons, while the Ducks are heading to a bowl game for the fourth straight year and 12th time in 14 seasons under Bellotti.

Oregon is appearing in the Holiday Bowl for the third time this decade after beating Texas 35-30 in 2000 and losing 17-14 to Oklahoma in 2005.

Holiday Bowl Key Player Injuries:
OREGON
(!) [QB] Nathan Costa expected to miss the season - ACL - 08/24/08
[WR] Drew Davis is expected to miss the rest of the season. - Knee - 11/11
[LB] Kevin Garrett has been dismissed from the team. - Suspension - 08/26/
[RB] Remene Alston is expected to miss the rest of the season. - Foot - 10
[LB] Terrance Pritchett has left the team for the rest of the season. - Pe
OKLAHOMA ST
[WR] William Cole will miss entire season - Knee - 08/17/08

Michael Booker has transferred. - None - 08/20/08
[SS] Lucien Antoine is expected to miss the rest of the season. - Knee - 09

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HUMANITARIAN BOWL

Boise, Idaho - Although the Humanitarian Bowl doesn't approach the prestige of the January bowl games, it will suit Maryland just fine.

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The Terrapins closed the regular season on a 1-3 slide, but they don't have time to contemplate what could have been with one of the nation's most explosive offensive teams, Nevada, waiting at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho on Dec. 30.

Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made Nevada –1.5 point spread favorites for the Humanitarian Bowl against Maryland. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 70% of more than 1,085 bets for this game have been placed on the Maryland +1.5.

"I'm just happy I'm not going to be sitting at home during Christmas break watching other guys play," said Maryland senior defensive lineman Jeremy Navarre. "You've got to take what you get. I'm happy we're still practicing, to be honest with you."

Maryland (7-5) isn't happy about playing its way out of an Orange Bowl berth, but the Terps are definitely motivated to post their second eight-win season since 2003.

"Winning this game is very important, not only to our seniors but to our football program," said Terps coach Ralph Friedgen, who had won three straight bowl games with Maryland prior to last season's 21-14 loss to Oregon State in the Emerald Bowl. "Eight-and-five is a very commendable season, and winning a bowl game is a springboard to next year."

Maryland, however, was looking for far more than an 8-5 mark and a December visit to Idaho following a 17-15 victory over then-No. 17 North Carolina on Nov. 15. The Terps finished with back-to-back losses - 37-3 to Florida State on Nov. 22 and 28-21 to then-No. 20 Boston College - before accepting the Humanitarian Bowl berth.

"It's not one of those places when you're a kid you go, 'I want to go to Boise, Idaho!' But, at the same time, it's going to fun," center Edwin Williams said.

Junior quarterback Chris Turner looks to build off his career game versus Boston College, as he posted career highs in completions (33), attempts (57) and yards passing (360).

Turner, who threw for 2,318 yards and 11 touchdowns with 10 interceptions this season, faces a Nevada team that's ranked last in the Football Bowl Subdivision in pass defense at 321.1 yards per game. The Wolf Pack, though, had the eighth-most sacks with 35, with Kevin Basped (10) and Dontay Moch (9.5) finishing 15th and 17th in the nation, respectively.

Turner has been sacked 11 times in the past two games.

Nevada's defense is much more formidable against the run, allowing 74.5 yards per game - third in the nation. The Wolf Pack surrendered 71 yards rushing or less seven times this season.

That's bad news for a Maryland team ranked 72nd in the nation in rushing at 134.5 yards a contest. Sophomore Da'Rel Scott led the Terps with 959 yards on the ground, but had just 19 on 13 carries in the loss to Boston College.

Maryland rushed for 19 yards versus Oregon State in last season's Emerald Bowl.

While the Terps look for a way to run the ball against a Nevada team ranked sixth in tackles for loss (8.0 per game), the task of slowing down the Wolf Pack's high-powered offense will fall to Al Seamonson. Maryland's linebackers coach is serving as interim defensive coordinator after Chris Cosh left to become Kansas State's assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.

Nevada averaged 510.6 yards on the season - fifth in the nation - and has scored 41.0 points per game since a 69-17 loss to then-No. 6 Missouri on Sept. 13.

Vai Taua leads the Wolf Pack with 1,420 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns, while sophomore quarterback Colin Kaepernick, the WAC offensive player of the year, passed for 2,479 yards and 19 TDs while rushing for 1,115 yards and 16 scores. Nevada (7-5) ran for 291.4 yards per game.

"I see that they're second in the country in rushing, and they have two 1,000-yard rushers," said Friedgen, whose team has allowed an average of 173.8 yards rushing in its last four games. "They've played some really good football teams, so I think they're a very, very good football team."

Nevada was within nine points of then-No. 12 Texas Tech in the final seven minutes before falling 35-19 on Sept. 6. Its only loss in its last four games came by a 41-34 score to Poinsettia Bowl-bound Boise State on Nov. 22.

The Wolf Pack are making their school-record fourth consecutive bowl appearance, although they've dropped their last two postseason games, the most recent a 23-0 loss to New Mexico in the New Mexico Bowl. Nevada totaled 210 yards in the game.

"As we've told our players, it is a one-game season now. And it is going to be a terrific challenge for us," Nevada coach Chris Ault told the school's official Web site.

Maryland and Nevada have never met. The Terps' last bowl victory was 24-7 over Purdue in the 2006 Champs Sports Bowl, while Nevada's last bowl win was 49-48 in overtime over Central Florida in the 2005 Hawaii Bowl.

Humanitarian Bowl Key Player Injuries:
NEVADA
(!) [RB] Luke Lippincott out for season - ACL - 09/07/08
[WR] Shane Anderson out for season - Shoulder - 10/15/08
[TE] Kevin Bohr expected to miss remainder of season - Knee - 11/10/08

Greg Hall expected to miss remainder of the season - Knee - 10/19/08
[CB] Dayton Guillory has been dismissed from team - Undisclosed - 09/06/08
Brad Langley is downgraded to expected to miss remainder of the season
MARYLAND
[WR] Kevin Dorsey is expected to miss entire season - Foot - 09/05/08
[LB] Rick Costa has been suspended indefinitely - Suspension - 11/11/08
[DB] Kevin Barnes is out for the season. - Shoulder - 10/21/08
[DB] Richard Taylor out for the season - Knee - 09/21/08

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NEW MEXICO BOWL

Alburquerque, NM - Initially unsure whether its coach would be on the sideline for the postseason, Fresno State can now focus on the team on the other sideline at the New Mexico Bowl.

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Colorado State never had a doubt about where Steve Fairchild would be Dec. 20, and the Rams' first-year coach leads Colorado State into University Stadium in Albuquerque against the Bulldogs, a team looking for its fifth bowl victory in seven seasons.

Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made Fresno State –3 point spread favorites for the New Mexico Bowl against Colorado State. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 66% of more than 2,511 bets for this game have been placed on the Fresno State -3.

Fresno State (7-5) is coming off a 61-10 loss to Boise State on Nov. 28 in its regular-season finale - the most points it has allowed since a 62-0 defeat to then-No. 18 Auburn on Sept. 7, 1996.

Not only did the Bulldogs drop three of their final five games, they could have lost their coach. A day after the season ended, Pat Hill interviewed for the University of Washington job that eventually went to Southern California offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.

Hill, who led the Bulldogs to a 40-28 victory over Georgia Tech in the 2007 Humanitarian Bowl, withdrew his name from consideration Dec. 4. He had wanted a decision from Washington before getting back to preparing Fresno State for its bowl game.

"At this time, it's in the best interest of my players and the Fresno State program that I withdraw from consideration and put my full attention on preparing for a bowl game and getting our team ready for the 2009 season," Hill said in announcing he was no longer a candidate for the job.

With Hill remaining as coach, Fresno State quarterback Tom Brandstater can turn his attention to closing out his college career in strong fashion after a somewhat disappointing senior season. He threw for 2,478 yards with 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, a year after throwing for 2,654 yards, 15 TDs and five INTs.

Brandstater and his favorite target, junior wide receiver Seyi Ajirotutu, could have a big game against a Colorado State defense that recorded a Football Bowl Subdivision-low nine sacks. Brandstater and Ajirotutu connected 44 times for 714 yards and five touchdowns in 2008.

Brandstater will also be looking for senior tight end Bear Pascoe, who caught 37 passes for 361 yards and four touchdowns.

The Bulldogs' rushing attack could prove to be even more effective than the passing game. Anthony Harden ran for only 11 yards on nine carries against Boise State, but he led the Bulldogs with 702 rushing yards. Lonyae Miller rushed for 699 yards and five touchdowns as the Bulldogs averaged 176.8 yards on the ground.

Colorado State is allowing 185.3 yards rushing per game.

While the Bulldogs will be playing in their ninth bowl game since the start of the 1999 season, Colorado State makes its first bowl appearance since a 51-30 loss to Navy in the 2005 Poinsettia Bowl. After the Rams finished 3-9 last season under Sonny Lubick, Fairchild become the first coach in the program's history to guide the team to a bowl in his first season.

"We still have a lot of work to do here at Colorado State, in all areas of our program, but this is obviously a step in the right direction, and a tremendous reward for our 17 seniors, who've worked extremely hard during their time here in Fort Collins," Fairchild said.

Colorado State (6-6), looking for its first postseason win since defeating North Texas 45-20 in the 2001 New Orleans Bowl, became bowl-eligible by winning its final two games ? 20-6 over New Mexico on Nov. 15 and 31-20 over Wyoming on Nov. 22.

Senior Billy Farris threw for 2,677 yards and 17 touchdowns this season and guides a passing attack that averages 247.5 yards. The Rams will be facing a Fresno State team that's giving up 30.3 points per game and has intercepted an FBS-low four passes - only two coming since a two-interception opener.

Rashaun Greer leads Colorado State with 62 catches and 1,045 yards, while Dion Morton has been the big-play threat for the Rams of late. Morton, with 48 catches for 830 yards on the season, has seven of his team-high 10 receiving touchdowns in the last four games, including a career-high three in the win over Wyoming.

He also posted career highs of six catches and 160 yards in the game.

Colorado State senior Gartrell Johnson has reached the 100-yard rushing mark four times in the last five games. He's rushed for 1,191 yards and 10 touchdowns this year and will face a Fresno State defense that's allowing 197.3 rushing yards per game.

The Rams leads the series with the Bulldogs 6-5 after winning the last two meetings. Colorado State took the most recent matchup 35-23 on Sept. 30, 2006.

New Mexico Bowl Public Betting Trends:
All games in this series since 1992
COLORADO ST is 6-4 against the spread versus FRESNO ST since 1992
COLORADO ST is 6-4 straight up against FRESNO ST since 1992
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL since 1992
Games over the last 3 seasons
COLORADO ST is 1-0 against the spread versus FRESNO ST over the last 3 seasons
COLORADO ST is 1-0 straight up against FRESNO ST over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

New Mexico Bowl Key Player Injuries:
FRESNO ST
[LG] Cole Popovich is out indefinitely. - Quad - 09/16/08
[DL] Jon Monga out for season - Foot - 11/23/08
[LB] Quaadir Brown out for the season - Personal - 09/09/08
[LB] Ryan Machado out for the season. - ACL - 08/19/08
COLORADO ST
[CB] DeAngelo Wilkinson is out indefinitely - Suspension - 09/18/08
[SS] Mike Pagnotta is expected to miss remainder of the season. - Shoulder
[SF] Zach Donaldson is out for the season. - Neck - 10/18/08
[FS] Klint Kubiak expected to miss the rest of the season. - Knee - 11/10/08

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CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL

Orlando, FL - In 1977, Bobby Bowden led Florida State to Orlando for just its eighth bowl game in school history, making the city special for the legendary coach.

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Twenty-nine bowl appearances later, Bowden and the Seminoles return to Orlando on Dec. 27 to take on Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl in a matchup of two teams trying to end their respective seasons on a high note after a disappointing year.

Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made Florida State –5 point spread favorites for the Champs Sports Bowl against Wisconsin. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 87% of more than 2,234 bets for this game have been placed on the Florida State -5.

In Bowden's second season with Florida State, he led the Seminoles (8-4) to a 40-17 win over Texas Tech in the Tangerine Bowl - the precursor to the Capital One Bowl. This will be Florida State's 30th bowl appearance under Bowden and 27th consecutive one, the longest such streak in the nation after Michigan failed to qualify this season.

Bowden, who has led the Seminoles to three national championship games, referred to his first bowl game in Orlando as "one of my fondest." This is the first time he's been back there since a 17-all tie against Georgia at the Citrus Bowl in 1984.

"I have great memories of Orlando," Bowden said. "It's kind of exciting getting back."

It was an uneven season for Bowden and the Seminoles, who had been one of the nation's premiere programs during the late 1980s and throughout the '90s before struggling the past few years. Florida State has not had a 10-win season since 2004, and is appearing in its third consecutive non-BCS game after a string of 15 straight January bowl game dates.

Bowden trails only Penn State's Joe Paterno for all-time wins (381) and bowl victories (20), but he is coming off a loss in his last postseason game - a 35-28 defeat to Kentucky in the Music City Bowl. Florida State was without three dozen players who were inactive, many because of an academic cheating scandal, and the loss was Bowden's first in a December bowl game (7-1-1).

While Bowden won't likely have to deal with player issues this year, there was some controversy as offensive coordinator - and Bowden's designated successor as head coach - Jimbo Fisher dealt with speculation he was leaving to take over for Tommy Tuberville at Auburn. The Tigers later hired Iowa State's Gene Chizik, but the controversy again brought up the issue of how much longer the 79-year-old Bowden will remain at Florida State.

Fisher signed a contract this year that stipulates if he's not the head coach of Florida State by 2010, the university owes him $2.5 million. He'd have to pay a $5 million buyout if he leaves for another team.

For now, Fisher will be focused on improving an offense that struggled in losing three of its last five games. The Seminoles rushed for 2,194 yards - their most in six years - mostly because of Antone Smith, who had 753 yards and 14 touchdowns. Florida State, averaged 149.7 yards in its last six games, failing to reach 100 in two of them, after gaining 216.0 rushing yards per game in its first six.

The Seminoles need an efficient running game because of the inconsistencies of quarterback Christian Ponder, who threw for more interceptions (13) than touchdowns (12). Florida State ranks 87th in the nation with 185.8 passing yards per game.

While the Seminoles have to make only a four-hour trek to Orlando, the location isn't exactly unfamiliar for Wisconsin (7-5), which is making its fifth straight appearance in a Florida bowl game.

As disappointing as the season was for Florida State, which was ranked as high as 16th in the polls, it may have been even more so for the Badgers, who had high expectations after returning 15 starters from last year's team. They climbed as high as ninth in the polls before losing four straight and five of six.

The Badgers have won three in a row heading into this game, but needed overtime to beat Cal Poly - an Football Championship Subdivision team - 36-35 in their season finale.

Wisconsin changed quarterbacks - from senior Allan Evridge to junior Dustin Sherer - following its 48-7 drubbing by Penn State on Oct. 11, but Sherer didn't put up attractive numbers either. He threw five touchdowns and four interceptions in six games as a starter, completing only 53.8 percent of his passes.

Sherer's job wasn't made any easier with All-American tight end Travis Beckum having his season end Oct. 25 due to a broken leg. Beckum had 75 catches and six TDs as a junior, but only 23 receptions for 264 yards in six games before the injury.

The Badgers, though, can fall back on P.J. Hill and a steady running game. Hill had team highs of 1,024 yards and 13 touchdowns as Wisconsin ranked 14th in the nation with 212.0 rushing yards per game.

Both teams, though, boast solid defenses against the run. Florida State ranks 34th, holding opponents to 126.8 yards per game, and Wisconsin ranks 43rd at 133.3 yards.

Wisconsin hasn't finished with fewer than eight wins since a loss to Auburn in the Music City Bowl capped a 7-6 season in 2003. The Badgers have lost three of their last five bowl games, including a 21-17 defeat to Tennessee in last season's Outback Bowl.

Coach Brett Bielema recognizes the importance of ending the season on a high note after going through such a frustrating stretch.

"To beat a team like Florida State would be a great redemption," he said.

This is the first meeting between the teams.

Champs Sports Bowl Key Player Injuries
WISCONSIN
[WR] Kyle Jefferson injured last game %27?%27 - Neck - 11/15/08
[WR] Daven Jones injured last game %27?%27 - Leg - 11/15/08
[TE] Travis Beckum expected to miss the rest of the season - Leg - 10/26/0
[OT] Eric Vanden Heuvel missed last game %27?%27 - Knee - 11/15/08
[DE] Kirk DeCremer out for the season - Back - 08/31/08
[CB] Aaron Henry is out for the rest of the season. - Knee - 09/25/08
[DL] Brendan Kelly expected to miss rest of season. - Arm - 10/07/08
FLORIDA ST
[RB] Tavares Pressley is expected to miss the season. - Knee - 08/29/08
[FB] Joe Surratt has been dismissed from the team - None - 10/12/08
[OG] Will Furlong is out 6-8 weeks. - Foot - 10/21/08

Evan Bellamy is expected to miss entire season. - Blood Clot - 07/17/
[CB] Darius McClure is expected to miss the rest of the season. - Leg - 11
[DT] Emmanuel Dunbar is expected to miss entire season. - Back - 09/19/08

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MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL

Charlotte, NC - West Virginia and North Carolina will square off in a bowl game - just not the one where they were expected to meet.

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In a matchup of teams that stumbled down the stretch, West Virginia and North Carolina will play in the Meineke Bowl on Dec. 27 in Charlotte, N.C.

Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made West Virginia –PK point spread favorites for the Meineke Car Care Bowl against North Carolina. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 54% of more than 1,956 bets for this game have been placed on the North Carolina PK.

The Mountaineers and Tar Heels flirted near the top of their respective conferences for a good chunk of the season, and appeared on course to play in the Orange Bowl before faltering late.

After reeling off a season-high five straight wins from Sept. 27-Nov. 1, the Mountaineers split their final four games. Both losses were only by a combined seven points, but that dropped them into a tie with Pittsburgh and Rutgers for second place in the Big East.

"The Mountaineers have proven to be a very talented and formidable team this season," Meineke Bowl executive director Will Webb said on Dec. 6 after West Virginia (8-4) wrapped up its season with a 13-7 victory over South Florida.

This will be a school-best seventh-straight bowl appearance for the Mountaineers, and second in a row under West Virginia native Bill Stewart, who was the interim coach when he guided them to a 48-28 upset of Oklahoma in last season's Fiesta Bowl after Rich Rodriguez's sudden departure to replace Lloyd Carr at Michigan.

Stewart, who lost the interim tag one day after the upset, told West Virginia's official Web site that this year's matchup is likely to be a lot more difficult.

"We're facing a very formidable, tough, top-notch opponent," he said. "I don't know what we're going to do with this bunch."

North Carolina opened its season with seven wins in nine games, a run that included impressive victories over Top 25 foes Connecticut, Boston College and Georgia Tech by an average of 22.6 points.

Following losses at Maryland and home to North Carolina State, though, Butch Davis' team closed out the regular season on Nov. 29 with a 28-20 victory over Duke. North Carolina (8-4) finished in a tie with Miami for third in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"You kind of overlook the good things you did this year because we didn't get to the ACC championship, or we didn't accomplish some of the things we wanted to," North Carolina safety Deunta Williams said. "We did have a good season. We're still going to have a good season."

In 2007, the Tar Heels finished with a 4-8 record in their second season under Davis, who said he's pleased with the progress that's been made this year but isn't completely satisfied.

"It's not going to happen overnight," he said. "It's not an instant formula where you snap your fingers and have everything that you want. I think this bowl signifies that we're continuing to make positive steps toward the future."

This game will feature one of college football's top rushing tandems in West Virginia quarterback Pat White and running back Noel Devine.

White, a senior, is the NCAA's all-time leader in career rushing among signal-callers with 4,425 yards, including four 200-yard games. White ran for 919 yards with eight touchdowns in 11 games this season.

When he wasn't getting it done with his feet, White was successful with his arm, passing for 1,510 yards and 18 TDs with only six interceptions.

Devine, a sophomore who took over for NFL draftee Steve Slaton, was third in the Big East with 1,228 rushing yards but had only three touchdowns. Devine ran for a career-best 207 yards on Oct. 23 in a 34-17 win over Auburn.

North Carolina is led by junior quarterback T.J. Yates, who missed five games with a broken ankle. He was nearly perfect in the season finale against Duke, completing 15 of 19 passes for 190 yards and a season high-tying three touchdowns.

In six games, Yates completed 60.0 percent (66-of-110) of his passes for 957 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. If Yates struggles, Davis could go with junior Cameron Sexton, who passed for 1,261 yards with nine touchdowns and six picks in eight games.

Junior Shaun Draughn was the Tar Heels' top rusher with 801 yards, yet had only three 100-yard games. Ryan Houston, a 250-pound sophomore, had a team-high eight rushing touchdowns for North Carolina, but no scoring run longer than five yards.

This will be the second meeting between the schools, and first since the Tar Heels - led by current Texas coach Mack Brown - posted a 20-13 victory in the 1997 Gator Bowl to finish 11-1.

North Carolina hasn't won a postseason game since beating Auburn in the 2001 Peach Bowl.

Both teams have lost their only appearances in the Meineke Bowl, now in its seventh year. West Virginia lost 48-22 to Virginia in the inaugural event in 2002, and North Carolina lost 37-24 to Boston College in 2004.

Meineke Car Care Bowl Public Betting Trends:
All games in this series since 1992
N CAROLINA is 1-0 against the spread versus W VIRGINIA since 1992
N CAROLINA is 1-0 straight up against W VIRGINIA since 1992
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL since 1992

Meineke Car Care Bowl Key Player Injuries
W VIRGINIA
[TE] Will Johnson expected to miss - Thigh - 12/03/08

Mike Dent is downgraded to doubtful - Neck - 12/03/08
[DL] Pat Liebig missed last game, %27?%27 - Undisclosed - 11/30/08
[RB] Zach Hulse out indefinitely - Shoulder - 09/16/08
[DL] Doug Slavonic limited last game, %27?%27 - Undisclosed - 11/30/08
[LB] Reed Williams out for season - Shoulder - 10/05/08
[LB] Anthony Leonard is downgraded to doubtful - Ankle - 12/03/08
N CAROLINA
[FB] Anthony Elzy expected to miss at least 6 weeks - Shoulder - 10/25/08
[WR] Brooks Foster is "?" for bowl game. - Knee - 12/03/08
[WR] Brandon Tate expected to miss remainder of the season - ACL - 10/18/0
[TE] Zack Pianalto out indefinitely - Leg - 11/09/08
[DE] Darius Powell dismissed from team - Disciplinary - 11/13/08
[LB] Mark Paschal out for season - Back - 11/26/08
[LB] Kennedy Tinsley out for season - Suspension - 11/02/08

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HAWAII BOWL

Honolulu, Hawaii - At some programs, bowl eligibility and a postseason trip to Hawaii would be cause for celebration. At Notre Dame, it nearly got the coach fired.

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With his job secure for 2009, Charlie Weis leads the Fighting Irish into Aloha Stadium on Dec. 24 to face Hawaii on its home field in the Hawaii Bowl.

Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made Hawaii –1 point spread favorites for the Hawaii Bowl against Notre Dame. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 50% of more than 3,778 bets for this game have been placed on the Hawaii -1.

Formerly the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, Weis enjoyed a successful first two years at Notre Dame, leading the Irish to 9-3 and 10-3 records in 2005 and 2006, respectively. They played in a BCS bowl following each season.

In the last two years the program has struggled, as Notre Dame followed a 3-9 record in 2007 with a 6-6 mark this season. Despite the improvement in 2008, the 15 losses over two seasons were the most in Notre Dame history, and led to rampant speculation Weis would be fired with seven years remaining on his contract.

Even after the Irish concluded the regular season with a defeat to Syracuse - an eight-loss team - and an embarrassing 38-3 loss at then-No. 5 USC, athletic director Jack Swarbrick opted to give Weis another chance in 2009.

"The question you're ultimately asking yourself is: Is he in a position to help direct the changes in the program, to help steer it back to where he and I really want it to be?" Swarbrick said. "That really focused on a discussion about a series of very specific things that constitute the plan going forward."

Despite the fact that his team dropped four of its final five games after opening the season 5-2, Weis believes the Irish were much improved from 2007, and sees reason for optimism.

"Last year we were a crummy team that very often was noncompetitive," Weis said. "This year I thought we were a decent football team that blew three double-digit leads in games. You are what you are, as Bill (Parcells) always said. But the difference between 6-6 and 9-3 is blowing three double-digit leads."

Earning the program's first bowl win in nearly 15 years would give Notre Dame more reason for optimism. The Irish have dropped an NCAA-record nine consecutive bowl games since beating Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day in 1994. The five most recent losses in that streak have all come by two touchdowns or more.

Notre Dame's offense will look to bounce back after it mustered only 91 total yards in the regular-season finale. Sophomore quarterback Jimmy Clausen completed 59.4 percent of his passes this season for 2,771 yards, 20 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Fourteen of his TD passes went to sophomore wideout Golden Tate or freshman Michael Floyd, who had sevens scores apiece.

The ground game had no dominant rusher this season, with sophomore Armando Allen's 576 yards tops on the team.

Notre Dame held seven of its 12 opponents below 200 passing yards, but yielded 27.2 points over its final five games. It will be challenged by the perennially potent Hawaii offense, which topped 30 points in five of its seven victories.

The Irish are 2-0 against the Warriors (7-6), with both meetings coming in Hawaii. Notre Dame won 48-42 in 1991 and 23-22 in 1997. The Irish also visited Aloha Stadium for the 1984 Aloha Bowl, which they lost 27-20 to SMU.

Though Hawaii will be playing in a bowl for the third straight year, this season was somewhat of a letdown after the Warriors made their first BCS bowl appearance following the 2007 campaign, falling 41-10 to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

The Warriors had a chance to end their regular season with four straight wins, as they held a two-touchdown lead early in the fourth quarter against then-No. 13 Cincinnati on Dec. 6. However, they allowed the Bearcats to score 19 straight points and fell 29-24.

"They're a top football team and that's what great football teams do," Hawaii coach Greg McMackin said of Cincinnati, which will play in the Orange Bowl after earning the Big East's BCS berth. "We're a good football team. But not good enough to finish."

Warriors starting quarterback Greg Alexander threw a costly interception in the fourth quarter against the Bearcats, but also threw multiple touchdown passes for the fourth consecutive game. The junior has thrown for 1,142 yards, nine TDs and completed 65.9 percent of his passes over his last four contests.

The Warriors are 3-1 in the Hawaii Bowl, defeating Arizona State 41-24 in their most recent appearance in 2006.

Hawaii Bowl Public Betting Trends:
All games in this series since 1992
HAWAII is 1-0 against the spread versus NOTRE DAME since 1992
NOTRE DAME is 1-0 straight up against HAWAII since 1992
Games over the last 3 seasons
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
All games played at HAWAII since 1992
HAWAII is 1-0 against the spread versus NOTRE DAME since 1992
NOTRE DAME is 1-0 straight up against HAWAII since 1992

Hawaii Bowl Key Player Injuries
NOTRE DAME
No significant injuries.
HAWAII
[DT] Rocky Savaiigaea expected to miss rest of the season. - Tricep - 10/2
[DB] Ryan Mouton - Ankle - 11/30/08

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POINSETTIA BOWL

San Diego, CA - Boise State used trick plays to upset Oklahoma in a BCS bowl two years ago. Though they were left out of a big-money game this season, the Broncos may be in need of some extra offensive ingenuity again.

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The ninth-ranked Broncos, whose undefeated record wasn't good enough for a BCS spot, look to overcome the second-ranked defense in the nation when they face No. 11 TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl at San Diego on Dec. 23.

Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sports Interaction have made TCU –2.5 point spread favorites for the Poinsettia Bowl against Boise State. Current College Fooball Public Betting Information shows that 50% of more than 10,233 bets for this game have been placed on the Boise State +2.5.

Boise State (12-0) has landed in the four-year-old Poinsettia in perhaps the marquee matchup of any of the non-BCS bowl games.

Despite winning their games by an average of 27.2 points, the Broncos were a longshot to nab one of the two at-large berths available in the BCS, especially with Utah from the Mountain West Conference ranked two spots higher. The Utes will face Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl went with Ohio State instead of Boise State, even though the Broncos were ranked one spot higher in the final BCS standings.

But Boise State, coming off its sixth WAC championship, doesn't mind facing a team as highly regarded as TCU (10-2), which has only lost to No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 10 Utah.

"We wanted to go to the BCS, but I believe this is the best bowl game there is outside the BCS," Broncos receiver Vinny Perretta said. "We did everything we could do. I'm not going to sit here and complain about it."

The Broncos have faced just one ranked team this season, then-No. 17 Oregon on Sept. 20. They led the Ducks 34-13 before winning 37-32 in Eugene, their first road win over a BCS-conference team.

Boise State has the 12th-ranked offense in the nation, averaging 39.4 points a contest, but may find it tough to put up 30 points versus TCU.

In the Broncos' stunning Fiesta Bowl upset over the Sooners two years ago, they used a hook-and-lateral to score the tying touchdown and a Statue of Liberty play to score the decisive 2-point conversion to cap a 13-0 season and earn a No. 5 ranking in the final AP poll.

They may want to think about digging deep into their playbook for this contest, too.

The Horned Frogs boast the nation's second-ranked scoring defense, holding opponents to 10.9 points per game. Only No. 5 Southern California has allowed fewer points, giving up 7.8 a contest.

TCU has the top-ranked rushing defense, with opponents gaining 48.7 yards per game. That's 24.9 yards less than No. 3 Texas, which is second in that category at 73.6 yards per game.

"I totally think TCU is a BCS team and most of the people who know about TCU think the same," Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. "This is the best team we will have played all year. It will present a tremendous challenge to us without question."

Foremost, the Broncos will have to account for Frogs defensive end Jerry Hughes, who leads the nation with 14 sacks and has 18 1/2 tackles for loss. He also has two interceptions, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Hughes helped lead TCU in a 44-10 win over Air Force on Nov. 22 in its regular-season finale. It was the eighth time the Frogs held an opponent to 10 points or fewer.

Boise State, though, has an offense that flourished late, averaging 49.0 points in its last five games, and it has plenty of playmakers. The Broncos set a season high in points against Fresno State on Nov. 28 in their final regular-season game, winning 61-10.

Kellen Moore, a second-team all-WAC selection, led the league with a 161.5 passer rating. The redshirt freshman completed 70.0 percent of his passes for 3,264 yards and 25 touchdowns against nine interceptions.

Moore is complemented by a rushing attack that averages 183.5 yards a contest. Ian Johnson and Jeremy Avery share the load, combining for 1,416 yards and 16 TDs.

"Boise State is a BCS-caliber team, and I have a high admiration for Chris Petersen and his staff," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. "They do an outstanding job in all phases of their team."

Still, the Broncos have been inconsistent on offense at times, and they will have little margin for error against the Frogs.

TCU also has a potent offense, which is often overshadowed by its stifling defense. The Frogs have five players with at least 399 yards rushing, and lead the nation in time of possession (34:50). It will be critical for TCU to try and control the clock, especially if Boise State finds a way to crack the Frogs' defense.

The Frogs ranked 13th in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 215.6 yards per game. But TCU's passing game also started heating up toward the end of the regular season, topping 300 yards in two of its last four games.

Andy Dalton has been mostly mistake-free, completing 58.8 percent of his passes for 2,045 yards and 11 TDs while getting picked off four times. He'll be facing a Boise State defense that has certainly held its own.

The Broncos are third in the nation in scoring defense at 12.3 points per game, a number inflated by 27 points on interception returns. They rank 15th against the run, giving up 104.9 yards a contest.

TCU and Boise State will be facing each other for the second time. The first meeting was also a matchup of Top 25 teams with the 18th-ranked Broncos beating the 19th-ranked Frogs 34-31 in the 2003 Fort Worth Bowl.

Poinsettia Bowl Public Betting Trends:
All games in this series since 1992
TCU is 1-0 against the spread versus BOISE ST since 1992
BOISE ST is 1-0 straight up against TCU since 1992
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL since 1992

Poinsettia Bowl Key Player Injuries:
TCU
[SF] Chris Scott is expected to miss the season. - Knee - 10/31/08
BOISE ST
[TE] Chris O'Neill expected to miss remainder of season - Foot - 10/06/08
[DE] Jarrell Root is out for the season. - Leg - 11/11/08
[LB] Daron Mackey is expected to miss the rest of the season. - ACL - 10/0
[QB] Nick Lomax is expected to transfer. - None - 08/26/08
[DT] Steven Reveles is out indefinitely - Arm - 10/27/08

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