BOWL MATCHUP
Little Caesars
OHIO (9-4) vs. MARSHALL (6-6)
Noon Dec. 26, ESPN, Detroit
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
Ohio (0-3) MAC East champion Bobcats bring the conference’s No. 3 pass defense and best turnover margin.
Marshall (5-3) Thundering Herd is led by TE Cody Slate, a Mackey Award finalist, and RB Darius Marshall.
WORTH NOTING
Ohio is coached by former Nebraska coach Frank Solich.
SERIES / PREDICTION
Marshall leads 29-17-6
Ohio 22, Marshall 13
BOWL MATCHUP
Meineke
NORTH CAROLINA (8-4) vs. PITT (9-3)
3:30 p.m. Dec. 26, ESPN, Charlotte, N.C.
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
North Carolina (12-14) Key for the Tar Heels is their defense, which ranks sixth nationally (267.8 ypg). They could be helped by the pro-Carolina crowd.
Pittsburgh (10-15) This is a consolation prize for the Panthers, who fell an extra point short of upsetting Cincinnati and earning a BCS berth.
WORTH NOTING
Pitt TB Dion Lewis needs 46 yards to break Tony Dorsett’s frosh rushing record.
SERIES / PREDICTION
North Carolina leads 4-2
Pitt 35, North Carolina 30
BOWL MATCHUP
Emerald
BOSTON COLLEGE (8-4) vs. USC (8-4)
7 p.m. Dec. 26, ESPN, San Francisco
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
Boston College (12-7) Eagles will lean on sophomore RB Montel Harris, the ACC’s second-leading rusher with 1,355 yards and 13 TDs.
USC (31-16) Streak of seven straight BCS games ends. Strength is rushing attack, led by Joe McKnight (1,014 yards), but even running game underachieved.
WORTH NOTING
BC is first team to play in Emerald Bowl twice (beat Colorado State in 2003).
SERIES / PREDICTION
USC leads 2-0
BC 27, USC 20
BOWL MATCHUP
Music City
KENTUCKY (7-5) vs. CLEMSON (8-5)
7:30 p.m. Dec. 27, ESPN, Nashville, Tenn.
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
Kentucky (8-5) Wildcats’ defense is vulnerable. Kentucky has won three straight bowl games, starting in 2006 with a win over Clemson in this bowl.
Clemson (15-16) Versatile RB and ACC player of the year C.J. Spiller leads the Tigers’ offense. Clemson looks to end a four-game losing streak in bowls.
WORTH NOTING
Spiller finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting.
SERIES / PREDICTION
Kentucky leads 8-4
Kentucky 30, Clemson 27
BOWL MATCHUP
Independence
TEXAS A&M (6-6) vs. GEORGIA (7-5)
4 p.m., Dec. 28, ESPN2, Shreveport, La.
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
Texas A&M (13-17) Mike Sherman will go to his fi rst bowl game as Aggies coach. A&M’s balanced offensive attack averaged 33.9 points.
Georgia (25-16-3) Bulldogs had worst year under Mark Richt, who fi red three defensive staffers. QB Joe Cox was intercepted in each of his fi rst eight games.
WORTH NOTING
Aggies rank fifth in the nation with 465 yards per game.
SERIES / PREDICTION
Texas A&M leads 3-1
Georgia 44, Texas A&M 40
BOWL MATCHUP
EagleBank
UCLA (6-6) vs. TEMPLE (9-3)
3:30 p.m. Dec. 29, ESPN, Washington
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
UCLA (13-15-1) UCLA won three straight games in November to earn spot. Bruins’ defense boasts the nation’s interception leader in FS Rahim Moore.
Temple (1-1) Freshman TB Bernard Pierce (1,349, 15 TDs) missed fi nal game with injury. Backup Matt Brown rushed for 328 yards in Owls’ last two games.
WORTH NOTING
Temple coach Al Golden interviewed for UCLA job; Bruins hired Rick Neuheisel.
SERIES / PREDICTION
First meeting
Temple 23, UCLA 20
BOWL MATCHUP
Humanitarian
BOWLING GREEN (7-5) vs. IDAHO (7-5)
3:30 p.m. Dec. 30, ESPN, Boise, Idaho
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
Bowling Green (4-4) Freddie Barnes is nation’s leader in receptions per game (11.5). He needs five catches to break NCAA FBS single-season record of 142.
Idaho (1-0) Vandals will be making their first bowl appearance since the 1998 Humanitarian Bowl.
WORTH NOTING
Bowling Green will be competing in its second bowl in three years.
SERIES / PREDICTION
First meeting
Idaho 35, Bowling Gr. 34
BOWL MATCHUP
Holiday
NEBRASKA (9-4) vs. ARIZONA(8-4)
7 p.m. Dec. 30, ESPN, San Diego
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
Nebraska (23-22) Ndamukong Suh leads team with 82 tackles, 12 sacks, 23 tackles for loss and 26 QB hurries. Also has 10 pass breakups, three blocked kicks.
Arizona (6-7-1) Picked eighth in the preseason vote of Pac-10 media, the Wildcats fi nished in a tie for second with several thrilling fi nishes.
WORTH NOTING
Both teams had recent tough losses that kept them out of BCS games.
SERIES / PREDICTION
Arizona leads 1-0-1
Arizona 16, Nebraska 14
BOWL MATCHUP
Armed Forces
HOUSTON (10-3) vs. AIR FORCE (7-5)
11 a.m. Dec. 31, ESPN, Fort Worth, Texas
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
Houston (8-10-1) QB Case Keenum’s career numbers are mind-boggling: 12,728 passing yards, 101 touchdowns. And he’s still a junior.
Air Force (8-10-1) Falcons have a completely different kind of offense. They rank fourth in the country in rushing yardage (273.6 ypg).
WORTH NOTING
Top-ranked: Houston’s pass offense, Air Force’s pass defense.
SERIES / PREDICTION
Series tied 1-1
Air Force 50, Houston 48
BOWL MATCHUP
Sun
STANFORD (8-4) vs. OKLAHOMA (7-5)
1 p.m. Dec. 31, WBBM-Ch. 2, El Paso, Texas
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
Stanford (9-10-1) Toby Gerhart leads the nation with 1,736 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns; offense totals 441.4 yards per game, 13th in the nation.
Oklahoma (24-17-1) Sooners are ranked seventh nationally in total defense (273.5 yards), scoring defense (13.5 points) and rushing defense (88.58).
WORTH NOTING
Stanford QB Andrew Luck likely out; backup Tavita Pritchard beat USC in 2007.
SERIES / PREDICTION
Oklahoma leads 3-1
Oklahoma 28, Stanford 23
BOWL MATCHUP
Texas
MISSOURI (8-4) vs. NAVY (8-4)
2:30 p.m. Dec. 31, ESPN, Houston
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
Missouri (12-14) WR Danario Alexander is go-to player on offense (107 catches, 1,644 yards, 13 TDs) for Tigers, who have won three in a row.
Navy (6-8-1) QB Ricky Dobbs is the top threat with 924 rushing yards and 23 TDs. Midshipmen have won three of their last four, including win at Notre Dame.
WORTH NOTING
Navy’s rushing production (272.5 ypg) is more than double Mizzou’s.
SERIES / PREDICTION
Missouri leads 2-0
Navy 30, Missouri 20
BOWL MATCHUP
Insight
MINNESOTA (6-6) vs. IOWA STATE (6-6)
5 p.m. Dec. 31, NFL Network, Tempe, Ariz.
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
Minnesota (5-8) Gophers make their third appearance in the Insight Bowl, all in the last four seasons. Minnesota has been outscored 295-259 this season.
Iowa State (2-7) QB Austen Arnaud leads the Cyclones’ offense with 13 passing touchdowns and seven rushing TDs.
WORTH NOTING
Gophers’ last bowl victory was in the 2004 Music City Bowl.
SERIES / PREDICTION
Minnesota leads 22-2-1
Minnesota 24, Iowa State 23
BOWL MATCHUP
Chick-fi l-A
VA. TECH (9-3) vs. TENNESSEE (7-5)
6:30 p.m. Dec. 31, ESPN, Atlanta
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
Virginia Tech (8-14) Hokies feature ACC rookie of the year Ryan Williams (1,538 rushing yards, 20 TDs) and rank No. 1 in ACC in scoring defense.
Tennessee (25-22) Coach Lane Kiffin has Vols back in a bowl game in his fi rst season, but his off-the-field antics have brought them the most attention.
WORTH NOTING
Teams first met in 1896, a 6-4 win for Tennessee.
SERIES / PREDICTION
Tennessee leads 5-2
Va. Tech 23, Tennessee 12
– – –
Champs Sports
WISCONSIN (9-3) vs. MIAMI (9-3)
7 p.m. Dec. 29, ESPN, Orlando, Fla.
TEAMS AT A GLANCE (WITH OVERALL BOWL RECORD)
Wisconsin (10-10 in bowls) The Badgers won four of their last fi ve games but suffered a humbling two-point loss at Northwestern on Nov. 21 that stood out more. Sophomore John Clay (right) leads Wisconsin’s attack with 1,396 rushing yards and 16 TDs.
Miami (18-14 in bowls) This was a breakout year for sophomore QB Jacory Harris (below), who threw for 3,164 yards and 23 touchdowns but was intercepted 17 times. With a victory, the Hurricanes will lock up their first 10-win season since 2003.
Worth noting
This is Wisconsin’s second straight appearance in the Champs Sports Bowl and fourth time in one of Orlando’s two bowls in the last five seasons.
Series
Miami leads 2-1
PREDICTION
Miami 28, Wisconsin 21
———-
Compiled by Tribune Newspapers
