2010-11 College Football Bowl Predictions

BYU: BYU had its worst season since 2005. After starting 2-5, the Cougars finished strong to end the regular season at 6-6. The offense is led by true freshmen QB Jake Heaps, who replaced injured Riley Nelson. RB JJ Di Luigi was also a big factor on offense.

UTEP: The Miners started 5-1 but, like BYU, finished 6-6. Injuries to QB Trevor Vittatoe and RB Donald Buckram have slowed UTEP's offense, ranked 60th in pass yards and 69th in rush yards. Their defense ranked 70th in points for and 58th in points allowed.

Box Score: UTEP rallied from a 16-point deficit to make things interesting late in the fourth quarter. Vittatoe hit Donavon Kemp in the end zone with 30 seconds left. However, the Miners failed on the 2-point conversion as BYU hung on to win by two, 33-31.

Northern Illinois: RB Chad Spann (1,293 yards) was the reason NIU was seventh in rushing yards in the country. After early losses to Iowa State and Illinois, the Huskies won nine straight before losing to Miami in the Mid-American Conference championship and losing their coach to Minnesota.

Fresno State:: Three of Fresno's four losses came to ranked teams. The defense had 37 sacks, after finishing last in 2009 in that category. RB Robbie Rouse ran for more than 1,000 yards, and QB Ryan Colburn improved throughout the year.

Box Score: Spann rushed for 214 yards and Chandler Harnish threw a pair of TDs (rushed for one, too) as the Huskies beat the Bulldogs 28-20. Rouse had a big game, rushing for 125 yards and a TD on only 19 carries in the loss.

Ohio: Ohio lost to Kent State on the final day of the regular season, costing it a spot in the MAC title game. The Bobcats are 0-4 all-time in bowl appearances (third appearance under coach Frank Solich).

Troy: Troy averaged 32.9 points per game (27th in the nation) but allowed 31 ppg (91st in the nation). It is the only Sun Belt team with a winning record after clinching a share of their fifth straight conference title. Troy is making its third New Orleans bowl appearance in the last five years.

Box Score: Donte Harden scored on Ohio's first possession, and the Bobcats never trailed from there. Troy did have chances, down by only four points with 13 minutes remaining in the game. Troy's Corey Robinson threw two interceptions, one in the fourth quarter, and completed only 44 percent of his passes in the 20-16 loss to the Bobcats.

Southern Miss: This is the ninth straight bowl game for the Golden Eagles. The offense ranked 15th in points scored (37.6 ppg), and the defense ranked 81st in points allowed (29.4 ppg). They scored more than 40 points seven times (including twice more than 50).

Louisville: In what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, the Cards are bowling under first-year coach Charlie Strong. The offense was carried by RB Bilal Powell as the Cardinals started several QBs because of injury. The defense, Strong's specialty, allowed just 18.7 ppg.

Box Score: Southern Miss led 20-0 at halftime and 27-10 early in the fourth quarter and cruised to victory. Louisville started Justin Burke at QB, but Adam Froman got a chance, too. Both Louisville QBs threw TD passes in the fourth quarter to make the final score look respectable and closer than this game actually was.

Utah: The Utes were ranked as high as fifth in the polls after starting 8-0, but consecutive losses to TCU (47-7) and Notre Dame put a damper on what was otherwise a good season in Salt Lake City. Before going to the Pac-10, this will be Utah's last game as a non-BCS team.

Boise State: After beating Virginia Tech on Labor Day, the Broncos looked poised to be the first non-BCS team to make a run at the national title. But the day after Thanksgiving, a couple of missed kicks against Nevada forced them to settle for Las Vegas.

Box Score: This game features two non-AQ teams that are 2-0 all-time in BCS bowl games. Heisman finalist Kellen Moore threw for 305 yards and three TDs in the victory. Boise trailed 27-20 with less than four minutes to go in the third quarter but then scored three TDs within six minutes to take a 40-27 lead and put the game out of reach.

Navy: QB Ricky Dobbs continues to run the triple option offense for the Midshipmen as Navy finished fifth in the nation in total rushing (302.5 yards pg). Dobbs ran for 806 yards and 13 TDs and also threw for 10 TDs.

San Diego State: Brady Hoke's Aztecs are loaded offensively. QB Ryan Lindley threw for 3,554 yards and 26 TDs. Running back Ronnie Hillman won the Mountain West Freshmen of the Year award and ran for 1,304 yards and 14 TDs. Two wide receivers, DeMarco Sampson and Vincent Brown, each had more than 1,000 yards receiving.

Box Score: San Diego State led 23-0 at halftime, which is not good for a team that is all about the run. Navy ran the ball 72 times (only seven passes) and was never in the game. Hillman ran for 134 yards and a TD. Sampson and Brown each had more than 70 yards, and Lindley threw for three TDs and 330 yards as the Aztecs beat Navy.

Hawaii: QB Bryant Moniz led the nation in passing yards (4,629 yards), and Hawaii averaged just under 40 points per game. The Warriors have won four of their last five Hawaii Bowl appearances (lost to Notre Dame in 2009).

Tulsa: QB G.J. Kinne threw for 3,307 yards and 28 TDs. He was also Tulsa's leading rusher with 557 yards and seven TDs. The Hurricanes are 16th in passing yards, 15th in rushing yards and 10th in points per game.

Box Score: A couple of top-10 offenses in the country did not disappoint as Hawaii put up 13 points in the final eight minutes to come back and beat Tulsa. RB Alex Green caught the go-ahead TD for Hawaii. Kevin Fitzpatrick missed a 42-yard field-goal attempt with four minutes left for Tulsa, and Hawaii marched down the field and added another TD to extend the lead to eight.

Florida International: This is FIU's first bowl appearance. It played a tough nonconference schedule (Rutgers, Maryland, Texas A&M, Pittsburgh) and went 0-4, but it prepared the Golden Panthers for the Sun Belt schedule, where they wound up sharing the title with Troy for the first time.

Toledo: The Rockets dealt with injuries, as starting QB Austin Dantin missed the last three games because of injury. Terrance Owens filled in and went 2-1.

Box Score: Owens filled in for injured Dantin again and threw four TDs to lead Toledo to victory. The Rockets jumped out to an early 14-3 lead, but FIU came back and led 21-20 at the half. Toledo then outscored FIU 10-7 in the second half and came away with the win. Eric Page caught two TD passes.

Air Force: Air Force won the Commander-in-Chief's trophy, beating Navy and Army - its first such feat in eight years. QB Tim Jefferson led the Air Force offense running the triple option and ran for 15 TDs while throwing for another 10.

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets managed to lead the nation in rushing despite the loss of QB Josh Nesbitt for the season because of injury. Georgia Tech ranks low in many defensive categories, but coach Paul Johnson's familiarity with Air Force should benefit his team.

Box Score: This game featured the nation's top two rushing attacks, and both teams ran wild. Georgia Tech picked up 416 yards on the ground, averaging 6.9 yards per carry. Anthony Allen went over 200 yards and Roddy Jones went over 100 yards. The Jackets won by eight despite Tevin Washington throwing five passes (and completing two).

West Virginia: Noel Devine and Geno Smith carried the load offensively for the Mountaineers, but their defense was very good, as well. West Virginia finished second nationally in points allowed and third in yards surrendered.

NC State: Coach Tom O'Brien helped guide the Wolfpack to one of their best seasons since the Philip Rivers days. A season-finale loss to Maryland cost NC State a shot at the Atlantic Coast Conference title, but second place is not that bad.

Box Score: An early Devine TD and a punt return TD gave West Virginia an early lead. NC State came back and even took a 20-17 lead with a third-quarter field goal. But West Virginia scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, and Geno Smith threw two TDs in the game as the Mountaineers won 31-23 after Brandon Hogan picked off Russell Wilson to seal the deal.

Missouri: After knocking off No. 1 Oklahoma and starting 7-0, the Tigers looked on pace for a BCS bowl game. Losses at Nebraska and Texas Tech ended that talk, but the Tigers still won 10 games for the fourth time in school history and can end the year on a positive note against a good Big Ten team.

Iowa: After winning the Orange Bowl last year, the Hawkeyes entered 2010 with high expectations. However, Kirk Ferentz's team managed to lose five games in what turned out to be a disappointing season. To add insult to their late-season swoon, three impact players won't play in the Insight Bowl, including leading rusher Adam Robinson.

Box Score: Iowa running back Marcus Coker broke out for 109 yards on the ground and a first-quarter touchdown in place of Robinson. The Tigers scored late in the fourth to creep within two points, but Gary Pinkel's crew couldn't convert the two-point attempt and failed to complete the comeback, falling 24-22.

East Carolina: This was a rebuilding year for Ruffin McNeil in his first year as head coach of the Pirates. ECU ranks last in the nation in total defense and 118th in scoring defense. It lost four of their last five games, giving up 54.8 ppg.

Maryland: Ralph Friedgen has gone from the hot seat in 2009 to ACC Coach of the Year in 2010. QB Danny O'Brien won the league's Newcomer of the Year award. Maryland won eight games this year, an impressive turnaround after winning just two in 2009.

Box Score: Davin Megget led the way on the ground for the Terps, who outran ECU by 139 yards (196-57). Both QBs threw three interceptions. ECU kicked two field goals in the final four minutes, including one with seven seconds left. Maryland would win in overtime, as O'Brien hit Torrey Smith with an eight-yard TD pass. ECU went four and out and lost five yards in OT.

Illinois: Ron Zook's offense ranked 13th in the country in rushing. RB Mikel Leshoure ran for more than 1,500 yards and backup Jason Ford contributed seven TDs. Freshman QB Nathan Scheelhaase ran for 815 yards and four TDs and also threw 17 TDs.

Baylor: After starting 7-2, Baylor lost its final three games, but will happily settle for any bowl game, especially one in its own state. It's the Bears' first bowl since 1995. The offense, led by QB Robert Griffin and RB Jay Finley, helped get Baylor to this point.

Box Score: Illinois ran for 215 yards but it was not enough as the defense gave up 10 points in the final two minutes. Finley scored from two yards out and with the extra point gave Baylor a one-point lead. Illinois went four and out, and Baylor drove down the field and added a field goal to extend its lead.

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys have an explosive and unstoppable offense with WR Justin Blackmon, QB Brandon Weeden and RB Kendall Hunter. Despite losing to Oklahoma, costing itself a shot at Big 12 title, Mike Gundy's team won 10 games for the first time.

Arizona: Mike Stoops' troops collapsed a bit at the end of the season after such a promising start. The Wildcats started 7-1 and were ranked as high as No. 9, but a brutal schedule in November and an inconsistent running game doomed Arizona.

Box Score: With Oklahoma State up 27-21, Arizona running back Keola Antolin scored on a 4-yard run with 3:18 to go to to apparently tie the game. However, Alex Zendejas missed that extra-point attempt (40 of 45 on extra-point attempts in 2010). Dan Bailey attempted a 58-yard field goal with 1:44 left for the lead, but it missed off the upright. The Cowboys got the ball back, though, and Bailey hit a 55-yarder as time expired to win.

Army: Another academy school that runs the triple option, Army ranks ninth in rushing yards per game (260.3). QB Trent Steelman led the way, along with RB Jared Hassin, a transfer from Air Force, who ran for 881 yards and 11 TDs.

SMU: The Mustangs appear in their second consecutive bowl game for the first time since 1983-84. Despite June Jones' run'n' shoot offense run by QB Kyle Padron, RB Zach Line led Conference USA in rushing with 1,391 yards.

Box Score: SMU scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to come back and win. Army ran 69 times for 291 yards. But the running of Line was the difference in this game. A 10-yard TD reception with two minutes left and a 56-yard run with 36 seconds left gave the Ponies the late, comeback victory.

Kansas State: The Wildcats go from Manhattan, Kan. to near Manhattan, New York for the holidays. RB Daniel Thomas is the focal point of the offense and can hit a "home run" every time he touches the ball.

Syracuse: The Orange are bowling as second-year coach Doug Marrone has turned around a team that was recently the laughingstock of the Big East. The Orange stay in New York for their bowl game, which is interesting to note since they went 4-3 in the Big East, with all three losses coming at home.

Box Score: Although Kansas State outgained the Orange on the ground, Carson Coffman struggled to outplay Ryan Nassib and Syracuse got the best of the Wildcats in Yankee Stadium. Thomas ran for 120 yards and a TD and Carter ran for 77 and a TD, but Nassib was turnover free while Coffman threw an INT and Josh Cherry missed a FG.

North Carolina: The Tar Heels dealt with injuries, suspensions and all sorts of issues on and off the field in 2010. But one of the positives was the play of QB T.J. Yates, who ranked second in the ACC in passing efficiency and second in passing average per game.

Tennesse: The Vols got to a bowl game despite not beating a team over .500 this year, Inserting freshmen Tyler Bray at quarterback, replacing transfer Matt Simms, proved to be the team's turning point as Bray went 4-0 after the team started 2-6, which includes a four-game losing streak.

Box Score: Yates had just as many touchdown passes as he did incomplete passes (three) and helped the Tar Heels win. UNC ended the game on a 21-0 run after trailing 17-10 midway through the third quarter. Bray also had a good game, not as efficient as Yates, but no turnovers and two touchdown passes.

Nebraska: QB Taylor Martinez got off to a great start and, along with RB Roy Helu Jr., helped the Huskers rank ninth in rushing yards (second to last in passing yards). CBs Alfonzo Dennard and Prince Amukamara lead an impressive Nebraska defense.

Washington: The Huskies alternated wins and losses through the first six games, then lost three straight games and ended the season on a three-game winning streak. This will be QB Jake Locker's final game at Washington.

Box Score: Helu and Rex Burkhead combined for 178 yards, three TDs on the ground, and the Huskers beat the Huskies for the second time in 2010. Martinez was efficient and turnover free, while Locker threw an INT and no TDs.

USF: The Bulls finished the season 5-2, a much different feeling from their usual late-season collapses of the last few years. USF ranked 103rd in passing yards, as B.J. Daniels was very inconsistent. A strong running game and good defense has been the catalyst for first-year coach Skip Holtz.

Clemson: Clemson clearly missed CJ Spiller and Jacoby Ford, who are both in the NFL, on offense this season. The Tigers never replaced Ford's production at wideout. At running back, Andre Ellington was hurt for half the year and Jamie Harper could not carry the load alone.

Box Score: Both QBs Daniels and Kyle Parker were inefficient for their schools, but a strong running game helped Clemson come out on top. The Tigers averaged 3.3 yards per rush to the Bulls' 2.8 yards.

Notre Dame: Brian Kelly's first year in South Bend was filled with issues both on and off the field. On the field, injuries to TE Kyle Rudolph and QB Dwayne Crist hurt the Irish. True freshman QB Tommy Rees has done well replacing him with the help of WR Michael Floyd.

Miami: A 7-5 record (28-22 in four years) cost coach Randy Shannon his job. QB Jacory Harris was wildly inconsistent all year with 14 TDs and 12 INTs, with many of those INTs coming in crucial situations. The Canes defense ranks second in pass defense, sixth in sacks and first in tackles for loss nationally.

Box Score: Kelly watched his QBs melt in the "Sun" as both Rees and Nate Montana combined for five interceptions and no touchdowns. The two combined to complete 34 percent of their passes. Harris was not much better for Miami, throwing two picks of his own. Matt Bosher kicked a 28- yard field goal with 1:06 remaining, and Montana could not lead a comeback.

Georgia: After a poor start, which included a four-game losing streak and an AJ Green suspension, Georgia recovered and got to a bowl game for the 14th straight year. Green had a great year, and freshman QB Aaron Murray was a pleasant surprise for Mark Richt.

UCF: One more win would set a school record for the Knights, who are 0-3 in bowl games. Freshman QB Jeff Godfrey has had a great season and the Golden Knights have the top run defense in Conference USA.

Box Score: This game went back and forth until the fourth quarter when Murray threw his 4th TD pass of the game to Kris Durham, putting the Dogs up 34-24 and putting this game out of reach. Caleb King and Washaun Ealey combined for 167 yards on the ground. UCF RB Ronnie Weaver had more than 100 yards and two TDs, and Godfrey did not turn the ball over.

South Carolina: The Old Ball Coach had his best season in Columbia, getting the Gamecocks to their first Southeastern Conference title game and upsetting then No. 1 Alabama. QB Stephen Garcia had his best year thanks to WR Alshon Jeffery and freshman RB Marcus Lattimore.

Florida State: First-year coach Jimbo Fisher got FSU to the ACC title game. The Seminoles rank second in sacks and 17th in tackles for a loss. Not bad considering Fisher's pedigree is on offense, where he helped QB Christian Ponder be more consistent.

Box Score: After Lattimore ran for a 38-yard TD with just over four minutes to go, USC went up 26-17. But on the next play from scrimmage, Chris Thompson broke through for a 60-yard TD and got the 'Noles right back in it. USC's next drive was inefficient. Then Ponder led FSU down the field, and Dustin Hopkins nailed a 50-yard field goal with just under 90 seconds left for the win.

Northwestern: The Wildcats are looking for their first bowl win since 1949 and will do so without starting QB Dan Persa, who suffered a knee injury in an upset over on Iowa Nov. 19th. Freshman Evan Watkins stepped in and has struggled in his two starts.

Texas Tech: New coach Tommy Tuberville stuck with Mike Leach's pass-heavy offensive philosophy as senior QB Taylor Potts threw for 3,357 yards and 31 TD. Receiver Lyle Leong is second in the nation with 17 TD catches.

Box Score: Leong caught two touchdown passes from Potts, who threw four TDs but also four interceptions. Northwestern's offense struggled with Watkins starting at QB for injured Persa. However, the Wildcats tied the game at the start of the fourth quarter with a field goal, but Leong's second TD of the game, with 8:15 to go, gave Tech the lead that they never relinquished.

Florida: Urban Meyer's retirement ends a disappointing year in the Swamp. John Brantley did not fit the spread offense as well as hoped, and Meyer tried to turn Trey Burton (11 rushing TDs) into the next "you know who," but nothing ever seemed to fully click for the Gators.

Penn State: Inconsistent play from the quarterback position led to a rough year in (not so) Happy Valley. Sophomore QB Matt McGloin did a much better job late in the year for Joe Paterno after replacing true freshman Robert Bolden.

Box Score: Florida led 21-13 entering the fourth quarter. Bolden found Derek Moye for a 6-yard TD, but on the two-point coversion, Bolden's pass fell incomplete. Penn State got the ball back, though, with 2:25 left from its 28 and Bolden led them down the field as Collin Wagner kicked a 36-yard field goal as time expired to win.

Alabama: Alabama's three losses make for a disappointing season for the defending champions. The offense features two running backs - 2009 Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson - who combined for 1,474 yards and 16 TDs.

Michigan State: It's rare that a team from the Big Ten goes 11-1, shares the conference championship and does not get invited to a BCS bowl. The Spartans beat the team representing the conference in the Rose Bowl (Wisconsin).

Box Score: After trailing by 11 at the half, Michigan State tied the game on a field goal with 1:12 left. However, too much time was left on the clock for McElroy and company. McElroy moved Alabama down the field and into position for Jeremy Shelley. The Tide's kicker redeemed himself from two earlier misses as he nailed the game-winner from 35 yards out as time expired.

Mississippi State: It is all about the run game for the Bulldogs, who are ranked 16th nationally in rushing offense (215.8 ypg). Coach Dan Mullen led the Dogs to wins at Florida and at Ole Miss as well as holding Auburn to 17 points, the Tigers' fewest this year.

Michigan: QB Denard Robinson looked like he was going to win the Heisman trophy unanimously the first month of the season. However, Big Ten play and injuries slowed him down. The defense allowed 33.8 points per game (ranked 102nd in the country). This is Rich Rodriguez's first bowl appearance in Ann Arbor.

Box Score: Robinson reminded the nation why he was an early-season Heisman candidate, accounting for 331 total yards. But Michigan's defense let the team down again. Michigan led 28-23 with under a minute to go, but Bulldogs QB Chris Relf found Brandon Heavens for the game-winning 11-yard TD with 42 ticks left on the clock.

Wisconsin: The Badgers became an offensive powerhouse this year, scoring 70-plus points three times, including 83 points against Indiana. Wisconsin has three running backs (James White, John Clay, Montee Ball) with 800-plus yards this year and who combined for 44 rush TDs.

TCU: TCU capped off its second consecutive undefeated regular season. After losing to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl last year, TCU faces a BCS opponent this time in the Rose Bowl. QB Andy Dalton needs to limit mistakes to give the Horned Frogs a chance.

Box Score: Wisconsin and TCU both rushed for more than 200 yards as a team, but the Horned Frogs averaged 6.3 yards per carry to the Badgers' 4.2 YPC. TCU's knockout blow came with 3:10 left in the game when Waymon James rumbled 8 yards for the score to extend the Frogs' lead to nine.

UConn: RB Jordan Todman is second in the nation in rushing (1,481 yards). After starting 0-2 in the conference, Zach Frazier, who was benched earlier in the season, came back and led the Huskies to five straight wins and a Big East title.

Oklahoma: The Sooners have lost five straight BCS bowl games, including two Fiesta Bowls. Landry Jones blossomed into a star for Bob Stoops, passing for more than 4,000 yards and 35 TDs. WR Ryan Broyles was a big part of the offense with 118 catches for 1,452 yards and 11 TDs.

Box Score: UConn kept this close, trailing 16-13 entering the fourth quarter, but DeMarco Murray broke through in the fourth, rushing for two touchdowns, including a 53-yarder to put the Sooners up 23-13. Todman ran for 130 yards in the bowl game loss.

Stanford: The Cardinal average just over 40 ppg, eighth best in the country, and only allow 17.8 ppg, 11th best in the country. Andrew Luck is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft next spring, and RB Stephan Taylor (1,023 yards, 15 TDs) replaced Toby Gerhart.

Virginia Tech After the Hokies lost to Boise State and FCS James Madison to start the season, most people wrote them off for 2010. However, Frank Beamer's boys recovered to win 11 straight and the ACC championship. As Tyrod Taylor goes, the offense goes. Taylor and the running game have been crucial all year.

Box Score: Luck and Taylor accomplished more of the same for the Cardinal in the Orange Bowl. Taylor ran for 163 yards and a TD, and Luck tossed two touchdowns. Virginia Tech settled for five field goals from Chris Hazley as the Hokies had a hard time getting in the end zone.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes carried the momentum from their 2010 Rose Bowl win into another 11-win, championship season. QB Terrelle Pryor really matured into a better pocket passer this season, and the defense only allowed 17 points in a Big Ten game once (a loss to Wisconsin).

Arkansas: Bobby Petrino's offense features Ryan Mallett, a 3,000-yard passer, RB Knile Davis who ran for more than 1,000 yards, and five receivers with at least 500 yards receiving. The Hogs averaged 37.3 ppg but averaged 42.5 points over their last six games (6-0).

Box Score: Pryor hit Dane Sanzenbacher for a 17-yard TD with just under a minute to go to give OSU the lead for good in a game where a lead never felt safe. The fourth quarter featured 28 total points, the final nine scored by OSU to give Jim Tressel another BCS bowl win. Pryor finished the game with three touchdown passes to take home Player of the Game honors.

Middle Tennessee: After passing for more than 2,500 yards and rushing for more than 1,000 in 2009, QB Dwight Dasher was not the same player this year, after being suspended the first four games. Dasher’s six-TD, 14-interception campaign really set the Blue Raiders back in 2010.

Miami (OH): Coach Mike Haywood turned around a team that went 1-11 in 2009 into a nine-win, championship team in 2010. And he did it without starting QB Zach Dysert for the last three games, who was out with a lacerated spleen.

Box Score: Dysert returned from injury and threw a 14-yard TD to Nick Harwell with 1:10 remaining to give Miami a brief 24-23 lead. But MTU's Benny Cunningham, not Phillip Tanner, took an ensuing handoff and ran 39 yards for the game-winning TD with just three seconds remaining.

LSU: Many words have been used to describe Les Miles, but one word that you can definitely use to define him is "winner". LSU went 10-2 despite issues at QB and a very tough schedule.

Texas A&M: After a 3-3 start, the Aggies reeled off six straight wins, including Oklahoma and Nebraska, who both played in the Big 12 title game. Mike Sherman benched QB Jerrod Johnson and turned one of his top WRs, Ryan Tannehill into his starting quarterback, which paid huge dividends for A&M.

Box Score: Miles developed a reputation for being "lucky" this year. Here is a good example: After Texas A&M missed a 38-yard field goal with 34 seconds left, LSU took over at its 21. Jordan Jefferson hit Rueben Randle for an 18-yard gain, but a 15-yard facemask handed LSU an extra gift. With five seconds left and the ball sitting on the LSU 46-yard line, Jefferson threw it up for grabs. The Tigers' Kadron Boone came down with it in the end zone with no time left on the clock. Miles does it again.

Pittsburgh: Pitt enters this game with Dave Wannstedt having just resigned as head coach. QB Tino Sunseri was inconsistent, and Dion Lewis did not come close to replicating last year's success. In fact, Lewis is the team's second-leading rusher behind Ray Graham.

Kentucky: Kentucky is making its fifth straight bowl appearance. Fifth-year senior QB Mike Hartline has plenty of weapons on offense, such as receiver Randall Cobb, who had 16 touchdowns in four different ways. RB Derrick Locke is healthy again, too.

Box Score: Pitt overcame a poor performance from Sunseri, as it ran for 269 yards collectively, averaging 4.9 yards per rush. Lewis and Graham each had two TDs. Lewis scored from 8 yards out with just over five minutes to go to put Pitt ahead 24-17. Locke carried the Kentucky offense as Hartline was suspended.

Nevada: Hall of Fame coach Chris Ault, along with his under-rated star QB Colin Kapernick, helped orchestrate the biggest win in school history, beating No. 3 Boise State. Nevada's only loss came at Hawaii this year. The Wolf Pack averaged 42.6 ppg and finished third nationally in rushing yards.

Boston College: The Eagles followed up a five-game losing streak early in the year with a five-game winning streak. True freshman QB Chase Rettig helped guide Boston College to its 12th straight bowl game. The return of linebacker Mark Herzlich from cancer, also provided the team with a huge boost.

Box Score: Trailing by five in the third quarter, Mike Ball scored on an 11-yard run as the Wolf Pack retook the lead. Vai Taua added 118 yards on the ground as Nevada ran for 275 yards as a team. Rettig passed for 266 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles.

Oregon: While LaMichael James is the big name, the Ducks get it done as a team with great chemistry and speed -both on offense and defense. QB Darron Thomas stepped in and replaced Jeremiah Masoli. Thomas and James led the Ducks to the top scoring team in the nation (49.3 ppg).

Auburn: The Tigers are led by Heisman trophy winner Cam Newton, who amidst some late-season, off-the-field controversy had a spectacular season. Lombardi award winner Nick Fairley is the leader of the Auburn defense. Auburn ranks sixth in both rushing yards and points per game.

Box Score: Oregon exploded in the second quarter, scoring 28 points - three touchdowns via James. The Ducks defense kept Newton in check as the Heisman winner tossed just one TD and ran for 63 yards. Oregon surrendered 24 points in the second half, but the Ducks' first-half outburst held off the Tigers for the BCS National Championship crown.