Getting pumped up to play in the Bowl Championship Series is easy. And any team can get motivated for those other bowls played at sunny locales after the calendar flips.

Then there are the teams playing in the, shall we say, less-glamorous bowls. Those games sometimes inspire indifference, with players wondering: What's my motivation, coach?

But some teams are just excited to have another game.

Take Tuesday night's New Orleans Bowl, relocated to Lafayette, La., because of Hurricane Katrina, with Arkansas State playing Southern Mississippi.

The Indians earned their first bowl bid since playing in the 1970 Pecan Bowl against Central Missouri State by winning a share of the Sun Belt Conference title.

"People actually notice that we're going somewhere, we're playing in December," quarterback Nick Noce said. "I think people are starting to recognize us and maybe start respecting us. This is just one step for Arkansas State."

BOWL PICKS

The picks:

TUESDAY, DEC. 10

NEW ORLEANS BOWL

Arkansas State (plus 17) vs. Southern Miss

Golden Eagles looking for two straight New Orleans Bowl wins ... SOUTHERN MISS 40-17.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 21

GMAC BOWL

UTEP (plus 3) vs. Toledo

Miners' last bowl win was 1967 Sun Bowl against Ole Miss ... TOLEDO 34-24.

THURSDAY, DEC. 22

LAS VEGAS BOWL

BYU (plus 7) vs. California

Cougars haven't been to bowl in four seasons, haven't won one since '97 Cotton ... CAL 41-21.

POINSETTIA BOWL

Colorado State (plus 3) vs. Navy

Middies could win bowls in consecutive seasons for first time ... COLORADO STATE 28-24.

FRIDAY, DEC. 23

FORT WORTH (TEXAS) BOWL

Houston (plus 3) vs. Kansas

Jayhawks are 19th in country in total defense ... KANSAS 34-17.

SATURDAY, DEC. 24

SHERATON HAWAI'I BOWL

UCF (plus 2) vs. Nevada

Wolf Pack is 1-2 in Las Vegas bowls ... NEVADA 41-34.

MONDAY, DEC. 26

MOTOR CITY BOWL

Akron (plus 5 1/2) vs. Memphis

DeAngelo Williams has 33 100-yard rushing games, tying NCAA record ... MEMPHIS 34-30.

TUESDAY, DEC. 27

CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL

Clemson (no line) vs. Colorado

Buffaloes have been outscored 100-6 in last two games ... CLEMSON 26-13.

INSIGHT BOWL

Arizona State (minus 11 1/2) vs. Rutgers

Sun Devils beat Rutgers in '78 Garden State Bowl 34-18 ... ARIZONA STATE 34-18.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 28

MPC COMPUTERS BOWL

Boise State (plus 1) vs. Boston College

Broncos are 3-0 in bowls on the home blue turf ... BOSTON COLLEGE 27-17.

ALAMO BOWL

Michigan (minus 11 1/2) vs. Nebraska

Last bowl matchup between Wolverines and 'Huskers was '86 Fiesta ... MICHIGAN 38-17.

THURSDAY, DEC. 29

EMERALD BOWL

Utah (plus 8) vs. Georgia Tech

Yellow Jackets scored 51 points in their last two bowls .... GEORGIA TECH 34-14.

HOLIDAY BOWL

Oregon (minus 3) vs. Oklahoma

Upsetting Ducks could be springboard to '06 for Sooners .... OKLAHOMA 32-30.

FRIDAY, DEC. 30

MUSIC CITY BOWL

Virginia (plus 3) vs. Minnesota

Gophers go for two wins in a row at Music Bowl ... MINNESOTA 28-21.

SUN BOWL

Northwestern (plus 3) vs. UCLA

Teams combine to allow nearly 450 yards rushing per game ... UCLA 53-42.

INDEPENDENCE BOWL

Missouri (plus 4) vs. South Carolina

Gamecocks have won last three bowl appearances, and that was without Steve Spurrier ... SOUTH CAROLINA 26-17.

PEACH BOWL

Miami (no line) vs. LSU

Hurricanes have won seven of last eight bowls ... MIAMI 17-16.

SATURDAY, DEC. 31

MEINEKE BOWL

South Florida (plus 5 1/2) vs. North Carolina State

First bowl for Bulls ... NORTH CAROLINA STATE 28-14.

LIBERTY BOWL

Fresno State (minus 7) vs. Tulsa

Bulldogs lost two straight after hanging with USC ... FRESNO STATE 42-21.

HOUSTON BOWL

TCU (minus 4) vs. Iowa State

Horned Frogs second in nation in turnover ratio; Iowa State fifth ... TCU 32-23.