New Mexico Bowl
Wyoming (6-6) vs. Fresno State (8-4)

STORY LINE: Good head coaching career start for former Mizzou play caller Dave Christensen, but this is a tough task. The Bulldogs’ Ryan Mathews leads the nation in rushing (151.5 yards), and the Cowboys haven’t stopped the run this season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Mathews, Wyoming QB Austyn Carta-Samuels, the Mountain West freshman of the year
BEST GIFT FOR ALL THE PLAYERS AMONG THE FREEBIES ALLOCATED: Oakley Antix sunglasses

St. Petersburg Bowl
Rutgers (8-4) vs. Central Florida (8-4)
STORY LINE: Central Florida ranks fourth nationally in stopping the run, so the Scarlet Knights and freshman quarterback Tom Savage will air it out.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Rutgers OT Anthony Davis, Central Florida freshman CB Josh Robinson
BEST PLAYER GIFT: iPod/DVD player

New Orleans Bowl
Southern Mississippi (7-5) vs. Middle Tennessee (9-3)
STORY LINE: Sun Belt runner-up Middle Tennessee bids for a 10-victory season and will try to beat an athletic Southern Mississippi team as it steps up in class.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Middle Tennessee QB Dwight Dasher, Southern Mississippi RB Damion Fletcher
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Pure Digital Flip minicamcorder

Las Vegas Bowl
Brigham Young (10-2) vs. Oregon State (8-4)
STORY LINE: The Beavers just missed out on the Rose Bowl, and Max Hall-led BYU was good enough to beat Oklahoma and get trounced by Florida State.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: BYU tight end Dennis Pitta, Oregon State running back Jacquizz Rodgers
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Fossil watch

Poinsettia Bowl
Utah (9-3) vs. California (8-4)
STORY LINE: Another day, another Mountain West vs. Pac-10 matchup. Both looked like BCS players early on, and the Bears fell harder.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Utah running back Eddie Wide, Cal running back Jahvid Best returns after missing the final three games because of a concussion.
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Flo TV television

Hawaii Bowl
SMU (7-5) vs. Nevada (8-4)
STORY LINE: Mustangs’ first bowl since the death penalty in 1986, and coach June Jones returns to the islands. Nevada has one of the nation’s most explosive running games.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick, SMU wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Kahala Aloha shirt

Little Caesars Bowl
Ohio (9-4) vs. Marshall (6-6)
STORY LINE: While Ohio plays in just its second bowl since 1968, interim coach Rick Minter, who coached Cincinnati in two Motor City bowls, leads Marshall after Mark Snyder’s resignation.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Marshall linebacker Mario Harvey, Ohio running back and return specialist Chris Garrett
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Timely Watch Co., watch

Meineke Bowl
North Carolina (8-4) vs. Pittsburgh (9-3)
STORY LINE: Two Jimmy Johnson disciples, Butch Davis and Dave Wannstedt, square off. The Panthers fell just short of a BCS bowl.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Pitt freshman running back Dion Lewis, North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Commemorative Richard Petty Driving Experience photo

Emerald Bowl
Southern California (8-4) vs. Boston College (8-4)
STORY LINE: The Eagles are happy to be here. The Trojans? We’ll see whether USC cares about this one.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: USC safety Taylor Mays, Boston College freshman linebacker Luke Kuechly
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Fossil watch

Music City Bowl
Clemson (8-5) vs. Kentucky (7-5)
STORY LINE: The Wildcats were good enough to defeat Auburn and Georgia, and the Tigers counter with C.J. Spiller, the nation’s most exciting player who wasn’t invited to the Heisman ceremony.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Spiller, Kentucky running back/return specialist Randall Cobb
BEST PLAYER GIFT: RCA HD camcorder

Independence Bowl
Texas A&M (6-6) vs. Georgia (7-5)
STORY LINE: Traditionally these powers play defense. Not this season. The Aggies have been bowl-impaired since the start of the Big 12, going 1-7.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Texas A&M defensive end Von Miller, Georgia quarterback Joe Cox
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Sony gift suite

EagleBank Bowl
Temple (9-3) vs. UCLA (6-6)
STORY LINE: The Bruins, who got in when Army lost to Navy, are taking on one of the feel-good stories of the season because the Owls are bowling for the first time since 1979.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Temple freshman running back Bernard Pierce, UCLA kicker Kai Forbath
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Slingbox SOLO with Slinglink Turbo 1 Port

Champs Sports
Miami (9-3) vs. Wisconsin (9-3)
STORY LINE: Hurricanes speed vs. Badgers toughness, but beware. Wisconsin was blown out by Florida State in this game last season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Wisconsin running back John Clay, Miami cornerback Brandon Harris
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Party at Best Buy ($420)

Humanitarian Bowl
Bowling Green (7-5) vs. Idaho (7-5)
STORY LINE: Idaho is the surprise team in the nation and gets to play in the home state. Bowling Green wide receiver Freddie Barnes is one of the nation’s best.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Barnes, Idaho offensive guard Mike Iupati
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Garmin GPS

Holiday Bowl
Nebraska (9-4) vs. Arizona (8-4)
STORY LINE: All of Youngstown, Ohio, will note family friends on the coaching staffs squaring off with Nebraska’s Bo and Carl Pelini and Arizona’s Mike and Mark Stoops
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Arizona cornerback Trevin Wade
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Flo TV television

Sun Bowl
Stanford (8-4) vs. Oklahoma (7-5)
STORY LINE: A good bowl for the Cardinal, a bad bowl for the Sooners. Great test for Stanford running back and Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Gerhart, Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Sony gift suite

Armed Forces Bowl
Air Force (7-5) vs. Houston (10-3)
STORY LINE: Houston can’t stop the run, which is what Air Force does, and the Falcons can’t stop the pass, which is the Cougars’ game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Houston quarterback Case Keenum, Air Force defensive tackle Ben Garland
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Sony gift suite

Texas Bowl
Missouri (8-4) vs. Navy (9-4)
STORY LINE: The Midshipmen have had trouble with athletic teams, and they won’t play one more athletic than the Tigers.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Missouri wide receiver Danario Alexander, Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs
BEST PLAYER GIFT: $300 Best Buy gift card

Insight Bowl
Minnesota (6-6) vs. Iowa State (6-6)
STORY LINE: A border battle that means more to the Cyclones, who weren’t expected to be here in coach Paul Rhoads’ first season. The Gophers got thumped by Kansas in this spot last year.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Iowa State linebacker Jesse Smith, Minnesota quarterback Adam Weber
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Sony gift suite

Chick-fil-A Bowl
Virginia Tech (9-3) vs. Tennessee (7-5)
STORY LINE: Tech opened the season in Atlanta, losing to Alabama. This should be an easier task, though the Volunteers, except for the hiccup at Mississippi, were great in the second half.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Tennessee safety Eric Berry, Virginia Tech freshman running back Ryan Williams
BEST PLAYER GIFT: $250 Best Buy gift card

Outback Bowl
Northwestern (8-4) vs. Auburn (7-5)
STORY LINE: The Wildcats are in their seventh bowl since 1995 but haven’t won any of them. Auburn’s offense has been special at times this season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka, Auburn running back Ben Tate
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Pro-Swiss watch

Capital One Bowl
Penn State (10-2) vs. LSU (9-3)
STORY LINE: The Big Ten has won four of the last five Cap Ones, LSU has won five of its last six bowl games.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark, LSU running back/return specialist Trindon Holliday
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Best Buy Party ($420)

Gator Bowl
Florida State (6-6) vs. West Virginia (9-3)
STORY LINE: Bobby Bowden bids bu-bye. Can the Seminoles muster enough defense to win Bowden’s final game?
PLAYERS TO WATCH: West Virginia running back Noel Devine, Florida State offensive guard Rodney Hudson
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Oakley Antix sunglasses

Rose Bowl
Ohio State (10-2) vs. Oregon (10-2)
STORY LINE: The Ducks waddle to Pasadena for the first time since the 1994 season, and the Buckeyes try to become the first Big Ten team to win the Rose since Wisconsin in 2000.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Oregon quarterback Jermiah Masoli, Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor
BEST PLAYER GIFT: 19-inch Sharp television combo

Sugar Bowl
Florida (12-1) vs. Cincinnati (12-0)
STORY LINE: Teams are managing deficits. Florida is without a national championship opportunity, and Cincinnati is without its head coach.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, Cincinnati wide receiver/return specialist Mardy Gilyard
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Sony, Apple, Trek, Garmin and Weber gift suite

International Bowl
South Florida (7-5) vs. Northern Illinois (7-5)
STORY LINE: Both come in struggling with South Florida losing five of seven and Northern Illinois its last two. The Huskies have to play up for this game to be close.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: South Florida freshman quarterback B.J. Daniels, Northern Illinois defensive end Jake Coffman
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Electronics package

Cotton Bowl
Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Mississippi (8-4)
STORY LINE: In the preseason, these top-10 teams seemed more like Sugar or Fiesta candidates. They’re both coming off lopsided losses to in-state rivals.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Oklahoma State offensive guard Russell Okung, Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Wouldn’t disclose

PapaJohns.com Bowl
Connecticut (7-5) vs. South Carolina (7-5)
STORY LINE: The Huskies overcame the emotional devastation of Jaspar Howard’s death and played well down the stretch, including a double overtime victory against Notre Dame.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Connecticut linebacker Lawrence Wilson, South Carolina linebacker Eric Norwood
BEST PLAYER GIFT: RCA HD minicamcorder

Liberty Bowl
East Carolina (9-4) vs. Arkansas (7-5)
STORY LINE: Head’s up, Pirates. East Carolina ranks 110th nationally in passing defense, and Razorbacks quarterback Ryan Mallett could have an epic day.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Mallett, East Carolina quarterback Patrick Pinkney
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Westinghouse 19-inch LCD HDTV/computer monitor

Alamo Bowl
Michigan State (6-6) vs. Texas Tech (8-4)
STORY LINE: Both throw it well, but the Red Raiders also have some defense this year. Sparty hasn’t been much of a bowl team in recent years.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Michigan State linebacker Greg Jones, Texas Tech defensive end Brandon Sharp
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Dr. Dre Monster Beats headphones

Fiesta Bowl
Boise State (13-0) vs. TCU (12-0)
STORY LINE: Boise State leads the nation in scoring offense. TCU leads the nation in total defense. Don’t worry about these guys playing higher-profile opponents. They’re two of the nation’s best teams.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes, Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Sony gift suite

Orange Bowl
Iowa (10-2) vs. Georgia Tech (11-2)
STORY LINE: Tech’s triple option meets a terrific Iowa defense. Both teams are from conferences that could use a BCS bowl victory.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Iowa linebacker Pat Angerer, Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Sony gift suite

GMAC Bowl
Central Michigan (11-2) vs. Troy (9-3)
STORY LINE: Nice that this game has the date to itself because it’s a good matchup with terrific quarterback play.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour, Troy quarterback Levi Brown
BEST PLAYER GIFT: RCA HD minicamcorder

BCS championship
Alabama (13-0) vs. Texas (13-0)
STORY LINE: This marks the seventh straight year a SEC or Big 12 team has played in the national championship game and the third time they’ve met, with the Big 12 looking for its first head-to-head victory. Bama is about power on offense and defense. Texas has similar numbers, and the Longhorns love Pasadena, site of its BCS title for the 2005 season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Alabama running back Mark Ingram and defensive tackle Terrence Cody, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and safety Earl Thomas
BEST PLAYER GIFT: Sony gift suite with Trek and Garmin