w w I W- IW lqw w w s w mr qw 1W SportsMon.day December 3, 2007 - 6B GOING BOWLING Michigan may be Orlando bound, but where are more than 50 other NCAA teams going bowling over during the second half of December and early January? Here's a rundown of the games. National Championship Game New Orleans, La. Jan. 7 -8 p.m. - FOX Ohio State (7-1 Big Ten, 11-1) vs. LSU (6-2 SEC, 11-2) The National Championship Game. A battle between two gridiron titans who have plowed through everyone to win col- lege football's ultimate prize. The best of the best. Well, not so much. Ohio State enters the game having lost its home finale to a then-unranked Illinois squad. That's usually a knockout punch to any National Championship hopes, but not this year. In fact, the Buckeyes enter this bowl game as the team with the least controversy surrounding it. Louisiana State has not one but two losses this season. Like Ohio State's loss, both of the Tigers' missteps came against unranked teams, as well. But despite the two squads' less-than-perfect paths to the title game, they're both in New Orleans competing for the National Championship. The Buckeyes have a staunch defense- they held Michigan to fewer than 100 total yards in their last game. But the Tigers might have the most talent in the entire country. Fiesta Bowl Tempe, Ariz. Jan. 2-8 p.m. - FOX West Virginia (5-2 Big East, 10-2) vs. Oklahoma (6-2 Big 12, 11-2) Remember Oklahoma's Fiesta Bowl appearance last year? When the Sooners became the team to lose to Boise State in a primetime Bowl Championship Series game? While noth- ing can really top that instant-classic matchup, this year's rendition of the game in Tempe, Ariz., is sure to boast some exciting play. It's true that West Virginia is coming off one of the most deflating, embarrassing defeats in school history (a 20- 13 loss to rival Pitt that knocked the Mountaineers out of National Championship contention), but it should get Heis- man-hopeful quarterback Pat White back in time to take on Oklahoma. If the Mountaineers can shake off the disap- pointment of not being in the title game, this game could be interesting. Both offenses - led by White at West Virginia and red- shirt freshman Sam Bradford - are extremely explosive, and watchers can expect the scoreboard to light up all night. Rose Bowl Pasadena, Calif. Jan. 1--4:30 p.m. - ABC Illinois (6-2 Big Ten, 9-3) vs. Southern Cal (6-2 Pac-10, 10-2) Ron Zook's Illinois squad is heading to the Rose Bowl for the first time since New Year's Day 1984. The reward: a parade with floats. Oh, and a matchup with the hottest team in college football, Southern Cal. The game will feature the Big Ten-Pac Ten contest organiz- ers and traditionalists so desire. At first look, Illinois is overmatched in almost all facets. Southern Cal's defense has been stellar in its last four games. Zook and his quarterback, Juice Williams, will struggle to move the ball, even with a spread offense. On the other side of the ball, Southern Cal has its annual stockpile of weapons. No Reggie Bush's and Matt Leinart's, just a lot of quality talent ready to stretch the field. Don't rule out the Illini, though. This is the same team that handed No.1 Ohio State its lone loss this season. That wasn't a fluke, and a win in the Rose Bowl, while surprising, wouldn't be a fluke either. Orange Bowl Miami, Fla. Jan. 3 - 8 p.m. - FOX Kansas (7-1 Big 12, 11-1) vs. Virginia Tech (6-1 ACC, 11-2) After the tragic shootings on its campus last spring, Vir- ginia Tech headed into the 2007 season on a mission to help the healing process for its student body. But after a 48-7 thrashing at the hands of Louisiana State, it was the Hokies who were licking their wounds. Coach Frank Beamer isn't one for giving up, though. Now almost three months later, Virginia Tech has won 10 of its past 11 games and captured the ACC Title after a win over Boston College Saturday. The Hokies' opponent wasn't so sure about its spot in the Orange Bowl. Kansas went through the entire year unscathed until a devastating loss to rival Missouri to close the season. Like them or not, though, the Jayhawks present an inter- esting matchup for Virginia Tech, with a dynamic offense led by quarterback Todd Reesing. But Beamer's squads are used to the big stage. Will Kansas prove it belongs with the big boys or is its one-loss campaign merely a facade? a. 10 Sugar Bowl* Jan. 1 - 8:30 p.m. - FOX Hawaii (8-0 WAC,12-0) vs. Georgia (6-2 SEC, 10-2) New Mexico Bowl Dec. 22 - 4:30 p.m. - ESPN Nevada (4-4 WAC, 6-6) vs. New Mexico (5-3 MWC, 8-4) Holiday Bowl Dec. 27 - 8 p.m. - ESPN Texas (5-3 Big 12, 9-3) vs. Arizona State (7-2 Pac-10, 10-2) Meineke Car Care Bowl Dec. 29 - 1 p.m. - ESPN Connecticut (5-2 Big East, 9-3) vs. Wake Forest (5-3 ACC, 8-4) Armed Forces Bowl Dec. 31 - 12:30 p.m. - ESPN California (3-6 Pac-10, 6-6) vs. Air Force (6-2 MWC, 9-3) Insight Bowl Dec. 31 - 6 p.m. - NFL Network Indiana (3-5 Big Ten, 7-5) vs. Oklahoma State (4-4 Big 12, 6-6) Gator Bowl Jan.1 - 1 p.m. - CBS Texas Tech (4-4 Big 12, 8-4) vs. Virginia (6-2 ACC, 9-3) Poinsettia Bowl Dec. 20 - 9 p.m. - ESPN Utah (5-3 MWC, 8-4) vs. Navy (7-5) Las Vegas Bowl Dec. 22 - 8 p.m. - ESPN UCLA (5-4 Pac-10, 6-6) vs. BYU (8-0 MWC, 10-2) Champs Sports Bowl Dec. 28 - 5 p.m. - ESPN Michigan State (3-5 Big Ten, 7-5) vs. Boston College (6-2 ACC, 10-3) Liberty Bowl Dec. 29 - 4:30 p.m. - ESPN Central Florida (7-1 C-USA, 10-3) vs. Mississippi State (4-4 SEC, 7-5) Sun Bowl Dec. 31 - 2 p.m. - CBS South Florida (4-3 Big East, 9-3) vs. Oregon (5-4 Pac-10, 8-4) Chick-fil-A Bowl Dec. 31 - 7:30 p.m. - ESPN Clemson (5-3 ACC, 9-3) vs. Auburn (5-3 SEC, 8-4) Capital One Bowl Jan.1 - 1 p.m. - ABC Michigan (6-2 Big Ten, 8-4) vs. Florida (5-3 SEC, 9-3) New Orleans Bowl Dec. 21 - 8 p.m. - ESPN2 Memphis (6-2 C-USA, 7-5) vs. Florida Atlantic (6-1 Sun Belt, 7-5) Hawaii Bowl Dec. 23 - 8 p.m. - ESPN East Carolina (6-2 C-USA, 7-5) vs. Boise State (7-1 WAC,10-2) Texas Bowl Dec. 28 - 8 p.m. - NFL Network TCU (4-4 MWC, 7-5) vs. Houston (6-2 C-USA, 8-4) Alamo Bowl Dec. 29 - 8 p.m. - ESPN Texas A&M (4-4 Big 12,7-5) vs. Penn State (4-4 Big Ten, 8-4) Humanitarian Bowl Dec. 31 - 2 p.m. - ESPN2 Georgia Tech (4-4 ACC, 7-5) vs. Fresno State (6-2 WAC, 8-4) Papajohns.com Bowl Dec. 22 - 1 p.m. - ESPN2 Southern Miss (5-3 C-USA, 7-5) vs. Cincinnati (4-3 Big East, 9-3) Motor City Bowl Dec. 26 - 7:30 p.m. - ESPN Purdue (3-5 Big Ten, 7-5) vs. Central Michigan (6-1 MAC, 8-5) Emerald Bowl Dec. 28 - 8:30 p.m. - ESPN Maryland (3-5 ACC, 6-6) vs. Oregon State (6-3 Pac-10, 8-4) Independence Bowl Dec. 30 - 8 p.m. - ESPN Alabama (4-4 SEC, 6-6) vs. Colorado (4-4 Big 12, 6-6) Music City Bowl Dec. 31 - 4 p.m. - ESPN Kentucky (3-5 SEC, 7-5) vs. Florida State (4-4 ACC, 7-5) Outback Bowl Cotton Bowl Jan.1 - 11 a.m. - ESPN Jan.1 - 11:30 a.m. - FOX Wisconsin (5-3 Big Ten, 9-3) vs. Missouri (7-1 Big 12, 11-1) vs. Tennessee (6-2 SEC, 9-4) Arkansas (4-4 SEC, 8-4) International Bowl GMAC Bowl Jan. 5 - Noon - ESPN2 Jan. 6 - 8 p.m. - ESPN Rutgers (3-4 Big East, 7-5) vs. Bowling Green (6-2 MAC, 8-4) vs. Ball State (5-2 MAC, 7-5) Tulsa (6-2 C-USA, 9-4)