UTEP is thrilled to be back in a bowl after a 4 year hiatus and HC Price called this a snake-bit season with inj’s. The New Mexico Bowl really wanted them here and it is the 2nd time this year that they will be playing in Albuquerque (beat NM Oct 2nd). They are led by RB Buckram who LY had 1,600 yds and should now be healthy as well as QB Vittatoe (avg 209 ypg, 54.5%, 19-10) who battled an ankle injury late in the year. BYU finished the season winning 4 of 5 gms after Mendenhall took over the DC duties and in fact had shutout the L/4 opps at the half. On offense BYU frosh QB Heaps had a 9-1 ratio in his L/4 gms and BYU has a huge schedule edge (#61 vs #117). The Cougars put a cap on a great 2H of the season.

Both of these teams had their sights set on conference championships but after failing to reach those goals, meet here in the Superdome. Ohio has struggled in their 2 recent bowls and the last time they came down South, they lost to Southern Miss 28-7. The MAC as a whole is just 1-11 in their L/12 bowl games S/'08. OU QB Jackson will have to sit a bit in this game due to academics but I do like OU having the options with both QB’s and they get a favorable matchup vs a small, aggressive DL (avg 6-2, 257). The Trojans looked like the SBC’s top team early, but dropped two key games as big favorites untill winning their L/2. This is the Trojans’ 3rd trip to this bowl in the L/5Y and they’ve split the two previous meetings. Despite Troy's experience and crowd edge, I’ll go with the Bobcats who have the better D and can run the ball.

Northern Illinois cruised thru the MAC regular season going 8-0 but after losing in the MAC Championship game 26-21 to Miami (gave up a TD w/:33 left), they got shipped out West. They are also dealing with the departure of HC Kill who took the head job at Minnesota and now are prepped by an interim HC Matukewicz who was the LB's coach. On the other side Fresno HC Hill has been to 10 bowl games. The Bulldogs have the edge of having already played on the "Blue Turf" earlier this year and has played 7x there S/'02. While Northern has very good players in Harnish (65%) with a 20-5 ratio and RB Spann who was the MAC POY and led in rushing and scoring (20 TD's), Fresno had a pair of BCS wins TY vs Cincy and Illinois and also had a late lead vs Nevada and Hill has a huge edge with the bowl experience.