BOWL PREVIEWSBy Tom Luicci u STAR-LEDGER STAFF

NEW MEXICO BOWL

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.WYOMING (6-6) vs. FRESNO STATE (8-4)

DEC. 19, 4:30 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Fresno State by 11½

REASON TO WATCH: Ryan Mathews (1,664 yards) quietly led the nation in rushing yards per game. Rutgers fans will remember him as the guy who went for 163 yards and three TDs in Fresno’s 2008 victory over the Knights.

DID YOU KNOW?: Wyoming hasn’t played in a bowl game since defeating UCLA in the 2004 Las Vegas Bowl.

THE PICK: Fresno State to cover.

ST. PETERSBURG BOWL

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA.RUTGERS (8-4) vs. CENTRAL FLORIDA (8-4)

DEC. 19, 8 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Rutgers by 2½

REASON TO WATCH: Two years ago this would have been a classic tailback showdown between Kevin Smith and Ray Rice. Does UCF now view this as an audition for the Big East?

DID YOU KNOW?: With more than 53,000 students, UCF is the nation’s third-largest public university in terms of enrollment, behind Ohio State and Arizona State.

THE PICK: Central Florida to cover.

NEW ORLEANS BOWL

NEW ORLEANSMIDDLE TENN. (9-3) vs. SOUTHERN MISS (7-5)

DEC. 20, 8:30 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Southern Miss by 3½

REASON TO WATCH: Blue Raiders QB Dwight Dasher (2,627 passing yards, 953 rushing) is an under-the-radar star. Just wondering: Why doesn’t Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora wear a hat?

DID YOU KNOW?: Craig Heyward, the son of deceased Passaic High and Pittsburgh star Craig “Ironhead” Heyward, is a walk-on running back at Middle Tennessee.

THE PICK: Southern Miss to cover.

MAACO LAS VEGAS BOWL

LAS VEGASOREGON STATE (8-4) vs. BYU (10-2)

DEC. 22, 8 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Oregon State by 2

REASON TO WATCH: Oregon State’s Rodgers brothers (Jacquizz and James) make every Beavers game must-see TV. OSU’s four losses were to USC, Arizona, Cincy and Oregon. Any idea which BYU team shows up?

DID YOU KNOW?: BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall is a 1988 graduate of Oregon State.

THE PICK: Oregon State to cover.

POINSETTIA BOWLSAN DIEGO

UTAH (9-3) vs. CALIFORNIA (8-4)DEC. 23, 8 P.M., ESPN

LINE: California by 3

REASON TO WATCH: No non-BCS school relishes upending BCS teams more than Utah, which has done so a record 18 times. Which Cal team shows up? Bears’ four losses were by a combined 145-30.

DID YOU KNOW?: California offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig served in the same capacity with Utah last year.

THE PICK: Utah to cover.

HAWAII BOWLHONOLULU

NEVADA (8-4) vs. SMU (7-5)DEC. 24, 8 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Nevada by 15

REASON TO WATCH: What kind of reception does SMU coach June Jones get for his return to Hawaii? He led the Warriors to a BCS game in 2007 before bolting for the mainland. Nevada led the nation in rushing.

DID YOU KNOW?: Nevada is the first team in NCAA history to have three 1,000-yard rushers in the same season.

THE PICK: Nevada to cover.

LITTLE CAESARS BOWL

DETROITOHIO (9-4) vs. MARSHALL (6-6)

DEC. 26, 1 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Ohio by 2½

REASON TO WATCH: Remember former Cincinnati coach and ex-Notre Dame defensive coordinator Rick Minter? He’s Marshall’s interim coach following Mark Snyder’s resignation. Bobcats have quick-strike ability.

DID YOU KNOW?: Ohio leads the nation in turnovers gained with 36. Texas is No. 2 with 35.

THE PICK: Ohio to cover.

MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL

CHARLOTTE, N.C.NORTH CAROLINA (8-4) vs. PITT. (9-3)

DEC. 26, 4:30 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Pittsburgh by 3

REASON TO WATCH: Freshman Dion Lewis, the undersized TB that no one wanted except Pitt, finished third nationally in rushing with 1,640 yards. UNC’s defense is No. 9 in the country against the run.

DID YOU KNOW?: Lewis is the first player to win Big East Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the same season since Michael Vick in 1999.

THE PICK: North Carolina to cover.

EMERALD BOWLSAN FRANCISCO

BOSTON COLLEGE (8-4) vs. USC (8-4)DEC. 26, 8 P.M., ESPN

LINE: USC by 9

REASON TO WATCH: Just to see if USC is even interested. Who would have imagined the Trojans facing a five-loss season? Pay attention to Luke Kuechly, BC’s true freshman LB and tackling machine. He’s a star already.

DID YOU KNOW?: USC is out of the AP Top 25 Poll for the first time in eight seasons.

THE PICK: USC to cover.

MUSIC CITY BOWL

NASHVILLE, TENN.KENTUCKY (7-5) vs. CLEMSON (8-5)

DEC. 27, 8:30 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Clemson by 7

REASON TO WATCH: C.J. Spiller, Clemson’s do-everything star is easily the most exciting player in the college game, having scored TDs running, receiving, on punts and on kickoffs – even throwing a scoring pass.

DID YOU KNOW?: This is the first time since 1909-12 that Kentucky has won seven games or more for four straight years.

THE PICK: Clemson to cover.

INDEPENDENCE BOWL

SHREVEPORT, LA.TEXAS A&M (6-6) vs. GEORGIA (7-5)

DEC. 28, 5 P.M., ESPN2

LINE: Georgia by 7

REASON TO WATCH: Will Georgia’s porous defense be any better now that coordinator Willie Martinez has been fired? A&M QB Jerrod Johnson had his coming-out game against Texas.

DID YOU KNOW?: Johnson set school records for passing yards (3,217) and passing TDs (28) while also rushing for 445 yards.

THE PICK: Texas A&M to cover.

EAGLE BANK BOWL

WASHINGTON, D.C.UCLA (6-6) vs. TEMPLE (9-3)

DEC. 29, 4:30 P.M., ESPN

LINE: UCLA by 4

REASON TO WATCH: Hey, Temple is in a bowl game for the first time since 1979. That’s reason enough to watch, isn’t it? The Owls will ride star frosh running back Bernard Pierce as far as he will take them.

DID YOU KNOW?: UCLA place-kicker Kai Forbath, this year’s Groza Award winner, has made 35 straight field goals from 50 yards and in.

THE PICK: UCLA to cover.

CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL

ORLANDO, FLA.MIAMI (9-3) vs. WISCONSIN (9-3)

DEC. 29, 8 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Miami by 3

REASON TO WATCH: The teams combine to average 65 points and 829 yards, so there should be plenty of offense. But isn’t this exactly the type of opponent plodding Big Ten teams struggle with?

DID YOU KNOW?: Wisconsin RB John Clay, the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, had eight 100-yard rushing games this season.

THE PICK: Miami to cover.

HUMANITARIAN BOWL

BOISE, IDAHOIDAHO (7-5) vs. BOWLING GREEN (7-5)

DEC. 30, 4:30 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Idaho by 1½

REASON TO WATCH: Bowling Green WR Freddie Barnes had a spectacular year with 138 catches for 1,551 yards. Idaho earned its first bowl trip since 1998 despite going 0-for-November for the fifth straight year.

DID YOU KNOW?: Bowling Green filled this bowl slot when the Mountain West failed to qualify a sixth team.

THE PICK: Idaho to cover.

HOLIDAY BOWLSAN DIEGO

NEBRASKA (9-4) vs. ARIZONA (8-4)DEC. 30, 8 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Arizona by 1½

REASON TO WATCH: It’s not often you can recommend a defensive tackle as the reason to watch. Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh is the exception — as he showed against Texas. Don’t expect much scoring here.

DID YOU KNOW?: Arizona coach Mike Stoops had a better regular-season record this season than his more famous brother Bob, the Oklahoma coach. That may never happen again.

THE PICK: Nebraska to cover.

ARMED FORCES BOWL

FORT WORTH, TEXASAIR FORCE (7-5) vs. HOUSTON (10-3)

DEC. 31, NOON, ESPN

LINE: Houston by 4½

REASON TO WATCH: One team (Air Force) only wants to run. The other only wants to throw. The Falcons’ season total of 67-for-139 passing for 988 yards are about what Houston QB Case Keenum gets in two games.

DID YOU KNOW?: The Cougars are ranked No. 1 nationally in pass offense while Air Force is No. 1 in pass defense.

THE PICK: Houston to cover.

SUN BOWLEL PASO, TEXAS

STANFORD (8-4) vs. OKLAHOMA (7-5)DEC. 31, 2 P.M., CBS

LINE: Oklahoma by 8

REASON TO WATCH: We saw Stanford RB Toby Gerhart lead the nation in rushing yards and rushing TDs while nearly winning the Heisman against a bunch of soft defenses. How will he do against a good, big, athletic one?

DID YOU KNOW?: Oklahoma’s three shutouts were the most in a season by the Sooners since 1986.

THE PICK: Stanford to cover.

TEXAS BOWLHOUSTON

MISSOURI (8-4) vs. NAVY (8-4)DEC. 31, 3:30 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Missouri by 6

REASON TO WATCH: Missouri’s Danario Alexander (107 catches for 1,644 yards) emerged as the nation’s best wide receiver. How will Navy defend him? Tigers’ pass defense is shoddy, but that’s no worry here.

DID YOU KNOW?: The teams last met in the 1961 Orange Bowl when Missouri beat Joe Bellino-led Navy, 21-14.

THE PICK: Missouri to cover.

INSIGHT BOWLTEMPE, ARIZ.

MINNESOTA (6-6) vs. IOWA STATE (6-6)DEC. 31, 6 P.M., NFL NETWORK

LINE: Minnesota 2½

REASON TO WATCH: Exhibit A for why there are too many bowls. Whatever appeal Minnesota had disappeared when WR Eric Decker was lost for the season after eight games. Iowa State was 2-10 just a year ago.

DID YOU KNOW?: Minnesota coach Tim Brewster, who hails from Phillipsburg, succeeded Glen Mason of Colonia.

THE PICK: Iowa State to cover.

CHICK-FIL-A BOWL

ATLANTAVIRGINIA TECH (9-3) vs. TENNESSEE (7-5)

DEC. 31, 7:30 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Virginia Tech by 4½

REASON TO WATCH: Hokies frosh Ryan Williams emerged as a star (1,538 rushing yards, 19 TDs), but Tech’s offense goes as QB Tyrod Taylor does. Vols QB Jonathan Crompton is capable of big things if given time.

DID YOU KNOW?: Virginia Tech is seeking its sixth straight 10-win season.

THE PICK: Virginia Tech to cover.

OUTBACK BOWLTAMPA, FLA.

NORTHWESTERN (8-4) vs. AUBURN (7-5)

JAN. 1, 11 A.M., ESPN

LINE: Auburn by 7½

REASON TO WATCH: The Wildcats’ strength is their passing game, triggered by QB Mike Kafka. Auburn’s strength is its pass defense. Ignore the records: Tigers’ five losses were all to bowl-bound SEC teams.

DID YOU KNOW?: Northwestern has not won a bowl game since the 1949 Rose Bowl.

THE PICK: Auburn to cover.

CAPITAL ONEORLANDO, FLA.

PENN STATE (10-2) vs. LSU (9-3)JAN. 1, 1 P.M., ABC

LINE: Penn State by 2½

REASON TO WATCH: Plenty of appeal to this one. Can Penn State QB Daryll Clark finally deliver in a big game? Is LSU’s speed and athleticism too much for Penn State? Tigers have won four straight bowl games.

DID YOU KNOW?: The schools have not met since John Cappelletti led the Lions to a 16-9 victory in the 1974 Orange Bowl.

THE PICK: LSU to cover.

GATOR BOWLJACKSONVILLE, FLA.

WEST VIRGINIA (9-3) vs. FLORIDA STATE (6-6)

JAN. 1, 1 P.M., CBS

LINE: West Virginia by 3

REASON TO WATCH: After being bombarded with Bobby Bowden Bowl stories, your curiosity will get the better of you. Bowden will bow out with a team that is too talented to be 6-6. WVU needs to jump-start its offense.

DID YOU KNOW?: West Virginia coach Bill Stewart was a freshman football player for the Mountaineers when Bowden was the school’s coach in 1970.

THE PICK: Florida State to cover.

INTERNATIONAL BOWLTORONTO

SOUTH FLORIDA (7-5) vs. NORTHERN ILLINOIS (7-5)

JAN. 2, NOON, ESPN2

LINE: South Florida by 7

REASON TO WATCH: To see if form holds. If it does, the Big East team will win handily and have someone (QB B.J. Daniels?) rush for 200 yards, just as Donald Brown and Ray Rice did the past two years in this game.

DID YOU KNOW?: This is the first time Northern Illinois has gone to consecutive bowl game since going “big-time” in 1969.

THE PICK: South Florida to cover.

PAPAJOHNS.COM BOWL

BIRMINGHAM, ALA.CONNECTICUT (7-5) vs. SOUTH CAROLINA (7-5)

JAN. 2, 2 P.M., ESPN

LINE: South Carolina by 4½

REASON TO WATCH: As second-tier bowls go, this one offers more intrigue than most with a Big East-SEC matchup between teams pointing to next season. But how much is left in UConn’s emotional tank?

DID YOU KNOW?: The Huskies’ five losses this year were by a total of 15 points.

THE PICK: South Carolina to cover.

COTTON BOWLARLINGTON,TEXAS

OKLAHOMA STATE (9-3) vs. MISSISSIPPI (8-4)

JAN. 2, 2 P.M., FOX

LINE: Mississippi by 3

REASON TO WATCH: It’s two wannabe BCS bowl teams playing in a wannabe BCS bowl game (and the first in the Cowboys’ new stadium). Both were in the top 10 at one point this year. Maybe they’ll remind us why.

DID YOU KNOW?: Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt was a quarterback for Oklahoma State in 1979 and 1980.

THE PICK: Mississippi to cover.

LIBERTY BOWLMEMPHIS, TENN.

EAST CAROLINA (9-4) vs. ARKANSAS (7-5)

JAN, 2, 5:30 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Arkansas by 7½

REASON TO WATCH: This one offers an appealing quarterback showdown: ECU’s Patrick Pinkney, a sixth-year senior, vs. the Hogs’ Ryan Mallett (3,422 passing yards) and the SEC’s No. 1 scoring offense.

DID YOU KNOW?: Mallett, a Michigan transfer, has matched or set 12 school passing records this year.

THE PICK: Arkansas to cover.

ALAMO BOWLSAN ANTONIO

TEXAS TECH (8-4) vs. MICHIGAN STATE (6-6)

JAN. 2, 9 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Texas Tech by 8

REASON TO WATCH: Why do people slow down for accidents? Same reason they will watch this one, with 11 Spartans suspended following an on-campus brawl and a defense that had a late-season meltdown.

DID YOU KNOW?: Of Texas Tech’s 10 bowl wins in school history, five have come during coach Mike Leach’s watch.

THE PICK: Texas Tech to cover.

GMAC BOWLMOBILE, ALA.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN (11-2) vs. TROY (9-3)

JAN. 6, 7 P.M., ESPN

LINE: Central Michigan by 3½

REASON TO WATCH: Haven’t seen much of CMU QB Dan LeFevour? This is your last chance to catch the player who has accounted for the most TDs (148) in FBS history. Troy’s Levi Brown will try to out-duel him.

DID YOU KNOW?: Central Michigan’s No. 25 ranking in the AP Top 25 marks the first time the school has cracked the poll.

THE PICK: Central Michigan to cover.

ORANGE BOWLMIAMI

GEORGIA TECH (11-2) vs. IOWA (10-2)JAN. 5, 8 P.M., FOX

LINE: Georgia Tech by 4

REASON TO WATCH: Two good football teams, with Georgia Tech relying on its option game and Iowa feeding off its defense. Hawkeyes’ two losses were by 10 points but four wins were by a combined seven. The extra time to prepare for the option and QB Josh Nesbitt should help.

DID YOU KNOW?: The ACC ended its eight-game BCS losing streak when Virginia Tech beat Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl last season.

THE PICK: Iowa to cover.

FIESTA BOWLGLENDALE, ARIZ.TCU (12-0) vs.

BOISE STATE (13-0)JAN. 4, 8 P.M., FOX

LINE: TCU by 7

REASON TO WATCH: Two unbeatens, the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense (Boise) vs. the nation’s No. 1 defense (TCU), a star defensive player (Jerry Hughes of TCU) and a star QB (Boise’s Kellen Moore). Need more reasons?

DID YOU KNOW?: TCU handed Boise its only loss last season with a 17-16 victory in the Poinsettia Bowl.

THE PICK: Boise State to cover.

SUGAR BOWLNEW ORLEANS

CINCINNATI (12-0) VS. FLORIDA (12-1)JAN. 1, 8:30 P.M., FOX

LINE: Florida by 10½

REASON TO WATCH: How will Florida respond after the loss to Alabama that ended its national title hopes — and in Tim Tebow’s final game? How will Cincy respond with coach Brian Kelly now at Notre Dame? Bearcats are explosive but they haven’t seen a defense like the Gators’.

DID YOU KNOW?: Florida coach Urban Meyer played defensive back for Cincinnati in college, graduating from the school in 1986.

THE PICK: Florida to cover.

ROSE BOWLPASADENA, CALIF.

OREGON (10-2) vs. OHIO STATE (10-2)JAN. 1, 4:30 P.M., ABC

LINE: Oregon by 3½

REASON TO WATCH: A classic Rose Bowl in a lot of ways. Can the Buckeyes’ defense match the speed of Ducks QB Jeremiah Masoli and RB LaMichael James — and slow the nation’s sixth-best ground game?

DID YOU KNOW?: Oregon has not been to the Rose Bowl since 1994 and Ohio State hasn’t been since 1996.

THE PICK: Oregon to cover.

BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

PASADENA, CALIF.ALABAMA (13-0) vs. TEXAS (13-0)

JAN. 7, 8 P.M., ABC

LINE: Alabama by 5

REASON TO WATCH: There’s no debate that ’Bama belongs here. But does Texas? Time to find out. This is an old-school Alabama team — except it features a Heisman winner in Mark Ingram, something no other Crimson Tide team could say. Can Texas QB Colt McCoy solve Alabama’s defense? Were the Longhorns tested enough this year?

DID YOU KNOW?: The combined salary of the two coaches is approximately $9 million — or about half of the game’s $18.3 million payout.

THE PICK: Alabama to cover.Mark Ingram Colt McCoy