Papajohns.com Bowl
NORTH CAROLINA STATE (6-6) vs. RUTGERS (7-5)
Where: Birmingham, Ala.
When: 1 p.m. TV: ESPN.
Series record: First meeting.
What’s at stake: Rutgers and North Carolina State come to Birmingham as two of the nation’s hottest teams. Both schools started slowly, but finished the season strong. Rutgers won its last six games, including a 63-14 win over Louisville in its last regular-season game. The Wolfpack became bowl-eligible by closing the season with four consecutive victories, including wins over Atlantic Coast Conference rivals North Carolina and Miami.
Key matchup: Rutgers senior QB Mike Teel vs. North Carolina State redshirt freshman QB Russell Wilson. Like their teams, Teel and Wilson finished the season as two of the hottest passers in the country. Wilson had 1,769 yards passing and 16 touchdowns. He finished the regular season with only one interception, and his 226 attempts without a pick is a school record. Teel is Rutgers’ career passing leader with 9,064 passing yards and 57 TDs. He had 3,099 passing yards this season.
Players to watch: Rutgers — WR Kenny Britt is a third-team AP All-American. Britt broke his own single-season school record for receiving yards with 1,259 this fall. North Carolina State — RB Andre Brown was NC State’s leading rusher, gaining 728 yards while averaging 4.4 yards per carry.
Facts and figures: This is not North Carolina State’s first visit to Birmingham’s Legion Field for a bowl game. In 1990, the Wolfpack beat Southern Mississippi, led by Brett Favre, 31-27 in the All-American Bowl. … North Carolina State coach Tom O’Brien is seeking his eighth straight bowl victory. The first seven came while he was coach at Boston College from 1997-2006.
Alamo Bowl
No. 25 MISSOURI (9-4) vs. No. 22 NORTHWESTERN (9-3)
Where: San Antonio.
When: 6 p.m. TV: ESPN.
Series record: Tied at 4-4.
Last meeting: Missouri 28, Northwestern 3 on Sept. 19, 1987, in Columbia, Mo.
What’s at stake: Missouri hopes to rebound from two straight losses with a win to finish with at least 10 victories in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history. Playing in their first bowl game since 2005, the Wildcats will try to win 10 games for just the second time in school history.
Key matchup: Missouri QB Chase Daniel vs. Northwestern DE Corey Wootton. Daniel, the most prolific passer in Missouri history, has 4,135 yards passing and 37 touchdowns this season. Wootton, a 6-foot-7, 270-pounder, was named Northwestern’s team MVP after recording nine sacks and 15 tackles for losses.
Players to watch: Missouri — WR-KR-PR Jeremy Maclin is the NCAA leader in all-purpose yardage at 203.5 a game. Maclin leads the Tigers with 95 receptions for 1,221 yards and has 12 receiving touchdowns. He has 41 kickoff returns for 987 yards and a touchdown, and 19 punt returns for 188 yards.
Northwestern — RB Tyrell Sutton will return for the Alamo Bowl after missing the last four games with a broken left wrist. He leads the team with 155 carries for 776 yards and six touchdowns.
Facts and figures: The series between these teams dates to 1895, when Missouri won 22-18 on a neutral field. … Northwestern hasn’t won a bowl game since a 20-14 win over California in the 1949 Rose Bowl. … Missouri’s last game at the Alamodome was a 38-17 loss to Oklahoma in last year’s Big 12 title game.
The Associated Press
