MILITARY BOWL
Maryland (8-4) vs. East Carolina (6-6), 12:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Line: Maryland by 7 1/2.
Series record: First meeting
What’s at stake: Maryland wants to send Atlantic Coast Conference coach of the year Ralph Friedgen out a winner in his final game after 10 seasons leading his alma mater. His firing was announced last week, effective after the bowl game. East Carolina hopes to clinch its fifth consecutive winning season.
Facts and figures: Maryland has the second-biggest turnaround in the FBS this year, improving from 2-10 to 8-4. Only Miami of Ohio has a bigger increase in wins (7). . . . East Carolina went 1-2 against the ACC in the regular season, beating N.C. State and losing to North Carolina and Virginia Tech.
TEXAS BOWL
Baylor (7-5) vs. Illinois (6-6), 4 p.m. (ESPN)
Line: Baylor by 1 1/2
Series record: Baylor, 1-0
What’s at stake: Baylor has a chance to collect eight wins for the first time since 1991. In their first bowl appearance since 1994, the Bears are looking for their first bowl win since 1992. A win in the Texas Bowl would be the first bowl win for Illinois since 1999 — the team is in its first bowl game since 2008.
Facts and figures: Illinois coach Ron Zook was 3-0 in bowl games as a player at Miami of Ohio but is 0-3 in them as a head coach. . . . This year is Baylor’s first winning season since 1995 when the Bears finished 7-4 but did not receive a bowl invitation.
ALAMO BOWL
Arizona (7-5) vs. No. 16 Oklahoma St. (10-2), 7:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Line: Oklahoma State 5 1/2
Series record: Tied 3-3
What’s at stake: Becoming the first Oklahoma State team to win 11 games in a season might ease the Cowboys’ disappointment of blowing their chance to play for the Big 12 championship. Arizona tumbled from No. 13 to unranked in November while losing its final four games, but a win would secure a third consecutive eight-win season under coach Mike Stoops.
Facts and figures: Arizona is seeking a second bowl victory in its seventh season under Stoops. . . . Oklahoma State’s fifth consecutive bowl game is a school record, but the Cowboys have lost in their last two appearances.
The Associated Press
