ORLANDO - N.C. State coach Chuck Amato thought better things would await his team than a bowl game before Christmas.
But the Wolfpack is left with the Tangerine Bowl, where it plays Kansas today. This is the fourth straight bowl for the Wolfpack (7-5). But Amato still is upset about two overtime losses to ranked teams and another defeat in the season finale.
"I just wish I could have done something better for these youngsters to have been able to win a few more games because when you win, accolades come," Amato said. "I owed it to them to find a way to win those close games that we lost; two of those games took a combined five overtime periods. I wish I could have done it for them."
Kansas (6-6) is just happy to be playing in its first bowl since 1995. The Jayhawks were in decline until coach Mark Mangino took over last season.
"Lately, I have seen a change in the attitudes of everyone," Mangino said. "I have tried to get these players feeling good about themselves, give them a feeling that they can win - and I think that has been a big reason for our success this season."
The Wolfpack is led by quarterback Philip Rivers, the ACC's player of the year. Rivers passed for 29 touchdowns and ranks second nationally in completion percentage (71 percent), passing yards (4,016) and passing efficiency (166.68). The school retired his No. 17 jersey last month.
"It is emotional, especially with it being the last time I put on the Wolfpack uniform," Rivers said. "But in this setting, there is so much to do that you really don't get caught up in all the emotions. I want to go out, have fun and enjoy the last bowl trip."
Kansas also relies heavily on its quarterback. Bill Whittemore completed 63 percent of his passes for 16 touchdowns and 2,142 yards. He ran for nine touchdowns and 450 yards.
Fort Worth Bowl
BOISE STATE: Six players were ruled academically ineligible and won't play for the No. 18 Broncos against No. 19 TCU on Tuesday night. The only starter among the ineligible players is offensive left guard Tyrone Tutogi. The others are backup defensive backs Brad Allen, Cam Hall and Terrial Hall, receiver Tony McPherson and tight end Trent Lundin.
San Francisco Bowl
COLORADO STATE: Quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt threw hard in practice, a sign his broken throwing hand might be healed enough for him to play against Boston College on Dec. 31. Van Pelt broke a bone in his right hand during the Rams' 24-23 victory Nov. 22 over UNLV. He had surgery the next week.
Sugar Bowl
LSU: Punter Donnie Jones says LSU, ranked No. 2 and in the BCS championship game Jan. 4, has developed a following around the Gulf South. That doesn't mean people recognize the players.
He had firsthand experience with that at the beach in Destin, where he spent a weekend after finals tooling around in an LSU cap and sweat shirt.
When people asked if he was a Tigers fan, Jones just said "yes." After all, the Baton Rouge native had spent his life before college cheering for LSU. And he was in Florida to relax, not to play big man off campus. He said they'd tell him, "We're from Florida, but we're pulling for y'all."
Compared to Oklahoma, LSU's opponent in the Sugar Bowl, the Tigers are relatively unknown.
LSU has a consensus All-American in defensive tackle Chad Lavalais, who was the only Tiger on the Associated Press All-America first team. Oklahoma placed five. LSU players won no major individual awards, though Lavalais was one of three finalists for the Outland Trophy.
Oklahoma players won seven individual awards. Quarterback Jason White won the Heisman Trophy and the Davey O'Brien Award; linebacker Teddy Lehman the Butkus and Bednarik awards; cornerback Derrick Strait the Thorpe and Nagurski awards; and defensive tackle Tommie Harris the Lombardi Award.
"We know there's a lot of people who doubt us," Lavalais said. "The whole state is behind us. Very few people doubt us here. But in the rest of the country, a lot of people are saying we can't beat Oklahoma. We're not doubting. We have a great team here."
