Bowl bounty hunting: your mission: track down all the best bowls with your remote. Your weapon: this viewer's guide

Kyle Veltrop

Tuesday, December 20

New Orleans Bowl

Arkansas State (6-5) vs. Southern Miss (6-5), 8 p.m., ESPN. The "Lafayette Bowl" isn't the only bowl featuring two 6-5 teams, but there's something to be said for being first. * 1/2

Wednesday, December 21

GMAC Bowl

UTEP (8-3) vs. Toledo (8-3), 8 p.m., ESPN. UTEP's Jordan Palmer--Carson's little brother--threw seven picks in the past two games, but he doesn't get to throw to Chad Johnson. ***

Thursday, December 22

Las Vegas Bowl

BYU (6-5) vs. California (7-4), 8 p.m., ESPN. BYU fans flocking to watch their high-roller offense will restore order to the Vegas Strip, if only for a few hours. ** 1/2

Poinsettia Bowl

Colorado State (6-5) vs. Navy (7-4), 10:30 p.m., ESPN2. This will rival Oprah's showing up on Letterman in generating late-night buzz. ** 1/2

Friday, December 23

Fort Worth Bowl

Houston (6-5) vs. Kansas (6-5), 8 p.m., ESPN. Need a little peace injected into your holiday season? Try throwing a Fort Worth Bowl party. 1/2

Friday, December 30

Music City Bowl

Virginia (6-5) vs. Minnesota (7-4), noon, ESPN.

For the third time in four years, the Gophers are playing in Music City. Speaking of broken records, dial you hear the Cavs underachieved? **

Sun Bowl

Northwestern (7-4) vs. UCLA (9-2), 2 p.m., CBS. You may need oxygen just watching the Wildcats' Tyrell Sutton and the Bruins' Mo Drew run up and down the field. ***

Independence Bowl

Missouri (6-5) vs. South Carolina (7-4), 3:30 p.m., ESPN. Here's the deal: Anyone covering this game who still thinks it's clever to call Steve Spurrier the "ol" ballcoach" has to stay in Shreveport, La. **

Peach Bowl

Miami (9-2) vs. LSU (10-2), 7:30 p.m., ESPN. A five-star defensive battle with two teams that dropped the BCS ball. Speaking of dropped balls, how 'bout LSU's receivers? ***

Saturday, December 31

Meineke Bowl

South Florida (6-5) vs. N.C. State (6-5), 11 a.m., ESPN2. What will be harder to come by: points of reasons to watch? *

Liberty Bowl

Fresno State (8-4) vs. Tulsa (8-4), 1 p.m., ESPN. The Bulldogs had no answer for Reggie Bush, so what are they going to do with Uril Parrish? ** 1/2

Houston Bowl

TCU (10-1) vs. Iowa State (7-4), 2:30 p.m., ESPN2. Only a loss to SMU kept the Frogs from going unbeaten. Only a loss to Kansas kept the Cyclones from losing by 62 to Texas in the Big 12 title game. ** 1/2

Saturday, December 24

Hawaii Bowl

Central Florida (8-4) vs. Nevada (8-4), 8:30 p.m., ESPN. The Golden Knights score and give up 27 points per game. Is there any way this isn't going to overtime? ** 1/2

Monday, December 26

Motor City Bowl

Akron (7-5) vs. Memphis (6-5), 4 p.m., ESPN. Tigers RB DeAngelo Williams will be an NFL star, something you don't see much of in Detroit. * 1/2

Tuesday, December 27

Champs Sports Bowl

Clemson (7-4) vs. Colorado (7-5), 5 p.m., ESPN. Good luck, Tigers. After all, Texas didn't do anything against the Buffs in the final 22 minutes of the Big 12 title game. * 1/2

Insight Bowl

Arizona State (6-5) vs. Rutgers (7-4), 8:30 p.m., ESPN. NFL draft alert: Sun Devil Derek Hagan figures to be one of the first receivers off the board in April. **

Wednesday, December 28

MPC Computers Bowl

Boise State (9-3) vs. Boston College (8-3), 24:30 p.m., ESPN. Something has to give when the Eagles put their five-game bowl winning streak up against the Broncos' 31-game blue-field streak. ***

Alamo Bowl

Michigan (7-4) vs. Nebraska (7-4), 8 p.m., ESPN. Seeing those block-lettered "N" helmets crash into those maize winged hats has to count for something, right? Right? **

Thursday, December 29

Emerald Bowl

Utah (6-5) vs. Georgia Tech (7-4), 4:30 p.m., ESPN, The Utes no longer have Alex Smith and Urban Meyer, who moved on to bigger and ... well, let's just say they moved on. **

Holiday Bowl

Oregon (10-1) vs. Oklahoma (7-4), 8 p.m., ESPN. Demetrius Williams' catching passes is a sight to behold--even in Ducks duds. ***

Monday, January 2

Cotton Bowl

Alabama (9-2) vs. Texas Tech (9-2), 11 a.m., FOX. If anyone can slow the Red Raiders' offense, it's DeMeco Ryans and the Tide's defense. *** 1/2

Outback Bowl

Iowa (7-4) vs. Florida (8-3), 11 a.m., ESPN. Nothing can replace the Hawkeyes' and Gators' bad taste from this season like a Bloomin' Onion. ** 1/2

Gator Bowl

Virginia Tech (10-2) vs. Louisville (9-2), 12:30 p.m., NBC. Brian Brohm's knee mi injury takes off some luster, but here's a bonus: Instead of commercials, NBC will show Notre Dame highlights. ***

Capital One Bowl

Wisconsin (9-3) vs. Auburn (9-2), 1 p.m., ABC. No one--not Southern California, not Texas, not the Indy Colts--wants a piece of Auburn right now. How's that for a parting gift, Barry Alvarez? ** 1/2

Fiesta Bowl

Ohio State (9-2) vs. Notre Dame (9-2), 5 p.m., ABC. Anyone else get the feeling this one will be decided by Jeff Samardzija's doing something ridiculously acrobatic in the closing minutes? ****

Sugar Bowl

Georgia (10-2) vs. West Virginia (10-1), 8:30 p.m., ABC. Forecasts call for a great future for Mountaineers QB Pat White. But his present looks clouded with Bulldogs defenders. ***

Tuesday, January 3

Orange Bowl

Penn State (10-1) vs. Florida State (8-4), 8 p.m., ABC. What do Bobby Bowden and that giant inflatable Santa in your neighbor's yard have in common? Both should have been gone by New Year's. **

Wednesday, January 4

Rose Bowl

Texas (12-0) vs. Southern California (12-0), 8 p.m., ABC. Bush! Leinart! Young! Trojans! Horns! Let's just hope there isn't too much breathless buildup for this game, which merely will be the greatest ever played. ****

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