ESPN College Football

The 2013 college football season could showcase one of the best college quarterback classes ever. Here are five reasons why:

1. BEST TEAMS IN 2012 RETURN THEIR QUARTERBACKS
Each of the top six teams in last season’s final AP poll returns its leading passer. The last time that happened was entering the 1982 season. That 1982 group led to the famed 1983 NFL draft class that boasted six quarterbacks chosen in the first round -- including Hall of Famers John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino.

2. BEST PASSERS ARE RETURNING
Each of the top five and 10 of the top 11 quarterbacks in terms of passing efficiency return to school. In all, seven players with a passing efficiency of at least 160 last season are coming back, more than in the previous three seasons combined.

3. DIVERSE ARRAY OF NFL TALENT
This class is expected to produce a number of NFL starting quarterbacks. Four of Todd McShay’s top 15 prospects in the 2014 draft are quarterbacks (Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater, Clemson’s Tajh Boyd, Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel and Alabama’s AJ McCarron).

Yet, showing how deep this class is, Brock Huard ranks Georgia's Aaron Murray, Oregon's Marcus Mariota and Ohio State's Braxton Miller ahead of either McCarron or Manziel on his quarterback draft board.

4. LITTLE QB TURNOVER IN SEC
The SEC is in prime shape to win its eighth straight national title with 11 of 14 starting quarterbacks from last season returning to school. Among the 11 are the starters of the top three teams in each division including Manziel, Murray and McCarron.

Last season, Manziel set the SEC record for total offense with 5,116 yards. Murray is on pace to set conference records for most career passing yards and total offense, and McCarron is the two-time BCS national champion.

5. AWARD WINNERS BACK ON CAMPUS
The SEC isn’t the only conference returning elite quarterbacks. The Big Ten, Mountain West and MAC each return their first- and second-team quarterbacks from last season. So would Conference USA and the WAC if realignment hadn’t altered those conferences. The Big 12 is the only conference that doesn’t return either its first- or second-team quarterback.

Among the returnees, Boyd could challenge the ACC record for total offense in a career, Troy’s Corey Robinson is on pace to shatter the Sun Belt’s career record for total offense, and Jordan Lynch returns after leading Northern Illinois to its first ever BCS bowl game last season.

In a day dominated by backup quarterbacks, Rice took down Air Force 33-14 in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl thanks to 26 unanswered points in the second half. It was Rice's first bowl appearance since the Owls beat Western Michigan 38-14 in the 2008 Texas Bowl.

It was over when: Rice junior safety Paul Porras intercepted Air Force quarterback Kale Pearson's pass at the Falcons' 36-yard line with Rice leading 27-14 with 3:52 remaining in the fourth quarter. Rice scored four plays later to make it 33-14.

Game ball goes to: Rice backup quarterback Driphus Jackson took over for starter Taylor McHargue late in the first half after McHargue suffered a head injury from a hit by Air Force's Steffon Batts. Jackson went on to complete 15 of 21 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns.

Stat of the game: Air Force entered the game averaging 435.9 yards of offense per game but was outgained 503-214 Saturday. That was a season low for the Falcons. Rice also registered 24 first downs to Air Force's 12. The Falcons recorded just two first downs in the second half.

Stat of the game 2: The Falcons owned the nation's No. 2 rushing attack, averaging 328.8 yards per game, but registered only 166 yards against the Owls, which were allowing nearly 200 rushing yards per game. Rice's rush defense stepped up in the second half, as the Owls allowed just 24 rushing yards in the final two quarters.

Unsung hero of the game: Jackson gave the Owls a nice spark in the second half, but he also got a lot of help from wide receiver Jordan Taylor, who caught nine passes for 153 yards and three touchdowns.

What it means for Rice: The Owls finished the season winning six of their final seven games and claimed its first bowl win since its last postseason appearance in 2008. It was only the second bowl win for Rice in the past 57 years.

What it means for Air Force: The Falcons ended the season losing four of their final five games, turning the ball over 17 times during that span. Air Force has lost two straight bowl games. For the first time since 2005, it lost to Army and Navy, lost its bowl game and had a losing season.

Here are three keys to today's Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl between Rice and Air Force (11:45 a.m. ET, ESPN):

1. Keep that momentum going: Rice enters today's game on a four-game winning streak and having won five of its past six games. Remember, this was a team that started the season 1-5 and was just getting eaten up by opposing rushing attacks. From that low point, the Owls completely transformed when it came to stopping the run, allowing teams to average a measly 116.2 yards over the final six games and giving up just nine total rushing touchdowns. The Owls outscored opponents by 80 points during their final five victories and averaged 432 yards of offense during their four-game winning streak. How well that rushing defense plays will be crucial against Air Force, which ranks second nationally in rushing offense (328.8 yards per game) and has 37 rushing touchdowns on the season. If the Owls can contain that triple-option rushing attack, they'll have a good chance to get a win in their first bowl game since 2008.

2. Hold on to the ball: The Falcons might be able to run the ball down other teams' throats, but they have really struggled in the turnover department of late. During its first eight games of the season, Air Force turned the ball over just 12 times. But during the Falcons' 1-3 finish, they handed the ball to opponents 14 times. With how well Rice is playing right now, and with how efficient the Owls have been on offense, Air Force can't afford to turn the ball over and expect to win. With the way the Falcons can run the ball, and given how much Rice struggled earlier in the season to stop the run, it could be a major advantage for the Falcons if they can just keep feeding running back Cody Getz, who became the first player in school history to register three 200-yard rushing games in a single season, and have quarterback Connor Dietz make plays with his feet to keep that option attack going. Grinding it out will wear Rice down.

3. Act like you've been there before: This is Air Force's sixth consecutive bowl game, while Rice is making its first trip to the postseason since 2008. That year, the Owls throttled Western Michigan 38-14 in the Texas Bowl. For the Owls, it's all about not getting cold feet and letting the nerves take hold. They had to work extremely hard to get six wins after the 1-5 start, so it's not the time to let the bright bowl lights intimidate them. As for Air Force, the Falcons have a ton of bowl experience, but the confidence might be lacking after such a bad end to the season. This team has to realize that it has been here before. It knows how to handle the magnitude of the final game of the season. Rice hasn't been in this situation in a while, so the Falcons will have the advantage when it comes to nerves today.

Rice (6-6, 4-4 C-USA) vs. Air Force (6-6, 5-3 MWC)

Who to watch: Air Force senior running back Cody Getz. Air Force enters the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl with the No. 2 rushing offense in the country, averaging 328.8 yards per game. The main reason for the Falcons' ground success has been the play of Getz. He has 1,213 rushing yards and nine touchdowns despite missing two games this year because of an ankle injury. Getz became the first player in school history with three 200-yard rushing games in a season and averaged 6.4 yards per carry. He must be licking his chops at the thought of playing against a Rice defense that is tied for 91st nationally in run defense, giving up 192.8 yards per game.

What to watch: Can Rice put pressure on Air Force's backfield? The Falcons have been very good at protecting quarterback Connor Dietz this season. Through the first nine games of the season, Air Force's offensive line didn't allow a single sack. What might have been more impressive about that is that the Falcons' line did it without starting center Michael Husar, who went down in the season opener. Air Force is tied for second nationally in sacks allowed (seven). Rice ranks 47th nationally in sacks this season with 26 on the year. The Owls are averaging 2.17 sacks a game, and defensive linemen Cody Bauer and Hosam Shahin have combined for 10.5 sacks on the year.

Why watch: Who doesn't like culture clashes when it comes to offense? Air Force has that challenging triple option, but Rice owns a much more balanced offense. The Owls are averaging 201 rushing yards and 219 passing yards per game. Although Air Force has been very deadly running the ball, the Falcons really struggled down the stretch because of costly turnovers. Air Force finished the season with a 1-3 run, turning the ball over 14 times in the process after turning it over just 12 times in the first eight games. Rice comes in red hot, winning five of its last six games, including its last four. In the final six games of the season, the Owls allowed an average of only 116.2 rushing yards. Watching this Rice defense try to contain Air Force's potent rushing attack should be fun.

Prediction: Air Force 31, Rice 27. Rice might have all the momentum on its side after such a good end to the season, but Air Force finally got a substantial break and thus got some much-needed rest. The Falcons played for 10 consecutive weeks, and you could tell this team was hurting for a break. That break has come, and, although the Owls have been very good against the run lately, Air Force's triple-option attack will be just too much for Rice in the second half.

SMU (6-6, 5-3 Conference USA) vs. Fresno State (9-3, 5-1 Mountain West)

Who to watch: Fresno State's Phillip Thomas was the school's first-ever unanimous All-American following a nation-best eight-pick season, which set the Mountain West Conference single-season record. Thomas returned three of those picks for scores (a school record), and he led the Bulldogs with 82 total tackles and 12 tackles for loss, while tying for the team lead with four forced fumbles, adding four sacks and one fumble recovery. The fifth-year senior from Bakersfield, Calif., has recovered from a leg injury that forced him to redshirt last season and now has more interceptions than 29 teams. Simply put, Thomas is a ball hawk whom SMU must be aware of at all times.

What to watch: Both defenses. While both offenses are capable of big chunk plays -- Fresno State boasts the nation's No. 12 scoring offense -- the other side of the ball has put each team in great scoring position throughout the season. You already know about Thomas, but his nine takeaways account for barely a quarter of the Bulldogs' 33 forced turnovers this season. SMU? The same number, though the Mustangs have lost it 21 times this season, five more than Fresno State. The Bulldogs are No. 5 in turnover margin; the Mustangs are No. 12. Whichever defense makes more big plays is the one most likely to walk away with the victory, as SMU is minus-10 in the turnover category in its six losses this season.

Why to watch: Derek Carr, brother of former NFL No. 1 draft pick David Carr, has been phenomenal under center all season for Fresno State, completing better than 68 percent of his passes for 3,742 yards with 36 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Casual fans will also recognize the man under center for SMU as Garrett Gilbert, who is best known for his relief act of Colt McCoy in the 2010 BCS National Championship, and has 21 total touchdowns while netting nearly 3,000 yards of offense.

Prediction: Fresno State 35, SMU 24. The Bulldogs enter this game riding a five-game winning streak. The Mustangs had to win their regular-season finale over Tulsa just to extend their season. Fresno State does a better job of protecting the ball and has the more productive quarterback.

The offensive explosion most expected didn't disappoint, as Louisiana-Lafayette and East Carolina lit up the scoreboard in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. The Ragin' Cajuns and Pirates combined for 45 points in the second quarter and spent much of the game in plus territory. East Carolina erased a 21-point first-half deficit, but couldn't convert enough drives into touchdowns as Louisiana-Lafayette celebrated a New Orleans Bowl championship for the second consecutive year.

Let's take a quick look at what happened in the Big Easy ...

It was over when: A fourth-down rollout pass from East Carolina quarterback Shane Carden to wide receiver Andrew Bodenheimer was broken up by Louisiana-Lafayette cornerback Melvin White near the sideline with 2:32 left. Ragin' Cajuns star kicker Brett Baer, who had booted the game-wining field goal in last year's New Orleans Bowl, secured another by converting a 39-yard field goal try with 10 seconds left. After beginning the game with three consecutive three-and-outs, East Carolina had moved the ball well throughout the second half until the decisive drive.

Game ball goes to: Louisiana-Lafayette quarterback Terrance Broadway. The sophomore was the most dynamic player on the field at the dome despite playing through an apparent right shoulder injury. He completed 21 of 31 passes for 316 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and he added 108 rushing yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. Broadway set the team's single-season total offense record on a third-quarter run, and finished with 416 yards on the day. Cajuns sophomore running back Alonzo Harris also deserves a shoutout after going for 117 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries.

Stat of the game: Both teams entered the game ranked in the top five nationally in red zone offense -- Louisiana-Lafayette tied for second (94 percent), East Carolina tied for fifth (92 percent) -- and they didn't disappoint. The Ragin' Cajuns and Pirates combined to go 10-for-10 on red zone scores, with eight touchdowns and two field goals.

Unsung hero: Louisiana-Lafayette cornerback Jemarious Moten. The first-team All-Sun Belt selection stepped up in his final collegiate game. After a Broadway interception off a deflection set up East Carolina in Cajuns territory early in the fourth quarter, Moten responded with an interception of Carden near the 10-yard line. He also had a third-down pass breakup midway through the fourth. Although he should have had more than one interception -- and a possible pick-six off a trick play -- he certainly was a factor for the Louisiana-Lafayette defense.

What it means: The Louisiana-Lafayette program has arrived under coach Mark Hudspeth, recording consecutive nine-win seasons and consecutive bowl victories. Before last year's New Orleans Bowl, the Cajuns hadn't played in the postseason since the 1970 season (in the Grantland Rice Bowl). Broadway emerged as a star this fall and should give Louisiana-Lafayette an excellent chance to compete for a Sun Belt title in 2013. East Carolina also has a promising young quarterback in Carden, but the Pirates need to rediscover their postseason mojo after dropping their fourth straight bowl game.

UCF made the short trip over to the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl and turned it into a long night for Ball State. The Knights scored an impressive 38-17 victory at Tropicana Field, shutting down a Cardinals offense that averaged 35 points per game this season. Here's a quick look at how it went down:

It was over when: After Ball State kicked a field goal to make the score 28-10, the Cardinals attempted an onside kick. It didn't work, and UCF needed just seven plays to turn that good field position into a touchdown. Blake Bortles found J.J. Worton for a 7-yard touchdown pass and a 35-10 lead. You couldn't blame Ball State coach Pete Lembo for gambling, because his defense had no answers all night long for the Knights, who led 28-7 at halftime and controlled both sides of the ball.

Game ball goes to: Bortles. The sophomore quarterback bounced back from a rough day in the Conference USA title game loss to Tulsa for a terrific all-around performance. He completed 22-of-32 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns, and he also ran for 79 yards and a score. Bortles did a great job of extending plays with his feet, especially in the red zone, and he didn't turn the ball over. Running back Latavius Murray caught two of Bortles' touchdown passes and ran for another.

Stat of the game: 68. That's how many rushing yards Ball State had in the game. The Cardinals averaged 214 rushing yards per game this season but couldn't find much room against UCF's defense and had to play from behind all night. Bortles outrushed Ball State all by himself.

Unsung hero of the game: UCF freshman receiver Breshad Perriman had five catches for 90 yards, helping set up two first-half scores. Perriman had only 298 receiving yards in the regular season.

What it means: UCF won its second bowl game and first since downing Georgia in the 2010 Liberty Bowl. The Knights seniors became the winningest class in school history with their 34th victory. A 10-win season should set the program up well for its entry next season into the Big East, however that league may end up looking. ... A strong season by Ball State ended with familiar disappointment. The program is now 0-6 all time in bowls.

Ball State (9-3, 6-2 MAC) vs. Central Florida (9-4, 7-1 C-USA)

WHO TO WATCH: UCF kick returner/receiver Quincy McDuffie. The 5-foot-10 McDuffie is one of the fastest men in the FBS and poses a threat to score every time he touches the ball. That's especially true on kickoff returns, where the senior has six career touchdowns, including three this season (and two in the same game versus Marshall). He led the nation in kickoff return average at more than 34 yards per attempt. While McDuffie doesn't often get involved in the offense, he did run for three touchdowns last month against UAB. Ball State would be wise to kick the ball out of the end zone as much as possible.

WHAT TO WATCH: Quarterback play for both teams. Ball State's Keith Wenning missed his team's final six quarters with a right ankle injury that required surgery, though he did return to practice this week. His backup, Kelly Page, dealt with a concussion late in the season. UCF's Blake Bortles had a great year but went just 14-of-32 in the Knights' overtime loss to Tulsa in the Conference USA championship game. When right, both quarterbacks can slice up a defense. They have very similar numbers in passing yards (Bortles threw for 2,787, Wenning for 2,878) and touchdowns (both have 22).

WHY TO WATCH: These are two mid-major teams that could play with a lot of big boys. Ball State won its final six games and lost only to Clemson, MAC champion Northern Illinois and MAC runner-up Kent State -- three teams with a combined record of 33-5. The Cardinals also beat two AQ teams in Indiana and South Florida. UCF very nearly won the C-USA crown, and its losses came to Ohio State, Missouri and Tulsa (twice). The Knights beat Georgia in the Liberty Bowl game two years ago. Ball State is still looking for its first bowl victory after coming up short five times since 1989. Though this is a football game in a baseball stadium (Tropicana Field), the score could resemble a basketball game. Both teams are averaging 35 points a game with well-balanced offenses. Cardinals coach Pete Lembo could soon become the latest MAC coach to get scooped up by a major program.

PREDICTION: UCF 38, Ball State 30. Both teams will move the ball extremely well, but the Knights had one of the better defenses in C-USA while Ball State ranked 103rd in the nation in total defense. A poor run defense will doom the Cardinals as UCF's 222-pound back Latavius Murray rumbles for 150-plus yards. The Knights also own an advantage in playing only 120 miles from campus and should have more fans in the stands than the school from Muncie, Ind.

1. Cincinnati athletic director Whit Babcock explained two weeks ago how Butch Jones told him he had turned down Colorado to stay with the Bearcats, only to see Tennessee lure Jones away later that day. Jones told me Wednesday how gut-wrenching it was. Babcock asked him point-blank if he was going to Colorado or Tennessee. Jones assured Babcock he had turned down Colorado and that he hadn’t talked to the Vols. “Whit’s face dropped,” Jones said. “‘Butch,’ Whit said, ‘(Tennessee athletic director) Dave Hart just called.’ Trace (Armstrong), my agent, didn’t know about it. I didn’t know about it.”

2. In the end, Jeremy Pruitt took the bird in the hand. The Alabama secondary coach could have waited a year to see if defensive coordinator Kirby Smart got a head-coaching gig. Instead, Pruitt accepted an offer from Jimbo Fisher to become Florida State’s defensive coordinator. Pruitt knows it’s a gamble to leave the Nick Saban Coaching Academy. A year ago, Derek Dooley lured away Sal Sunseri to be defensive coordinator at Tennessee. After Dooley got fired, Fisher hired Sunseri to work for his young friend Pruitt.

3. As one of the leading mockers of athletic directors who buy opponents for home games, I have to admit it’s refreshing to see one of those games used for something more. If Wisconsin hadn’t brought in Utah State this past September, then athletic director Barry Alvarez might not understand how good a coach Gary Andersen is. The Aggies nearly upset the Badgers, losing 16-14, and now Alvarez has picked Andersen to replace Bret Bielema. Andersen becomes the third WAC coach to move to an AQ school this month.

Iowa State Cyclones (6-6) vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (10-3)

Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. ET, Memphis, Tenn. (ESPN)

Iowa State take by SoonerNation's Brandon Chatmon: Big 12 Conference play was unkind to the Cyclones, who have won just two games since Oct. 6. They finished 3-6 in the conference and 6-6 overall.

Nonetheless, ISU has plenty of hope heading into bowl season with the emergence of redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Richardson in its final two games. He was 36-of-58 for 412 yards and seven touchdowns with zero interceptions in the final two games.

Richardson has played with a confidence and poise that should make Cyclones fans excited about the future. The month of bowl practices will help his development, and a good performance in ISU's bowl game could give him the confidence to take his game to another level as a sophomore.

The Cyclones feature a solid defense which allowed 23.3 points per game this season, so their offensive success tends to make the difference between a win and a loss for ISU. It’s also the final game for linebacker A.J. Klein, who has 98 tackles this season and is two tackles away from recording the third 100-tackle season of his college career. ISU surely wants to send one of the best defensive players in school history out with a bowl win.

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Tulsa take from RecruitingNation's Brandon Chatmon: Tulsa earned its AutoZone Liberty Bowl berth after winning their first Conference USA title since 2005. The Golden Hurricane won the Conference USA championship game, 33-27, over Central Florida in overtime on Saturday.

Tulsa hasn’t had one spectacular individual on offense this season yet the Golden Hurricane saw three different running backs rush for 765 yards or more in 2012. Running backs Trey Watts, Ja'Terian Douglas and Alex Singleton helped TU average 240.2 rushing yards per game this season.

The Golden Hurricane won seven straight games after a 38-23 season-opening loss to Iowa State and rebounded from a disappointing 35-27 loss at SMU, which finished 6-6, before winning the C-USA title game.

Rice Owls (6-6) vs. Air Force Falcons (6-6)

Dec. 29, 11:45 a.m. ET, Fort Worth, Texas (ESPN)

Rice take from RecruitingNation's David Helman: It'll be interesting to see how this Rice team handles the time off, given the way the Owls have played this season.

It looked like a doormat-type of season back on Oct. 6, when Memphis downed Rice 14-10 to drop the Owls to 1-5. Since then Rice has reeled off a 5-1 record, with the one loss coming to Conference USA champion Tulsa. And with the exception of a 49-47 nail-biter against Tulane, all of those wins have come by two possessions or more.

Chalk that up to the Owls' rushing attack -- ranked 30th nationally -- which is averaging 201 yards per game this season. Rice racked up 246 yards on the ground in the season-finale win against UTEP to earn bowl eligibility.

The Owls feature three players who have rushed for more than 500 yards, led by junior Charles Ross with 743 yards. Junior quarterback Taylor McHargue has 628 yards on the season and leads the team with 11 rushing touchdowns. Fellow junior Turner Petersen has contributed 510 yards and five touchdowns.

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Air Force take by SoonerNation's Brandon Chatmon: It’s been a roller-coaster season for the Falcons, who won three straight games in the middle of their season before losing three of their last four.

In this era of spread-passing offenses, there’s no doubt how the Falcons are going to attack a defense. Air Force has led the Mountain West in rushing for 14 straight seasons and averaged 328.8 rushing yards per game in 2012. Senior running back Cody Getz leads the ground attack for the Falcons with 191 carries for 1,213 yards and nine touchdowns.

That’s a scary proposition for a Rice defense that has allowed 5.1 yards per carry this season.

Air Force is a young squad which saw 25 different players earn the first start of their collegiate careers in 2012, so a bowl win combined with the extra bowl practices would give the Falcons terrific momentum heading into 2013.

Fresno State Bulldogs (9-3) vs. SMU Mustangs (6-6)

Dec. 24, 8 p.m., Honolulu (ESPN)

Fresno State take by Pac-12 blogger Kevin Gemmell: In one season, head coach Tim DeRuyter has reversed the fortunes of the Bulldogs, taking over a 4-9 squad and transforming it into a 9-3 unit. The backfield of quarterback Derek Carr and running back Robbie Rouse has been potent. Carr is completing 68.1 percent of his throws with 36 touchdowns to just five interceptions. He's been especially sharp on third downs, completing 66 percent of his throws with nine touchdowns and one interception. Rouse has crossed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the third straight season (1,468) and has accounted for 14 touchdowns (12 on the ground).

But, perhaps DeRuyter's biggest influence has been on the defensive side of the ball, where the Bulldogs were 107th in scoring defense last season before his arrival, yielding 35.15 points per game. This season Fresno State ranks 27th, allowing 22.25 points per game.

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SMU take by RecruitingNation's David Helman: It hasn’t been bad month for SMU coach June Jones.

The Mustangs ended Jones' fifth season in Dallas by winning four of their final six games, capped off by an upset of Conference USA West Division champion Tulsa to earn bowl eligibility. The reward is a trip back to Jones' old stomping grounds at Hawaii, where he led the Warriors to a 76-41 record from 1999-2007, not to mention an undefeated regular season in 2007.

Fans will no doubt recognize SMU triggerman Garrett Gilbert from his previous stint at Texas. Gilbert hasn't enjoyed the same success typically associated with Jones-coached quarterbacks. The junior completed just 53.1 percent of his passes on the year for 2,720 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

While Jones' Hawaii teams often used running backs as an afterthought, the Mustangs lean heavily on Zach Line. The senior finished 2012 with 1,207 yards -- just 17 behind his total from 2011 -- and 12 touchdowns. Line's 46 career rushing touchdowns puts him just one behind Eric Dickerson as the program's all-time leader, and he sits 336 yards away from Dickerson's career rushing total of 4,450 -- good enough for No. 2 in SMU history.

East Carolina Pirates (8-4, 7-1) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns (8-4)

Dec. 22, noon, New Orleans (ESPN)

East Carolina take by SEC blogger Chris Low: The big news off the field this week was that East Carolina would be joining the Big East Conference in 2014. On the field, the Pirates enter the postseason playing some of their best football of the season. They’ve won five of their past six games, but were edged out by UCF in a tiebreaker for the Conference USA East Division championships. Both teams finished 7-1, but UCF won 40-20 back on Oct. 4.

The trip to face Louisiana-Lafayette in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl will be East Carolina’s sixth bowl appearance in the past seven years. The Pirates, under third-year coach Ruffin McNeill, have shown that they can score points this season. In their past five wins, they’ve scored 40 or more points four times and ended the regular season with a 65-59 win over Marshall in two overtimes. Quarterback Shane Carden has rolled up 2,838 yards in total offense and accounted for 29 touchdowns.

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Louisiana-Lafayette take from SEC blogger Edward Aschoff: The Ragin’ Cajuns might have captured the attention of college football fans outside of the state of Louisiana after their nail-biting 27-20 loss to Florida inside the Swamp, but they were pretty impressive before that late-November day.

Louisiana-Lafayette started the year 4-1, scoring 40 or more points in three of those games. After hitting a bit of a lull in October, the Ragin’ Cajuns finished the regular season winning four of their last five to finish second in the Sun Belt Conference.

While ULL’s defense struggled for most of the year, the offense certainly helped the Ragin’ Cajuns win some shootouts as they averaged more than 440 yards per game.

The Ragin’ Cajuns have recorded eight wins for the second straight season.

UCF Knights (9-4) vs. Ball State Cardinals (9-3)

Dec. 21, 7:30 p.m. ET, St. Petersburg, Fla. (ESPN)

UCF take from WolverineNation's Chantel Jennings: In its final season in Conference USA before it moves to the Big East, UCF exited its conference play with an overtime loss to Tulsa in the championship game. So, in a trip about 100 miles down the road the Knights will try to erase that memory with a win in the Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl.

The Knights were a stalwart on defense this season, putting together the conference’s best scoring defense (22.5 points/game), best pass defense (217.8 yards/game) and second best in both total defense (380.2 yards/game) and redzone defense.

It will be the second time UCF takes the field in St. Petersburg as a part of the bowl and the fifth time in school history the Knights have gone bowling. And in its final bowl trip as a C-USA member it’ll take on a team out of the conference that it will join next season, the Big East.

Pacing the Knights this season has been sophomore quarterback Blake Bortles, who could pass the 3,000-yard season passing mark in the bowl game. Despite making up for three of UCF’s touchdowns, his 14-of-32 passing performance against Tulsa was one of his worst of the season (though the 30-plus mph winds might have had a part in that). The talented sophomore will look to build on his impressive season with a final win for C-USA.

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Ball State take by Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg: Although Northern Illinois and Kent State received most of the attention during a historic season for the MAC, Ball State quietly put together a very successful run under second-year coach Pete Lembo. The Cardinals won their final six games, including triumphs against Toledo and Ohio, to match the third-highest victories total in team history.

Ball State boasts a dynamic offense that ranks 22nd nationally in total yards and 31st in scoring, and eclipsed 200 rushing yards seven times, including four times in the final five games. Talented sophomore running back Jahwan Edwards racked up 786 yards and nine touchdowns in the final six regular-season contests. Wide receiver Willie Snead ranks in the top 25 nationally in both receptions and receiving yards.

Ball State’s defense struggles against the run (106th nationally), but the overall unit improved as the season went along. The Cardinals’ only losses came at Clemson and against the two MAC frontrunners. Three of Ball State’s six major bowl appearances have come in the past six seasons, although the Cardinals are still searching for their first bowl victory.

1. In 2004, we had 63 schools spread among six major conferences. In 2014, we will have 63 schools spread among five major conferences, the Big East having morphed into Conference USA. That’s not realignment. That’s consolidation. Five conferences split the big TV money instead of six. But the number of schools sharing that money remains the same. Did losing the Big East name in football really result in more money for the other leagues? Could it be that simple?

2. Mark Stoops becomes the head coach at Kentucky, and perhaps the Stoops family will become the first with three brothers to coach FBS football. Bob Stoops has won 148 games (and counting) at Oklahoma. Mike Stoops won 41 games as head coach at Arizona from 2004-11. At 189 wins, the Stoops brothers are barely halfway to the 362 victories of Vince and Bill Dooley.

3. The Big Ten handed out its four major awards Tuesday. Two went to Ohio State (Braxton Miller and John Simon as Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively) and two went to Penn State (Deion Barnes and Bill O’Brien as Freshman and Coach of the Year, respectively). If schools aren’t eligible for the postseason, why are their players and coaches eligible for awards? Don’t get me wrong. If they deserve the awards, they should get them. It’s just an arbitrary place to draw the line.