TODAY’S GAMES

LITTLE ROCK — Independence Bowl OHIO (8-4) VS. LOUISIANA-MONROE (8-4) WHERE Shreveport TIME/TV 1 p.m. Central/ESPN LINE Louisiana-Monroe by 7.

SERIES RECORD First meeting WHAT’S AT STAKE Louisiana-Monroe wants to make a good impression after advancing to the postseason for the first time since moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1994. The Warhawks haven’t won nine games in a season since 1993. Ohio is in a bowl game for the fourth consecutive season and is trying to win nine games for the third time in four years.

KEY MATCHUP Ohio RB Beau Blankenship against Louisiana-Monroe’s defense. Blankenship, 5-9, 202 pounds, has had a breakout season, rushing for 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s rushed for at least 100 yards eight times this season, including a season-high 269 against Massachusetts on Sept. 29.

PLAYERS TO WATCH Ohio QB Tyler Tettleton. The 6-0, 200-pound junior has thrown for at least 2,500 yards in each of the past two seasons. He has thrown 16 touchdowns this season with only 3 interceptions, and added 4 rushing touchdowns. Louisiana-Monroe WR Brent Leonard. One of the most productive receivers in school history, Leonard has caught 97 passes for 1,042 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. The former walk-on had 11 catches for 112 yards and 1 touchdown in the team’s upset victory over Arkansas.

FACTS & FIGURES Ohio won seven consecutive games to start the season, including a season-opening victory over Penn State, but the Bobcats have dropped four of their past five. ... Ohio is one of four teams from the Mid-American Conference that has been ranked in The Associated Press Top 25 at some point this season. ... This is Coach Frank Solich’s eighth season at Ohio. He has a 58-44 record. ... Louisiana-Monroe has played in four overtime games this season, winning three of them. ... The Warhawks have set a school record with 59 touchdowns this season, including 31 passing, 24 rushing and 4 by the defense.

Meineke Car Care Bowl MINNESOTA (6-6) VS. TEXAS TECH (7-5) WHERE Houston TIME/TV 8 p.m. Central/ESPN LINE Texas Tech by 13 SERIES RECORD Texas Tech leads 1-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE The Red Raiders return to a bowl after having their 18-season bowl streak snapped last year. They want to end the season on a high note after a tumultuous month in which Coach Tommy Tuberville left for Cincinnati. Texas Tech hired Kliff Kingsbury but will be led by interim coach Chris Thomsen in the bowl. Minnesota is in a bowl for the first time since 2009.

KEY MATCHUP Texas Tech QB Seth Doege against Minnesota’s defense. Doege is fourth in the nation in yards passing with 3,934, and his 38 touchdown passes are second in the country. The Gophers rank 11th in the nation in pass defense, allowing 178.5 yards a game, and they’ve given up 300 yards passing only once this season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH Minnesota RB Donnell Kirkwood. He leads the team with 849 yards rushing, and his three 100-yard rushing games this season are the most since Amir Pinnix had five in 2006. Texas Tech WRs Darrin Moore and Eric Ward. Moore has 81 catches for 948 yards and Ward has 75 catches for 974 yards. Moore has 13 touchdown receptions and Ward has 11. If the pair can reach 1,000 yards receiving, they’ll be the first Tech duo to reach the mark since Danny Amendola and Michael Crabtree in 2007.

FACTS & FIGURES The only other meeting between these teams came when Tech beat Minnesota 44-41 in overtime in the 2006 Insight Bowl. The Red Raiders set an NCAA record for largest comeback in a FBS bowl game by rallying from a 31-point deficit for the win. ... This is Texas Tech’s 35th bowl game and the 15th for Minnesota. ... Tech is playing in its fourth consecutive bowl game in Texas and its eighth since 2000. ... A victory would give Minnesota a winning record for the first time since going 7-6 in 2008.

Russell Athletic Bowl RUTGERS VS. VIRGINIA TECH WHERE Orlando, Fla.

TIME/TV 4:30 p.m. Central/ESPN RECORDS Rutgers 9-3; Virginia Tech 6-6 LINE Virginia Tech by 2 SERIES RECORD Virginia Tech leads 11-3 WHAT’S AT STAKE Rutgers has won five consecutive bowl games and is making its eighth bowl appearance in school history. The Scarlet Knights are looking to shake off the disappointment of missing out on a BCS berth, and are also hoping to notch their first 10-victory season since 2006. Virginia Tech is looking to end its 2012 season on a high note after stumbling to their first season with fewer than 10 victories since 2003. Still, the Hokies are making their 20th consecutive bowl appearance, joining only Florida State and Florida as teams to do that over the past two seasons.

KEY MATCHUP Virginia Tech QB Logan Thomas had his ups and down this season, throwing for 17 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, after losing top targets Jarrett Boykin and Danny Coale to graduation. He’s still a big threat in the air or on the ground, though, where he led the team in rushing yards (526) and touchdowns (nine). He’ll match up with a stout Rutgers’ defense that features the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in senior LB Khaseem Greene. The Scarlet Knights also ranked 14th in the nation in total defense, surrendering 321.25 yards per game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH RUTGERS The Scarlet Knights will need a big boost from two sophomores to contend with a Hokies’ defense that was third in the Atlantic Coast Conference in total defense (allowing 344.6 yards per game). RB Jawan Jamison became came just the third Rutgers player since 1976 to rush for 1,000 yards in a season and said he’s comfortable again on the ankle he injured in mid-November. QB Gary Nova is also a threat to post big numbers after becoming the second player in school history with 22 touchdown passes in a season. VIRGINIA TECH While Thomas led the Hokies’ offense this season, junior DB Antone Exum clearly was the standout defensively. He floated between the rover and free safety spots on defense last season before making a move to cornerback this year. It didn’t slow him down on the ACC’s second-rated passing defense, though, with Exum snagging four interceptions to tie him for the third-most in the ACC.

FACTS & FIGURES Thirteen players that started for Virginia Tech in last season’s Sugar Bowl overtime loss to Michigan are on this year’s roster.