LITTLE CAESARS
OHIO (9-4) VS. MARSHALL (6-6)
* Kickoff: 10 a.m., Ford Field, Detroit.
* TV: ESPN.
* About Ohio: The Mid-American Conference East champion Bobcats bring the conference's No. 3 pass defense and the top positive turnover margin.
* About Marshall: The Thundering Herd is led by tight end Cody Slate, a Mackey Award finalist, and running back Darius Marshall.
* Bowl records: Ohio 0-3; Marshall 5-3.
* Previous meetings: Marshall leads the series, 29-17-6.
* Worth noting: Ohio is coached by former Nebraska Cornhuskers coach Frank Solich.
* Prediction: Ohio 22, Marshall 13.
MEINEKE CAR CARE
NORTH CAROLINA (8-4) VS. PITTSBURGH (9-3)
* Kickoff: 1:30 p.m., Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C.
* TV: ESPN.
* About North Carolina: The key for the Tar Heels will be their defense, which ranks sixth nationally (267.8 total yards given up per game). They also could be helped by the pro-Carolina crowd.
* About Pittsburgh: This is a consolation prize for the Panthers, who fell a point short of upsetting Cincinnati in the Big East championship game and earning a BCS bowl berth. A victory would seal Pitt's first 10-win season since the Dan Marino days.
* Bowl records: North Carolina 12-14; Pittsburgh 10-15.
* Previous meetings: North Carolina leads the series, 4-2.
* Worth noting: Pitt tailback Dion Lewis needs only 46 yards to break Tony Dorsett's freshman rushing record (1,686 yards). Lewis also has scored a school-freshman-record 102 points.
* Prediction: Pittsburgh 35, North Carolina 30.
EMERALD
BOSTON COLLEGE (8-4) VS. USC (8-4)
* Kickoff: 5 p.m., AT&T Park, San Francisco.
* TV: ESPN.
* About Boston College: The Eagles finished second to Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference's Atlantic Division. They'll lean on sophomore running back Montel Harris, the ACC's second-leading rusher with 1,355 yards and 13 TDs.
* About USC: After seven straight seasons in a BCS game -- winning two national titles along the way -- the Trojans compiled their worst record since going 5-7 in 2001. USC's strength is its rushing attack (173.3 yards per game), but that underachieved this season.
* Bowl records: Boston College 12-7; USC 31-16.
* Previous meetings: USC leads the series, 2-0.
* Worth noting: BC is the first team to play in the Emerald Bowl twice. The Eagles beat Colorado State 35-21 in 2003.
* Prediction: Boston College 27, USC 20.
-- Orlando Sentinel
