Bowl teams in danger of finishing below .500

The big problem with having 32 bowl games is mediocre teams -- and that might be a generous description -- are rewarded with postseason bids.

Six 6-6 teams will try to avoid finishing the season with a losing record in bowls played before New Year's Day.

Minnesota barely defeated Division I-AA North Dakota State in mid-October, but its .500 record earned the Gophers an Insight Bowl bid.

Iowa and Alabama lost their final three games and still got bowl invites.

New Mexico's 6-6 earned the Lobos a home game against San Jose State.

The bowl picks for games played before New Year's Day:

Today

BYU (minus 3) vs. Oregon

Cougars have lost four consecutive bowls since winning '97 Cotton ... BYU 39-24.

Tomorrow

New Orleans Bowl

Troy (plus 4 1/2) vs. Rice

Owls in first bowl game since '61 Bluebonnet ... RICE 37-14.

Saturday

South Florida (minus 4 1/2) vs. East Carolina

Pirates' last bowl was 64-61, double-OT loss to Marshall in '01 GMAC ... SOUTH FLORIDA 29-21.

New Mexico Bowl

New Mexico (minus 3 1/2) vs. San Jose State

Spartans' last bowl appearance came in '90 California Bowl ... SAN JOSE STATE 26-21.

Armed Forces Bowl

Tulsa (plus 1) vs. Utah

Utes have won five straight bowls ... UTAH 28-14.

Sunday

Arizona State (plus 7) vs. Hawaii

Warriors are 4-2 in bowls ... HAWAII 50-38.

Tuesday

Central Michigan (plus 9 1/2) vs. Middle Tennessee

Middle Tennessee making its bowl debut ... CENTRAL MICHIGAN 34-14.

Wednesday

Emerald Bowl

Florida State (plus 4 1/2) vs. UCLA

Seminoles trying to avoid first losing season since '76, Bobby Bowden's first as coach ... UCLA 24-21.

Next Thursday

Independence Bowl

Oklahoma State (minus 2) vs. Alabama

Tide's second Indy Bowl since 2001; Cowboys' first since '81 ... OKLAHOMA STATE 28-17.

Holiday Bowl

California (minus 5) vs. Texas A&M

Aggies' first bowl game against Pac-10 team since '98 Cotton ... CALIFORNIA 27-24.

Texas Bowl

Rutgers (minus 7) vs. Kansas State

Scarlet Knights are 0-2 in bowls ... RUTGERS 27-13.

Dec. 29

Clemson (minus 9 1/2) vs. Kentucky

Wildcats' last bowl win was '84 Hall of Fame against Wisconsin ... CLEMSON 34-28.

Sun Bowl

Missouri (plus 3) vs. Oregon State

Beavers have scored 93 points in winning last two bowl games ... OREGON STATE 32-21.

Liberty Bowl

South Carolina (minus 6 1/2) vs. Houston

Cougars' last Liberty Bowl appearance was '96 loss to Syracuse ... SOUTH CARLONIA 37-34.

Insight Bowl

Minnesota (plus 6 1/2) vs. Texas Tech

First bowl game against Big 12 opponent for Minnesota ... TEXAS TECH 41-23.

Champs Sports Bowl

Maryland (pick) vs. Purdue

Terps have won five of last six bowls ... PURDUE 39-31.

Dec. 30

Navy (plus 6) vs. Boston College

Eagles have six-game bowl winning streak, best in nation ... BOSTON COLLEGE 32-17.

Alamo Bowl

Iowa (plu 9 1/2) vs. Texas

In only bowl meeting, Hawkeyes beat 'Horns 55-17 in '84 Freedom ... TEXAS 55-17.

Chick-fil-A Bowl

Virginia Tech (plus 2 1/2) vs. Georgia

Bulldogs 2-2 in the formerly-know-as-Peach Bowl ... GEORGIA 17-16.

Dec. 31

Nevada (plus 3 1/2) vs. Miami

'Canes trying to avoid first losing season since 1997 ... MIAMI 27-14