BOWL PREVIEW | GMAC Bowl

Where: Mobile, Ala.
Who: Louisville (9-3) vs. No. 14 Miami (Ohio) (12-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday (ESPN2)
Coaches: Bobby Petrino (9-3 in first year at Louisville) and Terry Hoeppner (39-20 in 5th year at Miami).
Payout: Each school receives $750,000.
Bowl records: Louisville is 4-5-1. Miami is 5-2.
Last bowl appearance: Louisville lost to Marshall, 38-15, in last year's GMAC Bowl. Miami lost to San Jose State, 37-7, in the 1986 California Bowl.
Series history: First meeting.
Last game: Louisville won at Cincinnati, 43-40, on Nov. 28. Miami of Ohio won at Bowling Green, 49-27, in MAC Championship Game, Dec. 4.
Stat that matters: Since losing season-opening 21-3 loss at Iowa, RedHawks have won 12 straight while being held to less than 41 points in only two of those wins.
Game facts: Former offensive coordinator at Auburn and NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, Petrino surprised many becoming first Cardinals coach to ever win nine games in his first season. Junior QB Stephan Lefors (2,552 total offense, 11 TD passes, 3 TD runs, 6 ints.), flourished in Petrino's system. RB Eric Shelton (neck) is questionable. Suspect defense (87th in nation in total defense, 414.6) gave up 153 points in 2-2 finish. After helping MU break MAC scoring record with 553 points en route to first bowl game in 17 years, RedHawks junior QB Ben Roethlisberger (second in nation with school-record 4,110 passing yards, 33 TDs, 10 ints.) is likely headed early to NFL.
-- Scripps Howard News Service