BOWL PREVIEW \ Today's games

FORT WORTH BOWL
Who: Cincinnati (6-5) vs. Marshall (6-5)
Where: Fort Worth, Texas.
When: 6:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Coaches: Mark Dantonio (6-5 in first year at Cincinnati) and Bob Pruett (94-22 in 9th year at Marshall).
Payout: Each school receives $750,000.
Bowl records: Cincinnati is 2-4. Marshall is 5-2.
Last bowl appearance: Cincinnati lost to North Texas, 24-19, in the 2002 New Orleans Bowl. Marshall beat Louisville, 38-15, in the 2002 GMAC Bowl.
Series history: Cincinnati leads, 5-3-1.
Last meeting: Marshall won, 25-14, in the 2000 Motor City Bowl.
Last game: Cincinnati lost at Louisville, 70-7, on Nov. 27. Marshall beat Western Michigan, 31-21, on Nov. 20.
Stat that matters: Thundering Herd have won five consecutive bowl games while averaging 39 points per game.
Game facts: The Bearcats want to atone for season-ending massacre at Louisville, UC's third worst loss ever. QB Gino Guidugli (75-of-106, 1,022 passing, 12 TDs, 0 ints. in last 4 games) missed that mess with a broken throwing hand but hopes to play here. DE Trent Cole (led C-USA with 20 tackles for loss) is the best of a defense that is prone to giving up big plays (gave up 38 points per game in five losses). The Herd appears to be slipping with nine losses last two years or one less than MU suffered from 1998-2002. Pruett did rally the troops after frustrating 0-3 start that included losses to Troy, Ohio State and Georgia by combined 15 points. QB Stan Hill (219-of-367, 2,250 passing, 17 TDs, 13 ints.) must avoid bad decisions. Freshman RB Ahmad Bradshaw showed potential with 145 yards rushing in season-ending win over Western Mich. Aggressive defense (led MAC, 14th in nation vs. run, 105.8 ypg, led MAC with 25 turnovers forced) is minus LB Dionte Wilson (suspended, violation of team rules) but still has menacing DE Jonathan Goddard (MAC defensive player of year after leading nation with 16 sacks).
LAS VEGAS BOWL
Who: Wyoming (6-5) vs. UCLA (6-5)
Where: Las Vegas
When: 9:45 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Coaches: Joe Glenn (10-13 in second year at Wyoming) and Karl Dorrell (12-11 in second year at UCLA).
Payout: Each school receives $575,000.
Bowl records: Wyoming is 4-6. UCLA is 12-12-1.
Last bowl appearance: Wyoming lost to Kansas State, 52-17, in the 1993 Copper Bowl. UCLA lost to Fresno State, 17-9, in last year's Silicon Valley Classic.
Series history: First meeting.
Last game: Wyoming lost at New Mexico, 16-9, on Nov. 20. UCLA lost at home to Southern Cal, 29-24, on Dec. 4.
Stat that matters: Cowboys are winless in bowls (0-6) since 28-20 win over Florida State in 1966 Sun Bowl.
Game facts: Bowling for the first time since 1993, Glenn and his staff have engineered an amazing turnaround, considering UW's 9-37 record from 2000-2003. That said, they lost four of last six since a promising 4-1 start. QB Corey Bramlett (55-of-86, 747 passing, 4 TDs, 2 ints., 2 TD runs in last three games) and WR Jovon Bouknight (58 catches, 16.7 per catch, 7 TDs) lead the offense. Smallish defense (84th in nation vs. run, 184.0 ypg) could be in trouble vs. Bruins' power running game featuring RB Maurice Drew (881 rushing, 7 TDs), who is now healthy after getting only three carries in UCLA's final three games due to high ankle sprain. WR Craig Bragg had 96-yard TD punt return vs. USC while TE Mercedes Lewis (30 catches, 7 TDs) is an intimidating physical specimen. LB Spencer Havner, who led the Pac-10 with 125 tackles, is out following knee surgery, another blow to porous front seven (111th in nation vs. run, 222.3 ypg).
Scripps Howard