PREVIEW \ Gator Bowl

No. 17 Florida State (8-3)vs. West Virginia (8-3)
Time: 12:30 p.m. Saturday
TV: WFMJ (21)
Coaches: Bobby Bowden (277-70-4 in 29th year at FSU) and Rich Rodriguez (28-20 in fourth year at West Va.).
Payout: Each school receives $1.6 million.
Bowl records: FSU is 18-12-2. West Va. is 9-14.
Last bowl appearance: Florida State lost to Miami, 17-16, in last year's Orange Bowl. West Va. lost to Maryland, 41-7, in last year's Gator Bowl.
Series history: Florida State leads, 1-0.
Last meeting: Florida State won, 31-12, in the 1982 Gator Bowl.
Last game: Florida State lost at home to Florida, 20-13, on Nov. 20. West Va. lost at Pittsburgh, 16-13, on Thanksgiving.
Stat that matters: Losers in Gator and Sugar Bowls the last two years, the Seminoles have never lost three straight bowls under Bowden.
Game facts: Little more than a consolation game for two of the nation's most disappointing teams. Bowden at least gets to face the Mountaineers, whom he coached to a 42-26 mark from 1970-76. Seminoles were doomed by inconsistent QB play from sophomore Wyatt Sexton and senior Chris Rix, who gets the start. In their three losses, Rix and Sexton combined for nine turnovers vs. only two TD passes. Preseason picks to win the Big East, the Mountaineers basically fell flat on their faces whenever they faced a quality opponent, most notably crushing 36-17 home loss to Boston College Nov. 13. QB Rasheed Marshall (2,545 total offense, 18 TD passes, nine TD runs, eight interceptions), CB Adam "Pac-Man" Jones (Big East special teams player of year, 14.8 per punt return, one TD, 22.8 per kickoff return) and RB Kay-Jay Harris (825 rushing, 11 TDs despite missing two games) are all big-time talents. WR Chris Henry should play after being suspended for the Pittsburgh game for disciplinary reasons.
Scripps Howard