The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year Begins Tonight

2004 New Orleans Bowl winner Southern Miss is making a return trip. Arkansas State is making its first Division I-A bowl appearance. The Golden Eagles will have have the edge in experience and talent against the Indians

Don't sleep on Arkansas State running back Antonio Warren, a 3,000-yard career rusher who has had eight 100-yard rushing efforts in nine games played this season. He'll be trying to evade Southern Miss linebacker Kevis Coley, whose 13.2 tackles per game ranks fourth in the nation.

What to watch - First, it will be interesting to see how the New Orleans Bowl plays in Lafayette, La. Second, it will be interesting to see how Arkansas State plays in its first bowl game since something called the Pecan Bowl. (The Indians finally wrested the Sun Belt Conference title from the formerly iron grasp of good old North Texas.) Southern Miss is at the opposite end of the bowl-experience spectrum, playing in its eighth in the last nine years. The Sun Belt has won just one of four New Orleans Bowls, including North Texas' three-touchdown loss last year to Southern Miss. Considering that Arkansas State lost by four touchdowns to Army, the Belt figures to be an underdog again this year.

Why to watch - Because if you don't see the first one, you can't see all 28.