Dec 30, 2003

By RICK FREEMAN
AP Sports Writer

Wednesday, Dec. 31

San Francisco Bowl

ESPN2

Colorado State (7-5) vs. Boston College (7-5), 10:30 p.m.

Series Record

First meeting.

Last Meeting

First meeting.

Bowl Records

Colorado State 4-5. Boston College 8-6.

Last Bowl Appearance

Colorado State lost 17-3 to TCU in the 2002 Liberty Bowl. Boston College beat Toledo 51-25 in the 2002 Motor City Bowl.

What to Watch

Two very different, but each highly entertaining, runnners should steal the show. Boston College RB Derrick Knight is the nation's fourth-leading rusher, at 133 yards per game. With 1,599 yards this season, Knight upheld a Boston College tradition - the Eagles have had a 1,000-yard rusher for six straight seasons. Colorado State QB Bradlee Van Pelt is a double threat - he rushes for 70 yards per game, and is also rated among the nation's top 10 QBs. He's thrown 18 TDs this season while completing 61 percent of his passes for 2,682 yards. He's also the fourth collegiate QB to throw for 5,000 yards and run for 2,000 in his career. Van Pelt may scramble more against the Eagles - he had surgery on a broken bone in his throwing hand in late November. He has been throwing hard in practice, and should play, but if he can't, Justin Holland will see action at QB. Boston College DE Mathias Kiwanuka, who led the Big East with 10½ sacks this season, will need to keep Van Pelt contained to limit the Rams' effectiveness on offense.

Streaks, Stats and Notes

Van Pelt has eight 100-yard rushing games. ... The Eagles are playing in a bowl for the fifth consecutive season. ... Kiwanuka's grandfather, Benedicto Kiwanuka, was elected Uganda's first prime minister in 1961 and assassinated in 1972. ... The game is played at Pac Bell Park, the San Francisco Giants' home field. It is one of four bowls to be played in major league ballparks. The Orange Bowl (at Pro Player Stadium in Miami), Insight Bowl (At Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix) and Holiday Bowl (Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego) are the others, though the Padres will open a new stadium, Petco Park, in April.