Independence Bowl

The winner of Saturday's Army-Navy game has been extended an invitation to play Auburn in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., on New Year's Eve.Navy athletic director Jack Lengyel said he was notified yesterday by Glen Krupica, the bowl's executive director.The opportunity to play in the postseason came about after Notre Dame athletic director Mike Wadsworth rejected a bid from the Independence Bowl."There is a real Cinderella story here," said Donald Pierson, a member of the bowl selection committee, who graduated from West Point in 1976.

Georgia Tech (6-6) vs. Air Force (8-4) When: Monday, 5 p.m. Where: Shreveport, La. TV: ESPN2 About Georgia Tech (4-4 ACC): As usual, the Yellow Jackets had no trouble using their triple-option offense to pile up gaudy rushing statistics. Georgia Tech led the nation with 327 rushing yards per game. But the Yellow Jackets struggled to stop opposing offenses, especially down the stretch. Four of Georgia Tech's final five opponents — Duke was the lone exception — scored at least 27 points.

It's always why, why, why. . . .Why is there a Poulan-Weed Eater Independence Bowl? Why is it played in Shreveport, La.? Why did the bowl's officials invite two average teams? Why did they accept?"I understand the questions," said Brant Goyne, selection committee chairman, who was primarily responsible for pitting Maryland (6-5) and Louisiana Tech (8-3) for this year's game, Saturday in Independence Stadium."We're the smallest geographical area of all the bowl sites, we play at an early date and we have had some problems.

TELEVISION HIGHLIGHTS M. bask DePaul@Pittsburgh ESPNU 7 Rutgers@North Carolina ESPN2 8:30 NBA Washington@Memphis CSNP, NBA 8 C. foot Wake Forest@Navy (T) CBSCS 9 a.m. Independence Bowl: Ga. vs. Texas A&M ESPN2 5 Independence Bowl: Ga. vs. Texas A&M (T) ESPN2 3 a.m. NFL Minnesota@Chicago ESPN 8:30 Hockey IIHF World Jr. Champ: Canada vs. Switz.

SHREVEPORT, La. -- Despite University of Maryland athletic officials saying the Poulan-Weed Eater Independence Bowl game against Louisiana Tech was a reward for the past regular season, the game puts the Terps into a pressure situation.The Terps gained respect this year with a 6-5 record including a season-ending, 35-30, upset win over Virginia, but a loss to Louisiana Tech may tarnish it.The Bulldogs (8-3) have been in Division I-A for only two years and despite a good season, have beaten up on some lightweights in McNeese State, Stephen F. Austin and Northeast Louisiana.

SHREVEPORT, La. -- Jamie Flores sat disconsolately watching Maryland practice yesterday with his leg in a brace and a crutch in his hand.The redshirt freshman defensive end from Poly suffered a sligh ligament tear in his left knee Wednesday and will miss the Independence Bowl game with Louisiana Tech tomorrow night. His cleats caught on the grass field during a pass rushing drill.Flores played infrequently during the season, mostly on specia teams, but would have seen considerable action here.

Navy, enjoying its first winning football season since 1982, is "under consideration" by the Independence Bowl. The Midshipmen also have a slight chance of being invited to the Sun or Aloha bowls."

SHREVEPORT, La. -- The University of Maryland has received an oral commitment from DeMatha High All-American kicker Dave DeArmas, according to DeMatha coach Bill McGregor and DeArmas' brother, Dan, a junior place-kicker for the Terps.Dan DeArmas said his brother made the decision Wednesday night. The younger DeArmas converted on 13 of 17 field-goal tries this season with a long effort of 48 yards. He also averaged 44.7 yards a punt and was 14-for-15 on extra-point attempts. The one miss was a block.

COLLEGE PARK -- Joe Krivak said yesterday that he wants more than two years on the new contract that he will get to continue coaching the University of Maryland football team."

Phillip Livas returned a kickoff 97 yards, Daniel Porter rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown, and Louisiana Tech won the Independence Bowl by beating Northern Illinois, 17-10, yesterday in Shreveport, La. It was Louisiana Tech's first postseason win since the 1977 Independence Bowl and the Bulldogs' seventh come-from-behind win of the season in what was essentially a home game. The Bulldogs (8-5), from nearby Ruston, hadn't won eight games since 1999. The victory over Northern Illinois (6-7)

Phillip Livas returned a kickoff 97 yards, Daniel Porter rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown, and Louisiana Tech won the Independence Bowl by beating Northern Illinois, 17-10, yesterday in Shreveport, La. It was Louisiana Tech's first postseason win since the 1977 Independence Bowl and the Bulldogs' seventh come-from-behind win of the season in what was essentially a home game. The Bulldogs (8-5), from nearby Ruston, hadn't won eight games since 1999. The victory over Northern Illinois (6-7)

1 Can't stand Pats: Though it's usually easy enough to root against the Patriots, this time it's imperative. Let them lose to the Bills (1 p.m., chs. 13, 9), and you can spend the Ravens game reveling in the playoff berth. 2 We got the punk: Given this week's little trash talk, has the Broncos-Chargers showdown (8:15 p.m., chs. 11, 4) become an episode of Punk'd? 3 By any other name: They can call it the Independence Bowl if they want (Northern Illinois-Louisiana Tech, 8:15 p.m., ESPN)

The Poulan/Weed Eater Independence Bowl - that's supposed to start and end the argument about how there are too many college football bowl games. Far be it from me to complain about product or corporate naming of sporting events - not when I've been trying to get some company to be my column-sponsoring sugar daddy. (Hey, now that you're out of the bowl business, Weed Eater people, let me say how much I've always admired a nicely trimmed lawn. Call me.) In any case, lawn implements didn't come up this week on a conference call with ESPN analysts Lou Holtz and Chris Spielman, but that likely wouldn't have swayed them from their stance that there aren't too many bowls - even though more than half of Division I-A teams are in postseason games.

Yesterday Music City Bowl -- Virginia 34, Minnesota 31 Sun Bowl -- UCLA 50, Northwestern 38 Independence Bowl -- Missouri 38, South Carolina 31 Peach Bowl -- LSU 40, Miami 3 Thursday Emerald Bowl -- Utah 38, Georgia Tech 10 Holiday Bowl -- Oklahoma 17, Oregon 14 Today Meineke Bowl -- South Florida (6-5) vs. N.C. State (6-5), 11 a.m. (ESPN2). Line: N.C. State by 3 1/2 . Liberty Bowl -- Fresno State (8-4) vs. Tulsa (8-4), 1 (ESPN). Line: Fresno State by 7. Houston Bowl -- TCU (10-1) vs. Iowa State (7-4)

Seattle Bowl Stanford (9-2) vs. Georgia Tech (7-5) Site: Safeco Field, Seattle TV: ESPN, 4 p.m. Line: Stanford by 5 Key matchup: Georgia Tech QB George Godsey vs. Stanford's secondary. Godsey threw for an ACC-leading 255.1 yards a game, with 18 TDs. The Cardinal gave up 274.8 passing yards per game (107th among the 117 Division I-A schools). Godsey has four solid receivers, led by senior Kelly Campbell. Look for Tech to try to pick on Cardinal sophomore CB Ryan Fernandez. Tech will be without leading rusher Joe Burns, a junior who is academically ineligible.

COLLEGE PARK - The glory days of the University of Maryland's football program officially returned to Byrd Stadium last night. There was a sellout crowd of 52,462, the fourth largest in the stadium's history. There were traffic jams along Route 1. Tailgating parties were allowed to start 5 1/2 hours before the game. Three major bowl representatives were in attendance, and the contest was on national television. And then Maryland beat Clemson, 37-20, to take sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

TELEVISION HIGHLIGHTS M. bask DePaul@Pittsburgh ESPNU 7 Rutgers@North Carolina ESPN2 8:30 NBA Washington@Memphis CSNP, NBA 8 C. foot Wake Forest@Navy (T) CBSCS 9 a.m. Independence Bowl: Ga. vs. Texas A&M ESPN2 5 Independence Bowl: Ga. vs. Texas A&M (T) ESPN2 3 a.m. NFL Minnesota@Chicago ESPN 8:30 Hockey IIHF World Jr. Champ: Canada vs. Switz.

COLLEGE PARK -- Despite losing $42,810 on its Independence Bowl venture, Maryland prospered thanks to what athletic director Andy Geiger calls "a banner year" for Atlantic Coast Conference football."