The odds are Boston College will keep bowl win streak alive
The team with the longest bowl winning streak in the country will be in action tonight in Florida.
Boston College, which has won seven consecutive bowl games, is favored to keep the streak alive against Michigan State in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Although defeated by Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game earlier in the month, Boston College won 10 games under rookie Coach Jeff Jagodzinski. It was only the second 10-win season in school history.
Making their school-record ninth bowl appearance in a row, the Eagles, who are 12-6 in bowl games, will be meeting Michigan State for the sixth time.
So far, Boston College holds a 3-1-1 edge over the Spartans, including a 25-21 victory in their last encounter in 1995.
A .500 team 10 games into the season, Michigan State won its last two to earn this bid, its first bowl game in four years.
The Spartans faithful are hoping the Champs Sports experience is better than the 2003 Alamo Bowl. Michigan State managed only a field goal in that game, falling to Nebraska, 17-3.
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Oregon State, which finished its Pacific 10 Conference season with a flourish, will try to maintain the momentum when it plays underdog Maryland in the Emerald Bowl tonight in San Francisco.
The Beavers and Coach Mike Riley won six of their final seven games, including victories over then No. 2-ranked California and Oregon.
Oregon State has been sparked by quarterback Lyle Moevao, who is 3-0 as the starter since replacing the injured Sean Canfield. Oregon State has won three bowl games in a row, the longest active streak of any Pac-10 team.
Maryland, which hasn’t faced a team from the Pac-10 in 25 years, barely qualified for a bowl, going 6-6, a disappointment after finishing 9-4 the previous season.
The Terrapins can be dangerous, however, as evidenced by victories over Rutgers and Boston College.
Pro basketball
Portland, which figured to struggle without No. 1 draft choice Greg Oden, probably will win its 12th consecutive game tonight when it plays host to Minnesota, the NBA’s worst team.
Under Nate McMillan, who is probably the best coach in the league nobody talks much about, the Trail Blazers have been rolling after a sluggish start and are heavily favored to dispatch the hapless Timberwolves.
After a loss to Golden State on Wednesday, Minnesota is 1-13 on the road, not a good thing considering Portland is 13-3 at home.
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