Today’s BOWL games

East Carolina (7-5) vs. South Florida (8-4)

Where: Legion Field, Birmingham, Ala.

Time: 10 a.m. PST, ESPN2

Key stats: South Florida redshirt freshman QB Matt Grothe is 12th nationally in total offense (258.5 ypg). ECU is 81st nationally in rush offense (120.7 ypg).

The game: This likely will turn on how well ECU TB Brandon Fractious plays. He was hot down the stretch, when the Pirates won five of six to get into this bowl. But if USF can shut him down, it will roll. South Florida had 31 sacks, and look for the Bulls to try to take advantage of a young ECU offensive line (three freshmen starters) with a variety of blitzes.

Orlando Sentinel