Miami (8-4) vs. Washington State (8-4)

The 82nd Sun Bowl is a game that will be remembered not just for the Washington State Cougars 20-14 victory over the Miami Hurricanes. Yet here we are, walking out of El Paso with a 20-14 Sun Bowl win to cap a 9-4 season.

Washington State went to a conservative offense once the snow really started coming down midway through the third quarter. The Cougars blew a big lead late in a bowl loss to Colorado State in 2013 but held off Miami in the fourth quarter.

On their final possession, the Hurricanes (8-5) were driving and opted to go with a halfback pass. Only, instead of capitalizing on the trick play, the Hurricanes turned the ball over when Joe Yearby’s wobbly throw was intercepted off by Washington State’s Shalom Luani with about three minutes left.

Washington State does have two receivers that have a chance to be employed with National Football League teams in 2016, and therefore Bush could get a chance to make some plays in against the pass that relieve National Football League scouts and decision makers of the fear that he gets lost in coverage, and a player with Coley’s speed could always use extra chances to show the burners on tape. Duke led 10-0 after one quarter thanks to an 85-yard Shaun Wilson run, then IN grabbed a 14-10 lead thanks to two quick scoring drives late IN the second quarter. Falk didn’t have a much easier time in the snow, finishing 29-of-53 for 295 yards.

First the Hurricanes had a potential tying touchdown – a 5-yard pass from Brad Kaaya to wide receiver Stacy Coley – negated by a block-in-the-back penalty on receiver Herb Waters.

Still, the Cougars persevered – a word uttered by more than a few WSU and Miami players. “He stands at a tall and long 6’1”, 205 pounds, and he plays with the aggressiveness teams want at the position. Miami’s new coach is former Georgia coach Mark Richt.

Quarterbacks! Both Miami and Washington State feature talented sophomore signal-callers who can sling the ball all over the field.

Weather: The forecast in south Texas calls for rain showers throughout the game with temperatures in the mid-forties.

For those keeping score, the Canes haven’t won a bowl game since “surviving” Nevada in the lowly Micron PC Bowl back in 2006-the final game of the Larry Coker era. Not to mention, Luke Falk is the best player on the field. The skid will end for one of these teams Saturday.“It comes as a surprise, ” Hurricanes defensive lineman Calvin Heurtelou said. Nobody scored in the third quarter, and it wasn’t until Braxton Berrios reeled off a 60 yard run early in the fourth quarter that Miami seemed to awake from its hibernation.

Kaaya was 17 of 31 for 219 yards with one interception.

Washington State outlasted Miami in the snowy Sun Bowl.

“Plays were there to be made”, Kaaya said. “We knew something good was going to happen for them, and it did”. Miami is No. 64 in pass defense, allowing 223.8 yards per game, and cornerback Artie Burns leads the ACC with six interceptions.

Because five years ago when Miami was at the Sun Bowl with an interim head coach (Al Golden was waiting in the wings) and it began to sleet/snow, the Canes shriveled up and laid down vs. Notre Dame, trailing 27-0 in the first half.

For a good chunk of the first half, the Hurricanes seemed to be holding Washington State’s powerful “Air Raid” offense in check.