Bowls Move to Fill Their Openings

After fumbling an opportunity to play in a bowl championship series game, Boston College learned its fate Tuesday: The Eagles are headed to the Continental Tire Bowl.

Boston College would have secured the Big East Conference title and a berth in a BCS game with a victory Saturday against Syracuse. But the Eagles lost, 43-17, sending them to the Dec. 30 game in Charlotte, N.C., where they will play future Atlantic Coast Conference rival North Carolina.

Other bowls were busy locking up teams.

Georgia, which played in the Sugar and Capital One games the last two seasons, will keep its streak of playing in Jan. 1 bowls intact since it accepted an invitation to the Outback Bowl. The opponent is Wisconsin.

Also, Boise State, which has won 22 games in a row, will play Louisville in the Liberty Bowl. The Broncos are second in the nation in scoring at 49.73 points a game, behind Louisville, which averages 49.8.

It looks as if No. 22 Texas A&M; and No. 21 Arizona State will be invited to the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30 in San Diego. However, if there’s a shift in the final BCS rankings and Texas moves ahead of California, the Holiday Bowl could match California against Texas Tech.

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Brigham Young officials have scheduled a news conference for today to address the “state of the football program.” There is speculation that Coach Gary Crowton will lose his job.... Arizona quarterback Kris Heavner has left the team and intends to transfer to Baylor. Heavner lost the starting job midway through the season to freshman Richard Kovalcheck.... California receiver Jonathan Makonnen expects to play in the regular-season finale Saturday at Southern Mississippi after sitting out the last four games because of a bruised liver.

Ed White, a member of the National College Football Hall of Fame and a former NFL Pro Bowler, has rejoined San Diego State’s staff as offensive line coach. White held the same job from 1994 to ’97 before taking a job in the NFL. White most recently was the president and general manager of the San Diego Riptide of arenafootball2. He replaces Damon Baldwin, who was fired last week.... Florida State quarterback Chris Rix will start against West Virginia in the Gator Bowl. Rix, who is 24-11 as a starter for the Seminoles, has started only one game since Wyatt Sexton replaced him in October.

Missouri junior tailback Damien Nash has quit the team. He was suspended for a game this season after making comments critical of the coaching staff.... Dartmouth fired John Lyons as coach after the Big Green finished 1-9, the worst record in team history.