EL PASO, Texas, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- With the Rose Bowl hosting the national title game this season, there will not be the annual meeting of teams between the Big Ten and Pac-10 Conferences in Pasadena.
Traditionalists, however, need only head to El Paso, where No. 13 Washington State closes what has been a season of revival against Purdue in the Sun Bowl.
Washington State (9-2) was in contention for the Pac-10 title and a Bowl Championship Series berth this season, losing its only games to Oregon and Washington.
Quarterback Jason Gesser led the Pac-10 Conference with 2,729 passing yards and threw 25 touchdown passes. His favorite target was Nakoa Mcelrath, who caught 67 balls for 1,047 yards and nine scores.
When Drew Brees was behind center, Purdue was known primarily for its offense, but the current crop of Boilermakers have relied on a defense that had 18 interceptions, 10 more than last season.
Sophomore safety Stuart Schweigert leads the club with six interceptions and will keep his eye on Gesser, who has been picked off 10 times.
The Boilermakers (6-5) finished in fourth place in the Big Ten and are lucky to be going to a bowl game after losing four of their last five games. In the four defeats, Purdue managed just 47 points.
Brandon Hance started the year at quarterback, but eventually lost the job to fellow freshman Kyle Orton and recently announced his decision to transfer.
One of the key targets for Orton will be Tim Stratton, among the top tight ends in the nation. Freshman receiver Taylor Stubblefield has a team-high 64 catches.
The Boilermakers also feature Travis Dorsch, who won the Ray Guy Award as the top punter in the nation and doubles as the kicker.
While the schools have never met, there is a strong connection between the coaches. Purdue's Joe Tiller was an assistant under Mike Price at Washington State in 1989 and 1990 and calls Price "my closest friend in the profession."
Bowl appearances are relatively rare for the Cougars, whose last outing was a loss to Michigan in the Rose Bowl following the 1997 season. Washington State is 4-3 in bowl games overall.
Purdue is 6-3 in bowls and lost to Washington in last year's Rose Bowl.
