HOLIDAY BOWL

No. 8 KANSAS STATE (10-1) vs. WASHINGTON (7-4)

* When: 4:30 p.m.

* Television: ESPN

* Update: Washington Coach Rick Neuheisel, who was 33-14 in four seasons at Colorado before moving to Seattle, is just happy to being playing in a bowl game. “This could be such a springboard and would expedite the process to national prominence,” he said. “If we win it’s great. Even if we lose, it doesn’t hurt us too bad. The bottom line is, we’re on course for where we want this program headed.” The Huskies lost to Air Force last year in the Oahu Bowl, 45-25. This season, despite an 0-2 start, the Huskies actually had a chance to win the conference title in early November, after defeating eventual champion Stanford, then preseason favorite Arizona, on the road. But a loss to UCLA ended those hopes. Kansas State has one of the best punt returners in NCAA history in junior David Allen, who has seven returns for touchdowns in three seasons.