TONIGHT

NEW ORLEANS BOWL

* Who: Florida Atlantic (7-5, first in Sun Belt) vs.

Memphis (7-5, third in Conference USA, East).

* Where, when: at the Superdome, New Orleans, 5, ESPN2.

* Story line: Florida Atlantic is playing in its first bowl game. The football team was created in 2001 and joined Division I-A in 2004. Coach Howard Schnellenberger’s squad leads the nation in turnover margin at 1.58 and has lost only four fumbles this season, but it gives up 33.7 points and 417 yards a game. Memphis has won five of its last six games, averaging 35.8 points in those games. The Tigers are soft on defense, however, giving up 439.5 yards a game, including 209.8 on the ground.

* Top players: Martin Hankins (QB, Memphis, Sr.); Duke Calhoun (WR, Memphis, So.); Rusty Smith (QB, FAU, So.); Tavious Polo (DB, FAU, Fr.)

-- Peter Yoon