INDEPENDENCE BOWLWho: Colorado (6-6, third in Big...
INDEPENDENCE BOWL
Who: Colorado (6-6, third in Big 12 North) vs. Alabama (6-6, fifth in SEC West).
Where, when: at Shreveport, La., 5 p.m. PST, ESPN.
Story line: Alabama is in the Independence Bowl for the second consecutive year, the result of another second-half slide. The Crimson Tide has lost its last four games and has averaged only 12 points a game in the last three. Last year, losing four of his last five and then losing this bowl cost coach Mike Shula his job. Colorado is rebuilding and has been inconsistent. The Buffaloes have victories over Oklahoma and Texas Tech but lost to Iowa State. They rank 101st in the nation in pass defense at 261.8 yards a game and were last in the Big 12 Conference in third-down conversion percentage.
Key players: Hugh Charles (RB, Colorado, Sr.), Jordon Dizon (LB, Colorado, Sr.), DJ Hall (WR, Alabama, Sr.), Wallace Gilberry (DL, Alabama, Sr.), John Parker Wilson (QB, Alabama, Jr.).
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