Saturday’s college football bowl game capsules

St. Petersburg Bowl

MARSHALL (9-3) VS. CONNECTICUT (6-6)

When: 8 a.m. PST (ESPN).

Where: St. Petersburg, Fla.

Line: Marshall by 5.

Series: First meeting.

Story line: Marshall fell short of its goal of repeating as Conference USA champion but has an opportunity to finish with at least 10 wins for the third straight season under Coach Doc Holliday. A victory would give Connecticut, 2-10 a year ago in its first season under Coach Bob Diaco, its first winning season since 2010.

Sun Bowl

MIAMI (8-4) VS. WASHINGTON STATE (8-4)

When: 11 a.m. PST (CBS).

Where: El Paso.

Line: Washington State by 2.

Series: First meeting.

Story line: Both teams are looking to end long bowl droughts. Washington State is in its second bowl game in three seasons, but it hasn’t won one since defeating Texas, 28-20, in the 2003 Holiday Bowl. Miami is making its third consecutive bowl appearance, but the Hurricanes haven’t won one since defeating Nevada, 21-20, in the 2006 MPC Computers Bowl. Miami is 0-5 since then, including a 33-17 loss to Notre Dame in the 2010 Sun Bowl.

Heart of Dallas Bowl

WASHINGTON (6-6) VS. SOUTHERN MISS (9-4)

When: 11:20 a.m. PST (ESPN).

Where: Dallas.

Line: Washington by 9.

Series: First meeting.

Story line: After only a combined total of four wins over the previous three seasons, Southern Miss tries to reach 10 wins for the third time in school history — the others were 1988, Brett Favre’s sophomore season, and 2011 when the Golden Eagles were 12-2 a year before going 0-12. Washington, an 0-12 team in 2008, is in a bowl for the sixth consecutive season but had to win its last two games to become eligible.

Pinstripe Bowl

INDIANA (6-6) VS. DUKE (7-5)

When: 12:30 p.m. PST (Channel 7).

Where: Bronx, N.Y.

Line: Indiana by 2.

Series: Indiana leads, 2-1.

Story line: Duke’s seniors want to get the elusive bowl victory after blowing games in the second half to Cincinnati, Texas A&M and Arizona State The Blue Devils have not had a bowl victory since the 1961 Cotton Bowl. Indiana hopes to win its first bowl game since a 24-0 victory over Baylor in the 1991 Copper Bowl.

Independence Bowl

VIRGINIA TECH (6-6) VS. TULSA (6-6)

When: 2:45 p.m. PST (ESPN).

Where: Shreveport, La.

Line: Virginia Tech by 14.

Series: Tulsa leads, 3-1.

Story line: Virginia Tech looks to send legendary Coach Frank Beamer out a winner in his finale. Tulsa and first-year head coach Philip Montgomery are seeking their first bowl win since the Golden Hurricanes’ last postseason appearance three years ago.

Foster Farms Bowl

NEBRASKA (5-7) vs. UCLA (8-4)

When: 6:15 p.m. (ESPN).

Where: Santa Clara, Calif.

Line: UCLA by 6 1/2.

Series: Tied, 6-6.

Story line: The Cornhuskers made a bowl in Coach Mike Riley’s first season despite a losing record and look to end the year on a positive note. The Bruins had hoped to play at Levi’s Stadium earlier this month in the Pac-12 title game but fell short and are settling for a trip here for the bowl.

— Associated Press