When the Outback Bowl brings its college color and pageantry to the Tampa Bay area, the fans follow and bring their cash.

Iowa will enter the Outback Bowl against South Carolina tomorrow ranked tenth against the run in the country. A big reason why, they go against the nations top rusher day in and day out in Shonn Greene.

Make no mistake, the players get the most out of the college football bowl experience, and well they should. Argue all you want about college athletes getting a free education.

As Vanderbilt’s defensive coordinator, Norm Parker was on the wrong end of the scoreboard both times the Commodores faced Steve Spurrier’s high-powered Florida teams in the mid-1990s.

Bowl week began Friday for the Clemson University and University of South Carolina football teams. Both teams play in bowl games in Florida on New Year’s Day—the Tigers against Nebraska in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl and the Gamecocks against Iowa in the Outback Bowl—and they will mix in practice and entertainment in the next five days.

Kenny McKinley, Ryan Succop and nine other USC players are set to do something special. When they take the field in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day, they will be the first Gamecocks to play in three bowl games.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier gave his players an early holiday gift. Spurrier canceled the team’s practice Monday and sent them home for a few days off. The Gamecocks have been preparing for the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla., on New Year’s Day against Iowa.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)—South Carolina safety Emanuel Cook has been declared academically ineligible for the team’s upcoming bowl game.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)—South Carolina will face Iowa in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day in the first-ever meeting of the two schools.