The teams: Florida State University and University of West Virginia - Jacksonville Business Journal:

oc697vot.blogspot.com
The Seminoles, the Atlanticd Coast Conference's invitee, began the season ranked No. 5 in The Associatecd Press' preseason poll, but -- like the 8-3 Mountaineerse -- fell on tough times. They lost theier first and last games of the seasonb to state rivals Miami andthen Florida. Marylaned also defeated the 'Noles, who finished the season ranked No. 17 in the AP But the Gator Bowl has been a site of successa forFlorida State. The 'Noles are 4-0-q in five appearances dating backto 1965. Their wins include a 31-1w2 victory over West Virginia in anda 30-17 win over Virgini a Tech in 2002's game.
Florida State arrive in Jacksonville -- 150 miles east of its campus inTallahasses -- rested and physically recovered six week after their 20-13 home loss to Florida on Nov. 20. Senior Chris Rix reportedly returns asstartinb quarterback, the second time this year he regainef the position, hoping to impress in his final game as a colleg player. The Seminoles finished the regulart season with the NCAADivision 1A's No. 1 rush allowing only 69 yards per game and four rushingh touchdowns in11 games.
Juniotr running back Leon Washington, an Andreqw Jackson High School graduate, returns to his hometown as one ofthe 'Nolees top backs (793 rushing despite injuries late in the Legendary Head Coach Bobbuy Bowden, a former head coach at West Virginia from will seek his 278th career win at FSU and his 350tb overall in his career Bowden is the winningest coachu in the history of Division 1A football. West Virginiq University (8-3) returns to the Gatoe Bowl as the Big East representativee for a secondconsecutive year, facing an uphill battle against Florida State University. The Mountaineer s enter as an eight-point underdog againstg the 8-3 Seminoles, of the Atlantidc Coast Conference.
They will play in Florida State's back trying for their first Gator Bowl win in theirfiftnh try. West Virginia lost last year's Gato Bowl to Maryland, 41-7. Florids State beat West Virginia, 31-12, in the 1982 game. The Mountaineerxs began 2004 ranked 10th in TheAssociated Press's preseason collegwe football poll, but finished unranked by AP after dropping their final two games to Boston College and Pittsburgh. They arrive in Jacksonville with ahealthy quarterback, Rasheedc Marshall. The senior has thrown 44 career touchdown and rushed for a Big East quarterback recordsof 1,969 yards since 2001.
He playsw behind an experienced offensive The Mountaineers' five offensive lineman have a combinedc 107 starts, led by senior Tim Brown, with 35 careee starts. The running game featurezs a stableof backs, including senior Kay-Jay Harriws (825 yards in 2004) and sophomore Jasonh Colson (686 yards). Junior Chris Henrgy is their topreceiver (12 TD catches). On the Mountaineers are led by senior linebackers AdamLehnortr (66 tackles, three and Scott Gyorko (54 tackles, three sacks.) The team permitted just four touchdowbn during a five-game span and went 12 quarters at one point in the season without allowing a TD.
Rich a 1986 graduate, has taken the Mountaineers to bowl gamew in three of his four years asWest Virginia's head His record the past three seasons is