9. Rice -- After enduring a 14-game losing streak and finishing 1-10 in 2005, the Owls were picked to finish last in Conference USA's Western Division this season. But under new coach Todd Graham, the former Tulsa defensive coordinator, Rice finished second in its division. With Saturday's 31-27 win over SMU, the Owls finished with a 7-5 record after winning their last six games and are eligible to play in a postseason bowl game for the first time since 1961. With former Texas quarterback Major Applewhite calling plays, receiver Jarett Dillard has emerged as one of the country's best players, with 20 touchdown catches this season.
Then on how SMU and other 6-6 teams need to root against these teams...
If you're a fan of a 6-6 team such as Kansas, UCLA, Pittsburgh or SMU, curse Northern Illinois, Troy and Louisiana-Lafayette while you're worrying about your school's dim postseason hopes. Because the latter three teams might all finish with 7-5 records, they'll be in line to receive at-large bids to bowl games before any team with a 6-6 record. Teams such as Alabama, Florida State and Miami, which also finished 6-6, will receive bowl invitations because their conferences have enough tie-ins to accommodate them. But teams in conferences with too many bowl-eligible teams for their allotted spots are in danger of being left out for schools from the Sun Belt and Mid-American conferences that finish with 7-5 records.
