Hunger Bowl 2011: Complete Preview for UCLA vs. Illinois

With the bowl games finally set and ready to go, the breaking down and analyzing begin. The UCLA Bruins are set to play the Illinois Fighting Illini in the 2011 Hunger Bowl, a game where two teams who have had relatively disappointing seasons will play for pride and the chance to hoist a trophy before it's all said and done. 

Both teams entered the season with respectable expectations for a dominant season. However, things didn't go exactly as planned. UCLA finished with a losing record and already had its coach fired. Illinois went undefeated in out-of-conference matchups, but went just 2-6 in the Big Ten.

While both of these teams' seasons have been marred by disappointment, an opportunity for redemption has been placed squarely in front of them.

Here is all the information you need to know for this season's Hunger Bowl.

Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco, California

When: Saturday, December 31, 12:30 PM

Watch: ESPN

Key Storyline: All eyes will be on Mike Johnson, the interim coach for the UCLA Bruins. Rick Neuheisel was fired last week but allowed to coach the Pac-12 championship game in which the Bruins got blasted by the Oregon Ducks. Coming off a humiliating defeat in the conference championship, it will be interesting to see if Johnson can rally his troops and respond from the embarrassment that was the Pac-12 Championship.

While eyes will be on Johnson, they'll also be on Vic Koenning, Illinois' interim head coach. Their previous head coach, Ron Zook, was fired on November 27 after a 27-7 loss to Minnesota, completing Illinois' sixth consecutive loss.

In a battle of interim head coaches, Illinois and UCLA will fight to finally get a victory.

Who Might Not Play for UCLA: S Tony Dye. Dye was arguably UCLA's best defensive back last season, but after being injured to start the season and re-injuring himself against USC, there is a decent possibility that the senior misses out the bowl game. He'll be replaced by freshman Tevin McDonald who replaced him earlier in the season and did a rather decent job.

Who Might Not Play for Illinois: HB Donovonn Young and LB Trulon Henry. Young, who was injured in the Wisconsin game, did not play in the regular season finale against Minnesota and is questionable for the upcoming bowl game. He is one of Illinois' four backs who has eclipsed 400 yards on the season thus far.

Henry was shot in the wrist and is out for the rest of the season. He wasn't an entirely key defensive piece, but had accounted for over 35 tackles and two interceptions.

What it Means for UCLA: With Tony Dye likely out in the game, Tevin McDonald will again get the start. The Bruins seemed to have gotten a late-season bolstering of the secondary with Dye's reemergence, but his injury puts a halt to that plan. UCLA will need all the help it can get in the secondary as they go up against all-pro wide receiver AJ Jenkins.

What it Means for Illinois: Without Young, a significant chunk of the Illini running game would be lost. However, it remains to be seen if he will play or not. The more troubling issue is the one involving Trulon Henry. The team will be able to fill his void defensively, but he was an unmistakable presence on the field when playing. The fact that he got shot should raise the concerns of some Illinois fans throughout the country. Sometimes it's being at the wrong place at the wrong time, other times it's who you associate with.

What They're Saying: The experts haven't been too outspoken about this bowl game, but it seems as if Illinois is favored here. Both teams are reeling.

UCLA Player to Watch: QB Kevin Prince. Prince is a dynamic quarterback who is an adept runner and a solid passer. This dual threat will be the energizer bunny that drums this UCLA squad along. They've struggled greatly offensively recently, and Prince will be looking to get the Bruins back on track.

Illinois Player to Watch: WR A.J. Jenkins. Jenkins is one of the few bright spots for the one-time ranked Fighting Illini. He's snagged 84 receptions, roughly 60 more than anyone else on the team and has over 1,100 yards receiving. He's the most dynamic player in this game and will be the game changer when it's all said and done.

Key Matchup: The most intriguing matchup is the shaky and short-staffed UCLA secondary against the beast that is A.J. Jenkins. Without Tony Dye (again), the Bruins will be looking to put the clamps down on Jenkins and limit his role within the game. No matter who Illinois has played this season, Jenkins has done his thing regardless of the score. If UCLA's beat-up secondary wants to stop Illinois, it starts with stopping Jenkins.

Prediction: The Battle of interim coaches goes to Koenning as his Fighting Illini team prevails 37-31. This team may have lost six in a row, but they showed their skills early on in the season by beating Arizona State and jumping out to an impressive 6-0 start. Their six consecutive losses have featured some close, nail-biting games such as their three-point loss to Penn State, their 10-point loss to Ohio State and their 11-point loss to Wisconsin.

This is a team that can hang with the big boys. UCLA has shown no such ability and it will be the Fighting Illini who take home the Hunger Bowl.