2011 Bowl Matchups: BYU vs. Tulsa and Unsung Bowl Games That Will Surprise

Everybody knows about the Rose Bowl, the Orange Bowl, the Sugar Bowl and all of the other prestigious bowls that headline the slate on a yearly basis. There are plenty other less-heralded bowls, however, that are providing intriguing matchups in their own right this season.

While these auxiliary bowls may not mean as much in the grand scheme of things, their entertainment value can often exceed that of the more hyped BCS bowls. With that said, here are three unsung bowl games that will be surprisingly exciting. 

Nevada vs. Southern Mississippi: Sheraton Hawaii Bowl

While the Hawaii Bowl is normally reserved for the University of Hawaii, the Warriors weren't bowl eligible this season, so the Nevada Wolfpack and Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles will lock horns this year.

While neither team is well-known nationally, Nevada has been a power in the WAC in recent years, while No. 21 Southern Miss ruined Houston's undefeated season by winning the Conference USA Championship Game.

Both teams feature very explosive offenses, primarily through the running game. The Wolfpack boasts a pair of solid runners in Lampford Mark and Mike Bell, both of whom excel in the pistol offense. While Southern Miss quarterback Austin Davis showed his passing prowess against Houston, it is the option running game that makes the Eagles so good.

We should see plenty of creative offensive schemes and scoring in this game. 

Missouri vs. North Carolina: AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl

The Independence Bowl will pit two very underrated squads against each other as the Missouri Tigers will take on the North Carolina Tar Heels. Both teams finished the season 7-5, and while neither were factors in their respective conference races, each team played spoiler well and competed at a high level against elite competition.

It seems as though the story of this game will be quarterback play. Mizzou quarterback James Franklin leads an explosive offense that knocked off the likes of both Texas and Texas A&M, as well as going blow-for-blow with Baylor.

While Franklin gets it done with his arm and his legs, North Carolina's Bryn Renner is more of a pure passer who made huge strides in his sophomore year. These are two teams that could be BCS-worthy in the near future. 

BYU vs. Tulsa: Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl

The Armed Forces Bowl will feature two teams that have been among the best the non-AQ conferences have had to offer in recent years in BYU and Tulsa. BYU has since become an Independent, but they had great success in making the switch as they finished the season 9-3 and seemed to find a quarterback they can count on next year in Riley Nelson.

Tulsa entered the season with high hopes in terms of making a BCS run, but a tough early-season schedule caught up with them as they lost to top teams like Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Boise State. Still, the Golden Hurricane had a great year as they finished 8-4. It will certainly be interesting to see how Tulsa's spread offense fares against BYU's stout defense.