By JOHN LINDSAY, Scripps Howard News Service

Match-up capsules for Thursday's NCAA Sweet 16 East and West regional semifinals in Boston and Glendale, Ariz. All times Eastern. Seeds are indicated and statistics include all games.

WEST REGIONAL:

No. 1 CONNECTICUT (29-4) vs. No. 5 PURDUE (27-9), 7:07 p.m., CBS.

A quick alphabetical trip through the dizzying NCAA Tournament field of 65 teams.
-- A: is for the Atlantic Coast Conference, the field's blue blood with three of the last eight national champs and nine Final Four teams this decade. But beware. ACC teams not named North Carolina are just 14-14 in the tournament the last three years.

Capsule previews for the 12 college bowl games on New Year's Day and beyond. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.

NEW YEAR'S DAY:

OUTBACK BOWL in Tampa, Fla.
IOWA (8-4) vs. SOUTH CAROLINA (7-5), 11 a.m., ESPN.
PAYOUT: Each school receives $3.2 million.
FAVORITE: Iowa by 3.

Capsule previews for the 15 college bowl games between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.

FRIDAY:

MOTOR CITY BOWL in Detroit
FLORIDA ATLANTIC (6-6) vs. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (8-4), 7:30 p.m., ESPN.
PAYOUT: Each school receives $750,000.
FAVORITE: Central Michigan by 7.

With the college football smorgasbord known as bowl season upon us, picking all 34 games is quite a chore. So let's get started (all times Eastern and all rankings A.P).

SATURDAY:

EagleBank Bowl in Washington, D.C.
Navy (8-4) vs. Wake Forest (7-5), 11 a.m.

Capsule previews for the seven pre-Christmas college football bowl games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.

SATURDAY:

EAGLEBANK BOWL in Washington, D.C.
WAKE FOREST (7-5) vs. NAVY (8-4), 11 a.m., ESPN.
PAYOUT: Each school receives $750,000.
FAVORITE: Wake Forest by 3.

Capsule previews for Saturday's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.

NAVY (7-4) vs. ARMY (3-8), in Philadelphia, Noon, CBS.
FAVORITE: Navy by 11.
COACHES: Ken Niumatalolo (first year at Navy) and Stan Brock (6-17 in second year at Army)

Capsule previews for this week's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.

THURSDAY:

LOUISVILLE (5-6) at RUTGERS (6-5), 7:30, ESPN.
FAVORITE: Rutgers by 11-1/2.
COACHES: Steve Kragthorpe (11-12 in second year at Louisville) and Greg Schiano (44-49 in 8th year at Rutgers).

With the college football season down to a precious few games (before a mere 34 bowl games starting Dec. 20), it's time for our annual awards. A reminder that our voting is not handled by Deloitte and Touche (official accounting firm for the Heisman Trophy).

Capsule previews for Saturday's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.

No. 18 GEORGIA TECH (8-3) at No. 13 GEORGIA (9-2), Noon, CBS.
FAVORITE: Georgia by 8.
COACHES: Paul Johnson (first year at Ga. Tech) and Mark Richt (81-21 in 8th year at Georgia).
LAST WEEK: Ga. Tech beat Miami, 41-23. Georgia was off.