The 2010 Champs Sports Bowl will feature two teams that fell just short of winning their conference, led by two lively quarterbacks. The North Carolina State Wolfpack missed out on the ACC Title game by a touchdown, losing in the final week of the regular season to Maryland 38-31. The Wolfpack were carried by quarterback Russell Wilson to an 8-4 season. Wilson was one of the country's best playmakers from the pivot position - called upon to throw 482 times (including 60 attempts against the Terrapins), completing nearly %60 and rushing for 394 yards and 9 scores. His opposition in Orlando on December 28^th will be West Virginia and their leader under center Geno Smith. The Mountaineers played inspired, competitive football for much of the season and, had they not dropped an October fixture on the NCAA football schedule to lowly Syracuse, could be playing in a BCS bowl. WV lost to no. 11 LSU and Big East champ Connecticut by a combined 9 points and limited both teams to 20 points or less - indicative of the Mountaineer's tough defense, ranked 2 ^nd in the nation. West Virginia, sitting at no. 22 in the NCAA football standings, has been complaining about their exclusion from the BCS but the Big East's reputation as a "soft" conference has downplayed those grievances. Though both squads suffered disappointment in conference play, the bowl game will provide a chance for them to prove their worth on the national stage and for their respective gamers at quarterback to make their names known.

Wilson has been sensational since he first took the field for the Wolfpack. In 2008 as a freshman, Wilson emerged from a three-way battle for the starting quarterback spot to throw for 17 touchdowns and just 1 interception, leading to him being named as the top pivot on the All-ACC team and ACC Player of the Year at season's end. For an encore in his sophomore season, Wilson tossed for over 3,000 yards and 31 scores, while breaking Andre Woodson's record of 325 consecutive pass attempts without an interception. The quarterback received a standing ovation as he left the field during a 38-3 blowout of Wake Forest in the Wolfpack's final home game of the season. Wilson is not a senior, but having already earned his undergraduate degree and with a prospective career in Major League Baseball (he was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 2010 draft), he certainly has incentive to depart Raleigh early. What could keep Wilson in a red uniform is the possibility of breaking the record for career touchdown passes in the ACC. The owner of that record is former N.C. State starter Philip Rivers, Wilson trails by only 10 scores.

West Virginia Head Coach Bill Stewart gave the ball to a sophomore to start the season and the underclassman failed to relinquish that responsibility. Smith, the 6'3 Miami native who will be Wilson's combatant in Orlando, has been exciting and efficient. In his first year as a full time starter Smith passed for 2,567 yards, 23 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. By limiting his mistakes Smith was able to establish senior running back Noel Devine and find a comfort zone on the field. Smith's best performance of the season was a fourth quarter comeback he engineered against in-state rival Marshall. Down 21-6, Smith drove the Mountaineers from their own 4 yard line and again from their 2 yard line, for consecutive scores. West Virginia went on to win the game 24-21 and Smith established himself as the leader of the team and a clutch performer.

The Champ Sports Bowl might prove to be a snap shot of two great college quarterbacks brushing one another as they head in different directions. Wilson could be playing in his final college game, an end to a brilliant career, while Smith is just beginning his tenure as the signal caller for a team that is just realizing its identity. Expect Wilson to play with his patented passion, leaving it all on the field regardless of whether or not he will return to it. Smith will be his counter - an underclassman operating an offense with calm confidence. Both teams will lean on their quarterbacks to lead them through the air and the players should respond by playing energetic, inspired football.