Fourteen international players from five countries will play in BCS Bowl games as the US college football season draws to a conclusion in December and January.

Among the highlights, Australians JESSE WILLIAMS and BRAD WING will be on opposite sidelines in the 2012 BCS National Championship game in the rematch between Alabama and LSU at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 9. 

More than 50 athletes from countries including American Samoa, Australia, Brazil, Estonia, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden are playing college football in the United States this season. Each week the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) will highlight the top performances of international players on www.IFAF.org and www.Facebook.com/IFAF.org.

Gildan New Mexico Bowl - December 17

Temple vs. Wyoming

The sixth annual Gildan New Mexico Bowl on Saturday, December 17, at the University of New Mexico sees the Wyoming Cowboys take on the Temple Owls.  The game between two 8-4 teams, will air at Noon MT nationally on ESPN HD, ESPN3 and ESPN Radio.

The Cowboys feature three German players on their roster this season, including former Junior National Team defensive back MARK NZEOCHA who represented Germany at the 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship having begun his football career with the Franken Knights.  This season, he recorded fifteen tackles and an interception.  Linebackers ALEX BORGS and OLIVER SCHOBER will also line up for Wyoming.

The Cowboys finished 8-4 overall and 5-2 in the Mountain West conference to finish third behind TCU and Boise State.  Wyoming ended the regular season winning three of its last four games while Temple enters on a three-game win streak.  Wyoming and Temple last played each other on September 1, 1990 with the Cowboys picking up a 28-23 victory.

MAACO Bowl Las Vegas - December 22

Arizona State vs. Boise State

The 20th edition of the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas will feature the highest-ranked team in bowl history facing a first-time visitor as No. 8 Boise State faces Arizona State on December 22 at 5pm.  The game will air on ESPN and ESPN3.

This season the Broncos received consistent production from three Dutch natives - wide receiver GERALDO BOLDEWIJN, and defensively CEDRIC FEBIS and RICK TJONG-A-TJOE.  Boldewijn finished the regular season with 16 catches for 209 yards and two touchdowns.  Febis registered 46 tackles and an interception, while Tjong-a-Tjoe recorded 15 tackles.

This is the second straight year Boise State has earned a spot in the MAACO Bowl, entering with an 11-1 record.  In 2010, the Broncos defeated Utah 26-3 in front of the second largest crowd in the event's history at 41,923.

Arizona State finished the regular season 6-6 and 4-5 in the Pac-12 and this will be the first postseason trip for the Sun Devils since playing in the 2007 Holiday Bowl.  The game will be only the second meeting of the two teams since then-fifth-ranked ASU defeated Boise State 56-7 on October 5, 1996.

Belk Bowl - December 27

Louisville vs. NC State

North Carolina State will face the Big East Conference Co-Champions Louisville in the 10th annual 2011 Belk Bowl on Tuesday, December 27, at the Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte at 8pm ET and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN.

German MARKUS KUHN, who played previously for the Weinheim Longhorns in the German Football League, has played in all 12 games for NC State, registering 47 total tackles on the season.

It will be the Cardinals' first appearance in the game, while NC State returns for the second time having also played in 2005.

NC State finished the season with a 7-5 overall record.  Against Maryland in their last regular season game, NC State overcame a 27-point deficit in the second half with 42 unanswered points to secure the win and a bowl berth.  Louisville also finished the season with a 7-5 record having won five of their last six games including victories over West Virginia and Rutgers.

Champs Sports Bowl - December 29

Florida State vs. Notre Dame

Florida State will face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Champs Sports Bowl on December 29 at Orlando's Citrus Bowl Stadium.  The game will kick off at 5.30pm ET and will be televised on ESPN.

BJOERN WERNER, who was also a member of the 2010 IFAF World Team, has been a defensive leader for the Seminoles starting at defensive end.  On the season, he collected a total 35 tackles including 10 for a loss of yards.  He also had an interception.

Werner represented Germany at the inaugural 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship held in Canton, Ohio, having played his junior football in his homeland with the Berlin Adler before launching a standout prep school career at the Salisbury School in Connecticut as a member of the USA Football International Student Program.

The two teams have previously met six times with Seminoles holding a 4-2 edge.  In 1996, Florida State beat Notre Dame in Miami in the 1996 Orange Bowl.  This will be FSU's third appearance in the Champs Sports Bowl having posted victories in the bowl's inaugural game in 1990 and then again in 2008.  This will be Notre Dame's first appearance.

FSU has won six of its last seven after starting 2-3 as the 'Noles have one the nation's stingiest defenses and are ranked in the NCAA's Top 25 in nine categories including nation's No. 2 rushing defense (81.8 ypg), No. 6 total defense (274.6 ypg) and No. 4 scoring defense (15.2 ppg).

New Era Pinstripe Bowl  - December 30

Rutgers vs. Iowa State

The Iowa State Cyclones will line up against Big East Conference Rutgers on December 30 in the 2011 New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium.

Holland native STEPHEN RUEMPOLHAMER was a mainstay of the Iowa State defense this season, finishing the regular campaign 6-6 as he registered 29 tackles. 

This will be Rutgers' second appearance at Yankee Stadium this season, after the Scarlet Knights defeated Army 27-12, on November 12 in their first game in the Bronx since 1948.  This will mark the seventh time that the school has played in a bowl game, having tallied a 4-2 record in their previous six appearances with wins in each of their last four bowl games.

The 2011 New Era Pinstripe Bowl will mark the first time Rutgers and Iowa State have played each other in college football.

Capital One Bowl - January 2

Nebraska vs. South Carolina

The Nebraska Cornhuskers will face off against South Carolina in the 2012 Capital One Bowl on January 2 at 1pm in the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando and the game will be televised nationally by ESPN.

SEUNG HOON CHOI played at offensive tackle for Nebraska this season as the Huskers finished the 2011 season 9-3.  Choi, a native of Seoul, South Korea, played high school football at Lincoln Christian High School where he earned honorable-mention all-state honors in Class C-1 his senior year.

The meeting will be the first between the two schools since 1987 and the first ever in the postseason.  Nebraska holds a 3-0 edge in the all-time series with the closest contest coming in the lone game played in Columbia, South Carolina, a 27-24 Husker win.

Nebraska had an excellent first season as a member of the Big Ten Conference finishing 9-3 overall and 5-3.  The Cornhuskers also have one of the nation's top defenses against the pass while bringing with it its traditionally strong rushing attack averaging 223.9 yards per game.  The Gamecocks make a first trip to the Capital One Bowl by way of a 10-2 record (6-2 SEC), which boasts the No. 2 pass defense in the country.

Orange Bowl - January 4

West Virginia vs. Clemson

Two conference champions, No. 15 Clemson and No. 23 West Virginia will meet in the 78th Discover Bowl on Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.  The game kicks off at 8pm ET and will be televised nationally on ESPN.

German native and former USA Football International Student Program member CURTIS FEIGT played on the offensive line for the Mountaineers this season.  

Both teams enter the Discover Orange Bowl with two of the top offenses in the country and both are ranked in the top-15 in passing offense and top-30 nationally in scoring offense and total offense.

West Virginia is making its first appearance in the Orange Bowl after finishing the regular season 9-3.  The Mountaineers are one of only three teams in the country to win nine-plus games the past seven years and earned the Big East's automatic BCS bid by virtue of a three-way tie with Cincinnati and Louisville.  Clemson earned the ACC's automatic berth following its 38-10 victory over No. 5 Virginia Tech and this year will make the Tigers fourth appearance in the Discover Orange Bowl.

BBVA Compass Bowl - January 7

SMU vs. Pittsburgh

The SMU Mustangs and Pittsburgh will square off in the sixth annual BBVA Compass Bowl on January 7 at noon CT at the historic Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, live on ESPN.

SMU finished the 2011 regular season 7-5 with the help of Estonian defensive end MARGUS HUNT who holds the NCAA record of blocked kicks with eight.

The Mustangs and Panthers have played five times previously with the series tied at 2-2-1. Pittsburgh finished the regular season 6-6 and 4-3 in Big East play and is the first team to play in the BBVA Compass Bowl for the second time having defeated Kentucky 27-10 last year.  This will also be the Panthers' fourth consecutive postseason appearance.

SMU will be playing in its third consecutive bowl game and its 14th all-time appearance.  The Mustangs finished the 2011 regular season 7-5, winning at least seven games for the third straight season.  SMU last faced Pitt in the 1983 Cotton Bowl with the Mustangs claiming a 7-3 win en route to an NCAA-recognized National Championship as awarded by the Helms Athletic Foundation.

BCS National Championship - January 9

Alabama vs. LSU

Alabama will face the LSU Tigers in the 2012 BCS National Championship on Monday, January 9 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game will kick off at 7.30pm CST.  The Southeastern Conference is guaranteed its sixth-straight national champion.  LSU won championships in 1958, 2003 and 2007, the most recent pair coming in the Louisiana Superdome.

Former IFAF World Team member JESSE WILLIAMS, who began his football career in his native Australia, started each game at defensive end finishing the season with 22 tackles including four for a loss of yards.  Prior to committing to Alabama, Williams played two years of junior college football at Arizona Western College and was named #2 Player in the Rivals.com 2011 JUCO Top 50.  His football career began in Australia at the age of 14 for his club team in Brisbane.  He also played on the IFAF World Team at the 2010 USA Football International Bowl.

LSU features an Australian in punter BRAD WING who helped the Tigers to their 11th league title, defeating Georgia 42-10 in the SEC championship game.  The talented punter from Melbourne came to LSU after spending one season at Parkview Baptist in Baton Rouge.  Prior to that, he played Australian Rules Football for 15 years.  His father David punted for the Detroit Lions and the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe. 

The two teams met earlier this season with the Tigers taking a 9-6 verdict over the Crimson Tide in overtime.  Alabama defeated Texas 37-21 in the 2010 BCS National Championship game, while LSU was a 38-24 winner over Ohio State in the 2008 game, also played in New Orleans.

The Tigers enter the game with a perfect 13-0 record while the Crimson Tide holds an 11-1 record and is making its fourth BCS Bowl appearance and third in the last four seasons under Head Coach Nick Saban.  The matchup with SEC rival LSU marks the second time in Alabama history that the Crimson Tide will face a team currently playing in the same conference.