Nov 30, 2001

HOUSTON (AP) - The winner of the game between TCU and Southern Mississippi will represent Conference USA in the galleryfurniture.com Bowl in Houston on Dec. 28.

TCU and Southern Mississippi will complete the regular season in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Dec. 7.

In the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala. on Dec. 19, Marshall will play East Carolina.

The winner between TCU (5-5) and Southern Mississippi (6-4) will play a Big 12 Conference team at the Astrodome, galleryfurniture.com Bowl officials said Friday.

The Big 12 team could be Texas A&M (7-4), Texas Tech (7-4), Kansas State (6-5) or Iowa State (7-4).

Marshall, 10-1 before playing at Toledo on Friday night for the Mid-American Conference championship, will meet East Carolina in the GMAC Bowl. The MAC champion does not receive an automatic bowl invitation, so the outcome of the game cannot affect Marshall's postseason prospects.

East Carolina ended its season 6-5, including 5-2 in Conference USA. Quarterback David Garrard has led ECU to three straight bowl appearances.

This is East Carolina's second trip to the GMAC. In the bowl's inaugural game in 1999, TCU defeated the Pirates 28-14.