Louisville, KY (U-WIRE) -- The Liberty Bowl will be nothing short of a great game despite the bittersweet aftertaste of the 2004 regular season. The Boise State Broncos and the Louisville Cardinals each have had one of the greatest years in their respective programs histories. Louisville was ranked No. 7 (AP) in the nation, while Boise State trailed at No. 10.

Both teams missed the mark for the Bowl Championship Series, however. The Broncos ranked in at No. 7 while the Cardinals trailed at No. 8.

"I hate the BCS. Louisville is one of the best teams in the country and they have to settle for the fricking Liberty Bowl? I think it will be a great game and all with Boise State, but this team deserves better," freshman John Kull said.

"I really loved watching the Cards play all year. Their explosive offense and playmaking defense was a joy to watch. But it seems to be a disappointment to play in the Liberty Bowl. I hate the BCS and just because we lose one game to Miami doesn't mean we should not be contending for the national title," sophomore Jerry Jacobs echoed.

Louisville and Boise State are no strangers to great offense. Louisville enters the Dec. 31 Liberty Bowl game with one of the top offensives unit in the country. Many Cardinal competitors have tried to take down Louisville this season, but many have failed as the Louisville offensive unit carries them to victory. In their last four games, the Cards have scored 55 on TCU, 55 on East Carolina, 63 on Houston, 70 on Cincinnati and 55 on Tulane.

"I loved watching the Cards play this year. I think the Liberty Bowl is going to be a great game to watch. Both teams have good offenses and it should be a little more exciting than most of the bowl games," sophomore Evan Buckley said.

The 3:30 p.m. kickoff in Memphis, Tenn., will mark the second time the Cards and Broncos have met in post-season play. In 1999, the Broncos were winners of the Big West Conference. Louisville traveled to the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise to play a game that saw numerous lead changes and big plays including a kickoff returned for a touchdown and an interception that was returned for another touchdown. By the end of the game Boise State escaped with a 34-31 victory over the Cardinals.

This year's Liberty Bowl will test Louisville's mettle, however, as Boise State will give the Cardinal offense a high-powered run for their money. The Boise State Broncos enter the game with the nation's second-highest offense and will be looking to trump the Cards.

The phrase "offense wins games, defense wins championships" is no joke. Despite the fact that the Cardinal and Bronco offenses are tops in college football, they will not be vying for the National Championship (the current Orange Bowl match up pits USC against Oklahoma, both of whom boast defenses ranked in the top 15 in the land).

Boise State has done virtually nothing wrong all season as they cruised through the Western Athletic Conference untouched, finishing the season at 11-0. They also hold the nation's longest win streak at 22, not to mention a 26-game win streak in conference play. While their WAC dominance was impressive, they lacked the big out-of-conference win to catapult them into the BCS mix.

The Broncos are lead by quarterback Jared Zabransky. The sophomore took over for WAC offensive player of the year Ryan Dinwiddie and paced a balanced but potent offensive attack. Zabransky is a threat both in the air and on the turf passing for almost 3,000 yards, combined with more than 500 yards on the ground. Zabranksy's main target is senior wide out T. J. Acree who has caught 51 balls for almost 900 yards.

While the Zabranksy-to-Acree strategy anchors the air assault, junior Lee Marks is Coach Dan Hawkins's main man out of the backfield. After being converted from cornerback at the beginning of the season, Marks has gained almost 1,000 yards rushing this season.

While the offense is a birdie on the college football course, the Bronco defense is not up to par. Despite their national ranking of 39 overall, the Broncos possess no real playmaker or great prospect for the next level.

When comparing these two squads, the Cards hold the advantage in every area. The offense is just a bit more efficient as Louisville defensive coordinator Mike Cassity has his unit playing great. The Cards also seem to have more playmakers and talent on their roster. Kerry Rhodes has been a ball hawk all year at his rover position while Robert "The Hammer" McCune combines rare speed and a body type at his position that makes him one of the most versatile and under-appreciated middle linebackers in the country.

J.R. Russell's playmaking in the passing game and Stefan LeFors' knack to be able to do everything at the quarterback spot give the Cards the clear edge in the game.

Dates with Miami and North Carolina on the road also give the Cards an edge experience-wise. However if Hawkins and his staff can duplicate what Memphis did to the Cardinal defense, it could turn into a flurry of scoring that ranks up there with Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday's shootout at the OK Corral: the team with the ball last wins.

(C) 2004 The Louisville Cardinal via U-WIRE