• Which will be the hungrier team in Dallas? Will the flu bug affect Auburn? Get your pregame perspectives from the papers in Omaha,* Lincoln (1, 2, 3, 4), Grand Island (1, 2, 3),* Birmingham (1, 2, 3), Mobile, Huntsville (1, 2), Montgomery (1, 2, 3), Decatur, Columbus, Ga., Dallas (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6),* Fort Worth (1, 2, 3), San Antonio and Kansas City. Game predicions here.

• Fox Sports is offering a free video webcast of the game.

• Will Muschamp's Auburn defense hasn't quite lived up to lofty expectations.

• Auburn's Kenny Irons is as much a talker as a runner.

• The Lincoln paper breaks down the Tigers.

• Bob Thornton recalls his big day in the 1974 Cotton Bowl.

• Defensive ends Adam Carriker* and Quentin Groves* both wreak havoc on QBs.

• All four I-backs will be healthy enough to play, it is announced after practice Saturday. Notes: 1, 2,* 3

• Is there a future in the NFL* for Zac Taylor?

• The players point toward a big year in 2007,* starting Monday.

• Bill Callahan is learning the expectations* of his job, Tom Shatel writes.

• The fullback hasn't fallen out of fashion in Lincoln or Auburn.

• This is the fourth matchup between coordinators Kevin Cosgrove and Al Borges.

• Both offenses are West Coast, but both emphasize* the run. NU notes: 1, 2

• Auburn has turned the tide* against in-state rival Alabama. Auburn notes: 1, 2, 3

• Clint Cosgrove* hopes to follow his dad's footsteps despite the job's negatives.*

• Kickoff returns are a rarity when Auburn's Matt Clark tees it up.

• Player features: Moore & Carriker (1,* 2), Brett Byford, Auburn's Courtney Taylor.

• The Dallas paper profiles Bill Callahan* and Tommy Tuberville.*

• The Blackshirts dispute* the Auburn QB's insinuation that they're plodders. And big games* seem to bring out their best.

• New Husker assistant Buddy Wyatt faces a familiar adversary in the Tigers.

• Kenny Wilson returns* to practice.* Thursday notes.

• Auburn's defensive coordinator says he'll roll the dice* with an attacking defense.

• Bill Callahan works at cultivating Nebraska's Texas connections.*

• Alabama papers write about Zac Taylor and NU's transformation on offense.

• Auburn's offensive coordinator looks beyond the statistics. AU notes: 1, 2, 3, 4

• Auburn's Quentin Groves* aims to be a feared opponent at defensive end.*

• Kurt Mann gets ready for life after football.*

• Matt Herian's NFL aspirations* are still alive.

• The Dallas paper describes Brandon Jackson's difficult path to stardom.

• More about the tough sell this game has been for fans: 1,* 2*

• It'll be the end of Auburn's long-running brother act: Kenny and David Irons.

• The Huskers warm up to Dallas* and what a Jan. 1 bowl represents.

• Auburn's offense looks for a breakout game with key players healthy again.*

• Read the archived Dallas Morning News accounts of Nebraska's past Cotton Bowl appearances: 1965,* 1974,* 1980.*

• Brandon Jackson practices with a soft cast.* Wednesday quotes & notes (1, 2*, 3, 4).

• The Huskers regroup in Texas* and get back to work. Matt Slausen hopes his injured knee* doesn't hinder his position switch. Notes from Tuesday: 1, 2,* 3,*

• Auburn arrives in Dallas with a serious mindset: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

• Tommy Tuberville talks about his Tigers and the Huskers.

• Auburn's suspensions place linebacker Merrill Johnson back in a starting role.

• The bowl game is a homecoming* of sorts for Marlon Lucky.

• Andrew Shanle hopes for a future in coaching.

• Community outreach brings Husker punter Dan Titchener satisfaction.

• The Cotton Bowl stadium is overdue* for some fan-friendly upgrades.

• Randy Jordan keeps Brandon Jackson motivated* to finish the season strong.

• Opportunity knocks for Auburn freshman runningback Ben Tate.

• Turner Gill remembers Auburn well.*

• Auburn's placekicker rebounds from a disastrous junior season.

• Brandon Jackson looks forward to getting rid of his cast.

• Player features: Joe Ganz, Dane Todd,* Zac Taylor,* Maurice Purify.

• Grunt work leads to occasional glory for Dan Erickson.*

• Brett Byford's play is a testament to patience.

• The players welcome their four-day Christmas break.*

• Cotton Bowl tickets now available for as low as $26.

• Healed-up players could give Auburn's offense a new spark.

• Major Culbert receives reps at I-back.

• Rickey Thenarse finds he has a lot to learn* at the cornerback position.

• NU's injured running backs are still healing. More notes from Wednesday: 1,* 2

• Auburn players say they're motivated for this bowl game.

• Andrew Shanle savors his final playing days* with the Huskers.

• A grudging move to offense pays off in spades for Auburn lineman Ben Grubbs.

• Early kickoffs haven't been kind to Auburn this season. AU notes from Tuesday.

• Andre Jones vows to regain his Blackshirt.*

• "It's like I'm leaving family," Ola Dagunduro says as his time at NU nears an end.

• Todd Brown recalls the '82 win over Auburn and discusses his divided loyalties.

• Plenty of Cotton Bowl tickets remain unsold.

• The Huskers' defensive line will have a lot of shoes to fill after Jan. 1.

• Jerraud Powers is Mr. Versatility in Auburn's defensive backfield.

• The emergence of Carl Nicks* gives the right side of the O-line lots of heft.

• Auburn's Kenny Irons hopes for a strong finish* to an injury-plagued season.

• Brandon Jackson sets his sights* on the 1,000-yard mark.

• The December layoff gives Auburn QB Brandon Cox time to heal.

• Take a look at how the game predictions are shaping up.

• Notes from Saturday's practice: 1, 2,* 3

• Auburn suspends three players for violating team rules.

• Sam Keller* ends a semester of practices with an inside track on the QB job for next season. Notes from Friday's practice: 1, 2, 3,* 4*

• Auburn begins bowl practices, intent on avoiding last January's result.

• Maurice Purify knows he has work to do to become the go-to receiver.

• Major Culbert makes the most* of his extra reps in bowl practice.

• Auburn struggles to sell its ticket allotment.

• He has touchdowns; now Hunter Teafatiller* would like to score a scholarship.

• Rickey Thenarse* impresses coaches with his special-teams prowess.

• The matchup with Auburn excites Alabama native Brett Byford.*

• Auburn intends to be more focused than in last year's bowl.

• Carl Nicks tries to stay hungry* as he becomes a regular on the O-line. J.B. Phillips gives it a go at fullback. Notes* from Sunday.

• • Life's turns make Maurice Purify's path* anything but smooth.

• Matt Slauson* practices at right guard as the Huskers begin their preparations for the Cotton Bowl.

• A third Auburn assistant is eyeing a head-coaching vacancy.

• Bowl practices* start Saturday, and Bill Callahan plans to use them to get a leg up on the 2007 season.

• Auburn linebacker Will Herring's journey began at quarterback.

• Nebraska's seniors on the defensive line approach the end of an eventful journey.*

• Will the fourth time* against a top-10 foe be a charm? • Zac Taylor is eager for a shot at redemption.*

• Bill Callahan plans to make the most of bowl practices.

• Auburn's 13-0 season of 2004 has created high expectations.*

• There are similarities in Auburn's and NU's offensive philosophies.

• Auburn's offensive coordinator and running backs coach are in the hunt for Stanford and North Texas jobs.

• Auburn players welcome the postseason change of pace and vow not to be caught napping like a year ago.

• Brandon Jackson's broken hand* is expected to heal in time for the bowl game.*

• It'll be the Huskers against Auburn on Jan. 1* in the Cotton Bowl. "We hope to blanket that stadium in orange," Auburn's A.D. says. See how the teams match up statistically.

• It'll be the Fiesta or the Cotton Bowl for the Huskers.