ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – North Carolina State coach Chuck Amato thought better things would await his team than a bowl game before Christmas.

But the Wolfpack are left with the Tangerine Bowl, where they will play Kansas on Monday.

This is the fourth straight bowl for the Wolfpack (7-5). Yet Amato is still upset over two overtime losses to ranked teams and another defeat in the season finale.

“I just wish I could have done something better for these youngsters to have been able to win a few more games because when you win, accolades come,” Amato said.

“I owed it to them to find a way to win those close games that we lost – two of those games took a combined five overtime periods. I wish I could have done it for them.”

Kansas (6-6) is just happy to be playing in its first bowl since 1995.

The Jayhawks were in decline until coach Mark Mangino took over last season.

“Lately, I have seen a change in the attitudes of everyone,” Mangino said. “I have tried to get these players feeling good about themselves, give them a feeling that they can win – and I think that has been a big reason for our success this season.”

The Wolfpack are led by quarterback Phillip Rivers, the Atlantic Coast Conference’s player of the year.

Rivers passed for 29 touchdowns and ranks second nationally in completion percentage (71 percent), passing yards (4,016) and passing efficiency (166.68).

The school retired his No. 17 jersey last month.

“It is emotional, especially with it being the last time I put on the Wolfpack uniform,” Rivers said. “But in this setting, there is so much to do that you really don’t get caught up in all the emotions. I want to go out, have fun and enjoy the last bowl trip.”

Kansas also relies heavily on its quarterback. Bill Whittemore completed 63 percent of his passes for 16 touchdowns and 2,142 yards.

He ran for nine touchdowns and 450 yards.

Whittemore’s value was evident after he hurt his right shoulder during an Oct. 25 loss to Kansas State. He missed a month and the Jayhawks went 0-4.

“He is a great competitor at his position,” Mangino said. “He is one you can rely on to make the big play and get the job done.”

Added Amato: “He does for their offense what Philip has done for ours.”

The only other time these teams played was in the 1973 Liberty Bowl, with North Carolina State winning 31-18.

AP-ES-12-21-03 1605EST