AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 27
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Don’t book those flights to Pasadena just yet, Dawg fans
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here is the latest bowl buzz:
**—Don’t book those flights to Pasadena just yet, Georgia fans. Word out of Los Angeles is that if the Rose Bowl loses Ohio State to the BCS championship game, there is going to be a big argument on the Tournament of Roses committee. Part of the committee will want to take Georgia, which could be ranked as high as No. 3, to create a dream match up of Georgia-Southern Cal.
But there are some very strong members on the committee who want to keep the traditional match-up between the Big Ten and Pac-10 and thus take Illinois (9-3), which will be eligible if it gets to No. 14 in the BCS (it is currently 15). Trust me when I tell you that there is no group on Planet Earth that is more buttoned down and locked into tradition than the Tournament of Roses committee. It would totally consistent for them to pass on the No. 3 team in the nation to take a Big Ten team ranked No. 14.
**—If Illinois goes to the Rose Bowl, that will break the heart of the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, which is salivating at the possibility of an Illinois-Florida game on Jan. 1 in Orlando. Ron Zook would be going against the school that fired him three years ago. How bad would the Zooker want to win that game?
**—The Gator Bowl has the option to pass on a Big East team and take a team from the Big 12. It will invoke that option and choose Texas Tech (8-4) to play an ACC team on Jan. 1. The Big East will send a team to fill the Big 12 spot in the Sun Bowl. That team will be South Florida (9-3), which will play Oregon or Oregon State.
**—The Orange Bowl had discussions on what the political fallout would be if it took No. 10 Florida (9-3) instead of Georgia (10-2) as an at-large team, particularly if Boston College won the ACC championship. If Virginia Tech wins the ACC the Orange would face a Virginia Tech-Georgia rematch. The two teams played in the Chick-fil-A Bowl last season. There are a bunch of Gators on that selection committee and they know they’ll get a sellout with Florida, especially if Tim Tebow wins the Heisman Trophy. The discussion became moot when Georgia reached No. 4 in the BCS standings, which means the Bulldogs are an automatic pick and nobody in the BCS can take Florida.
**—This is just one man’s opinion, but if Virginia Tech wins the ACC championship, it looks like Clemson (9-3) will go to the Chick-fil-A Bowl to play Auburn (8-4), Virginia (9-3) will go to the Gator Bowl to play Texas Tech (8-4), and Boston College (10-2) will go to the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando to play Michigan (8-4).
Services »
