UCLA needs two wins to go ‘bowl-ing’

Wednesday, November 13, 1996

FOOTBALL:

Bruins still have fighting chance at a bowl game berthBy Brent
Boyd

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

For those who care, and from the look of the 60,000 empty seats
at the Rose Bowl Saturday, there aren’t many, UCLA still has a
legitimate shot at a bowl game.

In the ever-changing world of postseason college football, only
three things are assured in terms of Bruin bowl hopes: 1) UCLA is
not going to the Rose Bowl ­ Arizona State will be holding the
Pacific 10 spot on New Year’s Day. 2) UCLA must sweep Arizona and
USC to reach the NCAA-mandated six-win plateau in order to qualify
for any bowl game. 3) If you don’t have a headache now, just wait
until you’re done reading this, and you will.

UCLA may be keeping travel agents busy the next couple of weeks,
with possible bowl berths in El Paso, Honolulu, Shreveport, San
Diego and Dallas. However, if UCLA fails to win both of their two
remaining games, they can only spend the holidays in one place
­ at home.

In addition to the Rose Bowl, the Pac-10 has agreements with
three other bowl games, so that at least four Pac-10 teams will see
postseason action.

Cotton/Holiday Bowl Parlay: Two teams from the Big 12, one from
the Pac-10 and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) champion
participate in this agreement.

After the Bowl Alliance teams have been decided, Dallas’ Cotton
Bowl will take their pick of the remaining Big 12 teams and match
that school against either the WAC champion and/or any Pac-10 team
not named that have met the six-win requirement.

If you’re not confused yet, just hold on a second.

If Brigham Young wins the WAC, it will possess at least a top-10
ranking and would probably be chosen over the Pac-10 representative
­ most likely second-place Washington. But, if BYU does lose,
then Washington will probably be headed for Dallas (site of the
Cotton Bowl).

The team not selected by the Cotton Bowl will be left to the
Holiday Bowl in San Diego. This team will be pitted against the
third selection from the Big 12.

UCLA’s hope for the Cotton/Holiday Parlay? Very, very
unlikely.

The only chance of fulfilling this hope involves Washington
jumping up eight spots in the polls and earning a spot in the Bowl
Alliance, leaving the Pac-10’s third team a berth in the Cotton or
Holiday Bowl. Even then, the Bruins would probably need California
to lose a couple games. So scratch your travel plans to Dallas or
San Diego if you’re planning to follow the Bruins.

Sun Bowl: After the Cotton/Holiday Bowl agreement has taken
their pick of Pac-10 teams, the Norwest Sun Bowl in El Paso will
take the highest remaining team in the conference standings.

Currently, the Bruins stand in a third-place tie with three
other teams, and whoever finishes in third place will be in line
for the Sun Bowl. If there is still a tie at year’s end, the Sun
Bowl will take its pick, probably by estimating each team’s drawing
power.

In order to go to the Sun Bowl, UCLA would need Cal to lose at
least once (Cal’s 6-3 overall record is much better than UCLA’s and
in case of a tie, would most likely earn Cal a selection over
UCLA). Also standing in the way of a potential Sun Bowl bid for the
Bruins are Washington State and Stanford. However, the Cougars and
Cardinals play each other this week, and the following week
Stanford and California go at each other in the Big Game, so all
things could fall into place for UCLA.

Aloha Bowl: After the Cotton, Holiday and Sun Bowls select their
teams, the Aloha Bowl will choose another Pac-10 representative to
take on a Big 12 team in Honolulu on Christmas Day.

They are not forced to take the fourth-place team, but rather
their fourth choice.

In essence, UCLA could finish 5-3 in league, while Oregon
finishes at 3-5, and the Ducks could be chosen over UCLA.

"There are several factors, in deciding who comes to our bowl
game," Aloha Bowl chairperson Marcia Klompus said. "Success at the
end of the season, the amount of alumni that will follow the team,
and attraction of a national TV audience all play a part in
selecting a team."

Returning to the Aloha Bowl ­ they lost in a blowout in
Hawaii last year ­ remains the most likely scenario for the
Bruins to earn a berth in postseason play.

"We loved having them and we would love to have them back,"
Klompus said. "This next week will play a big part in determining
who plays where."

Others: If UCLA does manage to win its remaining two games, but
still doesn’t earn a berth in a bowl in alliance with the Pac-10,
there are other bowls that could still choose UCLA. The
Independence Bowl, in Shreveport, Louis., maintains the only open
spot in the nation. Also, the Big 12 has commitments for six teams
in bowl games, and it is unlikely that they will have enough teams
fulfilling the six-win quota.

But, to become a factor in any of these decisions, UCLA has to
take care of its own business, beginning Saturday in Tucson. With
one loss, any dreams of winter travel are gone.

"I think it’s important to realize that two wins can get them
into a bowl game," Head Coach Bob Toledo said of his team. "I think
it’s important for them to see the big picture."

JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin

Skip Hicks, pictured tying UCLA’s single season touchdown
record, is a bowl hopeful.