Football Briefs

Aloha Aloha, howdy Sun!

The UCLA football team is expected to receive an invitation to
the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, to be played on Dec. 29.

UCLA (6-5) finished tied for fifth in the Pac-10 standings with
Arizona State (6-5). The Bruins, along with the Sun Devils and the
Oregon Ducks (9-2), are eligible for an invitation to El Paso.

The Sun Bowl is traditionally awarded to the third-place Pac-10
team; however, with second-place Oregon State (10-1) likely to go
to a BCS Bowl, third-place Oregon should go to the Holiday Bowl
instead. Even if the Beavers don’t go to a BCS Bowl, the Sun
Bowl is not likely to pick Oregon because the Ducks played there
last year. Fourth-place Stanford (5-6) is not bowl-eligible, and
that leaves the Sun Bowl to either UCLA or Arizona State. Sun Bowl
officials have implied that the Bruins will likely be picked
because of their larger television market.

Wisconsin (7-4) accepted a bid to the Sun Bowl on Nov. 20. If
the Bruins go to Texas the matchup would give them an opportunity
to avenge the 38-31 defeat suffered to the Badgers in the 1999 Rose
Bowl.

An invitation might be extended today.

All-American as apple pie

Freddie Mitchell has been awarded with first-team All-American
distinction by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, which is
composed of head coaches and Sports Information Directors.

Mitchell, who is second in the nation with 119.45 receiving
yards per game, leads the Bruins with 68 receptions. He recently
took control of the school record with 1,314 receiving yards this
season. Mitchell is also one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff
Award, given annually to the best receiver in the nation.

Notes compiled by Christina Teller and Pauline Vu, Daily Bruin
Senior Staff.