We've been talking about this all week-- for the Beavers to go to the Holiday Bowl, Arizona State needs to get an at-large bid to the BCS. Last night I showed you CBS Sports' projections for the Fiesta Bowl and the Orange Bowl. They're still predicting a Oklahoma- Kansas match up in the Fiesta Bowl, which I don't think is going to happen. Both teams are from the Big 12, but they haven't played this season. I don't think that's an attractive match up for either team or the Fiesta Bowl. But who knows, the Pac-10 could easily wind up being the hosed conference at the end of the day.
Discuss and Argue this all you want, but it all will be decided tonight around 5:00 p.m. (Pacific) on Fox. Following all the NFL games. And the "OT", their stupid NFL wrap-up show. Fox makes me sick.
Kevin Hampton of the Gazette-Times has a story today on how the Holiday Bowl felt about Oregon and Oregon State:
"We're hoping for the Holiday Bowl, but we'll see what happens," OSU running back Matt Sieverson said. "San Diego, I heard is pretty nice this time of year, so hopefully we'll end up down there."
Eric Graves, a member of the Holiday Bowl team selection committee, was on hand in Eugene for the game.
Both teams had a shot at the bowl going into the Civil War. Graves said the Holiday Bowl would have been happy to have the Ducks, who have been to San Diego twice.
They are very interested in the prospect of having Oregon State as a selection.
"Number one, they've never been there," Graves said. "They've never been in our bowl and they're obviously an exciting team."
Graves said the Beavers won all their key games to get in position for a possible slot in San Diego, which is a positive when possible teams are considered.
"If in fact we choose them, they've played their way into the bowl, which is always an exciting position," he said. "They're not coming down, they're coming up. That always makes for a good game. And (the Beavers are) a team that wants to be there."
That article proves a great point. Just like Matthew Sieverson played into the #2 running back position, the Beavers are playing their way into the Holiday Bowl. If ASU doesn't get into a BCS Bowl, land themselves in the Holiday Bowl, and the Beavers go to the Sun or Emerald-- I don't think anyone will care. We've had a great season, but we'll play wherever they send us.
FYI-- there's a new countdown timer at the top of tis page.
GO BEAVERS!
--JB--