Civil War win could mean bowl game for Ducks
Representatives from four
bowls say they> have
Oregon on their list
By Ryan Frank
Sports Editor
Once again bowl implications
surround Oregon’s season Finale
Civil War matchup against Ore
gon State.
Should Oregon defeat Oregon
State for the third straight time this
Saturday at Autzen Stadium, the
Ducks could be back in the post
season after a one-year hiatus.
Four bowl games have at-large
bids that can go to any team in
the country, and a representative
from all four selection commit
tees said Oregon is on their list.
The Sports Humanitarian
Bowl, the Motor City Bowl, the
Independence Bowl and the Las
Vegas Bowl are the bowl games
with open bids that could take
the Ducks.
That’s news to Oregon Athletic
Director Bill Moos. Moos said
Wednesday he has yet to be con
tacted by either the Indepen
dence Bowl or the Motor City
Bowl. Moos did say that Oregon
would not turn down any invita
tion from a bowl.
In addition to the four bowls
with at-large bids, Oregon could
have the opportunity to play in
two other bowl games. The In
sight.com Bowl (formerly known
as the Copper Bowl) is scheduled
to take the No. 2 team from the
Western Athletic Conference and
the No. 6 team from the Big 12,
but unless Colorado upsets Ne
braska this Saturday, the Big 12
will have only five teams eligible
for the postseason, taking into ac
count the Big 12’s automatic
Bowl Alliance berth.
The other bowl possibility for
the Ducks would come about if
the Fiesta Bowl decided to take
Arizona State. The Big East
champion is locked into the Fies
ta Bowl and the other team is an
at-large bid up to the selection
committee.
Considering the fact that the
bowl and Arizona State Universi
ty reside in the same town, the
Sun Devils could be a likely se
lection for the bowl, assuming
they beat Arizona and do not
qualify for the Rose Bowl.
The Pacific-10 Conference has
contracts with four bowl games:
the Rose, the Cotton or the Holi
day, the Sun and the Aloha.
Should Arizona State go to the
Fiesta Bowl, that opens a spot in
one of the contracted bowls,
which could mean an open spot
in the Aloha Bowl for the Ducks.
Last season, the Ducks finished
with a flurry to end the season at
6-5 after winning their final three
games, including a 40-23 drub
bing of California. However, the
6-5 Golden Bears were selected
to play in the Aloha Bowl over
the 6-5 Ducks.
This season, there are a number
of teams with seven, eight, nine or
even 10 wins that could be left for
the picking by any of the afore
mentioned four at-large bids.
But Oregon head coach Mike
Bellotti said neither the Oregon
players nor coaches are thinking
about a bowl berth.
“I think there’s some talk
[among players and coaches],"
Bellotti said, “Obviously every
body wants to know what’s going
on. But that’s been very low key
for us. Not because we don't
want it, but simply because it’s
going to be outside of our con
trol.”
A bowl game would just be ic
ing on the cake for Oregon, Bel
lotti said.
“The bowl game is just sort of
gravy or dessert," he said. “It’s
something that we can hope hap
pens but again we don't control
that. What need to do is focus on
this football game.”
There has been some talk
among Oregon fans and support
ers that a trip to a smaller bowl
such as the Humanitarian Bowl
is not worth the weeks of prepa
ration and practice.
“I don’t worry about it very
much at all,” Bellotti said. “I
think there's a lot of kids on this
football team that really want to
play in a bowl game, that have
never had that chance. Or that
this would be their last chance or
opportunity.
“I think certainly, as I’ve said
many times, it was really a
shame that that team did not get
to play in another game together.
I would feel the same way about
this team if we win on Saturday.”
The following is a list of the
four bowls with open bids and
the possibility of the committee
selecting the Ducks should they
win Saturday.
u I think there’s some
talk [among players and
coaches]. Obviously,
everybody wants to know
what's going on. ”
Mike Bellotti
UO head coach
Sports Humanitarian Bowl: Dec. 29,
Boise, Idaho
Steve Schmuder, the president
of the Humanitarian Bowl, said if
Oregon wins, it will be on the
bowl's short list of candidates.
Utah State has already locked
up the other spot in the bowl by
winning the Big West champi
onship with a win over Nevada
last weekend. Schmuder said
Utah State, ESPN and representa
tives from the Big West will have
a say in the decision. Utah State
lost to Oregon State earlier this
season 26-14 and is 6-4 going into
its final game.
While Schmuder said the
Ducks’ regional drawing power
makes them a strong candidate,
he said the committee is not limit
ing itself to the West region. North
Carolina State, Louisiana State
and Kentucky have all contacted
Schmuder.
The committee will narrow the
selection field to two or three
teams after this weekend’s games
and hopes to have the at-large bid
filled by Thanksgiving.
As of this week, Schmuder said
the committee’s list includes 10
12 teams.
He said the decision could
come down to whether they want
to take a 6-5 Oregon team that
would bring a strong following or
a 10-2 Air Force team that may
not bring as many fans.
Las Vegas Bowl: Dec. 20,
Las Vegas, Nev.
The Las Vegas Bowl, which is
the first bowl of the year on Dec.
20, pits the No. 3 team from the
WAC against an at-large team.
Branan Allison, a member of the
selection committee, said the No.
1 thing the committee will be look
ing for is a team that has a large fan
following. He said after talking
with representatives from bowls
Oregon has played in in past sea
sons, the Ducks stack up well.
Oregon’s strong fan base in
Southern California is also of in
terest to the committee, Allison
said.
“They’re definitely still in the
mix, and we are giving them seri
ous consideration," Allison said.
The committee’s decision
could come as early as Sunday or
Monday.
Independence Bowl: Dec. 28,
Shreveport, La.
The Independence Bowl has
been a familiar place for Oregon
in the last decade, and according
to Glen Kmpica, the executive di
rector of the bowl, it could be
come even more familiar this sea
son.
"We are looking at them from
afar," Krupica said.
Oregon has made two trips to
Independence Bowl in the last
eight years, and, according to
Krupica, has traveled well.
"We had a great experience
with them both times they were
down here," he said.
In 1992, Oregon lost 39-35 to
Wake Forrest in the Indepen
dence Bowl and in 1989, the
Ducks beat Tulsa 27-24.
The automatic bid for the bowl
goes to the No. 5 team from the
Southeastern Conference, which
means that team may not be cho
sen until after the conference
championship game.
Krupica also admitted that a 6
5 record would be a concern for
the committee, considering the
SEC team could be 8-3. He said
the committee is looking at 10-12
teams for the open bid, but that
the Ducks past experiences there
bodes well for them.
Motor City Bowl: Dec. 26,
Pontiac, Mich.
This bowl must be considered
an outside shot for Oregon, con
sidering it lias not been contacted
by a representative from the selec
tion committee.
Dave Appoliti, manager of ex
ternal affairs for the Motor City
Bowl, said the committee is look
ing at 10-20 teams for the at-large
bid.
Should the Ducks go, they will
square off the with No. 1 team
from the Mid-American Confer
ence.
Appoliti did stress that the com
mittee is not limiting itself to the
region. Any team across the coun
try could be selected for the bowl.
OSU: Beavers
rank 10th in
conference in
total offense
M Continued from Page 4B
passing game.
Riley’s first order of
business when he took
over as head coach was to
revamp Oregon State’s sag
ging passing attack. He
chose to institute a more
"vertical” attack, like near
ly every other team in the
Pac-10 has.
It hasn’t taken flight.
The Beavers rank ninth
in the conference in pass
ing and 10th in total of
fense. Alexander has not
shown the touch needed to
play quarterback, Riley
said, but he has shown the
ability to lead his team on
the field and the players
look ready to respond.
“I think that we won
games that people expect
ed us to win,” Riley said.
"But to not win a Pac-10
game yet has been a big
disappointment. We’ve
had a couple of opportuni
ties but haven’t been able
to close games out.
"Confidence might have
played a role in that. It’s al
ways a concern for us, hav
ing such a long history of
not winning. Our players
sometimes feel the here
we-go-again syndrome.”
It’s impossible to say ex
actly what a win over Ore
gon this weekend would
mean to Oregon State, its
alumni or the city of Cor
vallis. What is known is
that it would be the first
Pae-10 win for Riley and
complete one of the best
seasons by a first-year
Beaver coach.
“I think a win over Ore
gon would be great for our
team,” Riley said. “It
would be great for our pro
gram, great for our seniors.
It would the kind of victo
ry that we could build on”
‘jR.e&taccuitit
We offer American
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
(open Sunday too!)
Ask about our daily specials!
We serve breakfast
anytime!
/Rcce & 'TfauiCe
Chicken, Beef & Tofu w/
Stir-Fry Veggies $5.25
ORDERS TO GO AVAILABLE
M-S 7 am-8 pm • Sun. 8 am-2 pm
Now Espresso, Beer, & Wine
KOREAN FOOD HOURS
Mon. -Sat. 12-8 PM
343-1542 *1689 Willamette
(corner of 17th & Willamette)
We take reservations for
parties up to 25
An Italian Restaurant
with Balls.
MONA LIZZA
RISTORANTE Sl BAR
Classic & Creallve llellan Cuisine • Wood Oven Pizza • Full Bar • Micro Brews • Vino
Upscale Billiards • Fine Pastry & Espresso • Professional Catering
530 Olive • Downtown Eugene • 345-1072
America's Most Unusual
Barbecue Joint
Usual t Unusual Wkaa Foods ♦
Eugaaa City Iruwary Alas ♦ Hamamada Dassarts
Food & Beer Available To Go • Professional Catering Services Available
844 Olive Street • Eugene * 345-8489
Fortunately, it can be a
Jungle
Out
There
NEW ARRIVALS!
Trek 800 Sport ’98 Model
New frame style, comfortable, around town
recreational mountain bike, 21 speed
Gripshift. From...$23995
Trek 820 ’98 Model
V-brakes, 21 speed Gripshift, Cro-Moly
main frame & fork. From...s32995
All ’97 Mountain Bikes On Sale
Christmas Layaways Available Now!
Plus a full selection of accessories,
including locks, lights, fenders & rain gear.
When you're ready to leave
the world behind, grab a
Trek off road bicycle and
hit the trail. We back you
all the way with bikes
sized right to fit you
and great service.
Stop in and see
for yourself!
K RY PTONITE
CYCLE SHOP
Eugene, Oregon
60 E. 11TH • downtown eugene • 342-4878