np_husker Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Several bowls looking at Nebraska BY RICH KAIPUST WORLD-HERALD BUREAU LINCOLN — It's been 28 years since Nebraska last played in the Sun Bowl, and John Folmer said the Dec. 31 game is serious about bringing the Huskers back to El Paso, Texas. Folmer even has a good feeling that it will happen. "We haven't had them for a long time and we'd do anything to get them back," said Folmer, the football chairman for the Sun Bowl. "The chances are real good we get them." Folmer was one of two Sun Bowl representatives in Lincoln last Saturday to see Nebraska beat Kansas 45-35. The NU-KU winner was expected to emerge as the leading choice for the Sun, which picks after the BCS is settled and the Cotton, Holiday and Alamo make their choices. A lot of other things could still happen, including the Gator Bowl becoming involved, but . . . "You'd be nuts to be in the bowl business as long as I have been — this is my 38th year — and not be thinking about Nebraska," Folmer said. "Just the name demands a lot of respect, and it certainly does for us." If NU goes to El Paso, it would be matched with the No. 3 team from the Pac-10. Folmer said California, Arizona, Oregon and Oregon State would be potential opponents. The Sun Bowl situation hinges, however, on the Gator Bowl and whether the Jan. 1 game jumps into the Big 12 rotation. The Gator is waiting to see how Notre Dame (5-4) comes out in games against Navy, Syracuse and Southern Cal. "We'd never take a 6-6 Notre Dame," said Gator Bowl President Rick Catlett. "And we've never had a team play in the Gator Bowl that had five losses. Even at 7-5, that breaks tradition for us. That's why I think an 8-4 Nebraska is a viable alternative for us. "If you're sitting there looking at a 7-5 Notre Dame or an 8-4 Nebraska team, I'm not sure there's a whole lot that separates that." Nebraska is 6-4 with games remaining at Kansas State and at home against Colorado. The Sun and Gator correspond because both take Big 12 teams only two out of four years and never in the same year. There's cooperation between all games, Catlett said, relating a recent talk he had with Cotton Bowl President Rick Baker about a scenario that could put NU in Jacksonville. "I said, 'If this happens and this happens and this happens, will Nebraska be available for us?'" Catlett said. "He said yes, because of where they'd like to go and where the Holiday Bowl wants to go. So you keep your options open and try to make it work best for all the bowl games." If the Gator Bowl chooses to exercise its Big 12 option, it would get the second Big 12 team if the league sends only one to BCS games. In that scenario, a higher-profile team would be available. If the Big 12 lands two BCS bids, the Gator would pick behind the Cotton and Holiday bowls — effectively the fifth Big 12 team. As far as an opponent from the Atlantic Coast Conference, Catlett said the Gator is looking hard at Florida State or North Carolina, with Miami and Georgia Tech also possibilities. Nebraska has not played Florida State or Miami since the Orange Bowls of the 1990s. "It looks like we could have Florida State in our game," Catlett said. "That creates a really good matchup through the eyes of the people who live in this area. That's a sexy matchup in any year. From that standpoint, Nebraska's high up on our list." Folmer said he would be surprised if the Gator Bowl passed on Notre Dame at 7-5. Especially if it could feature a Notre Dame-FSU or Notre Dame-Miami matchup. If the Gator takes a Big 12 team, Folmer said the Sun would jump at Notre Dame, instead of a Big East team, just because it's a rare chance to get the Irish. The Sun Bowl is scheduled for Dec. 31 at 1 p.m. CST, with television coverage by CBS. In the third year of its current agreement, it had Missouri-Oregon State in 2006 and South Florida-Oregon in 2007. The Gator Bowl goes Jan. 1 at 11 a.m. on CBS. Also a possibility for NU is the Alamo Bowl, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. on ESPN. Folmer said it's purely by coincidence, but the Sun Bowl will be inducting NU Athletic Director Tom Osborne into its Hall of Fame on Dec. 29. In previous Sun Bowls, the Huskers beat Mississippi State 31-17 in 1980 and Georgia 45-6 in 1969. Quote Link to comment
Overland Park Husker Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Nebraska has not played Florida State or Miami since the Orange Bowls of the 1990s. Really?? What was I doing in 2001 then... Quote Link to comment
skerfan1705 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Nebraska has not played Florida State or Miami since the Orange Bowls of the 1990s. Really?? What was I doing in 2001 then... I THINK YOU DREAMED THAT GAME.....I REMEMBER BEING THERE TOO, BUT I HAD JUST WISHED IT WAS A BAD DREAM..... Quote Link to comment
C N Red Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Nebraska has not played Florida State or Miami since the Orange Bowls of the 1990s. Really?? What was I doing in 2001 then... I THINK YOU DREAMED THAT GAME.....I REMEMBER BEING THERE TOO, BUT I HAD JUST WISHED IT WAS A BAD DREAM..... What?? What?? I remember being in LA for something, but definitely don't remember it being a football game. I think I went there so I could be stuck in traffic for hours. Quote Link to comment
tattooedhusker Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 El Paso, TX.... Quote Link to comment
BIGREDIOWAN Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I still say if we send two teams from the Big XII to a BCS game that the Alamo Bowl takes us over Missouri. Quote Link to comment
papersun87 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I still say if we send two teams from the Big XII to a BCS game that the Alamo Bowl takes us over Missouri. The Gator Bowl official said the same thing. Besides NU's huge fanbase, they'd rather take a Husker team coming in from a three-game winning streak than a Missouri team that probably just got beat in the Big 12 title game. Quote Link to comment
redout22 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Man i think that it is great to hear that bowls are after us Quote Link to comment
BIGREDIOWAN Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Yeah, it's great, but we've got to go out there and finish business against KSUcks and sCUm over the next three weeks. Quote Link to comment
Huskerballz Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Yeah, it's great, but we've got to go out there and finish business against KSUcks and sCUm over the next three weeks. Oh we will...we will. Quote Link to comment
BIGREDIOWAN Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Yeah, it's great, but we've got to go out there and finish business against KSUcks and sCUm over the next three weeks. Oh we will...we will. Man I hope so...................... Quote Link to comment
fro daddy Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 I still say if we send two teams from the Big XII to a BCS game that the Alamo Bowl takes us over Missouri. The Gator Bowl official said the same thing. Besides NU's huge fanbase, they'd rather take a Husker team coming in from a three-game winning streak than a Missouri team that probably just got beat in the Big 12 title game. YEAH why take a team with 2 more wins, 1 less loss and beat the huskers by 35 on their home field. That team would suck... Besides, they didnt beat 3 of the worst teams in the north in 3 straight weeks. GOSH I mean SERIOUSLY did you see how tough those games were. I bet KU/KSU/CU may even finish at .500 for the season. And finish with awsome conference records of a combined 7-17!!! GOD how could they not take NU! THEY WOULD BE CRAZY Okay I'm done now. Quote Link to comment
skerfan1705 Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 I still say if we send two teams from the Big XII to a BCS game that the Alamo Bowl takes us over Missouri. The Gator Bowl official said the same thing. Besides NU's huge fanbase, they'd rather take a Husker team coming in from a three-game winning streak than a Missouri team that probably just got beat in the Big 12 title game. YEAH why take a team with 2 more wins, 1 less loss and beat the huskers by 35 on their home field. That team would suck... Besides, they didnt beat the 3 worse teams in the north in 3 straight weeks. GOSH The reason behind picking the Husker over Missouri is not the fact that NU has beat only mediocre teams..but the fact that if we are going to a bowl....every freakin person in the state is either going to the game or going to watch it (not to mention the millions of fans around the country that bleed husker red).... Compared to the group of missouri fans that just came out of the word work within the last two-three years.... Geez that math just doesn't add up?!?!?! Quote Link to comment
skerfan1705 Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Man i think that it is great to hear that bowls are after us Yes! Much safer than plates and tea cups! Quote Link to comment
fro daddy Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 I still say if we send two teams from the Big XII to a BCS game that the Alamo Bowl takes us over Missouri. The Gator Bowl official said the same thing. Besides NU's huge fanbase, they'd rather take a Husker team coming in from a three-game winning streak than a Missouri team that probably just got beat in the Big 12 title game. YEAH why take a team with 2 more wins, 1 less loss and beat the huskers by 35 on their home field. That team would suck... Besides, they didnt beat the 3 worse teams in the north in 3 straight weeks. GOSH The reason behind picking the Husker over Missouri is not the fact that NU has beat only mediocre teams..but the fact that if we are going to a bowl....every freakin person in the state is either going to the game or going to watch it (not to mention the millions of fans around the country that bleed husker red).... Compared to the group of missouri fans that just came out of the word work within the last two-three years.... Geez that math just doesn't add up?!?!?! Geez i know. if only half the people in the entire state of MU watched, that would only be 2 1/2 time the entire state population of Nebraska. Silly me. And that doesnt even include all the other MU fans in the world... Math is soooooo hard Quote Link to comment
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