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Wednesday, December 3, 1997

Trip to Cotton Bowl may be only sure bet for Bruins

FOOTBALL:

Alliance may shun No. 5 team due to issues of fan faithfulnessBy Brent Boyd

Daily Bruin Staff

The one thing that has plagued UCLA football all season long may hurt the Bruins come bowl time.

No, it's not dropped punts, overthrown passes, or missed assignments ... it's empty seats.

UCLA is ranked fifth in the nation, its highest ranking since 1988, yet may not get a bid to one of the alliance bowls simply because Bruin fans do not "travel well."

The last two times UCLA has gone to an out-of-town bowl, not many fans followed the team ­ only 3,500 Bruin faithful showed up at the Cotton Bowl in 1989 and even fewer travelled to the John Hancock Bowl in 1991.

And that just doesn't sit well with the executives of the bowls in the alliance ­ Fiesta, Orange, and Sugar.

Though the concept of the alliance was drawn up to match the best teams in the nation against one another, it doesn't always work that way, as economics come into play.

"With us it's a combination of things," Jeff Hundley, associate executive director of the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, said.

"It would be simplifying it too much to go only on rankings."

Aspects such as fan attendance, TV ratings, and national recognition all are considered when matching up the teams.

The alliance automatically takes the champions of the Big East (Syracuse), ACC (Florida State), Big 12 (Nebraska or Texas A&M), and SEC (Tennessee or Auburn).

In addition, there are two at-large selections, which is where UCLA fits into the puzzle.

Barring any upsets in the Big 12 and SEC conference championship games this weekend, UCLA will be the highest-ranked team to be considered for an at-large berth ­ No. 6 Florida, No. 7 North Carolina, No. 9 Ohio State, and No. 10 Kansas State are the others.

However, it remains likely that both Ohio State and Kansas State will be chosen over the Bruins for an alliance bid. If the Bruins are not taken by the alliance, UCLA would head to Dallas to play in the Cotton Bowl against a Big 12 team ­ probably Texas A&M or Kansas State.

Regardless, here are the possibilities for the Bruins:

Orange (Miami, Jan. 2) ­ The Orange Bowl gets the top two picks of the alliance teams. If Tennessee and Nebraska both lose this weekend, UCLA could jump up to the third spot. And since the Orange Bowl said they would take the two highest-ranked teams, UCLA would be headed to Miami.

However, even if Nebraska loses, UCLA might not jump them, leaving the Bruins on the outside.

Sugar (New Orleans, Jan. 1) ­ To spend New Year's on Bourbon Street, the Bruins need some fans ­ 15,000 of them ­ to make the trip to Louisiana. That's how many Bowl officials want to come, and if UCLA can commit for that many, the Bruins would likely take on Florida State. Otherwise, the Sugar Bowl seems locked on Ohio State.

Fiesta (Tempe, Dec. 31) ­ Basically not a possibility for the Bruins. Syracuse is destined to play Kansas State.

Cotton (Dallas, Jan. 1) ­ The most likely scenario. The Cotton Bowl gets first pick of any Pac-10 team not in the Rose Bowl or taken by the alliance.

And, unlike the alliance, the Cotton Bowl wants UCLA.

So what's wrong with Dallas, you ask? Well, one thing ... the payout. The Cotton pays just over two million, compared to the over eight million that alliance bowls offer. All money earned will be split among the Pac-10 schools.

One thing remains for sure, the players want New Orleans.

"I want to play a top-five team, not somebody below us," senior tailback Skip Hicks said. "I think we deserve that. I think it's kind of sloppy on their part how they're doing it.

"It's all about money for them. It isn't about what the kids want, how hard they work, win all these games for what? Nothing?"

That's what happens when your biggest downfall is empty seats.

* * *

Cade McNown and Larry Atkins were named winners of UCLA's MVPs at the awards banquet Wednesday night.

JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin

UCLA quarterback Cade McNown and the Bruins are still waiting to hear where they will be going over Winter Break.

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