Fourth-and-blog

Hello, Orlando

Posted by: Bob Asmussen

Sunday, December 2, 2007 2:44 AM

It's 2:20 a.m. and that loud noise you just heard was from the Capital One bowl committee. Just seconds ago, Hawaii held off a last-ditch Washington drive for a 35-28 victory. The win sends the Warriors to a BCS game and Illinois to the Capital One.

Illinois needed one of three teams to lose Saturday. Two of the three got scared, Hawaii in a huge way. But they all won. Arizona State held off Arizona, Southern Cal pounded UCLA and Hawaii rallied from a 21-point deficit to beat the Huskies.

Barring an unlikely move by the BCS bowls, it should mean a call early this afternoon from the Capital One Bowl. The other call should go to Florida, putting the Gators in the uncomfortable position of playing former coach Ron Zook.

Publicly, Florida officials aren't going to say boo about it. Privately, they aren't happy. It's a no-win situation in their minds, playing a guy they deemed unworthy to coach their program. Now, they have the same record and will meet near the Gainesville campus. Wacky.

Ron Zook will do his best to keep the focus on his team. But it won't work. Like it or not, he's the story. After the BCS title game, it will be the most talked about of the other bowls. It doesn't matter what happens in the game, it's all good for the future of the Illinois program. The publicity is worth millions and will be a plus to recruiting.

What's going to happen in the BCS pairings? I'm pulling out the Magic 8 ball to give you a guess.

Many speculate LSU will jump six spots to No. 2. That's a leap I'm willing to take. Kansas, Georgia and Virginia Tech were all ahead of the Tigers in the computers ratings going into the weekend and none of the three lost. But the coaches and Harris folks will make up the difference.

Georgia has a great argument, except it didn't win its SEC division. It could easily go the other way, but I can't see enough coaches siding with the Bulldogs. Georgia finished strong, winning its final six. LSU dropped a home game against Arkansas in the final week of the regular season. But the Tigers beat a Tennessee team that clubbed Georgia. That will be enough.

OK, so here's my absolutely cockamamy choices:

BCS title game: Ohio State vs. LSU
Rose Bowl: Southern Cal vs. Georgia
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Arizona State
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Kansas
Sugar Bowl: West Virginia vs. Hawaii.

It's been an absolutely great year, with the BCS bids going down to the final play of the regular season. You can't beat that. But today's decision on the BCS title game will spark controversy. Period. It will also help those pushing a plus-one BCS model. Wouldn't you love to see a minitourmament with four schools competing for two title game spots? Me too. BCS coordinator Mike Slive seems to like the idea and that's important.

I doubt that all of you stayed up to watch Hawaii. The Warriors might get drilled in the Sugar Bowl, but it won't be boring. And Colt Brennan just earned a spot on my Heisman ballot, probably at No. 3.

I'll be updating you later today on the Illinois bowl status. Last thing I heard from Capital One Bowl director Steve Hogan when I talked to him Friday night was, 'I hope to be talking to you again on Sunday.' He got his wish.

It's been a long, brilliant day. I'm going to catch some Zzzzzs, go to mass and start trying to break down Illinois-Florida.

I'll see you in Orlando the day after Christmas. I'll be the one wearing the Mickey Mouse ears.

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