Monday, December 7, 1998

Oregon gets
Aloha Bowl bid

Ducks play Colorado, Washington
vs. Air Force in Christmas twin bill

By Paul Arnett
Star-Bulletin

UCLA's untimely loss to Miami of Florida caused such a nationwide splash, the ripples were felt all the way to Honolulu.

Had the Bruins held on for the victory, No. 21 Oregon would be heading to San Diego for the Holiday Bowl and Central Florida would be on its way here. Instead, Oregon is bound for the Jeep Aloha Bowl to play Colorado in a rematch of the 1996 Cotton Bowl and disappointed Central Florida is staying home.

"We literally didn't know until about 15 minutes before the Bowl Championship Series, who was going to be in the first game," Aloha Bowl chief executive officer Lenny Klompus said yesterday. "We could have lost Colorado had things gone a certain way.

"Once we knew we still had them, we talked it over with ABC officials and that's the matchup (Oregon-Colorado) everyone wanted. I know some people thought it might be Colorado and Washington, but we really didn't think UCLA was going to lose."

Washington will now play No. 16 Air Force in the Jeep Oahu Bowl. Blame the last-second shuffling on UCLA. Had the Bruins won, they would have been in the Fiesta Bowl, Arizona in the Rose Bowl and Oregon in the Holiday Bowl.

The loss dropped UCLA out of the title game and into the Rose Bowl. Arizona is now Holiday Bowl bound and Oregon is spending Christmas in paradise. Aloha Bowl officials almost lost Colorado as well thanks to Texas A&M's upset of Kansas State on Saturday in double overtime.

"Had Kansas State and Texas A&M been in the Bowl Championship Series, we wouldn't have had an eligible Big 12 team," Klompus said. "But none of the top four bowls picked Kansas State, so we were able to keep Colorado."

Colorado knocked off Oregon, 38-6, in the 1996 Cotton Bowl. Former UH head coach Fred vonAppen coached in that game as his final act with the Buffaloes. It will be their second trip to the Aloha Bowl this decade. They defeated Fresno State in 1994.

"Oregon has had a great season," Colorado coach Rick Neuheisel said. "They certainly have a prolific offense and a host of skilled players."

Oregon is no stranger to Hawaii, either. The Ducks lost to the Rainbows, 36-16, in 1994. Despite that defeat, they wound up going to the Rose Bowl. Oregon has made several major postseason appearances over the past five years.

The Jeep Oahu Bowl is an intriguing matchup as well. Washington struggled through a disappointing season, but can make amends by defeating a gutsy Air Force team.

The Falcons struggled mightily on offense in the Western Athletic Conference title game against Brigham Young University, before pulling out a 20-13 victory. It raised Air Force's record to 11-1 and secured veteran head coach Fisher DeBerry his second league championship.

"We're very excited about playing in Hawaii," DeBerry said. "Washington is one of the big names in college football. Our team is looking forward to facing one of the best programs in the West."

Washington, which won last year's Aloha Bowl handily over Michigan State, is also looking forward to the matchup.

"We are excited to play in the inaugural Jeep Oahu Bowl and be a part of a little college football history with this first bowl doubleheader," Huskies head coach Jim Lambright said. "Everyone who made the trip to last year's Aloha Bowl had a wonderful time.

"Air Force is a very, very good football team. Coach DeBerry's teams are always disciplined and very prepared."

Air Force had hoped to play Oregon in a rematch of last year's Las Vegas Bowl, a game the Ducks won easily, 41-13. Air Force athletic director Randy Spetman didn't want his Falcons to take the Huskies lightly or criticize bowl officials for the last-second switch in games. But it was clear where his heart was in the matter.

"We'll be ready to play Washington, and I don't want to diminish the respect we have for Washington," Spetman told the Rocky Mountain News yesterday. "But we embarrassed ourselves last year against Oregon and we wanted the opportunity to prove ourselves."

ESPN will broadcast the Oahu Bowl. Despite all four teams being west of the Rocky Mountains, network executives are confident the games will have national appeal.

"Washington is known throughout the country and so is Colorado," Klompus said. "Oregon has been in some big bowl games the past few years and Air Force is the WAC champion that is also well known nationally."

For ticket information, call 947-4141.