Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

Saturday, December 30, 2000

Nebraska-Northwestern
bowl showdown today

Hawaii represented by
Raiola and Souza

---

By Doug Alden
Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO -- Northwestern coach Randy Walker and his Wildcats players expected to be in a bowl game this season, and they were probably alone in thinking that.

"Everyone picked us to finish 11th in the Big 10, so to be here is exciting," said Walker, whose No. 18 Wildcats play No. 9 Nebraska at 3 p.m. today in the Alamo Bowl. "This wasn't an accident or fluke."

But it is very rare. Northwestern has made only three other bowl appearances. This is Nebraska's 39th bowl appearance, and 32nd in a row.

The Cornhuskers have gotten over the disappointment of not playing in a Bowl Championship Series game. After spending the first two months of the season ranked No. 1, losses to Oklahoma and Kansas State dashed their hopes.

"It was like a snowball rolling downhill and you can't stop it," said All-American center Dominic Raiola, a graduate of St. Louis School in Honolulu.

"Just looking at Northwestern and thinking about them, initially I didn't think they were that good. But when you look at them on film, you realize they are very physical and tough," Raiola said. "People have put points up on them, but I wouldn't underestimate them."

Tackle Mike Souza, who went to Punahou, is listed on Northwestern's roster.