The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, December 05, 1996, Page 8, Image 8
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BRYAN JOHNSTON Asst. Sports Editor ]
1
In a season when many magazines
said it would be a mirade if the Gamecock football
squad produced a winning record,
USC proved everyone wrong by putting ,
together a 6-5 record.
Despite their efforts, it looks as if the '
Gamecocks will be sitting at home this |
winter break.
With six teams from the Southeastern
Conference qualifying for a bowl and
only five bowl games open for SEC teamfe,
one squad will be left out. Right now, it
looks like that squad is Carolina.
To qualify for a post-season bowl '
game, a team must win six games against
Florida, llama, UT, LSU and Auburn.
USC has done all that.
Unfortunately, only five bowls
(Alliance, Citrus, Outback, Peach and
Independence) have spots reserved for
SEC teams.
Right now, the only hope for the
Gamecocks to play in post-season would
be if the Volunteers receive an at-large
bid or if Alabama beat Florida Saturday.
The Alliance takes the ACC, Big East,
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two at-large teams selected by a panel.
BYU, Colorado, Penn State and
Tennessee are all vying for the two spots.
The Cougars play Wyoming in the
WAC Championship game Saturday,
and if they win, they will be 13-1. This
will almost assure them of one of the
bids. If they lose' to the Cowboys, BYU
would probably end up in the Cotton or
the Holiday bowls.
The other three schools have to wait
and see who the Alliance picks.
The Volunteers controlled their own
destiny until they dropped a game to
Memphis. The Vols haven't played up
to their potential as of late, and with
their record at 9-2, they are the longest
shot of the remaining hopefuls.
If BYU loses, that leaves the Buffaloes
and the Nittany Lions for the two spots.
Notre Dame was a sure-fire lock until
they lost to Southern Cal last Saturday.
At 8-3, it looks like Lou Holtz has coached
his last game under the Golden Dome.
Florida plays Alabama Saturday in
the SEC Championship Game and
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Nebraska takes on Texas in the Big-12
Championship game.
If the Crimson Tide can pull of the
upset, Bama would get the Alliance bid.
Many feel the Gators are strong enough
for one of the at-large bids.
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win, more than likely the finals polls will
be, in order Florida State, Arizona State,
Nebraska, Florida and Ohio State.
If the Gators and Tide are selected
for the Alliance, Tennessee, LSU and
Auburn will be bumped up to the next
highest SEC-affiliated bowl. That would
make room for the Gamecocks to make
their second appearance in a bowl in
three years.
If this scenario is the case, Carolina
would play in the Poulan Weed Eater
Independence bowl in Shreveport LA.
"We're still under consideration from
the Independence Bowl. They have
expressed a strong interest in USC,"
USC's Assistant Athletics Director and
Sports Information Director Kerry Tharp
said. "They said that they will not make
a decision until after the SEC
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Championship Game.
"We've had a great deal of
communication with the Independence
Bowl. We've even had fans call down to |
the bowl officials asking about
accommodations. They are fully aware
of our interest," Tharp said.
The way the Bowl Alliance is set up,
number one takes on number two. Since
ASU and OSU are in conferences that
don't participate in the Alliance (Big Ten
and PAC-10), they are out. |
That means FSU and Nebraska would
meet for the National Championship in
the Sugar Bowl.
The no. 3-team takes on the no. 5team,
meaning Florida and Colorado
would meet in the Fiesta Bowl.
The fourth-ranked team takes on the
sixth-ranked team in the Orange Bowl.
Therefore, Virginia Tech probably would
meet Penn State.
Here's a look at the other 15 bowls
to be played and who the likely teams
are in them:
Las Vegas Bowl, 9 p.m. Dec. 19.
*y be enough?
TON Asst. Sports Editor
sity of South Carolina has long been
excellence in academics and athletics,
ter, one of the key ingredients is the
tms get.
ns are regarded as some of the finest,
i in the nation. When the bowls select
vant to play in their game, crowd support
t will be more critical than ever, with
n vying for the SECs spot in the Poulan
dependence Bowl,
h the Tigers beat the Gamecocks headand
have a better record (Auburn is 7the
Gamecocks are relying heavily on
ley can sell their allotment of tickets.
; a smaller bowl, many Tiger fans might
i to Shreveport, LA.
, when it came down to two teams for
have picked the Gamecocks even though
have been the better team because of
>ort.
ar, will they be enough?
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Big West #1 vs. Mid-American #1
Nevada vs. Ball State c
If only all matchups were this easy. (
Aloha Bowl, 3:30 p.m. Dec. 25. s
Big-12 #6 vs. Pac-10 #4 t
Texas Tech (prob.) vs. California t
Since the vaunted Big-12 produced I
a mere five bowl eligible teams, the
organizers will have to scramble for Cal's
opponent if Nebraska falls to Texas, but
still is an Alliance pick.
Liberty Bowl, 3 p.m. Dec. 27.
Conf. USA #1 vs. Big East #4 '
Houston vs. Syracuse
Hurricanes blew Orangemen all the
way from Miami to Memphis with last j
week's upset. ,
Carquest Bowl, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 27. (
Big East #3 vs. ACC #4 J
Miami vs. Virginia
Hometown boys didn't exactly fill up
the Orange Bowl this season, but they're
coming off an upset of Syracuse and will ^
duel with a quicksilver UVa team. (
Copper Bowl, 9 p.m. Dec. 27. f
WAC #2 vs. Big 12 #5
Wyoming, BYU or Utah vs. undet.
Football play
for academic
Staff W?poft?
Carolina football players are proving
that they can get the job done not only
on the gridiron, but also in the
classroom.
USC placed eight players on the
SEC Academic Honor Roll as announced
by Commissioner Roy Kramer Monday.
The eight players named were
sophomore Chad Barnhardt, juniors
Scott Beebe, Shane Burnham, Ed
Hrubiec and Ryan Koop and seniors
Jason Lawson, Reed Morton and
Gerrick Taylor.
To be eligible for the award a
student-athlete must 1.) have a 3.0
grade point average for either the past
year (two semesters or three quartern)
or for his career; 2.) be a sophomore
or higher in academic classification;
Marine Corps Resei
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pecial Holiday Aerobics Cla<
5:30pm - 7:00pm, Tonight
USC PE Center Gym 308
at clothes and BRIN'
sponsors
Vlarine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots, Di
liversal Copies, Palmetto Promotions, L<
California Dreaming, Todd & Moore, S
hat to we
sandal se;
JIRKENSTOCK
The original comfort shoe.
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ursday, December 5, 1996
vl game
If the Cowboys trip BYU in the
onference title game, this is where the
Cougars might land. At 8-3, Utah is a
safer bet. Assuming Texas Tech is Aloha>ound,
organizers will have t o s i f t
hrough unranked teams.
I Peach Bowl, 8 p.m. Dec. 28.
ACC #3 vs. SEC#4
Clemson vs. LSU (probable)
Tigers vs. Tigers, both with wild-and:razy
followings and national titles in
heir past.
I Alamo Bowl, 8 p.m. Dec. 29.
Big 12 #4 vs. Big Ten #4
Iowa or Michigan vs. Texas or T.T.
Based on their conference record, the
dawkeyes should be headed for the
Cutback Bowl. But they didn't beat Ohio
state in Columbus at the end of the year.
| Holiday Bowl, 8 p.m. Dec. 30.
WAC #1 or PAC-10 #2 vs. Big 12 #3
Wyo., BYU or Wash. vs. Colo, (prob.)
Here's BYU's consolation prize if it
jets snubbed by both the Alliance and
Cotton Bowls. Here's the Buffaloes salve
'or their Wolverine wounds.
BOWLS pag? 9
ers honored
successes
and 3.) have 24 semester hours or 26
quarter hours countable toward a
degree.
Barnhardt, a quarterback, holds a
3.371 grade point average in Business
Marketing.
Beebe, a long snapper, holds a 3.800
gpa in Sports Administration.
BBumham, a linebacker, holds a 3.081
gpa in Exercise Science.
Hrubiec, an offensive lineman, holds
a 3.137 gpa in Sports Administration.
Koop, a linebacker, holds a 3.233 gpa
in Sports Administration.
Lawson, a tight end, holds a 3.148
gpa in Exercise Science.
Morton, a place kicker, holds a 3.877
gpa in Interdisciplinary Studies.
Taylor, a linebacker, holds a 3.133
gpa in Sports Administration.
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