This Year, USC Is Guaranteed Christmas Bonus : If They Lose to the Bruins, Trojans Will Play Oklahoma State in the Sun Bowl

USC will have its day in the sun even if it loses to UCLA next Saturday at the Coliseum.

Contingency plans are already in place for bowl games, and USC will play Oklahoma State on Christmas Day in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Tex., if the Trojans aren’t in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.

John Folmer, chairman of the selection committee for the Sun Bowl, confirmed Sunday that USC is its first choice to oppose Oklahoma State. If the Trojans beat the Bruins, Minnesota is a likely opponent for Oklahoma State.

Bowl bids aren’t officially tendered until next Saturday afternoon, but deals have already been made.

Asked to comment on USC’s postseason plans, Athletic Director Mike McGee said: “Our focus right now is on the conference championship and the Rose Bowl. But we also need to protect ourselves against any eventuality. Bids will not be tendered until Nov. 21. So nothing is official yet.”

Not official, but set.

USC, 7-3 overall and 6-1 in the Pacific 10, will be playing in its 31st bowl game in any event. Oklahoma State of the Big Eight has an 8-2 record and most likely will wind up 9-2 for the regular season with a final game Saturday against weak Iowa State.

Among teams that have participated in at least 10 bowl games, USC, with a 21-9 record, and Oklahoma State, 7-3, have the highest winning percentage--70%.

Oklahoma State has one of the nation’s premier running backs in Thurman Thomas, who has compiled 5,146 yards in total offense in his career to rank No. 1 in the school’s record book. He has also rushed for more than 100 yards 20 times and has five games in which he has surpassed 200 yards.

Money, television exposure and quality of opponent are primary considerations for USC in accepting a bowl bid.

The Sun Bowl seems to satisfy most requirements. The payoff is $850,000 for each team, the game is televised by CBS, and Oklahoma State is obviously a quality opponent.

It’s believed that there is also another consideration for USC. Quarterback Rodney Peete will most likely be promoted as a Heisman Trophy candidate next year and he’ll be showcased either in the Rose Bowl, or Sun Bowl with network television exposure.

The Freedom Bowl in Anaheim was earnestly pursuing USC. It was learned, though, that the Freedom Bowl couldn’t deliver a suitable opponent for the Trojans, a contingency for USC’s appearance in the Dec. 30 game.

Iowa was in demand, but the Hawkeyes opted to play in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego Dec. 30 against the winner of the Western Athletic Conference, most likely Wyoming.

The Holiday Bowl payoff is $750,000 compared to $500,000 for the Freedom Bowl. It’s also believed that Iowa didn’t want to play a Pac-10 team on the West Coast considering the Big Ten’s poor record for many years against that conference in the Rose Bowl.

So the Freedom Bowl now reportedly matches Arizona State against Air Force. UCLA played Brigham Young last year in the Freedom Bowl, and Coach Terry Donahue said it was an advantage to stay home in December while recruiting.

That was also a consideration for USC, but the Sun Bowl was a more attractive package overall.

Washington was rumored as an alternate for USC in the Sun Bowl. However, the Sun Bowl people reportedly didn’t want the Huskies because they played there last year and lost to Alabama, 28-6.

The Pac-10 placed six teams in bowl games last season and will have four in postseason games this season if USC loses to UCLA.

Saturday’s game between USC and UCLA will mark the first time since 1978 that a Rose Bowl appearance has been the prize for both teams.

There have been 18 such games in the past with USC prevailing with a 12-5-1 record, winning the last seven in that category.

When the Rose Bowl was on the line for one or both teams, USC has a 19-11-2 record over UCLA, and the Trojans are 11-3 since 1967.

When the Rose Bowl has been on the line for only one team, USC has a 7-6-1 edge.

However, UCLA has won four of the last five games and five of the last seven. USC leads the overall series, 31-19-6, that dates back to 1929.

“This will be a fun week,” USC Coach Larry Smith said of the UCLA game. “The way I look at it is that you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“It’s the best UCLA team I’ve seen since I’ve been in the Pac-10 (8 years). They’re big, fast and have an excellent defense. They also have a very well-balanced offense with the great speed that they have in the running game, particularly with Gaston Green. And (quarterback) Troy Aikman has made a big difference. They also have a good kicking game.”

Notre Dame is regarded as the best team USC had met previously, but Smith said that UCLA has much better speed than the Irish both on offense and defense.

Now it’s Donahue’s turn to respond in kind about USC.

Trojan Notes

Larry Smith coached Arizona to a 13-13 tie against Georgia in the 1985 Sun Bowl game. . . . A Sun Bowl match-up between USC and Oklahoma State would be the first meeting of the teams. USC has an overall 9-4-2 record against the Big Eight. . . . Oklahoma State’s only two losses were inflicted by Oklahoma and Nebraska, the nation’s No. 1- and No. 2-ranked teams.