Holiday Bowl Sticks to Deal with Big Ten : College football: Michigan State, Iowa or Illinois will be the WAC champion’s opponent in the Dec. 30 game.

Holiday Bowl officials gulped, looked toward the future and then informed the Big Ten on Sunday that a team from that conference will be invited to the Dec. 30 game at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

In the second year of a four-year agreement, bowl officials had considered using their option to turn in another direction because Big Ten teams have muddled through a mostly mediocre season.

But in the end, with Penn State joining the Big Ten next season, the Holiday Bowl decided to be patient for a year, hoping it could being positive results down the line.

“There is no compelling reason for us to change course at this point,” said John Reid, executive director of the Holiday Bowl. “We just feel it is going to pay dividends for us over the long haul.

“We wanted to send a message to them that we’re in this thing with both feet--and to remember us at contract time.”

The Holiday Bowl-Big Ten agreement, which calls for the game to get third pick among conference teams, expires after the 1994 game.

The Citrus Bowl is expected to announce today that it will take Ohio State (8-2, 5-2 in the Big Ten) regardless of whether the Buckeyes finish second or third in the conference. Ohio State will finish its schedule Saturday by playing host to Michigan.

Therefore, the Holiday Bowl probably will feature either Michigan State (5-5, 5-2), Iowa (5-6, 4-3) or Illinois (5-4-1, 3-3-1). Reid said Holiday Bowl officials have decided to take the next-highest team after Michigan (Rose Bowl) and Ohio State, regardless.

A week ago, officials indicated that Iowa, in the bowl three times since 1986, probably would be passed over. Because the Hawkeyes beat Illinois this season, it would be difficult for the Holiday Bowl to justify skipping Iowa in favor of Illinois if the Hawkeyes finish ahead of the Illini.

“We told the Big Ten we will be very pleased to welcome to San Diego the conference’s highest-finishing team based on the final standings,” said Dick Howard, Holiday Bowl president. “We hope this illustrates in the strongest possible terms the value we attach to our association with the Big Ten.”

Michigan State is at Illinois on Saturday and Iowa visits Minnesota. A Michigan State victory would send the Spartans to the Holiday Bowl against the Western Athletic Conference champion; an Illinois victory coupled with an Iowa victory would send the Hawkeyes; and an Illinois victory coupled with an Iowa loss would send the Illini.

The game offers a $1.5 million payout to each participant.

“The Big Ten conference is pleased with the decision of the Holiday Bowl to commit to a Big Ten team in 1992,” said Jim Delany, Big Ten commissioner. “The selection, which will be based on the outcome of Saturday’s games, demonstrates the bowl’s commitment to our relationship and we are most appreciative of that.”