Freedom Bowl Gets Fresno St. : College football: Bulldogs expected to be matched against USC at Anaheim Stadium.

Fresno State, benefiting from a rash of Big Ten upsets, accepted a berth in the Freedom Bowl on Sunday and probably will face USC in the Dec. 29 game at Anaheim Stadium. The Trojans are expected to accept an invitation after the bowl coalition, which does not include the Freedom Bowl, announces its bids on Dec. 6.

In its first season in the Western Athletic Conference, Fresno State was considered a longshot for a bowl berth, but the Bulldogs’ 45-41 victory over San Diego State on Saturday, combined with losses by Indiana, Utah and Wisconsin, earned them one.

Utah, and then Wisconsin, were the Freedom Bowl’s top choices. But Utah became less attractive after Saturday’s loss to Brigham Young, and Wisconsin lost to Northwestern. Freedom Bowl director Don Andersen, who attended the Wisconsin game, said he was prepared to offer the bid to the Badgers if they won. But Wisconsin’s defeat left it one victory shy of the six required for a bowl bid.

Fresno State (7-4, 5-2 in the WAC) will finish the regular season Saturday at Texas El Paso.

“I’m elated,” Fresno State Coach Jim Sweeney said. “I think it’s the best thing ever to happen to our program. It’s a great experience for us in our first season in the WAC.”

The Freedom Bowl’s contract with the Pacific-10 automatically brings the conference’s third-place team to Anaheim. USC and Washington State tied for third with 5-3 records, and Andersen said Sunday he will extend the game’s invitation to the Trojans on Dec. 6.

In the end, USC’s 38-37 loss to UCLA didn’t have as much impact as Arizona State’s 7-6 victory over Arizona on Saturday night. Had Arizona won, the Wildcats would have had third place to themselves, and would have left Andersen with a less attractive matchup for local fans.

The Freedom Bowl has struggled to draw more than 40,000 for its eight previous games, but Andersen expects Fresno area fans to travel in great numbers.

He hopes some 20,000 Bulldog fans, as well as an expected strong showing from local USC followers, will help break the game’s attendance record of 56,910.

The WAC has guaranteed a ticket sale of one-sixth of Anaheim Stadium--11,800 seats.

Fresno State fans have good reason to travel. The Bulldogs, led by quarterback Trent Dilfer, lead the nation in scoring, averaging 40.3 points and 477 yards.

With a victory next week, Fresno State can earn a share of the WAC championship, along with Brigham Young and Hawaii.

Hawaii beat Wyoming, 42-18, Saturday night and earned a berth in the Holiday Bowl against Illinois on Dec. 30. The Rainbows gained the WAC’s top spot with victories over Brigham Young and Fresno State.

Brigham Young, which also defeated Fresno State, will play either Kansas or Oklahoma in the Aloha Bowl on Christmas Day.

The rest of the Pac-10 bowl picture looks like this:

--Washington will play Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

--Stanford or Nebraska is expected to play Penn State in the Blockbuster Bowl.

--Washington State will play Utah in the Copper Bowl in Tucson on Dec. 29.

--If offered a berth, Arizona is expected play either Texas, Rice or Baylor in the Hancock Bowl in El Paso.

UCLA’s 38-37 victory over USC Saturday probably came too late to salvage a bowl berth. The Bruins, who won their final three games, haven’t been contacted by bowl representatives.

And San Diego State’s loss to Fresno State leaves the Aztecs one victory short of the NCAA minimum.