BYU-Utah Winner Likely to Get Freedom Bid

Don Andersen, executive director of the Freedom Bowl, will attend the Brigham Young-Utah football game Saturday in Salt Lake City, and probably will announce on Sunday that the winner will represent the Western Athletic Conference in the Dec. 27 game at Anaheim Stadium.

The second-place team in the WAC and the third-place team from the Pacific 10 Conference will be invited to play in the 11th annual game.

The most likely scenario would match BYU, 10-2 if it defeats Utah, against Arizona, 8-3, if it defeats Arizona State on Nov. 25.

“We could end up with a darned attractive game, as attractive as we’ve ever had,” Andersen said.

However, a Utah victory, a loss by Colorado State to Fresno State (4-6-1) on Saturday, coupled with a victory by Air Force over Hawaii Dec. 3, could force a four-way tie and delay the selection process.

The Freedom Bowl’s selection committee is scheduled to meet Sunday morning, and the invitation to the WAC team is expected to be made later in the day.

Andersen said he must wait until after the bowl coalition picks a representative from the Pac-10 before extending his invitation.

If first-place Oregon beats Oregon State on Saturday, the Ducks will play in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1958.

If second-place USC defeats UCLA on Saturday and Notre Dame on Nov. 26, the Trojans could be headed to either the Fiesta Bowl or the Sugar Bowl. There is no chance USC will play in the Freedom Bowl because of a new contract stipulation between the game and the Pac-10, Andersen said.

The Trojans have played in the past two Freedom Bowls, losing to Fresno State in 1992 and defeating Utah last year.

If third-place Arizona defeats Arizona State and USC wins Saturday, the Wildcats will play in the Freedom Bowl. A Wildcat loss and a Washington State victory over Washington could bring Washington State to the Freedom Bowl.