COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NATION : Cal Fires Gilbertson After 3-8 Season

Keith Gilbertson, who led California to one winning season during four years as coach, was fired Monday, two days after the Bears ended their season with a loss to archrival Stanford.

Cal Athletic Director John Kasser met with Gilbertson on Monday and the two reached a financial settlement for the final three years of Gilbertson’s contract.

“We felt the need to go in a new direction,” Kasser said. “He’s a fine, fine person and I’m just sorry that things didn’t work out for the best here for him.”

The Bears were 3-8 this season and 20-26 overall under Gilbertson, who made about $225,000 per year.

Gilbertson said he would spend some time with his family in the next few days and was not set on any future plans.

Kasser said the search for a new coach would begin immediately.

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No. 10 Kansas State accepted an invitation to play the Western Athletic Conference champion in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 29 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

Still in the running for the WAC title and bowl berth are Colorado State, last year’s Holiday Bowl loser to Michigan; San Diego State, which has made it to the hometown bowl only once in 17 years, Brigham Young and Utah.

The Wildcats (9-2), who were chosen over rival and No. 11 Kansas for the Holiday berth, are still smarting from Saturday’s 27-17 loss to No. 8 Colorado that cost them a spot in the Cotton Bowl.

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The Gator Bowl has selected Clemson, choosing the Tigers (8-3) after getting approval from college football’s bowl alliance.

Bowl chairman Carl Cannon said his group will wait until next week to pick the Tigers’ Big East opponent.

The game will be played on New Year’s Day in Jacksonville, Fla., and has a minimum payoff of $1.3 million for its participants.

Cannon said the bowl is looking at three Big East teams--co-champions Virginia Tech and Syracuse, and Miami.

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Tucson police plan to question three Arizona football players--including standout safety Brandon Sanders--after the players were identified by victims in two shooting incidents. No arrests have been made and no charges filed, Sgt. Eugene Mejia said. All three players--Sanders, cornerback Derrick Stewart and receiver Jeff Nadeau--were accused in assault cases earlier this year, with charges still pending against Sanders and Stewart.