Assistance Sought for Sugar Bowl Bid

Another alliance bowl cutdown date came and went Tuesday, with fifth-ranked UCLA remaining on the “protected list” for the Orange, Sugar and Fiesta bowls.

Paul Hoolahan, executive director of the Sugar Bowl, has been in contact with Tom Hansen, commissioner of the Pacific 10 Conference, and Pete Dalis, UCLA’s athletic director, about the viability of bringing the Bruins to New Orleans.

As it stands, the Bruins are probable participants in the Cotton.

The Sugar Bowl is leaning toward Ohio State as an at-large team, playing Florida State. That’s if Nebraska and Tennessee win conference championship games on Saturday and meet in the Orange Bowl.

The Fiesta figures to match Syracuse and Kansas State.

“I’ve called Tom Hansen and asked his assistance to get us to New Orleans,” Dalis said.