Trojans’ Bowl Hopes Fading

USC is in jeopardy of not playing in a bowl game now that Arizona State is out of the Fiesta Bowl picture, and it probably will take a controversial snub of Washington for the Trojans to reach the Aloha Bowl.

With the alliance picture still undefined, many bowls are on hold, but Arizona’s 28-16 upset of Arizona State put a snag in USC’s prospects.

Instead of winking at USC after a Sun Devil victory Friday, the Aloha Bowl committee is meeting today to choose between No. 21 Washington and USC--a team that lost to the Huskies, 27-0.

The selection might not be official until it’s confirmed the alliance will pass on UCLA, but an announcement from the Aloha might come as soon as Sunday.

“It’s a tough decision, it really is,” said Marcia Klompus, executive director of the Aloha Bowl. “We were geared up to take USC all week. We didn’t think this was going to happen.

“Washington is a ranked team and really hard to turn down, but then USC is still USC.”

The Aloha Bowl, which chooses fourth from the Pacific 10 Conference, covets the Southern California television market for its Dec. 25 game. But bowl officials would face criticism if they pass on Washington--an early-season national title contender that finished 7-4 after losing its final three games--in favor of USC at 6-5.

The Aloha is looking for an opponent now, too, because the probable alliance selection of Kansas State will leave the Big 12 without an eligible fifth-place team. Michigan State, Iowa and Notre Dame are possibilities.

USC was scouted late in the season by such lesser bowls as the Las Vegas, Independence and Motor City games, but gave indications it wasn’t interested.

“We said we’ll go to a bowl the Pac-10 is contracted with, and anything beyond that I don’t think will work out,” said Tim Tessalone, an athletic department spokesman. “I think it’s basically the Aloha bowl or nothing.”

Athletic Director Mike Garrett said Friday “it would be fair to say” USC wasn’t in the running for any game other than the Aloha.

If USC doesn’t go to a bowl game, it would move up the evaluation of Coach John Robinson, who said this week he is “probably” coming back even though Garrett has said he won’t make his evaluation until after the season.

The Trojans didn’t go to a bowl last season after finishing 6-6, and if they don’t go to one this season, it would mark the first time USC hasn’t gone to a bowl in consecutive seasons since 1982 and ‘83, when USC was barred because of an NCAA penalty. The last time before that was in 1970 and ’71.