Saturday, November 20, 1999
Buckeyes' bowl hopes big 'if'
Ohio State must beat Michigan today to even entertain thoughts of a second-tier bowl. Here's what else must happen:
• Alamo Bowl, vs. Big 12 No.4. OSU enters the final week in a three-way tie for sixth place in the Big Ten.
Penn State must beat Michigan State, which might earn the Nittany Lions an Alliance at-large bid. Fifth-place Minnesota (4-3) must lose to Iowa. Sixth-place Illinois (3-4) and Purdue (3-4) then must lose to Northwestern and Indiana.
If OSU beats Michigan, it would finish 4-4 and then leapfrog 3-5 Illinois and Purdue and tie 4-4 Minnesota for the fourth selection. The Bucks beat the Gophers 20-17 this season.
• Sun Bowl, vs. Pac-10 No4. The Bucks could make this one as the Big Ten's fifth selection if they win, Penn State wins and gets an Alliance bid, Minnesota wins and Illinois and Purdue lose. Or, Illinois and Purdue could win and tie the Bucks at 4-4, but the bowl committee could chose Ohio State just because it's Ohio State.
• Micron PC, vs. ACC No.4. The sixth Big Ten spot could go to Ohio State if it wins, Minnesota, Illinois and Purdue win and the bowl committee finds it more attractive than Illinois and Purdue.
• Motor City Bowl, vs. MAC champion. If Minnesota, Illinois and Purdue win, OSU could be shut out of Big Ten bowls.
›Oahu Bowl, vs. Pac-10 No.5. This Christmas Day game can pick an at-large team if it doesn't choose the ACC's No.5 team.
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