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Twists, Turns Abound For Outback

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 25, 2008

The Outback Bowl is in a holding pattern - for now. But if the chips fall as expected, the best bet for Tampa Bay's New Year's Day game is a matchup between the SEC's South Carolina Gamecocks against the Big Ten's Michigan State Spartans.

This weekend's games should clear up any confusion.

"We're going to have a really attractive matchup," Outback Bowl CEO Jim McVay said. "But with as many twists and turns as this season has taken, you can't take anything for granted. We're close, but not there just yet."

Here's a closer look:

SEC

Alabama (11-0) and Florida (10-1) already are set for the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 6 in Atlanta. Conventional thinking has the winner moving on to the BCS title game. Loser goes to the Sugar Bowl.

But that scenario can't be clinched just yet. On Saturday, Alabama plays against Auburn. Florida faces Florida State. "You never know about rivalry games," McVay said.

If Alabama and Florida both win, though, the SEC picture should take shape. Georgia (9-2) figures to be headed to Orlando's Capital One Bowl. That leaves South Carolina (7-4) for the Outback, which gets its choice of an SEC East team. If the Cotton Bowl, first picking from the SEC West, likes Ole Miss (7-4), that probably would send LSU (7-4) to Atlanta's Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

What if South Carolina loses at Clemson, putting the Gamecocks at 7-5? Maybe the Outback gets in the mix with LSU. Stay tuned.

Big Ten

The Outback - and everyone - will be watching Saturday's Oregon State-Oregon game.

If Oregon State (8-3) wins, the Beavers capture the Pac-10 title and a Rose Bowl bid. That likely knocks Ohio State out of a BCS at-large bid and probably sends USC to the Fiesta Bowl. All the Big Ten teams get knocked down a peg, making Michigan State (9-3) available for Tampa.

If Oregon State loses, that probably sends Michigan State to Orlando, leaving the Outback with its choice of Northwestern (9-3) and Iowa (8-4). Northwestern won at Iowa, 22-17.

Reporter Joey Johnston can be reached at (813) 259-7353.

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