Gator Bowl Outlook: WVU, Oklahoma, or Texas

[Jim Johnson]

From the Charleston Daily Mail:

Now, what 15th-ranked West Virginia may need to clinch a Gator spot is a win over visiting No. 13 Rutgers (10-1) on Saturday night (Rutgers is BCS-bound with a win).

That's because the Mountaineers -- and their large bowl fan following -- are a known quantity. First and foremost this year, the Gator needs to sell tickets. It has a new telecast partner. It is seeking new corporate sponsorship after this game.

...

If Nebraska upsets Oklahoma in the Big 12 final, the Gator will take the Sooners or WVU (if it wins) to play one of a pack of teams that were 5-3 in the ACC "and my hunch is Clemson or Boston College," Catlett said of his Gator committee.

If Oklahoma wins the BCS berth, the Gator could turn to Texas (which CBS would love), but there seem to be questions about how Longhorn faithful might respond after a disappointing finish (9-3 and back-to-back losses for the first time since 1999).

Ditto Clemson. The Tigers (8-4) were once 7-1 and ranked 10th five polls ago. Now, they're unranked and the Gator has to wonder whether their large legion of fans will wring out their disappointment at home rather than ring in the New Year in Jacksonville.

West Virginia may be invited whether the foe is BC or Clemson. If Oklahoma loses to the Cornhuskers, there's a chance the Sooners still could backdoor the spot.

The Gator will scout the Big East finale Saturday night at Mountaineer Field. If the Sooners win earlier in the day, it's more than likely WVU, if it gets past Rutgers, could be Gator aid in the Alltel Stadium seats once again.

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[Joe]

If Texas is available they will be in Jacksonville, Book it.

[Bull Matrix]

I think the Cotton Bowl will take Texas if Oklahoma wins the BIG 12 to take the BCS spot.

[Bull Matrix]

Dont count out Louisville for the Gator Bowl if Rutgers beats WVU to take the BCS spot.  The Gator bowl are not turned off at the idea of hosting the Cards again. As you remember, UL had a lot of fans last year. Va Tech didnt bring the fans that they normally do because they played at the same venue and lost to FSU, so that turned the fans off from Va Tech. Many UL fans brought their tickets from Ticketmaster instead of from the school because there was a delay on getting the correct info out. Anyone that watched the Gator Bowl could easily see that UL outnumbered the VA TECH fans. Here is the like from an article in the JAX newspaper about the interest in UL.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/112906/col_6515215.shtml

[Guest]

From the Houston Chronicle...

If West Virginia beats Rutgers, the Mountaineers likely would receive an invitation to the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., and Louisville would go to the Bowl Championship Series.

That would send Rutgers to the Texas Bowl and defending national champion Texas to the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.

If Rutgers wins to earn the Big East's automatic BCS spot, Louisville would land in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas would go to the Gator Bowl and West Virginia would head to Houston.

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