Citrus, Outback bids up in air; Buckeyes not likely for Sugar

'M' would probably head for Outback if Bucks are snubbed

The 11th-ranked Razorbacks (9-2) will play a Big Ten team - either Ohio State or Michigan - in the Jan. 1 game. The Razorbacks beat Northwestern 38-7 in 1981, the only time they have faced a Big Ten team.

Ohio State (10-1) is No. 5 and defending national champion Michigan (9-3) is No. 15.

If Mississippi State upsets Tennessee, the Bulldogs would go to the Sugar Bowl and Tennessee would probably bump Arkansas out of the Citrus and into the Outback on Jan. 1 in Tampa. In that case, Georgia - now apparently headed for the Outback - woul

AP PHOTO If Tennessee misses the Fiesta Bowl - either by losing to Mississippi State or by failing to beat the Bulldogs by a sufficiently impressive margin - the Vols will likely head to the Sugar Bowl.

d probably replace Mississippi State in the Cotton Bowl.

Ohio State is No. 5 in the Bowl Championship Series rankings, but apparently is not going to play in the four-bowl alliance. Big Ten officials are bound to be irate, but it comes down to economics.

The Orange Bowl has Big East champion Syracuse and bowl officials believe the Orangemen vs. Ohio State would mean lots of empty seats.

The four bowls in the alliance - Fiesta, Orange, Sugar and Rose - pay each team $12 million. Tickets are $125 per to the Orange, Sugar and Rose and $150 to the national championship game in the Fiesta. An Orange Bowl with 20,000 empty seats is $2.5 million short.

So, the Orange Bowl might go around Ohio State and make Florida one of two at-large teams in the BCS. Southeastern Conference Commissioner Roy Kramer said that after the 1 vs. 2 matchup is made, ''the rest of it is a business decision.'' Florida, he said, could take 30,000 fans to the Orange Bowl.

The Gators have not played in South Florida since 1987.

Tennessee is a two-touchdown favorite over Mississippi State. If the Vols win by 14 or so, they figure to play in the Fiesta Bowl. If they win close, UCLA and Kansas State could be matched in the Fiesta. In that case, Tennessee would replace Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl against Florida State.

If Kansas State gets to the Fiesta against Tennessee, then Ohio State would wind up in the Sugar Bowl, UCLA would be in the Rose against Wisconsin and Arizona would get bumped out of the alliance.

''All of us would love to have Arkansas,'' said Gary Walker, a former Arkansas resident who is a member of the Citrus Bowl committee.

The Razorbacks could be in the top 10 next week, depending on the championship games this weekend. ''No. 5 (Ohio State) vs. No. 10 (Arkansas) would be a great matchup,'' he said.

Arkansas Sports Information Director Rick Schaeffer said the school sent out cards to season ticket holders about the option of buying tickets to the SEC championship game or a bowl. Responses indicated the sale of 11,000 bowl tickets, he said.

Some said yes, thinking Arkansas would play in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. It's possible some of those people won't go to Orlando, but some new fans will make the trip to the Citrus Bowl because of the various entertainment opportunities in the area.

To make a good impression, Arkansas needs to bring lots of fans to Orlando.

Since the Citrus made an agreement with the SEC in 1992, the bowl has attracted the conference's elite - Tennessee three times, Florida once, Georgia once and Alabama once.

After the BCS is set, the Citrus has first pick of the SEC teams and the league has nothing to do with the selection, Schaeffer said.

12-03-98