112th Civil War Wrap-Up: Oregon State Beavers Cling to a Slim Margin of Hope

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Oklahoma Sooners

Rose Bowl:

USC Trojans vs. Penn State Nittany Lions

Fiesta Bowl:

Texas Longhorns vs. Boise State Broncos

Sugar Bowl:

Florida Gators vs. Utah Utes

Note: Sugar and Fiesta Bowl could be interchangeable with regards to Utah and Boise State

Orange Bowl:

Boston College Eagles vs. Cincinnati Bearcats

Of course, many of you are probably wondering where Texas Tech would fall into the picture. If no upsets happen, it is impossible for the Red Raiders to secure a BCS bid, because a BCS rule prohibits three teams from the same conference playing in BCS bowls.

Let's see what would most likely happen if every possible upset happens next week.

BCS Title Game:

No. 1 Florida vs. No. 2 Texas

(Flordia beats Alabama in SEC title game, Oklahoma loses to Missouri in Big 12 title game)

Rose Bowl

Oregon State Beavers vs Penn State Nittany Lions

(UCLA upsets USC in Battle for L.A.)

Fiesta Bowl

Missouri Tigers vs. Utah Utes

(Missouri beats Oklahoma in Big 12 title game)

Sugar Bowl:

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Boise State Broncos

(Bama loses to Florida in SEC Title Game, again BSU and Utah can be interchangeable, all based on who the bowls want)

Orange Bowl:

Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Virginia Tech Hokies

(VT upsets BC in ACC Title Game)

With either situation, it is impossible for Texas Tech and Ohio State to secure a BCS at-large bid, because two bowls are solely based on the conference champions of the Pac-10, Big 10, ACC and Big East, and it is clear that neither of these teams will be making the national championship.

Based on these two possible situations (although there are many other combinations), here are my projections for the BCS Bowls this season.

National Championship: Florida vs. Oklahoma

Rose Bowl: USC vs. Penn State

Fiesta Bowl: Texas vs. Utah

Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Boise State

Orange Bowl: Boston College vs. Cincinnati Bearcats

This would give the Oregon Ducks a Holiday Bowl matchup with the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

To sum up, for the Oregon State Beavers, their Rose Bowl hopes are entirely in the paws of the UCLA Bruins. It is not a good feeling when you have to depend on another team to get you to a Bowl game. It's much nicer to earn it yourselves.

So my last remark to Beaver fans is that I hope you enjoy barren desert wastelands, because unless a miracle occurs next Saturday, the Beavers will be headed to El Paso for the Brut Sun Bowl.

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