Notre Dame and Nebraska are the leading contenders for the Gator Bowl

We all know the Sun Bowl and Alamo Bowl are strong contenders for the Huskers Bowl hopes, but today’s Journal-Star takes a closer look at the politics behind the Gator Bowl selection:

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The popular speculation is that the Gator Bowl would take a 7-5 Notre Dame team over an 8-4 Nebraska team, but speculation is where it ends at this point.

“I can tell you we’ve never had a 7-5 team play in our bowl game,” Gator Bowl president Rick Catlett told the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Journal Gazette. “So that would be a little unprecedented for us to do that, although, I would also say at the same time, people will change their attitudes when it’s Notre Dame.”

Notre Dame is 6-4, with a presumed victory against Syracuse and a presumed loss against Southern Cal still remaining.

A seventh win for Notre Dame is likely but doesn’t make the Irish a Gator Bowl lock, a couple of bowl representatives said, especially if Notre Dame were to get routed by USC.

“There’s a big difference between 7-5 (and) losing on the final drive to USC, and losing 45-10,” one bowl rep said.

Gator Bowl officials will also have to consider this: Are they going to have access to Notre Dame this year only or will they probably have access to them next year, too?

The Irish have a favorable schedule in 2009, but if the Gator Bowl people don’t think Notre Dame will be a BCS team next year, then they could pass on the Irish this year knowing they’ll have a decent shot at them next season.

“Frankly, Notre Dame at 7-5 and Nebraska at 8-4, if I was making the decision it’d be kind of tough,” Fulmer said.

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