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The Buckeyes will face an SEC foe in Tampa after getting bowled over by Big Ten rival Michigan.
By JAMAL THALJI
© St. Petersburg Times, published November 21, 2000
TAMPA -- Forget all those factors -- computer rankings, polls, strength of schedule, point totals -- that decide college football's best. Outback Bowl president Jim McVay has a new criteria:
Aura.
That, history and tradition are the reasons why No. 21 Ohio State will represent the Big Ten and not co-champion Northwestern in the 15th anniversary Outback Bowl.
The Buckeyes will face a Southeastern Conference foe to be named later on New Year's Day in Raymond James Stadium.
"Our board members, our decision-makers, felt very strongly about Ohio State this season," McVay said. "There's a special aura, there's something around that program that is attractive, about the history and tradition, about Woody Hayes and all those Rose Bowl teams. There's something neat and compelling about Ohio State University."
It will be Ohio State's third trip to Tampa Bay's bowl game, after Hall of Fame Bowl losses to Auburn in 1990 and Syracuse in 1992.
After seeing his team's Big Ten championship hopes dashed in Saturday's 38-26 loss to arch-rival Michigan, Ohio State coach John Cooper was pleased to be playing on New Year's day.
"It was a tough loss," Cooper said. "But I would point out that our record is 8-3, we played for the championship, we were undefeated in the non-conference schedule, we think we have a good, young football team that is going to be even better in a bowl game."
And, Cooper added, it beats last season, when he watched Georgia's 28-25 come-from-behind Outback Bowl win over Purdue at home.
Ohio State, which finished fourth in the Big Ten, is fortunate to be headed to Florida, however.
Purdue, Michigan and Northwestern all won a share of the Big Ten title. But No. 14 Purdue is headed to the Rose Bowl. The Citrus Bowl is slotted to pick No. 2 from the Big Ten, and Monday morning Orlando officials chose No. 16 Michigan over the team that beat it, No. 20 Northwestern.
The Outback Bowl gets the third pick from the Big Ten. When both choices were presented to the 50-member board of directors, officials said, a few fence-sitters were swayed and the vote was nearly unanimous for Ohio State on Monday afternoon. Outback officials would not disclose the tabulation.
"It's not a question about Northwestern's (ability to draw fans)," McVay said, "or our desire to take Ohio State because we believe they'll sell more tickets. It really isn't."
The Outback Bowl will announce its SEC representative on Dec. 3, after the Florida-Auburn SEC championship game. The Citrus Bowl is reportedly pursuing Tennessee, which would leave the Outback Bowl to choose from the loser of the SEC title game, South Carolina, Mississippi State or LSU.
This year the Big Ten representative will be the home team, and practice at the University of Tampa. It also gets first choice of uniform. "That's an easy decision for us," Cooper said. "We'll wear scarlet."
Northwestern coach Randy Walker said he doesn't mind that his team is headed to the Dec. 30 Alamo Bowl to face a Big 12 opponent.
"If you can't be in the Rose or the national championship," he said, "I think you can shake them up and put them in a hat and they all work."
Said Cooper: "I feel fortunate, but I think you go crazy trying to figure this thing out.
With Purdue in the Rose Bowl and Ohio State in the Outback Bowl, other teams from the Big Ten and other conferences began figuring out where they'll be for the holidays.
Michigan is headed to the Citrus Bowl for the second time in three seasons, where the 16th-ranked Wolverines (8-3) will play a Southeastern Conference team Jan. 1. The opponent will be Auburn, Georgia or Tennessee. Michigan is in a bowl for the 26th consecutive season.
Northwestern (8-3) is set for the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on Dec. 30 against one of three Big 12 teams -- Texas, Texas A&M or Kansas State.
Wisconsin (7-4) will play in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 29 in El Paso, Texas, against a team from the Big 12 or Pac-10.
Minnesota (6-5), 27-24 winners over Iowa, took the Big Ten's spot in the Micronpc.com Bowl on Dec. 28 in Miami, where it plays an Atlantic Coast Conference team.
Penn State, which finished 5-7, will miss the post-season for the first time since 1988.
The Liberty Bowl on Dec. 29 was set, with Colorado State (9-2), Mountain West Conference champs, playing Louisville (9-2), winner of Conference USA.
Clemson (9-2) will play a Big East team or Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl.
- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.