“Win one for the Gipper?” How about “Win one to keep the Gipper out of the Gator Bowl?”
When Stanford plays host to Notre Dame (6-5) Saturday, the entire Big East Conference will be pulling for the Cardinal to defeat the Fighting Irish.
The reason is simple: an Irish victory would likely earn Notre Dame an invitation to the Gator Bowl, taking one of the Big East’s bowl berths.
The Gator Bowl has the option of selecting a Big East team or Notre Dame, as long as the Irish has at least seven wins. There has been an understanding between the Big East and the Gator Bowl that it would only take Notre Dame if the Irish is within two wins of an available Big East team. However, there is nothing in writing and since the Gator Bowl and Big East are parting ways after this season, the Gator Bowl has no reason to honor that agreement.
While the Big East will be pulling for Stanford, Boise State will have an added interest in Saturday’s Bedlam Series between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. An Oklahoma State victory would send the Cowboys to the Fiesta Bowl. If Oklahoma wins, however, Boise State’s at-large BCS bowl chances would improve greatly.
The results of Notre Dame-Stanford and Oklahoma State-Oklahoma will have a trickle down effect to several bowls. Ironically, Boise State is pulling for the same team that the Broncos beat in the classic 2007 Fiesta Bowl.
“It’s funny how it’s gone full-circle,” former Boise State offensive lineman Pete Cavender told SI.com. “We find it ironic that our BCS hopes all lie in the hands of Oklahoma and Bob Stoops. … We’ll all be wearing crimson and white on Saturday.”
The Big East will be pulling for the cardinal and white in Stanford, although Gator Bowl president Rick Catlett told the Jacksonville-Times Union that no decision has been reached on Notre Dame.
“To stay in the debate, they’ve got to win,” Cathlett said. “And even then, there are no guarantees.”
Speaking of no guarantees – here is a look at FanHouse’s best guess at how the 2009 bowl invitations might shake out:
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