Huskers, Vols Can Frame Picture
The bowl picture finally will get settled today, when Nebraska and Tennessee hope for victories and berths against each other in the Orange Bowl.
Second-ranked Nebraska (11-0) plays No.14 Texas A&M (9-2) in the Big 12 title game at San Antonio and the third-ranked Volunteers (10-1) play No. 11 Auburn (9-2) in the Southeastern Conference championship at Atlanta.
“We’re looking to get some redemption from last year,” Nebraska quarterback Scott Frost said, thinking back to a 37-27 loss to Texas in the 1996 conference title game.
The Aggies will be looking for a big upset, not that it will get them the national title. Nebraska is a 16-point favorite.
“No one in the country thinks we can win and that’s fine with me,” Aggies offensive tackle Chris Ruhman said. “We’ll try to go out and surprise some people. A lot of people don’t like A&M, so if we won, they’d say Nebraska had a bad day. In all honesty, people would probably call it a fluke.”
For the first time, the 6-year-old SEC championship doesn’t include Florida as the East Division winner.
“I think it probably gives some new life to it for people from other parts of the conference to enjoy the hullabaloo, and hopefully enjoy a good game,” Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said.
Tennessee’s only loss was against Florida Sept. 20. Since then, the Vols have won eight consecutive games.
The Orange Bowl winner would be in line to win the national championship if topranked Michigan (11-0) were to lose to Washington State (10-1) in the Rose Bowl.
“What we’ve done all year is worry about the next opponent,” Tennessee defensive end Jonathan Brown said. “Nebraska will happen as long as we keep winning.”
Auburn will be trying to win the SEC title for the first time in eight years.
“This is the prize for us,” coach Terry Bowden said. “Tennessee, they’ve got to get up for this game, but if they pull it off, they’ve got one that’s even bigger. But for us, for all intents and purposes, it’s the last championship we’ve got to go for.”
There are only two other Division I-A games today. No. 20 Colorado State plays New Mexico at Las Vegas for the Western Athletic Conference championship, and Army plays Navy at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.