Bowl Alliance officials agreed Monday to virtually guarantee teams from the Western Athletic Conference and Conference USA a bid to an alliance bowl if they are ranked in the top six, beginning in 1998.

Under the rules that continue through this season, champions of the SEC, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12 and Big East are guaranteed four of the six spots in the Orange, Fiesta and Sugar bowls. The other two bids go to at-large teams. There are no guarantees for any other conferences unless one of their teams would form a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup.

UCLA running back Skip Hicks has been cleared of charges that he lifted keys from a valet parking attendant and took a joyride around Westwood, officials said.

Prosecutors reportedly dropped the charges due to insufficient evidence relating to the alleged January incident.