Holiday Bowl decision won't affect Pac-10

LOS ANGELES --- Pac-10 Commissioner Thomas C. Hansen doesn't believe the Holiday Bowl's decision to invalidate its contract with the Pac-10, WAC and Big 12 Conferences because of the WAC's recent split-up will have much of an effect with his conference this winter.

"Because of vacations, we haven't been able to sit down and address that news (with the Holiday Bowl)," Hansen said at the Pac-10 Conference's football media day on Tuesday. "But I don't think it's too much of an issue for the Pac-10 or the Big 12. I don't think there will be a significant change. When it's all worked out, our No. 2 team will still have a good choice."

The Pac-10's No. 2 team was scheduled to go to either the Cotton Bowl or the Holiday Bowl. More than likely, that arrangement will stay the same with the Cotton Bowl, which pays $2.5 million per team compared to $1.6 per school by the Holiday Bowl, the preferred choice.

The Pac-10 champion is bound to the Rose Bowl to face the Big Ten champ unless the Pac-10 winner is rated either No. 1 or No. 2 by the Bowl Championship Series.

If that happens, the Fiesta Bowl, which is set to host the national championship game on Jan. 4, 1999, would get the Pac-10 champ and the Rose Bowl would pick from the Super Alliance and could conceivably pick the Pac-10's No. 2 team.

The Pac-10's No. 3 team is already set for the Sun Bowl while the No. 4 and No. 5 squads are bound to the Jeep Aloha Christmas Classics doubleheader on Christmas Day in Honolulu.

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