The Orange Bowl and Florida's three top teams were big winners Saturday while the Fiesta Bowl and Notre Dame were big losers.
College football fans hoping for another glamour game on New Year's Day may have lost, too - all because a last-second kick went a few feet wide.The complicated bowl picture became somewhat clearer when No. 13 Tennessee overcame a 24-point deficit and held on to win at No. 5 Notre Dame 35-34. The Irish lost when walk-on kicker Rob Leonard, replacing the reliable-but-injured Craig Hentrich, missed his first career field goal on the final play as his 27-yard try deflected off defender Jeremy Lincoln's backside.
It also did wonders for the state of Florida.
Top-ranked Florida State and Miami, tied for No. 2, both won easily to set up next Saturday's meeting of unbeatens in Tallahassee. The Orange Bowl wants the winner, and both teams want to play there for three major reasons - the home-state fans, the biggest bowl payoff ($4.2 million per team, compared to a possible $3 million in the Fiesta) and the likelihood of an easier opponent, either No. 11 Nebraska or No. 14 Colorado as the Big Eight champion.
If Notre Dame (8-2) had won this week and won next Saturday at No. 9 Penn State, there would've been plenty of pressure for the Florida State-Miami winner to meet the Irish in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz. Now, the Orange Bowl is in great position to get the No. 1 team.
"Both of them would like to come," said Arthur Hertz, a member of the Orange Bowl selection committee. "The opportunity for the big payday is what everybody is looking for."
Of course, there still could be a hitch: Even if Florida State beats Miami and accepts the Orange Bowl bid, the Seminoles must play their final regular-season game at No. 6 Florida.
Florida clinched a share of the SEC title by beating No. 23 Georgia 45-13, and can win its first official league championship and a bid to the Sugar Bowl by defeating Kentucky next week. The Gators could wind up in New Orleans against Miami if the Hurricanes lose next week. Seventh-ranked California, which beat Oregon State 27-14, also is in contention for the Sugar.
"If we had our druthers, we'd like to play in the Orange Bowl," Miami athletic director Dave Maggard said.
The Rose Bowl stayed on course for its most attractive matchup in years as Washington, the co-No. 2, beat Southern Cal 14-3 while No. 4 Michigan trounced Northwestern 59-14. Depending on what happens in Florida, the Big Ten-Pac 10 winner could emerge as the national champion.
The Cotton Bowl gets the SWC winner, which stands to be No. 12 Texas A&M, against a Top 10 opponent. Eighth-ranked Alabama, a 20-17 winner at LSU, and California are in contention for a New Year's Day date in Dallas.
The Fiesta, meanwhile, is scrambling. Notre Dame, Penn State and California are among those under consideration, but after losing its chance at a title game, the Fiesta now will compete with the Blockbuster Bowl for best of the rest.