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Huskies not bitter about Rose Bowl berth
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES -- If Miami has an argument for playing in the
national championship game, so does Washington.
Nevertheless, Huskies coach Rick Neuheisel is pleased his team
will be playing in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.
"I've played in two and coached in one," said Neuheisel, a
quarterback at UCLA in the 1980s and later a Bruins' assistant
before beginning his head coaching career at Colorado in 1995.
"There is no bigger thrill in college football."
The No. 4 Huskies (10-1) handed second-ranked Miami its only
loss, a 34-29 setback in Seattle on Sept. 9. Washington lost its
only game three weeks later, 23-16 at No. 8 Oregon, which has won
20 straight home games.
Top-ranked Oklahoma and No. 3 Florida State will play in the
Orange Bowl despite Miami's 27-24 victory over the then-No. 1
Seminoles on Oct. 7 because Florida State finished ahead of the
Hurricanes in the final Bowl Championship Series standings.
"I tend to favor those who kind of keep their mouths shut and
play," Neuheisel said in a conference call Sunday after the bowl
pairings were announced. "It's not that I have a problem with
Butch's stance, there's certainly an argument to be made. If they
have an argument, so do we."
Neuheisel was referring to Miami coach Butch Davis, whose team
will face No. 7 Florida in the Sugar Bowl.
"I'm happy to be going to the Rose Bowl, absolutely," said
Neuheisel, whose team will face No. 14 Purdue (8-3). "When you
come to a Pac-10 school, going to the Rose Bowl is the dream game.
"I think there's a time and place to do your lobbying. I just
didn't think there was a time or place to do it. We got a chance to
play Miami, I was happy with the outcome. I just play who's next on
the schedule. It's Purdue, and we're happy to be playing them."
The Boilermakers are probably happier, if that's possible, since
they've played in the Rose Bowl game only once previously -- 34
years ago.
The Huskies will be making their first appearance in college
football's oldest bowl since 1993.
"I couldn't begin to tell you the number of people who've
called or written, or at a public function who have come up and
shaken our hand," Purdue coach Joe Tiller said. "They've said:
`We remember taking our children there, when they were 2- or
3-years old.' Now, they have families of their own.
"It's almost a euphoric response. We sold our tickets in nearly
a heartbeat, I think we had 25,000 that disappeared overnight. The
interest has been just overwhelming."
Tiller said he realizes the Boilermakers will be underdogs.
"I understand it, based on what Washington's accomplished," he
said. "I expect us to play well, I'll be very disappointed if we
don't."
The game will be a matchup of two of college football's top
quarterbacks -- Purdue's Drew Brees, who leads the nation in total
offense, and Washington's Marques Tuiasosopo, who has specialized
in leading the Huskies to come-from-behind victories.
When asked if Brees should be considered for the Heisman Trophy,
an award which will probably be won by Florida State's Chris Weinke
or Oklahoma's Josh Heupel, Tiller replied: "I'd like Drew's record
to stand on its own. To me, Drew Brees certainly would have to be
considered as the most valuable player in college football for his
team."
Neuheisel has repeatedly called Marques Tuiasosopo, who led the
Huskies to eight comeback victories including several in the fourth
quarter, a winner.
"When the game was on the line, he was able to do it in a
variety of ways," Neuheisel said. "We wouldn't be in this game
without him."
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