LINCOLN — The Holiday Bowl likely got a clearer shot at Nebraska if it indeed wants to bring the Huskers back to San Diego.

Oklahoma State was removed from contention for a Bowl Championship Series at-large bid with its 27-0 loss at Oklahoma on Saturday. That makes the Nos. 11 and 12 Cowboys (9-3) available to the Cotton Bowl.

The Holiday has the next pick and rep John Reid said the bowl likes Nebraska, which would be available if it loses in the Big 12 championship game. Asked what would move the Huskers to the top of its list, Reid said: “They're there now.''

Nebraska, 9-3 and the Big 12 North champion, would earn an automatic BCS bowl berth by beating Texas on Saturday.

NU has not played in the Holiday Bowl since meeting Arizona after the 1998 season. Reid said that visit by the Huskers was a huge success.

“I was executive director for 21 years, and during that time that game in '98 had the biggest impact of any on our community to that point,'' said Reid, now co-chairman of the team selection committee.

Arizona beat NU 23-20 in the 1998 Holiday Bowl before a crowd of 65,354. Reid said the game was sold out locally before it was officially announced that the Huskers were coming.

The 2009 Holiday Bowl is scheduled for Dec. 30 at Qualcomm Stadium, with a 7 p.m. CST kickoff on ESPN.

Reid met with Athletic Director Tom Osborne before the Nebraska-Colorado game Friday in Boulder. Reid said Osborne was noncommittal, “but happy to see us.''

Charlie Fiss of the Cotton Bowl said Saturday night that the Cotton has its first team selection meeting scheduled for Monday morning. The Cotton had a board member at OSU-OU on Saturday, and President Rick Baker was at Louisiana State-Arkansas.

“We'll talk then about the Oklahoma State possibility and what we think in terms of Nebraska, Missouri and Texas Tech,'' said Fiss, vice president/communications for the Cotton Bowl. “The group hasn't had a chance to discuss all that yet, so we can't give any definitive answer.''

Nebraska will play Texas in the Big 12 final next Saturday in Arlington, Texas. If the Cotton were to pick NU, Husker fans would be traveling to the same area and stadium twice in a four-week span.

“Obviously that's one of the things that the team selection committee will talk about,'' Fiss said. “Last appearances, television … all those factors.''

Nebraska last played in the Cotton Bowl after the 2006 season. Oklahoma State made its last Cotton appearance after the 2003 season.

The Holiday Bowl will match teams from the Big 12 and Pacific 10. The only sure thing on the Pac-10 side is that if Oregon loses at home to Oregon State on Thursday, then the Ducks would be Holiday-bound.

“If Oregon wins, then there'll be all kind of possibilities,'' Reid said.

Among those available for the Holiday could be Southern Cal, Oregon State, Arizona and Stanford. Reid said USC has obvious appeal because of its television clout and because the Holiday title sponsor, Pacific Life, likes the Trojans.

Contact the writer:

444-1042, rich.kaipust@owh.com

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