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psu football

By Derek Levarse dlevarse@timesleader.com
Sports Reporter
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Penn State continued to climb up the BCS ladder this week, but the Nittany Lions’ hopes for an at-large bid to a BCS bowl may have diminished.

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Despite moving up two spots to No. 11 on Sunday in the latest rankings, the Lions could be ticketed for the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1 in Orlando, where they would likely face LSU.

They’ll discover exactly where they’re headed next Sunday night when the BCS bowls are announced live on FOX.

While Penn State is still very much alive to be picked by one of those top bowls – in this case the Fiesta Bowl or the Orange Bowl – Big Ten rival Iowa may now be the favorite to be picked first, which would eliminate the Lions from consideration.

Only two teams from the same conference can play in the BCS. Big Ten champion Ohio State has already locked up an invitation to the Rose Bowl.

Penn State (10-2, 6-2 Big Ten) jumped over Pitt and Oklahoma State in the standings after both lost over the weekend. But the Cowboys’ loss may be the one that costs the Lions a spot in a BCS game.

Oklahoma State was in good shape to claim an at-large bid from the Fiesta Bowl had the Cowboys knocked off rival Oklahoma. Assuming Texas wins the Big 12 Championship and heads to the national title game, the Fiesta would have looked to replace the Longhorns with another Big 12 team.

But the Cowboys fell to No. 20 in the BCS with the loss. Only teams ranked in the top 14 are eligible for at-large berths.

With no Big 12 team eligible for an at-large bid, the Fiesta would then be free to pick any two teams, with Iowa perhaps being the first choice.

The No. 9 Hawkeyes (10-2, 6-2) travel well, have a sizable alumni base out in Arizona and have never played in the Fiesta. They also defeated Penn State 21-10 in State College back in September.

Penn State looks to be in better shape with the Orange Bowl, which sent a representative to East Lansing for the Lions’ 42-14 thumping of Michigan State a week ago. No one from the Fiesta Bowl was at the game.

And if Texas beats Nebraska to win the Big 12 on Saturday, clinching a spot in the national title game, the Fiesta will get its first pick before the Orange.

A Nebraska win over Texas would muddle the picture, as the Cornhuskers would then get an automatic bid to the Fiesta for winning the Big 12. If a 12-1 Texas team is still voted into the national championship game, then the Orange would get to pick before the Fiesta.

But a Longhorns loss could possibly put TCU or Cincinnati in the title game, leaving Texas to be selected by the Orange, Iowa by the Fiesta and Penn State still out in the cold.

If Iowa does get the call from the BCS, Penn State would then be snapped up the Capital One Bowl, which hasn’t hosted the Lions since the 2002 season.

Penn State’s opponent there would likely be No. 13 LSU (9-3, 5-3 SEC), which beat Arkansas in overtime this weekend and jumped ahead of Ole Miss in the SEC pecking order when the Rebels lost to Mississippi State.

The Lions and Tigers have only squared off once before – Jan. 1, 1974, when Penn State and Heisman winner John Cappelletti capped off a perfect 12-0 season with a 16-9 win in the Orange Bowl.