No BCS for Ducks, which heads to lesser bowl

"I think ’disappointed’ is more the word than ’surprised,’ " Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said on a conference call on Sunday.

"I didn’t quite understand the Notre Dame deal. But obviously I have not been a student of the BCS,” said Bellotti, whose Ducks were passed over for a shot at the national championship game four years ago.

Oregon was No. 5 in the final BCS standings, one spot ahead of Notre Dame. But Notre Dame has an easier shot at a BCS berth, including one stipulation that it be ranked three through six in the final BCS standings.

The Pac-10 had lobbied the BCS, specifically the Fiesta Bowl, on behalf of Oregon, which finished second in the conference to USC.

But Notre Dame and Ohio State, both 9-2, received bids to the Fiesta, which pays between $14 million and $17 million per team. The Holiday Bowl’s payout is $2 million per team.

Last year, California was 10-1 but got bumped out of the Rose Bowl by Texas and went to the Holiday Bowl, losing 45-31 to Texas Tech.

As is often the case, the Holiday Bowl gets at least one team that thought it might have had a chance of playing in a bigger — and more lucrative — bowl.

"We couldn’t be happier to have the No. 5-ranked team in the country in the BCS polls representing the Pac-10 in the Holiday Bowl,” executive director Bruce Binkowski said. "We understand that that is their goal, to play in the BCS. But the system is the system. For us to have the opportunity to get the fifth-ranked team in the country is great. Also, we’ve never had Oklahoma before. They’ve had a great second half. We couldn’t be happier with the matchup.”

Oklahoma (7-4) won five of its last six games.

Oregon will play in the Holiday Bowl for the first time since 2000, when it beat Texas 35-30.

"Overall, we’re excited about the Holiday Bowl,” Bellotti said. "We had a great experience there the last time, in playing and defeating the University of Texas.”

Oregon played Oklahoma last season and will play the Sooners again in 2006.

"I guess this will be a preview,” Bellotti said.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said the Ducks have a strong argument to be in a BCS bowl.

"They’ve had a great year,” Stoops said. "They do a great job, 10-1, they only lost to USC. There’s no question I could see where that would be difficult for them. But, of all places to go, the Holiday Bowl is an incredible destination.”

Stoops has been to two previous Holiday Bowls, as a graduate assistant with Iowa in 1986 and an assistant coach with Kansas State in 1995.