Despite all the what-ifs, Syracuse Director of Athletics Jake Crouthamel still can’t envision a situation in which the Syracuse football team misses a bowl game.

At a press conference yesterday at the Iocolano-Petty Football Wing at Manley Field House, Crouthamel, coach Paul Pasqualoni and representatives from each bowl announced SU will play in either the Champs Sports Bowl or the Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl, depending on Saturday’s outcomes. The Champs Sports Bowl is in Orlando, Fla., on Dec. 21. The Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl is on Dec. 23.

‘I’m just excited to be playing in a bowl,’ running back Walter Reyes said. ‘I don’t care where it is, as long as we go somewhere.’

Where exactly will depend on a number of things. While the possibilities are effectively endless (for example, if unranked South Florida beat No. 21 Pittsburgh, SU could even jump into the Bowl Championship Series picture), the most important game for Syracuse this weekend is No. 4 California at Southern Mississippi.

In short: If California wins, Syracuse likely heads for Las Vegas; if Southern Mississippi pulls the upset, Syracuse likely travels to Orlando.

Crouthamel spent the last 96 hours on the phone with Big East associates and Pasquloni figuring out where SU could play. Las Vegas is the most likely destination.

Wyoming has already accepted an invitation to the Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl. Most bowls have contracts with specific conferences, so the other spot is supposed to go to a Pacific-10 team.

But if Cal wins, two of the Pac-10’s five bowl-eligible teams (USC and Cal) would make a BCS bowl. Then just three eligible Pac-10 teams would remain to fill four spots. Syracuse would fill that empty spot.

If Cal loses and drops out of the BCS picture, then the Pac-10 fills that spot, and SU would travel to Orlando to face Georgia Tech. The Champs Sports Bowl is supposed to be filled by a Big 12 team, but like the Pac-10, the Big 12 doesn’t have enough bowl-eligible teams to fill the accompanying spots.

The final BCS standings will determine where SU plays.

‘You talk about playing two outstanding teams,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘We haven’t really sat down and said we’d rather play this one or that one. We’re just very fortunate.’

Syracuse has other considerations, too. The players’ final exams scattered from Dec. 13-17, which could make practicing difficult.

‘Would it surprise you,’ Crouthamel said, ‘if I told you Paul had this figured out a week ago?’

Syracuse started practicing Friday. Since the exam schedule is so structured (for example, some days there are only exams during the afternoon), Syracuse can plan accordingly, although some overlap will likely occur.

Another consideration: Who will coach the game?

‘I’ll answer the question that has gone unasked at this time,’ Crouthamel said with Pasqualoni right beside him, ‘we certainly expect Paul to coach the bowl game.’

Numerous coaching changes – Ron Turner at Illinois, Ty Willingham at Notre Dame – have already taken place.

But since Crouthamel has been recently wrapped up with figuring out the bowl picture, he hasn’t yet conducted the program evaluation he does after every year.

Pasquloni’s job status is uncertain after a 16-19 record the last three years.

Whoever coaches, though, will likely play Wyoming in Las Vegas, though, assuming no upset occurs. Like Syracuse, the Cowboys are 6-5.

‘This is fun,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘I don’t consider it working to figure out a bowl situation.’

Published on December 2, 2004 at 12:00 pm