The 2011 LSU football team will make history next September when it plays in the world’s largest domed stadium — Cowboys Stadium.
But history could come early, as there is a high probability LSU will be chosen for the 75th annual AT&T Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
LSU won’t receive a bowl invitation until early Sunday morning after the Southeastern Conference Championship is played Saturday, but local ESPN radio host Matt Moscona said LSU going to the Cotton Bowl is nearly a done deal.
“Yesterday, I was told by someone who said it looks like it’s 99.9 percent Cotton Bowl,” said Moscona, who noted he hasn’t had personal conversations with anyone affiliated with the Cotton Bowl.
If that statement holds, LSU would play Texas A&M on Jan. 7. Tommy Bain, AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic chairman, announced Tuesday the Aggies had officially accepted an invitation to the bowl game, which will be nationally televised on FOX in primetime. LSU last played in the Cotton Bowl in 2002 against Texas.
LSU currently leads the all-time series 26-20-3 against Texas A&M. The two old rivals last squared off in 1995, and Texas A&M won, 33-17, at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas.
The only thing in the way of a renewed rivalry is the Capital One Bowl, which has the first shot at grabbing an SEC team after the BCS selections are made.
As of Thursday afternoon, the Athletic Department remained mum on where the Tigers would end up.
“We’re fortunate to have two quality bowls that want the LSU Tigers,” said senior associate athletic director, Verge Ausberry, who is in charge of scheduling for LSU. “I couldn’t give you one way or the other. We’re just waiting to see what happens after the SEC championship game.”
If No. 1 Auburn (12-0) beats No. 19 South Carolina (9-3) on Saturday in Atlanta, it would clinch a spot in the Tostitos BCS National Championship game. No. 7 Arkansas (10-2) would likely head to the Sugar Bowl, leaving the Capital One Bowl to choose from No. 10 LSU (10-2) or No. 16 Alabama (9-3).
If South Carolina upsets Auburn, it would go to the Sugar Bowl, Auburn would likely land in the Orange Bowl and Arkansas most likely in the Capital One Bowl. That scenario would almost make the possibility of LSU going to the Cotton Bowl a lock.
“Capital One typically plays the company line, and they’ll take the highest-ranked team,” Moscona said. “That would be LSU, but it wouldn’t shock me if they passed and took Alabama.”
Alabama hasn’t been to the Capital One Bowl, formerly known as the Citrus Bowl, in 16 years. It would be LSU’s second- straight trip to Orlando after a 19-17 loss to Penn State last season. Whether it be Arkansas, LSU or Alabama, the opponent is almost certain to be No. 8 Michigan State (11-1), who clinched a share of the Big Ten title last weekend with No. 5 Wisconsin (11-1) and No. 6 Ohio State (11-1).
The clear financial favorite seems to be the Capital One Bowl, with a sleek payout of $4.3 million, slightly ahead of the $3.6 million from the Cotton Bowl. But payouts are often misconstrued, as total revenue from all the SEC bowl games is totaled and then redistributed.
“All the money goes to the conference,” Ausberry said. “There is no difference in money. People get caught up in that too much. Most people think it’s more money.”
Another player in the SEC bowl scenario is the Outback Bowl, which picks after the Cotton Bowl but has first preference for SEC East teams. But Ausberry said the Outback, played in Tampa, Fla., will not play much of a factor in LSU’s postseason.
“The Capital One and the Cotton Bowl, I think those are the only two bowls you’d look at,” he said. “I don’t think we’d fall that far.”
A berth in the Cotton Bowl would help LSU get acclimated to Jerry’s World or Six Flags over Jerry, as the $1.5 billion stadium is regularly referred to, before the team travels back to Dallas for the 2011 season opener against Oregon.
The Cotton Bowl is also a sure-fire winner from a recruiting aspect. LSU traditionally battles schools like Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Oklahoma for Texas’ plentiful recruiting crop. Shea Dixon, managing editor of TigerSportsDigest.com, said a win against Texas A&M would do wonders.
“Playing in front of a kind of east Texas crowd, especially high school kids, would be big, especially because they are playing A&M,” Dixon said. Recruiting: LSU offers in-state QB Dak Prescott Football: Bowl game ticket deadline extended
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Contact Sean Isabella at [email protected]