Cotton Bowl a Probability

A source close to the Cotton Bowl said Sunday that UCLA would receive an invitation to play in the Jan. 1 game, probably against Kansas State.

The invitation could come as early as today.

The Cotton Bowl is contractually bound to take the second-place Pacific 10 Conference team or the Western Athletic Conference champion, but an announcement is expected today from the WAC to the effect that the Cotton will exercise its Pac-10 rights.

UCLA and Washington State are tied for the Pac-10 title, and both will be joined at 7-1 by Arizona State if the Sun Devils beat Arizona on Friday. Washington State wins a three-way tie for the Rose Bowl berth.

The Fiesta Bowl, which is part of the bowl alliance, has had representatives at the last two UCLA games, but officials of the bowl said if Arizona State wins Friday the Sun Devils will get an invitation to the game. If not, the Fiesta is expected to look elsewhere, not toward UCLA.

UCLA Coach Bob Toledo was excited about the prospect of the Bruins playing in Dallas.

“We played in three of the games when I was at Texas A&M;, and the people there are great,” he said. “It’s a big-time college football game. Also, we’re recruiting hard in Texas and we think that will help us.”