It’s not over just yet. Besides the Civil War, two Pacific-10 Conference games remain on the docket this week. Both were originally scheduled for early September, but because of the terrorist attacks on the East Coast, the games will be played this weekend.
But after that comes the time for the Pac-10 to shine. While the final Bowl Championship Series on Dec. 9 will determine who goes where, as many as six teams may represent the conference when the bowls come calling — and many Pac-10 teams have already committed.

Arizona State at UCLA
Oh, UCLA, what happened to you? After a 6-0 start, four straight losses have put the Bruins (6-4 overall, 3-4 Pac-10) in a horrible position, bad enough to drop them to tie for sixth in the conference and a Silicon Valley Classic appearance. Of course, they need to handle the Sun Devils (4-6, 1-6) before looking ahead, as the Classic is an at-large bid, which does not guarantee a spot to UCLA.
If UCLA is to break out of its four-game slump, it will have to do it without running back DeShaun Foster, who has been suspended indefinitely, and quarterback Cory Paus, whom head coach Bob Toledo benched this week in favor of Scott McEwan. Toledo learned that Paus had been arrested twice in the last 15 months for driving under the influence.
“The only way he would play is if those other guys were hurt,” Toledo told the Daily Bruin in regards to Paus’ third-string demotion behind McEwan and Ryan McCann.
If the Bruins do take out the Sun Devils, they can most likely look forward to a date against Fresno State on Dec. 31 in San Jose, Calif. The Bulldogs, who were once the NCAA’s Cinderella squad, feature senior quarterback David Carr, a sure-fire first-round pick in June’s NFL draft.

Stanford at San Jose State
The Spartans are down and the Cardinal are up, but by no means is that a precursor of what is yet to come. Stanford (8-2, 6-2) has lost to San Jose State (3-8, 3-5 Western Athletic Conference) the last three years, and the two teams, separated by only 20 miles, have begun a little rivalry of their own.
The Spartans have senior running back Deonce Whitaker, once a front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. He no longer is on the list, but as he goes, so go the Spartans. Stanford, on the other hand, has gotten senior quarterback Randy Fasani back, and he’s almost better than ever. In a 17-13 win over Notre Dame last week, he passed for a career-high 373 yards and four touchdowns but was also sacked four times.
But all of that won’t matter, as the Cardinal will have revenge solely on their mind. If they lose, their seniors never will have beaten their South Bay rivals.
“There are a lot of reasons to want to beat them. I think anytime you have a team in your backyard — and I think they look at us in the same way — everyone likes
bragging rights,” Stanford head coach Tyrone Willingham said.
Whether or not Stanford is able to outlast the Spartans, the Cardinal will be heading to the newly formed Seattle Bowl, as they accepted an invitation to the Emerald City earlier this week. Georgia Tech is lining up to be their opponent, and with George Godsey taking the snaps for the Yellow Jackets, the first Seattle Bowl could be a good one.

Fiesta Bowl
Barring another amazing week of upsets in college football, the No. 4 Ducks (9-1, 6-1) look to Tempe, Ariz., on New Year’s Day. Oregon’s opponent is still to be determined, but with the Big 12 Championship game lining up to be one for the ages this weekend, the winner will most likely travel to the desert.
A rematch of last year’s Holiday Bowl could be on the horizon, assuming Texas does not slip into the national championship game at the Rose Bowl. Texas already trounced Colorado earlier this season, but bets are that Colorado will come out of the grudge match alive and well enough to take on the Ducks.
No players stand out for the Buffaloes, but as a group, they are about as solid as any team in the nation, which they showed against previously top-ranked Nebraska. Regardless of the outcome of the Big 12 Championship — which will be broadcast prior to the Civil War on ABC — Joey Harrington and Co. need to look out.

Sun Bowl
Pac-10 surprise Washington State represents the conference in this one, and looks to take on Iowa in El Paso, Texas, on New Year’s Eve. With an Oregon loss against Oregon State, the Cougars can lock up a tie for the conference championship. But they are still destined for Texas because the Ducks have the tiebreaker after their 24-17 win in Pullman, Wash.
Iowa should feel lucky to be heading south after their loss to Iowa State but nonetheless should make it a game. If Washington State can get their running game going and keep quarterback Jason Gesser healthy, the Cougars should come out on top.

Holiday Bowl
Washington, say hello to San Diego. It’s hoped they can do a lot better than their 65-7 drubbing at Miami. And they’ll have to do it against a tough Oklahoma squad, the Huskies’ likely opponent. The Sooners will be hungry after their tough loss to Oklahoma State last weekend that knocked them out of the national championship race.
If Colorado beats Texas in the Big 12 Championship game, leaving Texas No. 2 in the conference, Nebraska would receive a BCS bowl bid, leaving Oklahoma in the guaranteed No. 3 slot for San Diego. If Colorado loses, the Buffaloes will likely play in the Holiday Bowl.

Las Vegas Bowl
Southern California, who would have thought you’d have made it to a bowl game? Those Pete Carroll doubters better kiss his feet now, because after a tough first half of the season, he has brought the Trojans back respectability — and a possible bowl win.
Against Utah, the Trojans should have no problem. The Utes are an afterthought in the world of college football, and just getting a bowl invitation is a cause to celebrate in Salt Lake City. USC quarterback Carson Palmer should have a field day against the Utah secondary.