Football Matchups Set For College Bowl Games

AFTER a week of speculation, the lineups for Jan. 1 football bowl games became official Sunday when the bowl coalition announced its selections.

Top-ranked Florida State (11-1) will play No. 2 Nebraska (11-0) in the 29th meeting between the top two teams in The Associated Press poll. The game is a rematch of last year's Orange Bowl, which Florida State won 27 to 14. No. 3 West Virginia (11-0) turned down a Cotton Bowl invitation to play No. 8 Florida (10-2) for more money in the Sugar Bowl. No. 4 Notre Dame (10-1), the only team to beat Florida State, will play No. 7 Texas A&M (10-1) in a rematch of last year's Cotton Bowl, won by the Fighting Irish.

The Orange Bowl probably will decide the AP national championship since it matches the top two teams in the media poll. The Rose Bowl matchup features No. 9 Wisconsin (9-1-1) against No. 14 UCLA (8-3). In other Jan. 1 bowls, it's Michigan (7-4) vs. North Carolina State (7-4) in the Hall of Fame; Penn State (9-2) vs. Tennessee (9-1-1) in the Citrus; Miami (9-2) vs. Arizona (9-2) in the Fiesta; and Boston College (8-3) vs. Virginia (7-4) in the Carquest; Michigan State (6-5) vs. Louisville (8-3) in the Liberty; Brigham Young (6-5) vs. Ohio State (9-1-1) in the Holiday; Southern Cal (7-5) vs. Utah (7-5) in the Freedom; Virginia Tech (8-3) vs. Indiana (8-3) in the Independence; Clemson (8-3) vs. Kentucky (6-5) in the Peach; Alabama (8-3-1) vs. North Carolina (10-2) in the Gator.