Clemson, Rice, Southern Miss get bowl bids

[December 05, 2008]  ATLANTA, Ga. (AP) -- In four days, Clemson went from wondering if it would reach the postseason to playing in the Gator Bowl on New Year's Day.

An invitation to the Jacksonville, Fla., game was extended Wednesday to the Tigers (7-5), who likely will be matched up with Nebraska (8-4). Hundreds of Cornhuskers fans have already booked flights to Florida, even though the invitation probably won't be extended until Sunday.

Other bowl invites went out to Conference USA teams Southern Mississippi and Rice. Southern Miss will play in the New Orleans Bowl against the Sun Belt Conference champion, and Rice will play in its hometown of Houston in the Texas Bowl.

Clemson fans remember well the Tigers' only game against Nebraska. They beat the Huskers 22-15 in the Orange Bowl to win the 1981 national championship.

Clemson needed a win over South Carolina on Saturday just to guarantee a spot in a bowl.

Southern Miss won four straight games to finish the season 6-6 under first-year coach Larry Fedora. The Golden Eagles have a chance to extend their streak of winning seasons to 15.

The New Orleans Bowl will be played Dec. 21 in the Louisiana Superdome.

Rice will be making its second bowl appearance in three years, only the second time in school history that has occurred. The Texas Bowl will be played Dec. 30.

[Associated Press]

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