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American Morning

Oklahoma Readies For Rose Bowl Appearance

Aired January 01, 2003 - 07:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: About a half-dozen college bowl games are lined up for today. Now, Friday is the Miami-Ohio State game that we were talking about just a second ago. Both teams are undefeated, and they're going head to head now in the Fiesta Bowl.
But, with some 30 bowl games in all, who can keep up with all of them? I think Josie Karp can, and that's why she is here.

(CROSSTALK)

JOSIE KARP, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We have a couple today and tomorrow -- the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. The Rose Bowl is interesting. Oklahoma is playing in the Rose Bowl.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Come on.

KARP: Well, it's interesting just because Oklahoma has played in 35 bowl games, but because traditionally, they were never allowed to play in the Rose Bowl. This will be their first Rose Bowl appearance. They're going up against Washington State.

And then, you look at the Sugar Bowl, and Florida State is in it, and that's a name that everyone has heard of if you know...

HARRIS: Yes.

KARP: ... anything about college football and even if you don't. But they're a team that's sort of on the way down, going up against the Georgia team that's really on the way up. Georgia won it's first SEC title in two decades.

HARRIS: That's right.

KARP: But Florida State has had some real problems. So, they will be...

HARRIS: They're bringing (ph) the third quarterback in (ph).

(CROSSTALK)

KARP: Their third string quarterback will be making his first career start in the Sugar Bowl.

KAGAN: Well, and explain why. That's a good little story. KARP: Well, No. 1 quarterback Adrian McPherson, even before he was arrested, was kicked off the team, suspended indefinitely. And then, Chris Rix, who had been the starter, but had been benched, got back in the starting lineup and then slept through some exams...

KAGAN: Yes.

HARRIS: Yes.

KARP: ... and automatically was excluded from participating in any bowl games. So, that's why they're starting their third string quarterback in the bowl game.

HARRIS: All right, and having said all of that, which bowl game do you think would be the game to watch today?

KARP: Well, I think it's the Orange Bowl tomorrow is the one to watch, because you...

KAGAN: Which is kind of what the Rose Bowl -- I mean, it's...

HARRIS: Yes.

KARP: It's what the Rose Bowl used to be...

KAGAN: Yes, it should be.

KARP: ... because it's big 10 and past (ph) 10, it's happening in south Florida. But this could be the best offensive game of the entire bowl season. You're looking at Carson Palmer from USC who won the Heisman Trophy, and then Brad Banks from Iowa who was the Heisman Trophy runner-up. Those are the two quarterbacks. So, you could see some very impressive offensive numbers from those two guys.

HARRIS: Yes, I was thinking the same exact thing. And actually, the big game on Friday with Ohio State and Miami, that might actually not turn into as big a game of fireworks as the Orange Bowl game will be.

KARP: Well, you know, you have obviously been following...

(CROSSTALK)

KAGAN: Yes.

KARP: ... so, they're never any fireworks (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HARRIS: Well, that's true.

KARP: Because, you know, their offense isn't showy, and they're sort of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) team. And so, most of the season, you know, people were just waiting for Ohio State to lose. They had to go to overtime to beat Illinois. They nearly lost to Purdue, a team that finished 6-6. So, but did come back and win a bowl last May, so...

(CROSSTALK) HARRIS: Well, Miami had a couple of close calls, too, now.

KARP: Absolutely, because both of these teams, they're the only two undefeated teams left. But there were knocks on them throughout the season.

And we have to talk a little bit -- there's a semi-controversy brewing with Ohio State, and you're wondering how they're going to handle it. Their freshman running back was upset this week. He wanted to go home. A friend of his passed away. He feels like the university, in his words, gave him the run-around. So, there's been some of this back and forth. So, he is the guy they're really counting on, Maurice Clarett, and you're wondering how that controversy and what's weighing on his mind might affect him on Friday night.

HARRIS: He's the last person on that team that can afford to be distracted right now, because he's coming into this game healthy, and he's healthy.

KARP: For the first time in a long time.

HARRIS: He's going to be (UNINTELLIGIBLE), yes.

KAGAN: I want to get two quick things here. You're talking about controversy. No bigger controversy I think in sports than how this whole national championship is decided in college football. The BCS, however you want to explain it, we don't have...

HARRIS: The BS, the BS?

KAGAN: Yes. Well, we do not have the (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Any chance that that's going to be tweaked? And even more importantly, any chance that we'll see a playoff system like they have in college basketball?

KARP: You know, in my heart of hearts, that's not something I foresee happening. This BCS system is in place through the 2006 bowl season. They have made some tweaks. They changed how they weighted some of the numbers that went into ranking the teams, things like strength of schedule, like that. They've been altering along the way.

Personally, you know, people in sports go back and forth (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Do you think there will be a fair (ph) system? Do you not? And I don't think that there will be.

But this year is a good year to look at it and say, finally no controversy, and we've got two undefeated teams. This is only the second time...

HARRIS: They have to...

(CROSSTALK)

KARP: ... in the five years...

KAGAN: Yes.

KARP: ... that the BSC has been around.

KAGAN: It was close, though.

KARP: But that's, you know, taking place.

KAGAN: Real quickly to wrap it up. I know there are folks out there who are watching with maybe their eyes glazed over, because they're not that into football. But they're going to be someplace today where there's maybe a bowl, party or something. Give them a little tidbit that they can say that would make them sound so football-smart.

HARRIS: Guys, cover your ears, OK?

KARP: I...

KAGAN: No, this one could help.

KARP: I would suggest when you, you know, at a party today and you're looking ahead to the Fiesta Bowl, you might talk about the Miami tight end, Kellen Winslow, who has had a great year. And just talk about the fact that you remember his dad, also named Kellen Winslow, the great tight end for the San Diego Chargers, and how much the younger one reminds you of the older one.

KAGAN: Oh, it's going to -- you're going to look great.

HARRIS: All right, so...

KARP: So, there.

HARRIS: So, guys, if you hear your girlfriend or your mom come up with that one, pretend like you've never heard it before.

KAGAN: I think it was a great little tidbit. Josie, thanks so much. Happy New Year.

KARP: Thank you.

HARRIS: Happy New Year. Good to see you in the flesh.

KARP: Happy New Year. It was great to see you guys in person.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired January 1, 2003 - 07:52   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: About a half-dozen college bowl games are lined up for today. Now, Friday is the Miami-Ohio State game that we were talking about just a second ago. Both teams are undefeated, and they're going head to head now in the Fiesta Bowl.
But, with some 30 bowl games in all, who can keep up with all of them? I think Josie Karp can, and that's why she is here.

(CROSSTALK)

JOSIE KARP, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We have a couple today and tomorrow -- the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. The Rose Bowl is interesting. Oklahoma is playing in the Rose Bowl.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Come on.

KARP: Well, it's interesting just because Oklahoma has played in 35 bowl games, but because traditionally, they were never allowed to play in the Rose Bowl. This will be their first Rose Bowl appearance. They're going up against Washington State.

And then, you look at the Sugar Bowl, and Florida State is in it, and that's a name that everyone has heard of if you know...

HARRIS: Yes.

KARP: ... anything about college football and even if you don't. But they're a team that's sort of on the way down, going up against the Georgia team that's really on the way up. Georgia won it's first SEC title in two decades.

HARRIS: That's right.

KARP: But Florida State has had some real problems. So, they will be...

HARRIS: They're bringing (ph) the third quarterback in (ph).

(CROSSTALK)

KARP: Their third string quarterback will be making his first career start in the Sugar Bowl.

KAGAN: Well, and explain why. That's a good little story. KARP: Well, No. 1 quarterback Adrian McPherson, even before he was arrested, was kicked off the team, suspended indefinitely. And then, Chris Rix, who had been the starter, but had been benched, got back in the starting lineup and then slept through some exams...

KAGAN: Yes.

HARRIS: Yes.

KARP: ... and automatically was excluded from participating in any bowl games. So, that's why they're starting their third string quarterback in the bowl game.

HARRIS: All right, and having said all of that, which bowl game do you think would be the game to watch today?

KARP: Well, I think it's the Orange Bowl tomorrow is the one to watch, because you...

KAGAN: Which is kind of what the Rose Bowl -- I mean, it's...

HARRIS: Yes.

KARP: It's what the Rose Bowl used to be...

KAGAN: Yes, it should be.

KARP: ... because it's big 10 and past (ph) 10, it's happening in south Florida. But this could be the best offensive game of the entire bowl season. You're looking at Carson Palmer from USC who won the Heisman Trophy, and then Brad Banks from Iowa who was the Heisman Trophy runner-up. Those are the two quarterbacks. So, you could see some very impressive offensive numbers from those two guys.

HARRIS: Yes, I was thinking the same exact thing. And actually, the big game on Friday with Ohio State and Miami, that might actually not turn into as big a game of fireworks as the Orange Bowl game will be.

KARP: Well, you know, you have obviously been following...

(CROSSTALK)

KAGAN: Yes.

KARP: ... so, they're never any fireworks (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HARRIS: Well, that's true.

KARP: Because, you know, their offense isn't showy, and they're sort of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) team. And so, most of the season, you know, people were just waiting for Ohio State to lose. They had to go to overtime to beat Illinois. They nearly lost to Purdue, a team that finished 6-6. So, but did come back and win a bowl last May, so...

(CROSSTALK) HARRIS: Well, Miami had a couple of close calls, too, now.

KARP: Absolutely, because both of these teams, they're the only two undefeated teams left. But there were knocks on them throughout the season.

And we have to talk a little bit -- there's a semi-controversy brewing with Ohio State, and you're wondering how they're going to handle it. Their freshman running back was upset this week. He wanted to go home. A friend of his passed away. He feels like the university, in his words, gave him the run-around. So, there's been some of this back and forth. So, he is the guy they're really counting on, Maurice Clarett, and you're wondering how that controversy and what's weighing on his mind might affect him on Friday night.

HARRIS: He's the last person on that team that can afford to be distracted right now, because he's coming into this game healthy, and he's healthy.

KARP: For the first time in a long time.

HARRIS: He's going to be (UNINTELLIGIBLE), yes.

KAGAN: I want to get two quick things here. You're talking about controversy. No bigger controversy I think in sports than how this whole national championship is decided in college football. The BCS, however you want to explain it, we don't have...

HARRIS: The BS, the BS?

KAGAN: Yes. Well, we do not have the (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Any chance that that's going to be tweaked? And even more importantly, any chance that we'll see a playoff system like they have in college basketball?

KARP: You know, in my heart of hearts, that's not something I foresee happening. This BCS system is in place through the 2006 bowl season. They have made some tweaks. They changed how they weighted some of the numbers that went into ranking the teams, things like strength of schedule, like that. They've been altering along the way.

Personally, you know, people in sports go back and forth (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Do you think there will be a fair (ph) system? Do you not? And I don't think that there will be.

But this year is a good year to look at it and say, finally no controversy, and we've got two undefeated teams. This is only the second time...

HARRIS: They have to...

(CROSSTALK)

KARP: ... in the five years...

KAGAN: Yes.

KARP: ... that the BSC has been around.

KAGAN: It was close, though.

KARP: But that's, you know, taking place.

KAGAN: Real quickly to wrap it up. I know there are folks out there who are watching with maybe their eyes glazed over, because they're not that into football. But they're going to be someplace today where there's maybe a bowl, party or something. Give them a little tidbit that they can say that would make them sound so football-smart.

HARRIS: Guys, cover your ears, OK?

KARP: I...

KAGAN: No, this one could help.

KARP: I would suggest when you, you know, at a party today and you're looking ahead to the Fiesta Bowl, you might talk about the Miami tight end, Kellen Winslow, who has had a great year. And just talk about the fact that you remember his dad, also named Kellen Winslow, the great tight end for the San Diego Chargers, and how much the younger one reminds you of the older one.

KAGAN: Oh, it's going to -- you're going to look great.

HARRIS: All right, so...

KARP: So, there.

HARRIS: So, guys, if you hear your girlfriend or your mom come up with that one, pretend like you've never heard it before.

KAGAN: I think it was a great little tidbit. Josie, thanks so much. Happy New Year.

KARP: Thank you.

HARRIS: Happy New Year. Good to see you in the flesh.

KARP: Happy New Year. It was great to see you guys in person.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.