FanHouse Emerald Bowl

San Francisco's Emerald Bowl: not known for highlighting college football's best teams. But the bowl has been the lucky recipient of some formerly great ACC programs hitting the skids and adding some marquee value. Florida State won in 2006 against a terrible UCLA team. And in 2008, 7-5 Miami showed up to face a pretty marginal Cal squad led by Nate Longshore, a quarterback with "issues" to say the least.

But unlike FSU, Miami found a way to lose the game. They lost despite Longshore's utter ineffectiveness (10-21, 121 yards). They lost despite getting good play from freshman quarterback Jacory Harris -- the over-enthusiastic ESPN commentors were calling it his 'coming out party' which might warrant an excessive celebration penalty -- and good running from Graig Cooper, who averaged 5.3 YPC, but received only a mystifying 12 carries.

It came down to turnovers and terrible clock management. At the end of the first half, down 14-7, Miami was intercepted at their own 43-yard line; Cal promptly went four and out. Getting the ball back with 1:18 remaining and three timeouts, Shannon appeared to be running out the clock: fair enough, given that his freshman quarterback had just turned the ball over in Hurricane territory. But wait... no! After three passes resulted in a first down, Shannon called a timeout with :04 remaining. Hail Mary time, right? Nope: Harris completed a 3-yard pass to Graig Cooper. Miami walked off the field with two timeouts remaining with the ball on Cal's 49-yard line.

Turkey Legs to Go is FanHouse's complete travel guide for all of the 2008-2009 college bowl games. Here, we cover the Emerald Bowl (San Francisco, California), which pits Miami against California.

Overview/Matchup: While the Emerald Bowl isn't an ACC Championship, much less a BCS berth, give Randy Shannon credit -- this Miami team looked completely and utterly doomed heading into October following devastating losses to North Carolina and Florida State. Sure, ending the season with back to back L's against Georgia Tech and NC State wasted the good run, but he certainly saved his reputation. The news gets worse for him though, as the 'Canes were horrible against the run during their last two games, and guess what Cal running back Jahvid Best ran for over the final two weeks of the season? Yeah, just a casual 512 yards. Ouch, babe.

Hotels: The Ritz-Carlton at Nob Hill is one of the finest hotels in the United States. Our reviewers, as well as our CEO, have always been impressed with the property. The Hilton San Francisco is also a fine establishment for those in the midrange category. The hotel is positively enormous, designed primarily for conferences and large groups. Although its size may be a detractor, it does have its advantages. There are a number of stores and restaurants in, or attached to the property. For bargain rates and great proximity to the stadium try the Civic Center Inn.

Since joining the Bowl Championship Series system, the Pac Ten has been the perennial odd-man out, and history repeated itself again as the Kansas Jayhawks were selected to play in the Orange Bowl, leaving Arizona State as the off-man out.

Pac Ten Commissioner Tom Hansen is likely not amused--but nor should be be surprised. The BCS has a history of giving the conference the short end of the stick.

In 2001, the Oregon Ducks were jumped over by a Nebraska team that lost its final game and left out of the Rose Bowl. Two years later, USC was ranked #1 in both human polls, but left out of the Title Game. A year later, Mack Brown lobbied enough pollsters to jump Cal for the final automatic qualifying spot and a Rose Bowl berth, and in 2005, Oregon missed an automatic BCS berth by one slot.

Although it is considered by many to be the second-toughest conference in College Football, the Pac Ten looks like it will not fill all of its bowl allotments in 2007.

The Pac Ten has arrangements this year with the Rose, Holiday, Sun, Las Vegas, Emerald and Armed Forces Bowls. That is six bowls before you consider that either Arizona State or USC will likely get a BCS at-large invitation if either team wins its final two games.

Five Pac-Ten teams are already bowl-eligible: Oregon, ASU, USC, California and Oregon State--but coming up with a sixth--or even seventh--will be much more difficult.

Last Year: 6-7, unranked

Fans Are: Into basketball.

Expectations: Win nine games and beat USC.

Questions:

1. How in the world did UCLA beat USC again?

In one word: DEFENSE. The Bruins brought in a new defensive coordinator for 2006--DeWayne Walker--and had two weeks to scheme for what had become a rather predictable Trojan offensive system. On the other side of the ball, the Bruins' most productive play was backup quarterback Pat Cowan scrambling for his life.

The Bruins, however, will have to travel to the Coliseum this year, where they lost 66-19 two years ago.

2. Is there a quarterback controversey in the works?

Last year, Brigham Young transfer Ben Olson started the season for the Bruins, giving the Sons of Westwood high expectations on his reputation as "Southpaw Jesus"... Olson got injured midway through the season and was replaced by Pat Cowan.

Cowan then did the unthinkable and led UCLA to a win over cross-town rival USC, who had been poised to play for the BCS Title against Ohio State. Cowan then topped himself in unthinkability when he made Jeff Bowden look like an offensive genius during the Bruins beat-down from Florida State in the Emerald Nuts Bowl.

Head coach Karl Dorrell had consistently said that if Olson were healthy he'd play...so those who are hoping for more Cowan heroics in 2007 may have to cool their heels.

3. Who are those new guys on the sidelines?

UCLA had a major blood-letting on its offensive coaching staff this off-season. Dorrell told Offensive coordinator Jim Svoboda in January, "you're fired!" Offensive line coach Jim Svoboda then left for the NFL and wide receivers coach D.J. McCarthy then left for greener pastures at Louisiana State.

Nebraska's Jay Norvell takes over for Svoboda in 2007 and Bob Connelly takes over the offensive line--each the fourth to hold the position in Dorrell's five-year tenure in Westwood.