The invitation was actually extended a week ago, but OU didn't accept it immediately. My sources tell me the Sugar Bowl was interested in an OU-Florida match-up, but that could only have happened if Florida had won the SEC but not been #2 in the nation. After last weekend's games, neither will happen, and OU is now #11 in the 2001 BCS Rankings, so a BCS bowl bid is all but impossible. It is the first time in the Cotton Bowl's 66-year history that it has invited OU, even though the school has won seven national championships and is only 194 miles away. (Until the formation of the Big XII Conference, the Cotton Bowl had a contract to take the winner of the old Southwest Conference each year, and the Big Eight winner went to the Orange Bowl, so it's not like it was a seven-decade snub.)

The game is on 2002.01.01 in Dallas and will be televised by Fox Sports. By contract, the opponent will be from the Southeast Conference, though not the champion (the SEC champ goes to the BCS). Jerry Palm of CollegeBCS.com still thinks the Sooners' opponent will be LSU if they lose the title game to Tennessee, but I'm not sure the BCS will take Florida. If they don't, an OU-Florida bowl (with OU coach Bob Stoops against his mentor and former boss Florida coach Steve Spurrier) is still possible.

Tickets are still available.