OU prepares to play in Rose Bowl

(Pasadena, California-AP) -- With Christmas over, the Washington State football team is starting to focus more on practices for the Rose Bowl. <br><br>The Cougars face Oklahoma on Wednesday in Pasadena,

Thursday, December 26th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Pasadena, California-AP) -- With Christmas over, the Washington State football team is starting to focus more on practices for the Rose Bowl.

The Cougars face Oklahoma on Wednesday in Pasadena, California.

But they'll have other activities in their spare time in Southern California -- such as Disney's Adventure Park Thursday and Jay Leno on Monday.

This will be the last Cougars game for quarterback Jason Gesser. They have a 24-and-10 record in games he's started.

This is also the last WSU game for coach Mike Price, who has already been named coach at Alabama.

...Meanwhile, the Rose Bowl has a new sponsor this year.

Sony Playstation has replaced AT&T as presenting sponsor of the annual football game in Pasadena, California.

Washington State will play Oklahoma in the New Year's Day classic.

AT&T said more than eight months ago it would not be renewing its sponsorship contract. The announcement left the nation's oldest bowl game without a major corporate backer.

The Fiesta Bowl is sponsored by Tostitos; the Orange Bowl is sponsored by Federal Express; and the Sugar Bowl is sponsored by Nokia.

ABC Sports owns the right to choose who sponsors the annual Rose Bowl.

Under the deal signed in 1998, the network paid $20.5-million to broadcast the 2002 game.