Boilermakers excited about second-ever Rose Bowl

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Purdue coach Joe Tiller has made a lot of new friends recently _ people he doesn't even know. <br><br>That's because the Boilermakers are headed for their second Rose Bowl game

Monday, December 4th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Purdue coach Joe Tiller has made a lot of new friends recently _ people he doesn't even know.

That's because the Boilermakers are headed for their second Rose Bowl game _ 34 years after the first one.

``I couldn't begin to tell you the number of people who've called or written, or at a public function who have come up and shaken our hand,'' Tiller said in a conference call Sunday after the bowl pairings were announced.

``They've said: `We remember taking our children there, when they were 2- or 3-years old,''' Tiller said. ``Now, they have families of their own. It's rekindling memories of many alums, friends and supporters of the university. It's almost a euphoric response.''

With quarterback Bob Griese leading the way, Purdue beat Southern California 14-13 in Pasadena on Jan. 2, 1967.

Tiller said Purdue sold its Rose Bowl tickets ``in nearly a heartbeat.''

``I think we had 25,000 that disappeared overnight, the interest has been just overwhelming,'' he said. ``I don't know how many tickets we could sell, we could sell an awful lot.

``I know one thing, my neighborhood would probably be there.''

No. 14 Purdue (8-3) will play No. 4 Washington (10-1) on New Year's Day. The Huskies have a 6-1-1 record against the Boilermakers, with the teams playing most recently in 1990.

Tiller said he realizes his team will be the underdog.

``I understand it, based on what Washington's accomplished,'' he said. ``I expect us to play well, I'll be very disappointed if we don't.''

Washington coach Rick Neuheisel figures if Miami has an argument for playing in the national championship game, so do the Huskies.

But he's not complaining.

``I've played in two (Rose Bowls) and coached in one,'' said Neuheisel, a quarterback at UCLA in the 1980s and later a Bruins assistant before beginning his head coaching career at Colorado in 1995. ``There is no bigger thrill in college football.

``When you come to a Pac-10 school, going to the Rose Bowl is the dream game.''

Washington handed second-ranked Miami its only loss, a 34-29 setback in Seattle on Sept. 9. Washington lost its only game three weeks later, 23-16 at No. 8 Oregon, which has won 20 straight home games.

Top-ranked Oklahoma and No. 3 Florida State will play in the Orange Bowl despite Miami's 27-24 victory over the then-No. 1 Seminoles on Oct. 7 because Florida State finished ahead of the Hurricanes in the final Bowl Championship Series standings.

``I tend to favor those who kind of keep their mouths shut and play,'' Neuheisel said. ``It's not that I have a problem with Butch's stance, there's certainly an argument to be made.

``If they have an argument, so do we.''

Neuheisel was referring to Miami coach Butch Davis, whose team will face No. 7 Florida in the Sugar Bowl.

``I think there's a time and place to do your lobbying,'' Neuheisel said. ``I just didn't think there was a time or place to do it. We got a chance to play Miami, I was happy with the outcome. I just play who's next on the schedule. It's Purdue, and we're happy to be playing them.''

The Huskies will be making their first Rose Bowl appearance since playing in the game following the 1990, `91 and `92 seasons. Washington won the first two of those games; the only other Pac-10 team to win since that time was USC, which beat Northwestern five years ago.

``It's been a while since the Pac-10 won it,'' Neuheisel said. ``We've got to see if we can turn that around.''

The game will be a matchup of two of college football's top quarterbacks _ Purdue's Drew Brees, who leads the nation in total offense, and Washington's Marques Tuiasosopo, who has specialized in leading the Huskies to come-from-behind victories.

``To me, Drew Brees certainly would have to be considered as the most valuable player in college football for his team,'' Tiller said.

Of Tuaisosopo, Neuheisel said: ``When the game was on the line, he was able to do it in a variety of ways. We wouldn't be in this game without him.''