Miller’s Heisman chase could be Ohio State’s bowl

“I think he’s one of those freaks of nature that has a lot of ability and great things can happen to him,” Meyer said back in September. “But there won’t be billboards posted anywhere or anything like that.”

Last week, the message changed a bit.

“I don’t think Braxton’s a Heisman candidate right now,” Meyer said. “I think he’s certainly to watch. He’s got the ability. But then again, I don’t know who is. We’re only halfway through the season. In about two or three games I think you can start talking about that. I’m not talking to Braxton about it. We’re trying to win some games, so …

“I think at the right time, he will be a candidate if he continues to play very well.”

Coaches with championships to play for don’t delve that deeply into Heisman questions in October.

But Meyer understands that if Miller can make a serious run at the big bronze statue, and get an invite to New York city for the awards ceremony on Dec. 8, it keeps the Buckeyes in the headlines even though they won’t be preparing for a bowl game.

And what’s better to add to a trophy case, anyway, a Heisman Trophy or whatever they give you for winning an Outback Bowl?

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CHAMPIONS BOWL

SEC and Big 12 officials are expected to decide by the end of October where their new marquee bowl game will be played.

The choice has come down to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans or the Cotton Bowl, now played at Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The SEC has had a long and prosperous relationship with the Sugar Bowl and the city of New Orleans. Atlanta is the conference’s eastern hub and the site of its championship game. New Orleans is its western home base, and the place it goes to party after the season.

The Big 12 has been sending teams to the Cotton Bowl for a long time, but the city of Dallas has not always been embraced by all the conference’s members. Most of the northern members of the Big 12 voted against moving the league offices to the Dallas area out of Kansas City, Mo., after the Big Eight became the Big 12 in 1996. Of course, two of those members _ Missouri and Nebraska _ are now gone.

If the choice simply came down to venue, Jerry Jones’ billion dollar stadium would win in a landslide over the perfectly functional _ but not nearly as audacious _ Superdome.

Cowboys Stadium holds close to 90,000. The Superdome can hold about 76,000. More tickets equals more revenue.

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