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The Big Ten is establishing its mark in California, making their matchups with the Pac-12 just as (if not more) prominent than their New Year's Day matchups with the SEC.
From the looks of a release sent out, Pac-12/B1G bowl agreements with the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl and Holiday Bowl will be announced Monday.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) June 23, 2013
The Pac-12 has already established that after the Rose Bowl, the Alamo Bowl will get first dibs in a Pac-12 #2 vs. Big 12 #3 matchup. It appears the Holiday Bowl will stay next in line, but instead of facing a Big 12 team, they'll end up with a Big Ten team instead, most likely the third best team outside of the Rose Bowl contest (Capital One and Outback will get first dibs). This will be the second big Pac-12/Big Ten matchup and should take place in the traditional site in San Diego.
An industry source said the Holiday Bowl and Big Ten are close to finishing a six-year agreement. The bowl will pick second in the Pac-12 and third in the Big Ten after the playoff and access bowls make their selections starting with the 2014 season. Officials cautioned that no deals are final, but they are optimistic.
Pretty much slated right after that will be another Pac-12/Big Ten matchup in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. This is further down the pecking order but could grow in attractiveness down the line, as the contest will move from AT&T Park to the new 49ers stadium in Santa Clara. That'll provide the Pac-12 and Big Ten with three games in three NFL stadiums.
It seems like the Pac-12 will either continue to keep the Kraft Fight Hunger below the Sun Bowl or move it right above it in the bowl pecking order. The Big Ten will send their fifth to seventh-best team (depending on how the lineup sorts out with other bowls like the Pinstripe and the Music City).
Pac-12 vs. Big Ten bowl lineup starting in 2014
Rose Bowl: Pac-12 #1 vs. Big Ten #1 (in years the Rose Bowl is not involved in the Playoff semifinal rotation)
Holiday Bowl: Pac-12 #3 vs. Big Ten #4
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Pac-12 #4 or #5 vs. Big Ten #5 or #6 or #7