Yeah, um, not so fast. See update below.
Mission accomplished, El Full Mexicans.
After all the wishing, wondering, and worrying, it looks like the bowl situation is going to play out just like we deep down thought it would during these last few weeks. Iowa is, by all accounts, a done deal for the Fiesta Bowl; there's no similar confirmation for the opponent, but everyone assumes it'll be Boise State, which, okay.
Here's a roundup of the news as we're seeing it right now:
Fiesta is Spanish for "party."
Also from Morehouse, but yesterday:
Iowa is pulling out the stops to impress the Fiesta Bowl committee. According to a source, Iowa has sold 17,500 Fiesta Bowl tickets. That’s the entire allotment. That’s has to impress Fiesta reps and calm fears that Iowa’s entire bowl representation would be Iowans now living in Arizona. (Fears from the greater Phoenix chamber of commerce.)
Jerry Palm just called to say that a source out east told him Iowa to Fiesta, done deal. No confirmation yet.
Penn State sources just in the last few minutes have begun saying that they believe Iowa is headed for the Fiesta Bowl. That means PSU is headed for Orlando and the Capital One Bowl, very likely against Louisiana State.
The Fiesta Bowl committee was scheduled to begin deliberations only at 2 p.m. EST so a consensus must have been reached prior that Penn State was out of its picture.
Go to womens game vs. Wolerines & watch BCS Selection Show at CHA immediately after per Iowa SID. Great opp to watch w/ fellow fans.
Obviously, nothing's set until the announcement this evening, but unless the Fiesta Bowl's pulling an inexplicable fast one on everybody involved, it might be time to book your tickets to Puh-ho-nix. And unless you're one of the 17,500 people who bought through the school, good luck getting good tickets.
Also, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
[UPDATE: Okay, now there's a lot more chatter seeping in from People Who'd Know that it's shaping up to be Iowa in the Orange Bowl, not the Fiesta Bowl. So... yeah. Stay tuned. Seriously, though, if the Fiesta takes TCU or Boise over Iowa, they're insane.]
[DOUBLE UPDATE: It's official: Iowa to the Orange Bowl, per the Tampa I-Club. So yeah.]