Football

The Gator, Blockbuster and John Hancock bowls have been picked to participate in the second tier of a bowl alliance organized in January.

The commissioners of the Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Eight, Pacific 10 and Southwest conferences met last week during the College Football Assn. meetings in Dallas to organize the alliance.

Teams from the ACC, Big East, Big Eight, Pac-10 and SWC--excluding the champion of each league--will be available for selection by the Fiesta Bowl and the two Florida bowls in the so-called Coalition II.

An alliance involving the Orange, Sugar, Cotton and Fiesta bowls was forged in January.

The four top-tier games will pick from among Notre Dame, two at-large teams and the champions of the Big East and Atlantic Coast conferences, based on the Associated Press poll.

The Rose Bowl, which matches champions from the Big Ten and Pac-10, is not part of the alliance, which made a nine-year deal.