Coalition hasn’t stopped disputes It isn't often the answers to the problems of college foot ball are found in the lyrics of an old country music song. However. I can't help but think that the bigwigs of college football should have taken a lis ten to Hank Williams Jr. before voting in its new solution to "Who's No. I.” “This is the coalition to ban coalitions." Bocephus said. The coalition was the latest brainchild of college football, and was designed to determine a national champion. The idea, at its best, would have the best two teams in the country meet in a national championship game. At its worst, it only further confus es the already baffling world of football. This plan was doomed from the start because certain confer ences are already tied into cer tain bowl games and there was no way to be sure that the top two teams could meet. For example, if one of the top two teams was from the Big 10 or Pacific-10 Conference and the other wasn’t, the 1-2 matchup would be impossible because each conference sends its cham pion to the Rose Bowl. Just as the coalition is begin ning to be understood and implemented, complaints are beginning to fly. Reports out of South Bend, Ind., this week had Notre Dame upset with the process and ready to pull out of the coalition after this year. As everyone should know by now. Notre Dame always ends up get ting what it wants from the NCAA. This is really getting silly, as every college football season comes to an end with people screaming for a playoff. It’s about time the NCAA either designs a playoff or puts a 100 Steve Mims year ban on a playoff, so the talk of such a tournament is stopped. For now. let's consider the first option: a playoff. Step one for a playoff Is to stop having games run into the last week of November or early December. This would mean putting an end to the late games that take place every year in Hawaii. Japan, etc., along with a certain conference's champi onship game. Each team would begin its season the first or sec ond week of September and play 11 games, no more and no less. The top eight teams in the country at the end of the season qualify for the playoffs. We'll call it the Carquest National Championships or something. The bowl games don't even have to be eliminated, as the teams that don't qualify for the play offs ran play in the lesser bowls, while the more prestigious ones host the playoffs. Each year the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, etc., rotate between first and second rounds and the title game. One of the biggest arguments against a playoff is that students miss too much school by play ing so many games. In this sce nario, students take a break from playing games at the end of November (just in time to hit the books before finals at many schools). The playoff would begin in mid-December and run through New Year's Day. while schools aro in Christmas vaca tion. Meanwhilo, while we wait for the NCAA to debate this propos al, let's put our attention toward figuring out who is No 1 this year. One of the reasons the coalition was expected to help was because usually only two teams emerge as legitimate championship contenders This year there are five teams that can make claims to being No. 1. West Virginia and Nebras ka are undefeated, but are con sidered to have played a patsy schedule. Auburn is also unde feated. but ineligible for postsea son because of probation. Flori da State and Notre Dame have one loss, but are considered by many to be the most talented teams in the country. Florida State and Nebraska will eventually meet in the national title game, and West Virginia will go to whichever bowl gives it the most cash and is realistically out of the nation al title chase. But why should a team that has done everything asked of it not have a chance at the title? If you think that's a tough question to answer, try this one If Notre Dame and Florida State each have one loss, and the Irish beat FSU, why are the Semi noles ranked two notches higher than Notre Dame? The real answer to this is. believe it or not, because the Seminoles lost first and hud time to rise back to the top. It is at this point in most col lege football arguments that the idea of a playoff is usually brought up. Yet, anyone who has followed the sport for any length of time should have real ized by now that the idea makes way too much sense for it to ever have a chance. Steve Mims is the sports editor of the Kmerald. West Virginia, ND waiting for bowl (AP) — West Virginia and Notre Dame are now playing a waiting game to find out their destinations on New Year's Day. The No. 3 Mountaineers (11 0) are ready to accept an invita tion to the Sugar Bowl to play either No. 9 Florida or No. 16 Alabama. But Sugar Bowl offi cials balked at moving up Sun day's bowl pairing deadline in hopes they can land the No. 5 Fighting Irish (10-1). who gener ate higher television ratings and are an endorsement magnet. "It was determined in the l>est interest of the USF&G Sugar Bowl ... that we follow the rules, regulations and guidelines of the coalition, waiting until Sunday morning to re-evaluate all foot ball on Saturday,” said Troy Mathieu, the bowl's executive director. But if the Sugar Bowl really does want the Irish, as many have speculated, then it needs help. In order for it to land Notre Dame, based on bowl coalition rules, it needs Florida (9-2) to beat Alabama (8-2-1) in the Southeastern Conference title game Saturday and move ahead of No. 7 and Cotton Bowl-bound Texas A&M (10-1) in the rank ings. The bowl coalition rankings combine The Associated Press media poll and the USA Today CNN coaches' poll. In the bowl poll. Texas A&M is seventh and Florida 10th, 373 points behind the Aggies. If the Aggies remain ahead of the Gators, the Cotton Howl would have first choice between the Irish and Mountaineers and would end up with Notre Dame because West Virginia would opt for the higher-paying Sugar Bowl. There is the possibility the Mountaineers could feel snubbed by the Sugar and opt for the Cotton, with a payout of S3 million per team. The Sugar would get the Irish in that case But that won’t happen because the extra $1.15 million the Mountaineers can earn in the $4.15 million Sugar Howl is a lot for a team that's only grossed more than $1 million in a bow! twice. Plus, th« Mountaineers report edly only have to share about $30,000 to $40,000 of their bowl earnings with the Pig East. West Virginia athletic director Ed Pastilong is confident the rankings will remain stable. “There’s a minimal chance that the rankings would change." Pastilong said "One possibility is we may move up However. I do not anticipate the rankings making a major change. “The president-elect of the Sugar Howl will be here with us Saturday and Sunday, and as according to the coalition con tract, the invitations may Imi extended to Dec. 5. At such time, it will bo done.” Right Here On Campus! Word Processing and Editing Graphics, Fax, and Resume Services FOOTNOTES emu room 34 346-2859 low cost student services ORIENTAL MARKET • !itmi ■ f \sun f hu tiJnu; kmuhi and nishi. • i 'n ' t , r.d \\ ; rn he .lit It IihkI • \ .ri \him tape t ; i • Parking lot ■ i. vi .!. *■ Holiday Gift Books!!! 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