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 Friday, December 13, 2002
The BCS has spoken: Miami left for Gator bait
By Jack Arute
Special to BCSfootball.com
Comment to Jack Arute.
Oklahoma reached into its past to get where the Sooners of old used to be -- the FedEx Orange Bowl, playing for a national championship.
A surprise option pitch on fourth-and-inches turned into a 22-yard gain by Quentin Griffin and set up Josh Heupel's 17-yard go-ahead touchdown pass in No. 1 Oklahoma's 27-24 come-from-behind victory over Kansas State. Oklahoma deserves its place in the FedEx Orange Bowl.
|  | | Jerramy Stevens and Washington are the main reason Miami will not play in the Orange Bowl. |
The Sooners' opponent on the other hand, Florida State, whets the appetite of BCS detractors. You've heard it all -- Miami beat FSU 27-24 back on Oct. 7, so why isn't Miami staying at home and facing Oklahoma? Because of Miami's 34-29 road loss to Washington.
Hurricane fans still have a shot at a "share" of the '00 national championship. Pollsters that comprise the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll have agreed to crown their version of a national champion based upon the winner of the FedEx Orange Bowl. That winner will receive the coveted Sears Trophy and all of the accolades that go with the $45,000 Waterford Crystal football. But the Associated Press writers' poll is not bound to accept the Orange Bowl winner as its national champion. That's where Miami's performance in the Nokia Sugar Bowl becomes paramount.
Florida and Miami have not met since 1987. Their common opponent has been the Seminoles. Should Butch Davis and his "Coral Gables Guys" take the Gators to the woodshed on Jan. 2, the AP might consider anointing them national championships.
So what must Miami do to Florida? Most likely the Hurricanes have to post a more convincing score than the 30-7 FSU whumping that FSU put on the Florida Gators. and hope that Oklahoma loses.
The other BCS matchups -- while maybe on the surface not as attractive -- are nonetheless worthy of attention.
The Rose Bowl between Washington and Purdue is what the Rose Bowl has always been: The Pac-10 champ against the Big Ten champ. Even the choice of teams from two conferences with shared conference regular season champions utilized the longstanding traditional tie-breakers to determine the Rose Bowl matchup.
Washington's inclusion allows us to see the only team to beat Miami in the regular season, while Purdue's appearance provides a fitting curtain closer for Drew Brees. Enjoy this game because next year it will be the Rose Bowl that will serve as the eye of the BCS storm.
Traditionalists have already started harping on the potential fact, that for the first time in many people's lifetime, the Rose Bowl will not see a Pac-10-Big Ten matchup. The Rose Bowl will be the site of BCS1 vs. BCS2. This will further intensify the cry for a playoff. Add an AP designation of Miami as '00 national champ and you can expect the same prolonged exasperating criticism that we are feeling concerning our recent Presidential election.
The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl's selections of Notre Dame and Oregon State will likely cause the most discussion. Both the Irish and the Beavers are ranked lower than Virginia Tech in the BCS, but the Hokies missed out on a $13.5 million payday.
|  | | A second-place finish in the Big East has Michael Vick and the Hokies out of the BCS. |
Va. Tech's drop from last year's Sugar Bowl appearance to a non-BCS bowl is neither the fault of the Fiesta Bowl nor Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen's posturing on behalf of Oregon State. Mr. Hansen did what any commissioner should do. He rattled his considerably large saber on behalf of one of his member schools (and conference co-champ). The Fiesta Bowl selection committee responded and the Beavers are on their way to Tempe.
If the Hokies wish to carp at all, they should direct their ire towards the Fighting Irish. But don't cry foul too loudly. The Hokies finished second in their conference, and their inclusion would have made them the only non-champion in the BCS bowl mix.
Granted, Notre Dame's position as one of the few remaining Independents still playing top level Division I football also marks the Irish as a non-conference champion, but because of their Independent position, they earn the berth instead of Virginia Tech.
If Kansas State had won the Big XII title game Saturday night in Arrowhead, the BCS might have tried to send a message to Notre Dame regarding its Independent status -- matching K-State against someone other than Notre Dame, but Mr. Heupel's 17-yard TD ended all that.
So the BCS has spoken, much the way voters did a month ago. But things are still up in the air on both the political and college football fronts. One thing we are certain of for both: The activity in the state of Florida will determine both outcomes!
Jack Arute writes a column every Monday for BCSfootball.com.
Comment to Jack Arute:
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Josh Heupel does it on his own with this 7-yard touchdown run.
Josh Heupel talks with ABC Sports' Lynn Swann after the Sooners' championship victory.