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Wednesday, October 31
Updated: November 1, 11:14 AM ET
 
What if unbeaten 'Canes get left out of title game?

By Lee Corso
Special to ESPN.com

Q: Coach Corso, I'm scared. What if an unbeaten Miami team gets left out in the cold? If Oklahoma and Nebraska win out, and Oklahoma wins the Big 12 title game, who's No. 2 in the BCS? Shouldn't Miami be No. 1 or 2? -- concerned Miami fan
CORSO
-- If Miami is unbeaten and gets left out, then you'll have another controversy. Here's a scenario that could happen: Nebraska and Oklahoma don't lose again in the regular season and then play each other in the Big 12 title game. Oklahoma beats Nebraska, takes over No. 1 in the BCS, while Nebraska falls only to No. 2. Then you've got a third meeting this season between these two teams -- in the Rose Bowl for the national title -- and the college football world will fall apart. This is a definite possibility. But if Miami runs the table, there's a good chance the 'Canes make it to the Rose Bowl -- possibly against either the Sooners or the 'Huskers. But several teams are lurking in the background (including Texas, Florida and Michigan).

Travis Stephens
Tennessee tailback Travis Stephens has been posting Heisman-esque numbers.
Q: With the way Tennessee is running the ball now, do you think the Vols can beat Florida and, on the strength of their schedule, play for a second national title in four years? -- Patrick Dalton, Covington, Ga.
CORSO
-- Yes. Everyone forgets that this is a marathon, not a sprint. Right now Nebraska is ahead in the race, but there are lots of teams right on their tail. It just depends, of course, on who wins and loses (and against whom) the rest of the way. So yes, Tennessee has a chance -- if a bunch of other things happen. At this point, who knows?

Q: Why is Tennessee RB Travis Stephens not being considered a Heisman candidate? His numbers are as good as just about every other contender. Is it just no publicity? -- Larry Frady, Williamston, S.C.
CORSO
-- That's it, absolutely. There's no question that he's just as good as any other running back. UCLA's DeShaun Foster jumped ahead in the Heisman race because he was on TV a couple of times and had some great games. But William Green of Boston College has been as good as Stephens or Foster (no one ever talks about him except me). Those are the top three Heisman candidates at running back. The top QB candidates are Ken Dorsey, Eric Crouch and Rex Grossman.

Q: How do you reconcile the fact that at the end of the year, Florida will have played a harder schedule, have a higher ranking and have the same number of losses as Oklahoma -- and still be behind the Sooners in the BCS standings? Is this fair? Shouldn't the fact that Florida lost by three on the road with their "C" game in the wind and rain, without arguably their best player, count for something? -- Eric, Cincinnati, Ohio
CORSO
-- Not so fast, my friend. You're projecting that's going to happen with the standings, but I'm not so sure it will. Let it play out. The BCS system was devised for the entire season, not a part of it. Let it run its course. As far as certain game conditions factoring into the BCS? Absolutely not. Otherwise teams would be complaining about the rain, the direction of the wind, etc. -- forget about it.

Q: With all the recent upsets and the undefeated teams getting beat, can you see a one-loss team playing in the Rose Bowl? And do you think a Pac-10 team could be the one to do it? I know you picked Oregon from the beginning ... any chance for them? -- Steve, Eugene, Ore.
CORSO
-- If I were an Oregon fan, I wouldn't count on it. Too many things have to happen all over the country with too many teams. The outlook isn't great for Oregon playing for the national title.

Editor's Note
Lee Corso and the rest of the GameDay crew can't get to every campus this season, so ESPN.com has given fans another option: It's called "Lee-Mail." Lee has an opinion on just about anything related to college football. So go ahead and send him a question. He'll answer each Wednesday during the season in "Lee-Mail."
Q: What is your opinion on the possibility of a conspiracy by the BCS, AP poll and others to keep BYU out of a BCS bowl? What can the Cougs do? -- Phatty, Provo, Utah
CORSO
-- BYU isn't in the mix because of its schedule, which simply isn't strong enough. BYU was my pick as a surprise team this year; I thought coach Gary Crowton would do a great job. So far, I've been right -- and I think they will finish undefeated. But the Cougars won't go to the Rose Bowl and the BCS championship because of the schedule. It's as simple of that. There's nothing they can do -- they could go 36-0 against the teams they're playing and it wouldn't be enough.

Q: I know it's a long shot, but how do Michigan's chances at the Rose Bowl look if they win out, the winner of Purdue-Illinois wins out and (the biggest long shot) Washington wins out or suffers just one more loss (but not to Miami)? -- Mike -- Royal Oak, Mich.
CORSO
-- That's a lot of ifs ... but if the Wolverines win out, they have a shot.

Q: Why can't college football have a playoff and still have the bowls every year? Just let the bowls be the rounds of the playoffs. -- John Nix, Perry, Fla.
CORSO
-- It could happen, but it won't happen. One of the reasons is that university presidents don't want to see a playoff system because it's associated with pro football. Also, if I were ABC I wouldn't want a playoff to come in -- the network has spent millions of dollars to televise the winner-take-all BCS title game. Personally, I like the BCS system better than a playoff format. The BCS should stay, with maybe a minor tweak of the formula as time goes on.

Q: After Nebraska's win over the Sooners, did you ride the mechanical bull like you said you would? -- Tyler Grassmeyer, Lincoln, Neb.
CORSO
-- Yes, I did. About 200 people went with me, mostly students, and some people took some photos. They put a red wig on me, and that bull shook me around so hard the wig came off. Some guys were spotting me, but I didn't come close to falling off! Sure, I rode that bull, because I gave that kid my word.







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