6A
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
---
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2004
BCS ranking surprise Miami at No.2 for 2004
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Southern California took the top spot Monday in the season's first Bowl Championship Series standings, and surprisingly Miami is ahead of Oklahoma in a close race for the second spot.
Oklahoma is No. 2 behind USC in both The Associated Press Top 25 and coaches' poll. Put in place after last season's split national championship, the new BCS formula relies more on the human polls than ever before.
"I think it's obviously very early," BCS coordinator and Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg said. "It's important that there not be an overreaction to this poll."
Still, even Weiberg was taken aback by Miami's position ahead of Oklahoma.
"I think I was a little surprised to tell you the truth," he said.
The AP and coaches' polls each count for one-third of a team's total score in the BCS standings. The other third is made up of a compilation of six computer rankings, and that's where Miami made up the difference over the Sooners. The Hurricanes are ranked fourth in the AP media poll and third in the coaches poll, but have the second-most points in the computer rankings.
"Our philosophy is that the only thing we can control is how we play," Miami coach Larry Coker said. "We firmly believe that if we play well and win, our rankings in the polls and the BCS will reflect this and that we will be rewarded for those efforts. Because we have been named the No. 2 team in the first BCS standings, our job now is to respond and move forward."
Oklahoma, which benefited from the old system last season, was fifth in the computer rankings. Each team's highest and lowest computer ranking is tossed out before an average is reached.
Weiberg said that Oklahoma was probably hurt in the computer rankings by having played only one road game.
"I think it's obviously very early. It's
important that there not be an overreaction to this poll."
"Several of them use a home.
Kevin Weiberg BCS coordinator and Big 12 commissioner
and-away factor in their formula so I think it has some influence, yes," he said.
Oklahoma has one victory over a ranked team (Texas), while Miami has two (Florida State and Louisville), which also sways computer rankings, Weiberg said.
The Orange Bowl will host the top two teams in the final BCS standings on Jan. 4 for the national title.
USC, No. 1 in each of the major polls all season, has a big lead in the BCS with a score of .9912 out of a possible 1.000. Miami's score is .9187, while Oklahoma graded out to .9161.
Auburn is fourth with a score of 9036. Florida State (.8072), with one loss, is fifth ahead of unbeatens Wisconsin (.7255) and Utah (.7251).
The Utes, ranked ninth in the AP poll and 10th in the ESPN/USA Today poll, are in position to become the first team from outside the six major conferences to earn a bid to one of the four big-ticket BCS games.
The champions from the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, Pac-10 and Southeastern Conference make up six of the eight teams in the four BCS games — the Orange, Sugar, Rose and Fiesta bowls. The other two spots go to wildcard teams.
Finishing in the top six in the BCS standings also guarantees a team a BCS bowl bid. A top-12 ranking in the final BCS standings is necessary to be eligible for one of the wild-card spots.
Utah plays in the Mountain West Conference and has a 3-0 record this season against teams from BCS conferences.
Boise State, the other unbeaten team from a mid-major conference, is 14th in the first BCS standings.
The BCS changed its formula for determining which teams play for the national title after last season, when USC finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in both polls, but third in the BCS standings and was left out of the title game.
Oklahoma reached the title game last season because of flaws in the old BCS formula. The Sooners lost the Big 12 title game and dropped to No. 3 in the major polls, but still finished first in the BCS standings. They were beaten in the Sugar Bowl by LSU, which was voted No. 1 in the coaches' poll. USC ended up No. 1 in the media poll.
Under the system in place this season, LSU and USC would have played in the Sugar Bowl last season. In the past, results from the AP and coaches' polls were averaged, then factored in with the other components — a formula that lessened the significance of the polls.
BCS officials scaled down the formula this season, eliminating elements such as bonus points for quality wins and strength of schedule, which was considered redundant because computers and poll voters already take that into account.
Also, for the first time, the BCS formula takes into account the number of votes a team receives in the major polls and not just its ranking.
The goal was to simplify the system and better reflect what are the consensus top two teams in the country.
USC and Oklahoma have been one and two, respectively, in the polls since the preseason. The Trojans hold a substantial lead over the Sooners in both polls, and Oklahoma is comfortably No. 2 in both.
CONTINUED FROM 10A
SWANSON: May start Saturday
3. 652 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Swanson came to Kansas at the beginning of the spring semester last year and spent the spring working out with the team and trying to adjust to the physical changes of Division I football, as compared to junior college ball.
He said the biggest difference was the speed of the opposing defenses.
"We had a good team, and people weren't really fast," Swanson said. "Everyone here is a world-class athlete."
After his heroics against the Wildcats, Swanson still brings the same laid-back attitude that drives Mangino nuts to practice, even though he knows the better he plays, the more likely he is to start this Saturday.
"I'm just working hard, still being my relaxed self, trying to do my job as best I can," Swanson said.
For Swanson, the question of which quarterback will start doesn't really matter. Those decisions are left to the coaches.
"I'm going to keep on going like I'm going," Swanson said. "I'm not going to worry about it too much."
Most of Swanson's teammates seem to have the same attitude toward who will be taking the snaps this weekend. All say the same thing when asked who they would like to see throwing the passes. Even senior tight end Lyonel Anderson, who is usually on the receiving end of several passes, sees little distinction between Barmann and Swanson.
Kansas File Photo
They're both great guys and
Kansas quarterback Jack Swanson looks past Kansas State linebacker Brandon Archer before passing the ball downfield.
great quarterbacks," he said. "They both will get the job done."
—Edited by Ryan Greene
FLU: Athletes defend against flu
CONTINUED FROM 10A
noses, not to touch their mouths and noses and stay home if they are sick.
"We're going to keep hitting that message of hygiene," Thrasher said. "We're all in this together. We don't want to get sick, and we don't want to get other people sick."
The limited number of vaccines narrowed the amount of people receiving flu shots to those considered in a high-risk group. This group includes children, adults older than 65, individuals with chronic medical conditions, residents of long-term care facilities, out-of-home caregivers and pregnant women.
"It's not a matter of having the money or needing people to get it," Magee said. "The vaccine is just out there."
Thrasher said the risk groups apply the same to athletes as to the general public.
Unless something drastically changes with the supply, most players probably will not get vaccinated. Magee said.
The Athletics Department does not require athletes to get flu vaccinations, although it strongly encourages it.
— Edited by Steve Vockrodt
HOYER: Mangino's shadow
"I know this sounds silly, just being a manager, but it's as frustrating for us as it is for the players," Hoyer said. "We're only four plays away from being 6-0. It's frustrating."
CONTINUED FROM 10A
Athletics have been a part of Hoyer's life since she was young. She played softball and basketball in high school, and even explored playing softball at a community college. Ultimately, though, she decided she wanted to come to the University and get a degree in athletic training.
Hoyer, who graduated in May, became a certified athletic trainer in August.
To become certified, students
must graduate from an accredited program. Hoyer's class is the first group to graduate from the University since it has been accredited. Students also must pass a three-part exam, which Hoyer passed in August.
There are 13 equipment managers for Kansas football; each is assigned to a different assistant coach. Overseeing all of them is Jeff Heinz, the full-time equipment manager.
"We're in charge of everything the players wear and everything the players do in practice," Heinz said.
Heinz said that it is not uncommon for managers to stay with the team for long periods of time.
"I rarely have people who quit," Heinz said. "I think they enjoy hanging out with the players and coaches."
Mangino and Hoyer have developed a good relationship in the three years that he has been in Lawrence. In fact, it is advice from Mangino which has Hoyer pursuing her master's degree in sports administration.
Of course, if that does not work out, Hoyer does have a backup plan.
"He told me to get my master's in sports admin, and then become an associate A.D.," Hover said.
"I told coach Mangino I was still going to be carrying around his headset when I'm 80."
— Edited by Steve Vockrodt
-