what we heard
"The system is what it is and we can't control it. We feel we have more than earned our way into this game and don't have to apologize to anybody." Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables after the Sooners were chosen to play LSU in the national title game, despite the fact that USC is the top-ranked team in both polls
monday, december 8, 2003
off the bench
the university daily kansan 7A
Two national champions likely
The Associated Press
College football fans, get ready to crown not just one, but possibly two national champions.
And get ready for a new round of controversy.
It's exactly what the Bowl Championship Series was designed to avoid, with the prospect of a split title certain to renew cries for a playoff.
That's because the computer rankings had Oklahoma as the country's top team yesterday while the human poll voters picked Southern California.
Despite getting walloped by Kansas State 35-7 on Saturday night, Oklahoma will take its 12-1 record to the Sugar Bowl against LSU, which won the Southeastern Conference championship by beating Georgia 34-13.
ing Google's The winner in New Orleans on Jan. 4 automatically captures the coaches' title under BCS format.
USC, which finished third in the BCS rankings, could win The Associated Press championship by beating No. 4 Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
"We're the No. 1 team in the country and we'll do everything we can to hold that spot." USC coach Pete Carroll said. "If we win that football game, we feel like we'll be the No. 1 team in the country regardless of what that other bowl is called."
The No. 1 team in the AP poll has never dropped after winning its bowl game.
The BCS was started in 1998 to create a national title game without playoffs.
When the BCS contract expires after the 2005 season, a one-game championship might be instituted after the bowls.
That would be too late to fix this year's mess.
"Unfortunately, there seems to be three teams that people would like to see and the system can't satisfy three teams," LSU coach Nick Saban said. "Unfortunately we can't have all three teams because we don't have a playoff."
In the final BCS standings, Oklahoma was first with 5.11 points based on its top spot in five of the seven computers, the 11th-toughest schedule and a quality win over Texas. The Sooners were third in both polls.
"The system is what it is and we can't control it," Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "We feel we have more than earned our way into this game and don't have to apologize to anybody."
LSU (12-1) was second with 5.99, edging out USC (11-1) by 0.16 in the second closest finish in the six-year history of the BCS. Nebraska beat Colorado by 0.05 in 2001.
The Trojans got 79 of the 128 first-place votes in the polls but finished third in five computers because of a weak Pac-10 schedule.
LSU was second in the polls and six computers and edged out USC based on a tougher schedule. LSU and USC were each picked first in one computer.
The rigers' spot in the title game wasn't assured until Boise State beat Hawaii at 3 a.m. EST yesterday. The Trojans' strength of schedule was hurt because they beat Hawaii in September.
The dream matchup for the Rose Bowl, a traditional pairing of Big Ten and Pac-10 champions with national title implications, is the doomsday scenario for the BCS.
It's the third time in four seasons that a team in the top two in the polls didn't make it to the BCS title game. The BCS avoided disaster those years because No. 1 Oklahoma beat Florida State in the 2001 Orange Bowl and No. 1 Miami beat Nebraska in the 2002 Rose Bowl.
The No. 2 teams in the polls won their bowl games those years and could have won the AP title if the top-ranked teams lost. The only way to avoid a disputed finish this year is if Michigan (10-2) beats USC.
"I know there's controversy but that comes with the system," Carroll said. "Until a playoff that's what will happen."
There was talk two years ago when Nebraska made the title game without winning the Big 12 to make a winning a conference a requirement to make the championship game. There are sure to be more calls for that change because of Oklahoma.
"With the events this year, we'd be foolish if we didn't look at it again in the spring," said Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese, who runs the BCS.
The other BCS matchups have No. 10 Miami (10-2) playing No. 9 Florida State (10-2) in a rematch from the regular season in the Orange Bowl and No. 8 Kansas State (11-3) facing No. 7 Ohio State (10-2) in the Fiesta Bowl.
Champions of the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC qualify for a BCS game. Oklahoma and Ohio State were picked as at-large teams.
Despite the controversy, there are still two intriguing matchups.
First up is USC-Michigan on Jan. 1 in the seventh Rose Bowl meeting between the schools. The game features two high-powered offenses. USC is sixth in the nation in scoring at 42.2 points per game and Michigan is ninth at 37.2.
Quarterback Matt Leinart leads a balanced offense for the Trojans, which features game-breaking receivers in Mike Williams, Keary Colbert and Steve Smith and a dangerous running duo of Reggie Bush and LenDale White. Michigan is led by quarterback John Navarre, who has delivered his biggest games against the best opponents this year. The Wolverines also have talented receivers in Braylon Edwards, Jason Avant and Steve Breaston, and a top running back in Chris Perry. Three days later, LSU will play Oklahoma in what will almost be a home game for the Tigers at the Superdome in New Orleans, a short drive from LSU's campus.
Kansas athletics calendar
Men's Basketball vs. Fort Hays State University 7 p.m. Allen Fieldhouse
Wednesday
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Hey, Roy, sweet sweater vest.
Keith Langford, your column brightens my
day.
If you are not a personal friend of Wayne Simien and you know his car then you are probably his stalker.
Basketball,smashketball.
I have often dreamed about plugging Wayne Simien's parking meter.
So the basketball players are normal people, not celebrities. Can we get over that please? Good luck guys.
This paper is weak without Langford's anti-
try.
try.
David Padgett milks my ice cream. He scrambles my eggs. He pops my popcorn. I
Saturday
Men's Basketball vs. Oregon Feist Shootout 1 p.m. Kemper Arena, Kansas City, Mo.
Women's Basketball vs. Ball State 7 p.m.
Allen Fieldhouse
don't know if I am hungry or horny.
+
J. R. Giddens looks like Master P.
To whoever said that about Jeremy Case in Friday's paper: You are stupid, and Jeremy is going to hit it.
try.
Why are we losing to Stanford? We suck.
If Jeff Hawkins is supposed to shoot three pointers and he doesn't make them, then why is he playing?
There is three minutes left in the Kansas game and we are down by one point. My heart is beating really fast. No matter what happens I will always love you Simien. You
Worst officiating ever.
This is not KU basketball that I am watching.
This just sucks.
This just
Aaron Miles I am starting to lose respect for you each and every time. Pass the ball. You
are no good.
Is it just me or does J.R. Giddens look like the Smart Guy?
Jeff Graves, stop fouling.
Where is the fast break?
I am watching the K-State-Oklahoma game and I don't know who to cheer for. I hate K-State. I hate Oklahoma. I hate K-State, but I hate Oklahoma. Man, this decision is harder than taking organic chemistry.
Denver demolishes Kansas City; Portis unstoppable
The Associated Press
DENVER — Clinton Portis is getting better every week, keeping the Denver Broncos in the playoff hunt.
Portis had 218 yards and a teamrecord five touchdowns, leading Denver to a wild 45-27 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday that kept the Broncos within reach of their first playoff appearance in three years.
Portis impressed teammates with a 34-carry,170-yard game in the rain last week against Oakland,but was even better this time.
He had touchdown runs of 11 and 1 yards in the first half, then added scores
of 59, 28 and 53 yards in the second to turn the game into a rout. Portis had 188 yards after halftime and finished with his fifth consecutive 100-yard game — third straight with at least 160 yards.
Portis' effort helped Denver (8-5) tie Miami for the final AFC playoff spot and prevented Kansas City (11-2) from winning its first division title since 1997.
rent Green threw for 397 yards and Priest Holmes scored two touchdowns, but the Chiets struggled after a big first half to lose for the second time in four weeks after a 9-0 start.
sions in the first half, and kept rolling in the second.
Denver scored on three of four posses-
The Broncos opened with a 78-yard scoring drive, capped by Reuben Droughs' 3-yard touchdown catch that put the Broncs up 24-21.
Portis took over from there.
He broke free up the middle on Denver's next drive, freezing safety Jerome Woods with a move around the 30 before going in for a 59-yard touchdown.
Portis seemed to be bottled up at the line on Denver's next drive, but waited for the hole to open and burst through for a 28-yard touchdown.
He completed the rout on Denver's next play from scrimmage, going off left
tackle on a 53-yard touchdown that put the Broncos up 45-21.
The second half was a contrast to the first, when the teams traded scores as though it was an Arena League game.
Portis opened the game with an 11-yard touchdown run off left tackle on Denver's first drive, which was kept alive by a penalty on fourth down at Kansas City's 46-vard line.
The Chiefs answered quickly, moving 66 yards in 13 plays for Holmes' 2-yard touchdown run.
Portis put the Broncos back up on the next drive, bulling his way for a 1-yard touchdown.
Kansas City had an answer, of course.
scoring on Holmes' 1-yard dive over the top. Hall set it up with a 61-yard kickoff return to Denver's 36.
Then something odd happened: Denver had to kick a field goal. Jason Elam's 47-varder made it 17-14.
Kansas City followed with a 42-yard touchdown pass from Green to Eddie Kennison, who rankled the Broncos earlier in the week by predicting a Chiefs win and criticizing coach Mike Shanahan.
Kennison celebrated by winding up for a windmill spike behind the end zone, but it was Kansas City's final points until Green scored on a 1-yard run with two seconds left.
Missouri will take on Arkansas in Independence Bowl
The Associated Press
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri will make its first bowl appearance in five years, playing Arkansas in the Independence Bowl on New Year's Eve.
"I've asked an awful lot of my players in the three years that we've been here," Pinkel said. "It's nice to see it pay off a little bit."
The Tigers (8-4) return to a bowl game in their third season under coach Gary Pinkel, who said the game was the reward for his players' hard work.
"This year is a huge statement of development and progress for our football program," said Ed Stewart, associate athletic director. Football really drives the engine in college athletics. It's tremendous for our coaching staff, tremendous for our kids. It's a remarkable experience."
It's only the Tigers' fourth bowl game in the past two decades. Missouri played in the Holiday Bowl in 1983 and 1997, then in the Insight.com Bowl in 1998.
The announcement was hardly a surprise as officials had said the Independence Bowl was all but a certainty for the Tigers leading up to yesterday.
Pinkel said he hadn't had a chance to look at the tape much, but did see one of the Razorbacks' early season victories.
The teams even exchanged film last week, anxious to start preparing for the game.
"They beat Texas, I know that," Pinkel said. "That got my attention fast."
Missouri has won two of the three
games between the teams over the years. The Tigers beat Arkansas 7-6 in 1963, lost 7-6 to the Razorbacks in 1944 and won 11-0 in 1906.
It's the second Independence Bowl for Arkansas, which lost 25-14 to Georgia in the 1991 game.
The game will feature two rushheavy teams. Missouri averages 236 rushing yards and 167 passing yards per game, while Arkansas rushes for 237 yards and passes for 198 yards per game.
Missouri center A.J. Ricker, a senior, said he was looking forward to finishing his career with his first bowl game.
Krupica said Missouri fits the mold of teams the Independence Bowl has been trying to lure.
"Our leadership really refocused on how we got where we got growing this bowl game, and that's picking people on the way up, just like Mizzou," Krupica said.
The Independence Bowl is sponsored by MainStay.
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