European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 19, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 36 the stars and stripes sports 1 Friday november 19.1993 by Jeff siia1n United press International remember the Good of Days when the Way to determine a National Champion was to take the two top undefeated teams if available and match them up in a bowl game it was All so easy then. You earned your shot at a National title by winning All your games in the regular season. If you stumbled and lost you prayed everybody else in the country would stub their toes at least once so maybe maybe a your loss  look As bad As anybody else a. Otherwise see a next year. Now its turned into a political Campaign shamelessly stumping for votes and rallying support. Not that it Wasny to that Way before of course but nothing so blatant As the performance put on by Florida states Matt Frier after the Seminole so 31-24 loss. A please give us the Chance a Frier begged writers a several of whom vote in the associated press poll a in the flu locker room. A we deserve another shot at it. That was too Good a football game not to have a  ugh. Break omit the Straw hats and Campaign buttons. Next thing you know accusations will surface that de Rollins used $50,000 in a Street Money to suppress support for Florida state in the coaches poll. Sorry. Florida state had its Opportunity. There should be no second chances especially with other Quality teams waiting in the wings. Nebraska is sitting no. 3, needing Only to beat Oklahoma next week to Complete its regular season at 11 -0. West Virginia also has a Chance to finish with a perfect Mark though it faces a Battle with games remaining against Miami and Boston College. And Auburn will finish 11-0 if it beats Alabama on saturday prompting some to believe the tigers deserve consideration despite being under Mcaa sanctions. Under the old system you could have taken unbeaten no. 1 and paired it against unbeaten no 3 Ana Call it a National championship game once beaten no. 2vbe damned. In fact that a exactly what the fiesta bowl did five years ago when it pitted top ranked notre Dame against no. 3 West Virginia in a Battle of unbeaten. No. 2 Miami was left in the cold that year despite its Only loss coming in a 31-30 setback to notre Dame when the hurricanes two Point conversion pass with 45 seconds left was knocked Down in the end zone. Miami had its Chance it was time to give West Virginia its Opportunity. But thanks to the current system set up by the bowl coalition an unbeaten Nebraska or West Virginia very Likely will be shut ii a commentary fee Prim seminoles Bobby Bowden. A got his butt beat out of the debate without even getting to the podium. That a because their agreement mandates that no. 1 must play no. 2 if the matchup can be arranged even if it produces a rematch or shuts out an unbeaten team for a once beaten that is ranked higher. Why should Florida state receive special dispensation would the voters be demanding a rematch if it was the seminoles batting away a notre Dame pass on the goal line to preserve a seven Point win some conspiracy theorists have speculated that there is overwhelming sentiment particularly among the writers to do everything possible to give Seminole coach Bobby Bowden the National championship he so narrowly has missed. Quot All of a sudden for the last three or four years its this a lets do it for Bobby mental so Iowa state coach Jim Wal in said. A the got his butt beat. Why should notre Dame have to regroup arid do it All Over again a actually the argument is starting to make a lot of sense. Writers like anybody else have their biases. And Bowden one of the most accessible and quotable coaches in the game ranks High on most everybody a list. Then there is the anti Nebraska sentiment expressed so Elo gently by the Washington Ostus Michael Wilbon a a it a a Good thing i no longer have a vote a he wrote. A a in a make sure personally Nebraska had no Chance of fouling up the National championship picture by voting the a huskers say no. 68. A How Many voters share his thinking How Many May be dropping Nebraska a couple extra notches to help ensure the Cor huskers get no shot i know of one a panellist who voted Tennessee at 7-1-1 a third ahead of Nebraska. Most of the complaints against Nebraska have to do with their six straight bowl losses although every one of them came to an opponent that finished either no. 1 or no 2 in the final ratings. Besides that a like punishing a son for the sins of the father. The fact is the Cor huskers have beaten As Many top 25 of Ken ends three this year As Ore Dame or Ohio state and one More than Florida Tennes see and Texas a amp a have combined. And Only one of those wins came at Home a Nebraska beat Urcla at Pasadena and Colorado in Boulder. What happens if All three teams run the table through the final weeks Florida state knocks off notre Dame in the fiesta bowl and Nebraska hammers the Miami West Virginia Winner in the Orange bowl Florida state and notre Dame will both stand at 11-1, with their series even 1-1, and Nebraska winds up the Only 12-0 team in the land. Would voters turn to the Cor huskers despite the fact they themselves shut Nebraska out of a showdown of upbeat ens or would they finally Grant Bobby Bowden his overdue tonal title despite a loss just like in the movies some sequels never should be made. Notre Dame Florida state ii belongs in this category. Of course there is another Way to solve the Issue but nobody in charge seems to want to consider it. Its called a playoff. Biggest game boosts mania Morgantown . A students Camp out overnight in the rain for a Chance at a handful of tickets left for West Virginia football games. Its a weird scene at a school with a 63,500-seat stadium and Only 20,000 students. Saddled by a Coal miners strike and High unemployment the state of West Virginia has gone bonkers Over its unbeaten team. And on sat urday the no. 9 mountaineers 9-0 Are preparing to Host no. 4 Miami 8-1. A i think its the biggest game of the whole programs history of 103 years a alumni director Steve Douglas said. A a in be had Calls this morning from Honolulu Las vegas new York. In be been in the alumni business for 11 years and this is the hardest ticket in be Ever had to try to get for  besides a Chance at a big bowl game saturday brings an Opportunity for True recognition. A this place is going to go crazy on saturday a West Virginia Sophomore Trey Eno said. A a everybody a looking Forward to it. To earn respect. A like this morning i was watching esp. They did a rundown of All the College games and they started with the top 10, and they did no to even show highlights with our game last  not since West Virginia beat Syracuse to finish an 11-0 season in 1988 has there been such excitement for a game in Morgantown. A statewide radio advertisement Calls on Mountaineer fans to attend a Friday night Pep rally. On wednesday callers jammed phone lines at a Charleston radio station that was giving away two tickets. Even West Virginia football Secre tary Lori Rice is having trouble. A i told my daughter i  get her tickets for this game a Rice said. A she said a that Sall right ill stand outside until halftime then walk in. In a not sure id want my children in this crowd especially if we  in route to Virginia still by Rick Warner a football writer Auburn and West Virginia have been searching for respect All season. If they win their next games  get it. Both undefeated teams face their toughest tests saturday. Sixth ranked Auburn plays no. 11 Alabama in the Southeastern conference and no. 9 West Virginia meets no. 4 Miami in the big East. Although Auburn 10-0 and West Virginia 9-0 Are ing at Home the tigers Are Only a 1-Point favorite and the mountaineers Are a 5vi-Point underdog. That a understandable considering that Alabama is the defending National Champion and Miami has won four titles in the last 10 years. Alabama is going to the Sec championship game on dec. 4, but Auburn is barred from postseason play because of Mcaa probation. So the always intense game will mean even More to the tigers who Are playing Alabama at Home for Only the second time since the series started in 1892. Auburn has made a remarkable turnaround under first year coach Terry Bowden who took Over a team that had posted consecutive five win seasons. The tigers done to have any superstars or Eye popping stats but they find a Way to win. Alabama 8-1-1 has struggled since quarterback Jay Barker Hurt his shoulder against Mississippi on oct. 23. Barker who is 23-0-1 As a starter will play against Auburn but the tide will still struggle. Auburn 21-17. West Virginia is off to it Best Start since 1988, when it lost to notre Dame in the fiesta bowl. But the mountaineers Haven to played anyone like Miami 8-1which must win to keep alive its slim Hopes of another National title. West Virginia a Jake Kelchner the nations leading passer is expected to play after missing last weeks game against Temple with a strained hamstring. However he May get banged up again by Miami a aggressive defense which is giving up Only 12 Points a game. Miami 28-21. No. 17 Boston College plus 1414 at no. 1 notre Dame Irish beat eagles 54-7 last year. Notre Dame 44-24. College predictions North Carolina St. Plus 3114 at no. 2 Florida St. Seminoles have won 15 straight acc games. Florida St. 45-10 no. 5 Ohio St. Plus 1 at Michigan buckeyes Haven to beaten wolverines since 1987michigan 21-17. No 7 Tennessee minus 16 at Kentucky vols Haven to lost Sec game in november since 1984 Tennessee 28-21. Vanderbilt plus 23 at no. 8 Florida gators Clinch trip to Sec title game. Florida 42-10. No. 10 Texas a amp a minus 25 at Texas Christian aggie have won 20 straight Over thu. Texas a amp a 44-17. No. 12 Wisconsin minus Ivi at Illinois badgers Lead big ten in total offence. Wisconsin 24-21. No. 14 Penn St. Minus 1714 at Northwestern first meeting Between the schools. Penn St. 3814. No. 16 Urcla no line at no. 22 Southern Cal Winner goes to Rose bowl. Southern Cal 24-21. No 18 Colorado minus 16 at Iowa St. Buffaloes have won nine straight Over cyclones. Colorado 34-17. No. 20 Kansas St. Minus 6v4 at Oklahoma St. Wildcats heading for second bowl in school history. Kansas St. 27-14. 7 Purdue plus 13 at no. 21 Indiana hoosiers win old Oaken bucket. Indiana 24-10. No. 25 Virginia tech plus 5�4 at no. 23 Virginia five of ast sex against homies. Virginia 45-38. _ no. 24 Clemson minus 1 at South Carolina 1987amcc emron\7-Hten tigers in co Umbria since last week 13-7 straight 9-8 spread. Season 157-39 straight 89-81 spread