Conference 7.286::sports_90

    I agree that the Big-8 is now a cut below the major powerhouses. It
    dident used to be this way but Nebraska, CU, and the Okie's are about
    15 years behind times. They dont pass well and cant defend against the
    pass. These Big-8 teams have good athletes but their schemes are way
    to one-dimentional. See notes 27.29 through 27.31.
    
    Eventually the Big-8 powers will modernize. The Huskers will be back -
    you can bet the house on it.
    
    The final polls will be a joke no matter how it comes out.
    FSU is playing the best ball in the country. They would have beat
    anyone Monday.
    
    Both ND and Miami have equal claim to #1. Miami will get it but it's a
    joke. A playoff is obviously needed.
    
    
    						Nebraska Marty

    	The 2 best teams in the nation are in Florida. The polls will
    place them 1 and 3, but it's a tossup between Miami and FSU. The
    early losses for FSU did them in, because they've played like the
    high caliber team they are since then.

	My top 10

	1. Florida State
	2. Miami
	3. Notre Dame
	4. Colorado
	5. Auburn
	6. Tennessee
	7. Michigan
	8. Illinois
	9. Alabama
       10. Southern California

    How can you have a team with two losses at #1?

    
    Can't understand how you can say that the 'Canes potential for a #1
    ranking is a "joke". They beat up on Notre Dame in head to head
    competition. 
    
    FSU lost the right to #1 on the opening day of the season with a loss 
    to Southern Mississippi. They followed it up the next week with an 
    equally impotent effort against Clemson. Yes, they beat the 'Canes, but
    by then it was over. 
    
    Given the choices between Miami and Notre Dame, Miami is the one. There
    are a lot of good teams out there with two losses along with Florida
    State. A playoff may be needed, but given the fact that there isn't
    one, and even Bobby Bowden has opposed one for a long time, I don't
    believe a #1 ranking by either ND or Miami is a "joke". 

    
    Also of note on the Miami/FSU matchup, Miami played the game with a
    freshman QB (Gino Terelli) and turned the ball over 6 or 7 times...
    A couple of them coming in FSU territory.....
    
    1. Miami
    2. FSU
    3. Notre Dame
    4. USC
    5. Auburn
    6. Penn St.
    7. Illinois
    8. Michigan
    9. Tennesse
    10. Clemsuck
    
    mike

    re .4
    
    FSU is #1 because they are the best team in the country at this point.
    They also have the longest winning streak of any MAJOR team. Ten!
    
    If Miami can't win its STATE championship it doesn't deserve to be
    National Champs!
    
     1. FSU
     2. Miami
     3. Alabama
        Auburn
        Tennessee
     6. Notre Dame
     7. Nebraska
     8. Colorado
     9. Arkansas
    10. Michigan
        USC
    

    Miami is clearly the #1 team.
    
    1) Miami
    2) Notre Dame
    3) Colorado
    4) FSU
    5) Tenn
    6) Michigan
    7) USC
    8) Ill
    9) Aurburn
    10) Alabama
    

    FSU has two losses.  Head to head records are used only as a tie
    breaker, and although they "might" be the best in the land right now,
    those two early losses are just that, two losses.  If ND had played a
    better game against Miami a month ago, they'd have a better chance of
    being #1, but I'd vote for Miami.
    
    					Steve
    
    1. Miami
    2. ND
    3. FSU
    4. Alabama
    5. Colorado

	I suppose all of you suggesting that a team with 1 loss must
	be selected before a team with 2 losses also were picking BYU
	a few years ago because they were unbeaten while Washington had
	only one loss.  Am I right ?

    
    
     The team with the best record should be NO.1 since you don't include
    the toughness of schedule not on guessing.Notre Dame should schedule
    very weak,be undefieted beat a top ten team a win national
    championship.Like miami did.
    
    There are better way of determining champion then by opion.
    
    1. N.D.   12-1
    2. Mia    11-1
    3. COL    11-1
    4. TEN    11-1
    5. fla    10-2
    6. ALA    10-2
    7. AUB    10-2
    8. MIC    10-2
    9. ARK    10-2
    10. ILL   10-2
    
    
    
    In other words it's all politics. We need a better system of crowning
    a champ.
    
            jim
    

Florida state deserves #1.

they won't get it but they deserve it. IMHO they are the best team in the 
country right now. Unfortunately the college system relies too much on what 
the team did the 1st week of the season instead of where they are at the end
of the season.

In the Pros you can lose as many games as you want to during the season as long
as you make it into the playoffs. Losing your first 7 and winning your next 9
would get you in as weel as winning your first 9 and losing you last 7. All that
matters in the end is the last game of the season...The Super Bowl...

In the college game if you lose 2 then you are pretty much out of the race. It
doesn't matter what you do over the rest of the season. You can improve all
season and become a powerhouse by the end of the season but the college system
doesn't take this into consideration....

It's a shame.....


Metz

    
    I'm surprised to see Alabama ranking so high with some of you guys. 
    Auburn is clearly the superior team in that state.
    
    In spite of Marty's rantings, the selection of Miami by the polls
    cannot be considered a joke.  Florida State may or may not be the best
    team right now, but the point is moot.  Coach Bowden has got to start
    using those early season tune-up games with the likes of So.
    Mississippi as just that, to get ready for the tougher competition,
    instead of digging such a hole for himself.  Yes, I would favor a 
    four team post-bowl playoff, which would preserve the importance of 
    the bowls and also ensure that only *the best* after the bowls have 
    a chance.  But until that time, with few exceptions, I think the
    pollsters are generally honest with themselves and select a fair
    champion.
    
    My final top 5:
    
    1. Miami
    2. Notre Dame
    3. Florida State
    4. Colorado
       Auburn (tough call between these two)
    
    
    glenn
    

RE .9
    
    >FSU has two losses.  Head to head records are used only as a tie
    >breaker, and although they "might" be the best in the land right now,
    >those two early losses are just that, two losses.  
    
    I see.  Where does one get a copy of this "official" rating system?
    
    So, if FSU had scored 5 more point against Southern Mississippi
    you would vote them National Champs?
    
    Bob V.
    

       No way I'd even consider ND #1 after the beating they took from
    Miami.
    1. Miami
    2. FSU
    3. ND
    4. Colorado
      After #4 it's a crap shoot.
                                         denny

Who should be number 1, Miami!!!.  Who do I think is number one in my
mind if a playoff determined the outcome - Florida St.  I thought I
was watching the 49ers yesterday!  But Who do I really think should
be number one - Alabama for covering the 9 point spread with that touchdown
and two point conversion.  Thanks Bill Curry - my bank account thanks
you also.
    
Greg
                    

    re: fsu backers
    
    why are they playing better football then miami at this point ???
    
    they beat an injured miami team at mid season, then a healthier
    miami dominated nd, the undefeated defending national champs.
    
    if fsu played miami yesterday miami would have won easily. 

    
    Mr. Rollins_R, not me I base my vote for Miami over FSU on the facts
    that Miami was hurt, turned the ball over numerously and definately
    has the better defense as well as special teams. Offenses are pretty
    even with Miami having the better running game.
    
    FSU and Miami games have been wars the last few years and Miami took
    them all before this year. FSU was at home and due. On a nuteral
    field Miami would win 
    
    mike

    
    Geez, guys, I think Steve was using the 2-loss thing as a guideline,
    not proposing an official rating system.  He's only using the same
    logic that about 90% of the pollsters are going to use when they fill
    out their ballots, and the same logic that's been used for years.
    
    The final polls are designed to pick the best team over the course of a
    season, with the voting weighted more heavily towards the end of the
    schedule (note Michigan's pre-bowl ranking ahead of Notre Dame), which
    is fair.  It is *not* used to predict who would win a playoff based on
    a one-game sample consisting of New Year's Day bowl games.  Florida
    State may or may not be the best team in the country based on the
    largest margin of victory in yesterday's games.  The competition might
    have had something to do with it.  They didn't look that awesome to me
    in their season finale with Florida, certainly not as good as
    Washington did against the Gators in the Freedom Bowl.  And how could a 
    team that good have lost to So. Mississippi and Clemson under *any* 
    circumstances, anyways?  In lieu of a four team playoff, which I feel 
    would be ideal, you've got to use the entire season and not just the 
    final few games to rank the teams.
    
    glenn 
                                      

    You guys who are rating Florida State ahead of ND and Miami are
    overrating the Seminoles on their battering of a poor Nebraska team
    and a victory at home against a Miami team missing its starting
    QB. 
    
    �Based on season long accomplishments,I would choose ND,but when
    there is a tossup between two once beaten teams,I have to choose
    Miami because they convincingly beat ND.
    
    BTW, who did Auburn lose to besides Tennessee? Very few teams were
    better than the Tigers the last part of the season?Since Oklahoma
    won the national  title for the 1985 season,the polls have been
    completely dominated by the independents.
    
    1986-Penn State and Miami 1-2
    1987-Miami #1
    1988-ND,Miami,FSU 1-2-3
    1989-Miami,ND,FSU 1-2-3
    could have looked like:
    
        
    
    

    Thanks, Glenn.  That's exactly the logic I was using.  The way college
    football is set up (in my mind anyway), it's similar to major league 
    baseball, where only the 1st place teams make the playoffs.  In
    baseball a loss in  April is just as damaging as a loss in September.
    In college football, a loss in September is as damaging as a loss in
    November.
    
    I think we sometimes confuse college football with various pro sports
    where the team that is peaking at the end of the season usually takes home 
    the bacon.
    
    					Steve 

>    Thanks, Glenn.  That's exactly the logic I was using.  The way college
>    football is set up (in my mind anyway), it's similar to major league 
>    baseball, where only the 1st place teams make the playoffs.  In
>    baseball a loss in  April is just as damaging as a loss in September.
>    In college football, a loss in September is as damaging as a loss in
>    November.
    
>    I think we sometimes confuse college football with various pro sports
>    where the team that is peaking at the end of the season usually takes home 
>    the bacon.
    
     Who says that a loss in September is as damaging as a loss in November ?
     Who says what are the criteria by which the polls should be decided ?
     Actually, as far as I have been able to determine, there are NO stated
     criteria for favoring or eliminating a team as the top choice.  I think
     that, based on what I have seen, the top football team in the country is
     Florida State.  I believe they would have little problem beating either
     Miami or Notre Dame, at this point, and should be voted number one.

     Now, I don't expect this to happen, but there's no good reason why it
     shouldn't.

FSU will not get a nod here, that seems more than obvious. However, I would not
be surprized to see a two way tie here. I believe this has happened before.

Miami and ND appear to be equal to me. Miami beat ND, which could possibly
give them the upperhand...In other words, I would be more surprised to see
ND rated number one, before Miami. However, I really think that ND's strength
of schedule has to be considered. They played several opponents that were 
either top ranked teams, or subsequent Bowl picks (and winners). They played
a much more difficult schedule (especially as an independant) than Miami.
For that reason, I'd rate this a tie.

Personally I'm a USC and PITT fan, so I'm just a plain old happy camper
this week....

-Mike

    Miami is Numero Uno.  'Nuff said.
    
    Last year Miami was clearly a superior team to ND yet they finished
    2nd by virtue of their tainted loss to ND.  ND deserved to be number
    1 last year, as they finished with a perfect record.
    
    This year, Miami was again a superior team, and showed it both in
    the Alabama game and the ND game earlier this season.
    
    The class of college football is clearly in the state of Florida.
    
    Congrats, Hurricanes, for a superb season!
    
    Mark.

           
    Does anyone know the complete results of all Bowls?  Did CU outgain
    the Irish?(like it matters)
    
    
    
    Hagen and Bienemy(despite his fumble) are 2 underclassmen who impress
    me.  Watching the bowls makes me wonder....Are running backs shying
    away from the bruising 6'1" 250 lbs back into the Barry Sanders
    proto-type Quick, Small, Fast, and strong.  ie; Hagen, Bienemy,
    and Ismall?

    TOP 10 IN 89 SEASON
    
    
    1.  NOTRE DAME    NO OTHER TEAM COULD HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEAT TOP
                      10 OPPONENTS WEEK AFTER WEEK THE WAY THAT NOTRE
                      DAME DID THROUGOUT THE SEASON.  TOUGHEST SCHEDULE
                      IN THE COUNTRY.
    
    2.  FSU           PLAYING GREAT BALL AT YEAR END
    
    3.  MIAMI
    
    4.  CLEMSON       SIMILAR TO FSU...A COUPLE OF LOSSES EARLIER IN
                      YEAR TAINTED A GREAT FINISH.  THIS TEAM HAS A
                      GREAT POOL OF UNDERCLASSMEN AND SHOULD FINISH
                      #1 NEXT YEAR (IF THEY SURVIVE THE CURRENT NCAA
                      INVESTIGATION!)
    
    5.  AUBURN
    
    6.  TENN
    
    7.  USC
    
    8.  ILLINOIS
    
    9.  ALABAMA
                      
    10. MICHIGAN
    
    
    COLORADO WAS OVER RATED.  THEY HAD AN EASY SCHEDULE AND SHOWED THAT
    THEY WERE NOT A LEGITMATE CONTENDER AGAINST A TOP TEAM (THE HUSKERS
    CANNOT BE CONSIDERED A TOP TEAM)
    
    
    
    

    after the way miami humiliated nd this year, i think it is obscene
    for someone to suggest that a team which could not beat nd would
    beat miami.
    
    last year miami played a schedule similar to this years nd schedule
    (7 top 20 teams, 5 top ten, 3 top 4), i don't remember anyone saying
    make miami #1 especially given the tainted loss to nd and nd's 
    backing down to the rematch. if nd is so good because of their
    schedule miami must be awesome.

    re .26
    
    Did you even follow the Buffs?  They beat Texas, Washington,
    Illinois, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Oklahoma State.......
    
    Claybone

    
    well just got back from lunch the final AP poll:
    
     Miami
     ND
     FSU
     Colorado (I don't know why)
     Tennessee
    
    they only showed the top five on the news...
    
    mike

       < Note 96.26 by GIAMEM::FLAHERTY >
                                 -< '89 PICKS >-

    Yeah, right.
    
>    TOP 10 IN 89 SEASON
>    
>    
>    1.  NOTRE DAME    NO OTHER TEAM COULD HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEAT TOP
>                      10 OPPONENTS WEEK AFTER WEEK THE WAY THAT NOTRE
>                      DAME DID THROUGOUT THE SEASON.  TOUGHEST SCHEDULE
>                      IN THE COUNTRY.

    Beat up top 10 opponents week after week?  Pick up the November
    26 Sunday Globe and turn to page C27.  You'll see the box scores
    from Saturday, November 25.  See ND vs. Miami.
        
>    2.  FSU           PLAYING GREAT BALL AT YEAR END
>    
>    3.  MIAMI
    

    What, no comments regarding Miami and why you think they're number
    3?
    
    Mark.

Mike, 

   Is that the official poll you heard? Again, I'm not surprised that Miami
took it...I favored them slightly myself...I assume that the vote was 
close????

   Re: 28

   No one rated in the top 10 there...Illinois was 11 may move up, Nebraska
was 6 but they'll certainly take the big plunge...No one else there is even
rated in the top 25???? Again, I'd rate Tennesse, FSU, Auburn, and 
Arkansas, and Michigan above Colorado..Oh yeah, and USC too....Even Alabama...
Colorado has an excellent defense as shown in yesterday's game, but I think
that as a team they're highly overrated...Just my HO...


-Mike

    
    Arkansas better than Colorado?  Please... You might have some argument
    with USC, Tennessee, and Michigan (although I disagree) but including
    Arkansas gives away your objectivity.
    
    glenn

    
    official ap poll top 5 supplied by channel 5 news at midday....
    
    mike

> 	BTW, who did Auburn lose to besides Tennessee? Very few teams were
>        better than the Tigers the last part of the season?Since Oklahoma
    
	The only other team to beat Auburn this year was Florida State, in a
	relatively close 22-14 game. 

    
    I don't think that people have given Colorado enough credit for the way
    they played last night.  Before the game, I believed that Colorado
    would have a really difficult time establishing a running game,
    especially away from the artificial surface that they are accustomed to
    playing on.  In the first half, they moved the ball effectively against
    the Irish!  They kept running to the right, even when the ball was on
    the right hashmark, and gaining good yardage.  Had they been able to
    score a touchdown on one of those three possessions (and I think the
    replay showed that they did once), it may have been a different second
    half.  Even though, they still had a chance in the fourth quarter if
    they could have stopped Notre Dame on their final possession.  The
    Irish really showed some character on that final drive, gaining good
    yardage, chewing up the clock, and eventually scoring.
    
    I'm a little surprised at the comment concerning Bo not having any
    class?  Are you kidding me?  I don't blame Bo for getting off the field
    after a hard fought, controversial (that holding call on the fake punt is
    still killing me) game.  Would you want to hang around and talk shop with
    Mike Adamle?  Bo attended the post game press conference and shared his
    thoughts on the game.  He shook hands with Larry Smith immediately
    after the game.  I believe that Bo is one of the classiest people
    in the game, and that he surely will be missed.  After you see the
    problems that have affected many of the teams in the Southwest
    Conference with recruiting violations, etc., you should take a look at
    the Michigan program, and see how Bo has put together a winning program
    within the guidelines established by the NCAA.  I loved what he did
    last year when Bill Frieder announced his intention of leaving
    Michigan to coach at Arizona State after the tournament.  I bet if you
    asked any and all of the players that were associated with Bo and the
    Michigan program, that you would get unanimous agreement that he is a
    class person.  This is from someone who loves the Buckeyes and loved
    the rivalry between Bo and Woody.
    
    I think yesterday's games proved one thing.  When is the NCAA going to
    get their act together and establish a format for a true National
    Championship?  I think people can make an argument for either Miami,
    Notre Dame, or Florida State being the National Champion.  I just think
    it's to bad that the decision has to be made by the UPI and AP.  Look
    at how much enthusiasm is generated during the NCAA Basketball
    Tournament.  Seeded teams from different conferences, from different
    regions of the country, competing against each other for a win.  Look
    at the excitement created by NC State back in 1983 with there win over
    Houston and Villanova's win over Georgetown in 1985.  Actually, I'm
    happy with the controversy that was created yesterday.  That should put
    more and more pressure on people to setup a true College Playoff
    format.
    
    My two cents.
    
    Harold

    RE.31 > RE .28 > RE .26
    
    .26 Rates Illinois does not even rate Colorado!
    
    .28 Points out that Colorado beat ILLINOIS!!!
        - Beat them SOUNDLY for the record!
    
    .31 berate Colorado because because teams they beat aren't in top 10.
    
    Dear .31,
    
    The gentleman in .28 was simply suggesting to .26 that hemust be on
    drugs to rate Illinois and not Colorado, because Colorado bet Illinois
    and several other good teams!!!
    
    Bob V.
    
    

    
    Who was the most impressive player that people watched yesterday??
    
    Mine was Peter Tom Willis the QB from Florida State.  He wasn't
    bothered a bit by staying in the pocket and throwing the ball even in a
    heavy rush.  He got crushed several times yesterday immediately after
    throwing the ball for a completion.  I felt he played a great game!
    
    Players to watch in the future??  I was impressed with Troy Maranovich
    the QB for USC.  I watched him play in the Notre Dame game earlier in
    the year, and in both games he showed that uncanny ability to find the
    open reciever and get the ball to him.  He did a good job yesterday
    also of scrambling a creating more time to throw the ball.  Darian
    Hagan is also a gamer.  He really runs the Colorado running game quite
    effectively and also does a good job of throwing the ball.
    
    Harold

    My top ten:
    
    1) Florida State - best team at end of season, played a much
                       tougher schedule than Miami
    2) Miami - beat ND soundly
    3) Notre Dame - very good, but lucky, too
    4) Auburn
    5) Tennessee
    6) Colorado
    7) USC
    8) Michigan
    9) Illinois
    10) (as mush as I hate to say it) Clemsuck
    
    NAZZ

I gotta vote for Stacy Danley of Auburn who, in the act of attempting to
catch a pass, was knocked out. He got up - after about three minutes -
and came back in to lead Auburn in rushing. It was the hardest hit I've
seen this year and he came back.

My top 10:
	Fla St, Miami, ND, Tennessee, Auburn
	Colorado, So Cal, Illinois, Alabama, Clemson

TTom

    
    RE: .37 (most impressive player yesterday)
    
    I forget his name but the QB for Auburn was incredible. I don't think
    he threw a bad pass the entire game. Ohio St. dominated the first half
    to the point that it looked like OSU was going to blow them out. The
    Auburn QB didn't get rattled and singlehandedly brought them back. A
    great performance.
    
    Biggest hit was easily the Ohio St. DB leveling the Auburn WR.
    
    Funniest moment had to be the mother of the most over-rated player in
    the country, Major Harris, crying to the network reporter that he
    should leave the game.
    
    2nd funniest: I think the guy plays for Alabama. His mother named him
    after "Saran Wrap", believe it or not. Only one problem, she misspelled
    it and named him Sarin. 
    
                                                    HOOT
    

    My vote for the most exciting player in the weekend's bowl games (not
    just yesterday's) would be for the BYU quarterback (I forget his name).
    The kid passed for 500-something yards and kept you on the edge of your
    seat until the final seconds.  No one came close in any of the other
    games.
    
    Hawk

    Thanks Bob V.  Me?  A gentleman?  Hell, I'm not even an
    officer!
    
    My top few:
    
    1- Miami
    2- Notre Dame
    3- Fla. St.
    4- Colorado
    5- Tennessee
    6- Auburn
    7- Bama
    8- USC
    9- Illinois
    10- Clemson
    
    Claybone

    	The "official" poll comes out at 6:30 PM tonight according to two
    reports last night. 
    
    	If I had to call it:
    
    1 - FSU
    2 - Miami
    3 - ND
    4 - Tennessee
    5 - Auburn
    6 - Colorado
    7 - Illinois
    8 - USC
    9 - Michigan
    10- Clemson
    
    Ken

    
    My problem with rating FSU and Miami #1 is the issue of schedules.
    ND beat the Big 10 Champion, the PAC 10 Champion, the BIG 8 Champion,
    the East's Lampert Trophy winner, plus 4 other bowl teams.  Yes they
    lost to Miami.  But we'll never know if Miami or FSU would have had
    a letdown after all those weeks of being #1 and playing top teams.
    If ND had simply not played Miami, they would have a 11-0 record and
    STILL would have had the toughest schedule in the country.  
    
    Personally I'm tired of watching teams play 2-3 tough games and then
    claiming a national championship.  ND took all comers, lost to one of
    the top teams, and came back and beat number one.  
    
    I also agree that without a playoff, none of this means a thing except
    alot of hot air from a bunch of couch potatoes arguing after a 12 hour
    football orgy.
    
    Ken
       

    I don't see how you guys can't put Syracuse #1.  UNLV is definitely in
    my Top 10 as well, along with Michigan (despite their loss yesterday),
    and (horrors) Georgetown.  
    
    BTW - I give credit to Notre Dame for doing so well despite the loss
          of LaPhonso Ellis.
    
    
    - ACC Chris
    

    
    Hoot  Reggie Slack  auburn qb
    
    Hawk   Ty Deymer    byu qb
    
    re: the guy who says I'm on drugs, Illini are the better now. Colorado
    buffs are from Colorado like Donks take it from there.......
    
    mike

    Thanks, Mike.  Ty Detmer it is.
    
    Hawk

    1. Miami
    
    the rest, don't count.
    
    Mark.

    0. Little Sisters of the Poor
    
    the rest, don't count.
    
    :-)
    
    Hawk

I'm still pleased with the way Bama played this year.  I think you
have to rank them above Clemsuck....;^)

BTW, during the game last night Curry soundly disciplined a player
for "celebrating" what appeared to be a routine catch.  He grabbed
his uniform, and then his facemask.  Since I had the sound down ( I
was on the phone), I missed what the sportscasters had to say.

Can anyone fill me in?

Go Tide...next year!!!

Chainsaw

    
    The discipline was amied toward Bama's "Prince" Wembly I think.  What
    he did I thought was great, but then again, I'm not a head coach.
    
    After a catch he raised his arms to the crowd just as every Miami
    player seems to after any reception.  I believe he did it to stir up
    the crowd some and mock the Hurricane receivers.
    
    But, Curry gave him a good chewing out.
    
    Michaels, Gifford, and Dierdorf (sp?) all soundly agreed with Curry's
    actions and the "team" vs. "indidvidual" accomplishment.  The said
    Bear Bryant would have done the exact same thing.
    
    

The guys name was Prince and Dierdorf went on about how it's no fun
having the coach lecture you while holding your face mask. Curry did let
the guy come back in, which is what you like to see in a coach.

TTom

    Since I have trouble with the concept of dancing to celebrate a good
    play made, can someone explain how long it takes a player to develop
    this obvious talent?  Is it natural or attained?  Does this figure into
    the voting for the champeenship, and could it be the key area that
    propelled Miami into the #1 spot (along with having the players names
    in big impressive alphas across their backs)?
    
    Maybe there'll be a new /Don video on developing your own style of
    dancebration(tm) in the near future as the demand is obviously there? 
    :-)
    
    Hawk    

    Sorry,all you Colo. fans...I think Lou Holtz was right...ND is no
    Kansas State...

    re .54
    
    ....and CU is no Navy!
    
    Claybone

    RE:  .30
    
    
    IF THE AP/UPI USED A "POINTS" SYSTEM WHEREBY EACH TEAM EARNED A
    CERTAIN AMOUNT OF POINTS FOR WINNING A GAME AND THE POINTS WERE BASED
    UPON THE CALIBER OF THE COMPETITION, WHO WOULD HAVE EARNED MORE
    POINTS...ND OR MIAMI?  I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE ND.  I GIVE MIAMI A WHOLE
    LOT OF CREDIT FOR BEATING ND THIS YEAR.  HOWEVER, ND DESERVES A WHOLE
    LOT OF CREDIT FOR BEATING TOP CALIBER TEAMS ALL YEAR.  IT IS
    INCREDIBLY TOUGH TO GET EMOTIONALLY CHARGED UP EACH WEEK TO FACE A TOP
    10 OPPONENT.  IT IS VERY EASY TO HAVE A LET DOWN AFETR A BIG WIN.
    
    STILL A TOUGH CALL ON #1.
                                                                     

    
    No question that Notre Dame played the tougher schedule, but
    unfortunately part of the reason for that is that no one wants to play
    Miami anymore, including Notre Dame starting next year.  Miami
    shouldn't be penalized for that.  Apparently it hasn't occurred to a
    lot of AD's that by dropping a tough opponent you may increase your own
    chances of a undefeated season, but you've increased the other guy's
    chances too.  That's what's happened with Miami, so guess who's going
    to go 11-0 or 10-1 again next year?  Personally, if I were Oklahoma or
    Notre Dame or Michigan or Florida or Penn State or any of the other 
    teams that have dropped Miami I'd leave them on the schedule and take 
    my chances at beating them on the field, then herald that fact to the
    pollsters after the bowls.  If your team is truly better, don't you
    want the chance to prove it?  Beating Miami is pretty much Florida 
    State's claim to the title this year, isn't it?
    
    Believe me, this is coming from someone who despises Miami (although
    less so now with Erickson as coach).  But I can see them dominating the 
    90's, too, especially if no one's got the courage to schedule them.  I 
    certainly can't fault the Hurricanes for that.
    
    glenn
     

    1) Miami
    2) FSU
    3) ND
    4) Colorado
    5) Alabama
    6) Michigan
    
    After that....  who really cares...
    
    -Walt

    
    upi top 5
    
    Miami
    FSU
    Notre Dame
    Colorado
    Tennessee
    
    mike

    I usually figure out who's #1 based on a rating system I've come
    up (which is in turn based on the Mass HS rating system).  Teams
    get 10 points for each win over a Division 1-A opponent and 8 points
    for each win over a Division 1-AA opponent.  Teams also get 2 points
    for each win that each beaten opponent has.
    
    I lost the master schedule and results I kept from the end of the
    season, so I'm going to go to the library to calculate the ratings
    for all the teams with 1 loss (ND, Miami, Colorado and Tennessee)
    and all the teams with 2 losses (Michigan, Nebraska, Alabama, Auburn,
    Houston, Clemson, USC, Illinois, Florida State and Arkansas).  I
    found that teams with 3 losses never come close to qualifying. 
    I'll try to do this at lunch today.
    
    John

    It's a MYTHICAL champeenship, which means that it don't mean squat
    anyway.  On a scale of 1-10, where the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA
    Championships, NCAA Hoops Championships, College World Series,
    Olympics, etc., etc., all rank a 10, this AP/UPI/SI/XYZ voting of the
    NCAA Football champion ranks a rock-bottom 0 (0.1 gives it some
    meaning).
    
    One thing that I cannot understand is that the extra win (12-1) by ND
    is completely ignored.  Isn't Miami's record 11-1?  So, where does this
    tie-breaker fit in?  Certainly not overall record, right?  But isn't
    that what the tie-breaker is needed for, in case of IDENTICAL won-lost
    records?  The way I see it, 12-1 is 1 better than 11-1.  Period.  No
    tie-breaker necessary.
    
    But, it's only MYTHICAL anyway........
    
    Hawk 

re a few back on "Prince":

	Thanks for the clarification.  I could imagine Dierdork saying
	something like that about the mask as I was watching it.

	Personally, I like Curry and think he did the right thing too.
	With your team down, you want your players heads in the game
	and not on stirring up the crowd.  If he'd scored, I think
	it'd have been okay.

	Also personally, I like it when a receiver just points at the
	back he's beating (or vice versa on a good hit).  

	Finally, because I intensely dislike ND, I'm glad that 'Bama
	had to lose for Miami to be #1 8^)...  and hey, #9 overall
	ain't a bad season....

Go Tide!!!!!

Chainsaw

    
    It's being rumored in Alabama now that Curry is interviewing at
    Kentucky for the head coach job there.  Maybe he's had enough of the
    unfair crap he's had to take in 'Bama for his failure to beat Auburn.
    
    I respectfully disagree with your assessment of the NCAA football
    championship selection, Hawk.  Not that I wouldn't prefer a *small*
    playoff, but I certainly prefer the current system over the 64 team,
    single-elimination free-for-all that the NCAA uses in basketball.  Yes,
    the championship is decided on the court, but how often does the *best*
    team really win (be objective about this)?  Besides, I for one enjoy
    January 1 more than any other single sports day of the year.  At least
    five games of excitement and intensity that you don't see in the NFL
    that often.  There were enough bone-jarring hits in the Alabam-Miami
    game alone to last me a year.  Yes, I like the bowls, and I have to
    give the process a little more credibility than 0 on a scale of 0 to
    10.
    
    glenn
    

     
    
       Why is florida st. rated so high?
    They beat miami-maimi was analyzing the N.D.films instead worring
    about florida st..
    
    Miami had the oppertunity to analyze all N.D. games because of their
    weak schedule.
    
    Notre Dame was no.1 in tv rating $$$$$$
    N.D. was no.1 tv $$$$$$$  11 GAMES ON TV 2games on sportchanel WOW.
    what else is their.....
    
    I hear from lee curso that ncaa is thinking of playoff for 2 teams.why?
    $$$$$$$. lee curso was on espn.
    
    
    

    I agree with the way Curry handled the kid.  I also think the Ohio
    State kid who leveled the Auburn player should have been disciplined
    as well, not for the hit, but for standing over him and showboating
    afterward.  Of course, I think the entire Miami team should be
    disciplined for the way they act on the field - not for the way
    they play football but for all the other crap they pull.
    
    If I want to watch dancing, I'll watch Solid Gold, thank you very
    much.
    
    John

Final Jeff Sagarin/USA Today power ratings:

	Miami		100.94
	Florida St	 99.94
	Notre Dame	 98.77

TTom

    Thanks, Glenn, for disagreeing with respect!  :-)
    
    But your point about (just paraphrasing) "how often does the best team
    really win?" is exactly why the Miami win over ND during the season
    should mean nothing more than just another win by Miami and the only
    loss for ND.  To use this as the official tie-breaker is weak.
    
    Ok, I was exaggerating about this rating system being a 0.  But there's
    nothing solid and definitive about it, just a bunch of opinionated
    votes.  Without taking away anything from the New Years Bowls
    tradition, I kind of like someone's idea to have a 1 game playoff
    between the top 2 voted teams the week before the Super Bowl.  And,
    like you say, the best team may not necessarily win that day, but at
    least it's definitive.  (Were the Dodgers the best team in Baseball a
    couple years ago when they beat the A's in the World Series?)
    
    Hawk

    
    Excellent point about why head-to-head shouldn't be used as an
    *official* tie-breaker, Hawk.  To me, it wasn't just Miami's win
    over Notre Dame that did it, but that they demonstrated without a doubt
    that they were the better football team in a head-to-head matchup. 
    They didn't leave a lot of doubt in my mind who would win if the game 
    were replayed.  I couldn't say that last year.  Of course you're right 
    that this is not concrete and a subjective poll will always be open to 
    debate for some.
    
    I do have a hard time taking Lou Holtz seriously.  Last year, precisely
    because Notre Dame squeaked by Miami in South Bend and then completed
    an undefeated season, I brushed off Jimmy Johnson's persistent claims
    to the championship.  This year the shoe is on the other foot (although
    I know Miami is not undefeated).  Maybe the writers, subjected to Lou's
    protests that he didn't know how his team could get up for the SMU's of 
    the world (much less the Michigans and Miamis), finally took him for 
    his word and voted that way.
    
    Finally, a review of the record shows that Miami was clearly the team 
    of the decade, with 3 national championships and the second-best overall
    won-lost record (Nebraska was first, with no championships).  Thus, 
    they join previous Mythical Decade National Champions of Oklahoma in
    the 70's, Alabama in the 60's, Oklahoma in the 50's, and Notre Dame in
    the 40's (before that, the selection process was even more flawed than
    the AP/UPI system, so I won't even try).  
    
    glenn

	If there WERE a National College Football Playoff, the criteria would
still have to be best record. Assigning points based on caliber of competition
ignores the fact that often times, the schedules are set so far in advance that
what might have seemed a tough opponent becomes a patsy (see SMU); and a weak
schedule is not always indicative of a weak team.

	If there were a Playoff this year. It would be Tennesse   11-1
                                                       Miami      11-1
                                                       Notre Dame 12-1
                                                       Colorado   11-1

	Florida State wouldn't be in it at all with two losses. If you were to
allow teams with two losses to be considered, you'd have a field of 14 teams!!

As much as I dislike Miami, and like Notre Dame and Colorado, I feel the
standings should look like this:

#1 - Miami... beat
         #2 - Notre Dame... beat
                       #3 - Colorado
                                  #4 - Tennessee - worst 11-1 team
                                               #5 - FlA. St... best 10-2 team
#6-25 - who cares? (I don't mean that snide... but present methods of ranking
                    would work fine in lieu of a comprehensive playoff format).

Mike JN

I'm not opposed to celebrating on the field, but I'm not into the
showboating/taunting thing.

Yes, on occasion you'll have a rivalry between two players and the
taunting thing gets going.  But, for the most part I like it much
better, when, after a vicious hit, the hitter helps the hitee up.

I believe it's a radical, though not unheard of concept called
Sportsmanship.

When a guy scores, or kicks that game winning field goal...let him
celebrate.  To me that is the exaltation of the reason why man
plays Sport.

JMHO,
fw

PS  pls keep me informed re Curry and 'Bama/Kaintuck...

I don't mind it when somebody celebrates after an especially good play.
The amazing catch, the perfect throw, the awesome hit, the crushing sack, the
tackle breaking run....these are the things that should be celebrated.

However catching a 5 yard pass in the open field and then exulting like you've
just won the Super Bowl is showboating IMHO. If I were a coach I'd give the 
players like that a nice stiff talking to and if they continue to do it then
I'd sit them until they learned some sportsmanship.

In a game like b-ball where there is scoring of some sort every 5 seconds then
the celebration should be confined to victory only.

In games like international soccer every goal is a cause for celebration :-)


my $.02,

  metz

    
    ND got jobbed.

    Yep, poor ol' Lou Holtz poor-mouthed his Fighting Irish so much and so
    often that the poor dumb pollsters believed him and then up and voted
    him as such.
    
    Holtz is a slick, untrustworthy, manipulative little weasel.   In
    "public", he talks about the big, bad Buffaloes from Colorado and the
    poor little Irish and then, in private with his team, rips them apart
    and rips Kansas State while he's at it.
    
    Notre Dame is a team of studs.   I saw them destroy Virginia in the
    Kickoff Classic.   Their only loss was to a Miami team that was on a
    blood mission of revenge.
    
    They were better than Colorado on paper and on the field.  Holtz should
    have just shut his yap and let the kids play.
    
    Instead, he's got second and third place to savor.
    
    Bob Hunt

    I agree with you guys that, after a great play, a spontaneous burst of
    emotion is allowable and often exciting to watch.  What I don't care
    for are the "dances" that are obviously choreographed and practiced in
    front of a mirror during the athlete's leisure time.  That's not
    emotion, that's outright showboating.  Take the Gastineau routine for
    example.  Most people hated it.  Even though it was a bit exaggerated,
    and it got tiresome, I kind of liked it because it was his emotions
    during the moments after a huge play.  It sure didn't look like he
    practiced flailing his arms in front of his bathroom mirror!
    
    Hawk

    I ran through my rating system and came up with the following figures:
    
    1.	ND 		22.3
    2.	Miami		20.8
    3.	Tennessee	20.4
    4.  Florida State	19.6
    5.	Colorado	19.6
    6.	Clemson		19.4
    7.	Auburn		18.3
    8.	Alabama		17.9
    9.	Southern Cal	17.7
    10.	Arkansas	17.4
    11.	Illinois	17.3
    12.	Michigan	17.2
    13.	Nebraska	16.25
    
    Notre Dame would beat out Miami using this rating system because
    of strength of schedule.  The comparative schedules are as follows:
    
    ND					Miami
    
    Colorado	11-1			Alabama		10-2
    Navy	 4-8			Notre Dame	12-1
    SMU		 2-9			Michigan State	 7-5
    Penn State	 8-3-1			Cincinnati	 1-9-1
    Pittsburgh	 8-3-1			San Jose	 6-5
    Virginia	10-3			California	 4-7
    USC		 9-2-1			Wisconsin	 2-9
    Purdue	 3-8			Missouri	 2-9
    Michigan St	 7-5			East Carolina	 6-4-1
    Stanford	 3-8			Pittsburgh	 8-3-1
    Air Force	 8-4-1			San Diego 	 6-4-1
    Michigan	10-2
    
    Total	83-56-4 .594		                64-58-4	.524
    
    If you include the teams they lost to, the records are:
    
    		94-57-4	.607				74-61-4	.547
    
    It all depends on which criterion you think is more important. 
    Head to head, go with Miami.  Equal record, stronger schedule, go
    with the Irish.
    
    As a postscript, using the rating system, had Florida State beaten
    Southern Mississippi (which was a more winnable game for them than
    Clemson was), they would have had 21.3 points and still trailed
    ND.
    
    John

ahhh,

but don't you actually have to figure out the schedule strength of their 
opponents as well ? Is a 10-2 Alabama team as good as a 10-2 michigan team ?
They would be if they played the same opponents but they don't.

Basically you can go round and round on this one until you spin through to
China. Bottom line is that no Formula is going to work unless the teams 
play common opponents or you cross reference all the teams into 1 gigantic
grid based on schedule strength....GOt a few days john ?

I still say set up some sort of playoff and let them decide it on the 
field instead of in the Newspapers...


Metz

>    1) Miami
>    2) FSU
>    3) ND
>    4) Colorado
>    5) Alabama
>    6) Michigan
    
>    After that....  who really cares...

Walt, you forgot to put USC ahead of Michigan (go blue).   After all, who
won the Granddaddy of them all?  I care.

Dan

    
    Let's face it folks, this is the first time in history that the Notre
    Dame hype didn't work. I can't ever before remember with two teams
    this close and one of them being ND that ND wasn't awarded the
    Championship. 1966 I think, 10 - 10 tie with the Spartans of
    Michigan St. both go undefeated ND gets the nod. Also in the early
    70's they vaulted from 4th to 1 st despites having a couple of losses
    because the teams ranked above them faulter on 1/1. 
    
    The pollster look at Tony Rice and say the Irish have no passing game
    Miami does plus a rushing attack. Defense for sake of argument equal.
    Special teams because of the greatness of the Rocket equal. Miami
    buried them. The didn't even get an offensive touchdown. Spare me the
    one bad day crap Lou. Miami can stop your run, you can't pass, Miami
    by 14 anywhere anytime....
    
    Plus the biggest reason for it, it the outrage of the ND backers across
    the nation will force a playoff system and Schultz cash register
    jingles again.....
    
    mike

Notre Dame ought to start its own bowl. Get the networks to bid it up
past the Rose Bowl and declare itself the National Football Dollar
Champion.

TTom

    Let me clarify my statement in .1 about the polls being a "joke" no
    matter who gets #1.
    
    It was not meant as a slam on Miami, ND or anyone else. It was a slam
    on the system. According to the system Miami has to and did get #1.
    
    But other teams had VERY strong arguments for it also. Geez, the
    futility of the discussion in this note is a perfect example. The
    Miami, FSU, and ND backers ALL have extremely good arguments for
    number one. 
    
    The problem is that the national championship is not decided head to
    head on the field. 
    
    This type of scenario is not new this year either. Down thru the years
    thing like this have happened many times. It's inherant in the system.
    
    					Nebraska Marty

    Alright T!  I'm glad I'm not the only lunatic to think Penn State
    belongs in the top 10!  Congrats!
    
    Hawk

    Congrats, Bob Hunt!  You are the early (and I do mean early!) leader
    for NOTY-'90 with your outstanding note in 96.73 on that obnoxious
    faker Lou Holtz.  the man blows so much smoke it's embarressing to
    anyone listening to him, then he's pissed when people believe him.
    Remember how "concerned" he was that his team would suffer a letdown 
    against SMU?  Give me a break!  The man is full of what makes the
    grass grow.  Notre Dame has, for the past six years, consistently
    recruited the best crop of high school athletes in the country.
    They're on TV almost every week, they play most of their games at
    home or at neutral sites (which turn into home games for them), and
    they are the most followed college team in the country on a national
    level.  They should be among the top one or two teams in the country
    every year.  Notre Dame doesn't need or deserve Lou Holtz poormouthing
    his team or over-praising inferior opposition.
    
    BTW, Bieniemy scored on that dive early in the game.  If those CLEMSON
    refs had given him credit for the TD, Colorado would have won the game.
    
    NAZZ

    The Irish could have....
    
    The Irish would have....
    
    The Irish should have....
    
    The Irish didn't....
    
    'nuff said.
    
    Mark.

>    Yep, poor ol' Lou Holtz poor-mouthed his Fighting Irish so much and so
>    often that the poor dumb pollsters believed him and then up and voted
>    him as such.

Do it Bob!  I've been holding this in, because I've spoken my piece on ND
just recently, but I've got to say something here.

The minute ND got crushed by Miami in November, they forfeited any
claim to the title, provided Miami didn't lose any more.  The gall of Holtz
to claim that he was wronged is incredible.  The job he did of pitching
his team for the title and to get Sport's Biggest Faction in action
only got him a second and third.  He mobilized the troops and the best
he got was a hope of a controversy.  

What gets me is he got the controversy in the first place!  Any other team
but Notre Dame could have had the exact same schedule, and won and
lost by the exact same score in every single game and probably finished
between 2nd and 5th in the polls and no controversy would exist.  

I mean, they luck out and play an overrated Colorado, and then don't even
win impressively and still he has to go around begging.  I would have loved
to see them stand up and play Florida St. instead and they would have gotten
whupped.

Go for the tie, Ara.

Dan

    
    The pollsters were forced by last years decision to do the same
    thing and vote Miami in.  I almost wish ND had been named #1 and
    then the whole Irish sham would have been shown for what it is.
    
    
    Bruce

It seems a lot of you are whinning about ND and Holtz more then they
are whinning about not getting the #1 rating.  Holtz bascially said
he felt ND had a right to claim the title.  He also felt Miami had that
same right.  He never said (at least what I saw in the interviews) ND
should be rated ahead of Miami.

I agree with the previous noter that ND lost any chance with its decisive
loss to Miami.  However, I strongly disagree with his statement that any
other team would have ended up 2-5 in the rating.  ND was #1 for 11 weeks.
The beat the all those conference champs and played a very difficult 
schedule.  I personally can't believe the UPI rated Florida St. ahead of 
them.  Now thats a crock.  ND was a very strong second and so would any
other team that did what they did.  

BTW - Why should ND play Florida St. in a bowl game when they can play the
#1 and only undefeated team.  To say ND ducked anyone this year is obsurd.

                                                        Alan

>However, I strongly disagree with his statement that any
>other team would have ended up 2-5 in the rating.  ND was #1 for 11 weeks.
>The beat the all those conference champs and played a very difficult 
>schedule.

Ya'know, people talk about a strong schedule as if Notre Dame invented
it.  I used to justify some of Notre Dame's "questionable" calls with their
schedule, but let's remember 2 things: there are a number of schools
with strong schedules, even though its a number on the decline, and
ND has turned tail from Miami after this (?) season.  Its kind of hard to
give them the benefit of the doubt based on strength of schedule and
not note the inherent hypocrisy of that decision.

WHy would I have knocked them down in the ratings after the Miami
loss?  Because that's what usually happens to #1 teams that get clobbered
by a #4 or whatever.  ND did go down to 5, but without even playing or
anyone losing ahead of them started climbing up the ladder again.  Holtz
was pitching every time I heard him.

Notre Dame beating CU was one of the most definite things I expected to
happen on New Years Day.  Consider if I rated them 5 before the game,
and they were playing a team whose only claim to #1 was that they were 
undefeated (i.e. I expect that a lot of teams who played on Monday would
have beaten CU), and then I saw them win, but in an unconvincing fashion.
Sure, I saw a huge, huge talent gap between the two teams, but the 0-0 half
time score, with CU blowing all their chances didn't make me feel all warm
and fuzzy that ND deserves to start leaping up the ladder.  As I said, I
would drop CU down to around 8-10 where they belong, and move ND up
one notch. 

Why FSU?  Because they were clearly a dominant team at this point in time.
It would have been a very interesting matchup to see FSU vs. Miami
on New Years, just as I said for ND to play FSU.  I don't know what 
decisions were available, but under the current rigged system, there was
never any doubt that ND would play CU, just as they played WVU last
year.  There was no way to lose and it certainly looks great to play an
undefeated team.

They would have garnered more respect to play a tough opponent like
Miami last year and FSU this year.  Even had they lost.

Dan

    re .90
    
    You talk about the huge talent gap between Colorado and Notre Dame?
    I really didn't see it.  What I saw was a bunch of CU kids not used
    to extreme (National Championship) type pressure...I mean CU was
    running all over Notre Dame in the first half, they just didn't play
    well under pressure (the Bieniemy fumble, the missed chip shot field
    goal, etc.)  And I do think Bieniemy scored (however, their
    inexperience was also a factor in NOT scoring from the ND 1 yard line
    on first and goal).  I'm not saying Colorado is better than ND,
    I would say that ND is the better team because they deal with pressure
    all the time, but I wouldn't say they were more talented.  The point
    is moot however, because Miami is definitely the best team in the 
    country.  If Miami played ND on a neutral field I would say that Miami
    would win 8 times out of 10.  However, I wouldn't be surprised to 
    see CU and ND split 10 games.  Lucky for us CU fans, most of the team
    will be back (they're a young team) and Darian Hagan should be a front
    runner for the Heisman.  Maybe from this experience, they'll learn to
    handle pressure better....then again they could never reach the level
    they
    had this year...who knows?  All I know is the person who rated
    Nebraska? over Colorado has got to be totally whacked!  
    
    My final 5 mirrors the AP top 5
    
    1. Miami
    2.  ND
    3.  FSU
    4.  CU
    5.  Tennesee
    
    Peace/ed

    
    
    
     I thought that the team with the best record is no.1,with identical
    record you go on head to head meeting. Right
    
    
    N.D.  12-1
    mia.  11-1
    
    
    
    I dislike that alot of voters look at the gamblers odd makers,example
    sheridan.They seem to know best teams,but they don't bet.smart
    
    

    Barring a playoff, the national championship is mythical.  Hell,
    even with a playoff, sometimes a better team gets upset in a
    single elimination tournament.  
    
    Claybone

    What is the REAL meaning of #1?  Doesn't it imply that the #1 team
    in the NATION should be able to beat anyone at anytime? Or does it 
    imply that given a set of meanings between two teams, the higher 
    ranked will win more?  I think that #1 implies the later.  I also
    believe that being #1 means that you don't falter against weak
    opponents, even if it was the beginning of the season.  #1 is mostly
    an opinion, since all of the "good" teams cannot play each other.
    
    Using these guidelines, I could not and would not say that ND or Miami
    is #1.  Unless the opinion is unanimous (or near that) then I'd say 
    they should share the title.  
    
    
    My Top 5 (Or somewhere up there)
    
    ND  Miami  Florida St.  Colorado  Illinois
    
    (Couldn't judge other teams that I didn't see play)
    
    
    
    Bill...just an opinion 

    My Top Five
    
    1  Florida St.
    2  Miami
    3  Notre Dame
    4  Clemson
    5  Tennessee

    	To be honest if they had a playoff system the finals might've
    been Florida St. and Miami.  But ND could've won it all playing
    on neutral sites, and Auburn would be my darkhorse contender to
    win it all.
    
    				/Don

�                       -< Shouldn't Clemson be higher? >-

No, Manuel is still on trial, and not available to coach Clemson
until after he is tried....

HTH,
Chainsaw

    Clemson, number 4???
    
    Haw-haw-haw.
    
    Mark.

    There's no way Clemson should be ranked in the top five. They didn't
    even play on New Years Day.  I'd put them at number 8.

    Except for a very controversial 1-point loss AT South Bend, MIAMI
    would now be National Champions for three years running.  
    
    As for schedules, if I read them correctly, MIAMI played four teams
    with losing records.  So did ND.
    
    MIAMI would beat ND nine times out of ten playing anywhere.
    
    I wonder how ND's record would look if they had lost their starting
    quarterback for four games, despite the fact that he doesnt' have
    the talent to even be considered for an job as a starting NFL 
    Quarterback. (any doubt as to what Erickson will be doing in a few
    years?)
    
    As far as I'm concerned, Bill Walsh knows a little bit about football,
    and after watching ND beat Colorado, he said " There is no question
    that MIAMI is the best college football team in the country".  
                                                                   
    I just hope they can meet in a bowl game next year so the Hurricanes
    can humiliate them again. I love to see Lou Holtz whine.

    I can't wait until Miami's off of ND's schedule because then (if ND is
    capable of being near the top of the rankings) they'll be able to meet
    on a New Years Day Bowl, and then there be no question as to who's #1.
    
    Of course it will be Miami!!!!

    you guys can talk all you want about how miami beat ND or how ND
    played a tuffer schedule but there is only one top team and that
    is Florida St.....they won 9 in a row and Mighty Miami was one of
    those wins......They then distroyed Neb.....who allmost beat Col.
    and should have.......so Miami and ND can fight it out for who's
    #2 and #3
    
    steve

    Or Ole Miss????

Steve,

	Didn't Fla. St. lose to mighty So. Miss.?
	According to your brand of logic, THEY should be #1

	Face it, if they had lost only once, no matter WHO it was, Fla. St.
would have probably gotten #1 based on its victory over Miami. But......
NOBODY is going to be named #1 in the nation with two losses. The (mythical) #1
rating doesn't go to the team who happens to be playing the best ball at the
end of the season.

Mike JN

    ah...yes.....but if you are voting on which team is the best,then
    you should not worry whither a team has 1 or 2 losses but more so
    as to which team,of the top say 5,would beat the other top 4 teams
    and at this point in time i would say Fla. St. would beat the rest..
    
    steve