Orange Bowl : Oklahoma-Washington: a No. 1 Affair?

They’re playing the Poll Bowl here tonight, but Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer had his game face on a day early.

If beating Washington in the Orange Bowl is Switzer’s principal consideration tonight, beating the drum for Oklahoma was his concern Monday. And while he was at it, Switzer did a little beating up on Brigham Young University as well.

It comes as a surprise to no one, but Switzer believes the winner of the Washington-Oklahoma game should be the No. 1 college team in the nation.

“If those people know anything about the game of football and football teams and the talent of those teams and how they play . . . Oklahoma has the opportunity to be the No. 1 team in the country,” Switzer told a press gathering.

By “those people,” Switzer meant the writers and broadcasters who vote in the Associated Press poll and the coaches polled by United Press.

Those are the same people who have placed unbeaten BYU (13-0) in the No. 1 position. Oklahoma (9-1-1) is No. 2 and Washington (10-1) is No. 3 in the UPI and No. 4 in the AP.

That could all change after tonight’s game, matching two of the best defensive teams in the nation. BYU, the hidden opponent here, has already beaten Michigan in the Holiday Bowl and is now merely waiting for the final vote. But a weak schedule could scuttle BYU’s chances, or at least that’s how Switzer sees it.

In any event, the vote will not be unanimous.

“Don, if you win, I’m voting for you,” Switzer told Washington Coach Don James.

“I’ll vote for you, too,” James said.

Switzer and James both vote in the UPI coaches’ poll, but James was a reluctant figure in this business of drum beating.

“I’m willing to play the game and see how the voters vote,” James said. “I think there’s no question that all the votes should go to the winner of our game and to BYU.”

James is a conservative fellow, not given to bold pronouncements. And then there is Barry Switzer. He is coming off a couple of four-loss seasons at Oklahoma, and he’s ready to let the good times roll, as of old.

“I think we have played better competition (than BYU),” Switzer said. “I think all of us recognize if Oklahoma was undefeated, Michigan was undefeated, Ohio State was undefeated, LSU was undefeated, Nebraska was undefeated, they would be ranked No. 1 in the country regardless of Brigham Young being 13-0.

“There’s been a precedent for it . . . We defeated Michigan in ’75 in the Orange Bowl and we were No. 1 in the polls the next day. Arizona State was the only undefeated team. They were 12-0 in the WAC conference and they were No. 2. I think because of their conference schedule they were No. 2.

“The WAC conference is not considered the toughest conference in the United States. Of the eight major conferences, the WAC conference is ranked the lowest.”

BYU, of course, is in the Western Athletic Conference. As Switzer pointed out, BYU never won a WAC championship until Arizona State and Arizona left to join the Pac-10. Also, BYU’s schedule was ranked 96 out of 98 Division I-A schools.

According to a poll of the 60 writers and broadcasters who vote in the AP poll, 18 said they will definitely vote Brigham Young No. 1 and 19 said they definitely will not vote Brigham Young No. 1. And there’s still a big undecided vote, which is where tonight’s game comes in.

Yes, the game does count. It should be a good one, although no match for Miami’s dramatic, hometown upset of Nebraska in last year’s game, one that did decide the national title.

Oklahoma still runs the wishbone, though not as productively as it has in some years. Danny Bradley is an outstanding wishbone quarterback and the heart of the offense. Oklahoma’s only loss, to Kansas, came when Bradley was out with an injury.

Washington runs a conservative, straight-ahead offense featuring tailback Jacque Robinson. James changed quarterbacks in mid-season before the Huskies’ loss to USC, replacing Hugh Millen with Paul Sicuro. If Sicuro falters tonight, Millen will probably get another chance.

But neither of these teams has gotten here on the strength of its offense. Oklahoma is ranked No. 1 in the country against the rush. Washington has an outstanding, pursuing defense. Both coaches look for a low-scoring game.

Even while he was doing all the drum beating, Switzer voiced concerned about the pregame hype. He recalled the 1977 Orange Bowl game in which Oklahoma had a chance to be No. 1 with a victory over Arkansas.

“We got the hell beat out of us by an 18-point underdog,” Switzer said. “I guarantee you I’ll take a one-point victory, and I won’t give a damn about the polls.”

Until Wednesday.