COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Simple Solution to Finding the No. 1 Team: a One-Game Playoff

We can put a man on the moon, invent Liquid Prell and send a Smart bomb through the keyhole of an Iraqi munitions bunker, but we can’t come up with a national championship playoff plan that everyone can live with? What gives?

At last look, not much of anything. In fact, this is what the preposterous process has come to: Ifs .

If Miami beats Nebraska in the Orange Bowl and if Washington loses to Michigan in the Rose Bowl, Miami wins the national title. Of course, that could change if Washington defeats Michigan decisively and if Miami barely slips past Nebraska, in which case the voters might choose Washington No. 1.

Also remember that if Nebraska upsets Miami, an undefeated Washington is guaranteed an undisputed title if the Associated Press media voters and USA Today/CNN coaches can agree. Then again, if Miami and Washington both win, there could be a repeat of last season’s split vote.

Now then, if Miami and Washington both lose, Michigan might claim the national championship, but only if Florida loses to Notre Dame or is unimpressive while beating the faltering Irish in the Sugar Bowl.

And if Miami loses, Washington and Michigan tie, and Florida is beaten--what then? It’s iffy, but Iowa, Penn State or Florida State might sneak away with an improbable championship.

Georgia Tech Coach Bobby Ross, who knows a thing or two about national championships, has a better suggestion: a one-game playoff.

Ross, whose team shared the 1990 national championship with Colorado--the Yellow Jackets won the coaches’ poll and the Buffaloes won the AP--endorses a system that would keep the bowls intact but culminate in a title game to be played a week after the New Year’s Day contests.

“I don’t think that’s bad,” he said. “Call it, ‘the Super Bowl of College Football.’ ”

Uh, the name needs a little work, but the idea doesn’t. The attraction is this: Even if the bowl alliance becomes a reality next season, there is no guarantee that the best two teams will play each other. A one-game playoff solves that problem.

Rather than letting the coaches and reporters vote on a national champion, have them vote on the top two finishers, Ross said. Those two teams would advance to the playoff. And if No. 3 whines about being locked out, tough luck. Or if school presidents complain that the season is already too long, simply mention that this requires only two teams and seven extra days. If they still complain, ask them why it’s OK to add a Pigskin Classic or Kickoff Classic to a team’s regular-season schedule but not OK to add a game at year’s end. After all, what’s the difference--an extra game in August, which is when the Pigskin and Kickoff games are played, or an extra game in January?

The advantages are obvious: A true national champion, enough hype to rival the Final Four, a way to improve the bowl alliance, less emphasis on voters, an end to the eternal question of who’s No. 1.

Will a one-game playoff happen anytime soon? It won’t in 1992 or 1993. But if the NCAA membership voted in favor of a playoff proposal at its 1993 convention, the game could be arranged in time for the 1994 season.

Looking for more reasons to despise the current bowl “system?” Let us count the ways:

1--Bowl people fib. A lot.

There are exceptions, of course, but for the most part, bowl representatives wouldn’t know the truth if it came up to them and slapped them silly. An example: On Nov. 11, six days before formal invitations could be extended, Sugar Bowl officials were denying the existence of a deal that would bring Notre Dame--win or lose against Penn State on Nov. 16--to New Orleans for the New Year’s Day game.

So what happens? Notre Dame loses, falls to 8-3 and magically receives a Sugar Bowl bid. Never mind that California was 9-1 at the time or Penn State was 9-2.

2--Bowl people forget. A lot.

If a bowl reached an agreement with a team before the Nov. 17 bid date, the Football Bowl Assn. was empowered to levy a $250,000 fine. One problem: The Football Bowl Assn. is a joke. Its members are the same people who routinely disregard the bid date, so self-governing is probably out of the question.

“The old NCAA rules were like the 55-m.p.h. speed limit,” said John Reid, executive director of the Holiday Bowl. “It slowed us down a little bit, but. . . .”

This year, the Football Bowl Assn. moved the bid date from Nov. 23 to Nov. 17. Bowls always disregarded the Nov. 23 date anyway, so maybe a week earlier would keep things more honest. Fat chance.

“It all tumbled about the 11th, when Notre Dame and the Sugar Bowl made their deal,” said Reid, who had no such worries. Back in October, Reid knew the Western Athletic Conference winner would play the No. 2 Big Ten Conference team.

3--Bowl people are their own worst enemy.

Reid isn’t convinced that the newly formed bowl alliance, scheduled to go into effect next season, is destined for greatness. According to the master plan, the alliance is supposed to create the closest thing to a true national championship scenario.

“I’m not all that optimistic,” Reid said. “It depends on the backup bowls. If they can get the backup bowls to sit and wait and take their rejects, then it will work.”

Right now, there are four bowls--Cotton, Sugar, Orange and Fiesta--and six teams--Notre Dame and the champions of the Atlantic Coast, Big Eight, Big East, Southwest and Southeastern conferences--committed to the alliance. But there also is talk of expanding the alliance to at least six bowls and 12 berths, thus creating the so-called “backup bowls.”

The idea has some merit, but a recent meeting among representatives of the aforementioned five conferences, the Pacific 10 Conference and 10 bowls was a mini-disaster. Officials from the Hall of Fame Bowl flatly rejected the idea of becoming a backup bowl.

Said Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen: “I think (a deal) isn’t going to happen until early spring.”

If they’re lucky.

Texas added another associate athletic director to its payroll this week, the reluctant administrator being David McWilliams, who resigned as the Longhorns’ football coach Monday.

At Texas, the joke goes like this: Those who can, coach. Those who can’t, become associate ADs. McWilliams, much against his will, became associate AD No. 6, mainly because he refused to make sweeping changes in his coaching staff. That loyalty, for all intents and purposes, cost him one of the best jobs in the country.

McWilliams, who has four years remaining on his contract, leaves after seasons of 7-5, 4-7, 5-6, 10-2 and 5-6. He is the only Texas coach to record three losing seasons and certainly the only one to go from a Cotton Bowl appearance to a desk job in one year.

If anything, McWilliams, as decent and amiable a person as there is in the business, was guilty of being too nice. Instead of gutting his staff to save his own job, McWilliams defended his assistants. He did this despite the advice of his former coach and Longhorn legend, Darrell Royal, who suggested that McWilliams make some staff changes two years ago.

Nor did it help that McWilliams lost prized redshirt freshman quarterback Steve Clements to Brigham Young during the summer. Or that he signed only one other quarterback in the last two years. Or that he was 1-4 against Texas A&M.;

With recruiting season in full swing, Texas needs to move fast to find a replacement. Dennis Green’s name has been mentioned, but according to athletic department officials at Stanford, the Cardinal coach probably wouldn’t leave unless it was for an NFL head coaching job. Rice’s Fred Goldsmith would have been a candidate, except that he blasted Texas for forcing McWilliams out. Ken Hatfield has dropped hints about leaving Clemson, but his dullish, run-oriented offense is considered a negative by Longhorn followers.

Other names being mentioned include Iowa State’s Jim Walden, Florida A&M;’s Ken Riley, Dallas Cowboy offensive coordinator Norval Turner, North Carolina State’s Dick Sheridan, Louisville’s Howard Schnellenberger and Georgia Tech’s Ross. If available, the best choice would be either Schnellenberger or Ross, both of whom are extremely adept at rebuilding programs.

Bumper sticker seen at last Saturday’s Alabama-Auburn game: “My kid goes to Auburn, but my money goes to Eric Ramsey.” . . . Predictions for 1992: The Big Ten will try to lure Missouri from the Big Eight or steal Rutgers from the Big East. The SEC will add at least two more teams, preferably in bigger television markets than South Carolina and Arkansas, its most recent invitees. The Pac-10 will remain that way but eventually be forced to expand its membership. Colorado, Texas and Texas A&M; could be on the Pac-10’s wish list.

Top 10

As selected by staff writer Gene Wojciechowski

No. Team Record 1. Miami 11-0 2. Washington 11-0 3. Michigan 10-1 4. Penn State 10-2 5. Florida 10-1 6. Florida State 10-2 7. Texas A&M; 10-1 8. Iowa 10-1 9. Alabama 10-1 10. Tennessee 9-2

Waiting list: Nebraska (9-1-1), Colorado (8-2-1), East Carolina (10-1), Clemson (9-1-1), California (9-2).