COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : ACROSS THE NATION : Ford Is Promoted to Arkansas Job

L.A. Times Archives

Dec. 1, 1992 12 AM PT

<i> Associated Press</i>

Danny Ford, who led Clemson to a national championship in 1981 and left eight seasons later after a dispute with school officials, was promoted to head coach by Arkansas on Monday.

He is the Razorbacks’ third head coach in three months. Jack Crowe was fired after the Razorbacks lost their season opener to The Citadel, and Joe Kines, the defensive coordinator, became interim head coach.

Crowe was 9-15 and the Razorbacks were 3-6-1 under Kines, who will serve as defensive coordinator under Ford.

Ford’s Clemson teams were 96-29-4 in 11 years and 6-2 in bowl games. His 1981 team won the national championship by beating Nebraska in the 1982 Orange Bowl.

Rankings outweighed economics when Florida Citrus Bowl officials settled on Alabama or Georgia as an opponent for Ohio State in the New Year’s Day game.

The decision eliminated 12th-ranked Florida from consideration even though its appearance probably would guarantee a sellout of more than 70,000.

However, the Gators (8-3) are coming off of a three-touchdown loss to Florida State and must face No. 2 Alabama in the first Southeastern Conference championship game on Saturday.

With a victory over Alabama (11-0), the Gators will play in the Sugar Bowl, the Crimson Tide will play in the Citrus and No. 8 Georgia (9-2) will play in Jacksonville’s Gator Bowl.

If Florida loses on Saturday, it will play in the Gator against No. 13 North Carolina State (9-2-1), while Alabama will play No. 1 Miami in the Sugar, and Georgia will play in the Citrus against No. 15 Ohio State (8-2-1).

Tennessee officially accepted a bid to play Boston College in the Hall of Fame Bowl on New Year’s Day in Tampa, Fla.

It will be the last game at Tennessee for Coach Johnny Majors, who resigned effective Dec. 31 but said he plans to coach the bowl game. The 17th-ranked Volunteers are 8-3. Boston College, ranked 16th, is 8-2-1.

On Sunday, Tennessee appointed offensive coordinator Phillip Fulmer to succeed Majors effective Jan. 2.