Nebraska Doesn’t Get Lost in Shuffle : College football: Cornhuskers take the weekend off and take over the top spot in the bowl coalition poll.

In Lincoln, Neb., Cornhusker followers are wearing smiles as wide as grain silos. Their beloved Nebraska, which moved to No. 1 in the bowl coalition poll Sunday without lifting a finger the day before, now has the ranking it craved and the national championship opportunity it insisted it deserved.

But will the undefeated Cornhuskers keep it?

Florida State couldn’t. Neither could Notre Dame, the latest casualty of the weekly poll wars.

The Irish, who needed only a home victory against Boston College to guarantee themselves a national title shot, gave up 41 points to the Eagles, lost the game and now find themselves reduced to rattling tin cups and hoping for minor miracles. A week earlier, they were picking out places to put the new championship trophy they planned to win New Year’s Day.

So much for that. With his game-winning, career-long 41-yard field goal Saturday, Boston College’s David Gordon set off a chain reaction that sent shivers up and down the rankings. At the moment, the whole thing is as stable as pudding.

“If this weekend is as bizarre as the last one, Notre Dame might be back at No. 1,” Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden said.

The happiest beneficiary from the walk-on’s kick was none other than Nebraska (10-0). Needless to say, Gordon can always count on a free hot meal any time he visits the state.

As it turns out, the Cornhuskers moved into the top spot as couch potatoes. Nebraska had the weekend off and doesn’t play again until Friday, when archrival Oklahoma (8-2) visits Lincoln. Still, enough voters thought enough of the Cornhuskers to give them a 68-point margin over second-place Florida State in the coalition poll.

“I guess things are kind of in our hands now, which adds a little pressure,” Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said. “But it’s a good kind of pressure.”

Nebraska’s election as this week’s No. 1 wasn’t unanimous. The Cornhuskers were the choice of the coaches in the CNN/USA Today poll, while the writers and broadcasters in the Associated Press poll selected Florida State (10-1) as the top-ranked team. But the coalition rankings, which are determined by totaling the two polls, are the ones that count.

The tally:

1. Nebraska (2,983)

2. Florida State (2,915)

3. West Virginia (2,753)

4. Auburn (2,738)

5. Notre Dame (2,676)

According to the bowl alliance selection agreement, if the season ended today, Nebraska would play Florida State in the Orange Bowl for the national championship. In the Cotton Bowl, Texas A&M; (9-1) probably would play the winner of Saturday’s Boston College-West Virginia (10-0) game. In the Sugar Bowl, Alabama or Florida (9-1) likely would face West Virginia (if it beats the Eagles), or Notre Dame, or possibly Miami. The Fiesta Bowl, which is in mourning today, would be left with West Virginia or Miami vs. Arizona or North Carolina. Until Saturday, the Fiesta was looking at a Notre Dame-Florida State rematch for No. 1.

All of this could change. The Cornhuskers face No. 16 Oklahoma on Friday, and Florida State visits Gainesville on Saturday for a game against No. 7 Florida. Any upsets would create a handful of new Jan. 1 scenarios.

And don’t forget about the possibility of Auburn, which concluded its 11-0 season with a victory against Alabama last Saturday, moving up to No. 2. If that happened, the coalition would be unable to put together a national championship game. That’s because the Tigers are on NCAA probation and ineligible for postseason play.

“If today was the last day on earth, I’d be excited (about the rankings),” said Bobby Bowden, whose son, Terry, coaches Auburn. “If this was the last day on the earth, I’d grab me half a title and take off. But with Florida coming up, it’s hard for me to get excited.”

If Florida State or Nebraska need a reminder of what can happen to teams that fall flat, they might want to glance at the highlights of Notre Dame’s stunning loss. The Irish dropped to fifth in the coalition poll and fourth in both the AP and coaches’ polls.

“The big picture, I don’t know what’s going to happen right now,” Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz said. “To be honest, I don’t care right now.”

The Irish overcame a 38-17 fourth-quarter deficit against Boston College, but were unable to stop the Eagles from moving into field-goal range in the final minute. A dropped interception was instrumental in the winning drive. Gordon did the rest.

“I think had we caught the interception, we’d all be in ecstasy and I don’t believe anybody in the country could have beaten us in a bowl game,” Holtz said. “I don’t care if it’s the Dallas Cowboys. I just . . . think the players would have believed they were a team of destiny.”

Instead, the Irish have to wait and hope.

“I think this football team deserves a chance to play for it all,” Holtz said.

In another week, he might be right.

The Poll Bowl

An upset-filled Saturday scrambled the college football polls. Here is how they stand today. The top two teams in the bowl coalition poll will meet for the national championship, if possible. But this isn’t over: Nebraska plays Oklahoma on Friday and Florida State plays Florida on Saturday . ASSOCIATED PRESS

Team (No. 1 votes) Record Points 1. Florida St. (33) 10-1-0 1,471 2. Nebraska (20) 10-0-0 1,455 3. Auburn (6) 11-0-0 1,369 4. Notre Dame (1) 10-1-0 1,334 5. West Virginia (1) 10-0-0 1,320 6. Tennessee 8-1-1 1,219 7. Florida 9-1-0 1,201 8. Texas A&M; 9-1-0 1,071 9. Miami 8-2-0 991 10. Wisconsin 8-1-1 957

CNN/USA TODAY

Team (No. 1 votes) Record Points 1. Nebraska (43) 10-0-0 1,528 2. Florida St. (11) 10-1-0 1,444 3. West Virginia (7) 10-0-0 1,433 4. Notre Dame (1) 10-1-0 1,342 5. Tennessee 8-1-1 1,259 6. Florida 9-1-0 1,223 Texas A&M; 9-1-0 1,223 8. Wisconsin 8-1-1 1,010 9. Miami 8-2-0 986 10. Ohio St. 9-1-1 901

BOWL COALITION

Team Points 1. Nebraska 2,983 2. Florida St. 2,915 3. West Virginia 2,753 4. *Auburn 2,738 5. Notre Dame 2,676 6. Tennessee 2,478 7. Florida 2,424 8. Texas A&M; 2,294 9. Miami 1,977 10. Wisconsin 1,967

* Auburn, not eligible for CNN/USA Today poll because it is on NCAA probation, gets its total by doubling its points in the Associated Press poll.