COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL REPORT : FIESTA BOWL : Spurrier Denies All NFL Rumors

What’s Florida in a bowl game without a few Steve Spurrier rumors?

It didn’t take a Spurrier (i.e., genius) to note that the coach’s Gators arrived in Tempe on Tuesday, the day Arizona Cardinal Coach Buddy Ryan was fired.

Wednesday, Spurrier was asked about the vacancy at Tampa Bay.

“How ‘bout Jacksonville?” Spurrier said. “That ain’t open, is it?”

There has been speculation that Spurrier would consider an NFL job if Florida defeats Nebraska in the Jan. 2 Fiesta Bowl, but Spurrier denies it.

“Nah, I’m not considering any change unless they fire me,” Spurrier said. “I’m very happy at Florida and I hope to be there many years.”

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To ensure that there will be a national champion to crown, the Fiesta Bowl (and all other Bowls) will use a tie-breaking procedure should the game end up even after regulation.

After a coin flip, each team will get at least one possession from the opponent’s 25-yard line, unless the defending team scores off a turnover or blocked field goal on the offensive team’s first possession.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said. “I wish we had it in 1983.”

Osborne was referring to the 1984 Orange Bowl, when Nebraska lost the national championship after a two-point conversion attempt failed with 48 seconds remaining in a 31-30 defeat to Miami.

Osborne conceded that all he knows about the tie-breaker is what he has learned from a high school coach in Nebraska.

“That’s kind of strange to admit that you’re trying to win a national championship and you have to talk to a high school coach to figure out how to do it,” Osborne said.