Hurricanes Trying to Beat BC and BCS

As if there wasn’t enough going on in Miami-Dade County this weekend . . .

In the college football world, Miami gets one last chance to impress the computers in a race to catch Florida State for the coveted No. 2 spot in the Bowl Championship Series rankings.

Florida State, which has completed its regular season, leads Miami by .51 of a point in this week’s rankings, a lead that may be insurmountable.

There is talk about Miami having to run up the score against Boston College because seven of the eight BCS computers consider margin of victory, yet there are built-in factors that cap the gain after a certain score.

Besides, running it up is not in Miami Coach Butch Davis’ nature. While it may cost him in the end, Davis deserves credit for not going for the kill the last two weeks in a 35-7 win over Pittsburgh and last week’s 26-0 win over Syracuse. In both wins, Davis substituted late in the game and ran out the clock.

If Miami wins Saturday and still gets bypassed for the Jan. 3 Orange Bowl despite having defeated Florida State, the Hurricanes can still make a convincing case for the national title by defeating a top-ranked opponent in either the Fiesta or Sugar bowls.

Despite Miami’s No. 2 ranking in this week’s USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll, the coaches by contract are obligated to award their share of the national title to the Orange Bowl winner.

The Associated Press national title, however, is up for grabs. Miami is currently ranked No. 2 behind Oklahoma.

If Oklahoma wins its next two games and the Orange Bowl, there is no controversy. The 13-0 Sooners will be the undisputed champions.

But should Florida State beat Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, there is nothing to prevent the AP from crowning Miami as its national title winner.

Davis is already hinting at such a scenario.

“If we end up going 11-1, we’ll have beaten someone very good in a BCS game,” he said this week. “And you never know how they [the writers] can vote.”

* Line: Miami by 27.

RATING THE TV GAMES

**** Whoa, Nellie

*** The yardwork can wait

** OK to pay bills while watching

* For XFL scouts only

Today’s games

** Colorado (3-7) at No. 9 Nebraska (8-2), 9 a.m., Channel 7.

Remember the days when this game had national title implications?

* Line: Nebraska by 26

** East Carolina (6-4) at Southern Mississippi (7-3), 10:30 a.m., FSN.

No drama here. Carolina is headed to Furniture Bowl, while Southern Miss is going Mobile.

* Line: Southern Mississippi by 6

** No. 24 Louisiana State (7-3) at Arkansas (5-5) 11:30 a.m., Channel 2.

With help from an Indian guide, Nick Saban completes first-year tour of SEC’s outer reaches.

* Line: LSU by 3.

*** No. 22 Texas A&M; (7-3) at No. 12 Texas (8-2), 12:30 p.m., Channel 7.

What’s their motivation? Loser goes to the Insight.com Bowl.

* Line: Texas by 5 1/2

** Arizona State (5-5) at Arizona (5-5), 2 p.m., FSN.

Can Snyder get rehired if he wins this game and goes to a bowl?

* Line: Arizona by 6 1/2

** Brigham Young (5-6) at Utah (4-6), 3 p.m., ESPN.

You won’t want to take a pass on LaVell Edwards’ last game.

* Line: Utah by 6 1/2

** No. 13 Texas Christian (9-1) at Southern Methodist (3-8), 5:30 p.m., FSN2.

Teams play for the Iron Skillet, so look for SMU to get fried.

* Line: TCU by 22 1/2

Saturday games

*** No. 18 Georgia Tech (8-2) at No. 19 Georgia (7-3), 9 a.m., Channel 2.

A Georgia Tech victory can enhance Florida State’s standing in BCS standings.

* Line: Georgia by 1

** Wake Forest (2-8) at North Carolina State (6-4), 9 a.m., ESPN.

Close your eyes and pretend it’s an ACC basketball game.

* Line: N.C. State by 17

** Grambling (9-1) vs Southern (5-5), 11 a.m., Channel 4.

Doug Williams proves there is football life after Eddie Robinson.

* Line: None

** No. 1 Oklahoma (10-0) at Oklahoma State (3-7), 12:30 p.m., FSN.

Sooners vow to renegotiate Stoops’ contract after each victory.

* Line: Oklahoma by 25 1/2

** Virginia (6-4) at No. 6 Virginia Tech (9-1), 4:30 p.m., ESPN.

Think the network is happy Michael Vick is back?

* Line: Virginia Tech by 20

** Wisconsin (7-4) at Hawaii (3-7), 8 p.m., FSN2.

One last game as you nibble on the that last turkey leg.

* Line: Wisconsin by 19

5 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. The Bean Town factor. Can Boston College come through for Florida State again? In 1993, Boston College’s upset of Notre Dame one week after Notre Dame defeated Florida State in South Bend provided Bobby Bowden a backdoor entry to his first national title, after an 18-16 victory over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. This week, a Boston College win over Miami would clinch another Orange Bowl berth for Florida State.

2. So long, LaVell. Longtime Brigham Young Coach LaVell Edwards coaches his last game against rival Utah. Edwards is retiring after producing more than 250 wins, a 1984 national championship and a breeding ground for future NFL quarterbacks. Edwards’ high-octane offenses made his conference the WACiest of them all. Here’s hoping BYU wins on a last-second pass.

3. Two former USC coaches snooping around the Southland. Relax, we’re talking about John Robinson vs. Ted Tollner, who square off this weekend when Nevada Las Vegas plays at San Diego State. Note to USC firing board: If UNLV wins Saturday and next week at Hawaii, Robinson’s Rebels will finish 7-5 and likely earn a spot in the Las Vegas Bowl. Last year, Robinson inherited a team riding a 16-game losing streak.

4. A Wildcat strike. Two years ago, an overtime loss to Texas A&M; in the Big 12 title game knocked the Kansas State Wildcats from the national title game all the way to the Alamo Bowl. This year, the Northwestern Wildcats claimed a share of Big Ten title but got snubbed by the Citrus (Michigan) and the Outback (Ohio State) bowls and landed in . . . the Alamo Bowl. If Oklahoma beats Kansas State next week, Northwestern’s opponent in the Alamo may be . . . Kansas State.

5. A record? Texas Christian tailback LaDainian Tomlinson needs 643 rushing yards against Southern Methodist to break Barry Sanders’ single-season record of 2,628. Impossible? Tomlinson gained 305 yards last week against Texas El Paso. OK, maybe it’s a stretch. However, with a 202-yard effort, Tomlinson can move into third place on the single-season list behind Sanders and Marcus Allen.