Playoff Still Probably Not in Future for BCS

Big 12 Conference Commissioner and bowl championship series coordinator Kevin Weiberg reiterated Tuesday that college football was not likely to move toward an NFL-style playoff, despite the controversy that shrouds the sport.

Speaking at the annual Football Writers Assn. of America breakfast, Weiberg said the six BCS commissioners would have their “plates full” in the coming months, trying to reformulate the BCS standings, now that Associated Press has pulled out of the formula.

Weiberg confirmed that one of the options was forming a selection committee, similar to the one used for college basketball, to determine the No. 1 and No. 2 teams.

Weiberg acknowledged that the committee idea had its own drawbacks, starting with trying to find respected members to serve on it.

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Oklahoma and USC played in the Orange Bowl, but not at the Orange Bowl.

You’d be surprised how many people remain confused by this stadium switch.

“We were leaving the hotel today and I heard some fans talking and one said, ‘What do you mean, it’s not at the Orange Bowl?’ ” Big 12 spokesman Bob Burda said.

Burda, who was sports information director at Miami from 1996 to 2000, said it’s a common mistake.

“Even people in attendance tonight were surprised the game was at Pro Player and not the Orange Bowl,” he said.

In fact, the Orange Bowl game moved from the Orange Bowl to Pro Player Stadium, then known as Joe Robbie Stadium, in 1996.

The last Orange Bowl game to be played at the Orange Bowl in Miami was Florida-Syracuse in 1999, when a stadium conflict with the playoff-bound Miami Dolphins forced the move.

-- Chris Dufresne

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It was only a couple of weeks ago that tailback LenDale White watched USC practice from the sideline, his injured ankle encased in a plastic boot.

In the weeks before the Orange Bowl, his health was a topic of frequent discussion.

“I just wanted to get out there and play,” White said.

The sophomore got his wish in the form of 118 yards and two touchdowns against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. His straight-ahead running style provided the counterpart to quarterback Matt Leinart’s passing attack in a 55-19 victory.

“He really provided a spark for us,” offensive coordinator Norm Chow said.

White had been bugging Coach Pete Carroll all week, insisting he was fine to play. He ultimately had to prove himself in an evening practice a few days ago.

“That’s when [Carroll] told me he was going to throw me into the fire,” White said.

It took all of one play -- a 10-yard run up the middle in the first quarter -- to prove he was ready.

“The hole was so big that anybody could have run through it,” he said. “When I got that first carry, it felt great.”

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A year has passed since Jacob Rogers played for USC but the former All-American tackle was back on the sideline at the Orange Bowl, wearing his national championship ring from last season.

“For these guys to go undefeated is incredible,” said Rogers, who plays for the Dallas Cowboys.

One of his Cowboy teammates, Oklahoma alumnus Roy Williams, was in attendance on the other side of the field. The two had been talking about the game for weeks.

“I think he was a little bit worried,” Rogers said. “He didn’t seem too confident about his boys.”

-- David Wharton

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The national championship has been decided at the Orange Bowl 16 times in the last 50 years.

Oklahoma had won four of its previous five title-deciding games in South Florida. The Sooners beat Florida State for the 2000 championship, Penn State (1985), Michigan (1975) and Maryland (1955).

Before Tuesday, Oklahoma’s only loss in the Orange Bowl with a title on the line was after the 1987 season -- 20-14 to Miami.

USC had played in the Orange Bowl only once, beating Iowa, 38-17, two seasons ago.