Bottom Ten

So what if college officials have rejected proposals for a Bottom Ten Bowl game that would be played in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.?

Just Saturday, two winless non-powers collided in a matchup that was almost as good, or bad. The result, based on accounts from the few fans who admitted attending, was a well-earned 27-29 loss for No. 1 Eastern Michigan (0-7) against No. 9 Ball State (1-7).

And there’s more to come: No. 2 Western Kentucky (0-7) stumbles into No. 6 North Texas (1-6) in a game that figures to be so horrible it’s being played on Halloween.

Meanwhile, how about a Bottom Ten welcome to No. 20 Michigan State (4-4), a 13-15 loser to Iowa? The winning Hawkeyes took one more step toward what every college football fan should be dreading: a boring Trojans-Hawkeyes Rose Bowl match on New Year’s Day that will end in another USC rout.

*--* Wreck, Record Last Loss Next Loss 1. Eastern Michigan (0-7) 27-29, Ball State Arkansas 2. Western Kentucky (0-7) 24-62, Middle Tennessee North Texas 3. Miami (O.) (0-8) 22-27, Northern Toledo Illinois 4. Akron (1-6) 14-28, Syracuse Northern Ill 5. New Mexico (0-7) 17-34, Nevada Las Vegas San Diego State 6. North Texas (1-6) 26-50, Troy* Western Kentucky 7. Rice (0-8) 7-49, Central Florida Southern Methodist 8. Florida International 10-27, Arkansas State Louisiana Lafayette (1-6) 9. Ball State (1-7) def. Eastern Michigan, Ohio (Ohio) 29-27 10. Ill (1-6) 14-24, Purdue Michigan *--*

11. San Jose State (1-5); 12. Washington State (1-6); 13. Colorado (2-5); 14. Utah State (2-5); 15. Vanderbilt (2-6); 16. Alabama Birmingham (2-5); 17. Hawaii (2-5); 18. Tulane (2-5); 19. Moved, left no forwarding address; 20. Michigan State (4-4).

*Composed of USC’s fifth- and sixth-stringers.

Others not receiving votes: Texas at El Precision Paso, a 28-24 winner over Tulsa.

Rout of the week: Michigan (5-3) at Ill (1-6).

Crummy game of the week (month/year): Western Kentucky (0-7) at North Texas (1-6).

Holy Toledo: Minnesota’s Goldy Gopher mascot allegedly mocked a Penn State player who was kneeling and praying before a recent game. But, wrote one YouTube viewer: “Did anyone . . . consider the possibility that the Gopher dude is a Christian himself and was simply joining in? It’s not like he’d be capable of wiping off the goofy Gopher grin and taking a more reverent expression . . .” Minnesota apologized.

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