Monday, November 12, 2012
LITTLE ROCK — Leaders to discuss playoffs
NEW YORK - Conference commissioners will meet today, hoping to decide whether to have a six- or seven-game format for the new college football playoff.
Support has waned for adding a seventh marquee bowl game to the semifinal rotation. But there is still a strong possibility some automatic entry to the system will be given to the Big East and four other conferences now without a bowl of their own.
“Whether it’s seven games or six games, the commitment to access that was established at the Chicago meeting, I’m confident, is still in place,” Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson said Sunday.
The idea of adding a game to the playoff rotation that starts in 2014 came up at that September meeting in Chicago and initially had strong support.
The tentative plan was to match the best team from Big East, Mountain West, Conference USA, Sun Belt and Mid-American Conference against a team from the Pac-12 or Big 12.
But the game drew tepid interest from television networks, including ESPN, because adding a game to the format would increase the overall price tag on the new postseason package.
Last week, Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby told The Associated Press that both the six- and seven game formats were still “on the table.”
In the new format, the Rose Bowl will keep its traditional Pac-12-Big Ten match up in seasons it does not host a national semifinal.
The Big 12 and SEC have locked up the Sugar Bowl when it’s not hosting a playoff game.
The Atlantic Coast Conference has a similar deal with the Orange Bowl, and another deal is being completed that would reserve the other spot in the Miami game for a team from the SEC or Big Ten or Notre Dame.
KANSAS STATE
Getting closer
FORT WORTH, Texas - Kansas State is so close to getting to play for its first national title. With two more victories, the Wildcats almost certainly will be headed to Miami for the BCS championship game.
So imagine the excitement and euphoria for the now No. 1 Wildcats (10-0, 7-0 Big12) following their victory at TCU, which came after defending national champion Alabama lost at home.
“It’s good for us,” receiver Tramaine Thompson said matter-of-factly after the Wildcats won 23-10 on Saturday night. “We’re doing something that’s special and doesn’t come around a lot in any program. We’re just taking it in and we’re just moving forward.”
Bill Snyder’s message was focused solely on today.
“I am just going to ask my guys as I always to do to try to get better at practice on Monday,” Snyder said.
The Wildcats (10-0, 7-0 Big 12) moved up a spot to No. 2 in the new AP poll earlier Sunday. Oregon was the new No. 1, and Alabama slipped three spots to fourth.
“We don’t pay too much [attention] to the rankings,” defensive back Jarard Milo said. “Coach Snyder does a good job of stressing that’s not something we control.
We control our family and we control what we do out there on the field in practice.”
Kansas State plays Saturday night at Baylor, where the Wildcats have lost their last two trips but now could clinch at least a share of its first Big 12 title since 2003. They get Thanksgiving week off before ending the regular season at home Dec.
1 against No. 15 Texas.
OREGON
Tough stretch ahead
BERKELEY, Calif. - Oregon’s defensive line was so depleted that backup tight end Koa Ka’ai and two other freshmen were pressed into emergency duty.
Big-play running back Kenjon Barner was bottled up all night so freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota put the game on his arm.
No. 2 Oregon (10-0, 7-0 Pac-12) moved into the No.
2 spot in the BCS rankings with three weeks left in the regular season.
The only other time the Ducks held the top ranking came in 2010, when they were No. 1 for seven weeks before being passed by Auburn late in the final regular season poll in 2010.
But that’s not what the Ducks are worried about right now.
“That’s what’s so good about this team,” said Josh Huff, who had three touchdown catches. “We don’t pay attention to the rankings and what’s around us. We just play Oregon football. We’ll pick our heads up in December and we’ll see where we’re at.”
Before that happens they need to navigate a treacherous closing stretch of the schedule, starting with a home game next week against No. 13 Stanford. A visit to No. 16 Oregon State and a possible spot in the Pac-12 title game follow.
NOTRE DAME
Touting the Irish
Brian Kelly waited until the end of the presidential election to start campaigning for a spot in the BCS title game.
The Notre Dame coach made his case on Sunday for a Top 2 spot in the BCS that would allow the Fighting Irish (10-0), who are third in the BCS standings, to play for a national championship.
“Each team has their own distinctions. The distinction of this football team is it’s the No. 1 scoring defense in the country,” he said on a conference call with reporters a day after a 21-6 victory over Boston College helped the Irish remain No. 3 in BCS rankings.
“It’s proven that against very, very good teams all year. ... If you look at national championship caliber football, you’ve got to look at a defense, and so that’s why we feel strongly that our football team has put themselves in the discussion. “
Notre Dame had been the consensus No. 4 team in the country heading into the weekend, with only a remote chance at a national championship until top ranked Alabama was upset by No. 15 Texas A&M on Saturday.
Tom Murphy’s ballot
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette writer Tom Murphy is a a voter in The Associated Press Top 25. Here are his selections in the latest poll.
Oregon
Kansas State
Alabama
Notre Dame
Georgia
Ohio State
Florida
LSU
Texas A&M
Clemson
Florida State
S. Carolina
Oklahoma
Stanford
La. Tech
UCLA
Texas
Nebraska
Oregon State
Louisville
N. Illinois
Rutgers
USC
Okla. State
Texas Tech
DROPPED OUT Toledo, Mississippi State, Ohio
Sports, Pages 22 on 11/12/2012