Will vague clause save the BCS? What's next for Vols?

	In the event of an undefeated-team logjam, La'Ron McClain and the Crimson Tide could be aided by an obscure BCS bylaw. Bob Rosato/SI
	MAILBAG Submit a question or an opinion to Stewart. Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Enter your question:

Normally the Mailbag is all about you guys asking me the questions, but this week I'd like to start with some of my own.

• If USC/UCLA, Texas, Virginia Tech and Alabama finish the season undefeated, will the BCS finally invoke the vague, thus-far unused clause in its bylaws that allows it to overrule individual bowl selections if "an alternative pairing would have greater appeal to college football fans?" That way we'd be guaranteed that the No. 3 and 4 teams would play each other. Or will Alabama get stuck playing the Big East champion in the Sugar Bowl?

• Now that offensive coordinator Randy Sanders has taken the fall for Tennessee's nightmare season (because the Vols' ineptitude obviously had everything to do with the play-calling and nothing at all to do with the program's recent rash of undisciplined knuckleheads), will David Cutcliffe return to his old job? Peyton Manning's old coordinator, unceremoniously dumped by Ole Miss last year, resides in Knoxville, but has said he'd like to become a head coach again.

• Am I the only movie-goer in America who somehow missed that there was a Saw I?

• Does anyone else think Charlie Weis is never going to be more popular in South Bend than he is right now? Let's face it, Notre Dame fans are going to expect a national title sooner than later. But guess what? The Irish's next two schedules both include games against Penn State, Michigan, USC and UCLA, among others. He could be the greatest coach since Vince Lombardi and still go 9-3.

• Is there another retired/unemployed former coach out there who would be interested in replacing Lou Holtz in the ESPN studio next season? Please? And would any fellow viewers chip in with me to raise the necessary funds in the event there's some sort of buyout in Holtz's contract?

• Is Mailbag fave Arrested Development on its last legs? FOX chose to show a Prison Break doubleheader Monday instead of a new Arrested, with guest star Charlize Theron. If the Nielsens were the BCS standings, Arrested would be Baylor -- so much better than its ranking.

• Finally, could any other major-college coach in the country pull off a Halloween prank like the one Pete Carroll dreamt up at USC's practice Monday? Brilliant. That took some serious effort.

The last two weeks, Reggie Bush has rushed for 51 yards and one touchdown, and 97 yards and no TDs. He had two catches for 18 yards, and four catches for 40 yards with no TDs. He had one punt return for a touchdown. Can you explain why he's a Heisman candidate? His rushing yardage isn't great, his receiving yardage isn't great, he's ranked 36th in punt returns and 98th in kick returns. It seems to me that he's just been average-to-good all around, not Heisman quality. Or is "exciting" all that is necessary to be a Heisman winner?
--Mark Stover, Austin, Texas

Notice the address. We can only assume Mark is "dirty campaigning" on behalf of his man Vince Young, which is understandable. Young and Bush are pretty much considered to be in a dead heat. Fortunately, the last time I checked, this wasn't fantasy football, and Heisman voters (at least we hope) actually watch the players in action rather than fixating on their stats. And no one who saw Bush hurdle that guy against Notre Dame, run past Arizona State and Oregon defenders like they were standing still or pull off that ridiculous punt return against Washington would sanely call him "average to good."

If I wanted to make a similar argument against Young, I could point out that he has a lower completion percentage than UAB's Darrell Hackney, that he trails BYU's John Beck in total offense, and, therefore, is "average to good" at best. Fortunately for Young, though, I've watched him play.

As an alum and avid fan of Nebraska football, I am beside myself regarding the current state of affairs in Huskerland. At what point does AD Steve Pederson realize what he has done to the Cornhuskers, fire Callahan and submit a letter of resignation? He has turned a once perennial power into a mid-major.
--Mike, New Jersey

Record-wise, the Huskers (5-3) are pretty much where most nonpartisan observers expected them to be in Callahan's second season. I picked them to go 7-4 before the year, and that's still an attainable goal (though Kansas will be a lot tougher than usual this weekend). However, just as stats don't always tell the whole story about Heisman candidates, teams' records can be deceiving. If you're a Nebraska fan, you have every reason to be embarrassed right now. Since when do the mighty Huskers rush for 16 yards ... in two games? Since when does the offensive line -- long a staple of Nebraska's success -- allow nine sacks in a game? Since when do the proud Blackshirts allow an opposing quarterback (Missouri's Brad Smith) to run for 246 yards? And since when does the head coach of one of college football's traditionally classiest programs (Lawrence Phillips notwithstanding) give a ref the throat-slashing gesture and blow off the opposing coach (Bob Stoops) during the postgame handshake (there's video of both floating around the Internet if you need confirmation).

That said, winning cures everything. Like it or not, both Callahan and Pederson will be back next season. A 10-win season will put a lot of the discontent to rest in a hurry. Another year like this one, though, and one or both parties are as good as gone. You saw it last offseason with Florida and Notre Dame: Three years, not four, is the new window of patience.