Former Heisman winners agree: BCS needs tweaking

MIAMI (AP) -- The BCS honored 10 Heisman Trophy winners Thursday night, about a half an hour after the former stars agreed the system is broken.

Before Florida defeated Oklahoma 24-14 to win the national championship, eight of the Heisman winners met the media and said the current system was unfair and needs to be tweaked.

"Being from the Mountain West Conference, we don't have a chance," former BYU quarterback Ty Detmer said.

The BCS title game between the Gators (13-1) and Sooners (12-2) had come under scrutiny all week, with threats of lawsuits and legislation. Earlier Thursday, Texas congressman Joe Barton proposed legislation to replace the BCS with a playoff system, a change even President-elect Barack Obama said he wants.

Several schools -- including Barton's home-state Texas Longhorns (12-1) -- believe they are the rightful champions. Southern California (12-1) and undefeated Utah (13-0) also have argued they're the best.

"I just feel like everybody should be given an opportunity," Pittsburgh's 1976 Heisman winner Tony Dorsett said. "Now I don't know how that's going to work out or how they're going to do it, but they have a lot of brilliant people at these universities who should be able to figure it out."

The BCS has also been scrutinized on another front.

On Tuesday, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff announced he was investigating the BCS for a possible violation of federal antitrust laws. He argued the BCS unfairly puts schools such as Utah, a member of a conference without an automatic bid to the big-money bowls, at a competitive and financial disadvantage.

The Heisman winners who gathered below Dolphin Stadium also agreed that Utah, like every other school in major college football, should get a chance to show its the best.

"Go ask the players how they want it settled," former Miami quarterback Gino Torretta said. "You think they want it settled with a poll or votes? They want the distinguish right to get together and play it out."

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