What a mess

Alliance still controversial despite changes

Posted: Wed December 31, 1997 at 1:10 PM ET

(CNN/SI) -- Imagine waking up to this scenario on January 3, the morning after the Orange Bowl?

Washington State has beaten Michigan in the Rose Bowl and both of those teams end the season 11-1. As do North Carolina which beats Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl, and Florida State, which takes care of Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.

Adding to the problem, Tennessee surprises Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, and both of those teams end the season 12-1. Suddenly there are six contenders for one title. Wasn't the bowl alliance supposed to eliminate this problem?

"This thing just doesn't take shape," said Steve Hatchell, Big 12 Commissioner. "The NCAA [bowl alliance] doesn't just fall into shape."

Who's Number 1?
Florida State	11 - 1
Michigan	11 - 1
Nebraska	12 - 1
North Carolina	11 - 1
Tennessee	12 - 1
Washington State	11 - 1

The Bowl Alliance was formed in 1995 with the hopes of ending once and for all who could call themselves national champions. The Fiesta, Sugar, and Orange Bowls severed their traditional conference ties for the possibility of creating a one versus two matchup that would rotate each year between those bowls. But, in three years, this has happened only once, at the 1996 Fiesta Bowl between Nebraska and Florida.

"Right or wrong there are a lot of people that talk about the alliance," said Hatchell. "There are those that like, hate it, distrust it, whatever, but it gets discussed."

MULTIMEDIA

Joe Paterno feels that the alliance will improve with the inclusion of the Rose Bowl Audio (192K) Bobby Bowden on the decline of the other bowl games Audio (192K)

STATS

Fiesta Bowl Preview Stats: Kansas State vs. Syracuse Orange Bowl Preview Stats: Nebraska vs. Tennessee Sugar Bowl Preview Stats: Florida State vs. Ohio State Rose Bowl Preview Stats: Washington State vs. Michigan

ALSO

Fiesta Bowl Preview: Kansas State vs. Syracuse Orange Bowl Preview: Nebraska vs. Tennessee Sugar Bowl Preview: Florida State vs. Ohio State Rose Bowl Preview: Washington State vs. Michigan Fiesta Bowl is showcase for K-State, Syracuse Interest for Sugar Bowl down from last year

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In reality, the alliance hasn't set out to do what it planned mainly because of the exclusion of the Rose Bowl. Nebraska is learning this year that it is impossible to determine a true national champion when one of the country's number one or two teams is playing in the Granddaddy of them all, as top-ranked and undefeated Michigan is this season.

"Without the Big 10 and Pac-10 involved there has always been that problem that there is something hanging loose," said Arthur Hertz of the Orange Bowl selection committee. "This year proves it. So with the Super Alliance coming in we think it should be w orking the way it should work."

But next year will mark the beginning of the Super Alliance, which will include the Rose Bowl and all the teams that potentially have a chance to win a national title.

"I think the alliance is trying to work its way to where they are going to have an opportunity to have one versus two," said Penn State head coach Joe Paterno. "I think before we get to critical of it we ought to wait and see what happens when the Big Ten and Pac-10 and Rose Bowl are in the alliances."

John Junker, executive director of the Fiesta Bowl, thinks the anticipation of finally crowning an undisputed national championship with no split national poll is what the coaches, administrators and fans have been waiting for.

"It will help everyone in college football to focus from day one that there will be a great championship game," said Junker. "That's the first time it has happened in the 128 years of college football."

Even with next year's Super Alliance, not all the problems will be solved. The guarantee that number one will be playing number two in one bowl game means that the other games will suffer.

"People are only interested in one versus two, it's hard for the other games to draw what they are used to drawing because all the attention goes to one versus two," said Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden. "We have gotten to that state of it and I rea lly hate to see that."

While the alliance had hoped to quell talks of a national playoff system like college basketball, its inadequacies have only livened the debate. With the Super Alliance ending in 2006, the bowls have seven more years to prove their worth.