0

0

12

Kickff '92

ALUANCE
Continued from page 8
This new system does have
one plus. I always used to cheer
for mass confusion in the bowls
and now it's almost guaranteed.
Check out some of my favorite
New Year's Day scenarios. First
No. 1 Washington against No. 2
Michigan in the Rose Bowl. The
coalition means nothing - except
to see who the third-best team in
the country is. Well, any scenario
that has either of these two teams
No. 1 works.
Scenario two. Penn State goes
11-0. Notre Dame finishes 6-5.
The Irish play No. 5 Clemson in

the Fiesta Bowl while the Nittany
Lions square off with No. 13
Nebraska - one of the only teams
who has played worse on New
Year's Day than Michigan. Great
matchups, huh.
Scenario three. Miami is
ranked No. 1 while Notre Dame is
No. 3. Because they aren't No. 1
and No. 2 they can't play in the
Fiesta Bowl. So Miami plays No. 9
Nebraska in the Orange Bowl
while Notre Dame plays No. 10
Florida in the Sugar. Sound
familiar. Last year's matchups all
over again.
Scenario four. Florida is No. 1
and Texas A&M is No. 2. They

still go to their traditional bowls
against whoever. Lots of change in
this system.
Well let's not harp on the
negatives. If the top two teams do
come from the pool of five or one
from the pool and the other from
Big Eight, Southeast or Southwest
it does guarantee a national
championship game. But those
teams usually matched up anyway.
The only improvement is that,
except for Notre Dame and Penn
State, teams aren't picked until
their season ends.
But, then again, how couldn't
you improve a little on the old
bowl system?

Thedayie ptmbffr o92 0o i
The FlEnesSkeep EnLcominE


If the new bowl alliance had been in affect last season, here is a
comparison of the probable matchups with the actual ones.
ACTUAL MATCHUPS PROBABLE MATCHUPS
Rose Bowl: Rose Bowl:
Michigan vs. Washington Michigan vs. Washington

Orange Bowl:
Miami (Fla.) vs. Nebraska
Cotton Bowl:
Florida State vs. Texas A&M
Sugar Bowl:
Notre Dame vs. Florida
Fiesta Bowl:
Penn State vs. Tennessee

Orange Bowl:
Notre Dame vs. Nebraska
Cotton Bowl:
Florida State vs. Texas A&M
Sugar Bowl:
East Carolina vs. Florida
Fiesta Bowl:
Miami (Fla.) vs. California

Another year, another top offensive line.
Michigan just keeps churning them out. Gone
from a line that fronted the 11th-ranked
rushing game in Division 1-A is a second-
round draft pick (Greg Skrepenak) and a
member of the Super Bowl champion
Redskins (Matt Elliot). But no matter,
because three starters return and talented
replacements for the graduated seniors stand
by ready to fill in.
Center Steve Everitt, at 6-foot-5 and 275
pounds, is the anchor of the line and an all-
American candidate. He is a four-year starter.

although injuries have allowed him to play in
only 23 of 36 games. His skill is without
question, however, and if he remains healthy
he is potentially the best center in the country
and a high NFL draft pick.
The other member of this talented group
drawing national plaudits is right guard Joe
Cocozzo. The 6-4, 289-pound New Yorker has
started 20 of the last 21 games, moving into
the lineup early in 1990 when Elliot shifted to
center to replace an injured Everitt. Cocozzo
has also been touted as an early-round NFL
- - S.. a a-

(L to R) Rob Doherty, Joe Cocozzo, Steve Everitt, Shawn I
another edition of college football's best offensive line.