rainbow@ihuxe.UUCP (01/03/84)
Is winning the Orange Bowl as opposed to tying it worth more than winning the national championship as opposed to losing it? If you ask me, Nebraska clearly made the wrong choice. Can anyone out there justify Nebraska's decision to go for two points?
halle1@houxz.UUCP (J.HALLE) (01/03/84)
It is easy to justify Osborne's decision. If Nebraska had settled for a tie how many of the voters would still have picked them over Auburn? If they did kick instead, I would expect the voting to be close, with Auburn on top and Nebraska and Miami close to being tied for second. By going for it, Nebraska may even have kept a few votes it would have lost otherwise. Furthermore, Osborne's decision will be remembered, and may help him in future polls. The poll voters prefer class, which Nebraska demonstrated.
pector@ihuxw.UUCP (Scott W. Pector) (01/04/84)
As much as I hate the Nebites, hats off to Osborne! He made the right decision. If he went for the tie, he and his players would always have to contend with the thought that although they got the National Championship, it is tarnished by them not being brave or confident enough to go for the win. Miami should finish ahead of the Nebites in the polls and also ahead of Auburn (after all, they beat the No. 1 team and Auburn couldn't even get a TD against a team not even in the top 5.). Remember when Notre Dame beat Texas a few years ago and finished No. 1, even though Arkansas trounced Oklahoma and Alabama mauled Ohio State (I think that was the other game!). ND was not believed to have been the best team, and this year, neither is Miami. However, the same results in the polls will happen for the Hurricanes (this assumes that they only lost one game and had no ties: I forget if this is the case or not). What about the Rose Bowl?! Boy, did Illinois get the tar knocked out of them! I know what happened: they tried to trick UCLA by letting players from my alma mater Northwestern suit up instead. Scott Pector
jeff@dciem.UUCP (Jeff Richardson) (01/04/84)
A team that settles for a tie against a team they were heavily favoured
to beat, when they have a chance to win, does not deserve the national
title. The voters and most of the fans would probably agree with me.
My guess is that Auburn would have won the title if Nebraska had tied
Miami because, even though they weren't all that impressive against
Michigan, they would have been the only team in the top five with a
bowl-game win.
Jeff Richardson
DCIEM, Toronto