ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe isn’t thrilled with how one of his counterparts lobbied against the BCS.
Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson did not hold back when he told Congress a playoff is needed to replace the current Bowl Championship Series structure.
“It was disappointing to me that’s the approach the (Mountain West) conference took,” Beebe said before Saturday night’s Big 12 championship game. “Because I do feel like we have a deal. The time to talk about changing the deal is when you’re in discussions prior to negotiations,”
After unbeaten Utah did not play for the national championship last season, Thompson began his push for a playoff.
In May, Thompson offered testimony against the BCS format in front of Congress. The Mountain West, which does not have an automatic bid, also proposed a playoff format and hired a Washington firm to lobby for changes to the BCS.
The BCS agreed to a four-year contract with ESPN last year. The deal allows the BCS to put off making major changes until the 2014 season.
“To retreat from that and act like we’ve got to change it all because of one year’s result was very disappointing to me,” Beebe said.
—
NEW NEBRASKA FANS: A couple of TCU fans found some new friends among a group of Nebraska supporters.
Two purple-clad Horned Frogs fans were shown on the jumbo-sized screen at Cowboys Stadium with a sign that read “Every TCU Student Praying For Nebraska.” They stood out sitting near dozens of several Cornhuskers fans dressed in red.
After No. 1 Florida lost in the SEC title game, No. 4 TCU (12-0) and coach Gary Patterson might have a chance to crash the BCS national championship game if Texas was to lose to Nebraska.
“We’re not playing this game for them,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said Friday. “But I’ll gladly shake (Patterson’s) hand if we’re able to help him out.”
—
COLT’S EARLY STRUGGLES: Coming into Saturday’s game, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy made his Heisman push by throwing for 16 touchdowns with just two interceptions since Oct. 24.
Nebraska picked McCoy off twice in Texas’ first three possessions of the Big 12 championship.
McCoy’s second pass of the game was tipped at the line and grabbed by Nebraska safety Eric Hagg. Later in the first quarter, Prince Amukamara barely kept his feet inbounds while intercepting McCoy again.
Texas a 7-6 halftime lead with a 2-yard touchdown run.
M last Thursday night.
—
EXTRA POINTS: Nebraska’s Alex Henery kicked a 52-yard field goal in the first quarter, a Big 12 championship game record. … Texas and Nebraska have played two other times in the conference title game. In 1996, the Longhorns knocked off the Cornhuskers 37-27 in the inaugural contest. Nebraska turned the tables three years later, knocking off Texas 22-6 in San Antonio. … There was an announced attendance of 76,211. It was the third-largest crowd in the 14-year history of the game.
Add A Comment