COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Main Ingredient for This Bowl Formula Is Reality

Rose--No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 2 Washington.

Sugar--No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 Miami.

Orange--Nos. 8 Nebraska or Colorado vs No. 10 Notre Dame.

Cotton--No. 5 Texas A&M vs. No. 6 Florida State.

Fiesta--No. 11 Boston College vs. Nebraska or Colorado.

That's if the bowls were played this weekend. Now for a reality adjustment.

1--There's no way an undefeated Texas A&M team will play Florida State in the Cotton. Not that Seminole Coach Bobby Bowden has anything against another trip to Dallas and a chance at the higher-ranked Aggies; he doesn't. It's just that the Cotton Bowl would be committing television ratings suicide \o7 if\f7 the Fiesta Bowl winds up with a Pacific 10 entrant.

Here's why: According to the alliance agreement, the Fiesta would have to switch its TV time slot so it wouldn't compete with the Rose Bowl and another Pac-10 team. In the Fiesta's place would be the Cotton, which would get hammered if it offered America Texas A&M vs. Florida State, a rematch of last season's game.

The solution? Cotton Bowl chairman Jim Brock would pass on the higher-ranked Seminoles, take Notre Dame and hope that the Irish's national TV appeal would attract viewers.

2--Florida State would then play Nebraska or Colorado or, miracle of miracles, Kansas, in the Orange Bowl. Considering that FSU hasn't played in an Orange Bowl game since 1981, the Seminoles wouldn't be too upset. Remember that the South Florida area is prime recruiting territory for Bowden and that the Orange Bowl payout is $1.2 million higher than the Cotton's.

3--As expected, the Fiesta's matchup possibilities are the most unpredictable. That's because the bowl has no conference tie-ins and, barring an unlikely national championship scenario, will pick fourth in the coalition draft. Boston College vs. Nebraska or Colorado? Doubtful. If USC can keep winning, look for the Trojans in Tempe on New Year's Day.

The three great issues of our time: trickle-down economics, trickle-down government and now, trickle-down bowl selection.

Waiting semi-patiently for the season to play out is Freedom Bowl executive director Don Andersen, who will get the Pac-10 third-place team and an at-large selection.

Andersen can afford to be patient, thanks mostly to the new bowl alliance. Of all the so-called "lower tier" bowl games, the Freedom might have benefited the most from the coalition.

Right now, the Freedom would feature Washington State, USC or Stanford vs. wish list nominees Brigham Young, Utah, Kansas or Oklahoma.

A guess: Washington State vs. BYU.

The reasons: Stanford played in the Pigskin Classic earlier this season and didn't draw as well as hoped. Nor did Cardinal fans rush down from the Bay Area.

As for USC, it is probably bound for the Fiesta. That leaves Washington State, which would probably bring more fans, to say nothing of quarterback extraordinaire Drew Bledsoe and an 8-3 record.

Oklahoma is a big name with a so-so team. In fact, the Sooners must win three of their next four games to qualify for postseason play. The NCAA requirement is six Division I-A victories. Kansas would be nice, but the Jayhawks are probably going to the Aloha Bowl. Utah has zero name appeal, which leaves BYU.

The Cougars, thanks to a 12-game schedule, have four games to win two and reach the NCAA requirement. A possible 6-6 record isn't great, but consider the aerial show if BYU faced Washington State.

Of course, for the Freedom Bowl to have a legitimate chance at BYU, it needs Air Force to win the Western Athletic Conference. Why? Don't ask. It would take too long to explain.

The bottom line is this: If a WAC team (Hawaii, San Diego State, Utah or BYU) is available, look for Andersen to take it. The WAC guarantees that it will purchase one-sixth of the available seating at a bowl. In the Freedom Bowl's case, that would be 11,800 seats. The Big Eight Conference, were it to send Oklahoma, has no such arrangement.

From the ever-growing Lou Loses It File:

--Call us old fashioned, but Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz should have been jettisoned from last Saturday's game against BYU.

Everyone understands why he was upset with the officiating. After all, TV replays clearly showed that a blitzing Irish player was wrestled to the ground by a BYU lineman, a penalty missed by officials. But to storm onto the field and place a mock headlock on a referee, as Holtz did to a stunned Thomas Thamert, is, using a George Bush word, nutty.

Holtz deserved an early shower and a course in stress management.

"It wasn't a smart decision," an apologetic and embarrassed Holtz said Tuesday.