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Paschall: SEC coaches back Obama on playoff

By: David Paschall
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SEC football coaches are ready to act on a campaign promise made by President-elect Barack Obama.

In a taped interview that ran on ESPN the night before the election, Obama said the one thing he would change in sports is implementing a college football playoff.

“I’m fed up with these computer rankings and this, that and the other,” Obama said. “Get the top eight teams right at the end. You’ve got a playoff.”

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, who often uses “this, that and the other” when he is fed up with something, finds Obama’s comments very intriguing. Spurrier is as optimistic as ever that a playoff will happen, even if it takes another four or so years.

“Only time will tell when those who run college football have to respond to, ‘Why not an eight-team playoff?’” Spurrier said. “It would be very interesting to see those top eight teams play it down. We have playoffs in every sport in the world except college football. I used to say, ‘How can we be right and everybody else be wrong?’

“With the president pushing it — and he said he was going to push it — something certainly could happen.”

Alabama’s Nick Saban has supported the “plus-one” model, which seeds the top four teams in two of the four BCS bowls, with the two winners then playing for the title. Saban also was pleased to learn of Obama’s desire for change in this area.

“We certainly appreciate the president’s interest, that’s for sure,” Saban said, “It’s nice to have someone who’s leading the country that’s interested in college football.”

Pasquali’s Pix:

Miami at Georgia Tech: The Jackets are among nine teams in the mix for the ACC title. The Hurricanes are one of three (joining Maryland and Boston College) controlling their destiny. Jackets 23, Hurricanes 16.

Tennessee at Vanderbilt: For the first time in SEC history, the Commodores enter this game with twice as many victories as the Vols. B.J. Colemans 20, Commodores 16.

Arkansas at Miss. State: Not that anybody is confusing this for an SEC West title game, but the Hogs and Bullies lost to Alabama by a combined 81-21. Hogs 19, Bullies 14.

The Citadel at Florida: Sources have told Pasquali that the Bulldogs are totally spent after last week’s victory over the Mocs. Gators 62, Bulldogs 3.

Samford at UTC: The Mocs played their best game of the season last Saturday, and there is definitely something admirable in that. Bulldogs 24, Mocs 17.

Syracuse at Notre Dame: How bad would these two teams get beat if they had to play their 1988 teams? Irish 27, Orange 10.

Ole Miss at LSU: Tigers quarterback Jarrett Lee has been intercepted 15 times this season, with seven returned for touchdowns. Rebels 24, Tigers 19.

Texas Tech at Oklahoma: The Big XII picture will either be crystal clear or as messy as Pasquali’s children finishing off a bag of Cheetos. Red Raiders 33, Sooners 31.

Last week:

Winners......................21

Coaches in waiting........4

Pasquali is now 237-63 overall (79.0 percent) this season.

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