Football 1991

[Turbine]

2-8-1

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - With the football season looming over the horizon at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, it is time for the players to start talking about going to a bowl game. And that is the way it should be. The players should start talking about finishing 11-0 from the first day of practice and being selected to fill one of the spots in the major bowls on New Year's Day. Shoot for the moon! The Ragin' Cajuns almost got into the inner circles two years ago when the team produced a 7-4 record for Coach Nelson Stokley and staff. But the Independence Bowl took Southern Mississippi and the Ragin' Cajuns missed out on their first major bowl since the 1946 Oil Bowl. The Cajuns lost by 26-25 in the College Division Grantland Rice Bowl in Baton Rouge in 1968 to Tennessee State. USL will have to win eight games this season to even be considered for a bowl appearance. The NCAA's Postseason Football Subcommittee has reworked the rules and will penalize Division I-A teams that score victories over Division I-AA teams and hope to gain bowl appearances. Starting with this football season, all I-A teams must have six victories against I-A opponents to qualify for bowl consideration. The service academies -- Army, Navy and Air Force -- get an exception. Each year, under a recently approved contract, one of the service schools will play in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. The service academies have been given a one-year waiver to the win-six rule. Thirty-one I-A teams will play at least one I-AA foe. The following teams will have one game against at least one I-AA teams and will have to win seven games to get a bowl bid (I-AA foes in parentheses): Alabama (Tennessee-Chattanooga), Auburn (Georgia Southern), Cal State-Fullerton (Northridge State), Cincinnati (Middle Tennessee), Clemson (Applachian State), Colorado State (Arkansas State, Duke (Colgate), East Carolina (Central Florida), Georgia (Jacksonville), Iowa State (Eastern Illinois), Long Beach State (Boise State), LSU (Arkansas State) Louisiville (Eastern Kentucky), Nevada-Las Vegas (Nevada), North Carolina (William & Mary), North Carolina State (Marshall), Ohio (Tennessee Tech), Oklahoma (North Texas), South Carolina (East Tennessee), Southern Mississippi (Delta State), Temple (Howard), Tulsa (Southwestern Missouri), Virginia Tech (James Madison), and Wisconsin (Western Illinois). Six I-A schools will play two I-AA teams and will need eight victories to be considered for bowl games. They are Akron (Illinois State, Northern Arizona), Kansas State (Idaho State, Indiana State), Northern Illinois (Arkansas State, Northwestern State), USL (Arkansas State, Northeast Louisiana), Wake Forest (Applachian State, Western Carolina), and Pacific (Sacramento State), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo). Louisiana Tech is the only one school in Division I-A that will play three I-AA members. The Bulldogs will have to win nine games to be considered for a bowl game. Tech's three non-I-A foes are Montana, Arkansas State and Northeast Louisiana. What is happening is that the 60-something members of I-A that are also in the College Football Association (CFA) are trying to scare the I-A members who are trying to help other schools meet the I-A standards. Last week in this space it said such schools as Georgia Southern, North Texas, Northeast Louisiana and McNeese State might take the plunge into I-A status. You can add Central Florida to that list. Arkansas State has already taken such a step and should be a bona fide I-A member before too much longer. Although two of USL foes may be listed as I-AA, the "NCAA Fooball Review" says the Cajuns are playing a pretty tough schedule. Three USL opponents -- Auburn, Texas A&M and Arkansas -- are listed in the magazine's top 40. Auburn is ranked No. 15, Texas A&M 17th and Arkansas tied for 39th. Here is what the publication had to say about the three teams: Auburn -- "It's a sign of how far Auburn has come under Coach Pat Dye that an 8-3-1 finish in 1990 is actually considered a disappointing season. The biggest rebuilding was done on Dye's staff after a season he thought work ethic and attitude had slipped." Texas A&M -- The Aggies, 9-3-1 last year, return little on offense. Quarterback Bucky Richardson and guard Keith Alex are senior leaders. New faces Randy Simmons and Doug Carter will carry the majority of the Aggie rushing load. Defensively, Coach R.C. Slocum returns three of four linebackers and All-America hopeful Kevin Smith at cornerback." Arkansas -- Arkansas dipped to 3-8 under rookie coach Jack Crowe last season, the Razorbacks' first non-winning season in 24 years. The loss of three-year starter Quin Grovey at quarterback won't make bringing the program back up any easier." The top 10 in the race for the mythical national championship in the NCAA publication shows Florida State No. 1, Miami No. 2, Michigan No. 3 spot and Notre Dame fourth. Washington is No. 5, Penn State No. 6, with Colorado, Georgia Tech, Tennessee and Texas rounding out the Top 10. USL opens its season Aug. 31 against Northeast Louisiana and then goes on the road for the entire month of September, at Central Michigan, Wyoming, Arkansas and Texas A&M. The month of October will be played entirely at Cajun Field with Miami of Ohio, Tulsa and Louisiana Tech along with an open date filling the card. The Cajuns have three road games in November, at Northern Illinois, Auburn and Arkansas State. The Advocate July 15, 1991 Author: J.C. HATCHER