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Tuesday, December 1, 1998

Football team inches closer to top spot

in BCS poll

FOOTBALL: Win in Miami would likely lead to berth

in Fiesta Bowl for Bruins

By Jeff Kmiotek

Daily Bruin Staff

The Bruins had a bye last week, but they moved one step closer to saying "Hello" to the Fiesta Bowl.

UCLA remained No. 2 in the Bowl Championship Series Poll, but closed to within .04 points of No. 1 Tennessee. The Volunteers have 4.99 points in the complicated computer formula, followed by UCLA with 5.03 and Kansas State, barely hanging on with 6.31.

If the Bruins beat the Miami Hurricanes on Dec. 5 and Tennessee tops Mississippi State in the SEC Championship, undefeated Kansas State (due to their weak schedule) will be the odd team out for the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 4. That would leave UCLA and Tennessee to play for all the chips.

The Bruins improved in the BCS as a result of their strength of schedule (SOS) increasing and Tennessee's decreasing. The Vols destroyed Vanderbilt 41-0 on Saturday, but Vandy's 2-9 record destroyed Tennessee's SOS. They went from the 14th most difficult schedule to the 29th, thus gaining a mere .60 points.

UCLA's SOS went up a notch, from No. 8 to No. 7. UCLA was aided by Arizona's win over Arizona State, USC's ugly win over Notre Dame, Texas' victory over Texas A&M and Nebraska's win against Colorado. An almost perfect SOS weekend was marred when the Hurricanes were blown away by Syracuse, 66-13.

But still, if the Bruins defeat Miami in the "Hurricane Bowl," they'll be bowling in Arizona in 1999.

"(If we beat Miami) and we don't make it to the Fiesta Bowl, I'd be very, very, very disappointed," said coach Bob Toledo.

A loss to Miami would send the Bruins to the Rose Bowl to face Wisconsin on Jan. 1.

* * *

UCLA defensive back Eric Whitfield has been suspended from the team due to his alleged involvement in an altercation on Oct. 3. Whitfield, who has made 27 tackles, will miss the Miami game and his future status is pending.

* * *

UCLA quarterback Cade McNown has been named winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award for the top senior quarterback in the nation. McNown beat out fellow notables Michael Bishop of Kansas State and Joe Germaine of Ohio State.

* * *

A potential Fiesta Bowl matchup between Tennessee and UCLA would not only be a game for the national title, but a chance for revenge against the last team to defeat the Bruins since the 20-game winning streak began. The Bruins lost to the Vols on Sept. 6, 1997 at the Rose Bowl.

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