Miami Clinches Spot In Title Game
Dec 1, 2001
By The Associated Press
Miami will get a chance to play for a national championship, while Tennesseeknocked Florida out of the title chase.
No. 1 Miami beat No. 14 Virginia Tech 26-24 on Saturday to complete an 11-0regular season and remove any possibility that it will drop out the top spot inthe Bowl Championship Series.
In the locker room after the game, two Rose Bowl officials extended aninvitation to Miami to play in Pasadena on Jan. 3.
Miami’s opponent will be decided when the final BCS standings are releasedDec. 9. The ratings use a formula that incorporates the AP media and coaches’polls, eight computers, strength of schedule, won-lost record and bonus pointsfor big wins.
By completing the sixth undefeated regular season in school history, theHurricanes get to play for the their fifth national title. Miami will be makingits first appearance in the Rose Bowl, which will feature a non BigTen-Pacific-10 matchup for the first time since 1946.
No. 2 Florida (9-2) fell out of the title picture with a 34-32 home loss toNo. 5 Tennessee (10-1). The Gators could end up with an at-large BCS berth -either in the Orange or Sugar Bowl.
Tennessee advanced to next week’s Southeastern Conference title game againsteither No. 22 LSU or No. 25 Auburn, and has a chance to play Miami in Pasadena.
No. 3 Texas played No. 9 Colorado for the Big 12 title Saturday night andneeded a win to stay in the title chase.
No. 4 Oregon beat Oregon State 17-14 to remain in contention for the RoseBowl, but needed both Texas and Tennessee to lose. Otherwise, the Pac-10champion Ducks (10-1) will play in the Fiesta Bowl.
No. 7 Maryland (10-1) and No. 8 Illinois (10-1) have clinched BCS spots.Maryland is expected play in the Orange, and Illinois is probably headed to theSugar.
Brigham Young, the only other undefeated team, played at Mississippi Stateon Saturday night.
No. 6 Nebraska (11-1), which ended its regular season with a loss toColorado, could get an at-large berth to the Sugar or Orange.
