HOUSTON -- Notre Dame's Lou Holtz, Miami's Jimmy Johnson and West Virginia's Don Nehlen -- whose teams are 1-2-3 in the country - agreed Wednesday there will be plenty of controversy in determining the national champion if Notre Dame loses to West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl.
'I've never determined who is No. 1 anyway,' said Holtz, whose unbeaten and top-ranked Irish play unbeaten and No. 3 West Virginia on Jan. 2. 'I don't want to have to make that decision.'
Actually, Holtz does have a say in who wins the national title as one of 50 members of the UPI Board of Coaches, which selects the Top 20. Holtz and the other Board members, including Johnson and Nehlen, will vote Jan. 3 on the national champion.
Holtz, Johnson and Nehlen spoke with UPI before the Paul 'Bear' Bryant Coach of the Year award Wednesday night. The fourth finalist was Southern Cal's Larry Smith.
The question over how to determine the national champion is of significance again this year. Notre Dame can win the title if it beats West Virginia. But if West Virginia wins, and No. 2 Miami, 10-1, beats Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, who should be No. 1?
Johnson said his team, the defending national champion, should be No. 1 if that happens.
'I just want to bring attention to the fact we had a very difficult schedule,' said Johnson, whose team's only loss was to Notre Dame. 'When No. 2 wins and No. 1 loses, Ithink No. 2 moves up. I feel we've got as much a chance to be No. 1 as anybody. I'm just saying that after the bowl games, vote for the best team in the country.'
But Nehlen argued his team also played a top schedule.
'We went through our schedule and never were tested once,' Nehlen said. 'When two unbeaten teams play, the winner should be the national champion. If we beat No. 1 Notre Dame, it would be the biggest injustice if we're not No. 1.'
All three dismissed the possibility of a playoff to determine the national champion because of scheduling and the current bowl system, which all three favor.
'I've had some great, great memories from bowl games,' Johnson said.
Holtz said if a computer, and not any kind of public poll, could determine the top two teams after the bowl season, he would support a national-title game.
Johnson, whose team has been in a bowl game that determined the national championship the last two years, did offer some advice for Holtz and Nehlen.
'Have the best team,' he said.
