As Sam Sees It

The Arizona colleges don’t figure to play a role in the hunt for a national championship in football. Arizona State has enough weapons to earn a minor bowl berth. Even that is not likely to be in the future for the Arizona Wildcats.

Florida looks like the state with the most firepower. Florida, Florida State and Miami are all likely top 10 schools. Which finishes highest will depend on what they do when they play each other. Mark these dates on your football calendar: Oct. 13 (Miami at Florida State) and Nov. 17 (Florida State at Florida). Miami and Florida do not play each other, so the possibility of a meeting for the national championship is not totally out of the question.

Oklahoma could make a spirited defense of the crown it won last season. The Sooners have the horses to do it again. They also play in what may well be the toughest football conference in America. Nebraska, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Texas and Colorado could all contend for a Big 12 or even the national crown. If the eventual champion is not from Florida, it might well be a Big 12 team.

Florida is not the only contender from the Southeastern Conference. This conference will probably send more teams to bowl games that any other. They did so last year and are usually among the most represented leagues in post season play. Among those given an outside shot at a national crown one might list Tennessee and Mississippi State. Either would be a real long shot. This conference has many quality teams but no national championship contender save possibly the Florida Gators.

The Big 10 usually has several teams with national championship hopes. Most years this means Michigan, Ohio State and, sometimes, Penn State. This year, it probably just means Michigan. The Wolverines look like the only serious contender from this once dominant conference. This could, however, be the conference harboring a Cinderella or two if the Wolverines stumble.

The PAC-10 is probably the only conference with a national championship contender not already named. There are four West Coast teams that could take the ultimate prize this season. Oregon is the only state other than Florida with two such contenders. As rare as it is, one must consider both Oregon and Oregon State in that category. Washington and UCLA are the other PAC-10 teams that could challenge for the championship.

Sorry, Notre Dame, but there is no independent of national championship caliber this year.

It is not easy to select a national champion from this many contenders, but here goes. The championship game will match Miami and Nebraska. Miami will be everybody’s favorite, but the Cornhuskers will be the last team standing.