the writing was definitely on the wall that the winner of the FSU-Nebraska game was going to win the national championship.

If the voters were going to do the right thing vis-a-vis the head-to-head results, they would have voted Notre Dame ahead of FSU before the bowls. We all know that the voters wanted Bowden to get his first NC if FSU beat Nebraska.

I know that Holtz -- as he well should have -- was talking a good game. I know that many players, managers and other students close to the program believed that wins by ND and FSU would result in Notre Dame being ranked number-one.

But the reality was that it wasn't going to happen. Unfairness aside, the difference between 1977 and 1993 was that every team above Notre Dame in the polls lost in 1977.

By definition, barring a tie (which was what I was rooting for), it was impossible for every team ahead of Notre Dame in 1993 to lose its bowl game.

Did I know at the time that the case wouldn't be heard by the voters? Yes, because FSU was ahead of us.

Either way, the idea is the same, it's been a long time since we were in the discussion, late into the season.

It's been flashes, but not much else.

Both in reference to my good points and to ND's football success.