COA COMMISSIONER SAYS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

TEAMS MUST WIN BOWL GAME

Bakersfield's Substantial Power Rating Advantage Leads to Decision

If Bakersfield College is going to participate in the 2000 Hyundai California Community College Football State Championship game in Visalia on December 9, it will have to defeat Grossmont College Saturday (December 2) in the Shrine Potato Bowl, California Community College Commissioner of Athletics Dr. Joanne A. Fortunato announced Thursday.

The ruling came in response to an appeal filed this week with the COA regarding the power rating formula used to determine the state championship participants. The Renegades, ranked first in Southern California with a 9-1 record, built such an advantage in power rating points during the regular season, they could have qualified for the final contest against the Northern California champion regardless of the outcome of their bowl game against Grossmont. That game will be held at Bakersfield's Memorial Stadium.

That scenario, according to Fortunato and the COA Appeals Board who joined her in the decision, is contrary to the intent of the power rating legislation, which was enacted with the support of the California Community Colleges Football Coaches Association (CCCFCA) prior to the 1999 season.

An August 12, 1999, memo describing the power rating formula distributed by Chris Pappas, the CCCFCA's executive secretary, stated, "After the bowl games have been played the power rating system is to be used to determine the number one team in the North and the number one team in the South. A team must win its bowl game to be eligible for the state championship game. (Italics added.)

However, that statement was lost from the legislation that detailed the use of the power rating system in the guide that governs community college football and the oversight went undetected.

"It was clearly designed that state championship teams must win their regional game in order to qualify for the finals, the same as in all sports we sponsor," said Fortunato. "The fair thing to do in this case is to honor the intent of the legislation."

Bakersfield, with a 34.1 power rating, is more than seven points ahead of the nearest Southern California team, Mt. San Antonio. Interestingly, Grossmont, who also has a 9-1 record, could defeat Bakersfield in the Shrine Potato Bowl and still not qualify for the Hyundai State Championship game. That' s because the Griffins, who were chosen for the contest with Bakersfield because they were ranked second in the southern region in the final COA/Coaches Regional Poll, are currently fourth in power rating points with 26.5, behind Mt. SAC (26.9) and El Camino (26.8). Both Mt. SAC, rated fifth in the final COA/Coaches Poll, and El Camino, ranked fourth in the same poll, are 8-2 overall. Canyons (9-1) is a close fifth with a PR of 25.9, and is ranked third in the final poll.

In the other December 2 postseason games that would have a direct bearing on the southern representative if Bakersfield were to lose to Grossmont, Mt. SAC plays at Southwestern (9-1) in the Southwestern College South County Bowl, El Camino travels to East Los Angeles (7-3) for the CHiPs for Kids Bowl and Canyons hosts Allan Hancock (8-2) in the Western State Bowl.

The Northern California picture is much simpler. In a battle of undefeated teams on December 2, second-ranked Fresno City (10-0) takes on defending state champion and top-rated San Francisco (10-0) in the San Francisco Hawaiian Punch Bowl, with the winner advancing to the state championship December 9. Kickoff for the Hyundai and Blue Diamond-sponsored championship match-up at Mineral King Bowl in Visalia, is 1 p.m.

Final power ratings, which are calculated by the CCCFCA, will be released Sunday morning on this site and location.