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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Fast Break

College football

President-elect weighs in

It’s not exactly at the top of his agenda, but President-elect Barack Obama said there should be a playoff to determine a national champion.

In fact, he knows exactly what he wants – an eight-team playoff.

In an interview with “60 Minutes,” Obama addresses a subject fans have debated for many years, and said he will use his influence to create such a system.

“If you’ve got a bunch of teams who play throughout the season, and many of them have one loss or two losses, there’s no clear decisive winner. We should be creating a playoff system,” he tells CBS’ Steve Kroft in an interview to be broadcast today.

According to Obama’s proposed system, eight teams would play over three rounds to settle the national champion.

“It would add three extra weeks to the season,” he said at the conclusion of a wide-ranging interview. “You could trim back on the regular season. I don’t know any serious fan of college football who has disagreed with me on this. So, I’m going to throw my weight around a little bit. I think it’s the right thing to do.”

College basketball

NJIT ties mark with 34th loss

The New Jersey Institute of Technology lost its NCAA record-tying 34th straight game on Saturday, falling to Manhattan 56-32 in Newark, N.J., in coach Jim Engles’ debut.

NJIT’s 34th straight defeat equaled the NCAA Division I record for consecutive losses set by Sacramento State between Dec. 22, 1997, and Jan. 27, 1999.

School officials said the Highlanders won’t go into the official Division I record book because they are in their final reclassifying year and will not be a full member of Division I until 2009-10.

College football

Top 25 scores

(1) Alabama 32, Miss. St. 7
(3) Florida 56, (24) South Carolina 6
(4) Texas 35, Kansas 7
(6) USC 45, Stanford 23
(7) Penn State 34, Indiana 7
(8) Utah 63, San Diego St. 14
(9) Boise State 45, Idaho 10
(10) Ohio State 30, Illinois 20
(11) Okla. St. 30, Colorado 17
(12) Missouri 52, Iowa St. 20
(13) Georgia 17, Auburn 13
(16) BYU 38, Air Force 24
Maryland 17, (17) North Carolina 15
(19) LSU 40, Troy 31
Boston Coll. 27, (20) Fla. St. 17
(23) Oregon St. 34, Cal 21
Houston 70, (25) Tulsa 30
Associated Press Associated Press College Football Rewind, C10