From first to Southworst

Sporting News, The, Dec 6, 1993 by Kirk Bohls

"Underline that four times, put it in bold-faced print and capitalize it," Plonsky says. "You have to be willing to do things differently."

The conference is making many of the right moves, but its hands might be tied by factors over which it has no control.

"I think Steve Hatchell brings a lot of imagination and innovation," Davalos says. "But all the ideas and Palm Beach and New York trips still won't carry that league. What carries it is production on the field and on the court. They definitely need to look at expansion and some new blood."

The Texas tumble

January 1983: Southern Methodist hits its pinnacle with a 7-3 victory against Pittsburgh in the Cotton Bowl. SMU finishes the '82 season 11-0 1 and ranked No. 2 in The Associated Press Poll behind Penn State.

'83 season recap: The SWC finishes the season 14- 15- 1 (.483 winning percentage) against non-conference opponents. Texas, ranked No. 1 at midseason, begins its slide when Craig Curry fumbles in the final minutes of the Cotton Bowl, giving the ball to Georgia. The Longhorns lose, 10-9. Texas finishes the season with an 11- 1 record and ranked No. 5 in the nation. Baylor loses to Oklahoma State in the Bluebonnet and SMU loses to Alabama in the Sun. SMU finishes the season at 10-2 and ranked No. 12 in The A.P. poll.

'84 season recap: The SWC is 19- 11-2 (.625) against non-conference opponents. Houston loses to Boston College in the Cotton Bowl, SMU beats Notre Dame in the Aloha, Texas loses to Iowa in the Freedom, Arkansas loses to Auburn in the Liberty and TCU loses to West Virginia in the Bluebonnet. SMU finishes 10-2 and, at No. 8, is the only SWC team ranked in the final A.P. poll.

'85 season recap: The SWC is 21- 10 (.677) against non-conference opponents. Texas A&M beats Auburn in the Cotton Bowl, Arkansas beats Arizona State in the Holiday, Texas loses to Air Force in the Bluebonnet and Baylor beats Louisiana State in the Liberty. Texas A&M ends the season as the only SWC team ranked in the final A.P. poll. The Aggies (10-2) are No. 6.

May 1986: Seven TCU players are dismissed for accepting money and gifts, including $10,000 in cash payments, and the program begins a three-year probation. As part of the sanctions, TCU loses several scholarships and has to repay television revenues.

'86 season recap: The SWC finishes 17-14 (.548) against non-conference opponents. Texas A&M loses to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, Texas Tech loses to Mississippi in the Independence, Arkansas loses to Oklahoma in the Orange and Baylor beats Colorado in the Bluebonnet. But the conference makes one of its strongest showings of the decade in the final A.P. poll. Baylor and Texas A&M finish Nos. 12 and 13, and Arkansas finishes No.15.

February 1987: SMU begins the first year of its two-year death penalty, in which there is no football for the Mustangs. Sanctions are the result of a play-for-pay scandal in which 13 players were paid $50 to $725 per month.

March 1987: Texas Tech loses three scholarships and is put on probation for one year for 14 NCAA violations.