WASHINGTON - The five college football conferences that don’t get automatic bids to the Bowl Championship Series will receive a record $24 million from this year’s BCS bowl games, according to BCS figures obtained yesterday by The Associated Press. The distribution of money has been a main point of contention for congressional critics of the Bowl Championship Series system. Lawmakers have pushed legislation aimed at forcing the BCS to switch to a playoff system rather than the ratings system it uses to set the games that determine the college championship.

Bobby Bowden watched the clock run down to :00, then took his last walk to midfield as the Florida State Seminoles jumped up and down, thrusting their helmets into the air.

The ideal place for government involvement in sports is on the sidelines. The ideal rarely is met. Politicians use public funds to build stadiums. Government officials woo professional franchise owners with tax breaks and other subsidies. Without government involvement, Major League Baseball probably would not have been inspired to improve its testing for the use of steroids.

The Rose Bowl is where Southern California plays next if it beats UCLA tomorrow. What a pity. The “granddaddy of all bowls” pales in comparison to what the Trojans deserve—a chance to play for the national championship.