SWC Vote Puts Title Ahead of Cotton Bowl

The Southwest Conference unanimously approved a proposal that would send its runner-up to the Cotton Bowl if its champion is ranked No. 2 and has a chance to play for a national championship in another bowl.

“What we said is, if you have a chance to play for the national championship, we want you to take it,” SWC Commissioner Fred Jacoby said.

The Cotton, Orange and Sugar bowls are discussing a proposed alliance with Notre Dame and the Atlantic Coast and Big East conferences to produce better bowl matchups.

The SWC’s action could provide better opportunities for a national championship game among teams from conferences committed to specific bowls--the Pacific 10 and Big Ten to the Rose, SWC to the Cotton, the Big Eight to the Orange and the Southeastern to the Sugar.