Print it &uot;National Champions,&uot; and paint it bright Oklahoma Red. Bright because the unbeaten kingpins of all college football glittered in their battle with a strong Florida State team in last Wednesday’s Orange Bowl.

In a sensational defensive game, the Sooners were able to lay their game plan, bide their time and accomplish just enough in staking the Seminoles through the heart. I’ve never seen a better defensive football game – by both teams.

And so it is, for a fact, Oklahoma reigning unanimously at the top of major college football. Coach Bobby Bowden’s Seminoles hung tough almost all the way in Miami, but finally had to defer to the Big Red’s consistently overpowering defense. Let’s face it – Oklahoma dominated Florida State in both lines and even in the defensive backfield. Not by much, because FSU was plenty potent.

I picked Florida State, incidentally. Don’t write or call telling me how &uot;right&uot; I am here, but that shows you what I know about college football. Head Sooners coach Bob Stoops has it on me in that field. And even Bobby Bowden. Both make a little more money, too.

And while Oklahoma was making its statement of statements, Miami was making a pretty solid one for No. 2 by sacking Florida 37-20. Stop and think about it, and you have to admit that college football 2000 in these United States was top-flight: the best of the best generally managed to lose only to those just ahead of them, with just maybe two real upsets among the elite.

To leave without congratulating a good Mississippi State team would be wrong. And dangerous among State readers, who know that State’s 8-4 Bulldogs were probably better even than their No. 24 ranking in the final AP poll, and No. 22 in the USA Today/ESPN poll.

And we already know the plight of the New Orleans Saints. Not that the Saints were exactly hapless before the Minnesota Vikings in their fight for survival last Saturday, but the Vikings’ 34-16 triumph was convincing enough.

HURRIED HASH: There came to the forefront of the 1949-50 local prep basketball scene one of our town’s all-time finest prep hardwood stars. That had to be Vaughn Jones of Catholic High School, who was smoothness personified on the court. He led the Green Wave to the initial championship of the new Mississippi Catholic High Conference that season.

Vaughn never liked to be called the team sparkplug, but he indeed was, albeit true that he was so quiet he was silent. It was his smooth moves and quiet accomplishments – so much of the time in the clutch. Vaughn could glide under the basket with that uncanny knack to make it count.

He made every all-star team that was selected where he played, and was honored at CHS’s basketball banquet as the school’s most valuable player. About the most popular choice ever.

Glenvall Estes is a longtime sports columnist for The Natchez Democrat.