Some thoughts about the bowl games. Four more SEC teams will play in bowl games Monday after this column is written but before it hits the streets.

Thanks to LSU&8217;s dominating 40-3 win over a good Miami team in the Peach Bowl, the SEC has split the two bowl games their teams have played in so far.

I certainly do not intend to put my judgement in the class with a college football coach, especially those making over a million dollars a year.

I have seen a whole lot of college football games up close, and I do not recall a single team preserving a win or a lead by going into a prevent defense. In my humble opinion, South Carolina&8217;s decision to employ a prevent defense just before the half caused their loss to Missouri in the Independence Bowl.

After shutting down the Missouri offense for the entire first half, Carolina permitted their opponent to march to a touchdown, closing the gap to 28-14.

Missouri&8217;s only other first-half score came on a long interception return. The late score just before the half gave Missouri the momentum they carried over to the second half, which they dominated to win the game. Steve Spurrier is beyond doubt a great college football coach, but I don&8217;t know how he could defend the decision to go into that prevent defense.

It never worked against his Florida teams, so how could he expect it to work against Missouri?

I really haven&8217;t been able to find much fault with bowl game officiating so far. I have seen some strange calls, and some weird spots, but nothing that I would consider to make or break a team&8217;s chances to win.

A few officials appear to have been in over their heads but, all in all, have done a pretty good job. Replay officials have done a good job, as far as I can tell. Other than reviewing a couple of plays that didn&8217;t need to be reviewed, they didn&8217;t have to do much to earn their pay.

The final play in the Nebraska-Michigan game in the Alamo Bowl was weird, wasn&8217;t it? Nebraska had just scored to take a four-point lead.

Michigan put the ball in play one last time, from about their 38-yard line. As time expired, Michigan was successful on seven backward passes, with the final Michigan runner going out of bounds at the Nebraska 13. During the play, it appeared that players, coaches, cheerleaders, etc., from both benches came on the field.

Several things could have happened. Had Michigan scored on the play, the play would have certainly been reviewed. If it was determined that personnel from only Nebraska had come on the field, Michigan would have declined the penalty and would have won the game.

Had it been seen that people (even if only one) from both benches had been on the field illegally, the penalties would have offset, resulting in Michigan running one un-timed down from the previous spot.

As the play actually developed, an official probably should have thrown a flag on one side or the other, if not both, and the play would have been reviewed. It is likely that both teams were in violation and the down would have been replayed.

It was probably best, however, that no flag was thrown and the game was allowed to end.

And that&8217;s official.

Al Graning is a former SEC official and former Natchez resident. Reach him at

AlanWard39157@aol.com

.