The nickname proved prophetic. After the taping of the first 2004 College Championship episode of "Jeopardy!" at the University of Pittsburgh's Petersen Events Center in October, "Jeopardy!" staffers began referring to Carnegie Mellon University junior Kermin Fleming as Kermin Jennings, after the show's biggest winner, Ken Jennings.

Last night, Fleming beat out two other finalists -- including Rachel McCool, a Dickinson College sophomore from Forest Hills, who won $50,000 for her second place showing -- to win $100,000 and become the show's reigning college champion.

Fleming, who plays on the college bowl team for CMU, said he's been recognized more often around campus since he began appearing on "Jeopardy!" on Nov. 10. And he said Internet chat boards have been filled with chatter about his wager of $1,337 in his first game. The electrical and computer engineering major said the figure was a shout out to his peers.

"It's kind of a nerdy number and if you write it out it looks like 'LEET' which is a term people who are computer literate use to compliment each other. It stands for 'elite,' and I've been getting a lot of e-mails about that."

Fleming, 20, grew up in Lexington, Ky., and plans to give 10 percent of his winnings to the Methodist church he's a member of there.

"After that, I'll probably just save it," he said. "There was some thought I'd buy my parents a car, but they're refusing. I'm gonna work on them a little bit, but if they tell me, 'No,' it's 'No,' I guess. They think I need to spend the money on myself."

Fleming said he expects the e-mail from strangers to stop in a few weeks, and he'll "become just an average person again."

In the past, the "Jeopardy!" college champion has been invited to compete against other champs, so Fleming may not be done with the game show. And he might meet up with Ken Jennings yet if that championship round comes to pass.

"I'd like to take a shot at Ken Jennings," Fleming said. "I don't think I can beat him, but it would be fun to play him. He's the master."