Home >  Sports >  Other Colleges

Monday, September 16, 2002

By Pete Aldrich, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

The middle of September isn't an appropriate time to start naming national championship contenders. But the pretenders? Get ready to be exposed.

Here are five teams who not so long ago began the season with title aspirations but are headed for a finish that won't include the letters B, C or S.

Florida: The Gators, who started the season ranked sixth, have bigger concerns than Steve Spurrier wearing a Washington Redskins visor.

For starters, they can't stop the run. A week after Miami rolled up 306 yards rushing in a 41-16 rout, lowly Ohio University controlled the ball for nearly 38 minutes -- while attempting only four passes -- and hung around well into the second half before losing, 34-6. The Bobcats, who were shut out a week earlier by Division I-AA Northeastern, had a 20-play drive -- featuring 19 runs -- that ate up almost 10 minutes.

Florida also can't find a reliable wide receiver to go with Taylor Jacobs. And the special teams, expected to be a weapon with Ron Zook's background, have been awful.

An early season loss to the No. 1 team in the nation didn't knock the Gators out of contention. But a trip to Knoxville, Tenn., this week will.

Colorado: The Buffaloes were the flavor of the month at the end of last season, when they embarrassed Nebraska and whipped Texas in the Big 12 Conference championship -- prompting talk that they belonged in the Rose Bowl.

Instead, Colorado settled for the Fiesta Bowl, where it got whacked by Oregon.

It has been downhill since.

The Buffaloes, ranked No. 7 to start the season, are 1-2 after a 40-3 loss at home to USC. Colorado had 61 total yards and four first downs.

Nebraska: You could see this coming at the end of last season, when the Cornhuskers allowed 99 points in their final two games.

A 3-0 start this season -- thanks to a soft schedule -- was quickly wiped out with a 40-7 loss at Penn State, which ran and threw the ball at will against a defense that appears to have traded in its black shirts for white towels.

Nebraska, ranked No. 10 in the preseason poll, also has issues on offense. Jammal Lord is a terrific running back, except for the fact that he plays quarterback. His three interceptions against the Nittany Lions only reinforces the theory that the Cornhuskers are a one-dimensional offense.

Michigan: If not for Washington sending 12 men on the field in the closing seconds of the season opener, the Wolverines would be 1-2. As it is, they're 2-1 after losing, 25-23, at Notre Dame -- a game the Irish made closer than it should have been.

Michigan, ranked 12th at the start of the season, will have trouble overcoming a shaky kicking game. The Wolverines have made just two of eight field-goal attempts.

Michigan State: Although the Spartans weren't highly ranked (No. 18) at the start, their schedule -- seven of the first eight games at home -- set them up for a big year. Being 8-0 heading into the Michigan game wasn't out of the question. Until now.

Michigan State committed five turnovers in an ugly 46-22 loss at home to California, which was 1-10 last season.

Game balls go to ...

California Coach Jeff Tedford. The new guy has the Bears off to a 3-0 start after last season's 1-10 debacle (the one victory came against Rutgers, which shouldn't count). Cal built a 25-0 halftime lead against Michigan State, continuing a positive trend -- the Bears have outscored their opponents, 91-10, in the first half this season.

Penn State quarterback Zack Mills. He often looks awkward, whether he's throwing off the wrong foot or stumbling through traffic on a quarterback draw. Either way, all he does is make plays. He passed for 259 yards and ran for 32 more against Nebraska.

Notre Dame Coach Tyrone Willingham: The Irish have been far from perfect, but that hasn't prevented them from a 3-0 start. Willingham is the only Notre Dame coach to beat Michigan on the first attempt.

Stat of the week

Syracuse beat Rhode Island, 63-17, marking only the third time -- and the first in 12 seasons under Coach Paul Pasqualoni -- the Orangemen have played a Division I-AA opponent.

Hometown hero

Michigan cornerback Marlin Jackson, a sophomore from Sharon, returned an interception for a touchdown and forced a fumble in the Wolverines' loss to Notre Dame.

Thumbs up

The powerhouse conferences might want to reconsider loading up their schedules with teams from the Mid-American Conference. The MAC threw quite a scare into the Big Ten -- Wisconsin (vs. Northern Illinois), Purdue (vs. Western Michigan) and Minnesota (vs. Toledo) needed fourth-quarter rallies to avoid upsets. Also, Ohio was surprisingly competitive against Southeastern Conference opponent Florida, and Bowling Green routed Big 12 foe Missouri.

It appears that Iowa State's near upset of Florida State in August was no fluke. The Cyclones are 3-1 after rallying from a 24-7 halftime deficit to win at Iowa, 36-31. Quarterback Seneca Wallace is something to watch.

Mississippi Valley State beat Delta State, 28-26, to end a 13-game losing streak. That one's for you, Jerry Rice.

Thumbs down

Washington State Coach Mike Price whined about Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett being in the game when the Buckeyes led, 25-7, late in the fourth quarter. Clarett finished with 230 yards. "I guess he needs more practice, because they left him in until the very end," Price said. It looks like Price's defense needs more practice.

Rutgers won't go 0-12, but Army appears eager to do so. One week after losing to Holy Cross, the Cadets were beaten by Rutgers, 44-0. The good news? That's as low as they can go.

Scripps Howard -- part of the Bowl Championship Series formula -- has Wisconsin No. 2 in its power rankings. Should we expect the Badgers to hurdle No. 1 Miami after their last-minute victory against Northern Illinois?

Quotable

Colorado State quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt, after his team nearly blew a 22-point lead in the final five minutes of a 36-33 victory against Louisville: "I like to think that if you follow Rams football, you know it always gets interesting."

Two-minute drill

The ABC announcers were convinced that Penn State shocked Nebraska. The margin of victory might have been stunning, but the result wasn't.

Maryland's uprising was fun while it lasted. The Terps, who won 10 games in 2001, are 1-2 after a 37-10 loss against Florida State.

Mother Nature certainly got around this week. There were lightning/rain delays in several games, including Georgia-South Carolina, Ohio-Florida, UTEP-Oklahoma, Indiana-Kentucky and Army-Rutgers.

A sign on a dormitory in South Bend read: "Touchdown Jesus ... please." The prayers were answered as Notre Dame scored its first offensive touchdown of the season in the victory against Michigan.

Utah was a victim of some home cooking in its 23-17 loss at Arizona. In the closing seconds, Utes quarterback Lance Rice threw an apparent 12-yard touchdown pass to Josh Lyman -- only to have the official rule Lyman out of bounds. However, replays showed Lyman's knee came down well before he slid out of the back of the end zone.

Did I really write in the preview section last month that North Carolina might upset Texas? What I actually meant to say was that the Longhorns would win, 52-21.

Looking ahead

No. 10 Florida at No. 4 Tennessee: The days of the Volunteers being spooked by the Gators are over.

No. 7 Virginia Tech at No. 19 Texas A&M: Unlike years past, the Hokies -- who have beaten LSU and Marshall -- can't be accused of playing a soft schedule.

No. 12 Notre Dame at Michigan State: The Irish have a chance to be 4-0 for the first time since 1993.

You make the call

This week's question: Is Penn State back? Send e-mail answers (include full name and address) to paldrich@post-gazette.com.

Last week's question: Will Miami repeat as national champion this season? Here are some responses:

"They can repeat. They have the best quarterback, and a great defense and skill position players." -- Mike Azadian, Bell Acres

"The only thing that can stop the Hurricanes is Smokey and a sea of orange Nov. 9 at Tennessee."

-- Jason Baumgarten, Brentwood

"If they can keep Ken Dorsey healthy and run the ball as they did against Florida, then no one will catch them."

-- Craig Cook, Matthews, N.C.