Huskies Stumble to the Head of Pack

THE COLLEGES

It was difficult for the experts, as well as the Bottom Ten selectors, to keep their eyes on the bouncing football Saturday, what with Indiana, Oregon State and Northwestern pulling off victories while Oklahoma remained winless.

The Sooners, supposedly the country’s top team, will stay out of the victory column until at least Sept. 28. “Being No. 1 just raises the expectations of your fans,” laments Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer. What kind of expectations? That the 0-0 Sooners are going to play a game?

Speaking of No. 1 teams, Washington (0-2), the former bowl contender, grabbed the Bottom Ten lead with its second straight loss. The Huskies are off to their worst start since 1907, when they opened by tying Seattle High School, 0-0. (Seattle High has since been lopped off their schedule.)

Elsewhere, Cal State Disneyland (0-2) and Cal State Spruce Goose (0-2) kept up their reputations as amusement parks, while stubborn Notre Dame (0-1) stuck with its prevent offense.

The Rankled:

Team, Record Last Loss Next Loss

1. Wshngton (0-2) 3-31, BYU Houston 2. Nebraska (0-1) Idle Illinois 3. Louisville (0-2 28-41, Indiana W. Kentucky 4. Kentucky (0-1) 26-30, B.Green Tulane 5. Mssuri (0-1) 23-27, Nrthwstrn Texas 6. Kasparov (2-3) Karpov, 41st move Karpov 7. CS Disney (0-2) 3-30, Reno Wyoming 8. CS Goose (0-2) 14-34, SD State Hawaii 9. Ntre Dme (0-1) 12-20, Mich. Mich.St. 10. Hawaii (0-2)* 27-29, Utah CS Goose

11. University of Texas at El Up-for-Grabs Paso (0-3); 12. Kansas State (0-2); 13. Tulane (0-2); 14. Columbia (0-0); 15. Wyoming (0-2); 16. North Carolina State (0-2) ; 17. Pentagon (Army, Navy**, Air Force, Virginia Military Institute) (3-3); 18. Boston College (1-2); 19. Idle (declared ineligible because of bad grades); 20. Cal (1-2).

*Has been cited for 12 men on the field three times and 10 men on the field twice in first games.

**Imagine Navy being sunk by a bunch of Blue Hens from Delaware, 13-16!

Others not receiving votes: Oregon State (2-0), Indiana (1-0), Northwestern (1-1), Virginia (1-0, Utah (2-0), Awake Forest (2-0).

ROUT OF THE WEEK: Harvard (0-0) over Columbia (0-0) (their records don’t tell the story for this one).

CRUMMY GAME OF THE WEEK: Hawaii (0-2) vs. Cal State Goose (0-2).

COMPLETE CONFIDENCE: Syracuse (0-1) Coach Dick MacPherson, asked when he would replace QB Mike Kmetz against Kent State if Kmetz has another sub-par game: “No. 1, he won’t. No. 2, somewhere in the second half if he does.”

GLITCH DEPT.: USA Today’s “Mathematical Ratings” for this week include: No. 2 Air Force (yes, ours); No. 3 Nebraska (0-1); and No. 38 Temple (0-2).

THE PROS

This week’s Bottom Ten Heads-Up Award goes to the Chicago Bears, whose quarterback, Jim McMahon, has a sore neck, possibly caused by a new team ritual--helmet-bumping between McMahon and his offensive linemen following Bear touchdowns.

“It’s just something we started doing,” McMahon says, modestly. It goes to show you: You can take the boy out of the Bottom Ten but. . . .

The Philadelphia Beagles’ point-a-half offense finished second in the stumbling for the Heads-Up Award. With the Beagles trailing just 6-10 Sunday, receiver Kenny Jackson was tackled on the Ram five-yard line, whereupon he spiked the ball, drawing a five-yard penalty. Beginning of end for scoring drive.

The Beagles have rolled up six points in two games, even fewer than Indianapolis (16) or starving Buffalo (12).

The No. 2 Dolts were beaten by a Miami quarterback who wasn’t even with the Dolphins at the start of the season. And the No. 3 Bills broke the hearts of New Yorkers by succumbing, 3-42, to a team from New Jersey.

The Rankled:

Team, Record Last Loss Next Loss 1. Philadelphia (0-2) 6-17, Rams Washington 2. Indy (0-2) 13-30, Miami Detroit 3. Buffalo (0-2) 3-42, N.J. Jets New England 4. Tampa Bay (0-2) 16-31, Minnesota Old Orleans 5. Cincinnati (0-2) 27-41, St. Louis San Diego

6. Old Orleans (0-2); 7. San Diego (1-1); 8. Tie between New Jersey Jets (1-1) and New Jersey Giants (1-1); 10. Dallas (1-1).

CRUMMY GAME OF THE WEEK: Tampa Bay (0-2) vs. Old Orleans (0-2).

QUOTEBOOK: CBS announcer Jack Buck, after numerous camera close-ups of Philadelphia kicker Paul McFadden’s bare foot: “I’m tired of looking at his foot. Don’t show us another picture of his foot. I’m going to dream about his foot tonight.”

WHERE-ARE-THEY-NOW DEPT.: A baby gopher snake was dazed but reported in good condition by the Peninsula Humane Society after flying across country in the dirty underwear of the San Francisco 49ers after the team’s previous game at Minnesota.