New No. 1: Buckeyes Replace Hawkeyes

The Colleges When the NCAA ruled last week that bowl results were ineligible for consideration in Bottom Ten rankings, it dealt a crushing blow to Iowa’s hopes.

The Hawkeyes had jumped to the top of the first Bottom Ten last week on the lack of strength of a 28-45 thrashing by UCLA on New Year’s Day. Now they revert to a 0-0 record, and the new leader is Ohio State (0-1), which was crushed, 10-16, by Alabama in the recent Pass, Punt and Kickoff Classic. Meanwhile, Maryland proved a challenge to both No. 2 Pitt and the nation’s broadcasters with its passing combination of John Congemi-to-Azizuddin Abdur-Ra’oof. No. 3 South Carolina unleashed its new run-and-stumble offense in a 14-34 whipping by Miami of Florida while the state of Illinois (Nos. 4-7) dropped an untimely quadruple-header.

At Akron University, officials denied reports that Coach Gerry Faust’s job is in danger after several disappointing practices.

The Rankings

Team, ’86 Record Last Loss Next Week 1. Ohio St (0-1) 10-16, Alabama Idle 2. Pitt (0-1) 7-10, Maryland Idle 3. S. Carolina (0-1) 14-34, Miami, Fla. Virginia 4. N. Illinois(0-1) 10-20, Ball State W. Virginia 5. S. Illinois (0-1) 7-22, Ark.State Austin Peay 6. E. Illinois (0-1) 20-23, Ill. State NE Missouri 7. W. Illinois (0-1) 7-35, Kansas St Idle 8. (Tie) Akron (0-0) Idle K-Mart Notre Dame (0-0) Idle Idle 10. USC (0-0) Idle Idle

11. Hawaii (0-1); 12. Cal State Disneyland (0-1); 13. Tulsa (0-1); 14. Columbia (0-0); 15. Missouri (0-0); 16. Pentagon (Army, Navy, L.A. Raiders backfield, Air Force) (1-0); 17. Tulane (0-0); 18. Vanderbilt (0-0); 19. Northwestern (0-0); 20. Oregon State (0-0) and/or Oregon (0-0).

Suspended List: Kansas State (1-0); University of Texas at El Pinpoint Paso (1-0).

ROUT OF THE WEEK: Vanderbilt (0-0) at Alabama (1-0).

CRUMMY GAME OF THE WEEK: Duke (0-0) at Northwestern (0-0).

SPECIAL CITATION: Pitt’s Mike Gottfried kept alive his streak of losing his debut with each of the four teams he’s coached, falling to Maryland, 7-10, Monday.

RETURN OF THE ORIGINAL REFRIGERATOR: The San Jose State-Washington State game at Pullman, Wash., on Sept. 13 will be followed by a Fats Domino concert.

The (Other) Pros Before the USFL (1983-1987) rides off into the sunset for the last time with the $3 court settlement in its saddle bags (minus attorney fees), the Bottom Ten wishes to salute the Maulers, Renegades, Gunslingers, Blitz and all the rest of those crazy guys by playing a short medley of comedy highlights.

--The nation breathes a sigh of relief in 1983 when the newly formed USFL announces it will play no exhibition games.

--When the Denver Gold inaugurates a money-back offer for unsatisfied fans, and 1,484 take them up on the offer.

--The Chicago Blitz and Arizona Wranglers trade teams, the new Wranglers then merging with Oklahoma Outlaws to become the Arizona Outlaws, who hire Coach Frank Kush, who says he’s proud to be with “Arizona Bandits.”

--Howard Schnellenberger quits as head coach of national champion University of Miami to coach the new Florida USFL entry, which is never formed.

--Quarterback Steve Young signs with the Los Angeles Express, then predicts the USFL will soon “fall by the wayside.” Later, he calls the comment a “rookie mistake.”

--One Denver owner, Doug Spedding, orders opening of all players’ personal mail at team headquarters to create a “more businesslike atmosphere.”

--The Express, the first team to go an entire season without an owner, has cheerleaders’ uniforms seized by a tailor in a dispute over unpaid bills and moves the franchise to Pierce College in Woodland Hills for its final game. Young, the $40-million quarterback, is inserted into the game at running back when team runs out of players.

--In the NFL-USFL antitrust case, a lawyer prefaces a question to Howard Cosell by saying he will state it slowly because it is complicated. Cosell replies: “If you ask a question I don’t understand, you’ll have the story of the century.”

--NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle discloses during the trial that he was once offered job as USFL boss. NFL declines to file commissioner-tampering charges.