SPOTLIGHT : FACTS AND FIGURES FROM SATURDAY’S GAMES : CHANGING OF THE GUARD

In his first season as coach, George Chaump is getting the Naval Academy off the ground and into the air. The Midshipmen have junked their run-oriented wishbone attack for a wide-open passing game. In Saturday’s opener against Richmond at Annapolis, Md., Alton Grizzard completed 17 of 33 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns, all to Jerry Dawson, in a 28-17 victory. Grizzard, the team’s leading rusher the past three seasons, also scored on a seven-yard run.

GETTING THE BOOT

It didn’t take long for Division I-AA Murray State to realize it was overmatched against Louisville. Murray State’s first two possessions ended in punts, the first of which went 10 yards and led to a field goal; the second was blocked out of the end zone for a safety to make the score 5-0. The final score: Louisville 68, Murray State 0. It was Louisville’s largest winning margin since a 72-0 victory over Wayne State in 1955 and Murray State’s worst loss since a 69-0 drubbing by Mississippi State in 1946.

‘GATORBALL’ HAS BITE

They’re calling it “Gatorball” in Florida, and first-year Coach Steve Spurrier showed why with a 50-7 victory over Oklahoma State. A Florida record crowd of 75,428 showed up to see what “Gatorball” was all about. It turned out to be a pro-set passing offense far different from the running style that the Gators became accustomed to while showcasing running back Emmitt Smith the past three years.

Welcome Shane Matthews, a sophomore who began spring practice as the fifth-string quarterback. Matthews passed for 332 yards and a touchdown in his debut, completing 20 of 29 passes.

Spurrier, who returned to his alma mater in January after leading Duke to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship last season, watched his new offense put together scoring drives of 70, 83, 64 and 49 yards.

DID I SAY THAT?

Boston College linebacker Ivan Caesar learned a lessen in humility after he predicted that the Eagles would hold Pittsburgh to 66 yards rushing. Not quite. Running back Curvin Richards gained 117 yards and a scored a touchdown, and the Pitt defense intercepted a school-record-tying six passes on the way to a 29-6 victory. “The defense was beautiful,” Pittsburgh Coach Paul Hackett said. “They took the game to B.C. from the first play of the game. Mr. Caeser was kind enough to say some things that got our football team excited, but the defense came in and dominated.”

PEELING OUT?

Would you believe the Joe Robbie Bowl?

Well, the name change might not happen, but Miami’s Orange Bowl Committee will decide Monday whether to move the New Year’s Day Orange Bowl out of the downtown stadium and into suburban Joe Robbie Stadium, three-year-old home of the Miami Dolphins.

Why move from the 53-year-old facility?

Some say it’s run down, the neighborhood isn’t what it used to be, and the suburbs beckon.

But the overriding reason might be the toilet bowls. They leak. They overflow. There aren’t enough of them.

The move would take effect on Jan. 1, 1992 and would leave the Orange Bowl stadium with just one tenant--the University of Miami, which recently signed a 10-year contract with the city. But moving, committee member David Kraslow said, would mean “reducing the economic viability of the stadium. You’re talking about a major tenant. Even though it’s just one game, it’s a damned important game.”

TURNAROUNDS

--Kansas, which lost, 59-10, last week to Virginia, defeated Oregon State, 38-12.

--North Carolina State, a 67-0 winner over Western Carolina last week, lost to Georgia Tech, 21-13.

--Clemson, which beat Cal State Long Beach, 59-0, last week, lost to Virginia, 20-7.

INJURIES

University of Houston wide receiver Manny Hazard, who set an NCAA record with 142 catches last season, suffered a dislocated elbow in the second quarter against Nevada Las Vegas. Hazard left the game after diving in the end zone for a pass from quarterback David Klingler. Hazard did not return to the game, finishing with two catches for nine yards. His 1,689 yards and 22 touchdowns last season were Southwest Conference records.

Ohio State linebacker John Kacherski (knee) and fullback Scott Graham (ankle) were both injured in the second quarter and did not return.

West Virginia quarterback Greg Jones suffered a concussion and left the game during the Mountaineers’ 14-10 loss to Maryland.

STREAKS

Texas El Paso defeated New Mexico State, 27-24, extending the nation’s longest losing streak to 19 games.

VMI was the perfect remedy for Western Carolina, which last week was held without a first down in a 67-0 loss to North Carolina State. Western Carolina won at home Saturday, 28-20, extending VMI losing streaks to 31 on artificial surfaces and 14 in away games. The game ended VMI’s four-game winning streak and Western Carolina’s six-game losing streak.

Mississippi State’s 40-7 loss to Tennessee was it’s seventh consecutive Southeastern loss.

Virginia, ranked No. 14, upset ninth-ranked Clemson, 20-7, the Cavaliers’ first victory over their Atlantic Coast Conference. Clemson had won all 29 previous games, dating to 1955, the longest active head-to-head winning streak in Division I-A. It was Virginia’s ninth consecutive conference victory at home, the longest such streak in the ACC.

Fresno State’s 24-17 victory over New Mexico was its 18th in a row at home and 20th in its last 21 games overall.

Georgia Tech’s 21-13 victory over North Carolina State was its seventh consecutive victory at home.

Nebraska kicker Gregg Barrios had his string of 86 consecutive extra points broken when Northern Illinois’ Bob Wagner blocked his kick in the third quarter of Nebraska’s 60-14 victory.

IN QUOTES

San Jose State Coach Terry Shea, after his team lost to Washington, 20-17: “I told the team after the game that there are no moral victories. But they can hang their heads high.”

Penn State Coach Joe Paterno, on the 88-yard kickoff return return by Adrian Walker that set up the go-ahead touchdown in Texas’ 17-14 victory over the Nittany Lions: “I preach, preach, preach about the kicking game. Most first games are lost by the kicking game. I’m frustrated because I spent so much time on this. It was terrible.” Coach Barry Alvarez, on losing to California, 28-12, in his debut as Wisconsin’s coach despite his team being emotionally fired up: “You don’t win by being juiced up all the time. When the emotion wears off, you’re still out there playing.”

John Hardy, explaining why he ended up lying down in the end zone after scoring on a 100-yard interception return to help Cal beat Wisconsin: “We were on an 11-play drive and I was already winded. The last 30 yards I thought I was going to get in, so I slowed it up. I didn’t have much left anyway. I wanted to celebrate but I couldn’t.”

BY THE NUMBERS

A look at some of the day’s top performers.

PASSING

Player Comp. Att. Yds. TD Musgrave, Oregon 31 46 443 3 Klinger, Houston 30 54 426 5 Detmer, BYU 38 54 406 3 Romo, SMU 31 41 342 6 Matthews, Florida 20 29 332 1 Shows, Mississippi 16 33 324 2 White, Auburn 21 35 324 4 Zolak, Maryland 31 46 313 2 Hollingsworth, Alabama 18 36 265 1 Grizzard, Navy 17 33 258 3 Schulte, CS Fullerton 17 28 235 2

RUSHING

Player Carries Yards TD Grant, Utah State 34 292 1 Thompson, Tennessee 22 248 2 Bryant, Iowa State 36 177 4 Craver, Fresno State 31 175 2 Hebron, Virginia Tech 26 165 2 Lewis, Washington 23 157 0 H. Williams, LSU 24 131 0 Flowers, Nebraska 21 124 0 Weatherspoon, Houston 10 120 0 Richards, Pittsburgh 25 117 0

RECEIVING

Player Rec. Yards TD Hargain, Oregon 10 206 2 McCardell, UNLV 8 144 0 Blackwell, TCU 12 136 0 Hernandez, Kansas State 5 132 1 Everett, Florida 5 128 1 Good, Houston 9 111 1 Bellini, BYU 10 111 1 Thomason, Oregon 7 110 1

FOR OPENERS . . .

Defending national champions that did not win their opening game the next season.

YEAR LOSING WINNING SCORE OF GAME TEAM TEAM 1939 TCU UCLA 6-3 1961 Minnesota Missouri 6-0 1965 Alabama Georgia 18-17 1972 Nebraska UCLA 20-17 1977 Pittsburgh Notre Dame 19-9 1978 Notre Dame Missouri 3-0 1982 Clemson Georgia 13-7 1983 Penn State Nebraska 44-6 1990 Miami (Fla.) BYU 28-21