More Like Big Least in Football

The warning light should have gone on two weeks ago when, after his team’s 24-24 tie with West Virginia, Boston College Coach Tom Coughlin called it “a typical Big East game.” What does that mean? Lots of free throws? Physical rebounding?

Anyway, it ran out of hand this week, when football coaches from the Big East Conference--which has a logo, standings and a lucrative bowl deal, but doesn’t even play a full round robin yet--started suggesting their league was among the best in the country . . . or even that it was a league.

“Now we’re getting into the Big East portion of our schedule,” said Miami Coach Dennis Erickson, who should know better. “Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Boston College, Syracuse . . . those are some good teams.” Coughlin, West Virginia’s Don Nehlen and Syracuse’s Paul Pasqualoni all gushed similarly.

I’m sorry, but this just doesn’t wash. True enough, the Big East created a basketball powerhouse from nothing more than a bunch of regional ECAC schools. Big East basketball made Georgetown, Villanova, and especially, Seton Hall, into something special. Big East basketball pushed St. John’s beyond the five boroughs and Connecticut beyond Storrs.

But football? Not the same. The Big East football conference is representative of the two most pressing needs in Division I-A: money and security. Mike Tranghese, bless his heart, gathered up a bunch of orphans, matched them with Pitt, Syracuse and Boston College and (important) convinced Miami to hook up. Instant conference.

And it’s true, with No. 1 Miami, No. 11 BC and No. 12 Syracuse, the Big East has the three highest-ranked teams of any conference. But it’s a conference of convenience. Miami would be No. 1 as an independent. Only Syracuse plays all seven of its conference opponents.

It’s nice to foster pride. But this is a major reach.

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Two weeks ago, it appeared San Diego State’s Marshall Faulk was a lock to win the Heisman Trophy. No longer. Georgia’s Garrison Hearst rushed for 246 yards in the Bulldogs’ 30-20 win over Vanderbilt, rushing up on Faulk’s heels. Faulk plays the rest of his schedule against weak Western Athletic Conference defenses, which could create a backlash.

Hearst, who is suddenly being compared favorably to Herschel Walker (is that good or bad?), has high-profile games left against Georgia Tech, Florida and Auburn. Moreover, Georgia is ranked No. 7.

Meanwhile, Miami quarterback Gino Torretta has completed only 51.5% of his passes and thrown in two statistically hideous games (Penn State: 11 of 31, 80 yards), but he has made big plays at big times and has emotionally carried the Hurricanes. “He’s 6-0 and he’s won 18 straight,” Coach Dennis Erickson said. “And he hasn’t made one mistake that’s been critical.”

That won’t be good enough. Statistics win Heismans, which is shallow and sad. None of the last five Heisman Trophy winners has come from a team ranked higher than No. 6. Shouldn’t winning matter more than arithmetic?

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If bowl day was tomorrow, the important games would probably be like so:

Sugar: No. 1 Miami vs. No. 4 Alabama.

Rose: No. 1 Washington vs. No. 3 Michigan.

Cotton: No. 5 Texas A&M; vs. No. 6 Florida State.

Orange: No. 8 Nebraska or No. 9 Colorado vs. No. 10 Notre Dame.

Toughest remaining games: Miami at Syracuse, Nov. 21; Stanford at Washington, Oct. 31; Washington at Washington State, Nov. 21; Alabama in SEC title game, Dec. 5, at Birmingham.

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Michigan has no tough games remaining, because the Wolverines play in the Big Ten, a conference dragging so badly beneath Michigan that it should instantly restore Penn State to the status of national championship contender. Take a look: Michigan is ranked third and no other Big Ten teams are in the Top 25. Pity the poor Citrus Bowl, which is contracted to match the runners-up from the Big Ten and SEC. That might be Mississippi State and . . . Wisconsin?

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West Virginia’s Don Nehlen is right--Syracuse’s Marvin Graves should have been thrown out of their game for spiking the ball off the head of the Moutaineers’ Tommy Orr, precipitating a brawl. . . . Tennessee fans are calling for Coach Johnny Majors’ head, after consecutive home losses to Arkansas and Alabama. This week, somebody threw a cup of ice at him as he left the field. Nice to see they have things in perspective. Majors had heart surgery before the season. . . . Florida State quarterback Charlie Ward is doubly blessed; not only did he throw a game-winning TD pass to wideout Kez McCorvey Saturday with 1:48 to play against Georgia Tech, but McCorvey clearly fumbled the ball before crossing the goal line, which officials missed. . . . The last time Boston College (5-0-1) was undefeated through six games was in 1942. . . . BC quarterback Glenn Foley has been muzzled by Coughlin since his infamous rip of Rutgers after the season opener. For those of you who missed it: “The only bowl Rutgers is going to is the one I just got off.”