A Trojan Loss Would Be of Historic Proportions : THE BOWLS

We all know that the Freedom Bowl anthem is “Me and Bobby McGee” (“Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose. . . .”) But those lyrics don’t apply to USC, which still has a rare chance to become the first team in history to lose to UCLA, Notre Dame and Fresno State in the same year.

Of course, Fresno’s Fighting Raisins were frankly hoping for another chance against another Pac-10 team--Oregon State--which earlier thumped Fresno, 46-36. It was a big victory for Oregon State (1-9-1).

With matchups like USC vs. Fresno State, it’s easy to see why Keith Jackson calls the Freedom Bowl the grandsonny of bowl games.

Heightening the excitement are the Bottom Ten-like streaks brought in by several other bowl teams from the regular season, including Penn State and Utah (each losers of four of their last six), Kansas (three consecutive losses), and Arizona (two consecutive losses). Michigan, we’re happy to say, managed to qualify for the six-victory bowl minimum against the Washington Hustlers, excuse us, Huskies.

The rankings:

Bowl Teams 1. Freedom Fresno State (8-4) vs. USC (6-4-1) 2. Hancock Arizona (6-4-1) vs. Baylor (6-5) 3. Bacardi Auburn 7, Villanova 7* 4. Aloha Kansas (7-4) vs. BYU (8-4) 5. Pooch North Carolina (8-3) vs. Mississippi St. (7-4) 6. Blockbust Penn State (7-4) vs. Stanford (9-3) 7. Copper Washington State (8-3) vs. Utah (6-5) 8. Hall of Tame Boston College (8-2-1) vs. Tennessee (8-3) 9. Woes Michigan (8-0-3) vs. Washington (9-2)** 10. Barry Bonds Already won by S.F. Giants

*Played on Jan. 1, 1937, in first and last Bacardi Bowl.

**Record pending any forfeitures by Huskies.

R.I.P. (name of bowl and last year it was played before being mercifully retired): All-American (1990), Bluebonnet (1987), Cherry (1985), Garden State (1981), Astro-Bluebonnet (1976), Aviation (1961), Salad (1952), Oil (1947), Alamo (1947), Gotham (6,156 paying spectators for 1962 finale!).

THE PROS

It wasn’t the NFL’s greatest collapse, but it was admirably close. The Tampa-at-Bay Bucs (4-9) not only blew a 27-3 halftime lead to lose, 27-31, Sunday, but they did it against the Los Angeles Lambs (5-8), no less.

The Lambs were still somewhat confused over a midweek announcement by Jackie Autry that she had traded Ram quarterback Jim Everett and wide receiver Flipper Anderson for three Arena Football League linemen. (Someone later informed Autry that she doesn’t own the team.)

As for Tampa, the only sad note was that Sam Wyche’s players failed to break the record for the NFL’s greatest pratfall, achieved 12 years ago when New Orleans frittered away a 28-point lead against San Francisco. Remember the Aints?

Still, Tampa’s was a memorable reversal. And in honor of the Bucs, the Bottom Ten selectors herewith present a special collector’s edition of Famous NFL Pratfalls.

Read ‘em and wince:

CLASSIC FLOPS

1. New Orleans, leading San Francisco, 35-7, at halftime, still manages to lose, 35-38. Fans hide faces by donning paper bags (Dec. 7, 1980).

2. San Francisco takes 24-0 lead over Minnesota in third quarter, still manages to lose, 27-28. This is pre-Joe Montana (Dec. 4, 1977).

3. Green Bay, with 28-6 lead over Lambs and 12 minutes left, somehow succumbs, 28-30. Lambs were known as the Rams back then (Oct. 12, 1952).

4. Tampa Bay blows 28-3 fourth-quarter lead over St. Louis, losing, 28-31. No one is surprised (Nov. 8, 1987).

5. The Giants, leading, 17-12, with 30 seconds left, fumble handoff, which is run in for touchdown by Philadelphia’s Herman Edwards in 19-17 victory. This is why you never see team in lead running plays in last minute (Nov. 19, 1978).

6. San Diego takes 24-0 lead over Raiders in second quarter, rallies to lose, 24-28. Remember the Raiders? (Nov. 22, 1982).

7. Denver takes 24-0 lead over Raiders at halftime, rallies to lose, 27-30, in overtime. Denver quarterback: John Elway (Sept. 26, 1988).

8. Philadelphia, ahead of Minnesota, 23-0, with eight minutes left, falls on face, 23-28 (Dec. 1, 1985).

9. Cincinnati, crushing Houston, 24-0, in second quarter, collapses, 27-30 (Sept. 23, 1979).

10. Cincinnati has ball and lead--26-20--against San Francisco on fourth down with six seconds left. Bengals try to run out clock but use up only four seconds. The 49ers’ Joe Montana then throws touchdown pass in 27-26 victory. Bengal coach: Sam Wyche (Sept. 20, 1987).