COLLEGE FOOTBALL / GENE WOJCIECHOWSKI : For Obvious Reasons, Holtz Says He Isn’t Fit to Be Tied

Suddenly as flexible as Gumby, Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz now says he will play for the victory rather than settle for a tie against No. 1 Florida State.

This is news for two reasons:

--He might actually be telling the truth.

--A missed two-point conversion, if it comes to that for the second-ranked Irish, could cost them a chance at a national championship.

“In all probability and in fairness to our football team, we would go for two,” Holtz said this week.

Less than 10 days ago, Holtz had convinced himself that if the Irish had just scored and he trailed Florida State by one with only a few seconds left, he would kick the extra point. That way he might get another crack at the Seminoles in a bowl game.

“But after thinking about it, I don’t want to play them again,” Holtz said.

It’s just as well. The fans at sold-out Notre Dame Stadium might storm the field if Holtz revives his Michigan strategy of a season ago. Rather than trying aggressively to move the ball downfield for a possible game-winning field goal against the Wolverines, Holtz thoroughly botched the calls on the final drive and took a tie.

Notre Dame fans thanked him with boos they generally reserve for Miami players.

GAME OF THE HALF-CENTURY

Now then, do you want to know the real reason Holtz now says he would go for two points? Easy--the fickle poll voters.

A tie against No. 1 FSU would guarantee nothing, certainly not a stranglehold on the No. 2 ranking. What if No. 3 Miami obliterates visiting Rutgers on Saturday and Holtz plays it safe and settles for a tie? It isn’t inconceivable that Associated Press voters, as well as USA Today/CNN coaches’ poll voters, would adjust their ballots in favor of the Hurricanes.

And if a tie didn’t hurt Holtz’s national championship hopes this week, it might next week, when Miami plays West Virginia at Morgantown, W.Va., in a game that ultimately could determine who plays where for a national championship. By then, the Hurricanes will be 8-1 and ranked no worse than No. 3.

Not to be forgotten in the mix is surprising West Virginia, which figures to start the Nov. 20 game with a 9-0 record and a ranking somewhere in the top 10.

“If we can get by Temple (Saturday), we’re sitting here . . . and Miami has to come to us,” said Mountaineer Coach Don Nehlen. “Then we’ll see what happens.

“Everyone was sitting up there forgetting us,” Nehlen said. “Like I told you (at the preseason Big East media day), don’t forget about us.”

Nehlen can start his third-teamers against poor Temple and still win. The Owls have been outscored this season, 450-90.

BLEACHER CREATURES

Wisconsin officials must have been dipping into their private reserve of Blatz when they devised the latest Camp Randall Stadium security plans. Either that, or they give the 12,500 fans in the student section much more credit than they deserve.

With memories of the Oct. 30 postgame near-tragedy still fresh in their minds, Wisconsin administrators and security personnel recently unveiled a spiffy game-day stadium strategy last Saturday that looked nice on paper, but in reality, was as toothless as a newborn.

The changes:

To make more room in the cramped bleacher seating, the Wisconsin marching band was moved to the field level near the end zone. Aisles were cleared. Security personnel was increased. Student passes were exchanged for hand stamps. Breakaway fences were installed.

In addition, a moment of “reflection” was observed shortly before kickoff, all to commemorate the Oct. 30 incident that resulted in an estimated 69 student injuries. And as the game against Ohio State came to an end, the stadium announcer pleaded for a safe and sane fifth-quarter celebration.

It almost didn’t matter.

As usual, Wisconsin students, historically the worst behaved in the Big Ten, hurled coin-filled marshmallows at the visiting Buckeye players whenever possible. Security personnel merely watched. Later, Ohio State Coach John Cooper called the students’ actions asinine.

Also, it was hard to ignore the boozy odor emanating from the section. The alcohol, along with the possibility of a Wisconsin upset, probably helped fuel another ill-advised surge toward the section’s front railings. As the Badgers readied themselves for a possible last-second game-winning field goal, students near the bottom of the seating area could be seen motioning for the other students to stay put.

In the end, Rick Schnetzky’s blocked kick probably cost the Badgers a Rose Bowl appearance, but it might have saved another end-zone student rush. As it was, students and other fans were caught in a scary postgame crush just outside one of the stadium’s exterior portals. No one was injured, but it wasn’t uncommon to see spectators swept along against their will.

Wisconsin officials are reluctant to return to the days when incoming fans had their belongings checked for alcohol, but something has to be done. The recently implemented policy is a nice start, but it shouldn’t be the end. Last Saturday’s student performance proved that.

IS THERE AN INTERPRETER IN THE HOUSE?

If Pittsburgh loses one more game--and it will Saturday against No. 22 Boston College--the Panthers will become the first team in Johnny Majors’ 26-year head-coaching career to record eight defeats. The previous low point: seven-loss seasons in 1968 and 1969 at Iowa State, and 1977 at Tennessee.

The long, dreadful year has caused Majors to devise his own postgame vocabulary. Of the Panthers’ most recent defeat, a 35-7 mess against Miami, Majors said: “We were outmanned, out-speeded and out-strengthened.”

They’ve also been, in Majors-ese, out-quarterbacked. So far the Panthers (2-7) have faced, among others, Virginia Tech’s Maurice DeShazo, Louisville’s Jeff Broehm, West Virginia’s Jake Kelchner and Miami’s Ryan Collins. This week, they get Glenn Foley.

“We ought to be pretty good authorities about who’s good in Division I college football,” Majors said.

They’ll know about Foley soon enough. Since an 0-2 start, Foley has led the Eagles to six consecutive victories, in which they are averaging 43.5 points.

THE REST

--In an unusual gesture, the Big Eight Conference named Iowa State center Tony Booth as its offensive player of the week. Good call. In upsetting then-No. 18 Kansas State last Saturday, the Cyclones rushed the ball 55 times, dominated time of possession and scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns, all on the ground, with drives of 80, 68 and 30 yards.

--Big East Conference honks are quick to claim that the league has no peer this season. The argument: Miami is No. 3 in the rankings and has a chance at a national championship; West Virginia is No. 9, undefeated and has a chance at a national championship; Boston College is No. 22. Also, Syracuse and Virginia Tech could receive bowl bids.

The counter-argument: The same conference that features the Hurricanes also brings you Pittsburgh (2-7), Temple (1-8) and one of the biggest flops of the season, Syracuse (5-3-1). And aside from Miami and West Virginia, nobody plays defense. The average margin of victory in Big East games is 41 points.

For most talent, we’ll stick with the Southeastern Conference, which has four teams--Tennessee, Auburn, Florida and Alabama--ranked in the top 12 and another team on its way to the top 25, Louisiana State.

--In all likelihood, LSU’s Curley Hallman saved his job with the upset of Alabama last week at Tuscaloosa. Since a 2-5 start, the Tigers have won two consecutive games and can finish with a 6-5 record with home victories against Tulane and Arkansas. A bowl bid isn’t out of the question.

--With apologies to Ohio State’s Joey Galloway, Nevada’s Bryan Reeves, Tulsa’s Chris Penn and Wyoming’s Ryan Yarborough, the nation’s two best wide receivers have 213 and 310 area codes--USC’s Johnnie Morton and UCLA’s J.J. Stokes. Both deserve invitations to the December Heisman Trophy presentation ceremony, as does Northern Illinois running back LeShon Johnson and what’s-his-name from Florida State.

--The bowl-alliance agreement, which might not survive its original three-year contract, has at least one high profile supporter, Miami Coach Dennis Erickson. “The bowl coalition at least gives some opportunity for No. 1 and 2 to play for a national championship,” he said. But if the alliance folds? “The easiest way I can see is have a playoff,” Erickson said.

--After a two-game absence because of assorted injuries, Michigan star running back Tyrone Wheatley returns to the lineup Saturday against Minnesota. He would have been there sooner, but knucklehead Coach Gary Moeller stuck him on the punt-coverage team against Illinois as a “decoy.” Wheatley made the tackle, but he also got injured, forcing him to miss the Wolverines’ last two games. Even with Wheatley back, expect to see more of freshman tailback Tshimanga Biakabutuka, who was born in Zaire and played in Quebec. He rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns against Purdue last Saturday. No dummies, his teammates call him “Touchdown Tim.”

--Want to know why the bowl system, which features about six games too many, is making a beeline toward extinction? Try the Hancock Bowl, which probably will match an 8-3 Oklahoma team against the No. 2 Southwest Conference entry. One problem: It’s conceivable that no SWC team will have beaten the required six Division I-A opponents. There are five SWC teams that have to win their remaining games to qualify for a bowl game: Texas (3-4-1), Texas Tech (4-5), Baylor (4-5), Texas Christian (4-5) and Rice (5-4, but one of the five victories was against Division I-AA Sam Houston State). Given the schedule difficulty, Texas Tech probably will sneak into the Hancock. CBS must be thrilled.

Top 10

As selected by staff writer Gene Wojciechowski

No. Team Record 1. Florida State 9-0 2. Notre Dame 9-0 3. Miami 7-1 4. Ohio State 8-0-1 5. Auburn 9-0 6. Nebraska 9-0 7. Florida 7-1 8. Tennessee 7-1-1 9. West Virginia 8-0 10. UCLA 7-2

Waiting list: Texas A&M; (7-1), North Carolina (8-2), Arizona (8-1), Alabama (7-1-1), Wisconsin (7-1-1).