SPOTLIGHT / SATURDAY’S GAMES AT A GLANCE : THE BOWL GAMES

Dennis Erickson, Miami coach, sounds more reasonable after what happened in college football Saturday.

Last week, Erickson sounded absurd when he said: “The bottom line, regardless of where they’re (West Virginia) ranked or where we’re ranked, whoever wins this game has a chance to compete for it all.”

Indeed, the No. 8 Mountaineers (10-0) have a slight chance to win a national championship after their 17-14 victory over Miami. The operating word here is slight.

Losses by No. 1-ranked Notre Dame, No. 4 Miami and No. 5 Ohio State left the Jan. 1 bowl lineups unsettled. Who goes where when is anyone’s guess.

Nebraska, which did not play Saturday, has clinched the Big Eight title and a spot in the Orange Bowl. But the Cornhuskers’ game against Oklahoma on Friday could help determine the national championship.

No. 3 Nebraska (10-0) will move up to No. 1 or 2 in today’s rankings. That would put the Cornhuskers in a position to play in a national championship game if they defeat Oklahoma.

Who would they play?

Perhaps Florida State, if the No. 2 Seminoles (10-1) defeat Florida to end the regular season. If the Seminoles and Cornhuskers are ranked one and two, they would meet at Miami on Jan. 1, which would be good news for the Orange Bowl and NBC.

But Nebraska also could play West Virginia at Miami if both teams win their last regular-season games and Florida State loses.

The Mountaineers could move to No. 6 in today’s bowl coalition poll, a combination of the media and coaches’ rankings that is used to determine the major bowl matchups. West Virginia could play Nebraska if it defeats Notre Dame-killer Boston College on Friday.

Notre Dame (10-1), the one-week No. 1, also could earn an Orange Bowl berth if it finishes ranked second behind Nebraska in the coalition poll.

THE GAME

It was a day to pay homage to traditional rivalries.

Perhaps none were as emotional as the one in New Haven, Conn., where Harvard’s Joe Restic had his final showdown against Yale Coach Carm Cozza. It was the end of the longest coaching rivalry in Division I. Restic, 67, finished his 23-year career with a record of 117-97-6.

In the 110th edition of the season-ending matchup, Yale earned its first home victory, 33-31.

THE BIG GAME

Joe Kapp, the onetime California coach once said, “I’ve never been able to understand all those words they use at Stanford.”

Before the 96th renewal of the Bay Area rivalry, Art Spander of the San Francisco Examiner wanted to know: “What words was he talking about, ‘win,’ ‘touchdown?’ ”

Spander wrote that he enjoys the history and tradition of Cal-Stanford. But . . .

“At some schools they talk about national championships. At others they talk about tailgate parties.

“Charlie Ward? Pftt! We have Robert Mondavi.”

THE BIG TEN GAME

Coach John Cooper of Ohio State might consider a change of scenery.

“Do I like living in Columbus when we haven’t beaten Michigan?” he asked last week. “Obviously, the answer is no. I don’t like living here when you have to hear that all the time. But I tell our team--our players and coaches and even myself--that if you don’t like it, go change it. Go win the game.”

The Buckeyes fell yet again, losing this time by 28-0.

THE SILENT GAME

How far the fortunes of Washington and Washington State have dropped. The victorious Huskies in the Apple Cup rivalry won this:

“This is a game for talking rights, a game for your ability to live in your own state,” Washington Coach Jim Lambright said. “If you win, you can just be quiet and smile the whole off-season.”

THE LONGEST GAME

College football’s longest running rivalry--129 meetings--was celebrated at Bethlehem, Pa., with Scott Semtimphelter throwing six touchdown passes to three receivers to lead Lehigh to a 39-14 victory over Lafayette and its first Patriot League championship.

THE NO GAME

For a change of pace from the weekend’s overemphasis on major college football rivalries, Hobart College of Geneva, N.Y., declined a bid to play in the ECAC Northeast football championship playoff game because administrators said it would disrupt the players’ exam schedule.

“We want the players to be making progress to graduate,” Coach Bill Maxwell said.

Hobart (7-3) was scheduled to play Maine Maritime Academy today at Castine, Me., but was replaced by Brockport State.

NOTEWORTHY

Georgetown rallied to defeat Washington & Lee, 17-14, in the first Bermuda Bowl held in Hamilton, Bermuda. . . . Wake Forest’s John Leach broke the Atlantic Coast Conference single-game rushing record with 329 yards in 46 carries. . . . Texas Christian retired the No. 49 jersey of Sammy Baugh, 57 years after he starred for the Horned Frogs. . . . Maryland broke Kansas’ NCAA record for yards allowed in a season with 6,083. . . . Auburn’s Terry Bowden became the first coach to go 11-0 in his rookie season with a major college. . . . Navy committed 35 turnovers this season, resulting in 109 points. . . . Glenn Foley tied Doug Flutie’s Boston College record with 677 career completions. . . . Napoleon Kaufman broke Washington’s single-season rushing record with 1,299 yards. . . . The Sports Illustrated jinx hit again as Notre Dame’s Jim Flanigan was on last week’s cover.

QUOTEWORTHY

NBC’s Hannah Storm, during halftime of the Notre Dame-Boston College game:

“The Ohio State Buccaneers were upset by Michigan.” Tom Coughlin, Boston College coach, explaining why this year’s game was a drastic change from last year’s 54-7 loss to Notre Dame:

“It was two different years, two different teams.”

Michigan Coach Gary Moeller, blowing smoke before pounding Ohio State:

“Just because we go out and beat Minnesota (58-7), we’re not a great team.”

Boston College student Vinita Gursahani:

“Finally, God is on our side. The Catholic war is settled.” Jim Sweeney, Fresno State coach, talking about who knows what before the Bulldogs’ game:

“We’re much better off against San Diego State if we can run the ball. If we can’t run, they suddenly use all sorts of mambos and sambos and blitzes.”