Notes on a Scorecard - Nov. 14, 1995

How important is the outcome of the UCLA-USC football game to alumni, students and fans? . . .

“I’ve been 10-1 and been treated like a dog,” Bruin Coach Terry Donahue said Monday at his weekly media conference. . . .

He was exaggerating only slightly. Losses to USC left UCLA 9-1-1 in 1976, 9-2 in 1987, and 9-2 in 1988. After all three games, Donahue was treated like a dog. . . .

But the last four Novembers, he was treated like royalty after victories over the Trojans that lifted the Bruins to 5-6, 8-3, 6-5 and 8-3. . . .

On Saturday at the Coliseum, Donahue will try to make it five in a row by upsetting the Pacific 10 Conference champions. That would give UCLA a 7-4 regular-season record and perhaps a bowl berth. . . .

The problem is that the Bruins are not exactly on a roll, having been beaten by Washington and Arizona State the last two weeks and facing the probability that star tailback Karim Abdul-Jabbar won’t play because of an ankle injury. . . .

“My biggest challenge this week is to get our players and coaches rebuilt psychologically,” Donahue said. “I think it would be huge--gigantic is probably a better word--for our seniors to go unbeaten against USC for their careers. But I don’t think they’re thinking that now. I hope they are by game time.” . . .

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The unusual thing about Western New England College’s 36-30 victory over Curry on Saturday was that it was achieved in overtime. . . .

The Eastern Collegiate Football Conference, an NCAA Division III league, is one of the few in the nation with an overtime rule. . . .

To start the overtime, the visiting team is given the ball on its 25-yard line. After that possession ends--field goal, touchdown, safety or no score--the home team gets a chance to tie or win the game, starting from its 25. There is no clock and the procedure continues until one team scores. . . .

Western New England is tough in overtime, having won twice that way this season. . . .

The 16-14 victory over Notre Dame in 1931 that put USC football on the map should have made the list of the 12 greatest moments in Los Angeles sports history. It was out of town--at South Bend, Ind.--but so was the Raiders’ Super Bowl triumph in 1984 that was ranked No. 9. . . .

Hold off those testimonial dinners for Howard Schnellenberger in Norman, Okla., after Oklahoma’s 12-0 loss to Oklahoma State. . . .

Schnellenberger’s much-maligned predecessor, Gary Gibbs, was 6-0-1 against the Cowboys. . . .

New York Giant Coach Dan Reeves’ decision three years ago to keep quarterback Phil Simms and let Jeff Hostetler go wasn’t among the best in Reeves’ career. . . .

All in the family: Gabe Ruelas is being trained by Joe Goossen and Johnny Tapia by Larry Goossen at Big Bear in preparation for their title defenses Dec. 1 at the Fantasy Springs Casino near Indio. . . .

Greg Norman will donate $1 million to children’s charities at the conclusion of the Franklin Templeton Shark Shootout at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks on Sunday. . . .

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The opener of the John R. Wooden Classic on Dec. 9 at The Pond of Anaheim, Purdue vs. Villanova, will be televised by ABC and the second game, UCLA vs. Maryland, by NBC. . . .

The 1994-95 NCAA basketball championship trophy is pictured on the cover of the UCLA media guide. . . .

Former Bruin guard Michael Holton is an assistant coach on Eddie Payne’s first staff at Oregon State. . . .

“If not for the shot clock, we’d never take a shot,” Payne said about his talent-poor Beavers. . . .

Stanford Coach Mike Montgomery says 7-foot sophomore center Tim Young isn’t a dominant player yet, but has the potential to become one. . . .

Charlie Parker, who is starting his first season as permanent USC coach, said, “We are a program of change. We want our own identity. We have changed our uniforms, practice times, offices and locker rooms. Our offense is now run and shoot, not run and gun.” . . .

Arthur Agee of “Hoop Dreams” fame has signed to play for the Winnipeg Cyclones of the new International Basketball Assn. . . .

Former Dodger outfielder Lou Johnson will be the auctioneer at the second annual Villa Esperanza sports and entertainment charity auction Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Stadium Club. . . .

No American male or female runner finished in the top 10 of the New York Marathon. . . .

Broadcasters’ cliche: “ . . . an even playing field.” . . .

Creative racing secretary Martin Panza has scheduled a race strictly for gray horses on opening day Wednesday at Hollywood Park. What will it be called? The Gray Cup, naturally.