COLLEGE FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT

BIGGER IS BETTER

How bad was Rice during its 70-7 loss to Ohio State in Columbus?

Well, with 11 minutes left and Ohio State ahead by 56 points, the Buckeyes played gentlemen and ran the ball on fourth-and-11 at the Rice 16-yard line. The result: Ohio State picked up 12 yards and scored two plays later.

The was the final touchdown in a massacre that featured the school with the largest enrollment in Division I-A football, Ohio State with 49,000, against Rice with the smallest, 2,600 students.

It also featured a little post-game controversy, with Rice Coach Ken Hatfield confronting Ohio State Coach John Cooper about the Buckeyes’ 60-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter with a 56-7 lead.

“It was personal between John and me. Ask him what was said,” Hatfield said. “Everyone wants to go for the golden game. Everyone thinks you need to score 100 to get recognition. I think the end is greater than the means.”

Said Owl defensive end Ndukwe Kalu: “That’s the worst beating I’ve ever got. They didn’t run up the score. They brought young guys in and they did the job. If I were them, I would’ve tried to score 100.”

ONLY IN THE NAIA

A rare one-point safety was awarded to NAIA Division II Westminster during an extra point attempt in game against West Liberty State at New Wilmington, Pa.

Westminster scored a touchdown with 10:18 left in the second quarter on a 5-yard run by On the extra-point attempt following Kevin Wellendorf’s five-yard touchdown run, holder Kerry Freeman fumbled the snap, rolled to his right and threw a pass that was intercepted by an unidentified West Liberty State player.

The interception was made at the one-yard line, but the defender was immediately hit by two Westminster players, and the ball rolled into the end zone. Several players dove for the ball, and it was eventually recovered on the ground among a sea of bodies by an unidentified West Liberty player.

After a 10 minute discussion, head referee Donald Woodward ruled that Westminster would be awarded one point on a safety.

Oh . . . and for the one person who cares, Westminster won the game, 13-7.

FORGIVE, BUT NOT LIKELY TO FORGET

What’s the best thing to do when you’re a 12-point favorite and then get beat by 13? Say you’re sorry.

“I apologize to the people of Arkansas for this performance,” Arkansas Coach Danny Ford said after his team was upset by SMU, 23-10.

AND THE BEAT GOES ON

Nebraska defeated Michigan State by 40 points last year (50-10) on its way to a second consecutive national title. This year the Cornhuskers won by 41 (55-14).

Yep, they’re getting better.

A SORRY PERFORMANCE

What’s the best thing to do when you’re a 12-point favorite and then get beat by 13? Say you’re sorry.

“I apologize to the people of Arkansas for this performance,” Arkansas Coach Danny Ford said after his team was upset by SMU, 23-10. “They weren’t prepared. That was my fault.”

THINK BEFORE SPEAKING

The Over-hype award traditionally reserved for Lee Corso, goes to David Armstrong, the coach of Div. III Thiel, who faced Oberlin in a matchup of teams with 22- and 30-game losing streaks.

“This will be the greatest game in college football of the day,” Armstrong said before his team’s 26-6 victory. “This is truly college football at its best.”

Apparently, Armstrong doesn’t get cable.

NO SWEET SONG

For the first time since Steve Spurrier became head coach, Florida players skipped the singing of the alma mater at the end of the game in protest of a player’s suspension.

Freshman Keith Kelsey was suspended by the school’s Student Advisory Board earlier this week for allegedly taking a chair from his dormitory lobby.

“We felt it was unfair that he got the suspension he got, so we were going to skip the alma mater,” offensive guard Donnie Young said. “We will do it for however long we want to hold out, because it wasn’t fair.”

Florida traditionally remains on the field to sing the alma mater while the band plays. After a 62-14 victory over Georgia Southern, the team sprinted off the field, confusing the band and several thousand fans.

“We just weren’t in the alma mater singing mood,” Spurrier said.

IF YOU DON’T SUCCEED . . . TRANSFER

Tim Carey, who lost the starting quarterback job at Stanford to Chad Hutchinson, is saying he will transfer to Hawaii. Carey will join former Stanford assistant Guy Benjamin, now the Rainbows’ offensive coordinator.

THE BOZ WILL NEVER DIE

Ohio State freshman linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer got permission from Archie Griffin to wear the number 45 jersey worn by the two-time Heisman Trophy winner, and did the number proud by totaling three tackles for losses and two sacks in his debut against Rice.

But this is not the story of a boy following his hero. Although Katzenmoyer has worn No. 45 since junior high, it was not out of respect for Griffin.

“In seventh grade, I wanted No. 44,” Katzenmoyer said. “Brian Bozak wore No. 44.”

He meant Brian Bosworth, former loudmouth linebacker at Oklahoma.

“Yeah, that’s him; I can’t remember it was so long ago. But it was unavailable. It went to an eighth-grader. So I said, ‘OK, I’ll take No. 45.’ ”

NEW CINDERELLA?

Everyone wondered who will be the Northwestern of 1996, and the Wildcats might have answered that question themselves.

Northwestern scheduled Wake Forest because it was a team it could beat, much like the Notre Dames of the college football word did for years in scheduling Northwestern. But the Deamon Deacons defeated No. 13 Northwestern, 28-27, the beginning of what could be a . . . Cinderella season, with Florida State, North Carolina and Virginia still ahead.

It was Wake Forest’s first win over a ranked opponent since 1979, and the Deamon Deacons were 0 for 30 against top 25 teams during that stretch.

Sounds a lot like a stat from last season . . . about the Wildcats.

AND FOR THE LOSER

Since there may be a Cinderella, how about a pumpkin.

Tops candidate is No. 9 Syracuse, which fell, 27-10, to No. 24 North Carolina. The Orangemen had only three tough games this season, the Tar Heels, Virginia Tech and then the season finale against Miami. All were at home, all were against team that are vulnerable, and there were whispers of an unbeaten season.

Well, basketball season is not that far off.

SAME OLD STORY

Penn State apparently knows only one way to win: 24-7. (USC fans won’t have to think too hard on this one).

DOWNTOWN ATHLETIC CLUBING

It is never too early to speculate, so for those who have not anointed Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning the winner here’s the skinny on the Heisman Trophy race:

1. Manning--beating up on a young UCLA team is not exactly a the New Hampshire primary but it was on national television and East Coast voters who went to be early will only see the stats, not how green UCLA is.

2. Danny Wuerffel, Florida quarterback--Playing against Georgia Southern, he was 15 of 16 for 267 yards and two touchdowns. Gets points for not filling up his stat sheet on a patsy but still booking a pass efficiency rating of 275.2.

3. Curtis Enis, Penn State running back--This year’s Eddie George. A big, Big Ten back, who few people knew about until he started piling up the numbers. A modest outing with 23 carries for 104 yards and one touchdown in a win over Louisville, but candidancy still strong.

4. Steve Sarkisian, BYU quarterback--Had a week off to rest arm before big game at Washington against a pair of freshman cornerbacks. If David Klinger-like numbers continue he’ll get some votes.

Darkhorse: Byron Hanspard, Texas Tech running back--If you squint a little the junior looks like Marshall Faulk. He rushed for a school-record 272 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns in a a 31-3 victory over Oklahoma State. And, in his last five games going back to last season, he is averaging over 240 yards a game and nearly four touchdowns.

--Compiled by George Dohrmann