COLLEGE FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT

IRISH FANS, GET THAT ‘DAVIE’ CHANT READY

Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz said all week that he didn’t want a fuss made out of his final home game, and he got his way at the start against Rutgers. There was no special introduction, and he ran onto the field with his players just like he always does.

But the fans and his players wouldn’t let him go so easily. The entire stadium joined the students in their traditional salute at the start of the fourth quarter. As the band played the “1812 Overture,” the fans made L’s with their index fingers and thumbs, bringing them from their heads to their shoulders as they chanted, “Lou, Lou.”

Holtz turned around briefly, his eyes scanning the entire stadium before he turned back to the players huddled around him. There were occasional chants of “Lou!” until the game ended.

A sign in the student section read, “Thanks Lou! From the Students,” while another read, “We Love Lou” with a big, red heart and blue letters. At halftime, the band spelled out “Lou,” drawing a huge roar from the crowd of 59,075.

“Nothing could have been more moving to me than the last half of this football game,” said Holtz, who was carried off the field at the end of the game. “Our fans are pretty ingenious. They found ways to entertain themselves for the last 40 minutes, I was impressed. But I also was deeply touched.”

ONLY ONE CAN GO OUT A WINNER

Another coach in the Hoosier state was being carried off the field Saturday--Indiana Coach Bill Mallory--who coached his final game after 12 years with the school.

Against Purdue in West Lafayette, Mallory, who was fired three weeks ago, got one last last chance to win a Big 10 Conference game, which he had not done in his last 15 tries, nearly two seasons.

Mallory got the victory as the Hoosiers defeated Purdue, 33-16, and as the game ended, Indiana’s players carried Mallory to midfield where he received the Old Oaken Bucket, the symbol of the long rivalry.

Mallory also gave Purdue Coach Jim Colletto, who resigned four days after Mallory was fired, a bear hug at midfield.

Colletto ended his sixth year at Purdue a different way, with his replacement, Wyoming Coach Joe Tiller, watching the game from a booth in the Ross-Ade Stadium press box.

SHOW ME THE DOOR

Kansas’ Glen Mason was one of the hottest coaching commodities in the country last season, being in contention for jobs at UCLA and Georgia. He coached the Jayhawks to a 10-2 record and the school’s first top-10 finish.

This year, Mason and Kansas finished 4-7 overall and 2-6 in the Big 12. Easily the lowest moment of the Jawhawk season came Saturday against Missouri in the Border War. “I think what they say about [everything] out the window for your rivalry game is true,” Mason said. “Hey, it’s Missouri.”

Hey, Missouri is awful.

The Tigers had lost the three previous meetings of the second-longest series in Division I-A by a combined 101-37, yet Missouri won, 42-25.

That reminds us of Mason’s comments on leaving for another job: “I’m not looking around unless I’m forced to look around. A man’s gotta eat. A man’s gotta coach.”

And a man’s gotta be able to beat Missouri.

STRANGE EATING HABITS, TAKE ONE

Washington offensive lineman Benji Olson set a school record last week. He sat down at an all-you-can-eat dinner at Tony Roma’s in Seattle and ate 65 ribs. The old record, for those interested, was a measly 48 ribs.

And, for those looking to challenge your arteries locally, the record at the Tony Roma’s in Redondo Beach is 51 ribs.

TAKE TWO

What do players do on the plane ride back from a game? Ask North Carolina running back Leon Johnson: “Me and [receiver] Chuckie Parquet have Dove Bar-eating contests.”

TAKE THREE

Oregon tight end Josh Wilcox on the Oregon-Oregon State rivalry: “If you want finesse, if you want a pretty game in the sun, grab a six pack of grape Nehi and pretzels and rent ‘Flipper’ and stay home.”

THE BOWL PICTURE: IT’S GETTING CLEARER

How the bowl matchups are shaping up as the regular season nears an end:

LAS VEGAS (Dec. 19)--Nevada vs. Ball State.

ALOHA (Dec. 25)--California vs. Texas Tech or Texas A&M.;

LIBERTY (Dec. 27)--Houston vs. West Virginia.

CARQUEST (Dec. 27)--Miami, Syracuse or Virginia Tech vs. Virginia.

COPPER (Dec. 27)--Wyoming or BYU vs. Texas Tech or Texas A&M.;

PEACH (Dec. 28)--LSU vs. Clemson.

ALAMO (Dec. 29)--Michigan vs. Texas.

HOLIDAY (Dec. 30)--Colorado vs. Washington.

SUN (Dec. 31)--Stanford vs. Michigan State.

INDEPENDENCE (Dec. 31)--Auburn vs. Army.

OUTBACK (Jan. 1)--Alabama or Tennessee vs. Iowa.

GATOR (Jan. 1)--Virginia Tech, Syracuse or Miami vs. North Carolina.

CITRUS (Jan. 1)--Alabama or Tennessee vs. Northwestern.

COTTON (Jan. 1)--BYU or Washington vs. Kansas State.

ROSE (Jan. 1)--Ohio State vs. Arizona State.

FIESTA (Jan. 1)--Florida State or Florida vs. Penn State or Notre Dame.

ORANGE (Jan. 1)--Syracuse or Miami vs. Notre Dame or Penn State.

SUGAR (Jan. 2)--Florida or Florida State vs. Nebraska.

TAKING THE ROGER MARIS ROUTE

California quarterback Pat Barnes had three touchdowns passes in a 42-21 loss to Stanford, giving him a Pac-10 record 31 on the season. Barnes surpassed Mike Pagel’s 29 for Arizona State in 1981. But before you line up to shake Barnes’ hand, consider that four of his touchdown passes have come in overtime victories over Oregon State (1) and Arizona (3).

Now, where is that asterisk key?

NOT HIS IDEA OF A TAIL-GATE PARTY

USC Coach John Robinson: “One of my fondest memories of the USC-UCLA game is the year Vince Evans made a long run for a touchdown to win the game for USC. It was especially significant because, before that game, there were bumper stickers around that said: ‘Save USC Football, Shoot Vince Evans.’ Actually, I saw one of those bumper stickers last week, only it had Evans’ name scratched out and mine written in.”

--Compiled by GEORGE DOHRMANN

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FINAL RUNDOWN ON THE RUSHING RACE

Iowa State running back Troy Davis and Byron Hanspard of Texas Tech have been battling all season for the nation’s rushing lead, and Hanspard led by only 40 yards going into Saturday’s regular-season finales.

A 225-yard performance against Kansas State by Davis, in which he became the first collegiate back to have two 2,000-yard rushing seasons, pushed him into the lead. And, after Hanspard stumbled to 84 yards against Oklahoma, Davis ended the season as the nation’s rushing leader, becoming the sixth player to win back-to-back titles.

A game-by-game look at a tight rushing race:

TROY DAVIS

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Opp Att Yds Season Wyoming 35 146 146 Iowa 20 152 298 N. Illinois 53 241 539 Missouri 40 378 917 Tex. A&M; 39 130 1,047 Okla. St 36 238 1,285 Baylor 28 138 1,423 Kansas 33 171 1,594 Colorado 35 228 1,822 Nebraska 34 138 1,960 Kansas St 48 225 2,185 Totals 401 2,185

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BYRON HANSPARD

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Opp Att Yds Sea. Kan. St. 21 115 115 Okla.St. 29 272 387 Georgia 37 214 601 Utah St. 22 224 825 Baylor 35 287 1,112 Kansas 37 190 1,302 Nebraska 31 107 1,409 Tex. A&M; 41 198 1,607 Texas 22 132 1,739 SW La. 37 257 1,996 Oklahoma 28 84 2,080 Totals 340 2,080

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