Rivalry’s Shoe Is on the Other Foot

OK, Michigan, let’s check those collars.

After wilting under national-title pressure the last two years, Ohio State happily enters this year’s showdown as an underdog.

Will the curse end for the buckling Buckeyes?

This game has been cruel to Ohio State Coach John Cooper. He’s 50-9-1 the last five years but 1-7-1 against Michigan since arriving in Columbus in 1988.

The last two years, Ohio State was No. 2 and unbeaten before the Michigan game and lost both times.

At his Tuesday news conference this week, a reporter began a question, “You’ve done everything here except. . . .”

“Beat Michigan,” Cooper interrupted. “I’m 1-7-1 against Michigan, in case you guys don’t know--in case it hasn’t been in your paper yet this week.”

Saturday, though, Cooper has a chance to do unto others. Saturday, Michigan is No. 1 and playing for the Rose Bowl and the national title.

Cooper’s coaching legacy will forever be tied to Michigan. He credits his 1994 victory over the Wolverines for saving his job.

Ohio State is in an enviable position. The Buckeyes are ranked fourth and primed to wreck Michigan’s dream season and reap the spoils.

Technically, Michigan could lose to Ohio State and still win the Big Ten tiebreaker if there’s a three-way tie for first involving Penn State.

But because of a stipulation in the Rose Bowl contract to protect itself against the bowl alliance, the Buckeyes would go to Pasadena if they finish No. 1 or No. 2 in the national polls, a very real possibility should they beat the Wolverines.

* The Line: Michigan by 3 1/2.

ON TV

* Tennessee (8-1) at Kentucky (5-5), ESPN2, 9:30 a.m.: Tennessee needs to beat Kentucky this week and Vanderbilt next Saturday to clinch the Southeastern Conference East title and advance to the conference’s Dec. 6 title game. Expect 1,000 or so yards of offense. The Volunteers rank fifth nationally in total offense, averaging 473 yards, and Kentucky ranks seventh at 458 per game.

* The Line: Tennessee by 16.

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* West Virginia (7-2) at Notre Dame (5-5), Channel 4, 10:30 a.m.: NBC, don’t cancel “Notre Dame, The Series” just yet. The Irish are back and desperately need a victory over the Mountaineers to stay in bowl contention. OK, it’s Independence Bowl contention, but remember what people were saying about the Irish only a month ago.

* The Line: Notre Dame by 9.

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* Florida State (10-0) at Florida (8-2), Channel 2, 12:30 p.m.: Last year, the Gators lost to the Seminoles in Tallahassee but avenged the defeat in the Sugar Bowl to win the national title. It won’t happen this year, as only Florida State is in title contention. Florida is relatively mediocre, having scrapped its vaunted passing game for a more conservative approach.

* The Line: Florida State by 4 1/2.

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* Southern Mississippi (7-3) at Memphis (4-6), Fox Sports West, 12:30 p.m.: Southern Miss plays the first of consecutive games at the Liberty Bowl, having secured the Conference USA title and Liberty bid last week with its win over Houston. It’s the Golden Eagles’ first bowl appearance since 1990, Coach Jeff Bower’s first season in Hattiesburg.

* The Line: Southern Mississippi by 11.

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* Clemson (6-4) at South Carolina (5-5), ESPN2, 3 p.m.: Clemson fans, ignore the man behind the curtain and that opening-week victory against Division I-AA Appalachian State. You need six wins against Division I-A opponents to be bowl worthy, and the Tigers remain a victory short with one to play.

* The Line: Clemson by 1.

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* Auburn (8-2) at Alabama (4-6), ESPN, 4:30 p.m.: The lump in Auburn’s throat belongs to Coach Terry Bowden, who couldn’t possibly lose to archrival Alabama in a year when the Crimson Tide is woeful, could he?

* The Line: Auburn by 12.

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* Colorado State (8-2) at San Diego State (5-6), ESPN, 7:30 p.m.: With a win, the Rams clinch the Pacific Division and a spot in the Dec. 6 WAC title game. A loss gives Air Force the title. Other than that, there’s nothing at stake.

* The Line: Colorado State by 14.

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* Northeast Louisiana (4-7) at Hawaii (3-7), Fox Sports West 2, 9 p.m.: NE Louisiana Coach Ed Zaunbrecher is 14-30; Hawaii’s Fred vonAppen is 5-17. Loser leaves the island?

* The Line: Hawaii by 5 1/2.

5 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. Marshall (9-2) hosts Toledo (9-1) in the Mid-American Conference title game Dec. 5 in Huntington, W. Va. If Marshall wins, the Thundering Herd will advance to a bowl--the Ford Motor City--in its first season as a Division I-A team. An amazing accomplishment. Also, receiver Randy Moss needs one touchdown reception to break the NCAA season record he shares with Manny Hazard, who had 22 for Houston in 1989.

2. A possible fistfight between Florida and Florida State. Looking for an edge, Steve Spurrier renewed claims this week that Seminole defenders hit to “the echo of the whistle,” a psychological tactic he used to unnerve Florida State in the week before last January’s national title game in New Orleans.

3. How about a calendar? There’s a chance neither the Big Ten or Pacific 10 Rose Bowl representative will be known until next weekend. If UCLA beats USC on Saturday and Washington defeats Washington State, the Bruins win. If not, the Pac-10 champion won’t be determined until Arizona plays at Arizona State on Nov. 28. If Ohio State and Penn State win Saturday, the Big Ten can’t be decided until Penn State-Michigan State play on Nov. 29.

4. The timekeeper at Cal-Stanford. The 100th meeting of the “Big Game” will feature an unusual bit of sportsmanship. Because the proposed halftime gala will exceed the NCAA’s 20-minute limit by 10 minutes, home team Stanford will delay its departure from the locker room and receive a 15-yard penalty. Cal will decline.

5. Ron Dayne back in the lineup. The sophomore tailback, the nation’s fourth-leading rusher, didn’t do Ohio State any favors when he sat out last week in a loss to Michigan, but he could help the Buckeyes if he leads the Badgers to a win over Penn State.

The Rest

Washington St. (+6 1/2) at Washington, 12:30 p.m.

California (+4) at Stanford, 12:30 p.m.

Oregon St. (+16) at Oregon, 1 p.m.

Army (+13) at Boston College, 9 a.m.

Duke (+22 1/2) at North Carolina, 9 a.m.

Maryland (+19 1/2) at Georgia Tech, 12:30 p.m.

E. Carolina (+10) at N. Carolina St., 10 a.m.

Wisconsin (+15 1/2) at Penn St., 12:30 p.m.

Michigan St. (-25) at Illinois, 10 a.m.

Purdue (-14) at Indiana, 10 a.m.

Oklahoma (+24) at Texas Tech, 11 a.m.

Kansas St. (-26) at Iowa St., 9:30 a.m.

Oklahoma St. (-11) at Baylor, 12:30 p.m.

Mississippi St. (-5) at Arkansas, 11 a.m.

Georgia (-3) at Mississippi, 11 a.m.

Tulsa (+14 1/2) at New Mexico, 11 a.m.

Minnesota (+21) at Iowa, 11 a.m.

Texas El Paso (+19) at Rice, noon

Utah (+5 1/2) at BYU, 12:30 p.m.

Virginia Tech (-11) at Pittsburgh, 12:30 p.m.

Wyoming (-5) at Fresno St., 1 p.m.

San Jose St. (+12) at UNLV, 1 p.m.

Tulane (-9) at Houston, 12:30 p.m.

Kent (+27) at Navy, 10 a.m.

Toledo (+6) at C. Florida, 9 a.m.

Utah St. (-13) at North Texas, 11:30 a.m.

Ala. Birmingham (-11) at Arkansas St., noon

Boise St. (+10) at Idaho, 3 p.m.

THE TIMES’ RANKINGS BY CHRIS DUFRESNE / 1-25

No. Team (Record): Comment

1. Michigan (10-0): Pressure? What pressure? Pressure is raising five kids on a night clerk’s salary.

2. Florida State (10-0): Hard to believe this is a rebuilding year in Tallahassee.

3. Nebraska (10-0): Only kick worth noting last week was to Iowa State’s backside.

4. Tennessee (8-1): Three weeks and counting until Woodson upsets Manning in Heisman race.

5. Penn State (8-1): Ohio State may be better, but I recall a final score of Penn State 31, Ohio State 27.

6. Ohio State (10-1): This week’s poll trivia: Coaches John Cooper and Lloyd Carr were raised in Tennessee (separate families).

7. North Carolina (9-1): Rankmaster’s adopted team showed some major brass in bouncing back vs. Clemson.

8. UCLA (8-2): In tournament format, Bruins get No. 1 seeding in the West Regional.

9. Arizona State (8-2): Next up, Arizona, which might be a tad ticked after last year’s 56-14 pummeling.

10. Washington State (9-1): One gets the feeling the Cougars’ Apple Cup will not runneth over.

11. Florida (8-2): Can Sigmund Spurrier play the Psych 101 card again against Florida State?

12. Auburn (8-2): SEC West too confusing; champion to be determined in arbitration.

13. Kansas State (9-1): Geez, maybe I’ve been too hard on these guys . . . Naaaaah.

14. Texas A&M; (8-2): Yippee! We won the Big 12 South. What, we play Nebraska?

15. Virginia Tech (7-2): Pop quiz: In what state is Tech located? (Answer next year).

16. Mississippi State (7-2): These Bullfrogs, uh, Bullhogs, uh, Bulldogs don’t get any respect.

17. Georgia (7-2): Auburn came to Athens with hedge clippers.

18. Louisiana State (7-3): What, you thought Notre Dame was going to lie down and die?

19. Missouri (7-4): “Mr. Smith goes to Alamo Bowl” has a nice ring to it.

20. Purdue (7-3): Not quite the fuzzy, feel-good story they were a month ago.

21. Syracuse (8-3): Alliance rooting for red-hot Orangemen, doesn’t want to get stuck with Virginia Tech.

22. Tulane (6-4): Has accepted bid to inaugural Bowden Bowl; Tommy awaits winner of Bobby vs. Terry.

23. Marshall (9-2): What are the odds Randy Moss is still attending classes?

24. Colorado State (8-2): Rams pick up Rocky Mountain poll slack for struggling team based in Boulder.

25. Wisconsin (8-3): “Good luck vs. Penn State. Love, Ohio State.”