Nothing Corny About This Streak

GAME OF THE WEEK

NEBRASKA AT COLORADO

Saturday, 11:30 a.m.

Channel 7

*

Let’s see if Nebraska handles the home stretch better than it did last year, when the Cornhuskers were shocked in the Big 12 title game by Texas and handed Florida a second chance to win the national title.

Nebraska cannot win its third championship in four seasons if the Wolverines win the Rose Bowl, but the Cornhuskers need to be poised to pounce in case Michigan stumbles.

Nebraska has owned Colorado in this decade. The Buffaloes haven’t defeated the Cornhuskers since former coach Bill McCartney’s national championship season of 1990.

There is nothing to indicate things will change today. Projected as a national title contender, Colorado has been one of the season’s major disappointments, a team besieged by inconsistency and penalties. A defeat would secure the Buffaloes’ first losing season since 1984.

The Nebraska task is this: Beat Colorado, defeat Texas A&M; in the Dec. 6 Big 12 title game, go to the Orange Bowl at 12-0 and hope Michigan loses to Washington State.

Florida State’s loss to Florida last weekend enabled Nebraska to move to No. 2 in both polls, but the Cornhuskers might have been better off had the Seminoles remained undefeated, setting up a battle of possible undefeateds--Florida State-Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.

In Nebraska’s drive to impress poll voters, a victory over No. 2 Florida State would have been more impressive than a win over one-loss Tennessee in the Orange.

* The line: Nebraska by 21

ON TV

TODAY’S GAMES

* Texas (4-6) at No. 15 Texas A&M; (8-2), Channel 7, 8 a.m. PDT: Is this Coach John Mackovic’s last game for the Longhorns? Is Northwestern’s Gary Barnett going to be the next Texas coach? Is Ricky Williams the best back in the country? The answers are probably, maybe and yes. Texas A&M; already has clinched a berth in the Big 12 title game against Nebraska, but nothing feels quite as good as putting a whuppin’ on Texas.

The line: Texas A&M; by 15 1/2

* Arkansas (4-6) at No. 17 Louisiana State (7-3), Channel 2, 11:30 a.m.: LSU probably is headed to the Independence Bowl, but Arkansas plays only for pride as the teams battle for a gold-plated trophy in the shape of a boot, supposedly the shape when you combine the borders of Louisiana and Arkansas.

The line: LSU by 18 1/2

* Arizona (5-5) at No. 12 Arizona State (8-2), FSW, 3:30 p.m.: USC wants Arizona State to win so it can go to the Aloha Bowl. Kansas State is rooting for Arizona so it can secure a Fiesta Bowl spot. Arizona is rooting for itself after getting pummeled last year by Arizona State, 56-14.

The line: Arizona State by 9

SATURDAY’S GAMES

* Vanderbilt (3-7) at No. 3 Tennessee (9-1), Channel 2, 9 a.m.: A critical game for the Volunteers, who must win this week and next, in the SEC title game, to secure an Orange Bowl berth and position themselves for a shot at the national title.

The line: Tennessee by 28

* No. 4 Penn State (9-1) at Michigan State (6-4), Channel 7, 10 a.m.: The Nittany Lions have recovered from that ugly home loss to Michigan and would clinch an at-large alliance bowl berth with a victory over the Spartans. Penn State Coach Joe Paterno seeks career win No. 299; Michigan State tries to improve its bowl position.

The line: Penn State by 4 1/2

* Grambling (3-7) vs. Southern (9-1), Channel 4, 11 a.m.: NBC strategists will get the tears they’re looking for as Eddie Robinson coaches his last game at the Bayou Classic in New Orleans. Robinson exits as college football’s winningest coach with 408 victories in 57 seasons at Grambling.

The line: Southern by 14 1/2

* Virginia Tech (8-3) at Virginia (6-4), ESPN, 2:30 p.m.: The Hokies need to keep their Big East title hopes alive. They own the head-to-head tiebreaker against Syracuse but would lose the alliance bid if the Orangemen finish more than five spots higher in the polls. Virginia probably needs to win to garner a bowl spot.

The line: Virginia by 4 1/2

* Mississippi (6-4) at No. 22 Mississippi State (7-3), ESPN2, 12:30 p.m.: Both Misses are fighting for their bowl lives after losses last weekend. The loser of the Egg Bowl will end up with egg on its face in that it probably will not get a postseason bid.

The line: Mississippi State by 1 1/2

* Notre Dame (6-5) at Hawaii (3-8), ESPN, 5:30 p.m.: Three months ago, the thought of the Irish having to win this game to qualify for a bowl game would have seemed ridiculous. Reality: Notre Dame needs to win this one to go to a bowl game.

The line: Notre Dame by 28

* No. 16 Syracuse (8-3) at Miami (5-5), Channel 2, 12:30 p.m.: The Fiesta Bowl, which is going to get stuck with the sixth alliance pick, is rooting for Syracuse to clinch the Big East title with its first victory over Miami in the 1990s. But Miami is also playing for a bowl bid.

The line: Syracuse by 6 1/2

5 Things to Look For

1. A Pacific 10 Conference investigation. Check this out: Nebraska beats Washington at Washington in September and moves up four spots in the polls, from seventh to third. Washington State defeats Washington at Washington last week and moves from 11th to . . . 10th.

2. Pittsburgh in a bowl game. The gods must be crazy, yet with its huge victory over Virginia Tech last weekend, Pittsburgh (5-5) can become bowl eligible if it topples West Virginia this weekend at Morgantown. Odds against? West Virginia has won the last two games by the combined score of 55-0.

3. A travesty. Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer says it would be a travesty if quarterback Peyton Manning doesn’t win the Heisman Trophy. No, the travesty would be if Tennessee choked away its national title hopes with a loss to Vanderbilt. Don’t forget that Memphis shocked Tennessee last season in the upset of the year.

4. A Washington State fan. Despite its storybook 10-1 run, Washington State sold out only one of it six home games at Martin Stadium this season--the Cougars drew 40,306 fans for their Nov. 15 game against Stanford. Martin Stadium capacity in Pullman is listed at 37,600. Washington State’s worst crowd? UCLA on Aug. 30: 26,000.

5. A poll voter last August who thought Michigan was going to win the national title. If the Wolverines win it, they will be the lowest-ranked team at the start of the season to do so since unranked Brigham Young claimed the crown in 1984. Michigan began the season ranked No. 14 in the AP poll.

THE REST Pittsburgh (+12) at West Virginia

Georgia (-5) at Georgia Tech

The Times’ Rankings By Chris Dufresne / 1-25

1. Michigan (11-0): First reel of Ryan Leaf film sends staff screaming into the night.

2. Nebraska (10-0): Saying all the kid needs is a break, Osborne reinstates L. Phillips to Rams roster.

3. Tennessee (9-1): Citing Heisman campaign laws, Manning pickets ABC for equal air time with Woodson.

4. Florida State (10-1): Bowden to wife: “Honey, scratch the Spurriers off our Xmas list . . . again.”

5. UCLA (9-2): Quiz: Where is last the USC quarterback to beat Bruins headed? Answer: Prison.

6. Penn State (9-1): With Eddie Robinson gone, no one left to call Paterno “kid.”

7. Washington State (10-1): Entire loyal Cougar fan base trapped in Pullman elevator at Apple Cup victory gala.

8. Florida (9-2): That’s Mr. Evil Genius to you, Florida State.

9. North Carolina (10-1): QB Keldorf has had more comebacks than Tony Danza.

10. Arizona State (8-2): Fiesta Bowl travel itinerary set: “Walk 50 feet from locker room to field.”

11. Ohio State (10-2): Cooper drops Michigan from schedule, adds Eastern Michigan.

12. Kansas State (10-1): Back in the 1930s, 40,000 crazed fans packed their cars when they heard the words “Dust Bowl.”

13. Auburn (9-2): Only in America: Alabama kid’s fumble leads to Bowden contract extension.

14. Texas A&M; (8-2): Aggies have to be wary of Texas’ last-stand effort to save Mackovic.

15. Georgia (8-2): Must beat Georgia Tech to keep slim alliance hopes alive.

16. Louisiana State (7-3): Notre Dame requests to play all home games in Baton Rouge.

17. Missouri (7-4): Tigers hire Pele to teach them how to kick touchdowns the way Nebraska does.

18. Purdue (8-3): Isn’t it great sitting around waiting for a bowl to call you?

19. Syracuse (8-3): Big East may hang “For Sale” sign if Orangemen lose to Miami.

20. Marshall (9-2): I’d drive a Ford to go see R. Moss versus Notre Dame in Motor City Bowl.

21. Colorado State (9-2): CSU-New Mexico for WAC title a far cry from last year’s BYU-Wyoming.

22. Southern Mississippi (8-3): Liberty Bowl is a second home after win over Memphis.

23. Oklahoma State (8-3): Hundreds fleeced in “Bus Trip to Aloha Bowl” scam.

24. Notre Dame (6-5): Well, look what the rankmaster’s cat dragged in?

25. Washington (7-4): Washington State asks to borrow 20,000 fans to help fill Rose Bowl.