Kentucky Makes a Pass at Florida

Steve Spurrier has so bulldozed the Southeastern Conference landscape that Saturday’s game between the Gators and Wildcats in Lexington has actually become interesting.

If you’re not keeping up with Spurrier in the SEC, you’re, well, Vanderbilt.

It was no doubt because of Spurrier that Kentucky Athletic Director C.M. Newton canned nice-guy Bill Curry, the cloud-of-dust Bear Bryant disciple, and replaced him with Hal Mumme, a pass-happy no-name from Division II Valdosta State.

Result?

Kentucky threw seven touchdown passes all of last year under Curry.

Last week, sophomore quarterback Tim Couch threw a school-record seven touchdown passes in a 49-7 win over Indiana.

Kentucky has thrown more touchdown passes, 15, than Florida, 14, this season.

“I guess you could say Kentucky is now one of the best, if not the best, passing team in the conference,” Spurrier semi-wisecracked.

Mumme says his offense is based on Brigham Young’s passing schemes but does not deny being influenced by Spurrier.

“I think both of us want to throw the ball, maybe set up the run game with the throw first, and go from there,” Mumme said.

Mumme’s hiring probably kept Couch, the most prized recruit in state history, from transferring after his freshman season.

Couch has flourished in Mumme’s system, having thrown for 1,081 yards and 15 touchdowns in three games while completing 69.2% of his passes.

* The Line: Florida by 23.

ON TV

Northwestern (2-2) at Purdue (2-1), ESPN, 9:30 a.m.: The Wildcats are two-time defending Big Ten champions but will need talent bypass surgery to make a run at crown No. 3. Purdue, after an embarrassing opening loss to Toledo, has rebounded under first-year Coach Joe Tiller with victories against Notre Dame and Ball State.

The Line: Purdue by 3.

* Illinois (0-3) at Iowa (3-0), ESPN2, 9:30 a.m.: Led by tailback Tavian Banks and receiver Tim Dwight, the Hawkeyes outscored Northern Iowa, Tulsa and Iowa State, 183-36, in three nonconference wins. Banks leads the nation in rushing with 644 yards, and should pick up a few more against the Illini’s 67th-rated rush defense.

The Line: Iowa by 28.

* Notre Dame (1-2) at Michigan (2-0), Channel 7, 12:30 p.m.: The Irish haven’t lost three regular-season games in a row since the last days of Gerry Faust in 1985 but appear headed in that direction against a Michigan bunch that has yet to give up a touchdown. Among schools that have played Notre Dame at least five times, Michigan is the only one with a winning series record (15-10-1) against the Irish.

The Line: Michigan by 14.

* Cincinnati (2-1) at Boston College (2-1), ESPN2, 3 p.m.: What’s with the Bearcats? After giving up 729 yards in their first two games, they held Kansas to minus-46 last weekend. The Golden Eagles have rebounded from an opening loss to Temple with wins over West Virginia and Rutgers.

The Line: Cincinnati by 2.

* Louisville (1-3) at Oklahoma (1-2), Fox Sports West, 4 p.m.: Ancient mixed metaphor: If a bad game falls in a forest, will anyone watch it? That’s what the folks at Fox Sports West should be asking as this stinker competes with paid programming for weight-loss equipment.

The Line: Oklahoma by 7 1/2.

* Clemson (2-1) at Georgia Tech (1-1), ESPN, 4:30 p.m.: The Tigers try to rebound from a tough 35-28 loss to Florida State last week, while the Yellow Jackets try to go 2-0 in the ACC for the first time since Bobby Ross’ 1990, split-vote national championship team.

The Line: Clemson by 1.

* San Diego State (1-2) at Air Force (4-0), ESPN2, 6 p.m.: This is the third stop on a four-game road swing for the Aztecs, who are piling up gate receipts and frequent flyer miles, if not victories. Air Force is also flying high after a 24-0 win over Colorado State last weekend.

The Line: Air Force by 8.

* Oregon (3-0) at Stanford (2-1), Fox Sports West, 7:15 p.m.: The Ducks are off to their best start since 1986 and are looking to wreck Stanford’s homecoming weekend while also avenging last year’s overtime loss in Palo Alto. The Cardinal might want to shore up its line after giving up seven sacks in last week’s three-point win over Oregon State.

The Line: Stanford by 8.

5 Things to Look For

1. Kevin Faulk’s miraculous recovery. The Louisiana State tailback began the year as a Heisman Trophy candidate but may become Wally Pipp if his hamstring injury lingers. Faulk is expected back against Akron after sitting out two games. Good thing. In his place, Cecil Collins rushed for 404 yards and another back, Rondell Mealey, added 129 yards last week against Auburn.

2. Texas’ return from purgatory. Two weeks after their 66-3 loss to UCLA, the Longhorns seek to recapture some honor at Rice, which is coming off an upset of Northwestern. Things are so bad at Texas a woman called a local radio station and said junior tailback Ricky Williams should opt for the NFL this year if the offensive line doesn’t improve. The caller was Williams’ mother.

3. Payback time. Virginia knocked North Carolina out of an alliance bowl game last year in Charlottesville, rallying from a 17-3 deficit with 10:03 remaining for a 20-17 victory. On Saturday, North Carolina plays host to Virginia. If the Tar Heels have hopes of winning the national title, they’ll have to avenge this painful memory.

4. How about Oregon State upsetting Arizona State? The Beavers are actually registering a pulse under first-year Coach Mike Riley, USC’s former offensive coordinator. Oregon State nearly upset Stanford last week, giving up the go-ahead touchdown with 27 seconds left in a 27-24 loss. Last year, the Beavers nearly derailed Jake Plummer-led Arizona State, leading at the half before losing, 29-14.

5. Here’s looking at you, kids. Wyoming-Colorado features the youngest Division I coach in the Cowboys’ Dana Dimel, 34, and the fourth-youngest in the Buffaloes’ Rick Neuheisel, 37. Wyoming was the best team not to make a bowl game last year and has started 3-1 in Dimel’s first season, winning three in a row after playing Ohio State tough in the opener. Colorado, coming off a wretched 27-3 loss at Michigan two weeks ago, hasn’t lost two in a row since 1993.

The Times’ Rankings by Chris Dufresne / 1-25

1. North Carolina (3-0): True, heartfelt, public confession: I thought all along this was a basketball poll.

2. Florida (3-0): That visor Spurrier chucked in the second quarter last Saturday? It just landed.

3. Penn State (3-0): Paterno bolts Associated Press poll for Gallup.

4. Nebraska (3-0): Circle the combines, Harry, the Cornhuskers are making hay.

5. Florida State (3-0): Peter is absolutely the best Warrick at FSU since, well, Dunn.

6. Michigan (2-0): Donors sought for Lloyd Carr personality transplant.

7. Ohio State (3-0): John Cooper says he’ll trade his personality for a win over Michigan.

8. Auburn (3-0): Not sure how Tigers got this high in poll without a running game.

9. Iowa (3-0): Hayden Fry has now coached in 400 games and said “shucks” after all of them.

10. Notre Dame (1988 team): It’s flashback weekend here at Classic Sports Polls.

11. Michigan State (3-0): Win over Irish at South Bend ranks second in school lore to Magic over Bird.

12. Washington State (3-0): School printing up “Ryan for Heisman” Leaf-lets.

13. Washington (2-1): With pratfalls like that, maybe school was better off on probation.

14. Tennessee (2-1): Volunteers still heavy, odds-on favorites in Vegas to clinch Knox County title.

15. Virginia Tech (3-0): If roads were paved into Blacksburg, I’d go check this team out in a minute.

16. Louisiana State (2-1): Looking to trade Kevin Faulk for a quarterback while they can still get value.

17. Georgia (3-0): Herschel Walker does 1,000 push-ups to honor best start since 1988.

18. Stanford (2-1): In a shocking move, Cardinal trades in Sears Cup for Kmart chalice.

19. Alabama (2-1): No truth to rumor school is changing nickname to the Crimson Slide.

20. Colorado (1-1): Quarterback Hessler emerges from witness protection program to face Wyoming.

21. Brigham Young (1-1): WAC lawyers held on retainer as school makes another alliance run.

22. Arizona State (2-1): Fairy tales can come true, until you lose to BYU.

23. UCLA (1-2): Bruins aiming to become best 1-3 team in country with loss to Arizona.

24. Central Florida (1-3): Has agreed to play Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 40% of gate receipts.

25. Marshall (3-1): Randy Moss ticketed for doing 35 mph in a school zone while out jogging.

56. USC (0-2).: One ranking point awarded for each net rushing yard gained this season.

The Rest

Arizona St. (-11) at Oregon St.

Boise St. (+39) at Washington St.

Virginia (+14) at North Carolina

Ohio St. (-15 1/2) at Missouri

Navy (-10 1/2) at Duke

Wyoming (+15) at Colorado

Indiana (+14) at Wisconsin

BYU (-11) at SMU

West Virginia (+8 1/2) at Miami

So. Mississippi (+6 1/2) at Alabama

Maryland (-2) at Temple

NE Louisiana (+20) at Okla. St.

S. Carolina (-3) at Mississippi St.

Vanderbilt (+3 1/2) at Mississippi

Houston (+8) at Minnesota

Texas (-13 1/2) at Rice

Ark. St. (+39 1/2) at Virginia Tech

E. Michigan (+3) at C. Michigan

Miami, Ohio (+3 1/2) at Army

W. Michigan (+14) at Ohio U.

Marshall (-13 1/2) at Ball St.

Bowling Green (+28) at Kansas St.

Texas A&M; (-31) vs. x-N. Texas at Dallas

Louisiana Tech (+11) at Arkansas

Central Florida (+16) at Auburn

Akron (+42 1/2) at LSU

Ala. Birm. (-6 1/2) at SW Louisiana

New Mexico St. (+2 1/2) at UTEP