They Don’t Get Bigger for Wildcats

Ten years after a winless season, Kansas State’s return from the ash heap of college football history lacks only this final brush stroke.

Kansas State has lost 29 consecutive games to Nebraska since the Wildcats last won in 1968.

“I certainly couldn’t underplay the significance of this ballgame and wouldn’t intend to, but every ballgame we play is probably the biggest one we’ve played at Kansas State,” Wildcat Coach Bill Snyder said.

Typical Snyder. Comparing this game with earlier games this season against stiffs Indiana State and Northern Illinois is the epitome of coach-speak.

Snyder wants to beat Nebraska as much as Ali wanted to beat Frazier.

Kansas State thought it was ready for Nebraska last season but a 30-point defeat in Lincoln sent the Wildcats scurrying back to Manhattan.

Nebraska is an underdog for only the second time in four seasons. The last time it happened was at Washington last year, a game the Cornhuskers won handily.

Kansas State has caught Nebraska at the right time. The Cornhuskers are wounded and once again will be without standout quarterback Bobby Newcombe, who has not recovered from a knee injury suffered in the opener.

Nebraska has played Monte Christo and Eric Crouch, but has settled on Crouch after he rushed for 91 yards in last week’s 42-7 victory at Iowa State.

Nebraska Coach Frank Solich is among the curious wondering how his team will react to the underdog role.

“I don’t know how much that will play into it,” he said. “I know this: Our players have confidence in themselves. We’ve stumbled a couple of times, but this squad has hung together.”

Line: Kansas State by 10

Rating the TV Games

RATINGS

**** Don’t leave the recliner

*** The yardwork can wait

** OK to flip to fishing show

* For arena football scouts only

**** No. 8 Wisconsin (9-0) at No. 15 Michigan (7-2), ESPN, 9 a.m.

With the Badgers one win shy of clinching a Rose Bowl berth, UCLA ticket-holders drool at the prospect of unloading more Rose Bowl ducats for a nifty profit.

Line: Michigan by 3.

** Northwestern (2-8) at No. 19 Penn State (6-2), ESPN2, 9 a.m.

Two of the Big Ten’s top three schools in graduation-rate percentages mix in a little football between discussions on global warming and international finance.

Line: Penn State by 24.

*** No. 13 Missouri (7-2) at No. 6 Texas A&M; (9-1), FSW2, 9:30 a.m.

Sorry to report that the last time Missouri visited College Station, the Tigers came up on the short end of a 73-0 drubbing.

Line: Texas A&M; by 6.

**** No. 10 Arkansas (8-0) at No. 1 Tennessee (8-0), Channel 2, 12:30 p.m.

If you like this matchup the first time, you’ll probably love it in the Southeastern Conference title game.

Line: Tennessee by 10.

** No. 14 Tulane (8-0) at Army (2-6), FSW, 12:30 p.m.

As Tulane’s dream season rolls on, Army wonders why it ever enlisted for duty in Conference USA.

Line: Tulane by 15 1/2.

** No. 5 Florida State (9-1) at Wake Forest (3-6), ESPN2, 2 p.m.

Seminoles get a wake-up call, having to play Marcus “Rooster” Outzen at quarterback in place of injured Chris Weinke.

Line: Florida State by 26 1/2.

*** No. 9 Arizona (9-1) at California (5-4), Channel 9, 3:30 p.m.

Wildcats hoping to survive this game before sticking it to Arizona State on Nov. 21.

Line: Arizona by 11.

*** No. 18 Texas (7-2) at Texas Tech (6-3), FSW, 4 p.m.

It’s tailback Ricky Williams versus tailback Ricky Williams. One is going to win the Heisman, the other is not.

Line: Texas by 2 1/2.

** No. 17 Georgia (6-2) at Auburn (3-6), ESPN, 4:30 p.m.

The athletic director warns that cheering in the press box and shameless campaigning for the Auburn job will not be tolerated.

Line: Georgia by 6.

*** No. 16 Virginia Tech (7-1) at Syracuse (5-3), ESPN2, 5 p.m.

UCLA fans rooting for Syracuse so Miami-Syracuse game Nov. 28 will be important enough to leave Hurricanes emotionally drained.

Line: Syracuse by 4 1/2.

5 Things To Look For

1. Northwestern looking at the bright side. The abysmal Wildcats got some good news this week when the NCAA’s report on graduation rates revealed they ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten at 81%. You don’t get to go to the Rose Bowl for that, but there’s solace in knowing that while Purdue defeated Northwestern last week, 56-21, the Boilermakers are last in conference graduation rates at 40%.

2. Curry wins no favors. Ronald Curry, the nation’s top high school quarterback prospect last year, returns home this weekend when North Carolina visits Virginia. Hope he isn’t expecting the red-carpet treatment. Curry, from Hampton, Va., backed out of an oral commitment he made to Virginia in September 1997. It was Virginia’s loss, as Curry, a star in basketball and football, may yet prove to be the best two-sport player since Florida State’s Charlie Ward.

3. Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr coming up big . . . again. Unlike Ohio State Coach John Cooper, Carr is about as cool as they come in must-win games. Last week’s victory over Penn State was Carr’s eighth in a row against a top-10 opponent. Look for Carr to notch No. 9 this week in Ann Arbor when Michigan hosts No. 8 Wisconsin.

4. Washington State (3-6, 0-6) at Stanford (1-8, 0-6). The drama here is to see which school picks up its first Pac-10 win. Washington State’s Mike Price, royalty in Pullman last year after leading the Cougars to the Rose Bowl, says he wears a different crown this year: “I’m the king of Poop Island.” Washington State is trying to avoid becoming the first school in modern Pac-10 history to finish last a year after winning the title.

5. A blue, blue Hawaii. Somewhere over the rainbow another football team is dying. With a tough road game at Fresno State this weekend, followed by home games against Northwestern and Michigan, Hawaii is on a collision course for its first 0-12 season. Then again, there’s hope against Northwestern.

CHRIS DUFRESNE’s Top 25

1. Tennessee (8-0): Whatever you do, Billy Bob, don’t look down from this No. 1 ledge!

2. UCLA (8-0): School opens talks with Notre Dame for proposed Jan. 1 “Dumb Luck” Bowl.

3. Florida State (9-1): Bowden asks to borrow neighbor’s Poulan Weedeater to mow down Wake Forest.

4. Florida (8-1): Spurrier says there’s nothing more dandy than beating up on Vandy.

5. Texas A&M; (9-1): Aggies’ defense will not compromise this week against Missouri.

6. Kansas State (9-0): Slowly and painfully inching up Rankman’s depth chart.

7. Arizona (9-1): Week of election fervor capped by brilliant running of U of A’s Canidate.

8. Ohio State (8-1): Send your donations to the Columbus Red Cross.

9. Wisconsin (9-0): Now, who asked anyone to go and rile up Michigan?

10. Nebraska (8-2): Pesky, up-and-coming program looking to knock off superpower K-State.

11. Arkansas (8-0): Clinton admits he has seen Razorbacks play, but never inhaled.

12. Notre Dame (7-1): A cynic might say the quid-pro-quo deal with Catholic chum BC worked like a charm.

13. Georgia (6-2): If team loses SEC title, will star player change name to Runner-up Bailey?

14. Michigan (7-2): Claiming sovereignty in wrecking Ohio State’s title hopes, school files lawsuit against Michigan State.

15. Missouri (7-2): Tigers reject St. Louis Rams’ offer to swap rosters.

16. Tulane (8-0): Sure, the schedule is a bit watery, but the seafood gumbo is to die for.

17. Oregon (7-2): Mills Lane safely back in court after officiating Oregon-Washington fight.

18. Penn State (6-2): Michigan suggests scratching Nittany Lion linebackers off Butkus Award short list.

19. Texas (7-2): Ricky Williams gets permission to wear Bob Marley’s tank top for Texas Tech game.

20. Georgia Tech (7-2): One of eight schools in ACC besides Florida State.

21. Virginia (7-2): School says Florida State taunts about Thomas Jefferson and mistress were way below the belt.

22. Miami (5-2): UCLA calls to see if any hurricanes might be brewing in early December.

23. Virginia Tech (7-1): Postgraduate class offered in “The Loss to Temple.”

24. Air Force (8-1): Army claims it was distracted in defeat by illegal Thunderbirds fly-over.

25. USC (7-3): Rankman asks, Are Trojans 10-0 if Hackett puts that clown mask on in September?

The Other Games

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FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG at Stanford 7 WashingtonSt. at Oregon 9 ArizonaSt. at Duke 9 Maryland at Virginia 10 NorthCarolina at Florida 31 1/2 SouthCarolina Purdue 2 atMichiganSt. at Colorado 16 IowaSt. West Virginia 20 1/2 atRutgers at Indiana 4 Minnesota Bowling Green 2 1/2 atW.Michigan at Toledo 13 Cent.Michigan at Ohio U. 17 N.Illinois at Kentucky 22 Vanderbilt at Akron 8 1/2 E.Michigan Air Force 4 atWyoming at Baylor 4 Oklahoma Louisville 2 1/2 at East Carolina at Miami, Ohio 34 1/2 Kent Ohio St. 25 atIowa at Mississippi St. 2 Alabama Colorado St. 3 1/2 atSo.Methodist at Rice 17 UNLV TCU 6 at Tulsa Utah 11 at New Mexico xNotre Dame 20 1/2 Navy Boston College 1 atPittsburgh Houston 10 atCincinnati at Fresno St. 27 Hawaii Miami 23 atTemple San Diego St. 4 1/2 atSanJoseSt. BYU 10 1/2 atTexas ElPaso at So. Mississippi 20 Memphis NE Louisiana 3 atArkansasSt. at Oklahoma St. 35 1/2 SWLouisiana at Utah St. 7 1/2 NorthTexas at Central Florida 30 BallSt. at Idaho 13 NewMexicoSt.

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x--at Washington, D.C.