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Saturday breakdown: Kickers have their say in national title chase
By Anthony Gimino
SportsLine College Football Editor
Nov. 6, 1999
Just what you thought: The national championship would be decided by Scott Westerfield, Dan Nystrom and Shayne Graham.
With the majority of the Top 10 playing as if it had two left feet, these three right feet redefined the title chase this week with last-second, white-knuckled, ulcer-inducing, everything-riding-on-'em field goal attempts.
- Mississippi State: Still in, thanks to Westerfield's 45-yarder to beat Kentucky 23-22 on Thursday night.
- Penn State: Out, thanks to Nystrom's 32-yarder that gave Minnesota a 24-23 upset victory.
- Virginia Tech: Still in, thanks to Graham's 44-yarder to defeat West Virginia 22-20.
"You work so stinking hard all season," spat Penn State fullback Mike Cerimele, "and it comes down to a field goal."
Yeah, ain't it grand?
This three-month long playoff (commonly called the regular season) shook off the No. 2 Nittany Lions … but not necessarily for good. Penn State will need a bunch of other teams to experience some misfortune, and that's not an unlikely notion based on the crazy ending to last year's playoff, er, regular season.
Meanwhile, Mississippi State and Virginia Tech forge ahead, a little wobbly perhaps, but still moving in the right direction. There's a lot of that kind of feeling going around.
No. 5 Florida, for only the fifth time since Steve Spurrier became coach in 1990, failed to throw a touchdown pass but escaped with a 13-6 victory when Vanderbilt's last gasp failed in the final seconds near the Gators goal line. Likewise, No. 6 Kansas State survived a scare from Colorado, 20-14.
No. 7 Georgia Tech wasn't so lucky. It was upset by Virginia … so bye-bye BCS.
As it ended Saturday, Virginia Tech had the most to celebrate because, with Penn State's loss, the third-ranked Hokies will become the second-ranked Hokies in the BCS poll, placing them in the national championship Sugar Bowl against Florida State.
It's all far from over, of course. There will be plenty of shuffling in the next few weeks, because all the contenders have key games left. Check out next week's schedule: Miami at Virginia Tech, Kansas State at Nebraska, Michigan at Penn State, Mississippi State at Alabama.
Hope those kickers are ready.
Game of the day
| A changing of the karma |
| Penn State had won three close games. Minnesota had lost three close games. All the Gophers needed was hope … or, more specifically, a player from New Hope. Enter true freshman Dan Nystrom, a true freshman from New Hope, Minn., who calmly kicked a game-winning 32-yard field goal to topple second-ranked Penn State 24-23.
The play that really gave the Gophers hope came just before the kick, a fourth-and-16 Minnesota miracle. Billy Cockerham's pass bounced off the hands of a receiver, heading toward the turf when Arland Bruce whistled by to nab it for a 27-yard gain at the Penn State 13. Said Bruce: "I seen it hanging in the air, like, 'Come get me! Come get me!' " It did. The karma was with Minnesota on Saturday. |
Sizzlin' … the countdown
| 3. Beaver believers |
| We believe. We believe. That NCAA-record 28-season losing streak is toast. For the first time since Richard Nixon was president, Oregon State will have a winning season … and, hey, the Beavs aren't even done yet. They went to 6-3 with a 17-7 victory over Cal and have games against Arizona and Oregon left, and already are being penciled in for a trip to Hawaii for a bowl game. Welcome to the postseason, Beavs. |
| 2. Everybody in sweater vests |
| Washington coach Rick Neuheisel wasn't wearing one of his natty sweaters Saturday (too hot in Tucson for that) … and, besides, the Huskies are generating plenty of heat of their own. The golden boy's gold-helmeted team has won six of seven and are about to put a chokehold on the Pac-10 title. All the Huskies have to do is beat the league's two worst teams -- at UCLA and home vs. Washington State -- and they are surprisingly Pasadena-bound in Neuheisel's first season. The Pac-10 should rejoice. Really. Neuheisel has more charisma than any other coach in the league (what, you were expecting Paul Hackett?) and can restore some gloss to the league's dingy reputation. |
| 1. Giving the kickers their due |
| Often dismissed as less than real football players, everyone loves them when they kick those game-winners. Said Virginia Tech defensive end Corey Moore: "If I had to bet my life, I'd bet my life on Shayne Graham." |
Fizzlin' … the countdown
| 3. Buckeyes are bummin' |
- Zero: Rushing yards against Michigan State on Saturday.
- Four: First downs against the Spartans.
- Nine: Games (all of them) in which Ohio State has trailed this season.
- Zero: Chances of going to a major bowl game.
Blame it on the offense, which has averaged a mere 9.75 points in the four losses.
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2. Block that kick (again and again and again …)
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| Texas A&M has more woes than just field-goal kicking, but that little problem has reached laughable proportions. It's not that Terence Kitchens is kicking them wide left or wide right. He's kicking them wide low. The Aggies, shutout by Nebraska to tumble out of the race in the Big 12 South, had two field goals blocked, bringing their season total to a ghastly seven.
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1. Yellow Jackets stung
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| Should have seen this coming. Georgia Tech had given up 31 points or more three times before Saturday … and then did it again. That 17-0 lead against Virginia, Joe Hamilton's Heisman Trophy hopes, any chance for a BCS bowl? Gone, gone, gone. The Yellow Jackets never had the defense, and now might even miss out on the Gator Bowl. Georgia Tech plays Clemson next week with second place in the ACC on the line, and the Tigers have the offense to swat away these bumbling Bees. |
Chasing Ricky
| Ricky, you're going to lose that record |
| By averaging 191.25 yards in the past four games -- including 222 Saturday at Purdue -- Wisconsin bruiser Ron Dayne is cruising toward Ricky Williams' career rushing record of 6,279 yards. All Dayne needs is 99 yards next week in his final regular-season game to break the mark … and considering that the opponent is visiting Iowa, the worst team in the Big Ten, figure on this to be a done deal before halftime. |
Catching Ricky
| Ricky, you've lost that record |
| Touchdown Travis -- or is it Points Prentice? -- eclipsed Ricky Williams' major-college records for career touchdowns and points, moving on up to 76 and 456, respectively, with a huge game vs. Akron. Prentice is one TD away from tying Williams' mark for career rushing touchdowns (72). |
Best performance by a former long-snapper
| New QB Rivers is rollin' along |
| David Rivers, who has spent most of the season looking at Virginia's kickers upside down, turned Georgia Tech's season a little topsy-turvy. Rivers, in his first career start at quarterback (subbing for injured Dan Ellis), rallied the Cavaliers from a 17-0 deficit to knock out the seventh-ranked Yellow Jackets, 45-38. He completed 18 of 30 passes for 228 yards, not far off the numbers from erstwhile Heisman candidate, Joe Hamilton. |
Five stars of the day
| 1. Miami of Ohio running back Travis Prentice |
Stats: 41 carries for 376 yards and three TDs vs. Akron.
Comment: A career day for a guy who set career records for touchdowns and points. |
| 2. Virginia running back Thomas Jones |
Stats: 39 carries for 213 yards and 2 TDs.
Comment: Nation's leading rusher steals spotlight from nation's leading passer (Joe Hamilton) in upset of Georgia Tech. |
| 3. Nebraska defensive back Mike Brown |
Stats: Intercepted two passes and forced two fumbles.
Comment: Brown was the dominating player in the Huskers' dominating performance against Texas A&M, which was shut out for the first time in 11 seasons. |
| 4. Wisconsin cornerback Jamar Fletcher |
Stats: Two interceptions of Drew Brees, setting up a touchdown and scoring on a 34-yard return.
Comment: Ron Dayne could fit here, but he already gets plenty of attention; the Badgers are winning because of an all-around superb effort … and they seem to get one from Fletcher every week. |
| 5. Mississippi running back Deuce McAllister |
Stats: 317 all-purpose yards, including 100-yard return on the opening kickoff.
Comment: Big-play threat (he also had a 40-yard scoring run) helped Rebels throttle Arkansas, 38-16. |
Quotes of the day
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"If we win the next two we can end up in the Rose Bowl. … I never thought that would sound so bad."
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| -- Penn State offensive lineman John Blick. |
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"This game was played at a different speed by the team in orange." |
| -- Notre Dame coach Bob Davie after a 38-14 loss to Tennessee. |
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"I told them if they won this game tonight I wouldn't need my car, I'd just fly home." |
| -- 75-year-old Dee Andros, who until Saturday, was the last coach to lead Oregon State to a winning record -- in 1970. |
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