The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 41

M02 Sunday, October 1 1, 1992 THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER SpOltSC-11 Memphis State rout spells doubt for Bearcats entering the fourth period. "Losing hurts, it's terrible," said Dingle. "We're used to it, but we're not going to succumb to it. We've still got six games to do something." Cincinnati 0 7 0 7-14 Memphis Statt 1 14 10 7-J4 MS-Field goal Allison 43 yards. MS-Porter 35 run (Allison kick).

MS-Bruce II pass from Matthews (Allison kick). C-SmaH 1 run (Whitlow kick). MS-Field goals Allison 25 yards. MS-Porter 58 run (Allison kick). MS-Walker 13 pass from Matthews (Allison kick).

C-Biorson 4 yard pass from Harp (Whitlow kick). Attendance 39.731. Records: MS 2-3, UC 1-4. rushing yards all season. UC trailed at halftime, 17-7, and was lucky to be that close.

Memphis took a 3-0 lead after one quarter, in which it dominated with superior quickness and speed. Memphis held a 120-16 edge in total yards in the opening period, and its own ineptitude helped prevent a larger score. The Tigers returned a punt 68 yards for an apparent first-quarter TD, but it was nullified by a penalty. UC also held Memphis on a goal-line stand in the first period. The Bearcats then blinked.

Memphis raced to a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter, by scoring two touchdowns within 96 seconds. Memphis's Porter raced 35 yards for a TD to make it 10-0 just eight seconds into the second BY TOM GROESCHEN The Cincinnati Enquirer MEMPHIS, The Cincinnati Bearcats' football season took a disturbing turn for the worse here Saturday night. UC was routed, 34-14, by a Memphis State team that supposedly wasn't that much better than the Bearcats. UC is now 1-4 and Memphis, a 13-point favorite, is 2-3. "Their team speed put us to shame," said UC coach Tim Murphy.

"At the same time, we're not going to score some points unless we get a more balanced offense." UC's passing game has Murphy gravely concerned. Bearcat quarterback Lance Harp completed just 12 of 28 throws for only 115 yards Saturday, with one TD pass his first of 1992 and two interceptions. UC rushed for 100 yards, giving it 215 total yards as compared to Memphis' 419. Harp hasn't been nearly as sharp as he was in 1991, when he threw for more than 1,400 yards in six starts. "We haven't had much of a passing game, and it's causing teams' to tee off on our running game," said Harp.

"I'm not throwing the ball well." Tailback David Small, who had a career-high 233 yards last week, was held to 77 on 23 carries Saturday. "For some reason," said Murphy, "our passing game has regressed. When guys are open, we're missing them. Or else we're not catching passes." UC (1-4) now must go 5-1 over its final six games to gain the program's first winning season since 1982. Harp threw an interception to Memphis' Dan Barto on the next play from scrimmage, and Barto's 5-yard return put MSU at UC's 20-yard line.

Three plays later, Memphis quarterback Steve Matthews found an all-alone receiver, Isaac Bruce, on an 18-yard TD pass. It was 17-0, Memphis, with 13:16 to go before halftime. The game was stopped for 15 minutes midway through the second quarter, when UC linebacker Patrick John suffered a neck injury while making a tackle. John was taken to nearby Baptist Hospital, and diagnosed with a sprained neck. The injury was not considered serious.

Memphis broke it open when halfback Porter sprinted 58 yards for a TD with seven seconds left in the third period. That made it 27-7, Memphis, "We're still going to do it," said linebacker Nate Dingle. "We're not going to get down." Saturday started a crucial three-week road trip for UC. The path next winds through East Carolina (2-3) and then Southern Mississippi (3-3), also tough venues. Memphis' defense, coordinated by former Miami Redskin coach Tim Rose, was ranked No.

2 nationally at 211.5 yards per game, but its program generally is rated about the same mid-major level as UC's. That wasn't the case Saturday, as Memphis outran, out-hit, and overpowered the Bearcats. A rowdy, noisy Memphis homecoming crowd of 39,731 watched on a chilly night at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Memphis tailback Larry Porter rushed for 174 yards and two TDs. Coming in, Porter had only 218 UC MS First downs 15 20 Rushing 35-100 40-245 Passing -115 174 Return yards 30 103 Passing 12 28 2 19-30-0 Total yards 215 419 Fumbles Lost 1-0 2-0 Penalties 9-62 10-44 Punting Time 28 18 31:42 RUSHING-UC Small 23-77-1, Harding 4-26, Britford 4-13, Harp 4 (-16), MSU Porter 19-174-2, Martin 6-57, Holiday 6-30, Crawford 1-16, Bosby 1-5, Matthews 3 (-33).

PASSING-UC Harp 12-28-2-115-1, MSU Matthews 17-26-0-151-2, Cole 2-4-0-23 RECEIVING-UC Biorson 5-31-1, Britford 2-44, Jenkins 7-24, Papanai 2-11, Stewart 1-5, MSU Bruce 7-85-1, Porter 3-14, Copeland 3-21, Walker 2-19-1, Isles 2-11, Cody 1-17, Patterson 1-7. Illinois prunes the bloom from Buckeyes' rose (C v-i i I 1 I -I Cooper was stunned by the defeat. "It's almost like it wasn't meant to be," Cooper said. Freshman tailback Eddie George fumbled twice near the goal line. One was returned 96 -yards for a touchdown by Illinois' Jeff Arneson.

With the Buckeyes leading, 16-15, entering the final quarter, Walter Taylor blocked a punt to give OSU the ball at Illinois' 27. Three plays later, the Buckeyes had marched to the 1, but George coughed up his second fumble after a jarring hit by Illinois' Tyrone Washington. Derrick Rucker recovered at the 10. Illinois behind three-year bench warmer Jeff Kinney, who was replacing Jason Verduzco at quarterback put together a 14-play, 86-yard drive to set up the winning field goal. Chris Richardson made a 21-yarder with 4:56 remaining.

The Buckeyes started their last-ditch drive from their 20. In four plays, OSU quarterback Kirk Herbstreit drove the Buckeyes to the Illini 43, before throwing three incomplete passes. On fourth and 10, he scrambled to the 32 to get within Williams' range. Cooper drew the ire of the fans by calling three running plays before Williams' failed attempt. The Buckeyes have dropped five straight to Illinois.

They are off to an 0-2 start in the Big Ten for the first time since 1988 Cooper's first season. They finished 4-6-1 that year. The Cincinnati EnquirerErnest Coleman Miami quarterback Neil Dougherty looks for a receiver in the first quarter as Central Michigan's Rick Plate (33) chased. Redskins rally to edge C. Michigan BY D.

ORLANDO LEDBETTER The Cincinnati Enquirer COLUMBUS, Ohio: All Tim Williams could do was sink to his knees, fall forward and bury his helmet in the grass. Ohio State's placekicker sailed a 44-yarder with the wind at his back wide left with 48 seconds left in an 18-16 defeat to Illinois before 93,982 fans Saturday afternoon at Ohio Stadium. Williams had connected on a 50-yard field goal kicking into the wind earlier. "Before I brought my head up I thought it was good," Williams said. "I knew I hit it good.

It would have been good from 60 yards, but when I looked up I started praying for it to go right a little bit." The junior from Waynesville was consoled by his teammates after the miss. "It shows me that I had their support, but as far as I'm concerned, I lost the football game," Williams said. "I'm going to take it really hard. Hopefully, it will make me a better placekicker." Ohio State dropped to 3-2 overall, 0-2 in Big Ten. Illinois is 3-2, 1-1.

The Buckeyes' goal of reaching the Rose Bowl is remote. "We are going to have to circle the wagons and be a close-knit football team, regroup and have the best possible season we can have," OSU coach John Cooper said. "Our chances of going to the Rose Bowl are pretty slim. I don't know if a team has lost its first two games and reached the Rose Bowl." Williams had made field goals of 25 and 29 yards, but he also missed a 31-yarder late in the second quarter. The scene turned ugly as the Buckeyes trotted off the field.

The fans cheered the players on their way to the lockerroom, but when Cooper, who was escorted by two state troopers, approached the open end of the horseshoe, the boos were thunderous. The players supported their much-maligned leader. Only a 5-foot-tall rail kept defensive backs Brian Cook and Roger Harper from going after a couple zealots who bellowed, "Cooper you (stink)," repeatedly. blood passed 9 yards to Terrance McMillan who caught a school-record 12 passes for the go-ahead points. Miami's defense, led by tackle Mark Staten (three tackles for loss) and middle linebacker Curt McMillan stuffed the Chippewa running attack through 3'2 quarters, holding them to minus-6 yards rushing in the first half and not permitting them to penetrate the MU 35 until midway into the fourth quarter.

Cent. Michigan 0 0 0 13-13 Miami 7 0 3 i-M Mia-McCutlough 2 run (Seitz kick) Mia FG Seitz FG 30 CMU Sieracki 36 pass from Youngblood (Sellinger kick) CMU McMillan 9 pass from Youngblood (kick failed) Mia-McCullough 7 pass from Dougherty (kick failed) 7 10 3- .3 3 0-M Oh St "I thought about floating the ball," Dougherty said, "but then I saw the defensive back run back to cover. So I threw it as hard as I could." "Neil had great poise," MU coach Randy Walker said. "He had some ups and downs on the drive (sacked once and threw into double coverage other times). He never gets frantic or worried.

He made some big shots." MU improved to 3-2-1 and stayed alive in the Mid-America Conference race at 2-1. CM fell to 3-3 and is all but eliminated from the title chase at 2-2. McCullough has rushed for 100 yards in all three of Miami's wins. "Emotionally, it's tough," said Central QB Joe Youngblood, the league's top-rated passer, who was 21-of-33 passing for 238 yards and threw two fourth-quarter touchdowns. "We came on a little too late." McCullough, wideout Jim Clement, tight end Tom Poynton and fullback Lock Beachum made big third-down plays to keep The Drive alive.

The key play came on third-and-6 at the CMU 16. A defensive holding call, on an overthrown pass intended for Poynton with 52 seconds left, gave Miami the ball, first-and-goal, at the 8. If Dougherty and McCullough hadn't connected for the winning score on third down, Walker said he would have gone for a tying field goal. The game ended with MU defenders knocking down a Hail Mary pass at their own 3. On Miami's first possession, McCullough capped a 16-play, 88-yard, seven-minute drive with a 2-yard TD run.

Seitz, from St. Xavier High, increased Miami's lead to 10-0 with 58 seconds left in the third quarter. "If you say we sat on a 10-0 lead," Walker said, "yeah, that's my nature. I'd do it again." Light rain began falling late in the third quarter. On third-and-11 from Miami's 36, Youngblood eluded a Miami blitz and hit Shane Sieracki with a TD pass over safety Harvey Kelley with 6:15 remaining.

Then, Dougherty's under-thrown pass was picked off the only turnover for either side at the MU 37. Six plays later, Young BY JACK MURRAY The Cincinnati Enquirer OXFORD, Ohio: Fortunate is not how quarterback Neil Dougherty would describe Miami's thrilling 16-13 Homecoming victory against Central Michigan Saturday at Yager Stadium. "Happy," Dougherty said. "We were beating them the whole game. Our offense was playing more not to lose, but when we had to score, we executed." After blowing a 10-0 fourth-quarter lead, Miami trailed, 13-10, with three minutes remaining.

Dougherty, a sophomore from Moeller High, engineered the 14-play, 67-yard game-winning drive. The winning touchdown, on third-and-goal from the 7, came on a play usually reserved for two-point conversions. Dougherty started rolling right, then threw a bullet back to his left to Deland McCullough. "It worked like that all week in practice," said McCullough, the redshirt freshman who rushed for 102 yards and scored both of MU's touchdowns. "It didn't surprise me I was so open." HI Arneson 96 fumble return (Richardson kick) OSU-FG T.Williams 50 OSU-George 4 run (T.Williams kick) HI Safety, Robert Smith tackled in end zone HI Kinney 3 run (run failed) OSU-FG T.Williams 25 OSU-FG T.Williams 29 ID FG Richardson 21 OSU 21 42-160 182 CMU 18 32 S6 238 87 8 13 1-0 8 65 27 16 Mia 19 50-152 141 60 15-24-1 6-44 4-0 3-31 32:44 III 14 139 0 First downs Rushes-yards Passing yards Return yards Passes Punts Fumbles-lost Penalties-yards Time of First downs Rushes-yards Passing Return yards 78 Passes 12 25-1 15-27-0 Punts 7 31 3-34 Fumbles-lost 3-1 6-3 Penalties-yards 4-40 4-17 Time of Possession 30:40 29:20 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING-Winois, Boyer 18-73, Jackson 9-71, Feagln 7-14.

Ohio Harris 18-74, Root. Smith 6-40. Cothran 7-26, Sanders 1-24. PASSING-KHnois, Kinney 12-25-1-139. Ohio Herbstreit 15-27-0-182 ECEIVING Hiinois, Koester 4-38, Boyer 3-41, Olson 3- 25, Klein 1-25, Wright 1-10.

Ohio Stablein 6-85, Cothran 4- 41, Saunders 3-20, Sanders 1-23, By'not'e 1-13. INDIVIDUAL LEADERS RUSHING Cent. Michigan, Johnson 13-60, Pruitt 3-9, Woicik 2-5, Griffin 7-2, Youngblood 7-minus 20). Miami, Ohio, McCullough 25-102, Beachum 9-28, Ellerbe 8-21, Echols 1-4, Dougherty 7-1minus 3). PASSING-Cent.

Michigan, Youngblood 21-33-0-238. Miami, Ohio, Dougherty 15-24-1-141. RECEIVING Cent. Michigan, McMillan 12-116, Sieracki 2-56, Reid 2-24, Johnson 2-24, DuiHap 1-16, Cotton 1-6, White l-lminus 4). Miami, Ohio, Patterson 4-32, Patton 3-28, Clement 2-34, Poynton 2-14, McCullough 2-8, Peguas 1-14, Ellerbe 1-11.

Indiana sacks Northwestern Defiance downs Mount St. Joe T-Reynolds 10 run (Case kick) T-Case 32 field goal Dayton 42, Mercyhurst 14, at Dayton Benji Miller scored on runs of nine yards and two yards as Dayton rolled up a 35-0 lead at halftime. Pat Hofacre scored on a one-yard run, Judd Mintz ran 17 yards for a touchdown and Jeff Wright scored on a three-yard pass from Steve Keller. Jeff Watkins ran eight yards for a touchdown in the final quarter as Dayton went to 5-0. 0 0 6 8-14 ..21 0 7-42 American Conference rushing leader who was held to 49 yards a week ago, carried 31 times for 152 yards and a touchdown.

The Cardinals are 3-3 overall and 3-1 in the MAC. Eastern is 0-6, 0-4. Bowling Green 31, Ohio U. 14, at Bowling Green, Ohio George Johnson's 25-yard touchdown run with 2:58 left in the second quarter broke a 14-14 tie and Bowling Green (4-2 overall, 3-0) remained atop the MAC standings. The victory was the 11th in a row in conference play for the Falcons and their eighth straight at home.

The Bobcats are 1-5, 1-4. Kent 20, Akron 16, at Kent, Ohio Troy Robinson, a junior running back, had two touchdown runs. Robinson's second touchdown, a 1-yard run, capped a 13-play, 46-yard drive that gave Kent (3-2 overall and MAC) a 20-10 lead. Akron is 2-4, 2-2. Toledo 21, W.

Michigan 12, at Toledo Chad Brown ran 64 yards with a blocked field goal return for a touchdown that put Toledo ahead for good at 14-10 with 5:20 left in the second quarter. The Rockets are 3-2 overall, 1-2 in the MAC. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS EVANST0N, After allowing 89 points in the last three games, Indiana's defense put the pressure on Northwestern with nine quarterback sacks Saturday and the Hoosiers rolled to a 28-3 Big Ten victory Saturday. It was the eighth straight win for Indiana (3-2 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) over the Wildcats (1-4, 1-1). Iowa 23, Wisconsin 22, at Iowa City, Iowa Jim Hartlieb threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Dean with 55 seconds left and hit Dean on a two-point conversion.

Carlos James preserved Iowa's second straight last-minute victory over the Badgers by blocking Rich Thompson's 53-yard field goal attempt as time expired. The Badgers fell to 3-2, 1-1. Purdue 24, Minnesota 20, at West Lafayette, Ind. Matt Pike, who learned he lost his starting job before the kickoff, threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Terry Samuel with 2:21 to play for Purdue (2-3, 1-1). Ball St.

31, E. Michigan 7, at Muncie, Ind. Corey Croom, the Mid- Dayton- UD-Hofacre 1 run (Duvic kick). OW Alexander, 21 pass from Clark (Bratton kick). OW Willis, 88 run (Bratton kick).

OW Harlg, 28 pass from Clark (Bratton kick). OW Slusser, 3 run (Bratton kick). Hamsher, 1 run (Haunn kick) Records: OW 54, 2-3. Hanover 38, Anderson 19, at Anderson, Ind. Scott Isphording of La Salle High passed for 329 yards and five touchdowns, four of them to Brian Gles-ing.

Isphording completed 21 of 31 passes. Glesing caught six passes for 170 yards, while Damon Klesa caught nine passes for 100 yards and the other touchdown. Both teams are 1-1 in the ICAC and 2-3 overall. Denison 29, Earlham 24, at Granville, Ohio Jason Cooperider rushed for 140 yards on 27 carries and scored two touchdowns, giving coach Keith Piper his 200th victory on his 71st birthday. Piper, one of the few coaches who continues to run the single-wing offense, is 200-139-17 in 39 seasons, all at Denison.

He's the 24th coach in NCAA history to win 200 games and the 14th to do so at one school. THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER DEFIANCE, Ohio: Von Cummings scored two touchdowns for Defiance as the Yellow Jackets remained unbeaten with a 32-3 victory over Mount St. Joseph. The Lions, led by receiver Dan Reid's five catches for 82 yards, dropped to 1-4. Mount St.

Joseph 0 3 0 0-3 Defiance 2 -32 Safety, blocked punt. D-Bostelman, 36 pass from Smith (Wooden kick). D-Cummings, I run (Wooden kick). MSJ-Plnenidos, 35 field goal. D-Willams, 72 punt return (kick failed).

Cummings, 2 run (Wooden kick). D-Wooden, 28 field goal. Records: MSJ 5-0. Thomas More 10, Waynesburg, 0, at Waynesburg The Blue Rebels (5-0) won their 15th straight game, extending the longest win streak in NCAA Division III. Waynesburg fell to 0-5.

Ryan Reynolds led the Thomas More offense with 84 yards on 11 carries. Derrick Jett added 48 yards as the Rebels were forced to stay on the ground most of the way. The real story, though, was the Thomas More defense, which held Waynesburg to 40 yards total offense. Thomas More J- Waynesburg 0 0 UD-B. Miller 9 run (Duvic kick).

UD-J. mlntz 17 run (Duvic kick). UD-Mlller 2 run (Duvic kick). UD-Wrlght 3 pass from Keller (Duvic kick). MC-Melfi 16 pass from Logero (PAT blocked).

MC-Logero 4 run (Melfl from Logero). UD-Watkins 8 run (Duvic kick). Attendance: 3,287. Records: UD 5-0. 4-2.

Ohio Wesleyan 50, Wilmington 14 at Delaware, Ohio Ohio Wesleyan capitalized on eight Wilmington turnovers. Wilmington (2-3) was led by Tim An drews, who had 82 yards rushing. 0 7 0 7-14 Wllminoton ,14 22 7 7-50 Ohio wesleyan yan aij.wmu.iu 43 (rnm riwk fRmttnn klrkl ow uw Aiexanoer, 10 run iDraiiwi OW Safety. OW Coles, 9 Interception return (run failed). Washington, 1 run (Haunn kick).