The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 41

The Indianapolis Star SiQorts BALL STATE ENDS L0SII1P STREAK Sunday, October 8, 2000 BASEBALL 4-5 NFL 6-7 COLLEGES 10-13 SCOREBOARD 14 NHL 15 Longest winless stint in school history is over with 15-10 road victory over Miami of Ohio. Page 11 Infnllno- ROA.lMPn MRQRl 3 Online: www.starnews.com If: 32 ip) 31 No longer do Colts fear life on the road i ATnv pj By Mike Chappell STAFF WRITER FOXBORO, Mass. All of a sudden, a team that couldn't find its way on the road is discovering the road isn't such a perilous place after all. Flashback to Sept. 19, 1999: The Indianapolis Colts walked Into if U) Foxboro Stadium Today's against New Eng- Travis Dorsch, who has more field goals than anyone in Purdue history (42), kicked his first game-winner.

game Who: Colts (3-1) at Patriots (1-4). Kickoff: Noon. TV: WISH-8. Radio: 94.7 WFBQ-FM. 1CU1U OilU, ttlLLl temporarily forgetting where they were, reverted to form.

A 28-7 half-time lead against the Patriots disintegrated into a 31-28 loss, their 10th In a row away from home. Fast-forward Purdue place-kicker redeems earlier miss with late field goal that nips No. 6 Michigan. By Mark Ambrogi STAFF WRITER WEST LAFAYETTE. Ind.

Purdue place-kicker Travis Dorsch couldn't thank his defensive teammates enough. After Dorsch's potential game-winning 32 -yard field-goal attempt hooked left with 2:11 left, the defense kept Michigan from picking up a first down. "I knew whole-heartedly that if I got another chance I would make it," Dorsch said. "Sometimes you get that chance, sometimes you don't." When Dorsch got it, the junior capitalized by kicking a 33-yard field goal with 4 seconds left to lift the Boilermakers to a 32-31 victory over No. 6 Michigan on Saturday.

The field goal capped the Boilermakers' rally from a 28-10 half-time deficit, much to the pleasure of the Ross-Ade Stadium crowd of See CHANCES Page 10 Boilers' 2nd half resurgence could be big down the line 1 i WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Redemption for a kicker. Resolve for a defense. Resiliency for an offense. And ultimately, a resoundingly remarkable, euphoric victory Saturday for Purdue.

Especially when you consider that all that was hanging in the balance was a season and perhaps, down the line, a Big Ten championship. No, the Boilermakers didn't win said title Saturday. But they could have lost it. And had it not played out the way it did, there would have been enough goats among the Boilermakers to constitute a herd at the Ag School. Including Purdue head coach Joe Tiller.

4 But Travis Dorsch, the Boilermakers' star-crossed placekicker, was able to save himself, his teammates and Tiller from the gripes of wrath. Dorsch's 33-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining lifted the Boilermakers to a stunning come-from-behind 32-31 victory over sixth-ranked Michigan. See BENNER Page 10 to today: The Colts return to the scene of their major collapse, wondering one thing: What's all the fuss about going on the road? No longer road kill, the Colts are killers on the road. A team that was 0-8 on the road In 1998 has posted an NFL-best 8-2 record away from home since. That includes victories this season at two of the league's toughest venues Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium and Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Last Sunday's beat-the-clock win at Buffalo was the opener of a three-game road swing that resumes today against the Patriots and concludes next Sunday at Seattle. In previous years, an extended road trip, particularly one that included a stop here, was tantamount to extended torment. The Colts have lost four In a row and six of their past seven at Foxboro Stadium. But they no longer hit the road with their anxiety in overdrive. The reason for the dramatic reversal? Coach Jim Mora attributes it to the Colts' rise from NFL also-ran to contender.

"If you're a good team, you're not going to go 6-2 or 7-1 at home and go 2-6 on the road," he said. "You're going to win both places." Quarterback Peyton Manning, who's 0-2 at Foxboro Stadium, credits a more determined approach. "When you go on the road, it all starts on Wednesday In practice," he said. "You're a little more focused knowing you have to deal with the crowd noise. It makes you tune in a little more so you don't have the mental mistakes.

The wins at Kansas City and at Buffalo give you confidence knowing when you play another tough road opponent like (today), you can say, 'Remember what happened in Buffalo? We won at Buffalo. We can do It's nice to have that confidence." Manning admits the team's current mindset is in stark contrast to this time a year ago. "After New England beat us, I started having some thoughts," he said. "You don't have doubts, but you have some concerns about going on the road. "But when you start winning, and winning in tough places, you start building confidence." Contact Mike Chappell at (317) 444-6830 or via e-mail at mike.chappellstamews.com Staff Photo Mpozi Mshale Tolbert Flying in for six: Purdue's Montrell Lowe is pursued by Michigan's Victor Hobson (6) and Carl Diggs as he lands just inside the end zone for a touchdown in the third quarter.

14 20 33 52 WW i- si Other in-state major Division l-A programs Notre Dame relies on effort from defense and special teams to put away Stanford. Northwestern running back Damian Anderson runs over Hoosiers for a career-high 292 yards. Game story and notebook on Page C12 Game story and notebook on Page C10 Grambling State delivers classic effort Not quite: Grambling State University wide receiver Levi Washington is tackled by Florida University's DB Shedrick Cope-land just short of the end zone. By Walter Grable STAFF WRITER Back in its glory years, the Grambling State University football program took on, and beat, all comers. In recent GRAMBLING 12 years, some FLORIDA 10 of that luster has taken a hit.

But the swagger and pride was restored Saturday in the RCA Dome at the Coca-Cola Circle City Classic, as the Tigers defeated Florida 12-10. we do," Grambling junior comer-back Calvin Spears said. "Once we stopped them early on, that gave us more confidence we could play at this level with this level of competition." Grambling improved to 5-1. The Rattlers, ranked No. 3 in the NCAA Division I-AA poll, fell to 5-1.

Spears sealed Florida fate with an interception in Grambling's end zone with 3 minutes, 8 seconds remaining. It was one of three for Grambling, which also re-See GRAMBLING STATE Page 11 "What I like about this team is that over the last two years, they've grown up and matured," said Grambling coach Doug Williams. This game we're going to enjoy tonight, but come Monday, we are back to work." Before an enthusiastic announced crowd of 57,808, the Tigers' defense did a number on the Rattlers' vaunted "Gulf Coast Offense." Florida had been averaging 48 points, but those numbers didn't intimidate Grambling. "They put on their pants just like Staff Photo Michael W. Bunch Pacers get away from it all Training camp in Florida, far from family a nd friends, allows players to concentrate By Mark Montieth STAFF WRITER jSwitii-" I i V-: Class is out: Thomas cancels final practice at Orlando.

Page C2 Training-camp transportation: Pacers' Al Harrington wheels around the grounds of the Disney Institute on a golf cart. Players use the carts to get from the practice gym to their villas and the dining hall. Cm) RLANDO, Fla. Snow White would love it here. 0 The Disney Institute, home of the Indiana Pacers' training The Pacers, however, won't be coming back.

It's time to move on, for several reasons. But they will go somewhere else next year despite the trend among NBA teams to stay home for training camp. Fifteen of the 29 league teams are conducting camp within their city limits this year. The Pacers are one of only eight who leave their home state. The rest travel somewhere within their state.

The Pacers could cut costs and reduce hassles by conducting their week of two-a-day practices at Conseco Fieldhouse, which has a practice gym and a modern courts, a movie theatre, an outdoor concert pavilion, a restaurant and a golf course. During their weeklong visit, the players live in split-level, two-bedroom villas that rent for a minimum of $240 per night to the public. They travel by golf carts within the complex, and have Cadillac Sevilles at their disposal if they venture outside the Disney gates. Even Goofy would loj'e it here. camp, is tucked away within the expansive borders of Walt Disney World.

The grounds are manicured, the colors are bright, the weather is warm, the housing is luxurious and the living is carefree, secure and private. The gymnasium in which the Pacers have been practicing is in a health club and spa. It's surrounded by tennis Staff Photo Matt Ktyger See PACERS Page 2 I.