The Tennessean du lieu suivant : Nashville, Tennessee • Page 39

i f-f I 'I 'T-Il ri. ig ny vvt) nn niiimii i.iih.i w- TODAY'S GAMES Bengals have eye of tiger Page 8C PORT NBA Outdoors Scoreboard lC V. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1990 reaiks Mi UT to sweet wie I IK 3 John Bibb Closer to Sugar Bowl after beating Ole Miss aw Kats Barry Staff Army's Callian Thomas bulls over Variety's Gerald Collins. Army By DAVID CLIMER Sports Writer MEMPHIS In a season of near-misses and fatal flinches, Tennessee finally got a break. Or two.

Or three. And Mississippi broke down. The Vols parlayed a blocked conversion kick and Floyd Miley's 97-yard return into two valuable points with 2:02 remaining, helping secure a weird 22-13 win yesterday. Ugly as it may have gotten at times, the victory leaves Tennessee sitting pretty as it ponders the postseason picture. The 14th-ranked Vols, now 6-2-2 overall and 3-1-1 in the Southeastern Conference, can secure at least a share of the league title and a berth in the Sugar Bowl with victories over old rivals Kentucky and Vanderbilt in the next two weeks.

No. 15 Ole Miss, 8-2 overall and 4-2 in the SEC, saw its Sugar Bowl dream evaporate in front of a national television audience and a record Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium crowd of 66,467. The Rebels are now headed to either the Gator Bowl or Peach Bowl after next week's game with Mississippi State. But bowl talk should be kept to a minimum until this football game is dissected and digested because there was a lot of heavy swallowing done on both sides yesterday. haven't had many breaks this season," UT Coach Johnny Majors said, "but we might've gotten one or two out there.

It was about time." Indeed, there were breaks by the bundle, courtesy of Ole Miss failures and the Vols' own opportunistic nature. For example: The Rebels moved inside the UT 25-yard line on four occasions in the first half but managed only seven points; Ole Miss appeared on its way to a go-ahead touchdown in the third period but Randy Baldwin inexplicably slipped and UTs Darryl Hardy intercepted a pass; After narrowing the gap to 20-13 and quickening pulses with 2:02 I Turn to PAGE 2C, Column 3 i I fJ i i 'r ijj 7 i c. i marches byVU By LARRY WOODY Sports Writer Now you see it, now you don't One minute Vanderbilt appeared to have pulled out a dramatic victory over Army when Jeff Owen nailed a 42-yard field goal to break a 35-35 tie with 2:17 left to play. The next minute 1:03 to be exact Army zipped downfield to score a touchdown, pull off a 42-38 upset, and drive yet another stake of despair through the hearts of the hard-luck Commodores. "I've never been hurt more by a loss than this one," said Owen after yesterday's glory-to-gloom defeat before 30,941 die-hard Dudley Field denizens.

"When the kick went through, I could taste victory. I thought we had it in the bag." I Turn to PAGE 2C, Column 3 New view of a rule for Majors MEMPHIS Three years ago Johnny Majors was vocal in opposition to a college football rules change that yesterday provided his Tennessee Vols the shove they needed to shut the door on Ole Miss' upset hopes. He still isn't ready to admit he likes the rule, but there was a wink and a grin when he was asked how he'd vote now. He delayed responding a couple of seconds, looked at his watch, and said: "It's too late to vote today. The polls are closed." There's no doubt, though, he would have been leading the floor fight for passage of the rule when Tennessee's Floyd Miley blazed along the sidelines in front of the Vols' bench enroute to tacking two big points to the UT total.

Less that two minutes remained when Ole Miss scored a touchdown that jolted the Vols and put the Rebels within seven points, 20-13. But, when UT redshirt freshman Ryan Patterson crashed in to block Brian Lee's extra-point attempt, Mi-ley retrieved the bouncing ball and turned toward the Ole Miss goal. "I was urging him on every way possible when he flew by me," Majors said. "I was hollering and even trying to run alongside, but he left me in a hurry. I could see the open field along the sideline and Miley has great speed.

You may rest assured, it was a big, big two-pointer." Majors said he was against the rule, enacted for the 1988 season, because "I'm not much to changing our rules at any time, but in this case I felt two points were just too rewarding for the margin of error involved." Ironically, two years ago in Oxford, Ole Miss scored against Tennessee on a similar play. The rare two-pointer jolted the Rebel hopes, and calmed an emotional surge which had helped startle the Vols after they seemingly had put an end to chances of an Ole Miss upset. When quarterback Russ Shows fired a 29-yard touchdown pass to Darrick Owens, the Rebs moved to 20-13. "I think everybody in the stadium could feel the momentum shifting after that last touchdown. But, when Miley scored the two points, Ole Miss was needed two scores to win.

Believe me, 22-13 is a much stronger advantage than 20-13. That two-pointer relieved a great deal of tension in a hurry," Majors said. The rare play aside, Tennessee had weathered a strong first half by the Rebels and come back after intermission to take control. "We got some breaks, no question about that, but they way things have been going for us this season, I believe our young men deserved a few," Majors said. Particularly pleased with the performance of Vol quarterback Andy Kelly, Majors said he wasn't worrying about bowl games, "although we certainly didn't hurt our chances by winning here.

I've said it for a week now, but Ole Miss was a tremendous challenge. Our team accepted that challenge and I'm proud of the players and our coaching staff." Tennessee has Kentucky and Vanderbilt remaining on its schedule, and Majors said "they are two very big steps we must clear." Then, before reporters could scribble their notes, Majors interrupted: "But, I'm not worrying about two steps, just one. That's against Kentucky this week." I runmng back Tony Thompson goes airborne for a first down over Phillip Kent of Ole Miss. Colorado assumes hot seat; Klingler throws 11 IDs Tennessean News Services "It's terrible. It's just a shame." tenders go down with injuries.

No. 2 Colorado should take the top spot after finishing the regular season 10-1-1 with yesterday's 64-3 win against Kansas State. Next up: Orange Bowl, Jan. 1, vs. Notre Dame.

But it is no longer a title game. Notre Dame will probably fall below Miami and Georgia Tech if not further meaning fans must doing some channel-hopping on Notre Dame, Miami, Michigan, Virginia, Notre Dame. No it's Colorado's turn at No. 1 In a season in which nobody can stay No. 1, Notre Dame fell from the top spot for the second time yesterday, losing to Penn State 24-21 in South Bend, Ind.

Penn State kicker Craig Fayak did in the Irish with a 34-yard field goal with eight seconds to play. New Year's to see who'll finish No.l. Miami is going to the Cotton Bowl, probably against Texas. Georgia Tech is bound for the Florida Citrus Bowl to face Nebraska. The Heisman race was grew intriguing with Klinglers touchdown feast in an 84-21 win against Eastern Washington and Detmer's big gay in a 45-22 win agianst Utah.

But Virginia's Shawn Moore said Irish tailback Ricky Watters, one of the handful of Notre Dame players who would even talk. "I can't believe it I'm ready to punch through a board. Meanwhile, Houston quarterback David Klinger threw an NCAA-record 11 touchdown passes and BYU's Ty Detmer threw for 451 yards to scramble a Heisman Trophy race which saw two other con (thumb) and Notre Dame's Raghib Ismail (thight) were injured. Moore, hurt in the Cavs' 35-30 loss to Maryland, will miss three to four weeks after undergoing surgery yesterday. He should be back for the Sugar Bowl.

Ismail missed the second half of the Penn State game. There was no word on his prognois for this week's game with Southern California. MTSU shares title after blasting Tech "9 TSU finishes 7-4; playoff hopes dim By TOM WOOD Sports Writer Tennessee State put together its most complete game of the year to rout visiting Mississippi Valley State 45-7 yesterday in the last regular season game. In the wake of the big win, TSU players were wondering aloud whether the 7-4 Big Blue has any chance at all of getting one of the NCAA Division I-AA playoff invitations which will be made today. However, TSU Coach Joe Gilliam doesn't believe the win, before a Hale Stadium crowd of 7,700, and a four-game winning streak will boost it into the 16-team playoffs.

"We did a better job offensively and defensively together than in any game this season," Gilliam said. "The seniors were the spoon that stirred our pot." When asked about playoff prospects, Gilliam merely By MIKE ORGAN Sports Writer MURFREESBORO Overpowering Middle Tennessee State hammered Tennessee Tech 42-0 yesterday and in the process nailed down a share of the Ohio Valley Conference championship. MTSU was overpowering in every phase of the game, scoring on its first six possessions. The Blue Raiders didn't punt until only 20 seconds remained in the game. The Raiders also benefitted from Eastern Kentucky's 27-17 upset loss to Morehead State yesterday.

The MTSU win, coupled with the East ern Kentucky loss, means the two national powers finish tied for first place in the OVC with 5-1 conference records and 10-1 overall marks. The turn of events on the last day of regular season play may also vault the MTSU team back to No.l in the NCAA I-AA Top 20 Poll. In last week's poll MTSU was second and Eastern Kentucky No. 1. "I think we certainly have an argument for being No.

1," said MTSU Coach Boots Donnelly. "Maybe Youngstown State 11-0 and No.3 Turn to PAGE 2C, Column 3 (TV- IT" if jv Lf in Tr -ti in in iiiinnim ml i'iii Freeman Ramsey Staff TSLTs James Wade scampers into open field. Turn to PAGE 2C, Column 4 RESULTS AUTO RACING SIX points. That's by how much Dale BEST ON TV NASCAR' Winston Cud points battle If will be decided in the ELSEWHERE Austin Peay's losing streak reached 23 games yesterday, but not without a fight from the Governors. They fell 31-24 in three overtimes to Murray State, the same team that started APSU's streak back in 1988.

ON 7C. The Nashville Knights defeated Knoxville 8-5 last night as Glen Engevik scored a pair of short-handed goals. The win gave Nashville a split of its two-game road trip. Next home game: Thanksgiving night against Knoxville. ON 2C.

TULiL TALI! AP TOP 25 (See page X) 18. Penn State 24, 1. Notre Dame 21 2. Colorado 64, Kansas State 3 3. Miami, Fla.

42, Boston College 12 4. Georgia Tech 42, Wake Forest 7 5. Brigham Young 45, Utah 22 SEC (See page 5C) 8. Florida 47, Kentucky 15 24. Auburn 33, Georgia 10 Mississippi State 34, LSU 22 Alabama 45, Cincinnati 7 OVC (See page 7C) Morehead State 27, Eastern Kentucky 17 Murray State 31, Austin Peay 24 (3 OT) on ESPN at 11:30 a.m.

In the NFL, Cincinnati hosts Pittsburgh for first place in the AFC Central. Kickoff: ESPN. 7 D.m. tarnharat leaas Mark Martin in the NASCAR Winston Cup title chase. Earnhardt must finish two or more places ahead of Martin in today's Atlanta Journal 500 to clinch.

Earnhardt starts sixth, Martin 11th. Rusty Wallace is on the pole. ON 9C. i i WHAT'S UP TODAY Cumberland's football team, which wound up a winless season two weeks ago, has one more chance to win a game sorta. The Bulldogs face KDF radio personalities in a flag football game for charity at 1:30 in Centennial Park.

ON 2C. Other NFL today: Oilers vs. Browns on Channel 4 and Lions vs. Giants on Channel 5, both at noon; Falcons vs. Bears at 3 p.m.

on Channel 5. TV listings, 11C MARTIN TCo.CnnOVS.TErSSCSU.Qcneseffootbaa standings.