The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 9

THE TEWNESSEAN Sunday. Octobf IW 3C COLLEGE FOOTB LESSEE 3L OLE MISS 17 Manning keeps Heisman in perspective Tennessee 31, Mississippi 17 Muiufeni Tmnu 1-17 0 7 14 10 31 KNOXVILLE During the latter Larry Woody Capturing the Heisman Trophy would be a well-deserved personal plum for Manning, a tribute to the resolve that prompted him to turn down the NFL's gold for college football's glory. 1 tj The Heisman also would be a credit to UT football in general and Ful-mer's program in particular. It could pay future recruiting dividends. So what's the harm in hunting a Heisman? Especially as long as the Vols can win and Manning can keep campaigning with the forward pass? It's all a matter of keeping the race in perspective, and judging from yesterday's comments, the coach and the quarterback are doing just that Larry Woody Is a Tennessean sports writer and columnist.

He can be reached at 259-8019. have no idea what they were in this game." But surely he is aware he is considered the Heisman frontrunner. You know, the Heisman, that bronze trophy with the stiff-arm pose? The one O.J. misplaced? "Oh sure, obviously," said Manning, adding with a grin: "I get asked about it enough. But I dont dwell on it" The media cant ignore Manning's Heisman pursuit; at each game, writersvoters are given a UT notebook with a slick Manning cover.

Inside are 12 full pages on Manning and his college accomplishments. Tennessee's storied football program has produced three Heisman runners-up Hank Lauricella, Johnny Majors and Heath Shuler but never a winner. scratching to do that "I thought Peyton played steady, hit the big plays when he had to, and managed the game well." Manning put the ball in the air 44 times, completing 25, for 324 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with one interception. He continues to put up Heisman-type numbers, even as he shrugs them off. "I really dont pay any attention to statistics," Manning said, still dripping sweat a half-hour after the game.

"They're not that important to me. If you start thinking about individual stats, you make mistakes, you hurt the team." When does he check his numbers? "Usually the coaches or the media tell me," Manning said. "Right now, I stages of Tennessee's deceptively comfy 31-17 win over Ole Miss yesterday, a plane buzzed Neyland Stadium trailing a streamer. It was advertising a popular ice cream and Vols quarterback Peyton Manning. It dared flash the H-word Heisman which few around the UT camp seem willing to utter.

But with Manning still in the game and still throwing right to the end, the question couldnt be avoided: Having apparently won the game, were the Vols concentrating on winning the Heisman? More bluntly, has UT shortchanged its running game in order to boost Manning's passing stats and keep him solidly in the lead for college football's most treasured individual SECOND QUARTER Ott Miw Steve Undsey 42 field goal. (927). Yards: 73. Playj: 14. Time of possession: 606.

Key play: Andre Rone 28 pass from Stewart PatrWge on first play of the drive from the Oe Miss 2-yard line. Score: OH Miss 3, Tennessee S. Tamettee: Marcus Nash 20 pass from Peyton Maiming. Jeff Hall kick Yards: 83. Plays: 11.

Time of possession: 3:07. Key play: Jamal Lewis 3 run on fourth-and-1 from the Tennessee 23-yard Nne. Score: Tennessee 7, OK Miss 1 THIRD QUARTER Tennessee Andy McCullough 24 pass from Manning. Hall kick Yards: 24. Plays: 1.

Time of possession: W6. Key play: Gerald Griffin recovered an CHe Miss fumble on the second-half kickofl. Score: Tennessee 14, Ole Miss I Tennessee: Dwayne Goodrich 30 Interception return. Hall kick (1303). Score: Tennessee 21, Ole MKs 1 Ole Miss John Avery 74 run.

Kick failed Yards: 74. Plays: 1. Time of possession: 022. Score: Twntuet 21, Ole Miss FOURTH QUARTER Tennessee: Hall 21 field goal. Yards: 69.

Plays: 10. Time of possession: 3:54. Key play: Nash 45 pass from Manning. Score: Tennessee 24, Ole Miss Ole Miss: Deuce McAllister 1 run. Cory Peterson pass from Stewart Pa-trkfBe Yards: 80.

Plays: 8. Time of possession: 4:15. Key play: Peterson 35 pass from Palridge. Score: Tennessee 24, Ole Miss 17. Tennessee: Lewis 42 run.

Hall kick (230). Yards: 80. Plays: 3. Time of possession: 031. Key play: Shawn Bryson 37 pass from Manning.

Score: Tennessee 31, Ole Miss 17. Attendance 106,229. prize? Negative, said Coach Phillip Ful-mer. Heisman, Scheisman. Stats, schmats.

"I dont have any idea what Peyton's stats are," Fulmer declared following the victory that pumped new life into a team rocked by Florida two weeks ago. "I dont have any idea how many passes he threw or how many yards he had. We're trying to win the football game, fighting and 4 1 ffjirfrtiifafrBV v. TEAM STATISTICS First downs Rushing Passing Penalty Rushes-yards Passing yards Offensive plays Total net yards Avgerage per play Return yards Punts-avg. Fumbles-tost Penalties-yards Klckoff returns-yards Time of possesion 3rd down conversions 4th down conversions UT Miss 24 20 8 7 16 11 0 2 30-183 37-147 324 241 25-44-1 23-36-1 74 73 507 388 6.9 52 52 7 1-1 5-2 10-90 1-10 1- 15 4-60 28:11 31:49 6-16 4-14 2- 2 1-2 ..) Tennessee stats PASSING Player RUSHING Player Lewis Darden Crosby Graham Manning Bryson A-C Yds mtTD Lg Sk-Yd 44-25 324 1 2 40 0-0 Alt Yds TO Lg 22 155 1 42 2 7 0 6 1 4-0 4 1 11 0 11 2 6 0 5 2 0 0 No Yds TO Lg 9 127 1 45 5 41 0 15 2 45 0 37 2 34 0 18 2 27 1 27 3 48 0 27 1-4 0-4 16 0 6 No Yds Avg Lg 4 179 44.8 50 Player Nash Copeland Bryson Lewis McCullough I If! Price Levine Wilson PUNTING Player Hogue GEORGE WALKER IV STAFF UTs Jamal Lewis (22 carries, 155 yards, one TD) breaks away from Ole Miss' Argemis Spearman in yesterday's game.

FIELD GOALS Player Hall PUNT RETURNS Player Copeland Lewis' coming-out party: 155 yards Aft Made Lg 3 1 21 No Yds Lg 2 16 12 No Yds Lg 1 15 15 No Yds Lg 1 30 30 KICKOFF RETURNS Goodrich INTERCEPTIONS Player Goodrich DEFENSE TACKLES Gaines S. Johnson 4, Green 3, Wilson 8, Duff 2, Buxton 4, Ellis 3, Brown 4, Goodrich 5, Noel 2, Thompson Henly 1, White 2, Little 4, Terry 3, Walker 1, Coleman 2, Crosby 1, Grant 1. TACKLES FOR LOSS: Wilson 1-5, Ellis 1-3, Thompson 1-5, Little 3-7. SACKS Duff 1-7, EMs 1-8, Brown 1-8. PASS BREAKUPS: Gaines 1, SJohn-son 1, Goodrich 1.

FUMBLE RECOVERIES: Brown, Griffin. PUNT BLOCKS: None. Mississippi stats PASSING Player A Yds mtTD Lg Sk-Yd Patridge 31-19 228 1 0 36 4-24 Miller 5-4 13 0 0 15 0-0 first Tennessee running back to get double digit carries this season. The leading rusher for the Vols entering the game was junior Mark Levine, who had just 90 yards on 18 carries. "Being able to get any rushing yards is a plus," said Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer.

"Well see where we go from here with it" The Vols had chosen to bring Lewis along slowly. But it was clear yesterday that they have found their running back for the next three or four years. It was all Fulmer could do to temper his praise of the former Atlanta prep star. "I hate to draw too many comparisons," said Fulmer, when asked who Lewis reminded him of. "Let's let him get his feet firmly on the ground.

I'm anxious to go back to practice and see if he works as hard as he has, and I think he will. Well find out pretty soon how really good he is. He's strong, fast, quick and competitive. He's also a heck of a receiver and becoming a decent blocker. He's very complete." yardage on seemingly every carry and ripped off the run that served as the dagger in the Rebels' hearts.

Lewis, whose 155-yard effort was the most ever by a UT freshman in his first start, burst through a huge hole, froze one Ole Miss defender and then veered untouched toward the left corner of the end zone. The original play call was a sweep to the outside, but Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning audibled to an inside handoff. Fullback Phillip Crosby and pulling left guard Spencer Riley both had key blocks as Lewis' touchdown gave the Vols a 14-point lead with 2:30 remaining in the game. "Our line took it to them and did their job," said Lewis, whose rushing total was the third-highest ever for a UT freshman. "I didnt expect to get this many carries, but as the game went on, I really began to get the feel of everything." Lewis' 22 rushing attempts made him the By CHRIS LOW Sports Writer KNOXVILLE Steve Johnson, Tennessee's sophomore cornerback, looked across the interview room late yesterday afternoon and nodded toward Jamal Lewis.

"He's the real deal," Johnson said. Mississippi coach Tommy Tuberville certainly wouldnt dispute that especially after watching the 6-1, 220-pound Lewis run through and around his Rebels defenders for 155 yards in the Vols 31-17 victory at Neyland Stadium. "The difference was No. 31 (Lewis)," Tuberville said. "I dont know where he's been.

We couldnt tackle him, but a lot of other folks wont be able to tackle him, either." Tennessee fans eagerly awaiting Lewis' debut werent disappointed. On his first carry, he exploded through the right side for 7 yards. And before he was finished, he'd planted an Ole Miss safety for 14 yards, caught two passes for 34 yards, fought and struggled for extra Vols glad for White's good hands UT forces fumble, sets tone for victory ByllMMVDAVY Sports Writer KNOXVILLE The game was up for grabs when Tennessee's Fred White reached out and grabbed. The Vols' defensive back pulled the football from the arm of Mississippi returner John Avery on the opening kickoff of the second half. The ball went bounding ahead and into the arms of Tennessee teammate Gerald Griffin about the same time momentum landed with a thud on the Vols' side of the field.

"It was a gift for me. I wasnt looking when the ball came out of Avery's hands, but when I turned around it bounced just right into my hands," said Griffin, who got it at the Ole Miss 30-yard line and returned it to the 24. "I didnt know where it came from. I was the safety, just hanging back. It was the big play in the game.

No question. We needed to make something happen quick, and it did." That fumble recovery was followed by a quick Tennessee touchdown on the next play and a pass interception return by UT's De-wayne Goodrich both in less than two minutes. It's difficult to assess whether the Vols, the Rebels or the partisan Neyland Stadium crowd of 106,229 were the most astonished with the lightning-quick developments. Tennessee had gone to the locker room with a less-than-satisfying 7-3 lead in a game in which the Vols were favored by 23 to 26 points. Ratings very likely were plummeting for the CBS national telecast During the break, White said, the team talked about making something happen to break away from Ole Miss, which was beginning to gain confidence, trailing by only four points after intermission.

"I felt like something in the kicking game would trigger us. What happened was the biggest play of the day," White said. "When I got to Avery, he was carrying the ball kind of loose. I got a hand on it and saw it go flying. "It was even better after I knew that Griffin had it," he added with a smile.

Avery, a senior playing his second game after a dislocated left elbow; had taken the opening kickoff of the second half in the end zone, but raced downfield with it a daring move in itself. "I saw an opening and thought I was gone," he said. "I was looking at going all the way and got a little careless with the football. They just took it away from me." Said Ole Miss coach Tommy Tuberville: "We shot ourself in the foot there for three or four minutes, if you know what I mean." The Vols, at the time, were aware of what it meant to shake the Rebels, turning two turnovers into enough points to hold on for an SEC win. "1 believe that the fumble set the tempo for the second half," Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer said.

"Avery is one heck of a back, very dangerous. We had thought about kicking away from him." While Fulmer said the Vols' kickoff coverage has been solid this season, he could not have anticipated such a quick turnaround in the game. Manning hit a 24-yard scoring strike to Andy McCullough on the next play after the fumble, which White said "got us and the crowd emotionally back into the game." Ole Miss had managed to get out of horrible field position time and again in the first half, but three plays after the McCullough touchdown, misfortune found the Rebs. Rebels quarterback Stewart Patridge threw on an out-pattern from his own 20-yard line Goodrich was lying in wait The Vols' corner streaked in front of the Rebel receiver, grabbed the ball on thej 30-yard line and raced for the elettrifyuig touchdown. The Rebs were reeling now and the outcome secured, despite later anxious 'moments, i "We disguised our coverage," Goodhch said.

"The quarterback thought we werfe in man coverage. We were not I just sat ttere waiting on the out-route, which was my cover age. And I just broke on the football. "I didnt see nothing but green ferasslt he said, laughing. Goodrich said it is particularly sattsfVinp that a trio of secondary defenders came un big yesterday, particularly after being tritt cized and ridiculed after the Florida lossJ "We showed that we can make plavs said.

"Showed it to the media, the ccS fans, everybody." RUSHING Player Avery McAllister Undsey Palridge RECEIVING Player Heard Reed Avery Rone French McAllister Peterson PUNTING Player King FIELD GOALS Player Undsey PUNT RETURNS Player Rone Alt Yds TD Lg 20 108 1 74 8 56 1 25 10 0 0 8 -15 0 6 NO Yds TD Lg 3 28 0 12 6 70 0 16 2 27 0 25 3 57 0 28 3 9 0 8 3 12 0 7 3 38 0 35 No Yds Avg Lg 5 200 40.0 44 Aft Made 1 I 42 No Yds Lg 2 7 4 Vols happy with any win KICKOFF RETURNS Player No Yds Lg Morris 1 14 14 Avery 3 46 30 INTERCEPTIONS Player No Yds Lg Griffin 1 0 0 DEFENSE TACKLES (SY. Oetzel 4, Reelman 3, Harrison 2, Kreltz 11, Morris 1, Scott 7, Strickland 6, Griffin 9, Fisher 1, Wayne 5, Thiopen 2, Boone 2, Gates 1, Rice 2, TACKLES FOR LOSS: Griffin 1-4. SACKS: None. PASS BREAKUPS: Reelman 1, Strickland 1. FUMBLE RECOVERIES: Thiopen 1.

PUNT BLOCKS: None. RATLIFF MUST WAIT: Tennessee defensive tackle Billy Ratllff, whose spinal cord Injury last week In practice left him temporarily paralyzed, said yesterday his football career is on hold. He's scheduled to meet with doctors later this week. "I don't have any pain, but the doctors say they're not for sure if I'll be able to play again," Ratliff said. "I won't know anything for sure until I talk to them again." Only a sophomore, he said he'll accept what the doctors tell him.

"I want to play more than anything," he said. "But If they take It away from me, I'll leave It In the Lord's hands. I love football and would do anything to play again, but I have to look at my life and think about my future." WOOING RECRUITS: With many of the top high school prospects taking the SAT yesterday, the turnout was lighter than normal for the Ten-nessee-Ole Miss game. Three of the biggest names In town were in-state players quarterback Joey Mathews of Sevlerville, linebacker Tony Stiles of Cleveland and defensive end David Turner of Memphis. Mathews, considered the top quarterback in Tennessee, threw three touchdown passes in his game Friday night.

Auburn Coach Terry Bowden was in Sevlerville to watch Mathews play, and North Carolina also Is making a strong push for Mathews. Defensive end Adam McConathy of West Monroe, also was scheduled to be in Knoxvllle for the Ole Miss game. Next weekend will be one of the biggest of the season for the Vols as far as prospects visiting unofficially. Headlining the group will be defensive end David Jacobs of Westlake High in Atlanta. The Vols also are recruiting his teammate, running backlinebacker Keith Adams.

The 6-5, 230-pound Jacobs, who led Georgia high schools in sacks as a junior, had 16 in his first four games this season. The Vols had success in Georgia last season and plan to hit that state hard again. Others high on UT's list Include cornerback Tim Wansley of North Gwinnett High In Buford, cornerback Robert Cromartie of Douglass High in Atlanta, linebacker Jesse Miller of Washington County High in Sandersville and tight end Terin Smith of Charlton County High in Folkston. On the national scene, some of the players to watch are wide receiver Marquise Walker of Syracuse, N.Y., wide receiver Javin Hunter of Detroit, wide receiver Jackie Robinson of Orangeburg, S.C., defensive tackle Ken-drick Allen of Bogalusa, defensive end Dennis Johnson of Harrodsburg, and linebacker Shamar Finney of Shelby, N.C. DUMB PENALTIES: Tennessee was flagged for four 15-yard personal fouls, including two on one play in the first half.

The other two came within a minute early in the second half. While college officials don't identify players, the personal fouls apparently were on Leonard Little, Anthony Hampton, Phillip Crosby and Raynoch Thompson. Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer was furious about what he called a lack of discipline. "That's Just players not listening to their coaches and being selfish," he said. All told, the Vols were penalized 10 times for 90 yards.

WILSON HURTS THUMB: Tennessee linebacker Al Wilson, whose eight tackles tied safety Cory Gaines for the team lead, injured his right thumb on the first series but played the rest of the way. Wilson wore a large Ice pack after the game and said he will have the thumb X-rayed today. FAIR, CLIFTON SIDELINED: Tennessee played yesterday without starting cornerback Terry Fair and starting left offensive tackle Chad Clifton. Fair, who's been slowed by a shoulder injury, dressed but didn't play. Clifton, who missed the game with a stomach virus that has worked its way around the team the past two weeks, didn't dress.

TENNESSEAN STAFF REPORTS Then in the fourth quarter, Tennessee had a chance to put Ole Miss away. Manning hit a streaking Nash for 45 yards. But on first-and-goal from the 8, the Vols forgot about Lewis. They called passes on the first two plays, and Manning threw incomplete both times. Manning said another pass was called on third down, but he checked off into a quarterback draw.

The Rebels wrapped him up at the 3, and Hall came on to boot a 21-yard field goal. "When they put eight and nine people up close to the line of scrimmage, it's tough to run the football," Fulmer said. "We missed more than we wanted to, but we still got 31 points and an SEC win. We still need to work on our consistency, particularly when we get into that orange area inside the 20-yard line Tennessee finished with 507 yards of total offense, 183 yards rushing. It was only the fourth time over the past two seasons that the Vols' running game had produced 150 or more yards.

Ole Miss had 388 yards of total offense, but 74 came on Avery's touchdown run. The Rebels also had a 35-yard pass play late to set up their final touchdown. "We've got to eliminate the big plays," said Tennessee junior linebacker Al Wilson, who had a superb day with eight tackles and a key stop of an Ole Miss fake field goaL "If we can do that well be a great A. 30 Texas Tech 52-17 S. 6 at UCLA 30-24 S.

20 at Florida 33-20 0.4 Ole Miss 31-17 0. 11 Georgia 2:30 p.m., WKRN 0. 18 at Alabama 6 p.m., ESPN N. 1 S. Carolina TBA N.

8 S. Miss. 3 p.m, PPV N. 15 at Arkansas 1 p.m. N.

22 at Kentucky 12:30 p.m. N. 29 Vanderbllt 11a.m. Note: Times subject to change. job." Mississippi (3-2) made for some restless moments for the crowd of 106,229 in the fourth quarter.

The Rebels drove 80 yards in eight plays for Deuce McAllister's 1-yard touchdown plunge. Patridge's two-point conversion pass to Cory Peterson made it a 24-17 game with 3:01 to play. Suddenly, the Vols a 26-point favorite had their backs to the wall. But on first down, Manning tossed a short pass to fullback Shawn Bryson, who raced 37 yards up the right sideline. Two plays later, Lewis made a quick cut in the line of scrimmage and beat everybody to the checkerboard end zone.

"We didnt play well at times, but I dont think anybody is disappointed," said Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said. "We're not worried about the point spread or anything like that Our team got a win against a proven SEC team that Auburn was behind in the third quarter. "We're still searching for that complete game. If we just dont do the stupid things, none of this is even a discussion." The Vols (3-1) had 90 yards in penalties, including four personal fouls. Jeff Hall missed a pair of field goals from 46 and 39 yards, and Manning threw a pass that Ole Miss intercepted on its own 1-yard line in the first quarter.

No. 3 Nebraska 56, No. 17 Kansas St. 26 Kansas St 0 14-26 Nebraska 10 10 21 15-54 First Quarter: Neb-Green 25 run (Brown kick), KSU-Hlckson 1 run (run felled), Neb FG Brown 31, :15. Second Quarter: Neb FG Brown 32, Ml; Neb-Frost 4 run (Brown kick), 433.

Third Quarter: Neb-Green 7 run (Brown kick), 1129; Neb-Green 59 run (Brown kick), KfcOl; Neb-Green 50 run (Brown kick), 530; KSU-Hlckson 13 run (pass felled), 3:18. Feurfk Quarter Neb-Sims 5 run (Brown kick), 1103; KSU-Bishop 4 run (Bishop run), 735; Neb-Walker 71 Interception return (run failed), 534; Neb-Safety, Kansas State fumbled out of end tone, KS-Mc Donald 21 pass from Bishop (run failed), 49. A-75J56..