The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 39

prrnn TheTENNESSEAN Paterno gets his 300th win Joe Paterno was carried off the field after Penn St. beat Bowling Green, 48-3, making him the fastest coach to 300 wins. More on 16C. Couch throws five IBs Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch has thrown 12 touchdown passes in two games, after tossing five yesterday in a 52-7 victory over Eastern Kentucky. Couch threw for 372 yards hitting eight different receivers.

More on 15C. OILERS: The Tennessee Oilers are ready to face the San Diego Chargers at a sokJ-out Vanderbilt Stadium. BASEBALL: Sammy Sosa hits his 60th homer. KENTUCKY QUARTERBACK TIM COUCH a-' -v ON 1C SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1998 David A. Oimer It's time for mind games Gators usually get inside Vols' heads By CHRIS LOW Writer 1 1 '( KNOXVILLE Jeremaine jCopeland doesn't mince words when he says that mental warfare has played a conspicuous role in Florida's success the Jast few years against Tennessee.

The Vols' senior receiver should know, too. He's been it i a.y 4 i li. A around for three of the five losses in a drought that makes the Sahara Desert look like an oasis. ho question that they've gotten into our heads a little bit," Copeland said. "Any team that 1 FLORIDA AT UT When: i Saturday at :7 p.m.

Radio; 1510-AM. xi I''' CVi Commentary Problems mounting at Vandy BIRMINGHAM, Ala. This is Catch-22, Vanderbilt's version: Fix one problem and 21 more rear their ugly heads. Vanderbilt has located a quarterback, at least as long as David Wallace survives these SEC blitzes from hell, but the Good Ship Commodore continues to spring more leaks than the Titanic, as evidenced by yesterday's 32-7 sinking spell against Alabama. Last week, Vanderbilt couldn't throw.

This week, they couldn't run. Next week? We'll have to get back to you on that Oh, well, Rome wasn't built in a day. But then again, Rome wasn't playing in the Southeastern Conference, where the rest of the empires have a significant headstart and show no signs of deteriorating back to the Commodores' level. In case you're new to this, Vanderbilt's losing streak against the competition next door is 20 and counting. Any light at the end of the tunnel should be approached cautiously, given the number of trains on the SEC tracks these days.

OK, for wild-eyed Commodore enthusiasts in search of something to celebrate, there was that shining moment in the first period when you could look at the Legion Field scoreboard and see that Vanderbilt led Alabama 7-0. That's a start. But there comes a time when you have to work on a finish, too. Even when the Commodores scored the game's first points, you knew it was nothing more than a brief fling, absent any real substance, something to be cherished momentarily but quickly forgotten. Oops.

I was reading from the Kenneth Starr report in mt 0 $ayS something and then goes put! and backs it up is going to get'in your head, ji "What we need to do is go into the game and relax, have Jim and quit trying to change Everything, whether it's practice or how we're going to play. It's' time for us to end this thing." i Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer has a different take on the, Vols' supposed mental bloick against the Gators, who roll into Neyland Stadium on Satiurday for a 7 p.m. CBS nationally televised game. JARED LAZARUS STAFF Vanderbilt freshman quarterback David Wallace is sacked on third down as Alabama's Kindal Moorehead who had three sacks looms overhead. Even early touchdown can't jumpstart Vandy Kimnlv there isn't one II i I T71--1 UNope, noi menial, ruimer $aid, his lips pierced even tighter than this time last year jvhen he answered the same question.

"Any more ques- ions?" While the mental part of Tennessee's troubles in this pne-sided rivalry may be up or; debate, there are a few hings that are inescapable pbbut the last five meetings: pass his way. "I thought we battled pretty good in the first half, but in the second half they blitzed us a couple of times and got to us," Vandy Coach Woody Widenhofer said. "We might have gotten a little bit tired, I don't know." Alabama (2-0, 1-0) also unleashed tailback Shaun Alexander on the Vanderbilt defense and embarrassed the once-mighty unit with a 206-yard, three-touchdown performance. The Commodores, who featured the No. 1 defense in the SEC last year, have been outscored 74-7 in two games.

The Commodore offense, particu-I Turn to 14C, Column 2 I as I No. 3 Florida ..42 NE Louisiana 10 No. 7 LSU 42 Arkansas SL 6 No. 15 Georgia 17 S. Carolina ....................3 Auburn ........................17 Ole Miss 0 Kentucky 52 E.

Kentucky 7 Mississippi St 14 Memphis 6 SEC on 15C. Bv MIKE ORGAN Oorts Writer BIRMINGHAM, Ala. Even with a big push at the start, Vanderbilt couldn't get its offense in gear yesterday. A rare 70-yard scoring drive against Alabama marked the beginning of the end for a Vanderbilt offense that simply doesnt know how to handle success. A crowd of 81,091 at Legion Field got quiet after the early Vandy scare, but quickly came back to life when the Alabama defense painted a painfully familiar scene for Vandy fans, who watched the Tide cruise the rest of the way to a 32-7 victory.

"It's like, we haven't done anything for so long that when the small- ON PAGE 14C Besides strong first drive, Wallace off to rocky start. Alabama's Alexander a very big weapon. Notebook. est good thing happens we think this program has turned around," said wide receiver Tavarus Hogans. The Commodores (0-2, 0-2 SEQ proved how far they are from turning their football misfortunes around as Vanderbilt lost its 20th consecutive SEC game.

The 7-0 lead came in the first quarter when Hogans broke open and freshman quarterback David Wallace zipped a 50-yard touchdown 'The Vols have managed to turn it over 18 times, nine of those coming in the last two i'ears. Two have been returned for touchdowns, an interception last season and a fumble in 1996. The Gators, on theLother hand, have committed just eight turnovers. 1 The fourth quarters Turn to 15C, Column 1 Exciting win gives way to a wild celebration stead of the play-by-play. But you get the idea.

Even Mike DuBose, Alabama's coach and a man whose next colorful quote will be his first admitted his blood pressure remained out of the danger zone when Vanderbilt's Tavarus Hogans broke a quick slant pass against a Bama blitz into a 50-yard touchdown scarcely six minutes into the game. "Well, no, I was not worried," DuBose said in blunt honesty. Why bother? The recent history of Vanderbilt's football program is that it seldom enjoys prosperity and has troubling handling it when those intermittent upticks occur. Granted, this is an improvement over last week when the offense never got started making plays, but the final result is not all that different "They completed some passes," said Alabama defensive back Fernando Bryant "but we weren't going to let them score again. They never got close." Notheydidnt But there's always next week.

For Vanderbilt isnt there always? David Cimef is a Temessean senior writer. He can be reached at 259-8020. Biy ii IB ww' l2L zj Mi N.C. State stuns No. 2 Florida St Gannett A'ews Senice RALEIGH, N.C.

The Florida State Seminoles walked into this place with typical swagger. They left in shock with their season in tatters. After scoring on the game's first play, a 74-yard bomb, the No. 2-ranked Seminoles inexpicably self-destructed and North Carolina State made the rest of the big plays to pull off a 24-7 victory yesterday at Carter-Finley Stadium. The incredible upset the Seminoles were a 25-point favorite sent part of the crowd of 50300 onto the field tearing down both goalposts.

"I'm pretty stunned," said Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, whose face was flushed with disbelief. "Getting beat like that -1 dont know how it happened. "We simply fell Story on 16C. 1 No. 1 Ohio State 49 V- No.

4 Nebraska- .24 California 3 No. 5 Kansas St 73 N. Illinois 7 No. 6 UCLA 49 No. 23 Texas 31 No.

9 Penn St 48 i Bowling Green ...3 if Michigan SL ................45 Notre No. 12 Virginia 31 I Maryland 19 No. 19 Syracuse ..........38 No. 13 Michigan .28 No. 16 Colorado ..........29 Fresno SL 21 T0P25 0N16C.

Illinois 48 MTSU .20 STORY ON 17C Bv ANTHONY COLEMAN Sports Writer MEMPHIS Tennessee State recorded a huge win for its football program last night when the Tigers held off fast-charging Jackson State 33-21 in the Southern Heritage Classic at the Liberty Bowl before 55,455 fans. The win evened the Tigers record at 1-1 and marked the first time since 1990 that TSU had beaten Jackson State (0-2). For TSU, it also marked the third road win in the last four games. And it was also Coach LC. Cole's first win over a historically black col- lege since he took over the program in 1996.

"This is a big win for the program and everyone who is affiliated with it," Cole said amongst the wild celebration that was going on in the locker room following the game. "We needed this. This team had beaten us for seven straight years. I truly believe this is a special team with a special character. I'm glad for the players and the fans." Once again, quarterback I Turn to 17C, Column 1 AP N.C.

State's Chris Coleman, center, catches a pass between FSU's Dexter Jackson, left and Tay Cody. John Gibson, Sports Editor, 259-8022. Laurie Holloway, Assistant Sports Editor, 259-8299 To report sports news, call 2594010. Fax: 2594826. E-mail: newstipstennessean.com.