The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 51

GAMES EVENTS PEOPLE SECTION FORI SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 1996 FCCt 1 I USC Shows It Can Go Deep in Lots of Ways, 55-3 College football: Trojans bounce back with long pass plays and plenty of freshmen in rout of Illinois. IV- 1 UCLA: Toledo's team puts up a good effort in first game, but No. 2 Tennessee and Manning have the answers, 3520. at zr --y By JIM HODGES TIMES STAFF WRITER KNOXVILLE, tried a double reverse, a double-reverse pass and a reverse on a kickoff, but the Bruins couldn't get a reversal of fortune Saturday night. They dug a hole for themselves at Neyland Stadium, fell in and couldn't climb out in a 35-20 loss to No.

2 Tennessee in their season-opener, before 106,297. Northwestern, ev vorit team in iu 1 I 1 run kit yew, 1 1 li openerby WaJal MAcrsia Oregon defeated Ksv I quarterback Tony Cr: i will be out four to t'i r- because of a C. It. i No.lNobra:-.i ti 1 Na 3 Florida L.3 i te No. 4 1 lorlda i mC ml o.7Ienn,:e 4 Louisville 7 i tjNo.l0OhioSute Rice 7 ByEARLGUSTKEY TIMES STAFF WRITER CHAMPAIGN, 111.

In the aftermath and shock of the disaster at Giants Stadium two weeks ago, many wondered how long it would take USC to become the team everyone expected it to be. October? November? How about the second Saturday of September? How about 55-3 over Illinois, the most USC points scored since the 1995 Cotton Bowl? USC spotted the Illini a 3-0 lead, then scored 31 unanswered points through its first series of the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. It even began with a drum roll, with thunder and lightning nearby, and some early-game rain, unnerving most of the 56,504 on hand. The rout became an avalanche. And USC subs finished it, with the longest offensive play in Trojan history, a 97-yarder, and later a touchdown drive engineered by the third-string quarterback, Quincy The Trojans not only got their prime-time playersquarterback Brad Otton and receiver Chris Miller, to name two easy ones performing at a high level, this one had lots to put in the bank.

How about a freshman on the scoring end of the longest of fensive play in Trojan history? Please see USC, C7 ALLAN MALAMUO: C6 The Volunteers scored on an 86-yard punt return by Terry Fair, a 53-yard pass to erf-- '--v fe-' 10m, Joey Kent and a one-yard run for a touchdown by Peyton Manning with 15 seconds to play in the first half that followed a 48-yard kickoff return by Mark Levine and sent UCLA off the field with a 21-10 deficit. Each play was two steps back that followed a Bruin step up to within a touchdown of the Please nee UCLA, C6 LORI SHEPLER Lot Angela Timet Peyton Manning threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more, but the Bruins kept the pressure on and returned one interception for a score. HIGHLIGHTS Tyson Takes Fight Out of Seldon BASEBALL Twins Win on Puckett's Night Kirby Puck-ett, a fan favorite in Minnesota, was honored before the Twins de Boxing: In a bout that lasts 109 seconds, Tyson wins WBA heavyweight title with knockout. By TIM KAWAKAMI TIMES STAFF WRITER LAS VEGAS-One hundred nine seconds into this horribly mismatched and miscast title bout, Mike Tyson knocked out Bruce Seldon with hardly any knocks. It was more like a nudge-out, actually an elbow, a couple of pushes and one decent punch.

Mix in one woefully delicate chin, and TA DA! Tyson had taken away Seldon's World Boxing Assn. heavyweight title 109 seconds into the first round Saturday night. Faster than you could say "swan dive," in a squishy ending that had the MGM Grand Garden arena crowd of 9,494 chanting "fix, fix, fix," Seldon flopped to the canvas twice, wavering badly enough on his legs after the scrambling up from the second knockdown to cause referee Richard Steele to end the fight. If you could call it that "I did not train 12 weeks to come here and take a dive," Seldon said in the aftermath of a Please see TYSON, CIS JIM MURRAY This One Was Over Before It Even Began LAS VEGAS-Well, at least, he didn't eat 'im. It was as one-sided as a shipwreck.

The Titanic put up a better fight against the iceberg. A creature so awesome he looked prehistoric pounded the hapless Bruce Seldon into oblivion. Where he came from in the first place. It was so easy, it looked unreal. And the 9,000 disgruntled fans at the MGM Grand hotel arena here rose to their feet and screamed "Fake!" at the outcome.

If it was a fight, so was the Johnstown Flood. The Krakatoa volcano. It was a force of nature. Was it a real, on-the-level contest? Well, it wasn't Demp-sey-Tunney or even Louis-Pay-chek, for all of that. Seldon showed all the belligerence of a fawn.

He made a cameo appearance. Not really part of the plot. Please tee MURRAY, C15 feated the Angels, 6-3, at Minneapolis. C12 RED-HOT CARDINALS: Pitcher Donovan Osborne's first career home run was a grand slam in St. Louis' 8-3 victory over San Diego.

It was the Cardinals' eighth consecutive victory. C12 JUST GIVE ME THE RING: Tony Gwynn of the San Diego Padres couldn't care less about winning another batting title. C12 NATIONAL LEAGUE Dodgers 4, Pittsburgh 3 CI Philadelphia 4, Chicago 2 Houston 5, Colorado 4 Cincinnati 7, San Francisco 5 St. Louis 8, San Diego 3 Montreal 2, Florida 1 Atlanta 6, New York 1 Roundup C12 AMERICAN LEAGUE Minnesota 6, Angels 3 C12 Texas 2, Milwaukee 1 Oakland 13, Kansas City 6 Baltimore 6, Detroit 0 Chicago 4, Boston 3 Toronto 3, New York 2 Seattle at Cleveland, ppd. Roundup 13 4 moms-'-ftrv "1 pzazz" jx i AnociitedPreas It took Mike Tyson less than two minutes to take care of business against Bruce Seldon.

It's Sampras-Chang for All the Marbles Less Fanfare, but Nomo Keeps Dodgers on Top Baseball: A 4-3 victory over the Pirates leaves team one game ahead of Padres in NLWest. GRAF DISMISSES HINGIS Swiss teen Martina Hingis gave Steffi Graf a battle but eventually lost, setting up a Graf-Monica Seles final. C20 ON A FAST TRACK: Merlene Ottey became the second-fastest woman of all time at 100 meters and Michael Johnson won his 57th consecutive 400-meter final at the IAAF Grand Prix finals. C19 INDEX Win Tennis: Today's final is not only for U.S. Open title but also No.

1 world ranking after Ivanisevic, Agassi fall. By JULIE CART TIMES STAFF WRITER NEW YORK-Clever folks, these officials at the U.S. Tennis Assn. They monkey with the seedings of the U.S. Open, aiding the Americans and angering the Europeans.

The whole exercise seems cynically orchestrated to set up a Pete Sampras-Andre Agassi, television-friendly, marketing-savvy final. But no, all along they had been secretly helping Michael Chang reach the final, starting by planting Agassi in Chang's half of the draw. With his uninspired play against Chang in Saturday's men's singles semifinal, Agassi looked as if he was in on the conspiracy. Chang won easily, Sampras did his part to complete the scenario by finishing off fourth-seeded Goran Ivanisevic, Chang, ranked No. 3, had his seeding upgraded so that he would not face Sampras before the Final.

The same courtesy was extended to Agassi, who was boosted from a rank of No. 9 to seeding of No. 6. As it happened, the seedings proved excellent prognosticators. The top-seeded Sampras and the second-seeded Chang will meet in today's final.

Sampras has a Please see OPEN, C20 Sunday Scene Bill Plaschke C2 Valley Results Cll Volleyball Preview Cll Football Schedules Cll Baseball Ross Newhan C12 Horse Racing C14 The Day in Sports C16-19 Newswire C19 Mike Downey is on vacation. On the Web Want a handy tool that tracks baseball, football and soccer? Go to By BOB NIGHTENGALE TIMES STAFF WRITER Nomomania died ever so quietly this season in Southern California. There no longer is a surge of euphoria every time Hideo Nomo pitches. He no longer is hounded by the American media. As difficult as it is to believe, Nomo has almost become just another member of the fine Dodger pitching staff And there's no one in the world more happy about the transformation than Nomo himself.

He says it's an honor simply to be one of the guys. He also may be the guy to again lead the Dodgers to the playoffs. Nomo had another brilliant performance in a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday night, giving the Dodgers a one-game lead in the NL West, Please see DODGERS, C12 Reutcn Michael Chang didn't hold back as he defeated Andre Agassi to reach his first U.S. Open final..