Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 37

FLORIDA TODAY, Sunday, September 23, 1990 11C Ole iss, Vandy pull off timely upsets Game-saving tackle stuns defender, Arkansas 21-17 fflttflnTT i iiimii inn Georgia drives past winless Alabama FLORIDA TODAY Wires ATHENS, Ga. John Kasay's 40-yard field goal with 1 minute, 31 seconds remaining lifted Georgia to a 17-16 victory against Alabama on Saturday, extending the Crimson Tide's longest losing streak in 34 years to five games. SEC highlights Alabama has lost five in a row for the first time since the Tide had a 17-game winless streak from 1954 to 1956. Vincent Brownlee scored the first two TDs for Ole Miss on 25-yard pass reception and an 89-yard punt return. Sophomore Marcus Wilson of Vanderbilt gained 136 yards rushing and scored the winning touchdown.

Kasay's third Held goal of the game capped a fourth-quarter rally from a 16-6 deficit. Georgia's offense, stymied most of the day by the Alabama defense, drove 71 MiVV v' on Larry Ware's 3-yard touchdown. Ware then lofted a halfback pass to Chris Broom for the 2-point conversion. STALLINGS ggj AP MARCUS WILSON, right, of Vanderbilt eludes Reggie Walker during the Commodores' 24-21 LSU defenders Anthony Williams, top left, and surprise victory Saturday in Nashville. Wilson, Commodores snap losing streak By Rusty Hampton Gannett News Service LITTLE ROCK Ole Miss football is now not only a game of heart-stopping endings, it is also a game of inches.

Twelve, to be exact. That's how close Arkansas' Ron Dickerson came to sticking the ball in the end zone on the final play of Saturday's thriller at War Memorial Stadium. Rebels Chris Mitchell and Chauncey Godwin combined to stop him short, and Ole Miss upset the 13th-ranked Razor-backs 21-17 before a sellout crowd of 54,890. Mitchell was momentarily knocked unconscious on the play. "We thought that (Arkansas quarterback Quinn) Grovey had a dive option pass and we knew he would probably keep it or pitch," Mitchell said.

"Chauncey turned Dickerson around and I came up hard just trying to keep him out of the end zone. "It hurt, it hurt bad. But when they woke me up they said we won the game." Ole Miss (2-1) won here for the first time since 1960. It broke a five-game Razorback winning streak in the series, and it seemed only fitting that a goal-line stand clinched the victory. Vincent Brownlee was the offensive star.

He caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Rebel QB Tom Luke early in the second quarter, then returned a punt 89 yards for a TD to put the Rebels ahead 14-6 late in the first half. Forty-nine of the Rebels' yards came on two plays: The 25-yard TD pass to Brownlee and a 24-yard pass from Luke to Randy Baldwin that set up Jim Earl Thomas' 13-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. That TD put the Rebels ahead with 13:45 left. Arkansas had four more possessions. They gained 103 yards during that span, 63 on the final drive.

The Hogs held a nearly unbelievable statistical edge. They ran 93 plays to Ole Miss' 43, gained 24 first downs to Ole Miss' eight, had 427 total yards to Ole Miss' 111, and had the ball 40 minutes, 30 seconds to Ole Miss' 19:30. The only thing Arkansas couldn't seem to do was find the end zone. The Razorbacks crossed Ole Miss' 10-yard line six times. On five of them they were kept out of the end zone.

"You win with the kicking game and defense," Ole Miss When Alabama failed to move with the ensuing kickoff, Georgia took over at the Alabama 45 with 4:10 remaining. Freshman Garrison Hearst had a 17-yard run in the drive that finally bogged down on the 23, where Kasay came in to kick the game-winner. Georgia (2-1) squared its Southeastern Conference record at 1-1. Alabama fell to 0-3 overall and 0-2 in the SEC, mired in the cellar of a league it has dominated through the years with 19 championships. The loss left new coach Gene Stallings still looking for his first victory as the Crimson Tide coach, a position he took in January when Bill Curry left for Kentucky.

Alabama's last five-game losing streak came when the 1956 team lost its first four to give the Tide 17 losses in succession over three seasons. Kasay's other field goals covered 31 yards in the first quarter and 19 in the second. Philip Doyle also kicked three fields goals this I'm as proud of this team as I can be." Vanderbilt had 342 yards rushing. The Commodores had 424 yards total offense. And Vandy converted 12 of 18 third downs.

Perhaps the most telling statistic of LSU's ineptitude on coach Billy Brewer said. "That's what we won with today, same as Florida last year." The statistics were very similar last season at Florida, when Ole Miss upset the Gators 24-19. So were the heroes. Godwin intercepted two passes against the Gators. He and Mitchell combined Saturday to stop Dickerson on the one-foot line as the final seconds ticked away.

"That's just the Rebel style of football," Godwin said of the close finish. "We never give up and we feel like we can win, no matter what. That's what makes it so great to play with these guys, because no matter what happens to us we feel like we can pull it out." In the season-opening 23-21 victory over Memphis State, the Rebels drove 87 yards to score with 36 seconds left and pull it out. This time the roles were reversed. "We knew it would be up to us to win the game," linebacker Shawn Cobb said.

The Razorbacks had driven from their 36 to the Ole Miss 5. With 11 seconds on the clock and both teams void of timeouts, Grovey took the snap and headed around left end. Grovey pitched the ball to Dickerson at about the 7-yard line, near the Arkansas sideline. Godwin met Dickerson at about the 2, then got help from Cobb. Just as Dickerson started to spin away and fall into the end zone, Mitchell came over and finished the tackle.

"I just remember looking up and seeing two seconds and the clock was still running," Godwin said. "That's all I could see." SEC next week Vanderbilt drove 79 yards for a touchdown. Twice the Commodores converted on third down. "The drive that really disappointed me was the one after we scored to go ahead," LSU assistant head coach Pete Jenkins had nothing to do with the option." But it had everything to do with LSU's defense. The holes that had been open on the option were open again on quarterback Marcus Wilson's 4-yard touchdown run.

"I didn't think the hole would be that big," Wilson said. "I was thinking, 'I'm going to score the game-winning It almost wasn't the game-winner. LSU quarterback Sol Graves moved the Tigers from their own 8-yard line to the Vanderbilt 42. Chad Loup replaced Graves during the drive. Then Loup threw a Hail Mary-pass.

Todd Kinchen caught the ball in the end zone for an apparent touchdown. But the play was wiped out by an offensive interference call against Kinchen. It was that kind of day for LSU. By Scott Ferrell Gannett News Service NASHVILLE, Tenn. They had studied the film.

They had studied the stats. And they knew the reputation. So when it came time for Louisiana State to play Vanderbilt on Saturday, there was only one logical conclusion. "We didn't think they could play with us," LSU linebacker Roovelroe Swan said. But they did.

They not only played with LSU, but Vanderbilt upset the Tigers 24-21. The victory for the Commodores (1-1) came just two weeks after a 44-7 loss at Southern Methodist, their 10th loss in a row. It came on a day when Vandy was a 17-point underdog. And it came on a day when Vanderbilt Coach Watson Brown spent as much time on the field as his players. "I don't believe I've ever seen a football team more ready to play in all my 20 years of this stuff," Brown said.

"I also said after the SMU game, 'We're not Mississippi St. at Florida Tennessee at Auburn Texas at LSU Vanderbilt at Alabama East Carolina at Georgia Tulane at Mississippi Kentucky is idle defense was the fact that Vanderbilt never punted. "Defensively, we never slowed them down," LSU Coach Mike Archer. LSU (2-1) couldn't stop Vanderbilt when the Tigers tried to protect a 21-17 lead in the final three minutes. South Carolina ready to accept invitation to join SEC for the Tide covering 29, 26 and 47 yards, the last giving Alabama a 16-6 lead with 12:21 remaining.

Doyle's last field goal was the 60th of his career, breaking the Alabama record of 59 held by Van Tiffin. Alabama scored its touchdown in the second quarter on a 1-yard run by Robert Jones. North Carolina 16, Kentucky 13 CHAPEL HILL, N.C. Clint Gwaltney kicked three field goals the last a career-best 50-yarder with 4:31 left as North Carolina edged Kentucky 16-13 in a defensive struggle. Gwaltney had tied the score 13-13 with 10:06 left on a 37-yard field goal after tailback Eric Blount carried seven of nine plays in the drive that started at midfield.

Blount finished the day with 114 yards on 21 carries. North Carolina (3-1) held Kentucky (1-3) to 249 total yards, then stopped the Wildcats after five plays on the next series to set up Gwalt-ney's winning kick, which cleared the end zone by 10 yards. The junior's previous best was a 47-yarder against Clemson last season. Quarterback Todd Burnett, who completed only 4 of 12 passes, set up the field goal with a 42-yard completion to Julius Reese. North Carolina's only touchdown came with 11:37 left in the second quarter on a 2-yard run by freshman Natrone Means.

Miss. State 13, So. Miss. 10 STARKVILLE, Miss. Joel Logan kicked a 41-yard field goal with 3 minutes, 1 second to play Saturday night, lifting Mississippi State to a 13-10 victory against Southern Mississippi.

Mississippi State (2-1), beat Southern Mississippi by a field goal for the second consecutive season. Southern Mississippi (2-2), which upset Alabama two weeks ago, leads 14-12-1 in a series that dates to 1935 and has been played every year since 1975. Mississippi State, a Southeastern Conference member, has not moved to renew the series against the Eagles, an independent. A year ago, Logan's field goal with four seconds to play gave State a 26-23 victory. This time, his winning kick capped a 56-yard drive in a little over four minutes.

Kerry Valrie intercepted four passes for Southern, returning one 46 yards for a Arnsparger said he would prefer to have Miami. "We're playing them anyway, why not make it a conference game," Arnsparger said. South Carolina has long wanted to join the SEC. University trustees voted ths summer to accept a spot if invited. That invitation could come as early as Monday, but probably will happen Tuesday, sources said.

By Mike Bianchl FLORIDA TODAY GAINESVILLE South Carolina will likely join the Southeastern Conference, probably as early as next week, sources close to the SEC said Saturday. The sources said SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer will recommend to conference presidents early this week that the Gamecocks become the 12th member of Arkansas joined the SEC in July. The addition of South Carolina would enable the league to split into two six-team divisions and hold a championship game. The SEC had hoped to add Florida State, but the Seminoles opted for the Atlantic Coast Conference last week. Kramer visited Miami last week, but sources say the league has decided to invite South Carolina because the school is more receptive about accepting.

the conference. The 10 presidents are expected to rubber-stamp Kramer's recommendation. Kramer visited South Carolina Thursday. "The commissioner researches it pretty well," Florida athletic director Bill Arnsparger said. "South Carolina brings a lot of fans to every event Plus, they've got good programs in every sport.

They have good programs across the board. mm mm. Memphis State holds off UCF 37-28 FAMU falls to Tenn. St. FLORIDA TODAY Wires ATLANTA James Wade passed for 266 yards and two touchdowns as Tennessee State claimed a 20-16 victory over Florida in the 2nd Annual Atlanta Classic on Saturday night.

The Rattlers (1-2) trailed 20-3 before 1-yard touchdown runs by Pat Reddick and Antoine Ezell in the final minutes closed the gap. Jimmy Vertuno kicked a 26-yard field goal for FAMU. "No. 5 (Benton) killed us," Knights' coach Gene McDowell said. "As far as the loss, we don't find any consolation in playing them close.

We lost and we came to win. We're disappointed." The Knights opened the game with a touchdown drive, capped by a 1-yard Willie English dive. Franco Grilla's kick put the visitors out front, 7-0. But the Tigers bounced back with 24 unanswered points. Central Florida scored the next 22 points, starting with a Grilla field goal just before the first half ended.

Travis Peeples, who engineered four second-half scoring drives, was 14 of 23 passing for 139 yards before leaving the game at the start of the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury. Jones came in relief and failed to maintain Peeples' momentum. He was 3 of 9 passing for 17 yards with the two interceptions. squad was facing a I-A team which carries 34 extra scholarship players. The Tigers (1-1-1) showed poise by getting a Larry Porter 1-yard touchdown with one minute remaining in the game to seal the victory.

Up to that point. Central Florida was teetering on its biggest upset. The loss puts UCF in a hole as far as the Division I-AA playoffs, but not out. The close battle should earn the Knights votes of confidence, if not an outright bid, if Central Florida can win its last seven games. The Knights were practically unstoppable on offense, but five UCF turnovers, including two late Rudy Jones interceptions, were a hurdle Central Florida finally couldn't clear.

Quarterback Keith Benton kicked his game into overdrive for Memphis State in the fourth quarter. Benton finished with 197 passing yards and two touchdowns. He also had 75 rushing yards and constantly eluded the UCF rush. By Don Coble FLORIDA TODAY MEMPHIS It was fitting that in a town which still holds hope that Elvis lives, the flickering football chances of the University of Central Florida also would find life after death. By ignoring the obvious mismatch offered by bigger, stronger Memphis State and refusing to let its playoff hopes die on the Liberty Bowl turf, UCF found a degree of respect in a 37-28 loss to Memphis State.

The Knights turned a first half blowout into a second half nail-biter. Down 24-7 at halftime and reeling for answers. Central Florida rebounded by scoring on its first four possessions of the third quarter to actually wrestle the lead away 25-24 in the first nine minutes. UCF knew it faced overwhelming odds. Not only were the Knights playing their third consecutive road game, but the Division I-AA SEC standings Miami's Smith spurred by father's memory Team SEC All Florida 1 0 0 3 0 0 Tennessee 10 0 2 0 1 Auburn 10 0 2 0 0 Vanderbilt 10 0 110 Georgia 110 2 10 Mississippi 110 210 Louisiana St.

110 2 10 Mississippi St. 0 10 2 10 Kentucky 0 0 0 1 3 0 Alabama 0 2 0 0 3 0 Next for Miami Opponent Iowa. When: 8 p.m., Saturday Where: Orange Bowl, Miami Series: Miami leads 2-0 Last Game: 1966, Miami won 44-0 right there with him, if only in spirit Rudolph Sr. was murdered on the streets of Miami's Liberty City 18 years ago when Darrin was 2. In his father's memory, Darrin wears a sweat Saturday's results with me." Darrin said he has no recollection of his father.

But Damn's mother Naomi Smith has a picture of father and son, taken when Darrin was 2, and has told him many stories of his father's life. Two men in a car drove into a restricted area. Rudolph Sr. told them to leave. The driver backed the car over Rudolph foot threatening to return.

Later, as Rudolph Sr. was walking his four other children home Naomi was babysitting Darrin he noticed one of the men behind them with a gun. He told his children to run. He was shot in the head as they fled. By Damlan Cristodero FLORIDA TODAY CORAL GABLES Darrin Smith had his search-and-destroy act down to a science.

Against Brigham Young on Sept. 8, the Miami linebacker raced downfield on a Hurricane punt, located return man Matt Bellini and locked on target When Bellini caught the ball, the 6-foo-1, 221-pound Smith was five yards away and using all of his 4.42-second speed to close the gap. The resulting collision sent Bellini backward off his feet allowing Smith to pancake him into the turf. But Smith said the tackle was not a solo effort. His father Rudolph Smitfi Sr.

was Florida 27, Furman 3 Georgia 17, Alabama 16 North Carolina 18, Kentucky 13 Vanderbilt 24, LSU 21 Ole Miss 21, Arkansas 17 Mississippi St. 13, So. Miss. 10 Auburn, Tennessee were Idle SMITH Dana, emDiazonea wun Rudolph's initials, around his left calf. "I feel that he's watching out for me and protecting me," Darrin said earlier before the Hurricanes beat California on Sept.

15. "I feel when I wear that, he's in my heart. I wear it to have hik on the field The man was caught and sentenced to 30 years in prison. "I never really asked my mother too much about it until recently," Darrin said. "I've always wondered about him and what he was like and what it would be like if he was here.

Now that I'm having some sucoms, I feel bad he ifh't here to see fe Scores, summaries, 12C..