Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • Page 45

Sunday, November 23, 1997 THE HARTFORD COURANT C9 NO. 10 FLORIDA 32. NO. 2 FLORIDA STATE 29 CcSIep REPORT v. -f if ASSOCIATEO PRESS NATIONAL TITLE HOPES dim for Florida State's Tarlos Crumitie, left, and Jason Whitaker.

The Seminoles appeared in control until Florida scored in the final two minutes. Gators Come Back To Bite FSU Again HARVARD 17, YALE 7 Elis Shown How It's Done By BRUCE BERLET Courant Staff Writer NEW HAVEN As Jack Siedlecki gathered the Yale football team in the north end of Yale Bowl for the final time of his first season as coach, Harvard players were engulfed by fans and a pep band playing the school fight song. It's a scene that seemed remote to the Crimson just two years earlier and something to which the Elis aspire. In 1995, Harvard needed a touchdown in the final minute against Yale to avoid becoming the first team in school history to go winless in the Ivy League. 1 Saturday, the Crimson, behind record-setting sophomore tailback Chris Menick, completed their first unbeaten Ivy season with a 17-7 victory over Yale in the 114th edition of The Game before 26,064.

i "In the Ivy League, I don't think irs unbelievably far from the bottom of the mountain to the top of the mountain, as we've certainly proven," Harvard coach Tim Murphy said. "I told the players this is a great example that you have to dream things, then you have to set goals, have a plan and, most of all, have 100 percent commitment to whatever task it is. That doesn't guarantee success, but failure to do those things will inevitably result in failure." Menick set school season records for yards rushing (1,167) and touchdowns (14) in an opening 44-yard drive that gave Harvard a 7-0 lead it never lost Menick (22 carries, 167 yards) scored on a 2-yard run 1 minute, 40 seconds in, and Harvard (9-1, 7-0) was on the way to its first nine-win season since the 1919 Rose Bowl team was 91. Yale, helped by a roughing-the-kicker penalty, had a chance to tie early in the second quarter, but a drive stalled at the Harvard 5 and freshman Mike Murawc-zyk's 22-yard field goal attempt was blocked. Menick's 24-yard run set up a touchdown with five minutes left in the quarter, when Jared Chupaila beat freshman cornerback Josh Phillips along the right sideline and caught a 16-yard pass from Rich Linden.

The Elis (1-9, 0-7) finally made some plays on offense in the second half but fell behind 17-0 on Mike Giampaolo's 41-yard field with 4 seconds left in the third quarter. Yale avoided its second successive shutout when sophomore Joe Walland hit Ken Marschner with an 18-yard TD pass to cap a 75-yard drive 4:24 into the fourth quarter. Walland, using the shotgun, then passed and ran Yale 60 yards to the Harvard 20, but a sack and three incompletions ended the Elis' hopes. It was the third season in 125 years of football Yale won one game. The only other time the Elis were winless in the 41 years of the league was 1958.

"Our offense looked like what I think our offense is going to look like," Siedlecki said. "Now we have to find a way to play with that kind of energy and emotion all the time. The fourth-down stop captain Todd Scott made is what we need to beat Harvard and move into the top of the league." Freshman linebacker Peter Mazza of Cheshire spoke for the future. "People can say whatever they want about us being the worst team in YaleWsto-ry, but we laid so much on the line," said Mazza, who filled in for Scott when Scott wasn't doubling as a linebacker and tailback for the third game in a row. "Other than Brown and Cornell, we were in every game.

Now it'll be a process of learning how to win." Associated Press GAINESVILLE, Fla. Redemption was supposed to belong to No. 2 Florida State, which had waited 324 days to pay back Florida for winning the national championship at the Seminoles' expense. Instead it belonged to Florida quarterback Doug Johnson, who came up with a perfect throw to spoil FSlTs perfect season. Johnson, who lost his starting job three weeks ago, threw a 63-yard pass to Jacquez Green to set up Fred Taylor's fourth touchdown run with 1 minute, 50 seconds left Saturday, giving the lOth-ranked Gators (9-2) a 32-29 victory and denying Florida State a shot at the national title.

"We do like to beat those guys," Florida coach Steve Spurrier said. Eleven months ago, Florida won the national title by beating Florida State 52-20 in the Sugar Bowl, the largest margin of victory over the Seminoles this decade. "I'd rather lose 52-20 than the way we did tonight," FSU coach Bobby Bowden said. The Seminoles (10-1) thought they had this one in the bag when Sebastian Jani-kowski kicked a 20-yard field goal for 'a 29-25 lead, turning to the fang and mocking them with a Gator clap. With 2:33 left and the ball on the Florida 20, Johnson, who spent the game alternating plays with Noah Brindise, threw a per PAC AROUND THE NATION Tearful Farewell For EU Football Associated Press They kept their emotions in check until the game was over.

Then the Boston University players openly wept. Their school had pulled the plug on football after 91 seasons, making the announcement last month during homecoming weekend. "It was a real emotional game to play," said Roger Harriott, who ran for 173 yards and a touchdown Saturday in BU's 31-14 loss to James Madison in Harrisonburg, Va. "It was very emotional from the first snap. It was a real difficult game to play because we knew what the outcome was going to be at the end of the game, win or lose." Fewer than 45 of BU's original 72 players played Saturday.

A number of players quit the team after the announcement and others didn't play because they were hurt or were redshirts. When quarterback Dan Hanafin was knocked out of the game in the third quarter, BU (1-10) inserted Damon Mickel, a 5-foot-8 receiver and the only other player with experience at quarterback. Linebacker James Souder sat on the bench at the end of the game in tears. "It's all starting to sink in that not only is there not practice on Sunday, but there's no longer practice here again." No. 13 Auburn 18, Alabama 17: Add another amazing Iron Bowl to the history books.

And cement Jaret Holmes' name into the annals of Auburn-Alabama lore. Holmes kicked a 39-yard field goal with 1 5 seconds remaining in Auburn, Ala. to give Auburn the victory in a game that had seemed lost for the Tigers just moments earlier. Auburn (9-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) clinched its first SEC West title. Despite its best effort of the season, Alabama (4-7, 2-6) finished with its worst record since 1957.

After kicking his fourth field goal of the night, Holmes pumped a fist and dropped to both knees, facing the screaming student section at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Yet the game was not over. Alabama's Ed Scissum returned the ensuing squib kick 25 yards. A 1 5-yard facemask penalty brought the ball to the Auburn 40, but A.J. Diaz's 57-yard field goal attempt fell short and the crowd of 85,214 went wild again.

The goal posts came down about 20 minutes later as Auburn improved to 4-0 at home against its fiercest rival. Leading 17-15 with less than two minutes left and sitting at its 36, Alabama was one good punt away from pinning Auburn deep and leaving the game to a recharged defense. But Scissum fumbled a third-down reception from Freddie Kitchens, and it was recovered by Auburn's Quinton Reese at the 33. Auburn gained 1 1 yards over the next four plays to set up the game-winner from Holmes, who hadn't faced a big-time pressure situation in his two years as a starter. No.

5 Tennessee 59, Kentucky 31: Peyton Manning bolstered his bid for the Heisman Trophy, passing for a school-record 523 yards and five touchdowns to lead Tennessee to a victory in Lexington, Ky. Jamal Lewis scored four touchdowns, helping Manning and the Volunteers hold off Kentucky's Tim Couch. Couch broke his school mark with 476 passing yards, completing 35 of 50 for two touchdowns. He set a school mark with 13 consecutive completions and also was intercepted three times before a record Commonwealth Stadium crowd of 61,076. Manning connected on 25 of 35 passes.

He also completed a school-record 12 in a row in helping Tennessee (9-1, 6-1 SEC) beat Kentucky (5-6, 2-6) for the 13th consecutive time. Notre Dame 21, No. 22 West Virginia 1 Ron Powlus connected with Bobby Brown on an 1 1-yard scoring pass late in the fourth quarter as Notre Dame overcame a career day from Amos Zereoue, beating West Virginia (7-3) in South Bend, Ind. The victory put the Irish (6-5) over .500 for the first time since winning their opener, and moved them one victory from qualifying for a bowl. Notre Dame will qualify for a "bowl bid if it beats Hawaii next week.

Zereoue scored twice and rushed for a career-high 234 yards, including a 60-yard run that was his longest of the year and third-best of his career. He came into the game needing 130 yards to break West Virginia's season rushing record 1,250 yards by Robert Walker in 1993 and had the record before halftime. Stanford 21, California 20: California's try for another miracle finish came up short this time. Stanford's defense turned away Cal in the final seconds as the Cardinal won the 100th Big Game in Stanford, Calif. Trailing by 1 1, Cal put together an 1 1 -play, 77-yard drive that ended in Justin Vedder's 12-yard touchdown to Bobby Shaw with 4 minutes, 44 seconds left.

Vedder then threw to Brian Surgener for a two-point conversion. Stanford punter Kevin Miller ran out of the end zone for a safety with 19 seconds left and Cal trailed by a point. Stanford kicked off and Deltha O'Neal returned to the Cal 40 before going out of bounds with 13 seconds left. Vedder's first pass fell incomplete and he failed to get off a last pass, tackled by Andrew Currie as time expired. Oemson 47, South Carolina 21: Nealon Greene's three touchdown passes lifted Clemson over South Carolina in Columbia, S.C.

and may have landed the Tigers in the Peach Bowl. Clemson (7-4) was ranked No. 15 in September and thought to have the stuff to challenge Florida State and North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference this year. But the Tigers needed a victory against their arch-rival to even think about the postseason. And it took Greene, a senior quarterback facing his last game, to bail Clemson from a 14-3 deficit in the first quarter with TD throws of 7 yards to Brian Wofford and 15 yards each to Tony Home and Mai Lawyer.

Utah 20, BYU 14: Freshman quarterback Darnell Arceneaux rushed for two touchdowns to lead Utah (6-5) to a victory over Brigham Young (6-5) in Provo, Utah. Arceneaux scored the go-ahead touchdown with a 7-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter. Tommy Truhe kicked a 32-yard field goal with 1:39 left seal it. Arceneaux had a 4-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Iowa 31, Minnesota 0: Randy Reiners threw two touchdown passes and Tim Dwight scored on a punt return while setting three Big Ten return records as the Hawkeyes won in Iowa City to become eligible for a bowl game.

While Dwight was having a career day or Iowa (7-4, 4-4 Big Ten), Hawkeye defenders smothered Minnesota (3-9, 1-7), forcing five turnovers and limiting the Golden Gophers to 170 yards. The Hawkeyes needed the victory to receive bowl consideration because only five of their victories were against Division l-A opponents. The 44-yard punt return for a touchown was Dwight's third of the season a conference record and fifth of his career, also a record. Dwight, who leads the nation in punt returns with a 19-yard average, also had a punt return for 4 yards that gave him 1,086 yards in his career, eclipsing the career mark of 1,075 yards by Northwestern 's Brian Musso. fect pass that Green caught in stride just past midfield and ran to the 18.

Taylor, who had 162 yards against the nation's best run defense, ran 17 yards to the 1 and scored on the next play. "They can't go to the national championship game if I can't go," Taylor said. Florida State quarterback Thad Busby then was intercepted by Dwayne Thomas on third down, setting off the celebration. "We weren't perfect, but our guys played their hearts out," Spurrier said. "It's not a terrible year, but without a championship, it's not a great year." Brindise started his third consecutive game, but Spurrier alternated him and Johnson every play.

Johnson was 13-for-25 for 218 yards, including his first touchdown pass since an Oct 4 victory over Arkansas. Brindise was 5-for-9 for 100 yards, and the Gators finished with 499 yards. "I had somebody tell me that Florida State had all our signals," Spurrier said. "So I said let's eliminate the signals. It gives you a chance to coach the quarterbacks between every play." But with the game on the line, Spurrier needed Johnson's arm, and the 19-year-old sophomore showed why.

"Give credit to Doug," said Green, who had seven catches for 145 yards. "He's the one who checked off to the hitch-and-go and he put it right on the money." 10 Dalis said UCLA could be headed to the Cotton BowL At Husky Stadium, Washington State players began celebrating after the Cougars recovered an onside kick on Washington's 42 with 8 seconds left Freshman Lamont Thompson had three of Washington State's five interceptions against Brock Huard, who was 18-for-36 for 283 yards and four touchdowns, the last with 9 seconds left Jackson caught scoring passes of 57 and 50 yards from Leaf (22-for-38) and wound up with eight catches for 185 yards. Michael Black ran for 170 yards on 37 carries. The Cougars made it 38-28 with 1 minute, 46 seconds gone in the fourth quarter when Leaf recovered his own fumble in the end zone on third-and-1. It was Washington State's second recovery for a TD.

"It's hard for me to believe it's been 66 years," Leaf said. "I understand what the fans have been waiting for. I've been waiting three years." SIDE LINES HOW THE TOP 25 FARED 1. Michigan (11-0) Saturday: def. Ohio State, 20-14 Highlights: See story, Page CI Next Rose Bowl, Jan.

1. 2. Florida State (10-1) Saturday: lost to Florida, 32-29 Highlights: See story, this page Next Await bowl bid 3. Nebraska (10-0) Saturday: Did not play Next Friday at Colorado 4. Ohio State (10-2) Saturday: lost to Michigan, 20-1 4 Highlights: See story, Page CI Next Await bowl bid 5.

Tennessee (9-1) Saturday: def. Kentucky, 59-31 Highlights: See Around The Nation, this page Next Saturday vs. Vanderbilt Pem State (9-1) Saturday: def. Wisconsin, 35-10 Highlights: See story. Page C10 Next Saturday at Michigan State 7.

UCLA (9-2) Saturday: def. Southern Cal, 3 1 -24 Highlights: See Pac-10, this page Next Await bowl bid 8. North Carolina (10-1) Saturday: def. Duke, 50-14 Highlights: Chris Keldorf threw four touchdown passes and Jonathan Linton rushed for 199 yards to reach the 1,000 mark in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Tar Heels, who trailed 14-0 in the second quarter, must wait two weeks to see if they will be invited to their first major bowl since 1950.

North Carolina intercepted five passes. Dre' Bly picked off two, tying the school's career mark of 16. Next Await bowl bid 9. Kansas State (10-1) Saturday: def. Iowa State, 28-3 Highlights: Michael Bishop ran for two touchdowns and passed for one and Kansas State remained in contention for a Bowl Alliance berth in Ames, Iowa.

On a day that Mike Lawrence became the school's career rushing leader, Kansas State completed its first 10-victory regular season since 1910. Lawrence carried 1 8 times for 102 yards for a career total of 2,265 yards. The old record was 2,210 yards by J.J. Smith, who finished in 1994. Next Await bowl bid 10.

Florida (9-2) Saturday: def. Florida State, 32-29 Highlights: See story, this page Next Await bowl bid 11. Washington State (10-1) Saturday: def. Washington, 41-35 Highlights: See Pac-10, this page Next Rose Bowl, Jan. 1.

12. Araona State (8-2) Saturday: Did not play Next Friday vs. Arizona 13. Auburn (9-2) Saturday: def. Alabama, 18-17 Highlights: See Around The Nation, this page Next Await bowl bid.

14. Georgia (8-2) Saturday: def. Mississippi, 21-14 Highlights: Robert Edwards rushed for 180 yards, scoring once and setting up Georgia's other two touchdowns, as the Bulldogs maintained a shot at the Southeastern Conference title in Oxford, Miss. Next Saturday at Georgia Tech 15. Mississippi State (7-3) Saturday: lost to Arkansas, 1 7-7 Highlights: Clint Stoerner directed two touchdown drives that consumed almost 14Vi minutes as Arkansas beat Mississippi State in Fayetteville, putting a crimp in the Bulldogs' hopes to play in the SEC championship game.

The Bulldogs will represent the Western Division in the SEC title game only if LSU and Auburn lose next week. Next Saturday vs. Mississippi 16. Texas (8-2) Saturday: Did not play Next Friday vs. Texas 17.

Washington (74) Saturday: lost to Washington State, 41-35 Highlights: See Pac-10, this page Next Await bowl bid 18. Syracuse (8-3) Saturday: Did not play Next Saturday at Miami 19. Virginia Tech (7-3) Saturday: lost to Pittsburgh, 30-23 Highlights: See Big East standings, Page C10 Next Saturday at Virginia 20. Louisiana State (7-3) Saturday: Did not play Next Friday vs. Arkansas 21.

Missouri (74) 4 Saturday: Did not play Next Await bowl bid. 22. West Virginia (7-3) Saturday: lost to Notre Dame, 21-14 Highlights: See Around The Nation, this page Next Friday vs. Pittsburgh 23. Purdue (3-3) Saturday: def.

Indiana, 56-7 Highlights: Ed Watson rushed for 1 63 yards am two touchdowns as the Boilermakers beat Indiana in Bloomington, finishing the regular season with a winning record for the first time in 13 years. Next Await bowl bid. 24. Wisconsin (3-4) Saturday: lost to Penn State, 35-10 Highlights: See story, Page C10 Next Await bowl bid. 25.

Cebpdo Stata (3-2) Saturday: Played at San Diego State, late Next Await bowl bid It's Washington State's Year Associated Press Seventh-ranked UCLA has its seventh consecutive victory over Southern Cal but No. 11 Washington State has what the Bruins really wanted a berth in the Rose BowL Ryan Leaf passed for 358 yards, including two touchdowns to Chris Jackson, as Washington State defeated No. 17 Washington 41-35 in Seattle for its first Rose Bowl berth since 1931. The Cougars (10-1, 7-1 Pac-10) had the same conference record as UCLA, but beat the Bruins 37-34 in the first game of the season. They will play No.

1 Michigan Jan. 1. "I still look at that game," UCLA offensive tackle Kris Farris said after a 31-24 victory over Southern Cal at the Los Angeles Coliseum. "It's unfortunate it haunted us this month. But without that game, we wouldn't have come this far." Cade McNown passed for three touchdowns as the Bruins won their ninth in a row after an 0-2 start.

Athletic director Peter Of Note Pat Johnson had TD catches of 90, 45 and 36 yards and returned a punt 74 yards for another score as Oregon routed Oregon State 48-30 in Eugene. It was the most combined points in the 101 -game history of the "Civil War," the West Coast's longest rivalry. Harold Shaw rushed for 188 yards and three touchdowns as Southern Mississippi clinched the Conference USA Liberty Bowl bid with a 42-18 rout of Memphis. Graham Leigh threw four TD passes as New Mexico clinched the Western Athletic Conference Mountain Division with a 51-13 rout of Tuba. Navy rushed for a school-record 563 yards in a 62-29 rout of Kent.

QB Chris McCoy had 268 yards rushing and 72 passing to become the ninth player to surpass 1,000 yards in both in the same season. Daunte Culpepper set a school record with 3,086 passing yards as Central Florida defeated Toledo, 31-17. Culpepper, a junior, has scheduled a press conference Monday to announce whether he will stay or enter the NFL draft. In Bethlehem, Rabih Abdullah scored four TDs as Lehigh defeated Lafayette 43-31 in the 133rd renewal of the nation's most-played rivalry. Lafayette leads the series, 71-57-5.

Ryan Vena threw three TDs and ran for another as Colgate stunned previously unbeaten Budtitel 48-14 to win the Patriot League and a Division l-AA playoff berth. Bucknell had won 12 in a row, the longest streak in l-AA. Aaron Stecker's 4-yard Illinois State, and In playoffs, yards to a Rockets Bowl. run hold State, State. victory winner In playoffs, passes Mount Carroll for pass the In built holding in held ECAC ASSOCIATED PRESS TENNESSEE'S PEYTON MANNING, left, the likely winner this year, passes some wisdom along to a future Heisman hopeful, Kentucky's Tim Couch.

run with 2 :47 to play gave Western a 24-2 1 victory over Youngstown clinching the Gateway Conference a Division l-AA playoff berth. the first round of the Division II Randy McKavish threw for 255 and three TDs to lead Slippery Rock 30-20 victory over Ashland. The play New Haven Saturday at Yale Bryan Applewhite's 27-yard TD in the fourth quarter helped defending champion Northern Colorado on for a 24-16 victory over eighth-ranked Pittsburg State. Northern Colorado will play Northwest Missouri a 39-28 winner over North Dakota QBZac Allen rushed for two TDs aslCarson-Newman advanced with a 2 1 -7 over North Alabama. Carson-Newman will play Albany State, a 10-6 over South Arkansas.

the first round of the Division III Bill Borchert threw four TD to lead defending champion Union to a 34-30 victory over Allegheny. Mount Union plays John on Saturday. Pete Harteveld ran three TDs and completed a 38-yard TD to Tino Russo with 1 :34 remaining as College of New Jersey beat Cortland, 34-30. the inaugural Eastern Football Conference championship game, Albany a 14-point halftime lead before off American International 27-20 Springfield. Matt Vittengl blocked an extra-point attempt with 2:53 left as RPI off Worcester State 14-13 in the Northeast title game in Worcester.

Heisman Watch Tavian Banks, Iowa, Sr, RB: Had 1 8 carries for 74 yards in 31-0 victory over Minnesota. For season, has 1,639 yards on 246 carries and 18 TDs. Tan Couch, Kentucky, So, QB: Completed 35 of 50 passes for 476 yards and two TDs in 59-3 1 loss to Tennessee. For season, has completed 363 of 547 passes for 3,884 yards and 37 TDs. Ricky Williams, Texas, Jr, RB: Did not play.

For season, has 1,695 yards on 246 carries and 23 TDs. Peyton Manning, Tennessee, Sr, QB: Completed 25 of 35 passes for school-record 523 yards and five TDs in 59-31 victory over Kentucky. For season, has completed 250 of 407 passes for 3,287 yards and 31 TDs. Randy Moss, Marshall, So, Wit: Did not play. For season, has 83 receptions for 1 ,477 yards and 22 TDs..