Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 19

Wl-'ll UWl tmi 1 1 rirn this week -in Both teams are 3-1 but the Blazers need the victory to stay in the C-USA title hunt after losing a designated confer-ence game at Kansas. UAB's injury woes have been well-documented, but the Blazers have gotten a major boost from junior running back Jegil Dugger. After beginning the season as a reserve fullback, Dugger is the conference's second-leading rusher with 430 yards. Moore, a running back, accounted for 140 all-purpose yards in a 24-19 win over Cincinnati. Moore leads the nation's freshman in rushing.

Barnes, a senior safety, scored on a 31 -yard interception return to cap a 24-3 victory over Memphis, 12th straight C-USA win. Moore Att Yds Avg TDs Last week 15 114 7.6 0 Season 70 431 6.2 0 Barnes Tackles Ints Yds TDs Lastweek 16 1 31 1 Season 46 3 82 2 Associated Press File Photo Jegil Dugger is a key force for UAB, which previously beatLSU. Associated Press File Photo Leo Barnes makes 1 of his 16 tackles Saturday vs. Memphis. One more to watch: Like UAB, Memphis needs a win Saturday against East Carolina to stay in the thick of the championship race.

i'2A Quote "The entire league is capable of knocking off just about anybody in the country. Cincinnati has shown it, everybody knows C-USA All East Carolina 1-0 3-1 Southern Miss 1-0 3-1 Houston 1-0 2-3 Memphis 1-1 3-2 Tulane 1-1 2-2 Cincinnati 1-1 2-3 Louisville 0-0 3-1 UAB 0-1 3-1 Army 0-3 0-4 Smith "He'll miss this game; then we'll go week to week to see when he gets back," ECU coach Steve Logan said. "We're going to be fine." Although the season is a month old, Saturday's trip to Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium will be ECU's first beyond the North Carolina borders. Logan isn't worried, though. "We always play better on the road than at home," Logan said.

"There are some logistics we have to deal with at home that aren't real comfortable for our team." The teams haven't played since ECU's 34-31 victory at Memphis to close the 1998 season. Keeping score C-USA finished September 14-12 in nonconference games. C-USA was 8-11 and 4-3 at home against teams from the six conferences with automatic bids to the Bowl Championship Series. Elpheage has joined Moore in the starting lineup after intercepting two passes against the Bearcats. It was the first time a Tulane player had two picks in one game since 1976.

Ironically, perhaps, Tulane's most highly touted freshman isn't even on campus. Running back Ronald McClendon is playing for Butler County Junior College in Kansas, where he's averaging more than 100 yards rushing per game. Pirates set sail East Carolina looks to keep pace in the conference race Saturday against Memphis. The Pirates won't be full-speed, however. Junior linebacker Per-nell Griffin, a preseason all-conference selection, injured a knee late in ECU's 34-17 victory over Syracuse on Sept.

23. "We felt Mewelde had a chance to be a good football player," Tulane coach Chris Scelfo said. "The thing that impressed us the most about him was his maturity in his dealings with major league baseball. He's beyond his years." Moore apparently can deal with pain, too. He left the game against Cincinnati to have his injured ankle X-rayed but returned to the huddle in the third quarter.

"We were afraid he had a broken ankle," Scelfo said. "But he came up to me in the third quarter and told me he was ready to go back in the game. He ran for 12 yards on his next carry and ended up giving us the spark we needed on that drive." Moore is among nine true freshmen who have hit the field for the Green Wave. Cornerback Lynaris Green Wave's Moore leads C-USA in rushing, has three 100-yard games By Todd Kelly Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer Tulane announced only a dozen signees last February, but more than one recruiting analyst labeled the class as Conference USA's best. Some of those players already are paying dividends.

Mewelde Moore recorded his third straight 100-yard game, gaining 114 yards on 15 carries in a 24-19 victory Saturday over Cincinnati. Moore leads C-USA in rushing only a few months after graduating from high school in Baton Rouge and being drafted in the fourth round by the San Diego Padres. Moore will shift gears in the summer and play professional baseball. East Carolina and Southern Miss are good, UAB turns around and beats LSU. Overall, the level of play is better." Louisville's John L.

Smith Statistic Southern Miss has played 3 hours, 17 minutes and 38 seconds or more than 354 games without giving up a touchdown. Foot forward UAB's Rhett Gallego and Cincinnati's Jonathan Ruffin kicked four field goals apiece in last week's games. Gallego set a school record; Ruffin tied one. Last week's results Houston 17, SMU 15 Louisville 4 1 Connecticut 22 Tulane 24, Cincinnati 19 USM 24, Memphis 3 Saturday's games Houston at Cincinnati, 1 1 a.m. E.

Carolina at Memphis, 2 p.m. Lousiville at UAB, 2:30 p.m. Tulane at UL-Lafayette, 4 p.m. South Florida at USM, 6 p.m. Army at New Mexico St.

7 p.m. Auburn WR Daniels eager to take onMSU SOUTHERN MISS JACKSON STATE MISSISSIPPI STATE Jackson State coaches had hoped to redshirt freshman offen The workload for the Mississippi State offensive line never seems to slow Tootie Myers plans to be at Roberts Stadium for Saturday night's game against South Florida. OLE MISS If all goes according to plan, Ole Miss hopes to redshirt third-string junior quarterback David Morris. If the Rebels get 2 sive lineman James Randall. Those plans have changed in large part because of season-ending injuries to starters Jason Entzminger and Anson Jones.

Randall hasn't played in the Tigers' first four games, but he is expected to play Saturday against Alabama State. "We've got to get him ready to play," JSU offensive coordinator John Shannon said. Randall, a 6-foot-3, 310-pounder from Memphis, is capable of playing tackle or guard. He'll probably see his first action at right guard, backing up starter Alvin Garabold. "It's a little strange because I thought I was going to redshirt," Randall said.

"But they need me, so I really don't have any choice. I'm ready, though." Mark Alexander down. First was Memphis and its veteran defensive line. Next was All-American Hans Olsen and BYU's brutes. Cleveland Pinkney and Cecil Caldwell of South Carolina provided the headaches the following week.

And last week, perhaps the best of all, Florida's Gerard Warren. But State will be facing perhaps the most dangerous duo it will see all season in Auburn's front, led by heralded freshman DeMarco McNeil and senior Roderick Chambers. "McNeil is one of the best up front we've seen," said State coach Jackie Sherrill. "They're the leaders on defense," State center Michael Fair said. "And they're good." Sekou Smith Whether Myers will be taking the field for USM next season remains to be seen, however.

"I really haven't decided yet," Myers said Wednesday night. "I haven't had a chance to sit down and talk with my agent or Coach (Jeff) Bower. I'll probably know a little before January." Myers signed with the Golden Eagles in 1997 as a highly touted wide receiver from Petal but ended up playing in the Expos organization His contract's three-year "no-football" clause expired last month. "Playing both sports would be a dream come true," Myers said. "But I also understand there's a lot of stress on your body involved.

If I do go back to playing football, I'll definitely go to USM." Todd Kelly through the year without using Morris, it gives Ole Miss two quarterbacks with experience beyond 2001. Second-stringer Eli Manning is a redshirt freshman. "In a perfect world, that's what we would like to do," Ole Miss coach David Cutcliffe said. Morris backed up Romaro Miller in 1998 and 1999. He played in four games last year, completing 4 of 5 passes.

He'll continue to prepare for games this year in case of injuries to Miller and Manning Deuce McAllister needs 1 1 rushing yards Saturday against Arkansas State to break Kayo Dottley's school record of 2,654 yards. Robert Falkoff The Associated Press AUBURN, Ala. Ronney Daniels has faced a steady diet of double coverage all season. Now, his own coach is directing even more attention his way. "I think Number 25 will show up this week," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said.

"He's been kind of held back a little bit. It's time for him to step up to the front again." The 15th-ranked Tigers, 5-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference, haven't needed their star receiver to rack up huge numbers. Tuberville feels that might change Saturday at No. 20 Mississippi State, 3-1, 1-1. Daniels welcomes the challenge.

"I've been hoping to get a breakout game," he said. "Hopefully this is going to be it." Daniels hasn't approached the record-setting numbers of his first season, when he was named the league's top freshman by The Associated Press. He has 15 catches for 213 yards and two touchdowns after catching 56 passes for a school-record 1,068 yards last season. However, he's not far off from his pace after five games last season. Daniels had 17 catches at this point last season and 38 in his final six outings.

That stretch becan with a four- "And it's his turn." The rest of Auburn's deep receiving corps has flourished while opposing defenses have blanketed Daniels. The Tigers have 13 players with at least two catches. Seven have caught TD passes. Daniels has 20 career catches of 20-plus yards, but only three this season. He took his first catch this year a one-handed grab against Wyoming 66 yards for a TD, but has been held largely in check since.

"He's seen double coverage and the problem he's seen is last year when people played man coverage they would come up and challenge him," Tuberville said. "This year they're not challenging very much, they're laying off him and giving him the underneath pass but not the deep pass like he got last year." Daniels still leads the team in receptions and yards but isn't among the league's top 10 in either category. He led the league last season with 97.3 yards per game. Daniels expects to get plenty of 1-on-l opportunities this weekend with Mississippi State cornerback Fred Smoot, a preseason Playboy All-America pick. "I feel like I'm going against one of the best corners in the nation, and I'm pretty sure he's thinking the same thing about me," Daniels said.

"When you've got two of the best going against each other, that's what everyone wants to see." Daniels, who turned 24 on Sept. 17, spent three years in the Montreal Expos farm system before coming to Auburn. He expected more double coverage this season and has gotten it. Hornets: Would have to average 1 7,000 fans per game in l-A While Alabama State officials hark where vou started. mingle with potential sponsors, Who: Jackson State, 3-1 vs.

Alabama State, 3-2 When: Saturday, 6 p.m. Where: Mobile, Ladd-Peebles Memorial Stadium Tigers' record vs. Alabama State: 25-2-1 Last meeting: Jackson State 44, Alabama State 17 (1999) catch, 113-yard performance against the Bulldogs, including a 64-yard touchdown. He accounted for all but 12 of Auburn's passing yards in that game. "He's a big-game player," Tuberville said.

"We're not going to make any special emphasis on Ronney, but you expect a big-time player to step up in games like this. Culberson is doing the same at jsu to prepare for the day the Tigers move up or the day Division I-AA and Division I-A merge, as proposed by Southeastern Conference commissioner Roy Kramer. "We have no official plans, but if that opportunity presents itself we want to be ready," Culberson said. "And it's possible. Right now it's best for us to stay in the SWAC, though." Meanwhile, Alabama State is taking the lead role.

"If anything it has opened up some other people's eyes," Hornets coach L.C. Cole said. "It's a situation now where you're seeing other schools stepping forward. That's probably why some of this talk about the super conference or whatever you want to call it has resurfaced lately." From ID I feel like Jackson State as well as a couple of other schools in the SWAC has the credentials to be a I-A program. We compete in I-A in all sports already except football.

I think within time Jackson State will be looked at as a I-A program." Said Washington: "I support Alabama State as I would Jackson State if they ever decided to try to move up. If they can do it, it's a good thing. I have no problem with it. I really think our whole conference needs to look at it. Not only would it make it easier on Alabama State, it wouldmakeiteasierontherestofus.

If we start losing schools one by one, it wouldn't be a very good thing." Division I-A teams need to be able to average 17,000 fans per home football game, and they need a stadium with at least 30,000 seats. Most SWAC schools don't come close to meeting either requirement. Also, once in Division I-A a school needs to fund 85 football scholarships to stay competitive with other I-A teams. The I-AA scholarship limit is 63, and many SWAC schools, Watkins says Alabama State's jump to Division I-A can be financed primarily with revenue from corporate sponsors and nearly 30 luxury boxes that will crown a new on-campus stadium the centerpiece of the proposal. His plan includes selling naming rights to the.

stadium as a whole and to specific seating sections. "No public dollars, period," Watkins said. "We're determined to make it, and we're making progress. By being the first black school to try to jump to Division I-A we've got a lot of positive response from national corporate entities. The thing we've got to do is tap into places that Alabama and Auburn haven't already tapped into.

Give us two or three years, and we'll be there." In May, the Alabama State Board of Trustees voted 8-2 to approve Watkins' Division I-A plan, which entails moving the Hornets out of the city-owned, Cram-ton Bowl and into the new stadium which will incorporate a black sports hall of fame and museum. 18 to party SZi 21 to drinkS "3 including JSU, don't fund even that many scholarships. "Financially, I feel like it can be done if it's done right," Washington said. "But the question is can we really compete? I mean Alabama State can compete with Alabama on Play Station or EAS, but it's not happening anywhere else. Let's be real "And there's fool's gold out there also with people assuming we would get into the Bowl (Championship) Series, and that's not going to happen.

Then ultimately at the end of the season you're right Downtown BtegvJ 123 Q333uCir3IreCi 2 for 1 Alabama coaches decide not to redshirt 2 freshmen 1 1 1 'Woman In The South Mori-Sat No.CoyerJ Th Associated Press and 6-2 i' Everyday; All ntijor cicd.tcaids acceplediATH i 'L, cn premises 1100 West ,1 A Mela Magazine Model Si a I Saturday Nlahfy 2 tor v. i "My philosophy on redshirting is different from most people." DuBose said Smiley will compete for the starting job at right guard with Alonzo Ephraim and Dennis Alexander. Britt will log playing time at one of the tackle spots. "We think both of those guys can make us a better football team right now," DuBose said. "We felt Justin Smiley, given the reps, will be our second or third best guard.

That will make him a better football player next year also." Alabama is off this Saturday. i Merxeaez Coors Light rV 4 TUSCALOOSA Alabama coaches have decided they need offensive line depth badly enough not to redshirt freshmen Justin Smiley and Wesley Britt, even though neither has played in the first five games. "We felt like we want our best football players on the field," head coach Mike DuBose said. "You always look at how it will affect you five years from now, but you also need to know, will they be here in five years? i JacksonMS3920 OPEN DAILY ATiNOONjvjlRM ON SUNDAY 601I969I3720" Mnr.Snt'd INo'covcr 'til'lp 1pm Everyday Sun-6PM2'A W1 iiii( iwnnuitl i Corner. 'of W.estjand Rankin i V354-91 OO, OPtN 4 P.M.

MUN, Ml..