Asheville Citizen-Times from Asheville, North Carolina • Page 37

ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES BmM3D College FooUmI5D, SO For sports, call InfoPhone: 257-2SC0 National Update: Ext. 6766 1 Local Update: Ext. 2030 I SPORTS Sandfly Sept. 10, 1995 irops Keith Jarrett COLLEGE FOOTBALL Clemson football is back lleDiniS(0)in Lightning-fast offense too much By Ketth Jarrett STAFF WWTEB CLEMSON, S.C. Striking quickly and seemingly whenever it needed to, Florida State did what it does better than any team in the country on Saturday outrun and outscore its opponent The sprinter-quick, top-ranked Seminoles produced seven scoring drives of under two minutes to subdue pesky Clemson 46-26 in front of 82,000 at humid Death Valley.

FSU (2-0, 2-0) retained its No. 1 ranking and won its 26th straight game in the ACC chiefly due to the second-half talents of tailback Warrick Dunn, who keyed a flurry of points on four consecutive possessions when Clemson refused to become another nut victim. The Tigers pulled to within 81-20 on Jeff SanveTs 28-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, but the Seminoles responded with two touchdowns in the next three minutes. An 11-yard scoring pass from Danny Kanell to Andre Cooper produced one score, and two plays after a Florida State interception Dunn raced 66 yards on a draw pby for a 46-20 lead that effectively put the game out of reach. "What I liked about our offense today was that every time Clemson would do something and get momentum, we did something to shut them down," said FSU See Cliewia on page OB 'A THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Grew early lbs fans Safaris.

CLEMSON, S.C. FlofUa State's Tyrant Marion I ACC ConftfMict OVOFlN W-L-T W-L-T leaps sfruoD QJCX Miscues spell doom for Heels UVa beats State Cavs score in final seconds to turn away Wolfpack, 29-24 Florida St Marytarxr Georgia Tech VlraWa N.C. Start Clemson Duke Waka Forest N.Carolina 2-04) 2-0-0 1- 1-0 2- 1-0 1-1-0 j-i-o 1-1-0 0-2-0 2-0-0 0-0-0 1- 0-0 0-1-0. 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-1-0 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS COLLEGE PARK, Md. get the statistics, which North Carolina dominated as usual Total yardage: North Carolina 464, Maryland 283.

First downs: North Carolina 24-14. Total offensive plays North Carolina 77-62. It didnt matter, because Maryland forced five turnovers and didnt give the ball away once Sat-" urday in a 82-18 upset It was the first time in six years the Terrapins beat the Tar Heels, and the outcome didnt surprise North Carolina coach Mack Brown one bit "Football is a very simple game. If somebody gives up four turnovers, you lose 86 percent of the time. If you turn it over five more times than they do, you lose 100 percent of the time," Brown said.

Mancel Johnson caught touchdown passes of 60 and 82 yards for the Terrapins, who had lost then-last five games against North Carolina by an average of 19.2 points. The Tar Heels gained 844 rushing yards against Maryland last year and 866 in 1993, but this time then-statistical dominance was irrelevant Maryland (24, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) used the same formula Saturday that it did one week earlier in Tulane, when the Terrapins won the turnover battle 8-0 and subsequently dominated the See Heels on page OS THE ASSOCIATED PRE88 RALEIGH George Welsh wasn't up in the air long enough to measure his vertical leap, but the normally stoical Virginia coach caught some atmosphere all right The 16th-ranked Cavaliers, victims of late comebacks in recent years especially against No. 23 North Carolina State turned the tables Saturday, pulling out a dramatic 29-24 win in the final 13 seconds. Tm back to Earth now, but it's been a long time since I've jumped up and down on the sideline like that," said Welsh, who took to the sky when Tiki Barker plunged in from the 1 to cap a furiouB rally. "I jumped into somebody's arms." The victory was also sweet for a team that lost a 18-17 heartbreak-er to Michigan on the game's final play two weeks ago.

"To have a win like this means more than blowing somebody out," said Virginia wide receiver Patrick Jeffers, who caught four straight passes in the game-winning drive. "You have to fight and scrap and get back in it and to be there when we've been on the other end so many times everybody is just ecstatic." "You always want to think you're in it, but at the same time we've seen this happen before and See State on page 60 Thursdays Gam Arizona 20, Qa. Tech 19 8atur4ayeQemee Fta. State 45, Clemson 26 Maryland 32, UNC 18 Virginia 29, N.C. State 24 A Duke 24, Rutgers 14 Tutane 35, Wake Forest 9 NeKtSaturdeeOemee UV N.C.

Slate at Be. State, noon Duke at Army, 130 Georgia Tech at Virginia, 1:30 Clemson at Wake Forest, West VTralrHa at Maryland, 7 p' CLEMSON.S.C.-Itwas just like old times at Death Valley on Saturday, except the post-game chicken was a little tough to swallow in the wake of a 19-pointloss. A capacity crowd of 82,000 sitting in the 84-degree, high humidity atmosphere of Clemson Memorial Stadium saw the home team show a strong running game, a reluctance to pass even in obvious situations, 'an affinity for three-pointers and a defense that despite the final score played well at times. Florida State left Clemson with a 45-26 victory, but not before being challenged by a team that looks dose to bringing Clemson football back to where their loyalists demand it reside. The roars that rumbled through Death Valley were of the passion and decibel level not heard since Danny Ford left in the wake of scandal in 1990.

"I was extremely proud of the Clemson fans today," said Clemson coach Tommy West "They stayed to the end, cheered and fought just like our football team." Ken Hatfield won games'but not hearts during his four-year stay in the post Ford era, but his aloof nature and inability to be Ford helped cause his departure -despite a 32-13-1 record. Clemson wanted Danny back, and since that wasn't possible they got the nearest replica it could find. Sure enough, Tommy West tugged on his baseball cap, jawed with the officials over injustices to the orange and even clapped and cheered just like the guy he was hired to replace. Danny Ford football was tailback-tough, fullback dive-dominate and option heavy, with just enough passing to keep receivers content to block most of the time. On Saturday, West renewed that Tiger tradition.

Clemson found a hole in the middle of a Seminole defense weakened by the knee injury to team leader Daryl Bush at middle linebacker. Fullbacks Raymond Priester and Emory Smith had career days, part of a ground game that ate up 36 minutes and 321 yards of Death Valley real estate. To beat a Florida State offense that plays a fast-break attack the old Boston Celtics would admire, teams must control the ball. The only way to keep the Seminoles from scoring is to not let the offense on the field. Clemson had a chance to pufl that off.

Through three quarters, the Tigers' time of possession advantage was nearly 2-to-l. The Tigers were trailing 31-17 but had momentum after Smith's 49-yard nimble deep into Seminole territory late in the third period. Then a running play lost three yards. A quarterback draw gained nothing, and the third-and-13 caD was a handoff to the fullback. For the second time in the quarter and third time in the game, West got conservative after earning a first down inside the Florida State 30.

Of the nine plays oa those three critical possessions, eight were running plays and the other a swing pass to the fullback that gained one yard. Settling for field goal tries when three touchdowns would have made this game competitive helped ensure defeat Our backs ran real well but we had to ma things up," West said. "I knew we had to be unpredictable, we ktm we had to throw. We have to do a better job of that Despite in inability to close, the offense that was Clemson's biggest problem in Wests debut season a year ago seems much stronger. VT (r Homecoming for Reich Panthers' QB returns to adoring fans Graf wins emotional Open title THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK -A fraction of an inch from losing in straight sets, Steffi Graf dug down deep to win her fourth U.S.

Open title Saturday and halt Monica Seles' inspired comeback run. They embraced and Ussed across the net at the end, two women who needed each other more than they knew, who gave the nearly 20,000 fans in the stadium a match of elegance and courage and brute power. Graf and Seles will still share the No. 1 ranking even after the German's 7-6 (8-6), 0-6, 6-8 victory, and that is especially appropriate after seeing how little separates them on court Away from the court, Seles was still smiling, taking in stride her first defeat in a doxen matches and putting behind her the stabbing by a fan of Graf in Hamburg, Germany, nearly 2 Vt years ago. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.

A joke that filtered through Buffalo during the Bills' glory days said the difference between Frank Reich and Jim Kelly was that Reich believed in God, and Kelly thought he WAS God. Bills fans loved Reich's personality and Kelly's skill, and for nine yean, they had both. Reich has since left for a starting job with the Carolina Panthers, and fans have warmed up to Kelly. "Ever since the schedule came out and I saw Buffalo, their home opener, it's been exciting and IVe been looking forward to the opportunity," Reich said. "On the emotional side, Tm really trying my hardest to treat it like another game." Reich wOl get an enormous ovation Sunday before the Panthers (0-1) play the Bills (0-1) at Rich Stadium.

Kelly would make Bills' fans happier if Buffalo can beat Carolina in what will look nice an intrasquad scrimmage from the early 1990s. Reich, wide receiver Don Beebe and tight Pete Metzelaars were with Buffalo for all four Super Bowl appearances, and Pan thers linebacker Carlton Bailey played with the Bills for their first three. "I think Frank and Don Beebe, Pete Metzelaars and Carlton Bailey will be very warmly greeted by our fans and deservedly so," Buls coach Marv Levy said. "I dont think the fans wffl forget however, the moment the game begins who they're rooting for." Reich, a backup behind Kelly for nine seasons, signed as a free agent with the Panthers in March. Reich is most remembered for leading Buffalo to the biggest comeback in NFL history, a 41-38 victory over Houston in the 1992 AFC wild-card game.

He has since been endeared by Bills tans. A sketch of the quarterback was placed next to a doorway inside the Buffalo locker room this week. "Frank's always wanted a chance to be a starter," Kelly said. "He was a backup in college, a backup in the pros, and he's deserves it He's a heck of a quarterback and a heck of a person." Carolina and Buffalo appear to be headed in opposite directions, even though both OSes Panthers on page TO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK Steffi Oral wea her lttfc fined Steal shales trtte. "It has been very exciting to me playing again, and just being out there feeling everything once again what was such a routine before," Seles said, giggling as always.

"As long as I keep having fun, that is what is going to matter to me the most" Graf eouldnt have been happier about overcoming her physical and emotional problems to take her third consecutive Grand Slam title, adding the VS. Open champion- See Oeea on page 20 EastCaKina27Syiacua24 Florida State 45 Clemson 26 Marytand 32 Carotra 18 Virginia 29 N.C. State 24 Duke 24 Rutoera14 Tulane35 Forest 9 LSU 34Mssisaippl State 16 Arkansas 51 -Sou Cafoane 21 Tennessee 30 Georgia 27 Auburn 76.lT-Chananooga 10 State 10 Florida 42 Kentucky 7 VMSO Liberty 31 frGa. Soutwi 34-MlTem 26 App. Steal 44 5lftiu7 The CRadei 27-Woflort 10 Toledo 41 E.

Tern. Stats 20 S.C. State 27 21 Marshal 45 Tsm Tsch 14 x-et Georgia Dome Even more importantly, West is doing it the old-rashioned way. Just like Danny did. Men's final of the U.S.

Open Panthers tangle with Buffalo Braves vrrap up series vnth FUmda.