The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 24

(The dimes I (ThfQImr snrevcport tU110S.com COLLEGE FOOTBALL EXTRA FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2003 2 Standings Rankings Cobbs comes back from the edge A ACC Com. 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 MGamet Flonda St. Oemson wake Forest Virginia Duke Maryland State North Carolina Georgia Tecfi SATURDAY'S GAMES North Carolina at State. 1 m. Wake Forest at Worn 2 30pm.

Maryland at Michigan, 5 pm. Flonda St at Duke, 6 pm. Georgia Tech at VanderMt, 6 m. BI0 12 CONFERENCE North Conference All Garnet I I Nebraska 10 4 0 Missoun 0 0 4 0 Kansas St. 0 0 4 1 Kansas 0 0 3 1 Iowa St.

0 0 2 1 Colorado 0 0 2 2 South Conference An Games Oklahoma 0 0 4 0 Texas 0 0 2 1 TeasAAM 0 0 2 1 Tews Tech 0 0 2 1 Baylor 0 0 2 2 Oklahoma St 0 13 1 had just 21 carries in the final seven games. There also was his arrest and conviction for driving under the influence of and possession of marijuana after the 2002 Cotton Bowl loss to Oklahoma. Cobbs turned 21 in on Jan. 9, 2002, while police officers searched his car. That incident and the injuries forced Cobbs to look inside for strength and he said Krayer and his religious faith el)ed him mature.

Whatever happened, Nutt has seen a different player working hard during the summer to stay free from injury. "When I say he humbled himself, I think through his running back coach (Danny Nutt), his family, through friends and teammates, I think he has worked himself all the way back," Nutt said. "He's quick to give credit to the offensive line, knowing it takes a team effort for him to get three straight 100-yard games." Nutt has been so impressed by the senior's he let him back on the field for one more carry against North Texas last week when he heard Cobbs needed tliree more yards for 100. That also gave Cobbs 20 carries in back-to4)ack games for the first time in his career. Before this season, Cobbs had only four lOftyard games and never in consecutive outings.

Still, Cobbs has a positive attitude as he attempts to play his first full October since 1999. "There's been many times that I just wanted to give up football or transfer because tilings just weren't working out, said Cobbs, who wouldn't be here this year if the separated shoulder in 2000 had happened in the fourth game he wouldn't have a fifth year of eligibility. "I stuck it out and took everything that came to me whether it was good or bad and here I am. It's my fifth year at the University of Arkansas and things are starting to work out for me." Running back's return to form keys Arkansas' surge. By Douglat Plli The Associated Press FAYETTEYI11E.

Ark. -G-dric Cobbs starU'd spring drills unsure of himself. The Arkansas running back had fallen a long way from a can't-miss NFL guy after a standout freshman season in I'M. Everyone heaped glorious amounts of praise ujxn him tliat year, and he expected to already have a professional jersey fit-ting snug around liis 6-2, 219-pound frame. However, here he was, preparing for his fifth season as a Raorbaok.

With Fred Talley gone afttr leading Arkansas in rushing for tliree seasons, it was finally Cobbs' turn to shine. But did he want the ball? There were doubts in my mind, that I didn't have the mentality or even the desire to play." Cobbs said. "When I got out there during the spring, it showed me that I still had it." Cobbs displayed his old sprinter's speed during the spring he worked out with coach John McDonnell's squad during the indoor track season and that's carried over to No. 9 Arkansas' surprising SO start As the Razorbacks open Southeastern Conference play at Alabama (2-2) this Saturday, Cobbs k-ads the league in rushing at 121.3 yards per game, with 364 yards on 52 carries. He's also No.

1 among the conference's top rushers at 7 yards per carry-Arkansas has always been a run-first team, but Cobbs is the first Raorback since Jerry Eckwood in 1975 to start the season with three straight 100-yard games. Eckwood had five to start the season in Frank Broyles' next-to-last season, as 'V. THURSDAY'S RESULT Nebraska 38. Southern Miss 14 SATURDAY'S GAMES Missouri at Kansas. 12 30 pm Pittsburgh at Texas 3 30 m.

Iowa St. at N. Illinois. 4 m. Tuiane at Texas, 7 pm, Texas Tech alOle Miss, 7 m.

BIG EAST CONFERENCE Conference All Game Miami 10 4 0 VirgimaTech 0 0 3 0 Pittsburgh 0 0 2 1 Rutgers 0 0 2 1 Syracuse 0 0 2 1 West Virginia 0 0 13 Temple 0 0 0 3 BostonCoHege 0 12 2 SATURDAY'S GAMES Connecticut at Virginia Tech. 11am. Ball St at Boston College. Noon Temple at Lowsve. 1 m.

Pittsburgh at Texas ASM. 2 30 p.m. Toledo at Syracuse. 5 30 m. Navy at Rutgers, 6 pm.

BIG TEN CONFERENCE APTop25 The Top 25 teams The Associated Press college football poll. with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sept 20. total points based on 25 points tor a first-place vote through one point kx a 25th-piace vote, and previous ranking: Record Pu Pvt 1. Oklahoma (55) 4-0 1.612 1 2. Miami (3) 40 1.537 2 3.

Southern Cat (2) 30 1.495 4 4 One Si 15) 4-0 1,415 5 5. Virginia Tocft 30 1.304 8 6. Flonda St. 4-0 1.265 10 7. LSU 4-0 1.257 11 S.Tennessee 3-0 1.227 12 9 Arkansas 30 978 14 10 Oregon 40 966 22 11.

Michigan 3-1 98 3 12 Georgia 3-1 8fl8 7 13 Iowa 40 877 18 H. Texas 2-1 788 13 15 Nebraska 3-0 737 15 16 Kansas Si 4-1 540 6 17 Pittsburgh 2-1 457 9 18 Washington 2-1 441 19 19. TCU 30 409 20 20. N. Illinois 30 392 21.

Washington Si 3-1 265 24 22. Purdue 2-1 234 25 23 Missouri 40 175 23 24 Minnesota 40 168 25. Florida 2-2 142 17 Others receiving votes: Toledo 109. Anzona St. 90.

C. State 90. Louisville 79. Wake Forest 54. Bowling Green 44, Virginia 36, Wisconsd 32.

Marshall 24, Oklahoma Si 17, Alabama 11. Miami (Ohio) 9, Air Force 8. Maryland 7. Michigan St. 7, Cincinnati 6.

UNLV 6. South Carolina 5. Texas 3, BYU 1. USA TodayESPN Top 25 Poll The top 25 teams in the USA Today-ESPN college football poll, with first-place voles parentheses, team's records through Seol 20. points based on 25 points for a first-place vote, through one point for a 25th-piace vote and last week's ranking: Record PU Pvs 1 Oklahoma (51) 40 1.557 1 2 Miami (6) 40 1.503 2 3.

Southern Cal(1) 30 1.435 3 4 Ohio State (5) 40 1.393 4 5. Virginia Tech 30 1.294 8 6. Flonda State 40 1.251 9 7. LSI) 40 1.206 10 8 Tennessee 3-0 1.139 12 9 Iowa 40 964 14 10. Michigan 3-1 870 5 11.

Nebraska 30 808 15 12 Georgia 3-1 804 7 13. Texas 2-1 7 13 14. Arkansas 30 790 18 15. Oregon 40 780 22 16. Kansas State 4-1 620 6 17.

TCU 30 457 19 18. Washington 2-1 356 21 19. Pittsburgh 2-1 340 11 20. Minnesota 40 292 25 21. Washington St.

3-1 282 24 22. Northern Illinois 30 238 NR 23. Missouri 40 164 NR 24. Anzona St 2-1 157 16 25. Flonda 2-2 133 17 Others receiving votes: North Carolina State 1 1 1 Purdue 1 1 1 Air Force 81 Virginia 72: Marshall 68, Wisconsin 68: Louisville 58; Toledo 55: Texas 50; Bowling Green 26.

Wake Forest 17: Oemson 15: Oklahoma State 14; UCLA 12; Boise State 11; Bngham Young 11; UNLV 11; Michigan State Cincinnati Utah 8: Miami (Ohio Fresno State 6. Stanford Maryland 4: Oregon State Texas Tech Southern Mississippi 1. Division l-AA Poll The top 25 teams in the Sports Network Division l-AA football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sept. 21 and previous ranking: Rgc Pts Pvs I. 3-1 2.547 1 2.

W. Illinois (13) 3-1 2.430 2 3. W.Kentucky (12) 3-0 2.399 3 4. Northeastern (1) 40 2.232 4 5. Villanova (2) 30 2.165 5 6.

Bethune-Cookman 30 1.948 7 7. Delaware 3-0 1.944 8 8. Furman 2-1 1.879 9 9. Montana 2-1 1,653 10 10. Massachusetts 2-1 1.554 12 11.

Northwestern St. 3-1 1494 15 12. Idaho State 2-1 1.229 14 13. Southern Illinois 30 1,144 17 14. Cal Poly 30 1.077 21 1 5.

WofforrJ 2-1 1.059 25 16. Georgia Southern 1-2 977 6 17. Fordham 3-1 870 18 18. Grambling State 2-2 843 13 19. Lehigh 30 788 20 20.

Montana State 1-2 500 11 21. Penn 10 489 23 22. Colgate 3-0 470 24 23. Illinois State 3-1 403 24. Maine 2-2 347 16 25.

Northern Arizona 2-1 294 Sheridan Poll Arkansas' Cedric Cobbs leads the SEC in rushing yards per game with 121.3. shirt after separating his right shoulder in the third game of 2000, against Alabama. He missed part of 2001 with a hamstring injury and, after starting the first four games in 2002, he suffered a turf toe injury. When he returned last year, Talley was on his way to a season, so Cobbs sat on the bench, pushed his weight over 230 pounds and Conference All Game I I Iowa 0 0 4 0 Minnesota 0 0 4 0 Oho St. 0 0 4 0 Michigan 0 0 3 1 Michigan St.

0 0 3 1 Wisconsin 0 0 3 1 Purdue 0 0 2 1 Northwestern 0 0 2 2 PermSt 0 0 2 2 Illinois 0 0 13 Indiana 0 0 1 3 Huskers fans overtake Hattiesburg Carey: LSU back not of the typical RB mold 1 working with the kickoff team and on the goal line he's blocking for De'Arrius Howard." Cobbs endured a lot to reach this point After setting a freshman record with 668 yards while splitting time with Chrys Chukwuma, Cobbs has known nothing but injury and off-field problems. He earned a medical red- you to print it," he said. Start me up: Timmy Blackwell was making his first start of the season at tailback for Southern Miss. James WaHey started the first two games, but the two backs have basically been sharing the position. Blackwell, a junior, was kicked off the team last year but given a second chance by coach Jeff Bower this season.

Blackwell had been by far the better of the two tailbacks through the first tliree games. Blackwell, the faster of the two runners, was leading the team in rushing with 215 yards and was averaging 5.4 yards a carry. Walley, who is more of an inside runner, came into the game with 140 yards and a 2.4 yards per carry average. Odd and ends: Hie Golden Eagles and Comhuskers complete their three-game series next season in Lincoln. The expected crowd was one of the six smallest Nebraska has played in front of since 1990 Southern Miss was 2-10 against the Big 12 entering the game.

The Comhuskers were 124 against teams currently in Conference USA. he came near another time, you can argue that their level of material hasnt been separated at all from any of the traditional powers of the last decade. Not in terms of the level of talent they had 10 years ago or even 15 years ago. What's different about the ACC offer than the Big Ten offer? If you go into tlie ACC Nortli, it will be easier tlian winning in the Big Ten. Ask Joe Paterno how much more difficult it is to win in the Big Ten than it is with a schedule of Eastern independents.

Paterno has replaced Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Syracuse with Ohio State, Michigan and Iowa and it's not working out quite as wel Notre Dame's not dumb, it knows thai You might have Miami to deal with, but they'd be in the ACC South. I go back to that decision in 1992 argue all you want against the BCS, and I know Roy Kramer was the author of it By Ralph D. Russo The Associated Press HATTIESBURG, Miss. Bob Healey came all the way from California to see Nebraska play Southern Mississippi. Mike Berglund, a transplanted Cornhusker living in Alabama, got to see his favorite team live for the first time in 10 years.

And Ken Jacobs and his wife decided to take the week off and drive 1,150 miles from Snyder, to watch the Comhuskers in person. A record crowd of more than 36,000 was expected to pack M.M Roberts Stadium to see No. 15 Nebraska play against Southern Miss on Thursday night. Many were dressed in red and rooting for the road team. Nebraska sold 3,500 tickets to its fans.

Healey, 61, is a Nebraska alum living with his wife, Diane, in Irvine, Calif. "We try to hit one or two games a year," Bob Healey said. The last and only time Healey was in Mississippi was 1964. He stopped in Vicksburg Arkansas tied for the Southwest Conference championship and beat Georgia in the Cotton Bowl Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said he's glad Cobbs is back this year. "He's always been a good football player when he's been healthy," Nutt said.

"He's been healthy (this year) and he works extremely hard. He's been unselfish, on the way to Miami to watch the Comhuskers play in the Orange Bowl. Berglund, from Asheville, is a Nebraska alum who has been living the South for years. His wife is an Alabama alum. The last time he got to see Nebraska in person it was in Lincoln.

"It was cold. I had five layers of clothes on," he said. This is a lot different. Heat and humidity." Jacobs, 66, and his wife made the trip in a day and a half. This was kind of a lark.

We like this part of the country," Jacobs said. They are heading back r'riday morning. They have to be back by Sunday to work at the restaurant they own. Jacobs said Golden Eagles fans have greeted them with Southern hospitality. "Very courteous," Jacobs said, describing Southern Miss fans.

"A lot better than a lot places we've been lately." Typical of the famously well-mannered Nebraska fans, Jacobs didn't single out the places where he has received a kss than warm welcome. "I would but I wouldn't want you're one short. Ahh, go ahead, well let you play your championship game," Now it's absolutely incumbent on the ACC to get that 12th team and get it by 2004 going into the 2005 season. Notre Dame, when you look at the amount of money that it is able to command as an institution by itself, is different than everybody else. Yeah, but it is not as different as it once was.

It's not as easy to recruit in today's environment at any school that can't offer a chance at a conference championship. Yeah, they get a piece of the BCS, but what is that really? Is that as big as saying you're a Big 12, SEC or Pac-10 champion? Not really. Today's prospective student-athletes wants to hear about chances of winning conference championships and national cliampionships. It's that age-old theory of "I want more than one ring." Since Lou Holte won his national championship, and since Ree Pts 1. Bethune-Cookman 30 300 2.

Southern U. 30 238 3. Grambling State 2-2 219 4. Alabama State 3-1 173 5. Flonda 2-2 132 6.

Alabama 2-2 92 7. Fayetteville State 2-1 73 8. Hampton 2-1 67 9. Tennessee State 2-2 51 10. North Carolina 2-1 45 SATURDAY'S GAMES Indiana at Michigan.

11am. Iowa at Michigan St It am. Minnesota at Perm 11am. Northwestern at Ohio 1 1 a m. Notre Dame at Purdue.

2 30 m. Wisconsin at Illinois, 5 pm. CONFERENCE USA Conference All Game I Southern Miss. 2 0 2 2 Cincinnati 10 3 0 TCU 10 3 0 Tuiane 113 1 louGville 0 0 3 0 Houston 0 0 3 1 South Flonda 0 0 11 Memphis 0 12 1 UAB 0 113 Army 0 10 3 East Carolina 0 10 4 THURSDAY'S RESULT Nebraska 38. Southern Miss.

14None SATURDAY'S GAMES South Flonda at Army. Noon Temple at Louisville. 1 m. Arkansas St at Memphis, 1 m. Cincinnati at Miami (Ohio), 1 p.m.

Tuiane at Texas. 6 p.m. TCU al Arizona. 8 m. TUESDAY'S GAME Houston at East Carolina, 6.30 p.m.

PACIFIC-10 CONFERENCE Conference All Games Oregon 10 4 0 Southern Cal 0 0 3 0 Stanford 0 0 2 0 Oregon St. 0 0 3 1 Washington St. 0 0 3 1 Ariz. St. 0 0 2 1 Washington 0 0 2 1 California 0 0 2 3 UCLA 0 0 12 Arizona 0 113 SATURDAY'S GAMES Stanford at Washington, 2:30 m.

Washington St. at Oregon, 2:30 p.m. Southern Cal at California, 4 p.m. Arizona St. at Oregon 5:30 p.m.

TCU at Anzona. 8 m. San Diego St. at UCLA, 9 p.m. SEC East Conference All Games Tennessee 10 3 0 Georgia 1 1 3 1 S.

Carolina 0 13 1 Flonda 0 12 2 Kentucky 0 12 2 Vanderbilt 0 2 13 West Conference All Games LSU 10 4 0 Ole Miss 10 2 1 Alabama 10 2 2 Auburn 10 12 Arkansas 0 0 3 0 Miss. St 0 0 0 3 SATURDAY'S GAMES Florida at Kentucky, 11:30 a.m. Arkansas at Alabama. 2:30 p.m. W.

Kentucky at Auburn, 4 p.m. Texas Tech at Ole Miss, 6 p.m. Georgia Tech at Vanderbilt. 6 p.m. S.

Carolina at Tennessee, 6:45 p.m. LSU at Mississippi 8 p.m. MAJOR INDEPENDENTS All Games Connecticut 3 1 Navy 2 1 Troy St. 2 2 Notre Dame 1 2 SATURDAY'S GAMES Connecticut at Virginia Tech, 11a.m. Notre Dame at Purdue, 2:30 p.m.

Navy at Rutgers, 5 p.m. Marshall at Trov St. 6 p.m. Continued from 1C Last season, LSU had Carey at receiver, but after LaBrandon Toefield went down with an injury halfway through the season, he had a new position to learn. Even he was a little skeptical of what the coaches wanted from him.

"I'm not a running back. Look at me," Carey said. That was the role they told me that I had to do to get on the field. That was the only way to get on the field, I was just eager to get on the field and show what I could do." He's shown incredible moves, like the one he put on Davis. Through four games, he's been the team's leading rusher in two and scored a touchdown in each game.

The guy has got some special ability, some fantastic cuts," Saban said. "He's got good vision as a runner. He's a great change of pace guy to go along with Joseph there is no doubt the best thing that ever happened to college football was split into two different divisions and have a title game at the end, it's worth a lot of money to every school in your league Once Note Dame realizes all of those advantages and it has to think ahead this derision could set the tone for the next 15 and 20 years. Notre Dame could be financially left behind and no one ever figured that would happen The players of today are not as apt to say "oh, well I have to go to Notre Dame" They want facilities and conference championships. Yeah, Notre Dame delivers, but it doesn't separate itself the way it once did.

Games to watch this weekend: Washington State can give Oregon all it wants. If the Quack Attack is enjoying their victory a little too much, look out Matt Kegel, Devard Darling and a newfound running game at Wazzou could make for an end Notre Dame should think long and hard about joining the ACC it Apt' Special to Tlw Times LSU's Shyrone Carey (2) has "special ability" according to coach Nick Saban. Addai, based on the conflicting styles of runners. "He's added tremendous amount to our offense right now and he's much more confident about what he's doing right now, so hell continue to do that." of the celebration in Euguene after there win against Michigan. Arkansas better be prepared to get Alabama's best shot The Crimson Tide doesn't have anything to play for in tlie post season, so you know they want to reassert themselves after their loss to Northern Illinois which by the way was no fluke.

Expect Alabama to make this one as entertaining as ever. Here's the untold story that none of the LSU fans want to come to grips with: After beating Georgia, this team that was a year away, maybe two, might have never had a schedule set up any better. Auburn, Arkansas and Florida coming to them and then having to go to Alabama. This is a year you wouldn't mind going to Alabama Tim Brando can be heard on The Sporting News Radio every weekday from 2-5 p.m. and seen Saturdays on CBS College Football Today.

vr; Notre Dame will never be in a conference says many of its bluebloods. WeD, think again. The landscape has changed since the Big Ten made its offer to Notre Dame and it might be in the best interest of the Urn Brando Irish to strongly consider going to the Atlantic Coast Conference. No team sport will change more in the next two years than college footbaD. The gauntlet was aid by the ACC when it raided the Big East Conference and got maybe not the tree teams they wanted, but the one team they had to have Miami Being one team short of tlie 124eam requirement for having a playoff game means the full- Opinion court press is on in that basketball conference to get a member as soon as possible.

We're talking about a $9 million or $10 million opportunity lost if they dont get their championship game. No one should be surprised that the NCAA balked at the idea of giving the ACC a break on allowing them to split divisions with 11 teams. The NCAA can command some respect over being a regulatory commission for college football, but nothing else. Helping the BCS conference commissioner make more money for his league doesnt beenfit the NCAA at al It only benefits those schools that have the rights to make whatever money they want to make. The NCAA is still smarting over losing in court in 1982 when Georgia and Oklahoma won that anti-trust lawsuit and forever changed the future of the game of college footbalSo why should they decide "oh yeah sure, you've got 11 teams, 1.

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