Hattiesburg American from Hattiesburg, Mississippi • 15

PORT INSIDE: Scoreboard 2B Area notepad 3B College football NFL 6B Sunday, November 1, 1998 1 David Lanier, Sports Editor 584-3119 E-mail address HBAmericanaol.com ON USM FOOTBALL DAVID LANIER Crimson Tide quarterback riddles Southern Miss secondary 20 jjQ 30 By TIM DOHERTY AMERICAN Sports Writer TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Seemingly every year, the University of Southern Mississippi crosses the state border and finds a way to lose a football game to the University of Alabama. Saturday, USM's pass defense, the 11th best unit in the country, was torched by a red-shirt freshman quarterback making his fourth career start as Alabama knocked off USM 30-20 before 83,818 at sold-out Bryant-Denny Stadium. "We always leave this place with a hurt feeling, at least the five years that I've been here," USM senior quarterback Lee Roberts said. "It's tough to forget a game like this." Indeed.

USM gained 388 yards in a venue where the Golden Eagles historically have had trouble moving the football. But USM could not stop 'Bama quarterback Andrew Zow, who threw for a career-high 361 yards and three touchdowns. All three scores went to receiver Michael Vaughn on passes of 33, 62 and 1 yards. The three tied the Inside Best Worst Special teams play Teamindividual statistics Notebook Page 5B Tide's school mark, which had been done three times in the past. USM was the victim on two of those other occasions.

Aided by 141 yards rushing on a See EAGLES, 5B -v A. li fill -v-', -X Tide freshman plays like veteran start. "The line performed great," said Zow, who had hit only 48 percent of his passes with three scores and five picks going into Saturday's game against the llth-ranked pass defense in the country. "I'm becoming more and more comfortable with the plays and the game plan," said Zow, whose passing yards was the most for Alabama since 1994 when the Tide threw for 325 yards on Mississippi State. It was the sixth-best passing day in Alabama history.

"He really played well," USM coach Jeff Bower said. "He stayed in there and showed a lot of poise. But we didn't put a lot of pressure on him." Zow made the most of it, especially on third down, helping the Tide convert nine of 16 third-down plays. Eight different Tide By DAVID LANIER AMERICAN Sports Editor TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Holy Zow! Alabama redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Zow came into his own Saturday, giving Tide fans a reason to feel good about the next couple of years and Southern Mississippi backers a reason to worry.

"I didn't feel a lot of pressure to perform," said Zow, whose coming out party included 361 yards and three touchdowns passing to lead the Tide to a 30-20 victory at Denny-Bryant Stadium. Zow didn't feel a lot of pressure from the Eagles, either, usually enjoying plenty of time to find a receiver left open by a busted coverage. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder from Lake Butler, completed 26 of 35 passes and didn't throw an interception in his fourth career Alabama continues to rule USM TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Southern Mississippi pulled out all the tricks, using a fake field goal and two fake punts to make Alabama and a packed house at Bryant-Denny Stadium squirm a little Saturday. Still, in the end, all the Golden Eagles got for all their knavery was a rock.

USM proved once again, and fittingly on Halloween, that nothing quite puts the jitters in this program like a bunch of guys of similar talent dressed in crimson jerseys and white pants. "I don't think it has anything to do with Alabama," USM linebacker T.J. Slaughter said after the Eagles 30-20 loss, to a team considered a three-point underdog. "They play a little better." True, but for some reason, USM plays a little worse or in the case of a zombie-like secondary, a lot worse when it faces Alabama. And regardless of the psyches or other intangible explanations, the bottom line is USM has lost seven straight to Alabama and 12 of the last 13.

That despite being considered the Tide's "equal." Same old Last year, turnovers did in USM. The year before it was a sloppy offensive showing. The year before that, it was something else. The year before that, something else that was equally unexpected. This time, the Eagles were done in by their strong suit, of all things.

"We didn't do the job, no USM end Adalius Thomas, who had 10 tackles and a sack. "Anyone on the defense will say the same thing. We let the team down and we let the school down." That's a little harsh, but there's no denying that the Eagle defense didn't pin down Andrew Zow: Alabama's redshirt freshman quarterback torched a USM defense allowing only 139 yards passing a game for 361 yards and three scores, completing 26 of 35 passes and generally spooking the Eagles. "We let him get too comfortable in there," Slaughter said, explaining how a Tide quarterback making his fourth career start could play more like Joe Namath or Ken Stabler than Freddie Kitchens. Boo The Eagles' customary tightening of the muscles in the throat area while in Alabama, though, had more to do with the outcome than the defense.

There was the 33-yard socring pass from Zow to Michael Vaughn on third-and- 26. Vaughn got behind the secondary, even though USM was rushing three and playing four-deep coverage. There was the blocked field goal that would have pulled USM within 27-20 with a quarter left. There was the dropped pass for a touchdown by receiver Todd Pinkston, who is having an outstanding season. And there was the fumble recovery in the fourth quarter, only to be called for offsides; the Alabama receiver left uncovered in the slot for a gimmee score; and the two fumbles to stall drives.

"Every year we're supposed to beat them, but Slaughter said, then itook a long breath and stopped. There was no need for him to finish'. David Lanier Is sports editor, of the Hattiesburg American. He can be reached at 584-3119 or 1-800-844-4326. li 8 "til The Associated Press HARD HITTING: Alabama running back Shaun Alexander loses control of the football during action Saturday afternoon at Tuscaloosa, against Southern Mississippi.

USM's Terrence Parrish, left, is one of the Golden Eagles trying to get the loose ball. Jones wins game, South Division title (7) receivers caught passes. Panthers seek 1st win vs. Saints CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Coach Mike Ditka doesn't subscribe to the school of thought that the longer the Carolina Panthers remain winless, the more dangerous they become for opponents.

Ditka's main problem with the theory is that the Panthers' next opponent is his team, the New Orleans Saints. "Anybody we play is going to be dangerous for us," Ditka said. I Indeed, the Saints are near bottom of the NFL's rankings in both offense and defense, but they've still got a 4-3 record heading into today's game. For the Panthers to snap their six-game home losing skid, they need to stop giving up big plays. Carolina already has allowed 38 pass plays of at least 20 yards this season and 25 rushing plays of at least 10 yards.

"Losing eats at you, period, whether it's home or on the road," Carolina quarterback Steve Beuerlein said. "Obviously you'd like to be dominant at home, but we're not winning anywhere." Saints notes, 6B Game officials restored order and tried to play the final seven seconds. Three more snaps were needed, thanks to a Southwest timeout and a defensive penalty. After each play, game officials had to chase spectators from the playing surface. After five years, seven more seconds were certainly worth the wait.

"This is unbelievable," Jones freshman wide receiver Javon Walker said. "Coach Dykes told us at the beginning of the year, we could go undefeated. That we had a chance at all of this. Sooner or later, it will sink in." Walker had the biggest play of the Bobcats' miraculous comeback. Southwest led 17-7 at half-time and still held that lead until quarterback Tim Weathersby hit Walker in the corner of the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown with 3:17 remaining.

The play capped a 64-yard, six-play drive set up by a Jermaine Keyes fumble recovery. The touchdown came on a third- See JONES, 4B By SCOTT WALTERS AMERICAN Sports Writer ELLISVILLE Jones Junior College football fans, friends and alumni stormed Bush-Young Stadium on four separate occasions Saturday afternoon. Even a fourth try at celebrating could not deter the happy throng as the Bobcats celebrated their first South Division championship since the 1993 season with a heart-stopping 19-17 win over Southwest Mississippi Community College in a Halloween thriller. Jones will host Northwest Mississippi Community College in the state championship game here Nov. 14.

Saturday's win was clinched when Southwest's Mac Hart failed to deliver on a 48-yard field goal attempt. The kick had the distance but sailed wide left. Jones coach Parker Dykes ran to midfield and started hugging players. Assistant coaches, managers and eventually fans followed suit. Daniel LeoboldHattiesburg American BIG YARDAGE: Jones running back Antonio Battle (32) runs through a Southwest defender Saturday at Ellisville.

ON TV SCOREBOARD AHEAD IN SPORTS MONDAY: New Orleans Saints TUESDAY: Prep football rankings WEDNESDAY: Prep Game of the Week THURSDAY: Southern Miss football FRIDAY: Staff football predictions SATURDAY: "Eagles Game Day" SUNDAY: College football LET'S HEAR FROM YOU To submit items or news tips for Sports, call 584-3119 or send them to David Lanier, Sports Editor, Hattiesburg American, P.O. Box 1111, Hattiesburg, MS, 39403; or fax them to 584-3130; or send them via E-mail to HBAmericanaol.com championship match, at Stuttgart, Germany, same-day tape), ESPN. 2 p.m. Movie "Mr. Destiny," starring James Belushi about a man whose fate whose determined by an at-bat in a high school baseball game), TBS.

2:30 p.m. CART Auto Racing (Championship 500, at Fontana, ESPN. 3 p.m. NFL Football (San Francisco at Green Bay), WXXV. 3 p.m.

Skating (World Pro Championships, Washington, D.C.), WDAM. 5 p.m. NHRA Drag Racing (Mateo Tool Supernationals, at Houston), TNN. 6 p.m. Wrestling "Exposed" reveals pro wrestling's secrets), WDAM.

7:15 p.m. NFL Football (Oakland at Seattle), ESPN. TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS 9:30 a.m. Running (New York City Marathon, at New York), ESPN2. 10 a.m.

Center Court Classics (Bjorn Borg vs. John McEnroe in 1980 Wimbledon final), CLASSIC. 11:30 a.m.- NASCAR Auto Racing (Winston Cup Series, ACDelco 400, at Rockingham, N.C), TNN. Noon NFL Football (New Orleans at Carolina), WXXV. Noon NFL Football (Miami at Buffalo), WHLT.

12:30 p.m. Football Coach's Show (Southern Miss coach Jeff Bower), WL0X. 1 p.m. PGA Golf (The Tour Championship, final round, at Atlanta), WL0X. 1 p.m.

Men's tennis (Eurocard Open, No. 17 Syracuse 45, Pittsburgh 20 No. 18 Missouri 28, Texas Tech 26 No. 20 Virginia Tech 27. No.

21 W.Virginia 13 No. 22 Michigan 15, Minnesota 10 No. 23 Georgia Tech 31, Maryland 14 No. 25 Miami 35, Boston College 17 HOCKEY National Hockey League Carolina 2, Boston 0 N.Y. Islanders 3, Philadelphia 2 Ottawa 5, Montreal 1 Buffalo 6, Toronto 3 New Jersey 3, Florida 1 Anaheim 2, St.

Louis 2 (tie) Nashville 3, Colorado 2 Dallas 3, Detroit 2 Pittsburgh at Edmonton, late Tampa Bay at San Jose, late Southeastern Conference No. 3 Tennessee 49, South Carolina 14 No. 6 Florida 38, No. 11 Georgia 7 No. 14 Arkansas 24, Auburn 21 Vanderbilt 36, Duke 33, 20T Southwestern Athletic Conference Alabama State 34, Alabama 28, 0T Top 25 No.

1 Ohio State 38, Indiana 7 No. 2 UCLA 28, Stanford 24 No. 4 Kansas State 54, Kansas 6 No. 5 Florida State 39, North Carolina 13 Texas 20, No. 7 Nebraska 16 No.

8 Texas 17, Oklahoma State 6 No. 10 Penn State 27, Illinois 0 No. 13 Arizona 38, No. 12 Oregon 3 No. 15 Virginia 38, Wake Forest 17 No.

1 6 Notre Dame 27, Baylor 3 FOOTBALL State Colleges Alabama 30, Southern Miss 20 Ole Miss38, LSU 31, 0T Miss. Valley State 38, Prairie View 6 Jackson State 41, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 34 Delta State 26, Southern Arkansas 25 U. of the South 24, Millsaps 7 Miss. College 45, Sul Ross State 36 Clinch Valley 38, Belhaven 20 Junior Colleges Jones 19, Southwest 17 Gulf Coast 21, Copiah-Lincoln 14 Conference USA No. 19Tulane 72, SW Louisiana 20 Houston 34, East Carolina 31 Louisville 63, Western Kentucky 34 Memphis 35, Arkansas State 19.