Hattiesburg American from Hattiesburg, Mississippi • 25

1C Sunday, September 14, 1986 Hattiesburg AMERICAN ABADIE COLUMN, page 2C OUTDOORS COLUMN, page 6C NFL ROUNDUP, page 7C CLASSIFIED ADS, pages 8C-16C USM falls 'short in bid to knock off Tide BY VAN ARNOLD Amsrlcan Staff Writer BIRMINGHAM, Ala. USM's Golden Eagles fell to the occasion more than once here Saturday afternoon against the fourth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. The Eagles' failure to seize these precious moments enabled the Tide to secure a 31-17 triumph before 71,000 sun-drenched fans at Legion Field. "We can't say we didn't have our opportunities today," bemoaned USM junior center Jim Ferrell. "I don't think this game was so much a case of Alabama being a lot better team than us.

We just didn't take advantage of our chances out there. "It seems like that happens to us every time we play them." USM coach Jim Carmody echoed Ferrell's sentiments, while exalting Alabama's virtues in the same breath. "We had a good game plan and I think we had a definite chance to win the game," Carmody said. "But you can see, by the way Alabama played today, that they certainly deserve their national ranking." fumble at the Bama 31 with eight minutes remaining in the second quarter, USM moved to the Tide 12 in five plays. Facing a fourth-and-one situation, USM elected to test the Crimson waters.

However, a busted play in the backfield resulted in a fumble by quarterback Andrew Anderson. "The power back (Carl Jones) bumped my elbow when he went by for the fake," Anderson said. "It was supposed to be an option play but we never got a chance to run it." Adios momento. On their next possession, the Eagles marched 44 yards to the Bama 10 but were forced to settle for a 27-yard Rex Banks field goal. "Sure, it was frustrating for us not to punch the ball into the end zone those times," Ferrell said.

"But what really bothered me was the fact that it gave their players the feeling of having made goal line stands. Still, the underdogs held a 10-7 lead after the Banks connection and appeared destined to win the first-half battle with only 1:25 remaining until intermission. But Bama's cool-headed senior quarterback had other ideas. The wily left-hander threw strikes that conjured visions of former Tide great Kenny Stabler if not former Dodger ace Sandy Koufax, as he inarched the hosts 64 yards in eight plays for the go-ahead touchdown. During the assault, Shula completed six of seven passes for 53 yards, including the final 6 yards to split end Greg Richardson for the score with seven seconds remaining.

"I think we have a lot of pride in our ability to move the ball in that situation," said Simla, who finished v'th 17 completion in 28 attempts for 199 yards. "It helped us get the momentum after we had inconsistently in the first half." Ferrell insisted the Eagles did no head hanging once inside the locker room doors. "I thought it might do us some good for them to score like that. I figured it would us off and make us come out even more fired up for the second half." PLEASE turn to page 2C The victory lifted Bama to 3-0, while USM dropped to 1-L Junior linebacker Onesimus Henry provided an early spark to USM's upset bid and nearly scared the Oxydol out of the Tide when he returned a Mike Shula pass 54 yards to paydirt on the game's fifth play. Henry made his first career interception a memorable one by stepping in front of fullback Doug Allen on the third-down aerial.

"We had worked on that play in practice and I could see it coming," Henry said. "That's one of those plays you dream the kind that really gets a team fired up. "After we got that kind of break so early I really figured it was going to be our day." The euphoria lasted about nine minutes as the Tide rolled back on its next series, marching 58 yards in nine plays to tie the score on a 4-yard burst by halfback Bobby Humphrey For the Eagles it marked the first (and regretfully not the last case of Adios Momento. After cornerback Tim Smith recovered a Murry Hill Michigan halts Irish i I On TV today Noon NFL (Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints), CBS. Noon NFL (Los Angeles Raiders at Washington Redskins).

NBC, Noon Tennis (World Couples Championship). ESPN. 12:30 p.m. Baseball (Chicago Cubs at ''i'f i. ih Pirates), WGN.

3 p.m. NFI Francisco 49ers at Lot "ngeles Rams), CBS. 3:05 p.m. Baseball (Atlanta Braves at San Francisco Giants), WTBS. 8 p.m.

Boxing (Mark Breland vs. Reggie Miller; Tyrell Biggs vs. Purcell Davis), ESPN. SEC scores Georgia 31 Duke 7 Kentucky 16, Rutgers 16 Maryland 35, Vandy 21 LSU 35, Texas 17 SEE PAGE 2C Top 20 upset The No. 17 Washington Huskies upset the 10th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes 40-7 in top 20 college action Saturday.

SEE PAGE 3C Tulane tumbles Texas Christian outscored SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AF I was a splendid dream, but at it' close Lou Holtz offered no sentime nt and no regret. Holtz, in liis inaugural game as Notre Dame football coach, cam; within inches of defeating No. 3 Michigan in a dramatic game that ended with a missed Notre Damp field goal with 13 seconds remaining Instead, Michigan survived wi 1 24-23 victory Saturday, and became the second coach in mr Notre Dame history to lose his -t game. "There are no moral vie ores at Notre Dame," he said "I really had in mind a script in which we would come back from behind in the second half and win," he said.

"It just wasn't meant to be." Holtz, a man not given to effusive talk, used only the word "excited" to describe himself as he sprinted onto the field to became the 25th coach to lead one of the nation's high-pressured football programs. "But also focused on the game and winning it," he said. The breaks and the mistakes, however, all seemed to fa!) against Notre Dame, and the focus bit i John Carney, Notre Dame's pre mier kicker, booted wide on a point-after-touchdown attempt in first half, then missed a 45-yard fie; goal attempt in the final seconds. The Irish muffed a kick-off rt after a Michigan third touchdown, and the Wolverines scored again for a 24-14 lead. And in a controversial call, ficials ruled Notre Dame's Jo Williams landed outside the end zoiw when he grabbed a Steve Beuerlein pass in the second half.

"I've never seen so many thing' go wrong on so many little things," Holtz said. Tulane 48-31 Saturday. SEE PAGE 4C Practice shooting Every hunter should practice AMERICAN photo by Steve Coleman USM QUARTERBACK Andrew Anderson (8) defender Saturday afternoon during football looks for a way to get around an Alabama action at Birmingham. shooting before the season begins. It will make things much easier when that "trophy" comes along.

SEE PAGE 7C Arkansas blanks Ole Miss, 21-0 Felker making many believers i V- ft A- "'l'. CrtiV around." He also praised the Arkansas offense in the first half. "For the first 30 minutes we were midseason form," Hatfield said. "I thought Greg Thomas did a great job. We didn protect very well for him in the second half." Thomas completed all six of his passes in the first half for 8 yards and a touchdown but his only two passes in the secorrd half were incomplete.

"We have a big line that can block and that gives me confidence am' time to throw the ball," Thomas said. "I felt like I threw the ball well. I've worked on it all summer and it looks like the work paid off. We went out a little lax in the second half but overall we looked super for a first game." Ole Miss' best scoring opportunity came in the third quarter after a fumble recovery at the Arkansas 14 and a penalty to the Razorback 9. But on fourth and 7, Osgood's pass was intercepted by Richard Brothers in the end zone.

Brothers picked off another Osgood pass at the Arkansas 5 in the fourth quarter. "On the first interception, the receiver took me to the end zone and I saw the quarterback looking at him all the way," Brothers said. "When he threw the ball, just broke on it and got an easy interception. On the second interception, the wide receiver did the same thing. He broke in on a deep post route and I saw the quarterback looking at him all the way again, so I just broke on the ball for another interception." Had the game started with the third quarter kickoff, Ole Miss might have walked away from another PLEASE turn to page 2C The Bulldogs also won because they have a guy named Don Smith at quarterback.

Smith's 62-yard option run for a touchdown with 4 minutes, 40 seconds left put the Bulldogs ahead for good and culminated an outstanding afternoon for th senior from Hamilton. He accounted for 333 of Mississippi State's 408 total yards and had a hand in all four touchdowns. He had 14 carries for 102 yards and completed 15 of 30 passes for 231 yards and three TDs. And he left Tennessee coach Johnny Majors more impressed than ever before. "I don't know when I've seen a performer do as many things as Don Smith did," said Majors.

"He is as good as I thought he was before the game one of the best we've had in our league in the last 10 years." Smith, who missed the LSU victory two years ago with an injury, didn't hesitate when asked how much beating Tennessee meant to him. "That," he said, "was the biggest win of my life." Mississippi State won despite hurting itself with 14 penalties for 103 yards. And the Bulldogs won despite the efforts of Tennessee's William Howard, a 235-pound orange bowling ball disguised as a tailback. Howard carried 34 times for 184 yards and scored all three Vol touchdowns. "He was a bulldozer," said Mississippi State linebacker Jerry Leggett.

"I believe he'll be the best back, or at least the strongest back, we'll face all year," said defensive tackle Michael Simmons. "He was impossible to wrap up." PLEASE turn to page 3C By STEVE SCHAEFFER Special to the American LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Ole Miss Coach Billy Brewer groped for an answer Saturday night after his Rebels lost to 18th ranked Arkansas 21-0. "I wish I had an explanation about our performance," Brewer said. "We were a completely different football team than we were last week, especially in the first two quarters." During the first two periods Arkansas made 16 first downs, held the Rebels to three and scored three touchdowns.

"Arkansas is a much better football team this year in every respect," Brewer said. "They controlled the ball game and never let us in it. This team is the most physical Arkansas team that we've faced." "Basically we came out and were not fired up," said cornerback Stevon Moore. "We couldn't do anything. In the second half we came out fired up but we really couldn't get anything going." "We just stayed down on our 30," said Ole Miss quarterback Chris Osgood.

"You can't let one game determine a season. It's hard to compare Arkansas to last year because they lost a lot of their starters on defense. Their defense is young, but they seem to play with a lot of experience." Arkansas Coach Ken Hatfield said he had never been prouder of a first-game defensive performance. "My hat is off to the defense and the defensive staff," Hatfield said. "We had eight new starters sine last year and turned the ball over twice at our end of the field.

The shutout was one of the greatest I've ever been By RUSTY HAMPTON Gannett News Service KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Rockey Felker stood on a bench in the middle of a packed Mississippi State dressing room, hushed his players, and made a statement. "This," said Felker, "was just the second step. We've got nine left. Pretty soon, people just might start believing him.

His players certainly do. So do some 90,000 orange-clad Tennessee fans, not to mention a national television audience. Saturday, before a Neyland Stadium crowd of 89,897, the Bulldogs upset the eighth-ranked Volunteers 27-23. It was Mississippi State's first Southeastern Conference victory since Nov. 15, 1984, when they upset then No.

7-ranked Louisiana State University. But that game was at the end of the season, when Mississippi State already was out of the SEC title race. Saturday's win left Mississippi State, 2-0 overall, tied for the SEC lead at 1-0. And it came in a fashion bound to cause some eyebrows to be raised from coast-to-coast: Against the defending SEC and Sugar Bowl champions. "But you have to remember," said Mississippi State strong safety Brian Hutson, displaying to what degree Felker's positive thinking has influenced this team, "Rockey kept telling us, this team won the Sugar Bowl last year.

They haven't won anything yet this year." "You guys won because you believed in yourself," Felker said to his players. "You didn't listen to all the criticism about 'can you guys really win Y'all won because you wanted to." AMERICAN ohotoov Sieve Colenun Ti HANCFORD (S3) of USM races away from Wayne Davis during college action at tirmmgham, USM Vincent Alex-.