Quad-City Times from Davenport, Iowa • 2

11 1 1MOIfc irriMni.Q 3S FOOTBALL v. 27, 1993 MountaDoeeirs lobby for bid After rallying for perfect regular year, West Virginia wants to face Nebraska HflW- QUAD-CITY TIMES 1 tamtam NFL NOTES Redskins put Monk on bench II Younger Howard takes over position WASHBURN, Va. (AP) Art Monk, the NFL's all-time leading receiver, is getting benched by the Washington Redskins in favor of what their coach calls a "young kid" who should have stayed in school another year. Nobody from Monk, a 44-year veteran, to coach Richie Petitbon, to the Redskins' other receivers is happy about it. Except, possibly, 1992 Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard, and he's not talkine.

i'-O sYl II ya ASSOCIATED PRESS' Nebraska quarterback Tommle Frazier tries to Larry Bush and get off a pass In the second elude the rush by Oklahoma defensive back quarter. 'Huskers back up brashness 2-yard run in the second quarter, bulled his way 10 yards and 4 more in the drive for the go-, ahead touchdown that gave Nebraska the chance it wanted to play for a national title. The Huskers battled for their chance and overcame criticism for its bowl losing streak and against what some perceived to be a soft schedule. "The only way you can Frazler go down and win," Frazier said of the new bowl test. "There is going to be no bad-mouthing from us and we can't get anyone to shut up because all that people say is out of control.

We will respond by winning." Running back Calvin Jones said the regular-season finale probably wouldn't do much to improve Nebraska's national image, because of a miserable first half. The Nebraska rushing leader with 1,042 yards on the season, after his 82 against BOSTON (AP) There's no doubt in West Virginia coach Don Nehlen's mind. Performance dictates his team should play Nebraska for the national title. Politics, he's afraid, will say otherwise. The fifth-ranked Mountaineers' stunning comeback two late touchdowns in less than seven minutes gave them a 17-14 win over 1 1 th-ranked Boston College and preserved theif unbeaten season Friday.

Nebraska and West Virginia (both 1 1 -0) are the only unbeaten teams eligible for bowl play. But Nehlen is worried that Bobby Bowden's long, unfulfilled quest for a national title could sway poll voters toward the team he coaches, Florida State (10-1). "To have the opportunity to play for the national championship, the good lord says you've got to do every single thing for 1 1 straight weeks," Nehlen said. "We've done that. So has Nebraska.

"It would be a crime for (West Virginia) not to have the opportunity to play Nebraska," he added. "If we don't get that opportunity, something's really wrong with the system. Then it's political, and when politics starts determining who's going to play for the national championship, that's a shame." Playing for the championship seemed highly unlikely when Glenn Foley's 16-yard touchdown pass to Pete Mitchell gave Boston College (8-3) a 1 4-3 lead with 1 3 minutes, 34 seconds left. But Rodney Woodard scored on a 6-yard run with 7:36 to play, and Darren Studstill hit Ed Hill for his only catch of the game, a 24-yard touchdown, with 1:08 to play. A two-point conversion made the score 17-14.

"Ed's 6-4," Studstill said. "I knew I just had to put the ball up there." The Eagles couldn't match their winning comeback at Notre Dame six days earlier when they got the ball with 1:09 remaining and marched to a last-play field goal and a 41-39 upset. Defensive back Mike Logan, whose fumble recovery started West Virginia's winning drive, ended the last threat with an end zone interception of Foley's desperation pass on the final play. "I kind of know what Notre Dame felt like last week," Boston College flanker Keith Miller said. "This is a devastating loss for us," Boston College coach Tom Coughlin said.

"We had our opportunities. In the end, they made the conference. UCLA won the title on a tie-breaker and will go to the Rose Bowl. The Sun Devils (6-5, 4-4) tied California for fourth place and must hope the Alamo Bowl takes them instead of the Golden Bears. White broke open a tight game with 3 1- and 5 1-yard scoring passes to Dickey in the fourth quarter, when Arizona gained 243 yards.

No. 13 North Carolina 38, Duke 24 CHAPEL HILL, N.C. Leon Johnson rushed for 1 42 yards and scored four touchdowns to break the Atlantic Coast Conference single-season freshman scoring record for North Carolina. Johnson, who rushed 24 times, scored on a 29-yard pass in the first quarter and on runs of 9, 10 and 5 yards. His last two touchdowns came In the third quarter after Duke had pulled to 21-14 at halftime.

Johnson's 16 touchdowns and 100 points broke the previous ACC freshman scoring mark of 84 points, set by North Carolina State's Ted Brown in 1975. It also was the second Frazier predicted 1 1-0 regular season LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Tommie Frazier made a bold statement when Nebraska went to the Orange Bowl a year ago to lose to Florida State 27-14. The freshman quarterback predicted Nebraska would not only return for another try to break it's six-game bowl losing streak, but it would head to Miami with an unbeaten record and a shot at a national title. Friday, Frazier and his teammates made that vision reality.

Frazier's 1 1-yard pass to Abdul Muhammad with 13 minutes, 20 seconds left to play lifted the No. 2 Cornhuskers to a 21-7 victory over No. 16 Oklahoma. "We always found a way to win," Frazier said of the 1 1-0 season that included three second-half thrillers (UCLA, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma). "We've had to go through a lot of adversity, and people said a lot of negative things.

It does not matter what anybody said, this team found a way to win." Frazier, who also scored on a COLLETE ROUNDUP Arizona plays and we didn't." West Virginia was outgained 481 yards to 281 in what Nehlen said was "the worst I've seen us offensively." But the Eagles were ruined by five turnovers, all in West Virginia territory. Nebraska, which beat Oklahoma 21-7 earlier Friday, is already committed to the Orange Bowl, but the question remains: Who will it play? Nebraska is No. 2 in the AP media poll and No. 1 in the coaches poll. Florida State, which plays at No.

7 Florida today tops the AP poll and is No. 2 in the coaches poll. The coalition poll, which combines the media and coaches polls -and will determine bowl match-ups, has Nebraska No. 1 and Florida State No. 2.

If Florida State loses or struggles to win, West Virginia will have a greater chance of rising to No. 1 or No. 2 in the coalition poll and playing in a head-to-head match-up for the championship on Jan. 1. "If there's any way we get pushed out it would be highway robbery," Hill said.

Boston College, whose eight-game winning streak ended, is expected to go to the Carquest Bowl at Miami on Jan. 1. It was West Virginia's second fourth-quarter comeback in as many weeks. Working against the clock Friday, the Mountaineers were forced to pass their way to victory. David Green's fumble gave them the ball 63 yards away from their second unbeaten-untied regular season ever.

Studstill hit Mike Baker for a 2-yard gain on the first play before Woodard ran 1 6 yards for a first down at the Boston College 45. Studstill then rushed for 7 yards before hitting Baker for a 1 3-yard gain. Baker went out of bounds at the 25, stopping the clock with 1:13 remaining. On the next play, Hill outfought Eric Shorter on the right side of the end zone for the decisive touchdown. On the conversion, Studstill connected with Jay Kearney.

Unlike the Notre Dame game, the Eagles now needed a touchdown, not a field goal, to win. "Even after they went ahead," Miller said, "we felt we could still win." The Eagles moved to a first down at the West Virginia 40. But Foley threw his third interception of the day. "We were a lousy football team today but we got it done," Nehlen said. "That means we've got to be pretty good." time this season that Johnson matched Brown's single-game record with four scores.

Johnson's rushing total pushed him over 1 ,000 for the season, joining fellow tailback Curtis Johnson. It was the 23rd 1 rushing performance for North Carolina, tops in NCAA history, and the fourth time a pair of Tar Heel backs have accomplished the feat in the same season. Syracuse 31, Rutgers 18 EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. Mar-vinGraves threw two touchdowns and set three single-season school passing records as Syracuse avoided its first non-winning season since 1986 by defeating Rutgers 31-18. Syracuse (6-4-1, 3-4 Big East) still has an outside shot at a postseason bowl.

"There probably won't be a bowl, but today was kind of like our bowl game," said Graves, who led Syracuse to a 33-10-3 record as a starter. The best bowl chance for the Orangemen had been the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, but Iowa was given that berth Friday. became the Gateway's first player to earn first-team honors at two positions. He was voted in as a wide receiver and as a punter. Other first-teamers from Northern Iowa were tight end Matt Harken, offensive linemen DJ.

Mumma of East Moline and John Herrin and defensive end Tony Monroe. Running back Jeff Stovall and offensive lineman Michael Hud-nutt were named to the second team along with linebacker Paul Wolf, cornerback Myron Glass and safeties Joseph Wallace and Jason McCleary. has a Fiesta on its mind after win Monk But with a 2-8 record and the season a wi-peout, the Redskins' front office that laid out $5.8 million and a pair of first-round draft choices to snare Howard finally has prevailed over the coaches. "It's not a surprise," Monk said jjva rare interview this week. "My situation was kind of defined before the' season started, so I was kind of prepared for it.

Regardless of how I feel, they're going to do what they're going to do." But with 875 career catches, including 28 this year, he vowed, "I'm not finished at this point." In his two years since winning the Heisman at Michigan, Howard has. 1 2 catches for 1 37 yards. Montana thinks he'll start KANSAS CITY, Mo. A frustrated Joe Montana, sidelined the past three weeks by a strained hamstring, believes he will start Sunday against Buffalo. I do," Montana said Friday before practice.

"I would expect to, unless something drastic happens. But there's no telling." Kansas City Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer said he was keeping all options open and wouldn't make a decision, let alone an announcement, until right before the kickoff in the key AFC match-up. But all signs point to Montana's making his first start since Oct. 31. Montana, not Dave Krieg, has been taking the majority of snaps during practice normally a reliable ti-poff which quarterback will take the first snap on game day.

Foster may return PITTSBURGH Pittsburgh running back Barry Foster, the AFC's second-leading rusher, hopes to play in Sunday's crucial game with Houston after missing last week's blowout loss. The Steelers and Houston are tied for first in the Central division with 6-4 records. Foster, who is listed as questionable, injured his left ankle two weeks ago in the Steelers' victory over Buffalo and has not practiced since that Monday night game. He was inactive for last week's 37-13 loss to Denver. 11 Foster has rushed for 71 1 yards and leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns with eight.

Chargers will start rookie SAN DIEGO Darrien Gordon, the San Diego Chargers' first-round draft pick after last season, will take over the starting cor-nerback job from third-year pro Sean Vanhorse. "We feel like Darrien Gordon has been coming along very well and wanted to see and give him an opportunity to perform," coach Bobby Ross said. "He showed us an awful lot in camp. We just felt like we needed to know more about him." Vanhorse bruised his lower left "leg last Sunday in the first quarter of a loss to the Los Angeles Raiders jand was replaced by Gordon, who jmade a season-high 10 tackles. Giants' Elliott is doubtful I EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.

New York Giants left tackle 'jumbo Elliott, who missed last 'weekend's game against Philadel-Iphia with back problems, appears doubtful again Sunday for Phoenix. I Elliott was the only Giant listed as likely to miss the home -game against the Cardinals. Eagles' owner backs Kotite PHILADELPHIA The Philadelphia Eagles' owner cast a vote of confidence for coach Rich Kotite attributed the team's midsea-' son' collapse to forces beyond any i coach's control. think he has done a superb His record indicates it," said owner Norman Braman, who earlier this year gave Kotite a contract extension through the 1995 season. Braman said Kotite would regain with the injury-ridden team foj at least another year.

I-- Kotite, in his third season as head coach, has a 25-17 regular-season record. He also guided the team to its first playoff win in more than a decade last season. Oklahoma, said national poll voters will have to draw their own conclusions. "If they were watching and turned the TV off at halftime, I'm sure they'd say Nebraska does not deserve a shot (at the national title)," Jones said. "But if they looked at the second half, we turned it on and the defense dominated." Nebraska defensive coordinator Charlie McBride said it would be a very different Cornhusker team heading to the Orange Bowl this time.

He said Nebraska's last undefeated team lost its chance to win a national title in the Orange Bowl because it couldn't stop Miami. "When you look back to our 31-30 loss to Miami (1984), it was because we were not a good defense," McBride said. "That's not gonna happen any more." "We pride ourselves on togetherness," said strong safety Toby Wright, whose interception of a Cale Gundy pass set up Nebraska's first touchdown. "We just seem to have an understanding. When the game is like that no one lets up and everyone comes together." Offense explodes against Arizona State TEMPE, Ariz.

(AP) For once, Arizona's offense didn't take a back seat and that puts the Wildcats in the driver's seat for the Fiesta Bowl. The No. 19 Wildcats, the nation's top defensive team before the regular season finale, cranked up the offense for 446 yards Friday to keep their New Year's Day bowl hopes alive. "Arizona is the leading candidate," Fiesta Bowl executive director John Junker said after congratulating Arizona on its 34-20 victory over Arizona State. "We have to wait until Sunday, when the polls come out, because that's how the coalition is comprised.

But obviously it was a great victory and something that gets Arizona really more in the national spotlight." Arizona (9-2) finished 6-2 in the Pac-10, tying UCLA and Southern California for the best record in the don't think it's a challenge we can't overcome." Dougherty is one reason sixth-ranked Boston University has rebounded from a 3-8 record last season to 11-0 this year. A new attitude also helped, coach Dan Allen said. The Terriers adopted a slogan "Make A Difference." "Everybody on the football team has to make a difference, whether you're a starter, a backup or a scout team player," Allen said. "Until this year, we hadn't had 100 percent of the players buying into that." Northern Iowa (8-3), ranked 1 3th, has won eight of nine games, losing only to Western Illinois, since opening the season with road losses to McNeese State and Wyoming. I Y' gj- ASSOCIATED PRESS Nate Hemsely gets In on the action with Syracuse teammate Antonio Anderson as they sack Rutgers quarterback Ray Lucas on a fourth-and-1 1 play late In the fourth quarter.

DIVISION I-AA PLAYOFFS passing game challenges Northern Iowa Panthers dominate all-Gateway team Boston's Allen says foe is like Big Sky teams BOSTON (AP) Northern Iowa isn't really meeting a Big Sky Conference team in Saturday's playoff game. It just will seem that way. The Panthers face unbeaten Boston University of the Yankee Conference today in the first round of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. Boston features a high-powered passing game similar to the Big Sky teams that Northern Iowa played in the first round each of the last three years. It'll be the first meeting between the two schools and Northern Iowa's first game on the East Coast.

'fThey're like the Big Sky in terms of playing catch, but they're a more deliberate run-and-shoot team," Northern Iowa coach Terry Allen said. "They spread it out from sideline to sideline. Their offensive line is built to protect their quarterback." Rpbert Dougherty, transfer from College of the Sequoias in California, triggers the Boston University offense. Despite missing the final regular-season game, Dougherty has thrown for 2,435 yards and 1 8 touchdowns. His replacement last weekend, Greg Moore, passed for 442 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-21 victory over James Madison.

"It's an option passing game," Allen said. "I think there are some variations of it that we're quite well verged with, but it's a challenge. I UT's Mumma is first-teamer CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) League champion Northern Iowa swept the individual awards and dominated the all- Gateway Conference team. Northern Iowa quarterback Kurt Warner was named the league's offensive player of the year and linebacker Andre Allen earned that award for defense. The Panthers' Terry Allen was voted coach of the year the third time he has been honored.

Northern Iow's Tim Mosley.