Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 88

COLLEGE F00 TBAL SECTION PART 2 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER II, 2 0 01 THE TIMES kirn SS ELs GZx SVC3 A 34-28 loss to the Wolipack means FSU won't win 10, won't finish in the Top 5 and might not win the ACC title. By BRIAN LANDMAN Times Staff Writer to the Gator or Peach bowl as an ACC also-ran. "I'm embarrassed to say I was a part of the team that lost (the streaks)," Howard said solemnly. "I'm not embarrassed of my teammates. I love my teammates.

We all played hard. But I never wanted to be a part of the team that broke all the winning streaks. The situation turns. You're not going to be the best team forever." Former FSU assistant Chuck Amato and his Wolfpack (6-3, 4-3) saw to that. The Wolfpack, the only league team to beat FSU twice and the only one to win at Doak Campbell, unveiled an offense that featured multiple player shifts.

The players moved so much before the snap Please see FSU Back page INSIDE: Wake Forest rallies from a 24-point deficit, the best comeback in school history, to stun North Carolina. 23C the No. 10 Seminoles on Saturday afternoon before 82,425 at Doak Campbell Stadium. The Seminoles (6-3, 5-2) can't extend their streaks of 10-win seasons and Top 5 finishes to 15 years. They hadn't lost three games in a season since they were 7-4-1 in 1986, and they still have a trip to Florida Saturday and a visit from Georgia Tech on Dec.

1. The Seminoles also might not be able to win a 10th straight Atlantic Coast Conference title. It's one thing to accept not reaching the national championship game, something the Seminoles have done four of the past five years; it's entirely different to imagine a trip TALLAHASSEE Long after North Carolina State ended a celebration complete with chest-bumping, hugging and crying, Florida State senior corner-back Abdual Howard remained in disbelief. "I still don't believe it; it still feels unreal to me," he said. "It feels like a joke." Rest assured, neither he nor his teammates were in a laughing mood after the Wolfpack's 34-28 upset of Times photo JOSEPH GARNETT JR.

Chris Rix, who had four TDs but tw turnovers, heads off after an incompletion on the final play. FLORIDA 54, SOUTH CAROLINA 17 liiii O) (5 UU hpsw i qui pmu 4 i Potent on offense in the first half, UF overcomes a flub to dominate the Gamecocks. By ANTONYA ENGLISH Times Staff Writer COLUMBIA, S.C. It was supposed to be such a big game that the ESPN GameDay crew came to town. It was supposed to be South Carolina's statement that it finally had arrived, that it could compete with the big boys in the Southeastern Conference.

And succeed. It was supposed to be a big challenge for the Florida Gators. For 10 minutes, it was everything South Carolina had hoped. From then on, it was just another romp for the Gators. 1 i miiirfi in.

tm Playing in its second night road game this season, Florida trailed 10-3 with just under five minutes left in the first quarter, conjuring up images of its loss at Auburn under similar circumstances this season. However, the Gamecocks had just one problem. They couldn't stop Florida's offense. Fourth-ranked Florida scored on every possession but one (9- Rex Grossman is the third UF QB to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. Jf 1 i of-10) en route to a 54-17 win over No.

14 South Carolina in front of a record 84,900 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. "I think that was our best game of the year," Florida coach Steve Spurrier said. "Our guys had a wonderful attitude coming in. I'm really proud of our guys." Quarterback Rex Grossman was 21-of-33 for 302 yards and three touchdowns, his ninth consecutive 300-yard game. Grossman became the third Florida quarterback to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a season, joining Shane Matthews and Heisman Trophy winner Please see UF20C 1 Mm iiii-fti'-iiMTiTi-iir iietiflniai ffn.

MTiftwiarif '-v -mm ir'T- 'rf ft Times photo JIM DAMASKE Times photo Reche Caldwell reaches to gather in a scoring pass from Rex Grossman to give Florida a 27-10 lead at halftime. South Carolina safety Willie Offord defends keep it close for a little bit ounce just the right v. A USF waits until third to break away from Western Illinois. With the 'Canes seemingly about to fall behind, a fluky INT and long return turn things around in 18-7 win. By PETE YOUNG Times Staff Writer Associated Press 23,252.

USF (7-3) won its fifth straight, all at home, in much the same manner as the first four with an explosive offense under the masterful guidance of junior quarterback Mar-quel Blackwell. Leading just 21-17 at half-time, Blackwell, playing with turf toe that limited his mobility, led the Bulls 63 yards in two minutes with the second-half kickoff. He finished the drive with a 1-yard keeper to give USF an 11-point lead, and the Bulls would add three scores while totaling 509 yards of offense. Please see USF 21 thinks we're an untested team well now we're tested." Miami survived four interceptions by Dorsey, a top Heisman Trophy contender coming into the game, but not before the Eagles threatened to pull out their biggest win since upsetting then-No. 1 Notre Dame in 1993.

They nearly did it. without William Green, the nation's leading rusher who was suspended for the game for breaking team rules. With Miami clinging to a 12-7 lead in the final minute. BC quarterback Brian St. Pierre with no timeouts moved his team from its 30 to the Hurricanes 9.

With 38 seconds left, St. Pierre dropped back and tried to hit wide receiver Ryan Read at about the Miami 5. Please see MIAMI 19C TAMPA For a change, the second half meant something. This time, the South Florida faithful had to sweat for a while after intermission. For two minutes, to be precise.

After finishing off its previous four foes by halftime, USF waited until the third quarter Saturday to pull away, breaking open a close game to beat Western Illinois 48-17 before BOSTON Mike Rumph's left knee is the reason No. 1 Miami is still in the running for the national championship. The Hurricanes parlayed a pass ricochet off Rumph's knee in the final seconds into an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown and an 18-7 victory against Boston College on Saturday. "That's one for the histoiy books," Ken Dorsey said of the game-clinching play that involved three Miami players. "We're tested now.

Everybody who Times photo DIRK SHADD Wide receiver DeAndrew Rubin picks up the first down during the first half of the Bulls' 48-1 7 win. TOP 25 SCOREBOARD SEC PAC-IO CONFERENCE Joey Harrington rallies Oregon in the fourth quarter for the ninth time as UCLA loses its third in a row. 22C. Auburn twice stops Georgia inside the 10, including at the 1 on the final play of the game, to hold on. 19C.

No. 21 Colo. 40, Iowa St 27 Indiana 37, No. 22 Michigan St 28 No. 23 Virginia Tech 35, Temple 0 No.

25 Louisville 34, Houston 10 Dataib inside No. 13 Maryland 37, Clemson 20 No. 15 IHinois 33, Penn St 28 No. 16 Stanford 51, Arizona 37 No. 18 Syracuse 24, W.

Va. 13 No. 24 Auburn 24, No. 19 Ga. 17 Virginia 39, No.

20 Ga. Tech 38 No. 1 Miami 18, Boston College 7 No. 2 Nebraska 31, Kansas SL 21 No. 3 Okla.

31, Texas 10 No. 4 UF 54, No. 14 S. Carolina 17 No. 5 Texas 59, Kansas 0 No.

6 Tennessee 49, Memphis 28 No. 7 Oregon 21, No. 17 UCLA 20 Oregon St 49, No. 8 Wash. 24 No.

9 BYU 41, Wyoming 34 N.C State 34, No. 10 FSU 28 No. 11 Wash. St 28, Ariz. SL 16 No.

12 Michigan 31, Minnesota 10.