Messenger-Inquirer from Owensboro, Kentucky • 9

Auburn 22 Alabama 14 AUBURN, Ala. Terry Bowden (at left, being kissed by an Auburn assistant) isn't ready to say his team is the best in the country. But it's awfully hard to argue with perfection. The sixth-ranked Tigers completed a most improbable perfect season on Saturday, rallying to -overcome defending national champion Alabama. "I don't know if I would want this team to go out and play Florida State or Notre Dame," said Bowden, who became the first man to go undefeated in his first year as a head coach.

"But if someone votes for us, I'll take it." SEC roundup, Page 5B. Boston College 41 Notre Dame 39 SOUTH BEND, Ind. Boston College's kicker shouldered most of the liability for his team's loss against Northwestern ear- -lier this season when he missed a 40-yard chip shot that would have rescued the Eagles. But Saturday belonged to David Gordon. The senior walk-on sent Boston College to its greatest victory of the season perhaps its history by nailing a 41 -yard field goal as time expired to beat top-ranked Notre Dame.

The kick not only redeemed Gordon, whose missed field goal against Northwestern resulted in a 22-21 loss for the Eagles, it allowed the Eagles to erase the memory of a stinging 54-7 loss to the Fighting Irish a year ago. "You couldn't ask for a better ending to a football game," Boston College coach Tom Coughlin said. "We're a different team than we were a year ago. Two different years, two different teams." Top 25 roundup, Page SB. Pro basketball6 1 'Y; 7 1 a Scoreboard2-3B NFL capsules3B SUNDAY PREPCOLLEGEPROAMATEUR NOVEMBER 21, 1993 MESSENGER-INQUIRER 1 Tennessee smashes the Wildcats Vols' 48-0 drubbing of Kentucky is Cats' worst defeat since 1921 TENNESSEE 48 KENTUCKY 0 -1 A 1 1 By Mike Embry Associated Press LEXINGTON Tennessee just won't let up.

The seventh-ranked Volunteers continued their late-season tear, crushing Kentucky 48-0 as Cory Fleming and Joey Kent each had two touchdown passes and Charlie Garner rushed 19 times for 186 yards and another score Saturday. The Volunteers (8-1-1, 5-1-1 Southeastern Conference) have outscored their last three opponents 148-13 since tying Alabama 17-17. It was the worst loss for'Ken-tucky (6-5, 4-4) since a 55-0 drubbing by Centre in 1921, and the worst at home since Centre's 49-0 victory in 1920. "You never stop and think you're at a level where you still can't learn," said Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler, who completed 23 of 34 passes for 221 yards. "You can't let down until after the last game of Ihe season." Despite Tennessee's dominance the past three games, Florida and Alabama will be playing in the SEC championship game.

"We controlled our own destiny when we lost to Florida (41-34) and Ued Alabama," said linebacker Reggie Ingram, "but it is a shame that we won't be able to play in the SEC championship game because I feel 'we are the best team in the league at this point." The Volunteers close the regular season at home next Saturday against Vanderbilt Fleming's touchdown receptions gave him the school's career record with 18 while Garner became the fifth Tennessee player to go over the rushing mark with 1,010. "Tennessee is, by far, the best team we have played," said Kentucky coach Bill Curry. "The Tennessee team that we've seen tonight is the best Tennessee team that I've coached against, and I've been in this business a long time." Fleming's first score came on an 8-yard pass from Shuler, capping a 10-play, 81-yard drive on Tennessee's first possession with 9:35 left in the first quarter. Fleming's second TD came on UT volunteers its views on the state's teams LEXINGTON F. or the benefit of those Kentucky and Louisville fans who enjoy playing the never-ending game of one-upsmanship, the following is a quick study of their teams by an outfit that knows them well.

RICH SUWANSKI Sports writer Tennessee whipped up on Louisville 45-10 two weeks ago, then went 2-0 against the Bluegrass State by thumping Kentucky 48-0 here Saturday. For starters, both Kentucky schools were a mite red-faced by the results. Call that one a draw. Louisville had 321 yards total offense to Kentucky's 244. Tennessee had 386 yards against of but a whopping 571 against UK Heath Shuler, UTs Ail-American candidate quarterback, said the offensive line's blocking was so good that he didn't even have to continue carrying out his fakes Saturday after handing off to tailback Charlie Garner.

"That shows how explosive and powerful we are," he said. Garner ran for 186 yards against UK and just 76 against of "Louisville was a much harder hitting team than Kentucky," Garner said. "We intimidated both teams physically," said UT guard Kevin Mays. But every Volunteer volunteered this: Kentucky linebacker Marty Moore was the best defensive player of the lot "He's exceptional," said UT offensive coordinator David Cut-cliffe. "Physically, that's the way you See VolsPage 8B MURRAY STATE 14 Comp-Att-Int 11-26-1 6-13-1 Punts 6-186 3-121 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-0 Penalties-Yards 2-13 7-37 Time of Possession 26: 1 4 33:46 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING Murray McGowan 7-109, Bland 1-35, Cox 6-24.

W. Kentucky, Thompson 16-205. Bryant 20-87, Floyd 10-48. PASSING Murray Rodney 5-15-1 38, Mosby 6-11-0 94. W.

Kentucky, Thompson 6-11-0 115, Mason 0-1-1 0. RECEIVING Murray Hall 1-58, Mason 3-39, McGowan 1-16. W. Kentucky, Mason 2-60, Watts 3-36, Jackson 1-19. WKU 23 67-432 115 15 terback.

Thompson, of See WKUPage 8B Tennessee Kentucky 7 10 10 2148 0 0 0 00 Ten Fleming 8 pass from Shuler (Becksvoort kick) Ten FG Becksvoort 35 Ten Gamer 6 run (Becksvoort kick) Ten Fleming 19 pass from Shuler (Becksvoort kick) Ten FG Becksvoort 46 Ten Kent 23 pass from Shuler (Becksvoort kick) Ten Kent 70 pass from Colquitt (Becksvoort kick) Ten Lane 8 run (Becksvoort kick) A 57,878 Ten 13 33-280 291 15 24-35-1 4-38 0-0 7-70 Ken 27 46-190 54 16 9-20-1 6-36 3-1 2-33 32:26 First downs Rushes-yards Passing Return Yards Comp-Att-Int Punts Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards Time of Possession 27:34 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING Tennessee, Garner 19-186, Stewart 6-38, Lane 2-33. Kentucky, Hood 9-42, Speedy 6-31 Williams 10-31, Jones 10-30. PASSING Tennessee, Shuler 23-34-1-221, Colquitt 1-1-0-70. Kentucky, Jones 7-15-1-42, Speedy 1-4-0-8, Wyatt 1- 1-0-4. RECEIVING Tennessee, Fleming 4-67, Williams 4-37, Kent 3-106, Faulkner 3-39.

Kentucky, Williams 4-28, Samuels 2- 7. Shuler's 19-yard strike with 5:04 remaining in the third period for a 24-0 advantage. The play came after the Volunteers drew a personal foul after driving to the Kentucky 4. Garner scored on a 6-yard run with 16 seconds remaining in the half for a 17-0 advantage. Shuler, who owns the Tennessee mark for TD passes with 24, also connected on a 23-yard score to Joey Kent for a 34-0 lead with 8:21 in the game.

Tennessee got its final touchdowns when reserve Jerry Colquitt lofted a 70-yard strike to Kent on first down with 4:40 to go and Eric Lane scored from the 8 at 1:03. See WildcatsPage 8B 40 minutes when you don't have the subs." Boultinghouse said the offense takes advantage of KWC's perimeter speed and its outside snooting ability. It also gives the Panthers' big men, like 6-foot-8 Carlos Skinner, more room to operate. "We don't have a big-bodied person that can really root on the low post" he said. "If Carlos is required to stay inside, then he takes all the beating and banging.

We also need to open it up for the penetrating ability of (guard) Willis Cheaney. That's another reason. We want the middle of the court open for him." Skinner was one of three Panthers to score 22 points. He was nine of 16 from the field for the White team, including one 3-pointer. Jody Evans, a 6-6 sophomore, paced the Purple squad with 22 See KWCPage 8B Associated Press From the grasp of Kentucky defender Zane Beehn, teammate Craig Faulkner during the first half of Satur-Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler releases a pass to day's game in Lexington.

The pass was incomplete. Western Kentucky makes its case for tourney berth KWC offers a peek at its new offense WKU 44, Murray St 0 7 7 014 W. Kentucky 7 13 14 10-44 WKU Bryant 1 run (Pino kick) WKU FG Pino 27 WKU FG Pino 22 MSU Mosby 3 run (Dill kick) WKU Bryant 1 run (Pino kick) MSU McGowan 75 run (Dill kick) WKU Floyd 7 run WKU Sarver 4 run (Thompson run) WKU Pino 26 WKU-Jewell 4 run (Pino kick) A 4,542. it ii By Mark Mathis Messenger-Inquirer BOWLING GREEN Sitting precariously close to the edge of the NCAA Division I-AA football playoffs, Western Kentucky University needed to be convincing Saturday. The Hilltoppers wanted to play at a level that showed they belong in the 16-team field.

Against Murray State in the season finale for both teams, Western made several loud statements. They won 44-14 at sun-splashed Smith Stadium. They cranked out 544 yards in total offense second this season only to the 569 they ripped off at Southern Illinois. Quarterback Eddie Thompson ran the I-Bone option like he'd written a textbook on the subject He kept The Panthers' new-set is designed to open up the floor By Jake Jennings Messenger-Inquirer Kentucky Wesleyan's men's basketball team debuted its new offensive look Saturday night at the Sportscenter in the annual Purple-White exhibition game. The Panthers have run the scheme, meant to spread the floor when KWC sets up half court, less than a week.

"We've stuck in an offense that's going to open up the floor better, and this is about the fourth day we've had to experience it," said KWC coach Wayne Boultinghouse. "It's going to give us more opportunities. I saw some good things with it tonight It's hard to play the game MSU 12 32-221 132 7 First downs Rushes-yards Passing Return Yards Cathy Clarke, Messenger-Inquirer Pieter Van Altena shoots over Michael Cheaney during Saturday's Purple-White scrimmage. the ball himself 16 times for 205 yards tied for second-best running day for a quar.