The Spokesman-Review from Spokane, Washington • 15

Seattle loses regular-season finale, Kingdome game to fired-up Chiefs By Doug Tucker Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. A story in Sunday's Kansas City Star questioning the background of Kansas City coach Frank Gansz helped motivate the Chiefs to a 41-20 National Football League victory over the Seattle Seahawks Sunday. The loss dropped the Seahawks to 9-6 and cost them the homefield advantage for the first round of the playoffs. Seattle will play the Houston Oilers next Sunday at the Astrodome in the American Football Conference wild-card game. The Chiefs finished 4-11 in Gansz's first year as head coach.

The Star's copyright story said military records and interviews did not support several stories which have grown up around Gansz, including that he flew combat missions, lettered in football at the Naval Academy and earned the nickname "Crash" for piloting a stricken jet, all by himself, to an emergency landing. "It made me mad. It made everybody on this team mad," defensive back Albert Lewis said. "We think they're just trying to make Crash look bad, and it really teed us off." "I don't know what their motivation was for writing that story, but it did help get us pumped up," said Mark Addickes, who caught a 3- yard touchdown pass from Bill Kenney on a tackle-eligible play. "Everybody was mad about that this morning.

You bet we were." Seattle's Steve Largent caught the 751st pass of his 12-year career in the second quarter to surpass Charlie Joiner's all-time NFL record of 750. Largent also had a 15-yard touchdown reception and gained 21 yards on an end-around, but Paul Palmer's 92-yard kick return highlighted a big-play day for the Chiefs, who have not lost a regular-season finale in eight years. Kansas City Star and Times KANSAS CITY, Mo. The catch the catch was lost in one big blur for Steve Largent. The 3-yard reception.

The standing ovation. The official who gave him the football that signified his National Football League career record 751st reception. Thanks a lot, Kevin Ross. The Chiefs cornerback applied such a hit that all Seattle's 12-year veteran wide receiver said he could recall of the record-setting moment in the Seahawks' 41-20 loss to the Chiefs was a crunching sound that left him in a fog. In fact, when somebody asked Largent in the locker room after the game where the Largent Team I Pct.

PP PA x-Denver 10 4 1 .700 379 288 y-Seattle 9 6 0 .600 371 314 San Diego 8 7 0 .533 253 317 LA Raiders 5 10 0 .333 301 289 KC Chiefs 4 11 0 .267 273 388 kblinched division title y-clinched playoff berth Sunday's Games Kansas City 41, Scathe 20 Denver 24, San Diego 0 Chicago 6, Los Angeles Raiders 3 Largent entered the game need- i ing five receptions, 201 yards and v0. SIX receiving touchdowns to set "A- I NFL career records in all three categories. 4. hvo, The Chiefs, who have not lost at home to Seattle since 1980, Jumped tv i out to a 17-7 lead in the first guar- 't 0 i 4 4 ter and mounted a 27-20 halftime lead. Their advatage went to 34-20 ilf early in the third period when Ad- I -e- I I dickes caught the touchdown pass 9 from Kenney.

,4 4 441 Herman Heard ran 37 yards for a fr I N. 1 touchdown on Kansas citys first possession, then Largent tied it 7-7 ,1 41' 1 I4 N. with Krieg's 15-yard scoring toss. Nick Lowery made it 10-7 for the ,1, i Chiefs with a 35-yard field goal late In the first period, then Carlos Car- P. -v, son teamed with Kenney on an 81- 14 yard touchdown bomb, the Chiefs' longest scoring play in more than '14 two years, to make it 17-7.

Seattle scored in the second pen i- 0 i od on Krieg's 8-yard scoring pass to 1 Paul Skansi, then Palmer got the points back with his 92-yard return of Norm Johnson's kickoff. Johnson or had field goals of 39 and 24 yards later in the second period and Lowery kicked a 44-yarder. Seattle running back Curt Warner suffered a sprained ankle in the third period and did not return. His status for the playoffs was not immediately known. eattle wide receiver Steve Largent hauls in pass in front of Kansas City's Greg Hill.

keepsake football was, Largent was dumbfounded. Game ball? What game ball? "1 don't know where it is," Largent said, shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe I gave it to someone. Maybe somebody took it." Largent entered the game needing five catches to overtake Charlie Joiner as the NFL career leader in receptions. He got that plus a bonus, No.

752 and he finished the afternoon with six receptions for 95 yards. But it was catch No. 5 that likely had Largent's wife, Terry, their four children and much of Seattle cheering back home. Largent's fifth reception came late in the second quarter with Seattle trailing Kansas City, 24-17. The Seahawks, who began the tpz after Dallas' Victor Scott picks up fumble by St.

Louis' Jay Novacek. Associated Press Joe Montana, who swapped roles with Steve Young and served as backup quarterback Sunday night, will return to the San Francisco 49ers' starting lineup for the National Football League playoffs. "I'll keep preparing, and maybe I can help get us to the Super Bowl. But as long as Joe is healthy, he's 4 the guy," said Young, whose three At touchdown passes in the first half got the 49ers rolling to a 48-0 victo, ry over the Los Angeles Rams in San Francisco. Montana came back from a hamstring injury and threw for a pair of touchdowns in the second half of the game his team had to win to claim the National Football Con, ference West Division title.

"I just wanted to get some things done and execute. It was strange AP photo coming in with such a big lead," said Montana, who finished the ICCK. strike-shortened regular season drive at their 39, advanced to the 48 on a 9- yard run up the middle by fullback John L. Williams. On the next play, quarterback Dave Krieg handed off to running back Curt Warner, who moved the ball 5 yards and gave Seattle a first down at the Kansas City 47.

That set up The Catch. "It wasn't very pretty just a 3-yarder," Krieg said. "We 'Drought Steve in motion from the wide side to the short side of the field. I faked the hand-off the play originally was supposed to go to the A-back in the flat but I just made a little toss and that's it." That's it? with a team-record 31 TD passes and a No. 1 rating among the league's quarterbacks.

It was 27-0 at halftime. Two of Young's scoring passes were to record-breaking wale receiver Jerry Rice. "Everybody was fired up," Rice said. "Our team was pretty much helpless against them," Rams coach John Robinson said. "They just overwhelmed us." The Rams, weakened by injuries to key players late in the season, managed only 145 yards on offense against the San Francisco defense ranked No.

1 in the league. The 49ers' top-ranked offense rolled up 427 yards, with Young passing for 174 and Montana for 107. San Francisco's point total was a season high for the team. "We're proud to have won our division, to have come back from a season-opening loss," Coach Bill AP photo "Well, the hardest part of the play was trying to get the ball around Art Still," Krieg continued. "He was like 2 or 3 yards away from me.

Steve can't remember the rest?" Not after Ross' hit, which knocked Largent over with 5:10 left in the half. Largent, who was administered smelling salts as he stood dazed on the sidelines near the 50, said he couldn't even hear the crowd cheering be- cause his ears were ringing so much. "I was totally unaware of what was going on," said Largent, who also extended his NFL record consecutive games pass-catching streak to 152 games. Largent also passed the yardage plateau with (See Largent on page 2) 49er3 refievett: by riilontana San Francisco wins NFC West; Cowboys eliminate Cardinals Walsh said. "We're also proud to have the best record in the NFL.

"But now we go into the playoffs, and I see no advantage for us." By winning a sixth straight game, the 49ers finished 13-2 and a game ahead of the New Orleans Saints in their division race. "We didn't need New Orleans to motivate us," Walsh said. Montana seemed as nimble as ever despite returning to action on a rainy night and playing on slick grass. Rice finished the regular season with 23 touchdowns, 22 on receptions and one rushing. That left him one short of the NFL single-season record of 24 touchdowns set by Washington fullback John Riggins in 1983.

The San Francisco star set league records with his 22 scoring receptions and also with his streak, now at 13, of consecutive games (See NFC on page 3) Associated Press The Indianapolis Colts, 12-36 in their first three years since moving to Indianapolis from Baltimore, traded for Eric Dickerson to carry them into the National Football League playoffs Carry them he did Sunday, 57 days after being obtained from the Los Angeles Rams, as he ran for 196 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-6 win over Tampa Bay in Indianapolis. Eagles 17, Bills 7 Oilers 21, Bengals 17 Lions 30, Falcons 13 Chiefs 41, Seahawks 20 Colts 24, Bucs 6 Broncos 24, Chargers 0 Bears 6, Raiders 3 49ers 48 Rams 0 Tonight's Game Patriots at Dolphins, (KXLY-4) Sunday, Jan. 3 AFC Wild Card Seattle at Houston NFC Wild Card Minnesota at New Orleans That gave the Colts the American Football Conference East title with a 9-6 record, their first playoff berth and first season in a decade. The last time they did that was in 1977 and the team was in Baltimore. "We knew when we got him he'd help us," Colts owner Robert Irsay said.

"We promised the fans a winner, and now we've got a charm; pion." "He would make any team in football a contender," echoed Tampa Bay coach Ray Perkins, whose team lost its eighth straight and finished the season at 4-11. "Just his presence out there and the things he can do makes a team different." Dickerson, who carried 33 times, ran six yards for a touchdown just 3:17 into the game and burst 34 yards for another score to give the Colts a 17-3 lead with 5:39 left in the third quarter. He got help from a defense that never let the Bucs inside its 20 and limited them to 38 and 39-yard field goals by Donald Igwebuike. Even playing the second half with out Pro Bowl linebacker Duane Bickett, who bruised a knee in the second quarter, they limited Vinny Testaverde to eight completions in 31 attempts for 163 yards, sacked him three times and held the Bucs to 232 yards overall. Dickerson also was assisted by Jack Trudeau, filling in for the injured Gary Hogeboom, who completed 17 of 27 for 246 yards, including a 55-yarder to Albert Bentley that set up the first score and a 36-yarder to Matt Bouza just before the final TD, Bentley's two-yard run with 7:54 left.

But it was still primarily the Eric Dickerson show, although Dickerson himself said he still hasn't gotten down his full timing in the Indianapolis offense. "We still have some things to iron out," he said. "Going into the playoffs, everything has to work out. One mistake can kill you." But the Colts were satisfied. "There's no question that Eric Dickerson's presence makes us a better football team," Colts coach Ron Meyer said.

The win gave Meyer a 12-6 record since he took over last year with the team 0-13. (See Colts on page 3) By Herschel Nissenson Associated Preu What do the Penn State teams of 1968, 1969 and 1973, Arizona State's 1957, 1970 and 1975 squads, Alabama in 1945 and 1966, Arkansas in 1964 and Mississippi in 1962 have in common? All finished unbeaten, untied and uncrowned. None won the national championship. Since the Associated Press poll began in 1936, 51 major-college teams have finished with perfect records but failed to finish No. 1.

True, the list of also-rans is interspersed with the likes of Santa Clara, Georgetown, Cornell, Lafayette and Duquesne. But it also includes some of college football's traditional powers Tennessee in 1938, Ohio State in 1944, Georgia in 1946, Michigan in 1947, Oklahoma in 1949 and 1954, Michigan State in 1951 and UCLA in 1954. Bear Bryant went to his grave without ever really forgiving the pollsters for voting what many consider the best Alabama team he ever had behind Notre Dame and Michigan State, both 9-0-1, in 1966. It would have been an unprecedented third consecutive national title. It has been 11 years since a team with a perfect record failed to finish No.

1. That was in 1976, when Rutgers, 11-0, also failed to finish anywhere from No. 2 through No. 16. The Scarlet Knights wound up 17th.

Now, the possibility exists that Syracuse could Hurricane damage: A bad week got worse for the University of Miami football team. The Orange Bowl-bound Hurricanes, who lost two starters after they flunked drug tests, may have lost another starter to injury. The news was better for Notre Dame page 3 become the 52nd team on the list. The Orangemen take an 11-0 record into their Sugar Bowl game against Auburn but are only ranked No. 4 behind Oklahoma and Miami, both 11-0, and Florida State, 10-1.

Over the years, no one suffered more at the hands of the pollsters than Penn State. The Nittany Lions were 11-0 in 1968, including a victory over Kansas in the Orange Bowl, but finished second behind Ohio State. The next year was an instant replay an 11-0 campaign, capped by an Orange Bowl triumph over Missouri, and another runner-up finish, this time behind Texas, which instigated the famous Joe Paterno-Richard Nixon debate. "The Penn State critics asked in 1968 and 1969 who we played," Charlie Zapiec, an offensive guard, said. "We heard it especially in 1969 from papers and people in Texas.

To them, a Boston College was nothing. Neither was a team like West Virginia." Ironically, those teams were Syracuse's last two victims this season. In 1973, the Nittany Lions did even better or worse. They went 12-0, including a victory over LSU in the Orange Bowl, and wound up a distant fifth behind Notre Dame, 11-0; Ohio State and Oklahoma, both 10-0-1, and Alabama, 11-1. "We suffer in comparison to the rest of the country," Paterno said back in 1971.

It's a lesson Syracuse has learned in 1987. "We don't have the glamour of a conference like the Big Eight, the Big Ten, the Southeastern or the Southwest," Paterno said. "As independents, we belong to the Eastern College Athletic Conference, which represents some colleges with different interests and goals in college football. "We have a commissioner and a public relations man, but they don't spend their time building up the image of Eastern football and selling it to our own Eastern sports writers and sportscasters and the rest of the country. "Our independents play intersectional schedules, and we beat teams from other sections of the country regularly.

But we rarely get credit for our accomplishments." Penn State finally got a measure of revenge in 1982, winning its first national championship with an 11-1 record over SMU, 11-0-1. "I've been in that position," said Paterno, who "voted" his 1968, 1969 and 1973 teams No. 1 in his one-man Paterno Poll and even bought them "national championship" rings. "I know what they are talking about, but that's how it is when you have a poll and no playoffs. Somebody has to make a decision." In his book, "Football My Way," Paterno wrote: "I don't think our society would collapse if we didn't have football.

I just don't think football is all that damn important." He also said that "if you win all your games, what's the difference whether you're ranked No. 1, 10 or 20? You did what you're supposed to do. You had a an objective, and you achieved it." However, Paterno was terribly depressed by his top-ranked team's 14-7 loss to No. 2 Alabama in the 1978 Sugar Bowl "Frankly, I didn't get over the loss until the middle of the (next) season," he said, "and that was only when my wife chided me, 'Joe, the Alabama game is over. It's just another game you And Paterno changed his tune after beating Georgia for his first national championship.

"When we finally won in '82 it just made everyone feel so good," he said. "I never realized how much it meant to be No. 1. "I didn't feel any different after the game, but when we flew back into Harrisburg two days later, the streets were lined with people for 90 miles (back t. to State College).

It was the most moving night I've ever had. I thought to myself, 'This is super. Let's do' It i MONDAY, DEC. 28, 1987 ME SPOKESMAN-REVIEW PAGE Cl I'D 0 0 4 e' 1 0 0 0 iL el 9 it TT, win 1 SanavaTILIIS kL-Reas 7111Cull1111110 3in lite Colts wi 1 0 Kingdome game to fired-up Chiefs i I ik Seattle loses regular-season finale first berth Np- 4, 4 4 in decade ,4, By Doug Tucker 1AFOINESTIIIIIIIM11111111111 Associated Press "A -4. 4' Associated Press i The Indianapolis Colts, 12-36 in KANSAS CITY, Mo.

A story in 00, r. 9 st their first three years since moving Sunday's Kansas City Star question- I Indianapolis from Baltimore, coach Frank Gansz helped 4 ing the background of Kansas City Team I Pct. PF PA 1, I 4.1' I A x-Denver 10 4 1 .700 379 288 04.7'4 4. I traded for Erie Dickerson to carry motivate the Chiefs to a 41-20 Na y-Seattle 9 6 0 600 371 314 i them into the National Football tional Football League victory over i San Diego 8 7 0 .533 253 317 oo, lik i League playoffs s' the Seattle Seahawks Sunday. LA Raiders 5 10 0 .333 301 289 4 'k Carry them he did 57 The loss dropped the Seahawks to KC Chiefs 4 11 0 .267 273 388 i' days after being obtained from the I 1 kblinched division title 4 Los i 9-6 and cost them the homefield ad- y-clinched playoff berth p.

4 Angeles Rams, as he ran for vantage for the first round of the Sunday's Games 1 1' r' '',) 0 e' 196 yards and two touchdowns in a playoffs Seattle will play the bus Kansas City 41, Seattle 20 24-6 win over Tampa Bay in Indi- ton Oilers next Sunday at the Astro- Denver 24, San Diego 0 0 4. '4 404,4. anapolis. 11, dome in the American Football Chicago 6, Los Angeles Raiders 3 1 i Conference wild-card game. INFLISCOR IM EBOARISIMMI i The Chiefs finished 4-11 in Gansz's first year as head coach Largent entered the game need- i 4,, The Star's coriht stor said i ing five receptions, 201 yards and 1 Eagles 17, Bills 7 six receiving touchdowns to military record py and interviews did ns se ,1 Oilers 21, Bengais 17 thr not support several stories which NFL career records in all ee ,0 ''o.

have grown up around Gansz, in 7 categories. Lions 30, Falcons 13 The Chiefs, who have not lost at 1 eluding that he flew combat mis- 0. iP ilk 1, 1 1 Saints 33, Packers 24 sions, lettered in football at the Na- home to Seattle since 1980, jumped Ar -of val Academy and earned the out to a 17-7 lead in the first guar- I Giants 20, Jets 7 nickname "Crash" for piloting a ter and mounted a 27-20 halftime i 4 21 4- owboys ardinals 16 stricken jet, all by himself, to an lead. Their advatage went to 34-20 st fk emergency landing. early in the third period when Ad- i 1 li, 1 e) 4 Chiefs 41, Seahawks 20 "It made me mad.

It made ev- dickes caught the touchdown pass l' A 4 4 2, 6 olt 4 Bucs fr erybody on this team mad," defen from Kenney. 4 sive back Albert Lewis said. "We Herman Heard ran 37 yards for a I 7' 0- Broncos 24, Chargers 0 1 1, touchdown ton Kansaesntlity'dsitfi7rst think they're just trying to make 1 Bears 6, Raiders 3 possession, hen rg -7 t--, "0., Crash look bad, and it really teed us 41, off." with Krieg's 15-yard scoring toss. N. 49ers 48, Rams 0 Nick Lowery made it 10-7 for the i i v.

I don't know what their motiva- Chiefs with a 35-yard field goal late i ite. 1. Tonight's Game tion was for writing that story, but in the first period, then Carlos Car- 4 I' .1 Patriots at Dolphins, 6 p.m. it did help get us pumped up," said son teamed with Kenney on an 81- 14 (101V-4) Mark Addickes, who caught a 3- yard touchdown bomb, the Chiefs' un ay, Jan. 3 yard touchdown pass from Bill longest scoring play in more than "14: --4, AFC Wild Card ,44, Kenney on a tackle-eligible play.

two years, to make it 17-7. Seattle at Houston Everybody was mad about that Seattle scored in the second pen i- A i NFC Wild Card this morning. You bet we were." od on Krieg's 8-yard scoring pass to 1 Seattle's Steve Largent caught Paul Skansi, then Palmer got the 4t, I Minnesota at New Orleans i IA the 751st pass of his 12ear career points back with his 92-yard return '1, in the second quarter to surpass of Norm Johnson's kickoff. Johnson Charlie Joiner's all-time NFL had field goals of 39 and 24 yards 4' That gave the Colts the Amen-record of 750. Largent also had a later in the second period and can Football Conference East title 15-yard touchdown reception and Lowery kicked a 44-yarder.

with a 9-6 record, their first playoff gained 21 yards on an end-around, Seattle running back Curt berth and first season in a but Paul Palmer's 92-yard kick re- Warner suffered a sprained ankle decade. The last time they did that turn highlighted a big-play day for in the third period and did not re- AP photo was in 1977 and the team was in the Chiefs, who have not lost a reg- turn. His status for the playoffs was Baltimore. ular-season finale in eight years. not immediately known.

Seattle wide receiver Steve Largent hauls in pass in front of Kansas City's Greg Hill. "We knew when we got him he'd help us," Colts owner Robert Irsay said. "We promised the fans a winner, and now we've got a charm; Largent tli aze after record- settnatir catch waocuokintemndaekreaencyhtedaTmarnin a Bay coach Ray Perkins, whose Kansas City Star and Times keepsake football was, Largent was drive at their 39, advanced to the 48 on a 9- "Well, the hardest part of the play was ream lost its eighth straight and KANSAS CITY, Mo. The catch the dumbfounded. Game ball? What game ball? yard run up the middle by fullback John L.

trying to get the ball around Art Still," Krieg finished the season at 4-11. "Just catch was lost in one big blur for Steve "I don't know where it is," Largent said, Williams. On the next play, quarterback continued. "He was like 2 or 3 yards away his presence out there and the Largent The 3-yard reception. The standing shrugging his shoulders.

"Maybe I gave it to Dave Krieg handed off to running back Curt from me. Steve can't remember the rest?" things he can do makes a team dif- ovation. The official who gave him the foot- someone. Maybe somebody took it." Warner, who moved the ball 5 yards and Not after Ross' hit, which knocked Largent ferent" ball that signified his National Football Largent entered the game needing five gave Seattle a first down at the Kansas City over with 5:10 left in the half. Largent, who Dickerson, who carried 33 times, League career record 751st reception.

catches to overtake Charlie Joiner as the 47. was administered smelling salts as he stood ran six yards for a touchdown just Thanks a lot, Kevin Ross. NFL career leader in receptions. He got that That set up The Catch. dazed on the sidelines near the 50, said he 317 into the game and burst 34 i The Chiefs cornerback applied such a hit plus a bonus, No.

752 and he finished "It wasn't very pretty just a 3-yarder," couldn't even hear the crowd cheering be- yards for another score to give the that all Seattle's 12-year veteran wide re- the afternoon with six receptions for 95 Krieg said. "We brought Steve in motion cause his ears were ringing so much. Colts a 17-3 lead with 5:39 left in ceiver said he could recall of the record-set- yards. But it was catch No. 5 that likely had from the wide side to the short side of the "I was totally unaware of what was going the third quarter.

ting moment in the Seahawks' 41-20 loss to L.argent's wife, Terry, their four children field. I faked the hand-off the play origi- on," said Largent, who also extended his He got help from a defense that the Chiefs was a crunching sound that left and much of Seattle cheering back home. nally was supposed to go to the A-back in the NFL record consecutive games pass-catch- never let the Bucs inside its 20 and him in a fog. Largent's fifth reception came late in the flat but I just made a little toss and that's ing streak to 152 games. Largent also passed limited them to 38 and 39-yard In fact, when somebody asked Largent in second quarter with Seattle trailing Kansas it." the yardage plateau with field goals by Donald Igwebuike.

the locker room after the game where the City, 24-17. The Seahawks, who began the That's it? (See Largent on page 2) Even playing the second half with out Pro Bowl linebacker Duane Bickett, who bruised a knee in the second quarter, they limited Vinny 0 Testaverde to eight completions in 49ers by Drilontana 31 attempts for 163 yards, sacked 4 him three times and held the Bucs 0 LI NI to 232 yards overall. lk 7 San Francisco wins NFC West; Cowboys eliminate Cardinals Dickerson also was assisted by ik r) jawed Gary Hogeboom who corn 4 4 Associated Press with a team-record 31 TD passes Walsh said. "We're also proud to Jack Trudeau, filling in for the in Ks s'N 4, Ni pleted 17 of 27 for 246 yards, in Joe Montana, who swapped roles and a No. 1 rating among the have the best record in the NFL.

A with Steve Young and served as league quarterbacks. 1 I 10 '''''w "But now we go into the playoffs, eluding a 55-yarder to Albert backup quarterback Sunday night It was 27-0 at halftime. Two of and I see no advantage for us." I Bentley that set up the first score and a to Matt just a will return to the San Francisco Young's scoring passes were to By winning a sixth straight before the final TD, Bentley two- 4tp' ers starting lineup for the Na- record breaking wide receiver Jer- game, the 49ers finished 13-2 and a yard run with 7:54 left. 0 al Football League playoffs. ry Rice.

game ahead of the New Orleans But it was still primarily the i Ng I'll keep preparing, and maybe I Everybody was fired up," Rice Saints in their division race. ..0. Eric Dickerson show, although an help "We didn't need New Orleans to 4 ill i et us to the Su er Bowl said Dickerson himself said he still 1 N. I. But as long as Joe is healthy, he's "Our team was pretty much motivate us," Walsh said 4,..

i 4 4 gotten down his full timing the guy," said Young, whose three helpless against Rams Montana seemed as nimble as hasn go 'V Ir -A, touchdown passes in the first half coach John Robinson said. They ever despite returning to action on in the Indianapolis offense "We still have some things to I i ft 3 got the 49ers rolling to a 48-0 victo- just overwhelmed a rainy night and playing on slick ,4 ry over the Los Angeles Rams in The Rams, weakened by injuries grass. iron out," he said. "Going into the ,,,0 San Francisco. to key players late in the season, Rice finished the regular season playoffs, everything has to work ep I 4, te- Montana came back from a ham- managed only 145 yards on offense with 23 touchdowns, 22 on recep- string injury and threw for a pair of against the San Francisco defense tions and one rushing.

That left him out. One mistake can kill you." But the Colts were satisfied sfied touchdowns second ran league season i- thdowns in the half of ranked No. 1 in the l. The one short of the NFL single- "There's no question that Eric A the game his team bad to win to 49ers' top-ranked offense rolled up record of 24 touchdowns set by Dickerson's presence makes us a '''7 claim the National Football Con- 427 yards, with Young passing for Washington fullback John Riggins better football team, Colts coach in 1983. The San Francisco star set Ron Meyer said.

ference West Division title. 174 and Montana for 107. .0 "I just wanted to get some things San Francisco's point total was a league records with his 22 scoring The win gave Meyer a 12-6 done and execute. It was strange season high for the team. receptions and also with his streak, record since he took over last year AP photo coming in with such a big lead," "We're proud to have won our di- now at 13, of consecutive games with the team 0-13.

said Montana, who finished the vision, to have come back from a Dallas' Victor Scott picks up fumble by St. Louis' Jay Novacek. strike-shortened regular season season-opening loss," Coach Bill (See NFC on page 3) (See Colts on page 3) 1 SylfaCUOC COUIld be ilateot urcitcroujned unbeaten By Herschel Nissenson II Hurricane damage: A bad week got worse for the worse. They went 12-0, including a victory over LSU are talking about, but that's how it is when you have Associated Press University of Miami football team. The Orange Bowl- in the Orange Bowl, and wound up a distant fifth a poll and no playoffs.

Somebody has to make a What do the Penn State teams of 1968, 1969 and bound Hurricanes, who lost two starters after they behind Notre Dame, 11-0; Ohio State and Oklahoma, decision." 1973, Arizona State's 1957, 1970 and 1975 squads, flunked drug tests, may have lost another starter to both 10-0-1, and Alabama, 11-1. In his book, "Football My Way," Paterno wrote: "I Alabama in 1945 and 1966, Arkansas in 1964 and injury. The news was better for Notre Dame page 3 "We suffer in comparison to the rest of the don't think our society would collapse if we didn't Mississippi in 1962 have in common? country," Paterno said back in 1971. It's a lesson have football. I just don't think football is all that All finished unbeaten, untied and uncrowned.

become the 52nd team on the list. The Orangemen Syracuse has learned in 1987. damn important." None won the national championship. take an 11-0 record into their Sugar Bowl game "We don't have the gJamour of a conference like He also said that "if you win all your games, what's Since the Associated Press poll began in 1936, 51 against Auburn but are only ranked No. 4 behind the Big Eight, the Big Ten, the Southeastern or the the difference whether you're ranked No.

1, 10 or 20? major-college teams have finished with perfect Oklahoma and Miami, both 11-0, and Florida State, Southwest," Paterno said. "As independents, we You did what you're supposed to do. You had a records but failed to finish No. 1. 10-1.

belong to the Eastern College Athletic Conference, an objective, and you achieved it" True, the list of also-rans is interspersed with the Over the years, no one suffered more at the hands which represents some colleges with different However, Paterno was terribly depressed by his likes of Santa Clara, Georgetown, Cornell, Lafayette of the pollsters than Penn State. The Nittany Lions interests and goals in college football. top-ranked team's 14-7 loss to No. 2 Alabama in the and Duquesne. But it also includes some of college were 11-0 in 1968, including a victory over Kansas in "We have a commissioner and a public relations 1978 Sugar Bowl football's traditional powers Tennessee in 1938, the Orange Bowl, but finished second behind Ohio man, but they don't spend their time building up the "Frankly, I didn't get over the loss until the middle Ohio State in 1944, Georgia in 1946, Michigan in 1947, State.

image of Eastern football and selling it to our own of the (next) season," he said, "and that was only Oklahoma in 1949 and 1954, Michigan State in 1951 The next year was an instant replay an 11-0 Eastern sports writers and sportscasters and the rest when my wife chided me, 'Joe, the Alabama game is and UCLA in 1954. campaign, capped by an Orange Bowl triumph over of the country. over. It's just another game you Bear Bryant went to his grave without ever really Missouri, and another runner-up finish, this time "Our independents play intersectional schedules, And Paterno changed his tune after beating forgiving the pollsters for voting what many consider behind Texas, which instigated the famous Joe and we beat teams from other sections of the country Georgia for his first national championship. 7 the best Alabama team he ever had behind Notre Paterno-Richard Nixon debate.

regularly. But we rarely get credit for our "When we finally won in '82 it just made everyone Dame and Michigan State, both 9-0-1, in 1966. It "The Penn State critics asked in 1968 and 1969 who accomplishments." feel so good," he said. "I never realized how much it would have been an unprecedented third consecutive we played," Charlie Zapiec, an offensive guard, said. Penn State finally got a measure of revenge in meant to be No.

1. national title. "We heard it especially in 1969 from papers and 1982, winning its first national championship with an "I didn't feel any different after the game, but It has been 11 years since a team with a perfect people in Texas. To them, a Boston College was 11-1 record over SMU, 11-0-1. when we flew back into Harrisburg two days later, record failed to finish No.

1. That was in 1976, when nothing. Neither was a team like West Virginia." "I've been in that position," said Paterno, who the streets were lined with people for 90 miles (back Rutgers, 11-0, also failed to finish anywhere from No. Ironically, those teams were Syracuse's last two "voted" his 1968, 1969 and 1973 teams No. 1 in his to State College).

It was the most moving night I've 2 through No. 16. The Scarlet Knights wound up 17th. victims this season. one-man Paterno Poll and even bought them ever had.

I thought to myself, 'This is super. Let's do' Now, the possibility exists that Syracuse could In 1973, the Nittany Lions did even better or "national championship" rings. "I know what they it 1 0.