The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 1546

iShcHcratt WWW.HERALD.COM A SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26.1999 UNDERDOG EUROPEAN TEAM HOLDS 10-6 LEAD OVER UNITED STATES HEADING INTO FINAL DAY OF RYDER CUP, ID EAST CAROLINA 27, MIAMI 23 IUF 38, KENTUCKY 10 Shootout? More like shut down Gators pummel UKs highly touted QB Bonner BY CLARK SPENCER cspencerdherald com LEXINGTON, Ky. Abnormally dry weather has turned the famed bluegrass in the heart of Kentucky to a parched brown. But the Wildcats have thirsted a lot longer for a football victory over the Florida Gators than the wilted lawns here have awaited some precious rain. Neither drought came to an end Saturday. A record Commonwealth Stadium crowd of 70,971 watched the Gators leave the Wildcats high and dry, stuffing Kentuckys potent passing attack in a 38-10 victory.

It marked Floridas 13th straight win over Kentucky. But what was projected to be a passing shootout involving UF quarterback Doug Johnson and UK counterpart Dusty Bonner instead was dictated by a stingy Florida defense. The No. 3 Gators (4-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) defused unranked Kentuckys main weapon: Bonners arm. He was sacked four times, though only once by defensive end Alex Brown, who had five of them last week in Floridas win over Tennessee.

Bonner, who had been averaging a touchdown pass per quarter with an NCAA-leading 12 overall through Kentuckys first three games, was PLEASE SEE UF, 6C NOT THIS TIME: Kenny Kelly scrambles away from East Carolinas Antwane Yelverton on this play, but Kelly and his Miami teammates were unable to fend off the Pirates, who scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to upset the Hurricanes. We need to learn to finish, UM defensive tackle Matt Sweeney said. Ninth-ranked Hurricanes collapse as E. Carolina rallies from 20 down throwing Reggie Wayne on fourth down, the Hurricanes were left to wonder where the bottom fell out of everything. The Hurricanes (2-2) ran out to a 20-0 lead before the second quarter was five minutes old, then couldnt put away a scrappy group of Pirates that havent even seen their home campus in more than a week.

We need to learn to finish, UM ing and mud, East Carolina pecked away at a 20-point deficit throughout the second half to stun the ninth-ranked Hurricanes, 27-23, on Saturday night. The Pirates scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to erase the deficit, capped when Keith Stokes took a pass from David Garrard 27 yards for a touchdown with 4:51 remaining. And when Miamis final frantic drive ended with Kenny Kelly over- Instead what followed was a collapse that makes the Penn State finish pale in comparison and is bound to put Hurricanes in an ugly mood for the next two weeks. Urged on by a raucous crowd happy for the chance to lose themselves in something other than flood BY JEFF SHAIN jshamherald com RALEIGH, N.C. For 19 minutes, the University of Miami seemingly put to rest any thoughts of a letdown following last weeks loss to Penn State.

EDREINKEAP A PAT ON THE HEAD: UFs Darrell Jackson is congratulated by Alex Willis after hauling in a 49-yard TD pass from Doug Johnson in the first half. PLEASE SEE UM, 8C I FLORIDA STATE 42, NORTH CAROLINA 10 By all means, Noles take easy rout Overmatched Duke is up next for the Seminoles, in Jacksonville on Saturday before a showdown against Miami in Tallahassee on Oct. 9. The 60,000 fans at Kenan Stadium had been all but muted before they could sift through the debris for a thrill. When Curry passed nine yards to fullback Deon Dyer for UNCs initial first down, they did roar appreciately or chidingly.

It was 21-0. Warricks primary contribution early was a 75-yard punt return for the fourth TD. But he did chip in with yet Warrick makes it 28-0 after 6:57 BY GARY LONG glongherald com CHAPEL HILL, N.C. There are lies, damned lies and football statistics. Sometimes those defy belief most blatantly.

Quarterback Ronald Curry and the North Carolina offense possessed the football for 10 minutes 39 seconds of the first quarter Saturday. Midway through the second quarter, the Tar Heels had an edge in total offense, 132 yards to 119. But at that point, top-ranked Florida State already led, 28-0, and had shifted into cruise control en route to a 42-10 rout that became a tour de force in wide receiver Peter Warricks Heisman Trophy campaign. We went out there today with the attitude were going to play like No. 1, Warrick said of the 28-point blitz in the games first 6 minutes 57 seconds.

The Seminoles hold on the top spot will not weaken with the rout that bumped them to 4-0 and dropped Carl Torbushs youthful and out-manned Tar Heels to 1-2. CHUCK BURTON AP IN GEAR: Florida States Peter Warrick breaks away from North Carolinas Kevin Knight on a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown. I PLEASE SEE FSU.4C Wolverines stop Badgers No. 7 Tennessee avoids a repeat of a 1996 loss to Memphis, getting a 15-yard TD pass with a minute left to survive, 17-16, 3C. No.

15 Kansas State rallies from a 28-7 halftime deficit to beat Iowa 35-28, 3C. Central Florida misses an extra point after an apparent game-tying touchdown, allowing No. 11 Georgia to escape with a 24-23 win, 2C. Florida State (4-0) d. N.

Carolina, 42-10 Penn State (5-0) d. Indiana, 45-24 Florida (4-0) d. Kentucky, 38-10 Michigan (4-0) d. No. 20 21-16 Texas (3-0) d.

S. Mississippi, 23-6 Nebraska (4-0) d. Missouri, 40-10 Tennessee (2-1) d. Memphis, 17-16 Virginia Tech (3-0) was idle Miami (2-2) lost to East Carolina, 27-23 Georgia Tech (2-1) was idle Central Florida 23 Georgia 24 Florida 76 South Carolina St. 17 Bethune-Cookman 28 Morris Brown 16 South Florida 24 Troy State 41 Jacksonville 13 Mississippi College 16 No.

4 Michigans defense holds Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne, 'V right, to zero rush- ing yards in the second half as the Wolverines A beat the 20th- ranked Badgers, 21-16, 3C. 'W.