The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 115

Ly If HI HEISMflW WATCH DANNY WUERFFEL QB FLORIDA Passed for 346 yards and three touchdowns as the top-ranked Gators demolished the Auburn Tigers TROY DAVIS RB IOWA STATE Carried 36 times for 238 yards and a pair of touchdowns but Iowa State lost 28-27 to Oklahoma State JAKE PLUMMER QB ARIZONA STATE Threw for 277 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Sun Devils' overtime win over Southern California TIKI BARBER RB VIRGINIA Caeied 17 times for 136 yards and also returned a punt 74 yards for a score as the Cavaliers beat NC State BYRON HANSPARD RB TEXAS TECH Managed 107 yards in a loss to Nebraska less than half of his Division l-A leading average iw mw wxV wvtfv vvw'vfew'y A Xy i vM Awsvl -W' tfcM4h iW JW INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL Top 25Page 10G Scores summaries'Page 12G Area collegesPages 12-13G SUNDAY OCTOBER 20 1996 (The (Charlotte (Observer 9G Page SN- TOP 25 Wuerffel No 1 Gators swampAuburn '625 yards of offense Elijah Williams and Fred Taylor both rushed for more than 100 yards for the second week in a row It was the most points scored on Auburn (5-2 3-2) since it Iot 55-0 to Alabama in 1948 you sit down with a 52-card deck you say got a fighting said Auburn defensive coordinator Bill Oliver who has given Spurrier fits over the past two decades two decks exactly Coordinator Bob de trying to convince himself and his teammates that they could come in and win but coach Stoops took that to cornerback Anthone Lott said was angry and upset all Craig defended his comments time you say anything about Florida they take it the wrong he said think a team that comes down here has a chance to win If we get a chance to play them again be just as the No 1 Gators to a 51-10 victory over the 16th-ranked Tigers Auburn Is the only SEC team to beat the Gators at Florida Field since coach Steve Spurrier arrived in 1990 a 36-33 victory in 1994 Florida team is by far the best of what seen" Bowden said have upset them but this team distances itself from the rest of the conference Like today they decided to be the No 1 defense rushing pressing get-up defense And the No 1 The Gators (7-0 5-0 SEC) had man' blfpack By DOUG FERGUSON Associated Press GAINESVILLE Fla Auburn coach Terry Bowden noticed two huge differences when he returned to the Swamp Danny Wuerffel is now a senior and the Florida defense is nothing like he remembers it Wuerffel threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns and the defense answered a challenge with utter dominance Saturday leading Cavs win avenges past losses By EDDY LANDRETH Raleigh Bureau CHARLOTTESVILLE Va NC State looked like a bug on windshield as the Cavaliers mashed the Wolfpack 62-14 Saturday at sun-bathed Scott Stadium co were Virginia 62 35 as bacj as NC State 14 they were said NC State coach Mike Virginia (5-1 3-1) intercepted four passes blocked two punts returned another for a touchdown and generally did anything it desired The 62 points are the most scored by Virginia in an ACC game unreal said Wolfpack tackle Tom Dombalis hard as we played against Alabama we went out there and we just got our (butts) kicked up and down that field As hard as we played last week and to go out there and embarrass ourselves our program on TV Jamie Barnette started at quarterback for NC State (1-5 1-3) because he played well against Alabama last week By the time he went to the bench with 12 minutes 29 seconds left in the first quarter the Cavs had a 24-0 lead and Barnette had thrown two interceptions Jose Laureano who missed the Alabama game because he missed two classes replaced him Laureano did not fare much better He threw two interceptions and spent much of the day trying to elude the Virginia pass rush Tiki Barber carried the ball 17 times for 136 yards and scored three touchdowns He rushed for two and returned a punt for another His 74-yard punt return came with 11:17 left in the first quarter and it set the tone for the day That song became a requiem for the Wolfpack but the Cavs heard it a different way Virginia stamped an old debt Two years ago NC State upset the Cavaliers at Scott Stadium The loss knocked Virginia from the Fiesta Bowl to the Independence Bowl In fact the Wolfpack scrambled postseason plans several times in the past few years Virginia defensive lineman Todd White said that made this win even sweeter was our big thing coming into this White said been here for five years Rounduppage 10G 1 Florida (6-0) Beat Auburn 51-10 Next: Vs Georgia (Nov 2) 2 Ohio State (6-0) Beat Purdue 42-14 Next: At Iowa (Sat) 3 Florida State (5-0) Did not play Next: Vs Virginia (Sat) 4 Arizona State (7-0) Beat Southern California 48-35 (20T) Next: At Stanford (Sat) 5 Nebraska (5-1 Beat Texas Tech 24-10 Next: Vs Kansas (Sat) 6 Tennessee (4-1 Did not play Next: Vs Alabama (Sat) 7 Alabama (7-0) Beat Mississippi 37-0 Next: At Tennessee (Sat) 8 Notre Dame (4-2) Lost to Air Force 20-17 (OT) Next: Vs Navy (Nov 2) 9 Colorado Beat Kansas 20-7 Next: Vs Texas (Sat) 10 Penn State Lost to Iowa 20-7 Next: At Indiana (Sat) 11 North Carolina (5-1) Did not play Next: At Houston (Sat) 12 Miami (4-2) Lost to East Carolina 31-6 Next At West Virginia (Sat) 13 Michigan (5-1) Beat Indiana 27-20 Next: At Minnesota (Sat) 14 Northwestern (6-1) Beat Wisconsin 34-30 Next: Vs Illinois (Sat) 15 West Virginia (7-0) Beat Temple 30-10 Next: Vs Miami (Sat) 16 Auburn (5-2) Lost to Florida 51-10 Next: Vs Arkansas (Nov 5) 17 Louisiana State (5-1) Beat Kentucky 41-14 Next Vs Mississippi State (Sat) 18 Brigham Young (6-1) Played at Tulsa Next: At Texas Christian (Sat) 19 California (5-0) Played at Washington State Next Vs UCLA (Sat) 20 Virginia (5-1) Beat NC State 62-14 Next: At Florida State (Sat) 21 Kansas State (5-1) Beat Texas 23-20 Next: Vs Oklahoma (Sat) 22 Georgia Tech (4-2) Lost to Clemson 28-25 Next Vs Central Florida (Sat) 23 Wyoming (8-0) Beat Fresno State 42-21 Next Vs Southern Methodist (Nov 2) 24 Utah (6-1) Beat Texas Christian 21-7 Next Vs Tulsa (Sat) (5-1) (6-2) 25 Washington Beat UCLA 41-21 Next: At Oregon (Sat) SIDELINES (4-2) FLOYDS HONORED: South Carolina has named its new football office complex at Williams-Brice Stadium after outgoing Board of Trustees Chairman Eddie Floyd and his wife Kay The building was dedicated before the Arkansas-South Carolina football game on Saturday one day after Floyd was replaced by Columbia lawyer William Hubbard Floyd served as chairman for four years The complex located in the north end zone of the stadium opened in January The $186 million project included coaches' offices a recruiting area and a Gamecocks paraphernalia store MUST SEE TV? In the last five Thursday night games on ESPN the average score has been 33-5 The series returns Oct 31 when Boston College visits Pittsburgh followed on Nov 7 by Wyoming at San Diego State which should be a decent game then Nov 14 Georgia Tech at Maryland (another potential dog) and Nov 21 Texas Christian at Southern Methodist (who cares?) SAY WHAT? fense held the Tigers to 173 yards thanks to a little incentive from quarterback Dameyune Craig Craig who set a school record with 394 yards passing against Mississippi State last week had said there was "no doubt in my Auburn could beat the Gators again adding that defense been He was 7-of-28 with two interceptions and was sacked seven times knew that Craig was just 4 rated higher than And the North Carolina offense has been at its best the past two weeks Dombalis said he plans to do necessary to see that the Wolfpack is ready for that game like a funeral in the locker Dombalis said only thing we can do now is regroup and start all over again got two weeks to get prepared for Carolina be (darned) if going to go out there and roll over for Carolina going to go out there and fight them tooth and nail guarantee you Summary Page 11G 25-yard run on the Sun initial play of the second overtime On third-and-6 from the Arizona State 21 Otton fumbled a pitchout and Jackson scooped up the ball and raced untouched along the sideline for the final points flipped it like a shovel said Otton who finished 16-of-39 for 205 yards was just trying to get rid of the ball done that play a million times and completed that pass a lot But I thought the ball was I down Laureano completed 7- of-14 for 109 yards two interceptions and a touchdown He got sacked twice Barnette once Dombalis admitted he had concerns about the Wolfpack being able play with emotion after last game against Alabama The Wolfpack reached a peak that day and it lost was definitely Dombalis said were flat when we came out Their defense was no better than But from offense to defense our special teams they just dominated The Wolfpack has next Saturday off before playing Nov 2 arch-rival North Carolina The Tar Heels are ranked No 1 1 in the nation and their defense is be determined maybe until Arizona State forced overtime at 28-28 on 7-yard touchdown run with 1:30 remaining Southern Cal (4-3 2-2 Pac-10) scored first in overtime on Brad 10-yard pass to Rodney Sermons The Sun Devils (7-0 4-0) matched it when Jake Plummer hit Keith Poole from 6 yards Battle who had a career-high 184 yards on 30 carries gave Arizona State its first lead with a Strong 4th quarter boosts Gamecocks By JESSE HOLLAND Associated Press COLUMBIA A hurt leg and one of the top rushing defenses stop Duce Staley from closing in on his first 1 000-yard season Despite being South Carolina 23 Arkansas 17 suffering from a deep thigh bruise Staley turned it on in the fourth quarter to pick up 86 yards and lead South Carolina to a 23-17 win over Arkansas on Saturday was hurt but when I saw Paul (Beckwith who played center despite a sprained ankle and thigh) sucking it up I sucked it up I had said Staley who ended up with 105 yards In the scoring drive that put the game away Staley picked up 77 yards including rushes of 20 17 and 10 and caught a 2-yard pass to bring kicker Reed Morton into range for a 46-yard field goal to put Arkansas away would never know he was coach Brad Scott said seemed to get stronger as the game went on He is a tough back who is a veiy good football With just 33 more yards in the next four games Staley will become South first 1000-yard rusher since 1987 Arkansas coach Danny Ford said the most disappointing part of the game was his inability to stop Staley in the second half just hold him for four Ford said The turnovers and the penalties also help Ford said The Razorbacks fumbled once threw two interceptions and were penalized for 41 yards South Carolina threw only one interception and was penalized for 91 yards Arkansas (2-4 0-3 SEC) had a 17-10 lead in the second half off of a 4-yard score by Chrys Chuk-wuma but Jesse Cornelius fumbled the ball to South Carolina (4-3 3-2) on the 43-yard line on next offensive series Staley pounded the ball down to the 30 where Chad Barnhart hit Zola Davis streaking down the sideline to bring the ball to the 1 Running back Troy Hambrick scored on the next play but kicker Courtney Leavitt missed the extra point to leave the score 20-17 Gamecock Terry Cousin intercepted a Burks pass on the South Carolina 49 and outran the Razor-backs down the field for a touchdown to start the scoring Arkansas quickly responded with a 43-yard scamper by Oscar Malone Cornelius capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge to tie the score at 7-all victory looked at the ref and he gave me a look he was saying blow the so I said Jackson Otton insisted he was trying to pass on the last play to throw an underhanded pass but the referee saw it Trojans coach John Robinson said The win kept the Sun Devils in the Rose Bowl hunt and kept Plummer in the race for postseason honors The senior completed 26-of-44 passes for 277 yards SCOn BROWNAssociated Press Anthony Southern charges ahead against NC defense during the first half of the blowout victory Saturday now My freshman year they kept us from going to a bowlx My sophomore year they sent us to the Carquest Bowl and we almost go to a bowl in the third year they sent us to some weeds in Shreveport (La) hurt us some It was a payback game The seniors have only beaten them once since been here and that was last year We had something to prove out there been a thorn in our sides We finally plucked that NC State proved little other than showing it is capable of playing as poorly as any team in the ACC Barnette completed 10-of-19 passes for 124 yards two interceptions and a touch 48-35 victory over Southern California on Saturday thought we had encountered everything we could this season This one was totally said Arizona State coach Bruce Snyder whose team shut out Nebraska 1 9-0 here Sept 2 1 and came from 21 behind in the fourth quarter to beat UCLA 42-34 last week took best punch and go down This is a really special Snyder said know how good we really are That Sun Devils escape heat with double-OT By WALTER BERRY Associated Press TEMPE Ariz It was another in a season full of comebacks for No 4 Arizona State but this one might go a long way no in deciding the Rose Anz St 48 Bowl race Cal 35 Terry fourth touchdown of the game a 25-yard run in the second overtime and freshman Courtney 85-yard fumble return gave the Sun Devils a gotten back that feeling never going to lose again" Matt Rice Northwestern linebacker after his team's improbable comeback ictory over Wisconsin "All I remember was trying to keep my foot up so they wouldn't step on it So I had to hop around the field for about five Dallas Thompson Air Force kicker on the celebration after his field goal gave the Falcons a 20-17 overtime vic- tory at Notre Dame.