The Fresno Bee from Fresno, California • 39

The Fresno Bee Monday October 17 1994 Deion stakes claim to A 93-yard interception return by Deion Sanders sparks a rout of the Falcons By John Schumacher McClatchy News Service ATLANTA Imagine Deion Sanders stepping off the plane driving home and hearing that often-asked question was your see The San Francisco All-Pro comerback got in an interesting little fight with an old friend had two penalty flags thrown his way and managed to score on a 93-yard interception 49ERS 42 Atlanta 3 return All before halftime Sanders making an emotional return to face his old team helped spark the 49ers to a stunningly easy 42-3 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at the Georgia Dome When it was over he limped into the locker room flashed a big smile and let everyone in on his motto of the day got one thing to say: This is my Sanders said built this house This will always be my It certainly was Sunday What was billed as a showdown for the NFC West lead quickly turned into a dud with the 49ers (5-2) pounding the Falcons (4-3) into submission And Sanders was in the middle of just about everything He got the crowd of 67298 riled up when he and Atlanta wide receiver Andre Rison staged a little fistfight early in the second quarter with the 49ers leading 21-0 Rison who had some unflattering things to say about Sanders when the 49ers signed the former Falcons star shoved a hand into helmet on a College shuffle at the top ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 5 Rec Pts Key games remaining 1 Penn St 6-0 1 467 Ohio St Illinois 2 Colorado 6-0 1 474 Kansas St Nebraska 3 Nebraska 7-0 1 463 Colorado Oklahoma 4 Auburn 7-0 1402 Georgia Alabama 5 Florida 5-1 1 1 96 Georgia Florida St CNN-USA TODAY TOP 5 1 Penn State (1504) 2 Nebraska (1498) 3 Colorado (1458) 4 Miami (1283) 5 Alabama (1 271 Complete AP poll Page E8 Complete USA Today-CNN poll Scoreboard Page E7 Penn State sets sight on national title Analysis: Nittany Lions move past hobbled Nebraska to the No 1 ranking and position for a championship run By Ivan Maisel Newsday It has taken Joe Patemo eight years to get this feeling again For Tom Osborne however Sunday brought a reminder of what he endured a year ago Patemo and Penn State armed with a solid victory over a highly-ranked conference rival jumped two positions to the top of both major-college football polls Sunday Nebraska despite a solid victory over a highly ranked conference rival fell behind a team it led a week ago beat a great Patemo said after Penn State won at Michigan 31-24 put a lot of pressure on us and I was very pleased with our The Comhuskers despite winning 17-6 at Kansas State even dropped to No 3 behind Big Eight rival Colorado in the Associated Press media poll The Buffaloes who embarrassed Oklahoma 45-7 on Saturday are well behind Nebraska in the CNNUSA Today poll Last season it appeared Nebraska would be denied a chance to play for the national championship despite having an unbeaten record Until Boston College defeated Notre Dame on Nov 18 Nebraska was ranked third behind both the Fighting Irish and Florida State This season the faint outlines of bowl matchups are beginning to take shape in the distance beyond Please see Top 25 Page E8 More injuries to defense Secondary suffers the most damage as banged up unit prepares for Air Force By Andy Boogaard The Fresno Bee Last into the Fresno State locker room Saturday night following the 38-24 victory over Wyoming was Steve Casner The junior linebacker dragged his leg as if hound by ball and chain His right ankle which has hurt for weeks was aching A reporter asked if he would make Fresno trip to Air Force Saturday he said smiling Then he slowly measured his final few steps to join his teammates in the Duncan Building They were celebrating in pain been that kind of year for the Bulldogs agony in victory and defeat What hurt more their 32-30 loss at home to Brigham Young two weeks ago or the win over Wyoming when Fresno State could hardly field a 11 defensive players in the second half? Different pain different gain Casner fellow starting outside linebacker Andre Deshay (leg cramps) and the top four cornerbacks were all out of the game because of injuries in certain stages of the second half Please see Bulldogs Page E3 Associated Press Please see 49ers Page E6 Going down in flames Dana Stubblefield registers one of six sacks against Falcons quarterback Jeff George Sunday Chargers earn respect victory After taking care of the AFC San Diego stays unbeaten by charging past its first NFC opponent New Orleans By Rick Gosselin Dallas Morning News NEW ORLEANS afraid of the National Conference? Certainly not the San Diego Chargers The National Football only unbeaten team finally met up with an NFC opponent Sunday and the Chargers remained perfect with a 36-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints San Diego ran its record to 6-0 with its fourth victory on the road but its first out of the American conference San Diego clubbed conference rivals Denver Cincinnati Seattle Kansas City and the Los Angeles Raiders in the first five games to assert itself as the best team in the AFC But the victory over the Saints shows the Chargers are now ready to dabble in the NFC regarded by some as the superior conference people want to say the AFC is soft and passive their Chargers running back Natrone Means said I will say is that the Please see Chargers Page E5 Raiders dazed after OT loss Jeff Hostetler argues with coach Art Shell on the sideline after pulled as Los Angeles falls to 2-4 By Jim Short Riverside Press-Enterprise MIAMI that poem by John Donne the one about not needing to see for whom the bell tolls because it tolls for thee? the position the Raiders are in today That ringing in their ears sounds suspiciously like a ringside bell at a prizefight its loud clear tone emphasizing the count Five Six Seven Eight Not 10 Not yet But clearly the Raiders are glassy-eyed and rubbery-legged and just one good punch away from a knockout after 20-17 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins The Raiders went from a 10-0 first-quarter lead to a dispiriting defeat because their offense supplement a strong defensive effort And because Bemie Parmalee who had career highs of 150 yards on 30 carries ran for 45 yards on five carries to set up Pete winning 29-yard field goal 5:46 into the overtime Please see Raiders Page E6 HEROES Deion Sanders: San Francisco comerback returns an interception 93 yards for a touchdown in his first game in Atlanta since leaving the Falcons Bemie Parmalee: Miami running back above runs for 150 yards on 30 carries Sean Dawkins: Indianapolis wideout catches six passes for 106 yards Jim Kelly: Buffalo quarterback passes for 286 yards Standings coverage Pages E4-E6 spills mark final horse-race meet Big payoff day of fair By Bruce Farris The Fresno Bee There were thrills and spills and a record payoff as the Big Fresno Fair racing meet ended a 10-day run on Sunday It closed with the biggest handle in the last two years $1321012 including $520886 at the track Among the highlights: Victor Miranda the leading rider of the meet booted home Day in the $37050 Bulldog Stakes for his second straight Bulldog win Comeback jockey Steve Val- Inside Sports Orioles name manager The Baltimore Orioles thought to favor Oakland Athletics manager Tony La Russa as a replacement for the fired Johnny Oates names former Los Angeles Dodgers scout and veteran pitching coach Phil Regan Page E2 Taking their shots Fresno State runs its soccer unbeaten streak to 13 matches with a 3-0 victory over Air Force Page E3 Chatter E2 Scoreboard E7 dez guided favorite Leif Erikson to a lVfe-length win in the $55000 Star of Stars Futurity for appaloosas In the 11th six-furlong thoroughbred race Artful Champ had just pushed ahead of Shining Price shy of the finish line But tiring Artful Champ stumbled dumping veteran jockey Ross Allardyce Blackjack fell over Artful Champ throwing Agapito Delgadillo to the turf Artful Champ never got to the finish line Please see Fair Page E8 Sunday: Leading jockey Victor Miranda guided Day to victory in the Bulldog Stakes and wagering favorite Leif Erikson won the Star Of Stars Futurity for appaloosas Results Page E8 Mark Crosse The Bee Heading for home Ackachina's Day (3) eases past Le Axe A (2) and Twounder in the stretch run of the Bulldog Stakes I.