The Week at a Glance
Posted: Sunday September 06, 1998 08:07 PM
By Dan Shanoff, CNN/SI
|
New Beginnings
Answers abounded Saturday to tough questions burning for top teams heading into
the season:
The new Notre Dame option offense, led by green senior QB Jarious Jackson, is far more effective than the blarney of the Powlus era. Just ask 1997 co-national champion and No. 5 Michigan, who lost 36-20 in South Bend, to the No. 22 Fighting Irish. The Wolverines quickly find themselves on the outside looking in at a title defense.
Tennessee fans, spoiled by years of Peyton Manning, were treated to a "Tee
party" as Manning's successor, the fleet-footed junior Tee Martin, led the No.
10 Volunteers to a last-second score and a thrilling 34-33 win at No. 17
Syracuse.
Washington QB Brock Huard made the right choice to spurn the NFL for his
junior year in Seattle. Despite the No. 18 Huskies' lack of experience at the
other offensive skill positions, Huard threw for 321 yards and four TDs --
including a 63-yard strike to senior tight end Reggie Davis on 4th-and-17 in the
final minute-to shock No. 9 Arizona State in Tempe, 42-38.
North Carolina fans might not have liked the inital answer to their questions about how the new regime of first-year coach Carl Torbush would fare-the No. 12 Tar Heels lost senior QB Oscar Davenport to an injury to his left knee early in the second quarter, then a sputtering offense allowed 19-point underdog Miami(Ohio) to stick around long enough to kick a last-second 37-yard field goal to steal a 13-10 win in Chapel Hill and stomp on the 'Heels' chances for a championship season. Davenport had arthroscopic surgery on the knee on Sunday, and it is unknown when he will be available to play next.
For all the sparkling new names and performances, it was comforting to see that some things stay the same; several Top 25 teams indulged in a little early-
season cream-puff snacking: Georgia 56, Kent 3...Florida 59, The Citadel
10...Kansas State 66, Indiana State 0.... Was this a confidence boost or just
fodder for boosters?
|
|
Sports Illustrated's
Ivan Maisel's
Top 25 |
| 1. Ohio State |
| 2. Florida State |
| 3. Florida |
| 4. Nebraska |
| 5. UCLA |
| 6. Penn State |
| 7. Tennessee |
| 8. Notre Dame |
| 9. Kansas State |
| 10. LSU |
| 11. Syracuse |
| 12. Virginia |
| 13. Washington |
| 14. Arizona State |
| 15. Michigan |
| 16. Georgia |
| 17. Colorado |
| 18. Missouri |
| 19. West Virginia |
| 20. Wisconsin |
| 21. Oregon |
| 22. Mississippi State |
| 23. Texas A&M |
| 24. North Carolina |
| 25. Kentucky
|
|
|
| Heisman Watch |
1. Ricky Williams, RB, Sr., Texas
Latest Performance vs. New Mexico State: 36 carries, 215 yds, TDs
Season Totals: 36 carries, 215 yds, 6 TDs
Next Game: at UCLA |
2. Tim Couch, QB, Jr., Kentucky
Latest Performance vs. Louisville: 29-39, 498 yds, 7 TDs
Season Totals: 24-50, 500 yds, 4 TD
Next Game: vs. Eastern Kentucky |
3. Daunte Culpepper, QB, Sr., Central Florida
Latest Performance vs. Louisiana Tech: 24-37, 370 yds., 4 TDs passing, 2 TDs rushing
Season Totals: 24-37, 370 yds., 4 TDs passing, 2 TDs rushing
Next Game: vs. Eastern Illinois |
4. Brock Huard, QB, Jr., Washington
Latest Performance vs. Arizona St.: 27-47, 321 yds, 4 TDs
Season Totals: 27-47, 321 yds, 4 TDs
Next Game: vs. BYU (Sept. 19) |
5. Autry Denson, RB, Sr., Notre Dame
Latest Performance vs. Michigan: 24 carries, 162 yards, 2 TDs
Season Totals: 24 carries, 162 yards, 2 TDs
Next Week: at Michigan State |
On the radar: Northwestern WR D'Wayne Bates; Boston College RB Mike Cloud; Louisiana Tech WR Troy Edwards; Ohio State QB Joe Germaine; Tennessee RB Jamal Lewis; Syracuse QB Donovan McNabb
Done: North Carolina DB Dre' Bly
|
|
|
|
| Next Saturday's Games to Watch |
Texas at UCLA 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Longhorns out to avenge last year's 66-3 backyard drubbing. Heisman showdown: Texas' Williams vs. UCLA QB Cade McNown.
|
Syracuse at Michigan 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Both teams coming off tough losses; 0-2 start for either dashes title hopes. |
Arizona State at BYU 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2
A preseason title contender, Sun Devils must regroup from shocking loss to Washington and win in hostile Provo. |
| This week's laugher: NE Louisiana vs. Florida |
|
| Storylines We'll Be Following This Week |
| QB Controversy Does Michigan start first-game loser Tom Brady or frosh phenom Drew Henson?
|
| Irish Eyes Smiling New Notre Dame QB Jarious Jackson earns rave reviews |
| Pull-Out Couch Stats outweigh sympathy during Kentucky's 68-34 rout of
Louisville |
|
| The Bandwagon |
| Tee Martin |  | Peyton Who? |
| Michigan "D" |  | Marcus Ray is no Charles Woodson |
| Cream-puffs | | Will come back to haunt K-State |
| Rutgers | | Say it: "Undefeated." |
| Heisman leaders |  | Stat-padding unclassy, but necessary |
|
| Saturday's Top Performances |
| Shaun Alexander, RB, Jr., Alabama vs. BYU: 26 carries, 115 yards, 5 TDs |
| Lavel Bailey, WR, Soph., Akron vs. Marshall: 12 catches, 201 yards |
| Jamaican Dartez, RB, Sr., Tulane vs. Cincinnati: 21 carries, 195 yards |
| Reuben Droughns, RB, Jr., Oregon vs. Michigan State: 17 carries, 202 yds, 3 TDs |
| Tim Rattay, QB, Jr., Louisiana Tech vs. Central Florida: 43-64, 524 yds, 3 TDs |
| Chris Redman, QB, Jr., Louisville vs. Kentucky: 25-50, 25-44, 368 yds, 4 TDs |
| Ricky Williams, RB, Soph., Texas Tech vs. UTEP: 41 carries, 251 yds, 6 TDs |
|
| Related information |
| Multimedia |
 Click here for the latest audio and video
|
| Search our site | Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day |
|
|
Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call 1-888-53-CNNSI. |
|
MULTIMEDIA
