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Don't jump the gun

Notre Dame's road (to Tempe?) gets tougher in October

Posted: Tuesday September 24, 2002 6:50 PM
  Ivan Maisel - Inside College Football

This just in: Tyrone Willingham had a roast beef sandwich for lunch on Tuesday.

OK, the truth is I don't know what Willingham had for lunch. But all of us who are part of the overwhelming coverage given to the surprise team of the season are taking a breath this week. Notre Dame is off. The good news, for those of us interested in selling magazines, is that the Irish won't lose on Saturday.

You may believe in echoes waking up, or you may not. On the winning touchdown pass against Michigan State, a walk-on quarterback (Pat Dillingham) threw to a former starting quarterback (wide receiver Arnaz Battle), who went 60 yards thanks to a downfield block from another former starting quarterback (tight end Gary Godsey).

A lot of subway alums (and magazine editors) are considering it a fait accompli that the Irish will be 7-0 when they play at Florida State on Oct. 26. If anything, though, Notre Dame's October schedule looks tougher than September. The Irish play Stanford, which will be emotionally ready to take on the Cardinal's former coach; Pittsburgh, which, behind linebacker Gerald Hayes, has one of the toughest defenses in the country; and at Air Force, which just got through beating the other surprise team of this season, California.

It's not quite time just yet for the Irish to make Fiesta Bowl reservations.

  • Minnesota moved its next two home games, against Illinois on Oct. 5 and Northwestern on Oct. 12, back two days because the Twins need the Metrodome for the playoffs.

    Those Twins do a nice job of moving the runners over, don't they?

  • Georgia paid Division I-AA Northwestern (La.) State $400,000 to come to Athens and absorb a 45-7 beating. The wire story on the game noted that the Demons rode 11 hours each way on buses instead of chartering a plane. Well, according to Northwestern State athletic director Greg Burke, they did that for a reason other than just being cheap: With the money saved, they will fly to and from Jacksonville (Ala.) State on Nov. 9, returning more rested in order to prepare the following week for their Southland Conference archrival, McNeese State.

    That's the great thing about college football -- everything is always about beating your archrival.

  • Arkansas leads the nation in rushing defense, having played two teams, Boise State and South Florida, that pass so often they consider the off-tackle a trick play. Congratulating the Hogs for their run defense is like applauding someone for finishing second to Tiger Woods by 10 shots.

    But what the hey: Way to go, Hogs.

  • Tennessee wide receiver Kelley Washington spent all of last week telling everyone how he is the best receiver in the country. Against Florida, in his first game of the season, Washington caught seven passes for 102 yards. If memory serves me, only once did he gain yards after the catch. On that 34-yarder, he stepped out of bounds rather than take on the defensive back closing on him.

    Washington may have been rusty. The sprained knee that kept him out of the first two games may not be 100 percent. But with Michigan State's Charles Rogers digitizing a highlight reel every Saturday, if Washington wants the rest of us to agree with his self-assessment, he has got to show more game than he did against Florida.

  • Speaking of Rogers, I'm still trying to figure out how he got his foot down inside the back of the end zone on that last Michigan State touchdown against Notre Dame.

  • Speaking of Tennessee, the Vols are one of eight teams using a new Wilson football this season. The company is advertising the ball, which has higher laces and deeper channels at the seams, as (their quotes) "virtually fumble-free."

    Tennessee tied a school record by fumbling eight times against Florida.

  • Keep an eye on Bowling Green. The Falcons have a talented quarterback in Josh Harris. And they don't have Marshall or Miami (Ohio) on their regular-season schedule.

    Sports Illustrated senior writer Ivan Maisel covers college football for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com. Click here to send a question to his Mailbag.

     
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