College Football (The All-American Football League)

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Columbus, Ohio--Ohio State took a major step toward winning the All-American Football League Midwest title by downing Michigan State 30-27 Saturday.

In a battle of one-loss teams, the seventh-rated Buckeyes took over first place with the victory. Ohio State earned the win in typical Woody Hayes fashion--by running the ball.

Bottled up for most of the year, Eddie George broke loose against the No. 7 Spartans with a season-high 100-yard, three-touchdown performance.

"It was time for me to contribute to our season," said George. "The offensive line did the job today. I just run through the holes."

George scored what proved to be the game-deciding touchdown on a four-yard run with 2:18 remaining.

Michigan State refused to fold, however. The Spartans marched down the field and scored on a six-yard pass from Drew Stanton to Derrick Mason with 1:20 left. A two-point conversion cut Ohio State's lead to 28-27.

Yet, the Buckeyes held on to win. First, Ohio State recovered an onside-kick attempt. Then after forcing Michigan State to exhaust its time outs with three straight runs, Ohio State's Tom Tupa booted a punt out of bounds at the Spartan one.

Faced with driving 99 yards with only seconds remaining, Stanton was sacked for a safety by Ohio State's Mike Vrabel.

"This was by far our biggest win since the league formed," said Hayes.

Though they were outgained by 54 yards in offense, Ohio State outrushed Michigan State by 98 yards.

"That was the difference today," said Hayes. "We won the ground game, and we won the war."

Ohio State holds down first place with a 4-1 record. Michigan State slipped to 3-2.

Michigan 17, Oklahoma 14

The Wolverines prevented the Sooners from keeping pace with first-place Ohio State.

Rob Lytle scored on a one-yard run with 4:47 remaining in the game to lift Michigan to its Homecoming win.

"We stumbled out of the gate this season," said Lytle, who ran for 50 yards on seven carries. "But, we're back now."

The Wolverines' other touchdown came on a 17-yard touchdown pass from John Navarre to David Terrell. Remy Hamilton also kicked a 29-yard field goal.

Oklahoma quarterback Jason White struggled for much of the game. White completed just six passes for 166 yards and no touchdowns.

"We were ready for his act," said Wolverine cornerback Charles Woodson.

Joe Washington and Greg Pruitt scored the two Sooner touchdowns. Billy Sims led Oklahoma with 48 yards on 10 carries.

Both teams sport 3-2 records. Yet, Oklahoma still has hope for the Midwest title. The Sooners host Ohio State Saturday in a showdown for first place. An Oklahoma win would give the Sooners the tie-breaker over the Buckeyes.

Wisconsin 27, Notre Dame 21

The king is officially dead.

Notre Dame, last year's AAFL champion, dropped its third straight game after winning 11 in a row.

"I don't know what's happened," said Notre Dame head coach Knute Rockne. "We're not playing with any confidence at all."

Wisconsin ran up a 21-7 halftime lead and then held off the Irish for the home victory. Anthony Davis scored two of the Badgers' touchdowns. The other TDs came on a Dwight Smith run and a pass from Darrell Bevell to Al Toon.

"This is a big day for Wisconsin football," said Badger head coach Barry Alvarez. "This is something to relish and build upon."

Running backs George Gipp, Emil Sitko and Creighton Miller accounted for the Irish scores. Gipp led all rushers with 86 yards on 15 carries.

"We're not playing with the same approach we had even a few weeks ago," said quarterback Brady Quinn. "It's disheartening."

Both teams have 2-3 records.

Illinois 31, Purdue 7

The Fighting Illini broke into the win column for the first time this season by throttling the Boilermakers.

"We came out and took no prisoners today," said Illinois linebacker Dick Butkus. "It didn't matter that we were on the road. We kicked them but good."

Butkus and the raging Illini defense forced Purdue into three turnovers (all fumbles) and kept Drew Brees out of the end zone.

"We wanted to get in Brees' face as much as possible and force him into quick decisions, said Illinois linebacker Dana Howard.

The Illini were able to accomplish that by sacking Brees four times (two by Simeon Rice) and flushing him from the pocket on numerous occasions. All-American candidate receiver John Standeford managed to catch six passes for 109 yards, but paid the price for each one.

"They hit me as hard as any team this year," said Standeford.

Offensively, Illinois got touchdowns from Robert Holcombe and Rocky Harvey on the ground and Walter Young and Ty Douthard in the air. Illinois head coach Robert Zuppke successfully rotated quarterbacks Kurt Kittner, Jeff George and Tony Eason.

After beginning the season with a 2-0 record, Purdue has lost three straight games.

"They whipped us but good," said Purdue head coach Joe Tiller. "This was their day to shine in the sun."

Illinois football has never looked brighter.

Midwest Player of the Week: Eddie George, Ohio State

Midwest Standings
Ohio State 4-1
Michigan 3-2
Michigan State 3-2
Oklahoma 3-2
Notre Dame 2-3
Purdue 2-3
Wisconsin 2-3
Illinois 1-4

Week 6 Schedule
Michigan @ Illinois
Wisconsin @ Michigan State
Purdue @ Notre Dame
Ohio State @ Oklahoma

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Austin, Tex.--As it turns out, it's the Nebraska Cornhuskers who were living large in Texas.

The top-ranked Cornhuskers ran all over the third-rated Longhorns in a 35-14 rout. Since Nebraska holds the tie-breaker by defeating Texas in head-to-head action, the Cornhuskers have virtually wrapped up their second straight All-American Football League West championship.

"We came down here and took control from the get-go," said Nebraska running back Ahman Green, who rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown.

The Cornhuskers took control of this battle of undefeateds almost immediately. On the the fifth play of the game, quarterback Scott Frost staked Nebraska to a 7-0 lead on a 49-yard touchdown dash.

"That play worked because we had to account for their other backs," said Longhorn head coach Darrell Royal. "Plus, Frost is a gifted runner."

Nebraska built a 21-0 lead by halftime on the strength of TD runs by Tom Rathman (four yards) and Irving Fryar (55 yards).

The second half saw the Cornhuskers stretch their lead with long scoring drives capped by touchdown runs from Lawrence Phillips, Johnny Rodgers and Green.

"They have so many weapons," said Royal. "They waxed us good."

The Cornhuskers ran for 480 yards, led by Frost's 115 on eight carries. Heisman front-runner Mike Rozier had 90 yards on 21 attempts.

Texas, 4-1, scored its points in the fourth quarter. First, Hodges Mitchell had a one-yard touchdown run. Later, Michael Adams ran a kickoff back 101 yards.

While Earl Campbell led the Longhorns with 87 yards on only six carries, Vince Young experienced the worst game of his career. Young completed just one pass in five attempts for 28 yards and was intercepted once. He also was sacked twice and rushed for -11 yards. Major Applewhite replaced Young late in the final quarter.

Colorado 21, Arizona State 7

Playing in a snowstorm that blew in just before the opening kickoff, the Buffaloes prevailed in a hard-fought defensive struggle.

Rashaan Salaam led all rushers with 132 yards and an 81-yard touchdown run.

"The footing wasn't the best, but at least it was easier for me than for the defenders," said Salaam.

Charlie Davis and Lamont Warren scored the other Colorado touchdowns.

The win raised the Buffaloes' record to 3-2 on the year. Arizona State, coming off a its first victory in AAFL history, fell to 1-4.

The Sun Devils' lone score came on an 86-yard punt return by Wilford White with 13:11 left in the third quarter.

Arizona State had just 192 total yards. Gerald Riggs led the Sun Devils with 43 rushing yards on seven carries. Jake Plummer (6-for-3 for 58 yards) replaced an ineffective Danny White (1-for-7 for 21 yards) in the second half.

Washington 42, UCLA 7

The Huskies kept the Bruins from the win column with a blowout victory.

Rashaan Shehee ran for 76 yards and two touchdowns while Hugh McElhenny added 75 yards and one TD to lead Washington.

"We really moved the ball well on offense today," said Huskies' head coach Don James.

Greg Lewis and Beano Bryant also scored on rushing touchdowns. Warren Moon hit Mario Bailey with a 28-yard scoring strike just prior to halftime.

Winless UCLA gave Gary Beban his first start of the season. However, Beban completed just 2-of-11 passes in the first half. Troy Aikman took over after halftime and directed the Bruins to their only score of the day. Aikman completed an eight-play, 67-yard drive with a seven-yard TD pass to Maurice Drew.

"It's been a long year," said UCLA head coach Terry Donahue. "But we still have hopes of breaking into the win column."

Washington upped its record to 3-2. UCLA fell to 0-5.

USC 36, BYU 35

Don't ever count out a talent-laden team like the USC Trojans. That's the lesson BYU learned firsthand Saturday night.

USC rallied from a 28-7 halftime deficit to pull out the thrilling victory. Anthony Davis completed the Trojan comeback by scoring on a one-yard run with 3:54 left in the game.

"We knew we had the ability to come back," said USC quarterback Carson Palmer. "We didn't panic, we just took it one series at a time."

The Trojan defense also got into the act. Two consecutive interceptions by safety Ronnie Lott set up the USC offense with short fields midway through the third quarter.

"They couldn't run on us," said Lott. "That meant they had to go to the air to maintain their momentum."

That momentum swung the Trojans' way when Marcus Allen ran for two touchdowns and then Rickey Bell scored the game-tying one.

"This was a total team effort," said USC's Shaun Cody who registered two of the three Trojan sacks.

Ty Detmer threw for 286 yards and one touchdown in a losing effort. However, his five interceptions--four of which came in the second half--helped to decided the game's outcome.

West Player of the Week: Scott Frost, Nebraska

West Standings
Nebraska 5-0
Texas 4-1
Colorado 3-2
USC 3-2
Washington 3-2
Arizona State 1-4
BYU 1-4
UCLA 0-5

Week 6 Schedule
Arizona State @ USC
UCLA @ BYU
Colorado @ Texas
Nebraska @ Washington

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Max Mercy, Jr. here again, folks . . .

It's time for Ole Max's Big Poll following another topsy-tervy week of All-American Football League action. Since Ole Max is busting his way from Austin, Texas to Norman, Oklahoma for this week's Ohio State Buckeyes-Oklahoma Sooners matchup, here is the latest version of Ole Max's Big Poll.

1. Nebraska--Crop dusting of Texas makes 'Huskers the clear choice
2. Florida State--If it weren't for Nebraska, FSU would hold down the top spot
3. Penn State--After shutting out Syracuse, Nittany Lions move up a slot
4. Ohio State--A win at Oklahoma Saturday just about locks up the Midwest
5. Texas--Down from No. 3; then again, no one else has beaten Nebraska either
6. Alabama--Tide bounces back with big win over previously eighth-ranked Georgia
7. Syracuse--The Orangemen proved you can't win if you don't score against Penn State last week
8. Colorado--The Buffs won in the snow a week ago
9. Michigan State--Dropped a heartbreaker to Ohio State to virtually end their bowl chances
10. Michigan--Ranked 10th in the nation . . . and second in the state

Heisman Hype
1. Mike Rozier, Nebraska--This guy comes to play every single week
2. Ahman Green, Nebraska--He's actually outrushed Rozier two straight games
3. Charlie Ward, Florida State--He's stepped in for the inconsistent Chris Weinke and kept the 'Noles title dreams alive
4. Jim Kelly, Miami--Has gun, will travel (via the air)
5. Scott Frost, Nebraska--Has wrestled the job away from Tommie Frazier on a talent-laden team

Well, that's it for this week. Ole Max will be back next week with a full report as the regular season winds down.

This is Max Mercy, Jr signing off . . .

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Chestnut Hill, Mass.--Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions wrapped up their second straight All-American Football League East title by drubbing Boston College 49-7.

The third-rated Nittany Lions ran all over Boston College. Penn State racked up 593 yards in total offense, 526 which came by the rush. Ki-Jana Carter carried the ball just five times, yet amassed 128 yards. Carter opened the scoring with a league-record 95-yard touchdown run at the 12:32 mark of the first quarter.

"The play was designed to go off tackle," said Carter. "But, that hole was plugged so I bounced it outside. Fortunately for me, it was wide open."

Later in the game, Larry Johnson broke away on a 70-yard touchdown run. Johnson finished the contest with 99 yards on seven carries.

As the game became a blowout, Penn State head coach Joe Paterno substituted freely. Blair Thomas, Curtis Enis, Tony Hunt and Curt Warner all scored on rushing touchdowns.

"It was a day to reward everybody for practicing so hard this season," said Paterno.

The victory lifted Penn State to a 6-0 record. Even if the Nittany Lions were to somehow get upset by winless Ivy next weekend, Penn State still holds the tie-breaker over second-place Syracuse.

Boston College scored its lone touchdown on an 18-yard run by Mike Cloud with 9:18 left in the game. Quarterback Doug Flutie completed 19-of-29 passes for 178 yards. He was intercepted by Kim Herring.

The Eagles are a disappointing 2-4.

Syracuse 42, HBCU 14

The No. 7 Orangmen took out their frustrations from last week's loss to Penn State by smashing the Titans in front of an energetic home crowd.

Syracuse, 5-1, was 11-for-15 on third down. Larry Csonka scored twice on short touchdown runs. Ernie Davis rushed for a team-leading 50 yards and caught a 17-yard TD pass from Donovan McNabb.

"Maybe we can't catch Penn State," said Davis. "But, we've still got our pride. We believe we're one of the best teams in the nation."

McNabb, who passed for 201 yards, also threw a TD pass to Marvin Harrison. Dee Brown and Jim Brown also ran for scores.

HBCU, 3-3, committed four turnovers and struggled to get on track all afternoon. Willie Galimore, last season's Heisman Trophy winner, carried the ball only four times for 19 yards.

Meanwhile, Johnny Sample led the Titans with a career-high 78 yards on 12 attempts. Walter Payton ran for 50 yards and scored one of the HBCU touchdowns. The other Titan TD came on a 27-yard pass from James Harris to Harold Carmichael.

Clemson 21, Ivy 14

Holding a 14-0 halftime lead, the Eagles eyed their first victory of the year. Then, came the second half.

Clemson then rattled off 21 unanswered points and shut down Ivy to earn the win. The Tigers evened their record at 3-3.

"We didn't want to be their first win," said Clemson running back Terrence Flagler who scored the go-ahead touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.

The Tigers' other scores came on a 57-yard run by Ray Williams and a 23-yard pass from Steve Fuller to Dwight Clark.

"Williams' run really took some of the steam out of our crowd," said Ivy head coach . "That was the turning point."

Ivy, 0-6, got touchdowns from Ed Marinaro and Rich Diana to open its first-half lead. Quarterback Gavin Hoffman completed 11-of-19 passes for 133 yards. He threw the TD pass to Diana and was intercepted late in the third quarter.

Pittsburgh 21, Armed Forces 10

Tony Dorsett has been waiting all season to break loose. Saturday, the Panther running back did that and more.

Dorsett, third in last year's Heisman balloting, ran for a season-high 145 yards and two touchdowns as Pitt delighted its home crowd with a rousing victory.

"We've had success as a team this year (with a 4-2 record)," said Dorsett. "But, I haven't done as much as I should. Until today, that is."

The Panther defense also contributed to the victory. Hugh Green led the way with eight solo tackles and two sacks.

Armed Forces, 1-5, held a 3-0 lead for much of the first half. The defense kept the Patriots in the game with a season-high five sacks.

"We came to play on the defensive side today," said Armed Forces head coach Red Blaik. "The problem was that they were on the field too many minutes. Pitt wore us down in the second half."

The Panthers put the game away with on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Dan Marino to Ralph Still. The TD came with 8:15 remaining in the game and put Pitt up 21-3.

Armed Forces scored a last-minute touchdown on a pass from Roger Staubach to Bill Carpenter.

East Player of the Week: Ki-Jana Carter, Penn State

East Standings
Penn State 6-0
Syracuse 5-1
Pittsburgh 4-2
Clemson 3-3
HBCU 3-3
Boston College 2-4
Armed Forces 1-5
Ivy 0-6

Week 7 Schedule
Boston College @ Armed Forces
Syracuse @ Clemson
Pittsburgh @ HBCU
Ivy @ Penn State

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Tallahassee, Fla.--With a chance to wrap up their second consecutive All-American Football League championsip, Florida State fell flat on its face.

The second-ranked Seminoles took a 14-0 first quarter lead and then lost its edge. Georgia rallied for a 49-31 victory that means the South title will be determined on the regular season's final weekend.

"We've given ourselves a chance," said Georgia head coach Vince Dooley. "That's all we can ask for at this point."

The Bulldogs, 4-2, need a win next weekend against last-place Tennessee and some help. Should 5-1 Florida State lose at LSU, then Georgia would earn the AAFL South flag since the Bulldogs hold the tie-breaker.

Georgia rolled up 594 yards in total offense Saturday. Quarterback Eric Zeier completed 13-of-15 passes for a career-high 318 yards and two touchdowns.

"Our line gave me plenty of time to throw," said Zeier. "Our receivers did an incredible job running their routes to precision."

Andre Hastings and Hines Ward each caught TD passes from Zeier. Garrison Hearst scored a pair of touchdowns, while Charlie Trippi and Herschel Walker each found paydirt once.

"It was a total effort by our team," said Dooley. "That's what you need to beat Florida State."

The Seminoles' running game struggled for most of the day. Thus, Florida State often found itself in third-and-long situations. The Seminoles converted only 4-of-13 third down plays.

"We didn't do ourselves any favors," said Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden.

Seminole quarterback Charlie Ward completed 25-of-33 passes for an AAFL-record 355 yards and three touchdowns.

"Charlie threw the ball well," said Bowden. "But we've got to run the ball too."

LSU 17, Auburn 14

It was a Tiger by the tail.

LSU's Tigers kept alive their slim hopes of winning the South title by tipping Auburn's Tigers in the game's final eight seconds.

David Browndyke kicked a 32-yard field goal to lift LSU to victory. The Tigers hold a 4-2 record and thus still hold post-season dreams in their hearts.

"We do have hope," said LSU head coach Charles McClendon. "But, it will take some luck to get us in."

First, LSU would need to defeat Florida State in Baton Rouge next weekend. Then, the Tigers need Tennessee to upset Georiga in Athens. Georgia holds the tie-breaker over LSU thanks to a 28-14 Bulldog win earlier this season.

Auburn, 2-4, outgained LSU 412-295 in total offense. However, four turnovers kept Auburn from taking control of the game.

"It's been a difficult season to say the least," said Auburn running back Bo Jackson, who rushed for 93 yards on 18 carries.

Miami 28, Alabama 27

Chuck Foreman only touched the ball twice Saturday. Yet, both times the Miami back found the end zone.

Foreman's second score came on a 19-yard swing pass from Jim Kelly and resulted in a game-tying touchdown with 1:37 left on the clock. Carlos Huerta's extra point gave the Hurricances the win.

"Chuck Foreman is as dangerous in the open field as anyone," said Miami head coach Jimmy Johnson. "He proved that again today."

The result left both teams with 3-3 records. It also means that previously sixth-ranked Alabama will drop out of the Top 10.

"We had our chances and didn't get the job done," said Crimson Tide head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant.

Alabama did play well again under the guidance of quarterback Steve Sloan. Starting his second straight game, Sloan completed 13-of-16 passes for 174 yards and one touchdown. Alabama converted 11-of-16 third down attempts.

Kelly was 19-for-31. He passed for 239 yards and one score. Kelly threw one interception.

"With a win next week (against Florida), we can finish above .500," said Kelly. "Sure, we were expecting more. But, then again, we were 0-7 last year."

Florida 14, Tennessee 11

When a pair of one-win teams collide, something strange is bound to happen.

Saturday, that something strange turned out to be a Gator win as Florida successfully rotated four quarterbacks to victory.

"It wasn't ideal, and it wasn't pretty," said Florida head ball coach Steve Spurrier. "But, we at least won the game in a hostile environment."

The key play came on a 52-yard touchdown pass from Kerwin Bell to Wes Chandler. The TD put the Gators ahead to stay with 5:32 remaining in the third quarter.

"That play took the life out of our crowd," said Tennessee defensive end Reggie White. "Maybe it took it out of us too."

Florida's other touchdown came on a first-half run by Fred Taylor, who finished with 62 yards on 13 carries.

The Volunteers' points came on a field goal by Jeff Hall and a touchdown run by Charlie Garner. A two-point conversion off a botched extra point snap got Tennessee to within a field goal, but Tennessee could move the ball no further than its own 40-yard line in the final quarter.

Volunteer quarterback Peyton Manning was a dismal 9-for-20 for only 86 yards.

"My inconsistent play has had a direct effect on my team's performance," said Manning.

South Player of the Week: Eric Zeier, Georgia

South Standings
Florida State 5-1
Georgia 4-2
LSU 4-2
Alabama 3-3
Miami 3-3
Auburn 2-4
Florida 2-4
Tennessee 1-5

Week 7 Schedule
Auburn @ Alabama
Tennessee @ Georgia
Miami @ Florida
Florida State @ LSU

[batted balls]

Norman, Okla.--Just when you thought it was safe to award Ohio State the All-American Football League Midwest championship, Oklahoma intervened.

"We're not done yet," said Sooner linebacker Brian Bosworth after Oklahoma toppled the fourth-ranked Buckeyes 28-14.

Following the Oklahoma victory, both teams possess 4-2 records (as does Michigan State). Thus, if all three teams win out Saturday, the Sooners will win the title and advance into post-season play. Oklahoma defeated Michigan State 28-21 in week two. Therefore, the Sooners hold tie-breakers over both the Spartans and Buckeyes.

"We need to take care of business Saturday," said Oklahoma head coach Bud Wilkinson.

That means the Sooners need to beat defending AAFL champion Notre Dame in Norman. A year ago, the Fighting Irish tipped the Sooners on a last-second field goal in South Bend.

This past Saturday, Oklahoma utilized a balanced offense to upend Ohio State. After establishing the running game with Adrian Peterson, Billy Vessels and Billy Sims, quarterback Jason White threw a 54-yard touchdown pass off a play fake to Tinker Owens late in the third quarter.

"Ohio State was stacking the line," said White. "It seemed like a perfect time to run the pass play."

Ohio State lead 14-7 at the half. Eddie George and John Brockington each scored for the Buckeyes. However, the second half featured the Sooner defense. Oklahoma stuffed the run and forced Buckeye quarterback Troy Smith into just one completion after halftime.

"They stopped us cold," said Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes.

Michigan State 35, Wisconsin 21

The No. 9 Spartans kept pace with Oklahoma and Ohio State in the Midwest title chase with a second-half comeback.

Trailing 21-14 early in the third quarter, Michigan State reeled off 21 unanswered points en route to the home victory.

"Sure, we heard the score from Norman," said Michigan State head coach Duffy Daugherty. "But, it wouldn't do us any good if we didn't get our act in gear."

The Spartan defense shifted gears and forced four Badger fumbles. The Michigan State offense followed suit and wound up converting 13-of-19 third downs.

Michigan State took the lead for good on a four-yard run by Blake Ezor with 5:10 left in the third quarter. Midway through the fourth quarter, Drew Stanton threw a 42-yard TD pass to Plaxico Burress.

Wisconsin, 2-4, scored on a pair of touchdown runs by Ron Dayne and and one by Terrell Fletcher.

Illinois 35, Michigan 28

Any remote chance 10th-rated Michigan had for the Midwest championship went out in the window in Champaign as the Fighting Illini sprung the upset.

"They came in here looking to just show up and walk out with a win," said Illini linebacker Ray Nitschke who registered two sacks and six tackles.

Yet, it was Illinois that walked out with the victory. Special teams played a huge factor. In the first quarter, Red Grange returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. In the third quarter, Kyle Windy ran back a punt 63 yards for an Illini score.

"Those two plays killed us," said Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler.

Grange wound up scoring the game-winning touchdown on a four-yard run with 1:39 remaining in the game.

"This was Red's best game by far," said Illinois head coach Robert Zuppke.

Grange's score ended a nine-play, 57-yard drive that ate up nearly five minutes on the clock.

Michigan's final drive ended at midfield on downs when Mel Agee sacked Wolverine quarterback Tom Brady with only 27 seconds left.

The loss spolied a solid performance from Michigan running back Joe Morris, who ran for 80 yards and three touchdowns.

Michigan, 3-3, concludes its season in a spoiler role against arch-rival Ohio State next weekend. Illiniois, 2-4, travels to Wisconsin.

Notre Dame 28, Purdue 7

Looking to spark his team, Fighting Irish head coach Knute Rockne benched starting quarterback Brady Quinn in favor of Joe Montana. Saturday's results spoke volumes.

While he threw only three passes the entire game, Montana's leadership was evident as Notre Dame routed the Boilermakers.

"Brady is a fine quarterback, but Joe has a certain something that rubs off on everyone," said Irish tight end Ken MacAfee.

Notre Dame's running game led the way with 496 yards. Autrey Denson was the top back with 90 yards on 13 carries. His 40-yard touchdown run in the first quarter put Notre Dame up 7-0.

Reggie Brooks later scored two Irish touchdowns and Creighton Miller had another. Notre Dame went 11-for-14 on third downs.

"That's all Joe," said lineman Aaron Taylor. "He audibled out of bad matchups more times than I can count."

Purdue's only touchdown came on a 24-yard pass from backup Mark Herrmann to John Standeford with 4:27 remaining in the game. Herrmann took over for struggling starter Drew Brees (11-of-20 for 120 yards).

After a 2-0 start, Purdue has lost four straight games. The Boilermakers managed just one third-down conversion in 11 attempts.

Notre Dame lineman Alan Page powered the Irish defense with 12 tackles, three pass deflections and two sacks.

Notre Dame evened its record at 3-3.

Midwest Player of the Week: Alan Page, Notre Dame

Midwest Standings
Ohio State 4-2
Oklahoma 4-2
Michigan State 4-2
Michigan 3-3
Notre Dame 3-3
Purdue 3-3
Illinois 2-4
Wisconsin 2-4

Week 7 Schedule
Illinois @ Wisconsin
Michigan @ Ohio State
Michigan State @ Purdue
Notre Dame @ Oklahoma

[DTF955]

Awesome dynasty, I'm really enjoying it, and rooting for Ohio State.

Neitschke was withthe Illini? Wasn't Dick Butkus there, too? If so...wow, what a linebacking tandem.

In looking at the schedule, I can see why you didn't go through the tiebrakers. 3 possible 2-way ties, the three-way tie you mentioned, and *gasp* a 6-way tie!What happens then? Ol' Max should have plenty to say about that. (Maybe witha reerence to the story about the mathematician who went insane trying to figure out by hand, before computers, all the combinations possible in the game of Bingo.)

[batted balls]

Originally Posted by DTF955

Awesome dynasty, I'm really enjoying it, and rooting for Ohio State.

Neitschke was withthe Illini? Wasn't Dick Butkus there, too? If so...wow, what a linebacking tandem.

In looking at the schedule, I can see why you didn't go through the tiebrakers. 3 possible 2-way ties, the three-way tie you mentioned, and *gasp* a 6-way tie!What happens then? Ol' Max should have plenty to say about that. (Maybe witha reerence to the story about the mathematician who went insane trying to figure out by hand, before computers, all the combinations possible in the game of Bingo.)

DTF955,

Thanks for your kind words. I love playing OOTP, but this dynasty is a true joy this time of year. Ray Nitschke played at Illinois in the '50s while Dick Butkus came along in the '60s. But, for the purposes of this league, they can play together.

As far as tie-breakers go, first it comes down to head-to-head competition. After that, it's fewest points allowed. In an extreme case, a special playoff will be held. Last season, Nebraska and Texas tied in their regular season matchup. At the end of the regular season, they were both 6-0-1. Thus, a special play-in game was held on a neutral field. Nebraska won and advanced to the national semi-finals.

Thanks for following!

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Seattle--For a time it looked as if the Washington Huskies were about to pull an upset over top-ranked Nebraska. Then, the Cornhusker defense took control.

"Our offense gets so much credit, and deservedly so," said Nebraska head coach Tom Osborne. "But, our defense can play a little too."

It was the defense that preserved a 28-24 win that clinched the Cornhuskers' second consecutive All-American Football League West championship.

Washington, 3-3, drove the ball to the Nebraska 12-yard line with just over two minutes left in the game. Then, the Cornhusker defense sprang into action. After an incompletion on first down, running back Hugh McElhenny was stuffed for no gain by Nebraska lineman Jared Tomich.

Third down brought a false start penalty against Washington. Backed up five yards, quarterback Warren Moon threw an incompletion. On fourth down, Nebraska dropped nine defenders into coverage. Moon's pass into the end zone was batted down by linebacker Carlos Polk.

The Nebraska offense took over on downs and ran the clock out. Thus, the Cornhuskers stand at 6-0 heading into their final regular season game next weekend against USC.

Saturday's game was a back-and-forth affair that turned on Johnny Rodgers' 90-yard kickoff return with 8:37 left in the contest.

"That changed momentum quite a bit," said Washington head coach Don James. "We had just scored (on a Rashaan Shehee 72-yard run) to take the lead. Rodgers took it right back for them."

Big plays turned up everywhere. Nebraska scored on a 69-yard pass from Scott Frost to Irving Fryar. Damon Huard hit Mario Bailey with a 55-yard strike for Washington.

"It was a true battle," said Cornhusker Mike Rozier, who was held to a season-low 65 yards on eight carries. "In the end, we made the necessary plays to win."

Texas 35, Colorado 21

The fifth-rated Longhorns knocked off the No. 8 Buffaloes despite what Texas head coach Darrell Royal called "a lackluster effort."

"Our heads didn't seem in the game for much of the time," said Royal. "Maybe it was our loss last week (to Nebraska)."

Whatever the reason, Texas still managed to pull away from a game Colorado team. Rickey Williams rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns for Texas.

"Sure, we're still hurting from last week's loss," said Williams. "But, you don't pack it in for no good reason."

In fact, Texas still had hopes of winning the West title until the Nebraska-Washington final score was posted.

Jam Jones, Hodges Mitchell and Earl Campbell all scored Texas touchdowns. The Longhorns are 5-1 going into next Saturday's game with last-place UCLA.

Colorado, 3-3, was led by running back Rashaan Salaam and quarterback Kordell Stewart. Salaam rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown. Stewart threw for two scores.

UCLA 45, BYU 43

It took a shootout to end the Bruins' winless season.

Running back Maurice Drew scored three touchdowns, one on a 99-yard kickoff return to open the game in Provo.

"Losing gets old really quickly," said Drew. "After five weeks of it, we'd had enough."

UCLA earned its first victory of the season on a 23-yard field goal by John Lee with only eight seconds remaining.

"I had missed an extra point earlier in the game," said Lee. "Thanks for our offense, I got another chance."

That chance came courtesy of Gary Beban. the UCLA quarterback led the Bruins 66 yards down the field in just 42 seconds to set up Lee's game-winner.

"BYU played off in coverage, so we just took what they gave us," said Beban, who wound up with 133 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the Cougars matched nearly every UCLA touchdown with one of their own. Mark Bellini scored both running and receiving the ball. Steve Young ran and threw for a score.

Both teams now have 1-5 records heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

Arizona State 28, USC 21

Sun Devil head coach Frank Kush is kicking himself.

"I should have been playing Danny White more this season," said Kush shaking his head following Arizona State's second victory of the year.

White, who took over the starting reins from Jake Plummer in week three, led the Sun Devils to an upset of USC in Los Angeles.

"After last season (an 0-7 regular season and a shutout loss to Miami in the Toilet Bowl), we wanted things to be different," said White. "Maybe we've turned a corner."

After leading Arizona State to a win over UCLA, White and his Sun Devil teammates took an even bigger step forward by beating the talent-laden Trojans on their home turf.

White completed 15-of-19 attempts for 299 yards and three touchdowns. Two of the TD throws went to Mel Owens. One was a 60-yard play, the other went for 49.

"The big play killed us today," said USC head coach John McKay.

Those big plays helped Arizona State to overcome 11 penalties for 75 yards.

"Penalties can sometimes be a sign of being aggressive," said Kush.

USC, 3-3, got touchdown runs from O.J. Simpson, Reggie Bush and Anthony Davis. However, inconsistent play from quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart plagued the Trojans all game.

"That's been an area of concern this season," said McKay.

The Sun Devils, 2-4, host BYU in the season finale next Saturday night.

West Player of the Week: Danny White, Arizona State

West Standings
Nebraska 6-0*
Texas 5-1
Colorado 3-3
Washington 3-3
USC 3-3
Arizona State 2-4
BYU 1-5
UCLA 1-5

*clinched bowl playoff berth

Week 7 Schedule
BYU @ Arizona State
Washington @ Colorado
Texas @ UCLA
USC @ Nebraska

[batted balls]

Max Mercy, Jr. here again, folks . . .

Let Ole Max tell ya, gang, Tom Osborne and Joe Paterno face some big decisions this Saturday. What's that you say . . . didn't both Nebraska and Penn State wrap up AAFL divisional titles and bowl playoff berths this past weekend. Why, yes they did. But, both head coaches face that age old dilemma: Do you rest your starters and take the chance they may be rusty when the games count again? Or, do you play them and run the risk of injuries that could sideline them in the national semi-finals?

Being football coaches at major programs, Osborne and Paterno learned a long time ago never to reveal too much information. Thus, neither Dr. Tom or JoePa are about to tip their hand.

Ole Max is guessing that you'll see a little of both strategies from these two schools on Saturday. When Penn State closes the regular season with winless Ivy, look for first-teamers such as Kerry Collins, Larry Johnson and Jack Ham to trot onto the field. But, also look for guys like Michael Robinson, Matt Suhey and Andre Collins to take their places. The same thing will likely happen for Nebraska's Cornhuskers.

Meanwhile, both the staffs of the 'Huskers and Nittany Lions will pour over game films from previous weeks in an effort to get a leg up on their national semi-final matchup at the Sugar Bowl.

It will all prove interesting for fans, pundits and bookies alike.

Ole Max's Big Poll
1. Nebraska--Quite simply, the best team in America
2. Penn State--No Lion eyes here; PSU is about to go 7-0
3. Texas--The Longhorns should petition to join the Midwest or South
4. Florida State--Seminoles will likely close out the South title this weekend
5. Syracuse--Just one loss (a shutout to Penn State) mars a wonderul fall
6. Oklahoma--It's simple: Beat Notre Dame on your home field and move into the bowl playoffs
7. Ohio State--The Midwest championship caps and shirts were printed and ready before last weekend's loss in Norman
8. Michigan State--Still holding out hopes for a post-season slot
9. Georgia--If only the Bulldogs had held their lead at home against Alabama two weeks ago . . .
10. LSU--Perhaps next season will be the Bayou Tigers' year?!

Heisman Hype
1. Mike Rozier, Nebraska--It's his trophy to lose
2. Charlie Ward, Florida State--Took away the starting job from Chris Weinke and stil hopes to grab both the Heisman and a national championship
3. Jim Kelly, Miami--He's the reason for the 'Canes successful, rebound season
4. Ahman Green, Nebraska--An emerald back in a sea of red
5. Bo Jackson, Auburn--He's still performed well despite a banged-up offensive line

Well, it's time for Ole Max to rest up for the final weekend of the regular season. Look for the Oklahoma Sooners and Florida State Seminoles to clinch their berths into the national semi-finals.

Until then, this is Max Mercy, Jr. signing off . . .

[batted balls]

State College, Pa.--It may have taken a halftime rant from head coach Joe Paterno, but the Penn State Nittany Lions completed an unbeaten regular season by toppling winless Ivy 28-7.

Tied 7-7 after two quarters, Paterno let his team have it.

"Let's just say he was quite animated," said Nittany Lion linebacker Jack Ham.

Whether Paterno's oration inspired Penn State or natural talent took over may be open to debate. Yet, the second-ranked Nittany Lions turned up the jets in the second half and ran away with their seventh victory in seven starts.

Twelve different Penn State players carried the ball in the game. Lydell Mitchell has the most attempts (10) and yards (51). Mitchell, John Cappelletti and Curt Warner all scored touchdowns.

Ivy actually led the game for most of the first half. The Eagles scored on a short touchdown run by Calvin Hill. Penn State, however, tied the game when quarterback Michael Robinson tossed an eight-yard TD pass to Joe Jurevicius with only 58 seconds to play in the second quarter.

Robinson, making his first start of the season, was sacked three times in the first half--all by Ivy defensive start Chuck Bednarik.

Penn State, 7-0, advances into the national semi-finals. The Nittany Lions will play No. 1-ranked West champion Nebraska in the Orange Bowl in two weeks.

Ivy, 0-7, will end its season in the Toilet Bowl with a yet to be determined opponent.

HBCU 27, Pittsburgh 0

A relentless defense rose up and led the Titans to a season-ending victory.

"This was a great way to go out," said HBCU head coach Eddie Robinson. "I know the home folks enjoyed it."

HBCU forced four Pitt turnovers and sacked Panther quarterback Dan Marino six times.

"We finally let it all hang out," said Titan linebacker Harry Carson who recorded three of the sacks.

Defensive end Deacon Jones spent much of the day in the Pitt backfield. Jones registered 14 tackles, batted down three passes and collected two sacks.

"It was our coming-out party," said Jones.

Meanwhile, Willie Galimore rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown. Emerson Boozer and Johnny Sample scored as well. The final Titan TD came on a 39-yard pass from James Harris to Terrance Mathis.

Marino, harried for much of the day, completed 12-of-25 throws for 111 yards. He was intercepted three times. Tony Dorsett led Pitt with 85 yards on 18 carries.

Both teams end the year with 4-3 records.

Clemson 28, Syracuse 7

The frustration of a disappointing season may have brought out the best in the Tigers.

After contending for the East title a year ago, Clemson stumbled its way through much of this season. Saturday, however, the Tigers pounced on an upset of the fifth-rated Orangemen.

"Sometimes you've just got to take the bull by the horns and do your job," said Clemson head coach Frank Howard.

The Tigers did just that. A solid rushing game and an intimidating defense led Clemson to the home victory. The Tigers sacked Syracuse quarterback Donovan McNabb six times and forced a handful of hurried passes.

"They had me on the run all game long," said McNabb.

Lester Brown, Terry Allen, Kevin Mack and Terrence Flagler all scored touchdowns for the Tigers.

The loss dropped Syracuse's record to 5-2. Clemson finished at 4-3.

Boston College 29, Armed Forces 15

The Eagles took control early and never relinquished their lead despite a hearty Patriot home crowd.

"You've got to credit their fans," said Boston College head coach Tom O'Brien. "They came out in a cold drizzle and yelled their lungs out."

Yet, it was the Boston College fans that had the most to cheer. Derrick Knight rushed for a team-high 61 yards on 16 carries to set up three of the Eagle touchdowns.

"He got the tough yards between the tackles today," said O'Brien.

While Knight never got into the end zone, teammates Troy Stradford, Glen Capriola, Jim Bell and Willie Green did.

Quarterback Doug Flutie completed 12-of-18 passes for 197 yards.

Armed Forces, meanwhile, got another gutsy performance from halfback Glenn Davis. The Patriot speedster rushed for a game-high 65 yards and one touchdown. He also caught three passes for 33 yards.

Receiver Ron Beagle scored the first Armed Forces touchdown on a 25-yard pass from quarterback Dee Dowis. Dowis then ran for a two-point conversion after fumbling the snap on point-after attempt.

Boston College ended the year with a 3-4 record. Armed Forces wound up 1-6.

2007 Final East Standings
Penn State 7-0
Syracuse 5-2
Clemson 4-3
HBCU 4-3
Pittsburgh 4-3
Boston College 3-4
Armed Forces 1-6
Ivy 0-7

East Player of the Week: Deacon Jones, HBCU

[batted balls]

Athens, Ga.--Two weeks ago the Georgia Bulldogs' hopes of winning the All-American Football League South took a severe hit with a home loss to Alabama. Afterward, head coach Vince Dooley told his players to dig deep and keep the fire alive.

Following an upset of South front-runner Florida State last weekend, Georgia outlasted Tennessee 21-17 Saturday. Then came the news that LSU had knocked off the Seminoles (details below). Thus, the Georgia Bulldogs have won the South title and advance to play the yet to be determined Midwest champion in the national semi-final Rose Bowl in two weeks.

"It's a great day for Georgia football," declared Dooley. "It's also a great lesson that you have to persevere."

While Georgia, Florida State and LSU all share 5-2 records, the Bulldogs were crowned champions by virtue of defeating both the Seminoles and Tigers.

Georgia, ranked ninth in last week's poll, had its difficulties with 1-6 Tennessee.

"They battled us hard all day," said Dooley. "It was a good ole fashioned tug 'o war."

In the end, Bulldog running back Herschel Walker ran Georgia to the victory. Walker ran 11 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns. His first score was a career-long 74-yard TD dash.

With the Tennessee defense keyed in on Walker and backfield mate Charlie Trippi, quarterback Eric Zeier passed for 147 yards and a touchdown throw to Hines Ward.

Tennessee, 1-6, got a solid game from quarterback Heath Shuler, making his second start this season for the benched Peyton Manning. Shuler completed 19-of-28 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown.

In the end, Walker iced the Georgia victory with a nine-yard run with just over five minutes to play.

LSU 35, Florida State 29

The 10th-ranked Tigers prevailed in a seasaw affair that had more lead changes than a NASCAR race.

Kevin Faulk's 21-yard touchdown burst through the Florida State line with 2:26 remaining proved to be the game-winning score.

"This was an incredible game," said LSU defender Tommy Casanova. "Too bad we can't keep playing."

Casanova's 41-yard interception return put the Tigers ahead 28-22 with nine minutes to play. That lead, however, was short lived. Florida State's Laveranues Coles returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards to give the fifth-ranked Seminoles a 29-28 lead.

But, LSU refused to fold. Quarterback JaMarcus Russell led the Tigers on a 12-play, 80-yard drive that culminated with Faulk's TD run. Twice, LSU converted short fourth-down plays.

Florida State's final drive ended when LSU lineman Anthony McFarland sacked Charlie Ward on a fourth-and-10 play at the Tiger 35-yard line.

"It's incredible how our season went so well for so long, and then fell apart in the end," said Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden.

Ward completed 18-of-26 passes for 240 yards. He threw two touchdowns, but was intercepted twice.

Russell went 15-of-20 for 186 yards. He threw a pair of TD passes to Billy Cannon. Cannon caught four balls for 71 yards.

Both teams finished with 5-2 records. Yet, both lost games to Georgia and thus miss the bowl playoffs.

Florida 28, Miami 21

In the end, perhaps Steve Spurrier finally found some patience.

Known for pulling his quarterbacks for the slightest miscue, the Gator head coach stuck with Danny Wuerffel Saturday. The Florida quarterback rewarded Spurrier's patience with a 347-yard, two-touchdown performance that sparked the Gators past Miami.

"We all know how Coach Spurrier is," said Wuerffel. "That being said, there's nobody I'd rather play for."

Wuerffel threw touchdown strikes to Chris Collingsworth and Ike Hilliard as Florida built a 21-14 lead in the third quarter.

However, Miami quarterback Jim Kelly rallied the Hurricanes with an early fourth-quarter TD pass to Reggie Wayne. Kelly finished the day by completing 27-of-48 passes for 292 yards. He was sacked four times.

Florida scored the game-deciding touchdown on a one-yard run by Emmitt Smith with 4:33 left in the fourth quarter.

Fred Taylor led Florida with 73 yards on 17 attempts. Alonzo Highsmith was Miami's top rusher with 45 yards and two touchdowns.

Both the Gators and Hurricanes ended the season with 3-4 records.

"It's an improvement (over last year's 0-7 regular season)," said Miami head coach Jimmy Johnson. "But we've still got a lot of work to do this off-season."

Alabama 49, Auburn 14

They call it the Iron Bowl, but Auburn ran into a brick wall.

Alabama rolled up 511 yards in total offense as it routed Auburn in Tuscaloosa.

"We came to play today," said Crimson Tide head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. 'We let it all hang out."

Alabama's running game pounded away at the Tiger defense all afternoon. Johnny Davis led the way with 88 yards on only eight carries. His 24-yard touchdown run opened the scoring for the Crimson Tide.

Shaun Alexander added 74 yards and a touchdown. Bobby Humphrey ran for two scores while Tony Nathan also rushed for a TD.

Quarterback Steve Sloan also got into the act with TD passes to David Palmer and Siran Stacy.

"We opened it up a bit and let Steve throw more this week," said Bryant.

Sloan wound up completing 6-of-7 passes for 89 yards and the two touchdowns.

Auburn actually held a brief 7-0 lead on a 14-yard pass from Pat Sullivan to Joe Cribbs. Forced to play from behind, the Tigers had to abandon their running game. Thus, Bo Jackson led Auburn with only 67 rushing yards on eight carries.

2007 Final East Standings
Georgia 5-2*
Florida State 5-2
LSU 5-2
Alabama 4-3
Florida 3-4
Miami 3-4
Auburn 2-5
Tennessee 1-6

*declared South champion on tie-breakers

South Player of the Week: Herschel Walker, Georgia

[batted balls]

Columbus, Ohio--The Ohio State Buckeyes not only dotted their "i", but they also crossed their "t" as in ticket to the national semi-final Rose Bowl.

Ohio State improved its record to 5-2 with a 28-17 victory over arch-rival Michigan in the regular season's final weekend. The Buckeyes' win, coupled with losses by both Oklahoma and Michigan State (see below), hands Ohio State the Midwest championship trophy.

"We dug in and worked hard for this," said Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes.

The seventh-ranked Buckeyes used a balanced offense to outduel the Wolverines. While Eddie George and Tim Spencer each ran for touchdowns, quarterback Troy Smith twice hooked up with receiver Michael Jenkins for scores.

"We saw some things on film that we took advantage of today," said Jenkins, who caught TD passes from 45 and 30 yards respectively.

George rushed for a game-high 58 yards on 13 carries. He also caught a key third-down pass to set up Spencer's touchdown run.

"Eddie George got us the tough yards this afternoon," said Hayes. "His statistics don't look showy, but he did the job for us."

Michigan, 4-3, scored both its touchdowns on passes from quarterback Tom Brady. The Wolverine signal caller completed 14-of-24 attempts for 193 yards. However, Brady was intercepted a costly three times.

"We deserved a better fate," said Brady. "My turnovers really hurt us."

Ohio State will play South champion Georgia in the Rose Bowl national semi-final in two weeks.

Notre Dame 42, Oklahoma 21

Fighting Irish head coach Knute Rockne gave a pregame vote of confidence to Brady Quinn. The Notre Dame quarterback came out firing and never let up.

"Coach Rockne told me that I was his man today," said Quinn. "He said that even if I threw five interceptions, I was going to play the entire game."

Quinn delivered for the Irish, completing his first nine passes. He wound up 11-for-13 for 137 yards. Several of his passes set up short Notre Dame touchdown runs.

"Brady performed at a level today as if it were last season all over again," said Rockne.

A year ago, Quinn helped lead Notre Dame to the AAFL national championship.

Notre Dame, 4-3, got a pair of touchdowns from Reggie Brooks to take an early 14-0 lead. Then came a parade of Irish scores by the likes of Emil Sitko, Creighton Miller, Autrey Denson and Paul Hornung.

Meanwhile, sixth-ranked Oklahoma let its chance to win the Midwest title and a Rose Bowl berth slip through its fingers. The loss ended the Sooners' season at 4-3.

"It's extremely disappointing," said Sooner head coach Bud Wilkinson. "To come so close two years in a row . . . "

Oklahoma also missed out on a post-season chance a year ago with a loss to Notre Dame on the final weekend of the regular season.

The Sooners fumbled the ball six times and lost three Saturday against the Irish. Running back Adrian Peterson led all rushers with 101 yards on 10 carries.

Purdue 30, Michigan State 28

The Boilermakers pulled off one of the most incredible comebacks in AAFL history.

The eighth-rated Spartans appeared on the verge of victory when Eric Allen scored on a 23-yard touchdown run to put Michigan State ahead 28-21 with 2:58 remaining.

Purdue, however, put together an 82-yard, nine-play drive that ended with a two-yard pass from quarterback Drew Brees to receiver Vinnie Sutherland with only 32 seconds on the clock.

Yet, the Boilermakers' two-point conversion attempt failed when Michigan State defensive end Bubba Smith tackled Mike Alstott short of the goal line.

Then came the first in a series of miracles for Purdue. Rod Woodson recovered an onside kick at the Michigan State 48-yard line. With no timeouts, Brees then completed two quick sideline passes to John Standeford, the nation's leading receiver. After a surprise run by Otis Armstrong netted seven more yards, Brees quickly lined up the Boilermakers and spiked the ball.

"Drew ran the offense to perfection," said Purdue head coach Joe Tiller.

Kicker Travis Dorsch raced onto to the field and promptly booted the game-winning 45-yard field goal as time expired.

"We work on that very situation every week in practice," said Dorsch.

The loss left the Spartans stunned. It also wasted a 100-yard rushing performance by T.J. Duckett and a 41-yard punt return for a touchdown by Hobey Brenner.

"It's amazing how quickly the fortunes of winning and losing can change," said Spartan quarterback Drew Stanton.

Standeford hauled in six passes for 125 yards. He finished the year with 31 catches for 545 yards (17.6 per catch average) and five touchdowns.

Both teams ended the year with 4-3 records.

Illinois 42, Wisconsin 34

Fighting Illini fans will be singing "Home on the Grange" for years to come.

Illinois capped its season by knocking off the Badgers in Madison thanks to the efforts of do-everything back Harold "Red" Grange.

"This day will go down in AAFL history," said Illinois head coach Robert Zueppke.

Grange amassed a league-record 347 all-purpose yards. Grange returned two kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns. The kickoff TDs went for 98 and 89 yards respectively. The punt return covered 52 yards.

"He was a one-man gang," said Wisconsin head coach Barry Alvarez.

Grange's amazing performance offset Wisconsin's team-record 611 total yards. While the Illini had just 285 yards in offense and converted only 4-of-11 third downs, Grange saved the day.

"We've got to get the ball in his hands more next year," said Zueppke. "He's so elusive. It's unbelievable."

Grange scored touchdowns every 7.71 times he touched the ball this season.

Zueppke also gave Kurt Kittner his first career start at quarterback Saturday. Kittner responded by completing 14-of-27 passes for 165 yards. He threw touchdown passes to Brandon Lloyd and David Williams.

Wisconsin ran for 452 yards. Michael Bennett led the way with 68 yards on nine carries. Ron Dayne toted the ball 11 times for 62 yards and one touchdown.

While Illinois finished its season with a 3-4 record, Wisconsin wound up 2-5.

2007 Final Midwest Standings
Ohio State 5-2
Michigan 4-3
Michigan State 4-3
Notre Dame 4-3
Oklahoma 4-3
Purdue 4-3
Illinois 3-4
Wisconsin 2-5

Midwest Player of the Week: Harold "Red" Grange, Illinois

[batted balls]

Lincoln, Neb.--USC quarterback Matt Leinart called Saturday's regular season finale "our bowl game." If that's the case, then the Trojans went out in style.

Leinart passed for 282 yards and three touchdowns to lead USC to a 28-21 upset of No. 1-rated Nebraska.

"We came to play and show the world what we're capable of," said Leinart, who completed 20-of-28 passes.

Leinart's 42-yard touchdown pass to Lynn Swann at the 12:39 mark of the fourth quarter turned out to be the game-winner. Earlier, Leinart hooked up with Dwayne Jarrett on a pair of TD pass plays.

Having clinched the All-American Football League West title and a berth against Penn State in the Orange Bowl national semi-finals last week, the Cornhuskers appeared to be missing a step against USC.

"We were flat," said Nebraska head coach Tom Osborne. "But, you've got to give USC credit as well."

Heisman Trophy candidate Mike Rozier led all rushers with 81 yards on 17 carries. He also scored a Cornhusker touchdown.

Nebraska quarterbacks Scott Frost and Turner Gill added 73 and 72 rushing yards respectively. However, Frost connected on only 2-of-10 passes for a paltry 41 yards.

"They forced us into playing from behind," said Osborne.

The loss dropped Nebraska to 6-1. USC wound up with a 4-3 record.

Ironically, both teams accumulated 396 yards in offense.

Texas 32, UCLA 21

Rickey Williams wanted to show his coaches that he can be more than just a runner.

The Longhorn tailback snagged an eight-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Vince Young to go along with 73 rushing yards and a ground TD.

"If I can catch some passes out of the backfield once in awhile, think what it does for our offense," said Williams.

Meanwhile, Hodges Mitchell also made his bid for more playing time. Mitchell picked up a game-high 78 yards and a touchdown on 16 attempts.

"We've definitely got some options for next year," said Longhorn head coach Darrell Royal.

Texas finished with a 6-1 record. However, a loss to Nebraska gave the Cornhuskers the AAFL West-deciding tie-breaker.

UCLA got a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Troy Aikman. Running back Skip Hicks scored the other TD for the Bruins.

UCLA, 1-6, will face winless Ivy from the AAFL East in the infamous Toilet Bowl next weekend.

Washington 35, Colorado 14

In a game that featured only 10 total passes, the Huskies won the ground war.

Washington, 4-3, got 99 yards and a touchdown from running back Hugh McElhenny as it won a road game in snowy Boulder. Greg Lewis broke loose on touchdown runs of 54 and 11 yards for the Huskies.

"Both of those guys have worked so hard this year," said Washington head coach Don James. "It's nice to see it pay off today."

While only four passes were completed all game, Washington quarterback Warren Moon drilled a 32-yard touchdown pass to Jerome Pathon late in the third quarter to give the Huskies a commanding lead.

"We caught their safeties cheating up too much," said Moon. "It was nice to make them pay."

Colorado, 3-4, got another solid performance from Rashaan Salaam. The Buffaloes' back ran for 96 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. Eric Bieniemy added 86 yards and a score. Quarterback Koy Detmer, replacing a hobbled Kordell Stewart, threw two interceptions however.

BYU 35, Arizona State 31

Cougar head coach LaVell Edwards returned to his four-quarterback rotation. It turned out to be hotter than the Arizona desert.

The BYU foursome of Ty Detmer, Jim McMahon, Steve Young and Robbie Bosco completed a combined 34 passes in 52 attempts for 315 yards and two touchdowns. Thus, the Cougars grabbed their second victory of the year.

"We thought, why not give it a shot," said Edwards. "It worked out pretty well today. The fellas seemed to enjoy it."

Winning usually brings out joy. Detmer and McMahon threw the touchdown passes to Todd Christensen and Mark Bellini respectively. Back Scott Pettis led BYU with two rushing touchdowns.

Arizona State, 2-5, got 99 yards on only seven carries from J.R. Redmond. Quarterback Danny White went 14-for-21 for 203 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver John Jefferson caught two of the TD tosses. White, however, also threw two drive-ending interceptions.

2007 Final West Standings
Nebraska 6-1*
Texas 6-1
USC 4-3
Washington 4-3
Colorado 3-4
BYU 2-5
Arizona State 2-5
UCLA 1-6

*declared West champion on tie-breakers

West Player of the Week: Matt Leinart, USC

[batted balls]

Max Mercy, Jr. here again, folks . . .

Ole Max finds it hard to believe that the All-American Football League regular season is already in the books. It seems just like yesterday that Ole Max was sweating his hat off as teams opened their camps.

This weekend, the Toilet Bowl will take place in Boston, the American home of the Japan-based Toto (the world's leading maker of commodes). Last year the game featured two winless teams (Miami whipped up on Arizona State). This time around, only one team without a victory will compete. It's the Ivy Eagles out of the AAFL East. They will square off against the UCLA Bruins, winner of one game, from the AAFL West. Saturday's forecast calls for crappy weather in Boston. That seems fitting for a contest of this magitude. Ole Max will go with UCLA by 10.

Heisman Humbling
Last year's Heisman Trophy winner Willie Galimore of HBCU was hardly heard from this fall. After turning in electrifying performance after electrifying performance a season ago, Galimore rushed for about 300 fewer yards this campaign.

During the 2006 season, the Titan running back led the nation in rushing with 767 yards. He scored seven TDs and averaged 9.8 yards per carry. Galimore also ran for more than 100 yards four times. He had one punt return for a touchdown. Galimore was a three-time Player of the Week.

In the recently completed season, Galimore ran for just 445 yards on 65 carries. He averaged 6.8 yards per attempt and scored five touchdowns. He came about as close to a Player of the Week award as Paris Hilton does to an Oscar.

"It makes sense," said HBCU head coach Eddie Robinson. "In order to become a better team, we had to mix it up. We passed the ball more. Players like Walter Payton, Johnny Sample, Tank Younger and Emerson Boozer had to get more carries."

Galimore was still a threat on special teams. He averaged 28.1 yards per kickoff return (including one for a TD). Of the five punts Galimore returned, two went back for scores.

"Winning the Heisman is great," said Galimore. "But, I want to go to the playoffs."

After a second straight 4-3 season, Ole Max thinks Galimore and the Titans may have to wait awhile.

Ole Max's Big Poll
1. Penn State--Nebraska's loss is the Nittany Lions' gain.
2. Nebraska--The Cornhuskers will still be favored against Penn State in the Orange Bowl.
3. Texas--Perhaps next season Darrell Royal's team finally beats Nebraska.
4. Ohio State--The Buckeyes grabbed the Midwest title and now face Georgia in a Rose Bowl showdown.
5. Georgia--The Bulldogs knocked off Florida State and Alabama in successive weeks.
6. Florida State--The Seminoles went from the top of the heap to the ash can very quickly.
7. Syracuse--Still trying to get past Penn State.
8. Alabama--The Bear won't hibernate in the off-season.
9. USC--The Trojans were again up-and-down. First, they lose to Arizona State. Then, they beat Nebraska. Go figure.
10. Michigan State--Sparty is still trying to make sense of what happened against Purdue in the waning moments.

This is Max Mercy, Jr. reaching for the Toto lever and signing off . . .

[batted balls]

All-American Football League Fans,

The 2007 Heisman Trophy ballot is now open. It runs through Oct. 25. Thanks for your support!

Here is the link:

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...d.php?t=156136

[batted balls]

Max Mercy, Jr. here again, folks . . .

Dateline, Boston, Mass.--Ole Max has breaking news you won't find anywhere else. With the second annual Toilet Bowl looming in their own backyard more or less, the Ivy Eagles have activated two old-timers: quarterback Sid Luckman and burly Lou Gehrig.

That's right, you read that correctly, Sid Luckman and Lou Gehrig. One is a master of the T-formation, the other is a hard-nosed two-way player who comes courtesy of the Eagle baseball team.

"Desparate times sometimes mean desparate measures," Ivy head coach Percy Haughton told Ole Max earlier today. "Sid and Lou have worked hard on our practice squad the past two years. They deserve a shot."

Ole Max says it sure can't hurt. Ivy is winless in seven starts this season. Moreover, the Eagles face a stiff challenge from the UCLA Bruins. True, UCLA is only 1-6 itself. Yet, the Bruins have proven they can put points on the board. If Ivy hopes to win the game, the Eagles must control the ball on offense and limit their turnovers.

Gavin Hoffman is still listed as the Eagle starter, but expect Luckman to get his chances.

"I'll do whatever Coach wants me to do," Luckman (shown below) told Ole Max this morning. "I've put in my time. I'm ready."

Meanwhile, Gehrig hopes to bring his heavy hitting from the baseball diamond to the gridiron.

"Like Sid said, whatever Coach Haughton asks me to do, I will," The Iron Horse told Ole Max after practice this afternoon.

Yet, Ole Max still sees the game as a UCLA win. With the likes of Troy Aikman and Gary Beban running the show, the Bruins should outscore Ivy. Yet, don't ever count a team with Chuck Bednarik out.

"We'll leave it all on the field, Max," Bednarik told Ole Max just the other day.

No matter if it's an Ivy victory or a UCLA triumph, Ole Max will be there to get all the inside poop on the Toilet Bowl, All-American Football League fans.

This is Max Mercy, Jr. signing off . . .

[batted balls]

Boston--While last year's inaugural Toilet Bowl turned out to be a real crapper, this season's wound up with the UCLA Bruins sitting pretty on the throne.

Last fall, Miami routed Arizona State 27-0. This time around, UCLA and Ivy fought until the bitter end before the result was determined.

"Both teams wanted this game badly," said UCLA head coach Terry Donahue. "It's a shame someone had to lose."

Running back DeShaun Foster capped the Bruins' final drive with a two-yard touchdown run with only 41 seconds remaining to lift UCLA to a thrilling 28-21 comeback victory.

"We didn't panic," said Bruin quarterback Troy Aikman. "The final drive was something we've worked on many times in practice since August."

Aikman and the Bruins went 88 yards in nine plays in a drive that started with 2:13 left in the game.

"We were determined to get in the end zone," said Aikman who passed for 184 yards and one touchdown.

The key play to the drive came on a third-and-six from the Ivy 37-yard line. Aikman sprinted out to his right, avoiding a blitz from Eagle safety Dean Cain. The UCLA quarterback then lofted a perfect pass to receiver Freddie Mitchell for a 12-yard gain.

From there, a series of short passes and runs brought the ball to the Ivy two and set up Foster's game-winner.

"It was a tough way to lose," said Ivy two-way star Chuck Bednarik. "It looked like we were finally going into the win column today."

Ivy, which ends the season with no victories in eight games, took a 7-0 lead at the 8:39 mark of the first quarter on a 14-yard pass from quarterback Gavin Hoffman to running back Calvin Hill.

Despite the activation of quarterback Sid Luckman to the Ivy roster, Hoffman played the entire game for the Eagles.

"My original thought was to give Sid a series or two and then play it by ear," said Ivy head coach Percy Haughton. "But, Gavin played so well I didn't want to break his stride."

Hoffman completed 13-of-18 throws for 220 yards and three touchdowns. He wound up with the game's Most Valuable Player Award.

"It's certainly bittersweet," said Hoffman. "I'd rather have won the game."

Following the Eagles' opening score, UCLA tied the game on a two-yard run by Kermit Johnson early in the second quarter.

Hoffman answered the Bruin score with a 59-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Guthrie at the 11:28 mark.

"That was our prettiest pass play of the year by far," said Haughton.

Aikman brought the Bruins back, leading them to scoring drives on consecutive series. UCLA took a 20-14 lead into halftime.

Hoffman and Hill struck again through the air early in the third quarter. Hill turned a short crossing route pattern into a 59-yard catch and run that covered 59 yards and put the Eagles ahead 21-20.

"Calvin is so dangerous in the open field," said Haughton. "We tried to get him the ball in space."

For most of the second half, both teams dug in defensively. UCLA threatened to score at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but running back Theodis Brown fumbled at the Eagle 15. Cain recovered for Ivy.

Ivy turned the ball over three times in the second half. Hoffman threw an interception midway through the third quarter. Ivy fumbled the ball away twice in the fourth quarter.

"Turnovers always cost you," said Haughton.

Still, the Eagles had a chance to run out the clock late in the game. With a third-and-seven in UCLA territory, Hoffman was flushed from the pocket by UCLA linebacker Jamar Miller. Just before reaching the line of scrimmage, Hoffman attempted to drill a pass to Hill. UCLA defensive back Kenny Easley tipped the ball away from Hill at the last possible moment.

Ivy punter Pat McInally put the ball out of bounds at the UCLA 12-yard line, establishing the starting point for the final Bruin possession of the day.

"Our season didn't go the way we wanted," said Aikman of UCLA's 2-6 final record. "But, at least today, we came through with a victory."

Scoring Summary

Ivy 7 7 7 0 -- 21
UCLA 0 20 0 8 -- 28

Ivy 8:39 of 1st--14 yard pass by Hoffman to Hill (Lutz kick)
UCLA 14:34 of 2nd--2 yard run by K. Johnson (Lee kick)
Ivy 11:28 of 2nd--59 yard pass from Hoffman to Guthrie (Lutz kick)
UCLA 8:09 of 2nd--43 yard pass from Aikman to Townsell (Lee kick)
UCLA 5:55 of 2nd--6 yard run by T. Brown (Kick failed)
Ivy 11:55 of 3rd--59 yard pass from Hoffman to Hill (Lutz kick)
UCLA :41--2 yard run by Foster (Run good)

First Downs--UCLA 22, Ivy 14
Rushing Yards--UCLA 268, Ivy 175
Passing Yards--UCLA 184, Ivy 220
Total Yards--UCLA 452, Ivy 345
Fumbles/Lost--UCLA 2/1, Ivy 5/2
Interceptions--UCLA 1, Ivy 1
Penalties--UCLA 4-20, Ivy 6-45
Time of Possession--UCLA 32:27, Ivy 27:33
Third Down Eff.--UCLA 11-16, Ivy 10-16

Individual Rushing
UCLA--Abdul-Jabbar 10-49, Green 7-36, Hicks 5-26, McNeil 4-8, Brown 6-48, Williams 3-9, Johnson 2-10, Drew 8-38, Farmer 2-27, Foster 6-38, Aikman 3 for minus 20.
Ivy--Marinaro 6-21, Elias 3-6, Finn 8-45, Diana 5-14, Levitt 4-8, Rosier 5-19, Holland 1-1, Kelley 4-23, Hoffman 2 for minus 16.

Individual Passing
UCLA--Aikman 13-20-184-1-1
Ivy--Hoffman 13-18-220-3-1

Individual Receiving
UCLA--Mitchell 5-89, Jordan 1-14, Carney 1-1, Townsell 1-43, Abdul-Jabbar 2-12, Green 1-2, Drew 1-30, Foster 1-3.
Ivy--Campbell 2-18, Jordan 3-37, Guthrie 1-59, Hill 2-73, Elias 1-13, Levitt 1-15, Rozier 1-5, Holland 2-0.

Interceptions
UCLA--Stiles.
Ivy--Kimichik.

Sacks
UCLA--Lake 2.
Ivy--Fencik, Ma. Wiley.

Toilet Bowl MVP: Gavin Hoffman, Ivy Eagles

[batted balls]

New Orleans, La.--One of two bridesmaids will get a shot at the ring.

That's the case in this year's Sugar Bowl national semi-final that features All-American Football League East champion Penn State (7-0) against West winner Nebraska (6-1).

Last season, both schools came up short in the national semi-finals. Penn State fell to Florida State in the Sugar Bowl while Nebraska dropped an overtime thriller to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl.

"Both of us want to redeem ourselves for coming up short last year," said Nebraska head coach Tom Osborne. "That's what will make this such a great game."

Penn State head coach Joe Paterno agrees.

"When you come so close and don't quite get there, it gives you that extra drive for the next time around," said Paterno.

The game will match the Cornhuskers' power running game against the AAFL's top defense. Nebraska, ranked No. 1 for much of the season before losing its final regular season game, averages 411 rushing yards per contest.

"They have so many weapons to throw at you," said Paterno. "It makes your head spin."

Leading the ground charge for the second-ranked Cornhuskers is Heisman Trophy front-runner Mike Rozier. The versatile back led the AAFL with 668 rushing yards. Rozier averaged six yards per carry.

"He's as good a player as we'll see this year," said Paterno.

When Rozier isn't being given attempts, backfield mate Ahman Green (509 yards, 6.8 per carry average) will likely get the ball. Scott Frost (490 yards, 5.1 average) has emerged as the starting quarterback.

"It's no secret that Penn State wants to stack the line and make Nebraska beat them with the pass," said veteran sports columnist Max Mercy, Jr. "But, that's easier said than done."

Frost completed just 45% of his passes this fall. He threw one touchdown and was intercepted three times. Should Frost falter, Osborne will likely turn to backups Tommie Frazier, Jerry Tagge or Turner Gill.

Wingback Irving Fryar led Nebraska with eight receptions, three of which went for touchdowns. Fryar also ran for three scores on only seven carries.

"He's the X-factor," said Mercy.

Penn State took over the No. 1 ranking when Nebraska slipped on the final Saturday of the regular season. The Nittany Lions allowed opponents to score more than seven points just once this season.

"They don't miss many tackles," said Osborne.

Penn State's linebacking corps of LaVar Arrington, Shane Conlan, Jack Ham and Paul Posluszny is its strength.

"Those guys are just relentless to the ball," said Osborne.

The Nittany Lion defense forced 18 fumbles this season while recording 12 sacks.

"Yeah, but we only recovered eight of those fumbles," quipped Paterno.

Offensively, Penn State also relies on its running game. Ki-Jana Carter led the Nittany Lions with 476 yards and three touchdowns. Carter averaged an eye-popping 10.1 yards per carry.

Larry Johnson (365 yards, 7.9 yard average) and Tony Hunt (313 yards, 6.5 average) also carried the load for a deep and balanced Penn State backfield.

Quarterback Kerry Collins might be the deciding edge for Penn State. The 6-foot-5 quarterback completed nearly 76% of his throws. Collins passed for three touchdowns and was intercepted only once.

Oddsmakers have installed Nebraska as a four-point favorite in the game.

"Nebraska can flat out run the ball," said Mercy, Jr. "You know, I know it, but no one has really stopped it all season."

When Nebraska Has the Ball . . .
Cornhusker Offense
WR-Irving Fryar
TE-Junior Miller
T-Zack Weigert
G-Will Shields
C-Dave Rimington
G-Dean Steinkuhler
T-Kelvin Clark
WR-Johnny Rodgers
QB-Scott Frost
HB-Mike Rozier
FB-Tom Rathman
Nittany Lion Defense
E-Courtney Brown
T-Bruce Clark
T-Mike Reid
E-Tamba Hali
LB-LaVar Arrington
LB-Jack Ham
LB-Shane Conlin
CB-Duffy Cobbs
CB-David Macklin
S-Kim Herring
S-Pete Harris

When Penn State Has the Ball . . .
Nittany Lion Offense
WR-Jack Curry
TE-Kyle Brady
T-Levi Brown
G-Jeff Hartings
C-Roger Duffy
G-Steve Wisniewski
T-Keith Dorney
WR-Bobby Engram
QB-Kerry Collins
TB-Ki-Jana Carter
FB-Franco Harris
Cornhusker Defense
E-Grant Wistrom
T-John Dutton
NG-Rich Glover
T-Neil Smith
E-Adam Carriker
LB-Trev Alberts
LB-Broderick Thomas
CB-Ralph Brown
CB-Keyuo Craver
S-Mike Brown
S-Mike Minter

[batted balls]

Los Angeles--Ohio State and Georgia each showed the ability to take a punch during the regular season. Now both are ready to be contenders for a national championship.

"We both showed that we can bounce back from being beaten," said Georgia head coach Vince Dooley.

Both the Buckeyes and the Bulldogs won their All-American Football League crowns with 5-2 records. Each team also needed help from an opponent on the final Saturday of the regular season.

"None of that matters now," said Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes. "Both teams are here and both are ready to play."

Georgia, ranked fifth in the AAFL, grabbed the South title by slipping past Tennessee 21-17 while Florida State was upset at LSU. Since the Bulldogs had knocked off the Seminoles in head-to-head action, Georgia earned the Rose Bowl berth.

Meanwhile, the fourth-rated Buckeyes took the Midwest championship by downing Michigan 28-17 while Notre Dame hammered Oklahoma 42-21.

The Rose Bowl national semi-final marks the first time for both Georgia and Ohio State in the AAFL playoffs.

The Bulldogs averaged 32.3 points per game during the regular season. While Georgia did give up 24 points a game, its defense grabbed seven interceptions and sacked opponents 18 times.

"They come at you from a lot of different directions," said Hayes.

On offense, the Bulldogs showed perhaps the best balance of any playoff team. Herschel Walker packs both power and speed into his game. Walker led the Bulldogs with 479 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.

"You can't arm tackle him," said Hayes.

Charley Trippi (226 yards, four touchdowns) and Garrison Hearst (244, 5) spell the durable Walker.

Quarterback Eric Zeier emerged as a dangerous weapon as the season progressed. Zeier completed almost 68% of his throws for 1,495 yards. In addition, he passed for 10 touchdowns and was intercepted only four times.

"Eric is a big reason why we're here," said Dooley.

Georgia had four receivers in double figures for receptions: Andre Hastings (18), Lindsay Scott (16), Hines Ward (14) and Leonard Pope (10).

"Look at their yards-per-catch," said veteran sports writer Max Mercy, Jr. "As a foursome, they're averaging nearly 18 yards a reception."

Ohio State relied primarily on its power running game. Bruising back Eddie George led the Buckeyes with 365 yards and seven touchdowns. Pepe Pearson (266 yards, three TDs), Archie Griffin (226, 2) and Keith Byars (261) add depth.

"What people don't readily realize is that Woody didn't wear down his backs," pointed out Mercy, Jr. "Eddie George led them in carries, but he only had 68 attempts all year."

The Buckeyes will most likely need a good performance from starting quarterback Troy Smith to defeat Georgia. Smith completed 34-of-58 passes (58.6%) for five touchdowns this fall. He was intercepted twice.

"Don't underestimate his ability to pull the ball down and run for positive yardage," said Mercy, Jr.

While Ohio State averaged 27.3 points per game, the Buckeyes yielded 25.3 points a contest to their opponents.

"That shows you just how narrow a margin it was to win the Midwest," said Mercy, Jr.

Defensively, Ohio State forced 11 turnovers and registered 10 sacks.

Oddsmakers have installed Georgia as a two-point favorite.

"I'll take the Bulldogs by the slimmest of margins," said Mercy, Jr.

When Georgia Has the Ball
Bulldog Offense
WR-Andre Hastings
TE-Leonard Pope
T-Matt Stinchcomb
G-Max Jean-Gilles
C-Peter Anderson
G-Joel Parrish
T-Mike "Moonpie" Wilson
WR-Lindsay Scott
QB-Eric Zeier
TB-Herschel Walker
FB-Charley Trippi
Buckeye Defense
E-Bob Brudzinski
NG-Jim Stillwagon
DL-Dan Wilkinson
E-Mike Vrabel
LB-Randy Gradishar
LB-A.J. Hawk
LB-Chris Spielman
CB-Shawn Springs
CB-Antoine Winfield
S-Mike Doss
S-Jack Tatum

When Ohio State Has the Ball
Buckeye Offense
WR-Michael Jenkins
TE-John Frank
T-John Hicks
G-Jim Lachey
C-LeCharles Bentley
G-Jim Parker
T-Orlando Pace
WR-Terry Glenn
QB-Troy Smith
TB-Eddie George
FB-Jim Otis
Bulldog Defense
E-Fredie Gilbert
T-Richard Seymour
T-Bill Stanfill
E-David Pollack
LB-Boss Bailey
LB-Randall Godfrey
LB-Ben Zambiasi
CB-Champ Bailey
CB-Scott Woerner
S-Terry Hoage
S-Jack Scott