Bowling Green State University Athletics
BGSU In The AP
October 14, 2002 | Football
Oct. 14, 2002
ROSENBLATT ON COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Breathless Weekend
By RICHARD ROSENBLATT, AP Football Writer - Let's all take a deep breath. Nice and easy now. Exhale.
Feeling better?
Florida State coach Bobby Bowden isn't. Neither is Texas coach Mack Brown, or Penn State's Joe Paterno, to name a few.
The day after a breathless Saturday of college football, some coaches are still gasping for air -- and answers -- after devastating defeats left them wondering what went wrong.
Others, like Miami's Larry Coker, were just relieved Sunday, their national title hopes still alive following a frantic finish, a great escape or a plain ol' lucky victory.
"It's a situation that we didn't play great, but you better enjoy the wins," Coker said. "I don't care if they're one point or 50 points. You better enjoy those."
Top-ranked Miami beat Florida State 28-27 only because Xavier Beitia's 43-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left as time expired. Of course, Coker wasn't sweating Sunday.
Neither was Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, who said he never fretted before his second-ranked Sooners scored 24 straight points and turned an 11-point deficit into a 35-24 win over Texas.
"We knew if we did what we were capable of we'd be in good shape," Stoops said. "There was just a good, positive feeling on our sideline all day long."
And then there's Bowden. His Seminoles (5-2) were not only knocked out of the national title hunt for a second straight year, but it's the fourth time since 1991 he lost to Miami when a field-goal attempt in the final seconds could have either won or tied the game.
"I simply can't believe we lost the game like that again," Bowden said. "I can't stand it."
Paterno was so disappointed after his team's 27-24 overtime loss at Michigan, he refused to let his players be interviewed. The Lions fell to 4-2 and 1-2 in the Big Ten.
And after Texas' third straight loss to Oklahoma, Brown had to deal with questions regarding his 2-7 record -- and quarterback Chris Simms' 0-4 mark -- against top 10 teams.
"It has nothing to do with Chris and I," a terse Brown said. "It's about the team. Anytime you lose to OU, it's disappointing."
On Sunday he simply said: "We can't sit around and pout. We have to go back to work."
It was a close-call weekend all around. In five games matching Top 25 teams on Saturday, four were decided by a total of 20 points. Also, No. 6 Oregon beat UCLA 31-30 and No. 7 Notre Dame defeated Pittsburgh 14-6.
The results left 10 teams undefeated midway through the season. There are two games remaining on the schedule matching unbeatens - Notre Dame at No. 18 Air Force on Saturday, and No. 3 Virginia Tech at Miami on Dec. 7.
Next Monday, the BCS will release its first standings of the season. The rankings will eventually determine who plays in the BCS title game at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 3.
But before all the computers, polls, strength-of-schedule and bonus-point components take control, here's a look at some prospects for a perfect season:
ACC
North Carolina State (7-0, 2-0): The Wolfpack have a strong chance to be 11-0 entering their final two games - at improving Virginia and home against Florida State. Perfection? Possible.
Big East
Miami (6-0, 2-0): The Hurricanes are off next weekend and then have what amounts to a two-game season -- at Tennessee on Nov. 9 and the regular-season finale against Virginia Tech. Perfection? Probable.
Virginia Tech (6-0, 1-0): Six easily beatable opponents upcoming, followed by what could be a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup against Miami. Perfection? Doubtful.
Big Ten
Ohio State (7-0, 2-0): Tough games ahead are at Wisconsin and home against Penn State and Michigan. Perfection? Possible.
Big 12
Oklahoma (6-0, 2-0): Next three games will tell the tale - home against Iowa State and Colorado, and at Texas A&M. Then it's the Big 12 title game. Perfection? Doubtful.
Pac-10
Oregon (6-0, 2-0): Could lose any of four games - -home against USC and Washington, and at Washington State and Oregon State. Perfection? Doubtful.
SEC
Georgia (6-0, 3-0): A final four of Florida, Mississippi, Auburn and Georgia Tech. Then it's the SEC title game. Perfection? Doubtful.
The others:
Miami Sets Record At No. 1, Florida Falls Out Of AP Top 25
By The Associated Press -- Miami has itself a record-setting streak -- most consecutive weeks ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll.
The Hurricanes, who extended the nation's longest winning streak to 28 games with a 28-27 win over Florida State, remained in the top spot Sunday for a record 19th straight poll.
In voting by the 74 sports writers and broadcasters on the AP panel, Miami received 65 first-place votes and 1,841 points.
Miami took over at No. 1 on Oct. 14, 2001, and remained there for the final 10 polls and won the national title. The Hurricanes (6-0) have been atop all nine polls this season, starting out as the preseason No. 1 pick.
Southern California and Miami were tied for most consecutive polls at No. 1. The Trojans were No. 1 for 14 weeks in 1972 and the first four weeks in 1973.
"It's amazing to be mentioned with the great teams of the past when you look at the teams on that list," Miami coach Larry Coker said. "We don't emphasize the rankings each week but, of course, it's always great to be No. 1."
With five games involving Top 25 teams Saturday, there was much shuffling in the rankings. The most significant moves were Iowa State cracking the top 10 for the first time at No. 9, and Florida dropping out after a run of 209 consecutive polls.
Florida (4-3), 36-7 losers to LSU, had taken over the longest-running poll streak from Nebraska, which fell out three weeks ago after a record run of 348 in a row.
The current leader is Michigan at 71 straight polls. The Wolverines moved up to No. 11 this week after a 27-24 overtime win against Penn State.
Oklahoma, with a 35-24 win over Texas, remained No. 2, while the Longhorns fell five places to No. 8. The Sooners received the remaining nine first-place votes and 1,776 points.
Virginia Tech, which beat Boston College 28-23 on Thursday night, moved up to No. 3, followed by Ohio State, Georgia, Oregon, Notre Dame, Texas, Iowa State and Washington State.
Auburn and Wisconsin also dropped from the Top 25, with Colorado, Alabama and Bowling Green the new additions, at Nos. 23-25, respectively.
Bowling Green (5-0) makes the Top 25 for the first time since Dec. 2, 1985.
The USA Today/ESPN coaches poll has the same top 5 as the AP poll.
Ten of the Top 25 teams are undefeated -- the top seven of Miami, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Georgia, Oregon, Notre Dame, along with No. 13 North Carolina State, No. 18 Air Force and Bowling Green.
The first BCS standings, which determine who plays in a national title game at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 3, will be released next Monday, Oct. 21.
AP POLL
By The Associated Press
The Top Twenty Five teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Oct. 12, total points based on 25 points for a first place vote through one point for a 25th place vote and previous ranking:
1. Miami (65) 6-0 1,841 1 2. Oklahoma (9) 6-0 1,776 2 3. Virginia Tech 6-0 1,675 4 4. Ohio St. 7-0 1,608 5 5. Georgia 6-0 1,555 6 6. Oregon 6-0 1,463 7 7. Notre Dame 6-0 1,403 8 8. Texas 5-1 1,235 3 9. Iowa St. 6-1 1,146 11 10. Washington St. 6-1 1,116 12 11. Michigan 5-1 1,114 13 12. Florida St. 5-2 1,032 9 13. N.C. State 7-0 980 14 14. LSU 5-1 914 18 15. Iowa 6-1 830 17 16. Tennessee 4-2 639 10 17. Kansas St. 5-1 619 19 18. Air Force 6-0 583 21 19. Southern Cal 4-2 506 20 20. Penn St. 4-2 435 15 21. Mississippi 5-1 358 25 22. Washington 4-2 354 22 23. Colorado 4-2 213 - 24. Alabama 4-2 165 - 25. Bowling Green 5-0 83 -Others receiving votes: Florida 81, UCLA 79, Marshall 57, Nebraska 30, South Carolina 26, Arkansas 24, Colorado St. 22, Minnesota 18, Louisville 13, Auburn 9, Texas Tech 9, Boston College 8, California 8, Wisconsin 7, Pittsburgh 5, Virginia 5, Texas A&M 4, Arizona St. 1, Boise St. 1.
