How The Top 25 Fared
How the Top 25 teams in the AP college football poll fared this week, plus next opponent:
Next 1. Florida (10-1) lost to Florida St. 24-21 SEC title game 2. Florida State (11-0) beat Florida 24-21.Alliance bowl 3. Arizona State (11-0) did not play Rose Bowl 4. Nebraska (10-1) beat Colo. 17-12 Big 12 title game 5. Colorado (9-2) lost to Nebraska 17-12 Bowl game 6. Ohio State (10-1) did not play Rose Bowl 7. Brigham Young (12-1) did not play WAC title game 8. Penn State (10-2) did not play Bowl game 9. Tennessee (8-2) beat Vanderbilt 14-7 Bowl game 10. Notre Dame (8-3) lost to USC 27-20, OT Undecided 11. Northwestern (9-2) did not play Bowl game 12. Washington (9-2) did not play Bowl game 13. North Carolina (9-2) did not play Gator Bowl 14. Kansas State (9-2) did not play Bowl game 15. Alabama (9-2) did not play SEC title game 16. Syracuse (8-3) lost to Miami 38-31 Bowl game 17. Virginia Tech (10-1) beat Virginia 26-9 Bowl game 18. Michigan (8-3) did not play Bowl game 19. LSU (9-2) beat Arkansas 17-7 Bowl game 20. Virginia (7-4) lost to Va. Tech 26-9 Carquest Bowl 21. Wyoming (10-1) did not play WAC title game 22. Iowa (8-3) did not play Bowl game 23. Miami (8-3) beat Syracuse 38-31 Bowl game 24. Army (9-1) did not play vs. Navy* 25. West Virginia (8-3) did not play Bowl game
* At Philadelphia.
HEISMAN WATCH
Florida quarterback Danny Wuerrfel, who earlier this week won the Unitas Award as the nation’s top senior quarterback, continues to be the favorite. On Saturday, even though Wuerffel threw three first-half interceptions and was sacked six times, he threw three TD passes and finished 23 for 48 for 362 yards in the Gators’ 24-21 loss to Florida State.
Other contenders: Iowa State running back Troy Davis, Texas Tech running back Byron Hanspard, Ohio State offensive tackle Orlando Pace.
Longshots: Arizona State quarterback Jake Plummer, Florida State running back Warrick Dunn.
NOTABLE
In his last game as coach, Johnny Majors’ Pittsburgh Panthers defeated Rutgers 24-9. Majors’ resignation came 20 years after he led Pitt to the national championship. In his first stay at Pitt (1973-76), the Panthers were 33-13-1 and won the 1976 national championship. Pitt finished 12-32 in his second four-year stay. Majors, who took 16 teams to bowl games, finished 45-45-1 in eight seasons at Pitt and 185-137-10 overall at Iowa State, Pitt and Tennessee.
Mississippi State’s 17-0 victory over Mississippi marked the first shutout between the in-state rivals since Ole Miss won 48-0 in 1971. The Rebels had last been shut out by Mississippi State in 1946, 20-0.
Grambling State’s 3-8 record is the worst finish in 77-year-old Eddie Robinson’s 53 seasons as coach.
East Carolina’s 50-29 victory over North Carolina State, at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., the home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, drew a crowd of 66,347, the largest gathering ever for a college game in North Carolina. The Pirates defeated the Wolfpack for the fifth time in seven games and the third time in a row.
Justin Olsen, Montana, starting for the injured Mike Erhardt, caught eight passes for 129 yards, equivalent to Nicholls State’s total output on offense in a 48-3 loss to the Grizzlies.
Under coach Steve Spurrier, Florida has never won a non-conference road game.
Florida State has not lost to Florida at home since 1986.
BOWL PICTURE
Some tentative matchups on New Year’s Day:
Sugar Bowl: Florida State vs. Nebraska (if Cornhuskers defeat Texas to win Big 12 championship).
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Florida (if Gators defeat Alabama for SEC championship).
Fiesta Bowl: Penn State vs. Alliance No. 5 team.
NOTE: The six teams that end up in the alliance games are the conference champions from the SEC, Big 12, ACC and Big East, plus two at-large teams. The Sugar Bowl has the first two picks, with the Fiesta choosing third and fifth, and the Orange choosing fourth and sixth.
Rose Bowl: Arizona State vs. Ohio State.