Quick Kicks
Orange Bowl strikes again
It’s old. It’s decrepit. It has none of the frills or conveniences of modern-day stadiums. Even its namesake game doesn’t come around much anymore.
Yet on Saturday, the Orange Bowl once again became the place where long winning streaks come to sudden stops.
No. 3 UCLA’s 49-45 loss to Miami marked the fourth time that a team has seen a winning streak of at least 20 games end with a loss to the Hurricanes in the venerable facility.
Other streaks to fall by the wayside were those of Nebraska (22 games, 1984), Notre Dame (23 games, 1989) and Oklahoma (20 games, 1988).
Miami and Princeton are the only schools in NCAA history to break winning streaks of 20 or more games on four occasions, and Princeton’s all happened before 1906.
Other famous happenings at the Orange Bowl:
Miami establishes NCAA record with 58 consecutive home victories from 1985-94, including four victories against No. 1 teams.
Joe Namath leads New York Jets to victory in Super Bowl III.
Doug Flutie secured the 1984 Heisman Trophy when his 48-yard heave fell into the arms of Gerard Phelan as time expired to give Boston College a 47-45 triumph over the Hurricanes.
Two weeks prior to Flutie’s heroics, Maryland staged what still is the greatest comeback in NCAA history. The Terrapins trailed 31-0 with 12:35 left in the third quarter, then rolled off six TDs for a 42-40 win.
Ducks change travel plans
Officials with the Oahu Bowl will learn today who the opponent will be for Air Force in the second game of the inaugural Christmas Day doubleheader in Honolulu.
It appears likely that Oregon, which had hoped to go to the Holiday Bowl, will be replaced in that game by Arizona because UCLA, not Arizona, will go to the Rose Bowl. That leaves the Oahu Bowl making plans to host Oregon. Still, Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood said Saturday that he considers the Sugar Bowl a possibility.
Washington will play Colorado in the Aloha Bowl, the first of the two Christmas Day games.
Speaking out
Here’s a sampling of the reaction from UCLA and Kansas State after losing on Saturday: UCLA guard Andy Meyers: “The way our defense was playing, I wouldn’t have been comfortable with a 48-point lead. I was ready to go play ‘D’ line.
“I thought we were heartless,” Meyers said. “I played as hard as I could. But I don’t know if that could be said across the board.”
Kansas State coach Bill Snyder: “This may be, in their young lives, the most difficult thing they’ve had to handle. The pain that comes from this is obvious.”