Minnesota, 4-0 for the second time since 1987, finally received one 25th-place vote in the Associated Press poll this week.
That came as news to coach Glen Mason.
“Until you told me, I had no idea,” Mason said Tuesday on the Big Ten media teleconference. “I’m not going to mention it to [the players].”
The Golden Gophers also had six points in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll.
“I must have six friends out there, or maybe six enemies,” Mason said. “Maybe [Purdue coach Joe] Tiller voted for me.”
Minnesota is the mystery meat on the Big Ten menu. Four games into the season, it’s hard to tell what to make of the Gophers because they have played a weak non-conference schedule, as is their custom. In their only game against a respectable opponent, Minnesota beat Toledo 31-21, avenging last year’s defeat.
The Gophers are led by junior quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq, the Big Ten’s top-rated passer. They’re young–only three seniors see significant playing time–and not as physically gifted as many Big Ten teams.
“You’re not going to be impressed when we run on the field, look-wise,” Mason said. “We’re not very big, and we’re not very fast.”
With their first three conference games against Purdue, Illinois and Northwestern, the Gophers have a realistic shot at their best start since 1960, when they won their first seven games and rose to No. 1 in the polls before falling to Purdue in the regular season’s penultimate game.
Upon further review: Michigan coach Lloyd Carr denied reports he has reversed his position and supports the adoption of video replay for controversial calls. Carr was quoted as saying he was “about to join [Illinois coach] Ron” Turner, who long has advocated replay.
“Some of that was tongue in cheek,” Carr said Tuesday. “My position honestly has not changed. When you see some calls that could have been corrected by replay, I think there’s a tendency there . . . but I guess I go back to my original position.
“I think it’s something that in the end would be very, very difficult because of the cost. We have enough TV timeouts. We have enough delays in the games. I just don’t think we need any more disruption in the game.
“In the long run, those calls will even out. It’s part of the human element that’s part of intercollegiate athletics. You have to learn that if you get a bad bounce, you move on and do the best you can.”
Fourth-and-inches: It’s one thing to lose to San Jose State. But Illinois woke up Monday to find it had fallen to No. 77 in this week’s Sagarin Football Ratings. That’s two rungs below Indiana. . . . Speaking of the Sagarin ratings, it’s easy to get Northwestern and Northeastern mixed up. To clarify, Division I-AA Northeastern checks in at No. 85 and Northwestern is at No. 96. . . . Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was puzzled by speculation that tailback Maurice Clarett would miss the rest of the season after minor knee surgery last week. “He practiced [Monday] from a limited standpoint,” Tressel said. “I think he’ll add a little bit more with the load and hopefully Wednesday and Thursday he’ll be full speed ahead. I expect him to play Saturday.” The sixth-ranked Buckeyes play host to Indiana.
STATS & STUFF
BY THE NUMBERS
161
Points Northwestern has allowed in its first four games.
140
Points Northwestern allowed in the entire 1995 regular season.
9
Nebraska’s current winning streak against Iowa State. The Cornhuskers lead the overall series 80-14-2.
THE LIST
How the six Bowl Championship Series conferences have fared against non-conference opponents ranked at kickoff in either major poll:
1. Big East: 4-2
Wins: Florida, LSU, Marshall, Texas A&M
2. Big Ten: 3-3
Wins: Washington, Washington State, Nebraska
3. Pac-10: 3-5
Wins: Colorado State, Colorado, Michigan State
4. Big 12: 2-7
Wins: UCLA, Southern Cal
5. ACC: 1-2
Win: South Carolina
6. Southeastern: 1-5
Win: Louisville
QUOTE, UNQUOTE
“I always remind myself this is a game. Bullets are something that are much more serious.”
–Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, when asked if he thought the Wolverines were “dodging bullets” with their inconsistent field-goal unit
FOURTH DOWN
Wisconsin quarterback Brooks Bollinger quietly has tied the school record with 27 victories as a starter. Bollinger has 21 career rushing touchdowns and 29 career passing touchdowns. Only six players in Big Ten history have rushed for at least 20 scores and passed for another 30:
PLAYER TEAM RUSH PASS
Rick Leach Mich. 34 48
Steve Smith Mich. 31 42
A. Randle El Ind. 44 42
Rickey Foggie Minn. 25 34
Art Schlichter OSU 35 50
Zak Kustok NU 22 42
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CRUMMY GAME
Rutgers at Tennessee,
6 p.m. Saturday
The Volunteers will be aching to atone for their devastating home loss to Florida last weekend. For Rutgers, it starts a stretch of games against Tennessee, Virginia Tech and Miami in six weeks.
TOP GAMES
No. 20 Nebraska at No. 19 Iowa State
2:30 p.m. Saturday
If the Cyclones are for real, they will prove it here.
No. 23 Oregon State at No. 18 USC
5:30 p.m. Saturday, Fox Sports Net
(in progress)
The first real test for the Beavers. Southern Cal tries to rebound from a tough loss at Kansas State.
Kentucky at No. 7 Florida
2:30 p.m. Saturday, WBBM-Ch. 2
The Wildcats are 4-0. But they haven’t beaten Florida at “the Swamp” since 1979, and the Gators have won 21 of the last 22 in the series.
Andrew Bagnato.
