Perspective PieceMichigan vs. Northwestern, Oct. 29By Matthew Zemek

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It is not yet known whether the White Sox will host Game Six of the World Series on the night of Saturday, Oct. 29, in the Windy City. But if Chicago sports fans want to avoid having a major conflict of interest, they must hope their team can win the world title in Houston—no later than Thursday.Why? Northwestern’s home game against tradition-soaked Michigan, a prime time national TV showcase this Saturday, is the biggest game for the Wildcats since 1996. ---College Football---

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Ten seasons after the Purple marched to Pasadena as Big Ten champions, and nine campaigns after making yet another New Year’s Day bowl game (the Citrus Bowl against Tennessee), this academic powerhouse has yet another chance to make an improbable march to glory.No way, you say? Well, the cards are still stacked against this upstart from Evanston. Michigan—as proven by its ballsy wins against Penn State and Iowa the past two weeks—knows how to win spotlight games. After all, a team with the reputation, status and cachet of the Maize and Blue finds itself in a highly-anticipated contest just about every week.And yes, even if Michigan is defeated, Iowa and Ohio State still lurk on the schedule. Northwestern’s chances of going 10-1 this season are small, and it would take more than a little guts to even predict a 9-2 campaign (likely good enough for an Outback Bowl invite and a January game day) for the Cats.---College Football---

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But if you’re downplaying Northwestern’s chances of winning the Big Ten or even making a January bowl, you’re missing the point. The mere fact that the Purple People have just one conference loss as of October 29, good enough to put them at the forefront of the Big Ten race, is enough of an achievement in its own right. And now that Penn State sits atop the conference—in a tie with Northwestern and also Wisconsin and Ohio State—the Wildcats’ 34-29 loss to the Nittany Lions looks that much more impressive. Even more particularly, the performance of Brett Basanez, Tyrell Sutton, and the rest of NU’s offense against Paul Posluszny and Co.

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becomes that much more tremendous when one considers how good Penn State’s defense has been this year.With each week, then, you can make one simple conclusion: Northwestern, though not dominant, has legitimately earned its current place in the upper echelon of a wide-open and balanced Big Ten. Wins haven’t come cheaply for Northwestern—a stellar offense and a defense good enough to make a few timely plays have lifted the Cats to a series of wins that, in one way or another, have left the college football community marveling at the quality of Randy Walker’s handiwork.Against Wisconsin, the Basanez-Sutton combo was awesome. ---College Football---

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At Purdue, the Cats’ late-game resilience was tested and ultimately affirmed. Last week at Michigan State, the defense forced turnovers while the Purple People showed enormous mental toughness by putting down the hammer against a wobbling Spartan team. In close games and blowouts, at home and on the road, Northwestern has shown different elements of an increasingly layered and flexible football personality. With each passing Saturday (and with Basanez under center, gamedays usually are passing Saturdays for Northwestern), Walker’s team has increasingly earned the respect of football fans nationwide, not just its Big Ten brethren. Saturday night is so special for the Wildcat program because the glare of the prime-time spotlight offers NU a chance to compete against one of the sport’s signature programs with a lot more eyeballs watching. ---College Football---

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A win against Michigan would affirm everything the Cats have done so far in the month of October.And oh, yeah, almost forgot: there is this team called the Michigan Wolverines. They will show up as well on Saturday, despite the newfound buzz surrounding Northwestern. Just in case you haven’t noticed, Michigan still has just two losses in conference play, and with a tiebreaker against Penn State already in Lloyd Carr’s column, there’s also the realization that Ohio State must come to the Big House at the end of the season. If Michigan wins this game against Northwestern, a team once 3-3 and staring 3-4 in the face could a-Maize-ingly find itself playing for a third straight conference crown when the Bucks come a knockin’ on the door in Ann Arbor on Nov. 19.Michigan and Northwestern. ---College Football---

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It’s a game worthy of prime time because both teams, not just the heavies with the classic helmets and “Hail to the Victors,” have done special things over the past few weeks. Chicago sports fans—if their Sox play that same night—will have some channel changing to do. That in itself speaks to the enormity of what’s transpiring in Evanston... and what will unfold under the lights this Saturday at venerable Dyche Stadium. ---College Football---

Terrapins Notebook

Hollenbach Sits Out, Statham Prepares

By Dan Steinberg

Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 26, 2005; Page E02---college football---

Maryland starting quarterback Sam Hollenbach, still nursing his injured non-throwing shoulder, did not practice yesterday and his availability for Saturday's game at No. 10 Florida State could be determined at today's practice.

Hollenbach was hurt during a first-quarter option run against Virginia Tech on Thursday night, and although he did not miss a snap, he has yet to practice this week. Yesterday, the ACC's fourth-ranked passer attended practice wearing jeans, a heavy coat and a ski cap while starter-turned-backup-turned-possible-starter Joel Statham went through drills with the first-team offense.---college football---

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They're trying to just let the shoulder quiet down, and we'll know more" today, Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen said. "I think if he can play we will play him. We'll just have to see how well he does and whether he can learn the game plan by Saturday."---college football---

If not, Statham would get a chance to revisit the brightest moment of his career, a 20-17 upset of Florida State last year in which he threw for 333 yards and one touchdown and ran for another score. The victory was Maryland's first over the Seminoles, and it was the high-water mark for Statham, who was eventually supplanted by Hollenbach in the season finale.---college football---

"Isn't he the guy that killed us last year?" responded Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden when asked about Statham. "I'm talking about he beat us to death last year, you know? . . . They look like they're in pretty good shape at quarterback, no matter what."---college football---

Friedgen's vote of confidence was less emphatic. He said third-stringer Jordan Steffy, who is hoping to redshirt this year as he recovers from offseason knee and elbow procedures, would be used if needed, and that both reserve quarterbacks performed well in Monday night's soggy practice. Still, Friedgen's clear preference would be Hollenbach, who had his worst game of the season against Virginia Tech.---college football---

If "Joel's our quarterback, we'll see how he does, and I plan on him doing well," Friedgen said. "I think he should have a lot of confidence. He's been in the fire before. I'm prepared to go with him if that's what we've got to do. You know, I want to have Sam. If Sam can go, he'll go. If he can't go, then we've got to go to the next guy."---college football---

Statham said he was eager to play and any problems with nerves were in the past. "I've already got all that stuff out of my system now," he said. "I'm still making mistakes out there, but I'm trying to minimize those. And hopefully, if I get out there I won't make any and we'll be able to come out with a win."---college football---

By winning its final four games, Maryland (4-3, 2-2) would win the ACC's Atlantic Division and play in the conference title game, a goal Friedgen mentioned several times yesterday. If the Terps lose on Saturday, they would be eliminated from the ACC race and would need to win two of their final three games to be eligible for a postseason bowl.---college football---

Kicking Confidence---college football---

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Place kicker Dan Ennis made 1 of 3 field goal attempts against the Hokies and has missed four of his past five. But Obi Egekeze is not yet 100 percent after injuring his right quadriceps in preseason, and Friedgen said he remained confident in Ennis.---college football---

Holder Adam Podlesh, a former place kicker, said he has been counseling Ennis on putting the misses behind him and that the junior walk-on, who made his first 11 attempts this year, seemed to be in good spirits. "He really hasn't been playing a whole lot of head games with himself," Podlesh said. "He's usually a pretty levelheaded kid; he's not going to go out there and go crazy over a few kicks." . . .---college football---

Running back Keon Lattimore wore a non-contact jersey yesterday because of a partial dislocation of a shoulder joint, Friedgen said. He is questionable for Saturday's game. . . . Former fullback Ricardo Dickerson, who played defense in past seasons, is now working at the team's hybrid linebacker-defensive end position.---college football---

Penn State taking better care of ball
By Jeff Rice

Oh, how the rest of college football laughed when Iowa 6, Penn State 4 flashed across scoreboards last fall. Late in that game, the Hawkeyes, content with their, um, sizable 6-2 lead, shut down their offense and dared the Nittany Lions to score. They couldn't. Six to 4 became the punch line of a disastrous season. - College Football -

Fast forward nearly one year to the fourth quarter of Penn State-Ohio State. The Nittany Lions sat on their late seven-point lead and dared the Buckeyes to beat their swarming defense. They couldn't, and Penn State won its biggest game in six years. - College Football -

Next comes a trip to the Big House and a renewal of a rather one-sided rivalry with hated Michigan. Before the memories of Saturday fade completely, though, here's one more look at how the Nittany Lions got to 6-0. - College Football -

The good

The defense. OK, so Troy Smith couldn't hit the broad side of Beaver Stadium with the football Saturday. Penn State was still great against the pass, against the run and didn't let dangerous return man Ted Ginn see a sliver of daylight. Tom Bradley's group saved its best game of the season for the right night. - College Football -

u No turnovers (again). After 13 giveaways in its first 14 quarters this season, Penn State has zero in its last 10. Playing in a sporadic mist, Michael Robinson bobbled a couple of shotgun snaps but never gave a tough Buckeyes defense a chance to seize the momentum or the football.

u Ground gains. Penn State ran for 117 yards against the nation's top run defense, with 91 of those coming in the first half. Robinson got many of the tough ones, which also helped him avoid being sacked against the Big Ten's leader in sacks.

u Poz. Three straight weeks with double-digit tackles, three straight weeks with conference defensive player-of-the-week honors (a Big Ten first) for Paul Posluszny, who gets more impressive with each game. - College Football -

u Keep on tickin'. Jordan Norwood matched his career-high with five catches and bounced right back up after getting his 165-pound bell rung by the Buckeyes after almost every one.

The bad

Hello yellow. The Nittany Lions, who had the second-fewest penalties in the Big Ten coming into Saturday (many of them committed by second-stringers late in games) were flagged five times for 29 yards against Ohio State. Only one of the infractions kept a Buckeye drive alive.

u Shut-down mode. The Nittany Lions couldn't manage a first down on any of their final five possessions which, as stated above, was largely a result of playing conservatively to protect their lead. Would have been nice to have a little offensive momentum going into the Big House, though.

u Kapi-NO. As coach Joe Paterno mentioned in his postgame remarks, Penn State punter Jeremy Kapinos kicked for coverage, not distance, which would help explain his unusually low 34.6 average. It's harder to explain the shanked 11-yarder in the first quarter. - College Football -

The rest

Dan Connor made his first start of the season at outside linebacker (Tim Shaw moved back into the middle) and played splendidly, tying for second on the team with 12 tackles and registering one of five Penn State sacks. ... Fellow linebacker Sean Lee became the seventh true freshman to see the field for the Nittany Lions this season. ... Andrew Richardson, in for an injured John Wilson, was solid in his first start at right tackle since last season's Purdue game. ... Penn State is a perfect 4-for-4 on fourth-down conversions this season. - College Football -

CentreDaily.com

Dallman hoping he'll stay

By MIKE LOFTUS
The Patriot Ledger

BOSTON - Kevin Dallman must have learned early in life that it wouldn't do him much good to become easily offended. - College Football -

Because of that, fans of the Boston Bruins could soon see for themselves how well Dallman defends in the NHL.

Measured against NHL defensemen, forwards and goalies alike, Dallman is small, at 5-11 and 195 pounds - and he's heard about it, endlessly. He was never drafted, and despite three seasons of steady progress at Providence (American Hockey League), Dallman's name didn't come up often in discussions about which young defensemen had the best chances to start the season with Boston. - College Football -

‘‘The other guys are draft picks, though,'' Dallman said, ‘‘so it's going to happen that way.''

Two of the other guys - Jonathan Girard and Mark Stuart - were assigned yesterday to Providence. Two others (Milan Jurcina, Andrew Alberts) remained in Boston, with Dallman.

Since yesterday's assignments left the Bruins with seven defensemen, the cut-down essentially set the defense corps for the start of the regular season. An injury, trade or the resolution of Nick Boynton's contract logjam between now and Wednesday's opener against Montreal could change the mix, but at present, Dallman stands as perhaps the least likely of three rookie defensemen Boston will take into the season. - College Football -

‘‘I'm definitely ready, and very, very excited at the same time - and nervous, and confident, and everything,'' Dallman said after yesterday's practice at TD Banknorth Garden. ‘‘All the emotions are there.''

Privately, some might be experiencing one emotion on Dallman's list - nervousness - but publicly, the B's express confidence in a group of defensemen that numbers nearly as many players with no NHL experience (three) as those who broke into the league long ago (four).

‘‘They might as well start now,'' veteran Jiri Slegr said with a shrug. ‘‘We had to start somehow, too, when we were young and wearing the same shoes. These guys have a chance. They should go for it.'' - College Football -

Hal Gill pointed out that the presence of four veteran defensemen virtually assures that No Child is Left Behind. The B's will probably go with two rookie-veteran pairs, and one all-veteran duo.

‘‘We'll see what we get for pairings,'' Gill said, ‘‘but right now it looks pretty good. I think we have a good balance. The young guys are going to adjust.''

Dallman, at 24, is the oldest of the newest defensemen, and has the most pro experience with three years at Providence. Jurcina, 22, has spent the last two years there, and Alberts, who's only a few months younger than Dallman, didn't play a pro game until April, after completing his career at Boston College. By the time the AHL playoffs had ended, Alberts had gained 24 games of experience. - College Football -

Prior professional service never hurts, but it's not essential.

Of Boston's four veteran defensemen, only Ian Moran had to truly work his way up from the minors before cracking the Pittsburgh Penguins' lineup, essentially for good, in 1995-96. Brian Leetch has never played a minor-league game while Slegr, who had played five seasons in the Czech League, needed only 21 AHL games in 1992-93 before graduating to the NHL, and then there's Gill, who played only four games at Providence as a rookie pro in 1997-98, and never returned.

‘‘If I can do it, anyone can, right?'' said Gill, the darkest of horses in his first NHL camp after graduating from Providence College, ‘‘but seriously, that's the thing - it's not out of reach. It's not outlandish to say it can happen.'' - College Football -

A support system helps, and Gill had the best one available.

‘‘I was lucky,'' he said. ‘‘I was playing with Ray Bourque, and now maybe one of these younger guys is going to be playing with Brian Leetch, and can use him.''

Dallman, who has been paired in exhibition games with Slegr and Gill, will use anyone with more experience to help him make the jump.

‘‘I feel like I'm ready,'' Dallman said, ‘‘but I've still got to learn a lot. I have to keep working hard, and keep learning from guys like Hal, Slegs and Leetchie.''

Inevitably, there'll be times when Dallman can't rely on the veterans he looks up to, and although his height requires him to look up to every defenseman on the roster, he's not worried about how big he is, or isn't. - College Football -

‘‘I've always been knocked for my size, but I make up for it somewhat with strength,'' said Dallman, who wowed general manager Mike O'Connell with his bench-press tests. ‘‘There's a lot of size on this team, so you know guys will be there for me if I ever do get pushed around - but usually, I don't.''

Dallman aims to be just as sturdy when it comes to holding the roster spot he has earned so far.

‘‘I'm still here,'' he said. ‘‘Hopefully, I can stick it out.''

Hull's Eric Healey, Duxbury's Pat Leahy and fellow forwards Eric Nickulas, Zdenek Blatny, Tyler Redenbach and Nate Thompson joined Girard and Stuart on the assignment list to Providence, which is scheduled to play exhibition games the next three nights.

Regarding Healey, who had 2-1-3 totals in four exhibitions, coach Mike Sullivan said ‘‘to his credit, he made that decision very difficult for us,'' and suggested Healey could be recalled in the event of injuries. - College Football -

Demoting Girard, who is attempting a comeback from a two-year layoff due to injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident, was even tougher.

‘‘He's an inspiration, I think, to all of us,'' said the coach. Asked if Girard took the news hard, Sullivan said ‘‘I think he did. We all did.''

Healey, Girard and Nickulas first had to clear waivers, which were to expire today at noon, before reporting to Providence.

Sergei Samsonov (back) practiced for the third straight day, and said he'd ‘‘possibly'' play tomorrow night's preseason finale against the New York Rangers at the Garden ... Left wing Brad Isbister left yesterday's double session because of back spasms ... Joe Thornton, who didn't travel for back-to-back games against Montreal on Tuesday and Wednesday because of apparently minor aches and pains, returned to practice yesterday and said he planned to play tomorrow night. - College Football -

Copyright 2005 The Patriot Ledger

Here today, gone today for college football coaches

By Bud Withers

College football season is only a few days away, marked by familiar signs of autumn: The thud of linemen against blocking sleds, the trill of practice whistles, the sound of coaches hedging on their selection of starting quarterbacks. - College Football -

And oh yes, the ka-ching of the cash register.

Never has the game — particularly nearby — been as marbled by financial factors as in 2005.

• Washington, coming off a 1-10 season, has raised seat-priority assessments about 31 percent across the board. The Huskies have taken the public tack that the investment will help ensure the dreaded 2004 effort doesn't happen again. - College Football -

• In the spring, Arizona not only lopped 19 full-time athletic-department jobs from a roll of 185, it turned the lawn around its basketball arena into a temporary used-car lot. The Wildcats received $150,000 up front from several car dealers in a five-year agreement that requires them to buy about $50,000 worth offootball tickets each fall.

• When Oregon State christens a dramatically revamped Reser Stadium on Saturday against Portland State, it will signify its commitment tofootball — and its reliance on season-ticket holders who are paying several hundred dollars more for the right to buy a pair of seats than they did a year ago.

• Washington State, exploring its own remodel to Martin Stadium with marketing surveys and hiring of an architect, has tacked a $5 fee onto each ticket for all home games this season to front that campaign. - College Football -

It was in discussions with athletic director Jim Sterk about the proposed renovation that WSU coach Bill Doba cast a knowing glance at his boss.

"It does help if we win a little bit, doesn't it?" Doba remarked.

Only a little.

Never have the stakes been as high in college football. Never has winning meant so much. Never has the pressure been quite as gnawing on coaches as it is entering this season.

Already buffeted by the twin forces of Internet message boards and sports-talk radio — two outlets that weren't a factor 15 years ago — coaches are increasingly held accountable for the improved facilities around them.

An inexorable shrinkage has taken place in their grace period for success. Not so long ago, a coach could figure to have five years to show he was the right choice, four at the mostfootball-crazed schools. - College Football -

At many places, that window now closes after three years, a trend underscored when Notre Dame — which had always held itself to be above such bottom-line madness — cashiered Tyrone Willingham after only three seasons.

It was when the Irish hired Willingham — now coaching on the rebound at Washington — that they also romanced Mike Bellotti, the Oregon coach.

"The one thing they could tell me they could hang their hat on was, they had never fired a coach," says Bellotti. "They had always let him finish out his contract. It's very interesting that the next coach they hired, they didn't allow that to happen."

Willingham's wasn't the only surprise firing. Mississippi, a school whose recent football tradition might be generously described as modest, touted David Cutcliffe as the first coach in school history to win at least seven games in each of his first five seasons. Then, when he went 4-7 last year, one season after a Cotton Bowl victory, he was canned.

The school president said "mediocrity" would not cut it at Ole Miss.

"I was head football coach at Baylor for 21 years," says Grant Teaff, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association. "I've been out 12, and they've had four head coaches. There aren't going to be any more 21-year terms like I had, and Bobby [Bowden] and Lavell [Edwards] and [Joe] Paterno." - College Football -

The flip side to this amped-up world is that coaches are making money unheard of not very long ago. Think about this: When Washington hired Rick Neuheisel in 1999, his contract — about a million dollars with incentives, roughly $800,000 guaranteed annually — drew concern and derision from some faculty members at Washington. It was among the top fivecollege coaching salaries.

Just six years later, Willingham will make a guaranteed $1.4 million this year. That's a 75 percent increase on what Neuheisel was guaranteed.

Yet Willingham's salary is believed only third-highest in the Pac-10. His contract appears closer to the market than Neuheisel's was in 1999.

Moreover, argues Washington athletic director Todd Turner, Willingham's hire has dramatically altered the face of football at UW. - College Football -

"He's done an incredible job of instantly changing the culture of what we've been having to deal with over the last few years," Turner says. "He's restored confidence in the players; he's returned them to being focused and more disciplined and more committed. You can see it in the way they act."

In 1996, the year running back Corey Dillon led Washington to a 9-3 season, a reserved season ticket cost $160. This year, for a team the media picked to finish 10th in the Pac-10, the tab is $345 — after the 31-percent hike in seat rights.

"There's a climate there, no doubt about it," says Oregon State coach Mike Riley. "People do all this stuff [to improve facilities], and then if it doesn't work, the coach gets fired."

The so-called "arms race" has come after a long period in which facilities lay fallow. Riley, first hired by OSU in 1997, remembers walking into thefootball offices where his dad Bud was a successful assistant coach in the '60s and '70s. - College Football -

"Nothing had changed," he says. "This place had a time warp on it."

Now, with both Washington and Washington State looking to make stadium improvements, the possibility exists that within less than a decade, all four Northwest schools will have done major renovations to theirfootball venues.

The hell-bent trend is a concern to people like Arizona president Peter Likins, chairing an NCAA presidents task force on the future of Division I athletics. Likins also heads up a task force subcommittee on fiscal responsibility.

"There's a general sense of unease among presidents and chancellors," Likins said. "While we're not in crisis, we're engaged in an unsustainable rate of growth in expenditures and revenues. It's not possible for universities to put unallocated money into athletics. That's what people have been doing in recent years."

"It scares me to death," says Jim Livengood, Likins' athletic director. "We've got to figure out a way to get our arms around expenses." - College Football -

He cites spiraling costs for fuel-related services, like airline charters and buses.

"Those are things we have no control over," Livengood says. "As powerful as we think we are in intercollegiate athletics, we're not going to drop the price of oil."

Across the NCAA landscape, there are subtle signs of a system creaking under the weight of football investment and responsibility. Earlier this year, the NCAA waved through a 12th regular-season game starting in 2006, a measure that's all about increased revenue.

When the Bowl Championship Series expands to five games next season, the title game in Tempe, Ariz. — following the Fiesta Bowl a week earlier — is to take place tentatively on Jan. 8, 2007, stretching thecollege football season longer than it has ever been.

Coaches say routinely that the high-rolling finances can't create any more pressure than they feel already. And in fact, they acknowledge the scrutiny is only reflective of the amenities that help them win.

"Expectations are up; that's a beautiful thing," says Riley. "Ten years ago, there were no expectations. It was dead, dead, dead. Now people expect to go to a bowl game, they expect to compete for a Pac-10 championship. They expect to beat Oregon." - College Football -

And increasingly, when they don't, they expect to fire the coach. In the white-hot climate around college football these days, one thing hasn't changed: One side wins and one has to lose.

Copyright © 2005 The Seattle Times Company

And that was why we waited so much for the first full weekend of college football

And that was why we waited so much for the first full weekend of college football.
Oklahoma? Loses at home.

Tennessee? Scared by UAB at home.

Navy? Almost beat Maryland in the first meeting of the schools in 40 years. Clemson beats Texas A&M with two seconds left. - College Football -

Just what we've been waiting for.

You'll smile to know my views on Auburn-Tech and Georgia-Boise State ended up being about as accurate as Jared Zabransky and Brandon Cox.

Ouch. Yeah, that far off.

Georgia Tech pretty much took out Auburn's knees on both sides of the ball.

Sure, the Tigers had a new quarterback, but he looked like they forgot to unwrap him and take the price tag off. - College Football -

Tech coordinator Jon Tenuta was a maestro on the Plains. He discombobulated the Tiger plan with impressive consistency, and Tech's offensive plan seemed broad and versatile.

Overall, the Jackets looked big and fast and energetic, and in a tough place against a top 20 team.

Auburn looked like it had the questions facing Tech entering the season.

The pick was Auburn 27-13. Please pass the barbecue sauce.

In Athens, Georgia was in control throughout and actually dealt the knockout punch in the third quarter. D.J. Shockley's debut as a starter was rousing. His reads were solid, although he did have some sub-par throws, and he showed more patience than some expected.

While suddenly that type of performance is expected all the time, it takes no Einstein to know that Boise State was a bust and didn't offer near the challenge many predicted. And Georgia's not winning much as long as Shockley's the leading runner. Georgia's lines weren't as dominating as one might have thought. - College Football -

My pick? Georgia 24-17. OK, stop giggling and pass the sauce.

Memo to watchers of both: Don't bank on gift-filled days of turnovers.

Those not residing on Delusion Lane in the "we're gonna go 11-0, woo hoo!" subdivision had to be downright thrilled at the surprising results, which make this week mighty interesting.

Georgia won't be nearly as sharp this week and South Carolina probably will be less ragged as well. The Gamecocks have a solid coaching staff and the defense will come up with something fairly unique. - College Football -

USC's offense? Good question. While South Carolina started off well against Central Florida and then hit a wall, the Gamecocks still bring more to the table than Boise State did.

Lucid Tech fans know that North Carolina - or any decent opponent - offers suspense because this has been the Jackets' problem in recent years: consistency. Can they follow up a sizzling Saturday with even another win, let alone more sparkling play?

A year ago, Tech beat Clemson on the road and then traveled to Chapel Hill for a 21-point spanking. This Auburn win is more impressive, but that adds to the jitters. This is UNC's opener, so who knows how the Tar Heels will look? - College Football -

Opening days are deceptive. Coaches' greatest interest in their teams is between the first and second week, when highs are lowered and lows can ascend.

Remember: there are only 11 games, but it's a long season. That first week, though, was a keeper. - College Football -

COLLEGE:When money isn't there, faith has to be

BY JOHN O'CONNOR

TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Football at Virginia and Virginia Tech makes money, with record ticket sales, television revenue and bowl payouts.

At lower levels, football is a religion. You've got to have faith.

Colleges that play the sport in Division I-AA and below rely heavily on student fees and private contributions to offset costs. But there is no discussion about droppingfootball at I-AA William and Mary, Division II Virginia State or Division III Hampden-Sydney, etc., despite the fact that football is not a money-maker.

"In I-AA, football has a value on campus that can't be measured in dollars," said Dave Clawson, the University of Richmond's coach.

Amen, they say at Division II Saint Paul's, which restarted varsity football this season. The 627-student college in Lawrenceville shut down its football program after the'87 season because of financial considerations. Money remains a significant issue at Saint Paul's, but football was rejudged to be a worthwhile component.

Willard Bailey, the veteran coach hired to guide the Tigers, says: "Football adds so much to the aroma of a college campus."

School spirit. Quality of student life. Loyalty. Excitement. Exposure. Alumni involvement. Community interest. These all are part of that unquantifiable "aroma" about which Bailey spoke.

Villanova had bowl teams in 1961 (the Sun Bowl) and 1962 (the Liberty Bowl). Comparable programs built bigger stadiums or expanded existing facilities. Villanova was land-locked, stayed in its 12,000-seat stadium, played most of its notable opponents on the road and suffered competitively. Interest waned. The Wildcats droppedfootball after the 1980 season.

"When the decision was made, it was done very quietly. When it hit the fan, it upset everybody. Alumni immediately went into war mode," said Andy Talley, who assumed leadership of Villanova's restarted program in 1985 and remains the coach. "[Eliminatingfootball] basically stopped alumni giving, and there was all sorts of unrest. Those four years were a very rough time at Villanova."

Villanova still doesn't make money playing football, but, said Talley, "There are so many things a university uses to make that beautiful quilt. Football is part of that. The bottom line is that you have to be willing to make a financial commitment."

© 2005, Media General, Inc.