Instant AnalysisOhio State 45 ... Minnesota 31, Oct. 29By Matthew Zemek
---college fotball ---
At halftime of Saturday's game in the Metrodome, the Ohio State Buckeyes--tied at 17 with Minnesota--had to decide what kind of team they wanted to be... not just for the second half of play, but for the rest of a 2005 season that has seen wild fluctuations in performance and execution.
With the Buckeyes' vaunted defense struggling against Brian Cupito and a revived Golden Gopher offense, Jim Tressel--not to mention everyone in Columbus--had to wonder whether this up-and-down Autumn would feature more inconsistency or the emergence of an unmistakable winning identity. ---college fotball ---
---college fotball ---
The team that alternately strutted, staggered, slipped up, and swaggered against most of its big-name opponents (Texas, Penn State, Michigan State) was similarly schizophrenic in the first half against the Gophers. The Troy Smith who had been sluggish for most of '05 was replaced by a razor-sharp gunslinger who continuously hit big plays. But that benefit was cancelled out by another bit of body-snatching, in which OSU's normally stout defense became a porous pack of pansies against the potency of Laurence Maroney and the effectiveness of Cupito, returned from an injury that sidelined him against Wisconsin.---college fotball ---
---college fotball ---
This great-offense, poor-defense combination represented a 180-degree reversal of Ohio State's normal team personality; on the other hand, though, the first half--in all its inconsistency--typified the struggles the Bucks have had as a team that could go toe-to-toe with mighty Texas yet look astonishingly average on other occasions. Entering the second half against the Gophers, Tressel and his team faced a huge occasion on their journey toward the Big Ten title.It was precisely then that the Bucks decided that they really wanted to win their conference. Smith, Antonio Pittman, and all three perimeter playmakers--Anthony Gonzalez, Ted Ginn and Santonio Holmes--continued to make plays, but OSU's defense also decided to put its foot down.
---college fotball ---
As a result, Ohio State put itself in position to remain--along with Penn State--the last team standing in a crowded and competitive Big Ten race.Pittman's 67-yard touchdown bolt set the tone coming out of the locker room, and Ginn's punt returning proved to be a decisive force in the contest, but if there was one key momentum-changing play that loomed large on Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis, it was a display of defense that truly held up its end.Defensive end Mike Kudla, demonstrating the team speed of OSU's defense, made an all-world play to chase down the formidably fast Maroney on a 4th and 2 from the Buckeye 32.
---college fotball ---
Just one play after Gary Russell failed to hit an open receiver on a halfback option pass for Minnesota, Kudla's stop--achieved by tremendous lateral movement--represented the last great chance the Gophers had to tie the game in the second half.---college fotball ---
---college fotball ---
Once Kudla made his statement, the home team never recovered against the resurgent Buckeyes, who asserted their dominance with a level of urgency that had to please Jim Tressel and the rest of a program that now stands to have the Big Ten within its grasp by the time it travels to a well-known place called Ann Arbor in late November.Ohio State's had some nervous moments in 2005. But in the second half against Minnesota, the Buckeyes decided they had enough drama. The resolve shown on both sides of the ball by OSU gave a team not only a new life, but a new personality it hopes to retain for the rest of the Big Ten season.---college fotball ------college fotball ---

Keys to the Big GamesWeek Five, Oct. 1Notre Dame vs. PurdueBy John Harris
---college football---
a. The Bonecrusher – The Minnesota run game had pretty much had its way with the Purdue defense last Saturday, and safety Bernard Pollard was a bit angry. In the second hald, a Gopher running back broke through a hole on the right side. Either he didn’t see Pollard, or couldn’t do anything about it, as the Bonecrusher put on a tackling clinic.
---college football---
With textbook form, Pollard ran through the ball carrier with such momentum that he picked up the poor Gopher and deposited him on his wallet. You didn’t have to wonder why he’s known as the Bonecrusher after that hit. Consequently, this week against Notre Dame, he’ll be a significant figure in the outcome of this game. Because of his versatility, Pollard is charged with stopping TE Anthony Fasano and being a primary run support player on RB Darius Walker.
---college football---
The Purdue star, though, will have to check a bit of his aggressiveness at the door and ensure that he’s reading his pass/run keys effectively, so as to not get burned on play action by QB Brady Quinn and Fasano. But, Notre Dame, in particular Walker, better know where he is at all times. As the Gopher RB found out late in that game, if you don’t have your head on a swivel, you might become another notch on #31’s belt. Walker has buried opponents this year with his consistent pounding, but with a physical presence like Pollard looking him up, it should make for an interesting day for the Irish sophomore. That’s right, folks, the Bonecrusher is in the building.---college football---
---college football---

b. A Cat with Nine Lives – With the loss of Taylor Stubblefield going into this year, the Purdue offense looked as though they might struggle. But, the graduation of Stubblefield, allowed other Boiler WR to step up and get more opportunities, mainly inside WR Dorien Bryant. The sophomore slot receiver leads the Boilermakers with 18 receptions, and even has 7 carries on the year, so it’s evident that the Purdue offensive staff is creatively finding ways to get the ball into #9’s hands. Playing in the slot, Bryant creates a ton of issues for the Irish secondary and linebackers. Although the Irish linebackers are a solid group, there’s no way that they can stay with Bryant in the passing game. If the dynamo gets loose, the Irish backers can’t get their hands on him, so if QB Brandon Kirsch gets time to throw, Bryant should be open for a nice, little catch and run.
---college football---
At that point, the Irish might need to roll safety Tom Zbikowski into Bryant’s area and at least give the Irish a chance to stay with him down field. This will be an interesting chess match to follow on Saturday, but no matter how Notre Dame chooses to ‘cover’ Bryant, he should get at least 8 to 10 touches. ---college football---
c. Sack Time, Part Deux – To say that the Purdue DE, Ray Edwards and Anthony Spencer, dominated the line of scrimmage last year, well, that would be about as accurate a statement as you could make. Although Quinn torched the Purdue secondary for 400+ yards, Spencer and Edwards made a statement as well. The duo had 4.5 sacks, the same number of tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles.---college football---
---college football---
About the only thing that they didn’t do was go into the stands and sell popcorn. But, if the Irish passing game is going to have the same type of success, OT Ryan Harris and Mark LeVoir are going to have to have the game of their life. However, the key is going to be, similar to last week for Minnesota, pounding on the dynamic duo in the run game as much, and as effectively, as possible. Last week, the Purdue DE combined for a total of one tackle for a loss and weren’t even able to get heat on Bryan Cupito. The Irish will mix in more pass than Minnesota, which still puts Harris and LeVoir one-on-one with Edwards and Spencer. If the Irish tackles keep them out of the backfield, Quinn should have another big day, but don’t expect this Boiler duo to be held in check for a second consecutive week.---college football---

---college football---
Conclusion – Although the Boiler offense is still trying to figure out its identity (run heavy? Spread option? Air attack?), the key to their success is QB Kirsch. The gutty signal caller was instrumental in the Purdue comeback last week, and should be again this week. Purdue won’t see a better running team than what they saw last week, and even in that vein, they did slow Maroney significantly in the second half. But, as much as you hate to say a loss is good for your team, Purdue may have gotten more out of their loss to Minnesota than had they escaped with a narrow victory. At home, expect them to get back in the W column. Purdue – 31 vs. Notre Dame – 28---college football---
---college football---
---college football---

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -- D.J. Shockley watched the second half from the bench. His left knee was propped up and heavily wrapped. A pair of crutches were at his side. With its senior quarterback sidelined by a sprained knee, No. 4 Georgia hardly had the look of a championship contender.
---college football---
Little-used Joe Tereshinski took over for Shockley and the Bulldogs barely survived against Arkansas, a nearly three-touchdown underdog that gave Georgia all it could handle before losing 23-20 on Saturday.
Coach Mark Richt doesn't think Shockley will need surgery or miss the rest of the season, but he's doubtful for the annual "Cocktail Party" game against bitter rival Florida next weekend.
---college football---
"We're expecting to get him back this season," Richt said. "We just don't know when."
So, Tereshinski will spend the upcoming week preparing for his first career start against a team the Bulldogs have beaten only twice in the last 15 meetings.
"We can still accomplish our goals. We will accomplish our goals," nose tackle Ray Gant vowed. "No one man makes the Georgia Bulldogs."---college football---
---college football---
But the Bulldogs (7-0, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) weren't nearly as effective on offense after Shockley went down with about 10 minutes to go in the first half. They finished with only 217 yards -- less than half of their SEC-leading average of 454 -- despite facing a defense that ranked 11th in the conference at 424 yards per game.---college football---
---college football---
After Tereshinski came in, Georgia basically turned the game over to its defense and special teams.
The Bulldogs didn't take any chances in the red zone, settling for three field goals by Brandon Coutu.
Tim Jennings made a leaping interception just four plays after Shockley was hurt, leading to a touchdown that gave Georgia a 14-0 lead. Tyson Browning had a 52-yard kickoff return that set up a field goal. Coutu's final 3-pointer came after Peyton Hillis fumbled a punt, with Mike Gilliam recovering for the Bulldogs at the Arkansas 19.---college football---

"The defense definitely had a lot of pressure on it after D.J. went down," Gant said. "The things he can do, he means so much to this team. To lose a guy like that is devastating."
Tereshinski did just enough to keep the Bulldogs on course for a spot in the SEC championship game. They would likely clinch the Eastern Division title with a victory over the Gators.
"When your number is called, you've got to be ready," said Tereshinski, who was 5-of-9 for 91 yards. "I think I'm ready."---college football---

The junior came up big on his third snap of the game, converting a third-and-5 with a 16-yard pass to Mohamed Massaquoi just short of the end zone. Brannan Southerland dove over for a 1-yard touchdown on the next play.
---college football---
Tereshinski also completed the longest pass of his career, a 43-yarder to Sean Bailey. That led to Coutu's 32-yard field goal just before halftime and sent the Bulldogs to the locker room up 17-7 -- just enough of a cushion, as it turned out.
The Razorbacks (2-5, 0-4) managed to keep things close, largely because of Darren McFadden. He rushed for 190 yards to set a couple of Arkansas freshman records. He also scored a pair of touchdowns, the first on a stunning 70-yard run.---college football---

"I've never been more proud of a football team than I am today," Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said. "They laid their hearts and guts out for 60 minutes. They went toe-to-toe with the No. 4 team in the country."
McFadden scored on a 1-yard run with 4:53 remaining, pulling Arkansas within a field goal. But Gordon Ely-Kelso punted Arkansas back to its own 7-yard line with just more than two minutes left, and Georgia's defense held. Will Thompson had a big sack to help finish off the Razorbacks.---college football---

Shockley, who waited three years behind David Greene for his chance to start, came into the game as the top-rated passer in the SEC and 13th nationally. He also provided a threat with his running ability, but that's what got him in trouble when he took off up the middle on a third-and-15 play, went down awkwardly on the tackle and twisted his left knee.
---college football---
Shockley hobbled to the bench and was in obvious pain as the training staff worked on his leg. Just before halftime, he limped to the locker room to a standing ovation from the Sanford Stadium crowd, done for the day, though he did return to the sideline on crutches to watch the second half. From time to time, teammates came over to console him.
---college football---
Tereshinski, normally used in mop-up roles, had a couple of crucial mistakes, botching a handoff (leading to a fumble that was recovered by Arkansas) and throwing an interception. But Georgia remained unbeaten, which was the main priority.
"I didn't feel nervous," Tereshinski said. "I just focused on what I had to do out there. Everyone stepped up when they had to for us."---college football---
McFadden took advantage of an injury depleted Georgia defense, setting Arkansas freshman records for rushing yards in a game -- he broke the old mark by the end of the third quarter -- and a season, with four more games to add to his mark.
---college football---
The Razorbacks kept everyone guessing on their quarterback, giving four players work with the first team during practice. After all that, sophomore Robert Johnson started his seventh straight game and went the distance. He completed 11-of-19 for 116 yards.
Chris Balseiro kicked a pair of field goals for Arkansas, but also missed a 45-yarder early in the fourth quarter that might have altered the outcome.---college football---

"Well, it's good to win," a relieved Richt said. "We certainly could have lost it."
Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.---college football---

Red-headed grandchild scores big at ECU football game
Mike Parker
Freedom ENC

On Saturday, Oct. 1, I had the privilege of introducing my grandson Jaxen to the marvelous world of college football. - College Football -

When Lydia asked if I could keep him, I told her I had tickets to East Carolina's game, so if Jaxen stayed with me, he would have to go to the game. She assured me Jaxen would enjoy afootball outing with Papa.

Frankly, I was a little apprehensive. We would have to make a hefty walk from our parking spot to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Would a crowd of 35,000-plus intimidate the little fellow?

Still, I had a few aces in the hole. Food, for one. Jaxen likes hot dogs, pizza, Skittles, popcorn, and gummy bears - and the concession stands offer all these and more. Jaxen's beverages of choice are milk or water, and the concession stands sell water. - College Football -

My seats in the upper deck provide a commanding view of the field. Would Jaxen appreciate that view? Restrooms are right around the corner, so potty breaks would not be a problem.

When traveling with a small child, cover all essentials.

The game started, the crowd cheered, the cannon boomed - and Jaxen held his ears.

"It's loud," he observed.

"Yes. Remember: Papa told you it would be loud."

Then Jaxen discovered the railing in front of my seats and quickly found he could stand on the railing to improve his view. - College Football -

As he stood on the second rail directly in front of me, he suddenly turned loose and fell back into me. Although startled, I caught him. Jaxen had just invented the game he would play the rest of the first half.

He would yell "Drop!" and then fall backwards into my arms. After four or five drops, he'd turn his face toward mine. - College Football -

"Is it over yet?"

"No, not yet," I'd reply.

"Yes, it is," he would assure me.

"No, it isn't," I'd mutter, looking around him to see the action on the field.

"Yes it is," he'd sing-song back. - College Football -

"Jaxen, you don't get to say when the game is over. See that clock on the scoreboard. It will tell us when the game is over."

After a potty run at the half, we stopped at the concession stands - again. During the first half, he ate a hot dog sans bun, the biggest part of a slice of Papa John's pizza, and most of a bag of Skittles.

At the start of the second half, he asked for gummy bears. I noted that the gummy bears were mostly fruit juice, so I acquiesced. Instead of playing "Drop!" and asking his favorite question, he sat beside me, or on me, and consumed gummy bears. Then he began working on a tub of popcorn. - College Football -

Just how wired will this kid be on the way home?

I needn't have worried. Before we cleared the Greenville city limits I heard a deep, raspy breathing from the car seat in the backseat - and knew that Jaxen had run off-tackle to that great dreamland end zone. - College Football -

Sunday morning I asked him if he enjoyed the game.

"Yes, sir!" he said.

I am not certain which game he meant, but I am pretty sure he was not talking about football.

The Free Press.

Sycamore smackdown: Indiana State football runs losing streak to 12 games

By Todd Golden/Tribune-Star

Indiana State's football team was convinced it was poised to crest the psychological hump it has been trying to overcome since October 2004, when the Sycamores earned their last victory.

Instead, the Sycamores rolled right back down the hill. Never coming close to gaining a foothold that would earn them a victory. - College Football -

Youngstown State proved it was a legitimate Gateway Football Conference contender Saturday as the Penguins manhandled the Sycamores 45-0 in front of 2,310 at Memorial Stadium.

The loss extends ISU's losing streak to 12, which is the longest major college streak in the nation. The loss also clinched the Sycamores' ninth-straight losing season.

The defeat, especially the resounding nature of it, was galling to the Sycamores, who led Division I-AA No. 3 Western Kentucky in the fourth quarter last week. Most players believed the matchup with the Penguins (5-1, 2-0) afforded them the opportunity to earn that elusive first win. - College Football -

”We expected to win this game. Coming off the disappointment of last week, we felt real good about this one. I think we come out of this one more heartbroken,“ said ISU receiver Carl Berman, one of ISU's few bright spots with five receptions for 109 yards.

ISU's depth was cut down by injuries. Youngsters Cory Blunk and Shelby Smith earned their first significant playing time at defensive tackle, as Anipati Mailo missed the game and Prenny Stokes played hurt. Alexander Thomas made his first start at wide receiver, replacing Markus Naves.

But the kick in the gut from ISU's perspective was the loss of right tackle Fred Staugh, one of the Gateway's best lineman. Staugh suffered a last-minute infection in his shin and was held out as a precaution. He's expected to return to practice Tuesday. - College Football -

”It was an all-of-a-sudden type of infection. The doctors decided to keep him out to avoid having the hit on. They think it came from Athlete's Foot,“ ISU Coach Lou West said. ”It was something we didn't initially think was serious, but we wanted to take precautions to make sure it didn't get worse.“ - College Football -

ISU (0-6, 0-2) was ravaged by injuries, but there were also plenty of occasions where injuries had nothing to do with ISU miscues. Ill-timed penalties, missed tackles, and special teams mistakes were rampant and all contributed to YSU's dominance of the first half as it led 35-0.

”Ninety percent of it was execution. Even though those guys aren't starters, they're football players. I expect them to block, tackle, catch the football. I make no excuses for kids who miss tackles,“ West said.

YSU continually bruised and battered ISU up the middle, as the Penguins gained 379 yards rushing, much of it between the tackles as Marcus Mason (152 yards) and Monquantae Gibson (99 yards) tortured the Sycamores. The Penguins had 238 rushing yards at the half and their first three touchdowns were on runs up the middle. - College Football -

”We were able to sustain drives and keep things going. We played well,“ YSU Coach Jon Heacock said.

ISU's offense had little in response, dogged by poor field position and mistakes of its own. ISU's converted none of its six third down conversions in the first half, on its way to a 1-of-11 mark for the game. The Sycamores' best chance to make a game of it went by the wayside on the first play of the second quarter. On 4th-and-1 from the YSU 36, Jamie Petrowski jumped offside, and ISU punted, never to threaten contention again.

YSU used the run to set up the pass with backup quarterback Vince Gliatta in the second quarter as Gliatta threw touchdown passes to Demetrious Ison and Damian Wright to give YSU a 35-0 halftime lead. - College Football -

It doesn't get any easier for ISU. The Sycamores travel to No. 7 Northern Iowa next Saturday, followed by its Homecoming game against No. 2 Southern Illinois. The Salukis may be No. 1 by Monday, as current No. 1 New Hampshire lost on Saturday.

”We needed to win to change that mentality of how others see us as,“ said ISU defensive end Madison Miller. ”We were so close [last week], but it just slipped away.“ - College Football -

Copyright © 2005 Tribune-Star

LOUGH COLUMN: First Harris poll as odd as its voters

By Michael A. Lough
TELEGRAPH STAFF WRITER

College football fans waited eagerly, tuning into their favorite sports network or peering over their keyboards. - College Football -

The suspense of the first Harris Interactive Poll of the season was immense.

After all, it was voted on by a panel that included the son-in-law of a coach and had 114 people of varying jobs, access, objectivity and agendas. And pulse rates. Former coach John Mackovic wondered eloquently about the qualifications in an interview with the Palm Springs (Cal.) Desert Sun:

"There are several people on the panel who have long since departed their active roles in football. ... To tell you the truth, I did not know a couple of them were still alive."

Oh my.

But the Harris gathering is making the writers and coaches look good.

Idaho is 0-4. Got five points. Apparently somebody didn't take their Metamucil. There were concerns that whoever took the poll over the phone might have misheard the vote, that maybe "Iowa" sounded like "Idaho."

Maybe not.

One win against an overrated ranked team does not a ranking make, but South Florida at 2-2 got more points than 3-0 Nebraska. Syracuse at 1-2 got a vote.

Somebody likes the Mid-American Conference, because 1-2 Bowling Green got more points than 3-1 Toledo. - College Football -

The Harris gang voted for 50 teams. There are 119 Division I-A teams. I'd not be surprised if somebody tried to sneak in some Division I-AA teams.

The good news is that nobody nodded off while voting for the top dozen or so teams, for there was nothing outlandish. Interesting how similar a poll out for the first time in late September matches the ones that began with the preseason. - College Football -

Assorted media folks went goofy with the poll and some of its silliness, forgetting that it was only the first one and some kinks. Plus, hey, it's a production of the BCS, and if we know one thing about any production of the BCS, it's this: There will be tweaking.

Plenty of tweaking.

Alumni update

Gardner-Webb senior running back George Pressley (Westside) is averaging 54.7 yards rushing, third-best on the team. He has 1,214 yards on 233 rushes in his career at G-W, racking up a career-high 149 yards last November against Charleston Southern.

Two more Middle Georgians are on the G-W roster: running back Bryan Wallace (Dublin) and offensive tackle Jordan Sikes (Toombs County). ... - College Football -

Nebraska defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith (Stratford) is 13th in tackles with seven, with two sacks on the list. The Huskers lead the nation in scoring defense, allowing 5.3 points a game. ...

Wide receiver/returner Willie Reid (Warner Robins) is expected to play today when Florida State hosts Syracuse (ABC regional telecast). ...

Defensive back Ronnie Jackson (Windsor) had a team-high nine tackles in Central Michigan's 40-3 loss to Penn State two weeks ago. ...

Jeremy Wiggins (Northeast) is the leading tackler at Appalachian State with 41 stops, 12 better than the No. 2 Mountaineer. ...

Quarterback Adrian Johnson (Peach County) is second in rushing at Clark Atlanta with 49.8 yards a game, and is completing 37.5 percent of his passes (24 of 64) for 77 yards a game. ...

Defensive lineman Johnny Williams (Southwest) is fourth in tackles for Tuskegee with 16, including a sack. ...

Quarterback Justin Tyler (Jones County) is at Arkansas-Monticello, a Valdosta State rival in the Gulf South Conference, and is listed as a junior. He hasn't played yet this season. ...

Houston County's Kyle Moore in in the equation for top-ranked Southern Cal this year as a true freshman.

The 6-foot-7 defensive end had a fumble recovery in the opener against Hawaii, but has been sidelined with a sprained knee. He's listed as possible for tonight's game against Oregon and is listed as the No. 2 defensive end on one side. - College Football -

Gridmouthings

A sign things might return to normal in Statesboro: Georgia Southern is second nationally in Division I-AA rushing with 387.5 yards a game. - College Football -

A problem? The Eagles are 103rd in rush defense, giving up 224.3 yards each Saturday. ...

The Conference Call radio show started a nice discussion a few days ago:

Why is Alabama getting more poll love than Auburn?

Auburn was, yes, upset in the season opener by a team that despite a pounding last week remains ranked.

And that's the only opponent for either team so for that's likely to reach a bowl.

Alabama is 15th and 16th while Auburn is tied for 25th and unranked. In the new Harris poll, two-loss Michigan is 25th, but no Auburn. - College Football -

The Tigers have to dispatch unpredictable South Carolina today, while Alabama is an underdog against Florida. Other games today that may help Auburn rise: No. 13 Notre Dame at No. 22 Purdue, unbeaten Kansas at No. 16 Texas Tech, No. 1 Southern Cal at No. 14 Arizona State, No. 18 Minnesota at undefeated Penn State, and No. 23 Iowa State at 3-0 Nebraska. ...

Southern Cal is fallible.

The Trojans fall around the midway point of I-A statistically in pass efficiency defense (52nd, 119.21 points), net punting (54th, 35 yards a boot), 92nd in punt returns (5.4 yards a return, amazing since they should be well-versed in it), and 68th in pass defense (234.3 yards a game allowed). - College Football -

OK, being second in total offense (615.67 yards, 38 yards behind Texas Tech) and scoring offense (59.3 ppg, seven behind Texas Tech) sort of makes up for all that.

Alcorn State-Southeastern Louisiana game postponed

LORMAN, Miss. -- The Alcorn State-Southeastern Louisiana football game scheduled for Thursday night in Hammond, La., has been moved to Saturday because of problems caused by Hurricane Katrina, Alcorn State said Tuesday.

Officials said kickoff would be at 4 p.m. CDT.

''From what I hear, Hammond was hit harder than we were so it's probably good we're playing the game a couple of days later,'' Alcorn State coach Johnny Thomas said. ''It should give them more time to clean up. Considering everything that has happened with this hurricane, we're just happy to be playing, regardless of what day it is.''

It's the second straight hurricane-related postponement for Alcorn State. The Braves were scheduled to begin their season opener last Saturday against Grambling State, but that game was postponed until Dec. 3.

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.