European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 14, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 a a a the stars and stripes Friday september 14,1990college football better Way than not to play by Bob Henry the Scripps Howard news service the College football polls hit the nations sports wires monday and an unbeaten team is on top. Its 2-0 you say nope. Then 1-0? nope. Its notre Dame a team yet to play a game this season. How because the fighting Irish received 37 first place votes and 1,451 Points from sports writers and broadcasters from across the nation commentary in the associated press poll a and because former no. 1 Miami lost to Brigham Young 28-21 saturday. The Scripps Howard poll a from a panel of 34 sportswriters a also has notre Dame no. 1 with 16 first place votes and 645 Points. Does this mean Lou Holtz and his charges Are the Best in College football so far this year How can they be they Haven to played. Its based on last years performance you say. Last year does not this year make. A lot can happen Between january when the College football season ends in a flurry of bowl games and september. Because notre Dame was no. 2 in the a and Scripps Howard preseason polls and deserves to move up since no. 1 Miami lost come on now. The preseason polls Are a look at where sports journalists believe the teams will rank at the end of the season not the beginning. Only teams that have played a game should be ranked in the polls after the season begins. A team begins play one or two weeks after most of the other you say of. They get ranked after they show us what they have this year. Even the year end College football poll is not fool proof. How Many people out there still believe the Irish and not the hurricanes were the top College team in 1989? raise your hands. Lets see one two three four a of you can put your hands Down now. Quite a few. Polls Are nothing new. They come in All shapes and sizes. They generate debate. But in Many instances after All the subjective polls Are taken there is an objective Way of determining just who is tops. This All leads to the debate of whether there should be a National playoff system for College football. It has been suggested bowl games be incorporated into the playoff system with the two surviving teams meeting for the College football championship. And even if the playoff system like the final 64 selection for the basketball playoffs Isnit without controversy its an objective Way of producing a True National  to beat Michigan by Rick Warner a football writer notre Dame has already taken Over the top spot in the rankings. Now comes the hard part a playing a game. The Irish who moved up to no. 1 after Miami lost to Brigham Young last week Start their season saturday at Home against fourth ranked Michigan. Its the second straight year that Michigan has opened against a top ranked notre Dame team. Last season rocket Ismail returned two kickoffs for touchdowns to Lead the Irish Over the no. 2 wolverines 2419 at Michigan. Ismail is Back for his Junior season along with two other All americans a nose tackle Chris Zorich and comeback Todd Lyght. But notre Dame has a big Hole to fill at quarterback where Sophomore Rick Mirer will try to replace Tony Rice. A Rick has never started a game for us so its hard to Tel what hell do a notre Dame coach Lou Holtz said. A a we re not asking him to be another Tony Rice. We just want him to be our  Michigan will be starting a new Era under Gary Moeller who replaced to Schembechler As head coach after 18 years As a Wolverine assistant. Moeller struggled in his previous stint As a head coach going 624-3 at Illinois from 1977-79. Notre Dame which has won 17 straight at Home is favored by 4 v2 Points. Notre Dame 21-17. No. 2 Auburn is. Mississippi at Jackson miss. Pat Dye says his tigers really Arentt a top 10 team. Done to believe him Auburn 24-10. Georgia Southern at no. 3 Florida state a great Small school against a great big school. This time bigger is better. Florida state 52-24. Washington state at no. 5 Brigham Young by is coming off the biggest win in school history. Brigham Young 54-14. Penn state at no. 6 Southern Cal this is the first regular season meeting Between the schools. Southern Cal 27-17. Texas Elpaso at no. 7 Tennessee the volunteers Are 13-0 against wac teams. Tennessee 56-10. No. 9 Colorado at no. 21 Illinois both teams have been disappointing so far. Colorado 21-20. No. 10 Miami at California the hurricanes Haven to lost their first two games since 1978 Miami 35-14. Navy at no. 11 Virginia after beating Clemson Virginia has a Chance to go undefeated. Virginia 42-14. So Louisiana at no. 12 Texas a amp a a amp mrs Darren Lewis needs 1,130 Yards this season to become the leading rusher in Sec history. Texas a amp a 28-17. No. 13 Pittsburgh at no. 14 Oklahoma this one should go Down to the wire. Pittsburgh 24-23. Predictions Mil rocket Ismail top outran Michigan last year. Tulsa at no. 15 Arkansas Jack Crowe wins his first game As Arkansas coach. Arkansas 36-21. No. 16 Clemson is Maryland at Baltimore the terms hand the tigers their second straight loss. Maryland 21-20. No. 17 Ohio state at Boston College the buckeyes opened with a Victory Over Texas tech. Ohio state 28-21. No. 19 Michigan state at Syracuse the spartans six game winning Streak is the second longest in the nation. Michigan state 21-17. No. 20 Arizona at new Mexico Arizona played 16 freshmen in its win Over Illinois. Arizona 35-7. No. 22 Washington at Purdue the huskies struggled to beat san Jose state last week. Washington 14-10. No. 24 Florida at Alabama losing siran Stacy is a big blow for Alabama. Florida 24-21. Colorado state at no. 25 Arizona state Arizona state leads the series 18-1. Arizona state 27-21. Last week a 10-6 straight 3-9 spread. Season a 18-7 straight 6-12 spread Smuts Gregg sidesteps Glanville Pardee feud by Thomas of Toole Scripps Howard news service sum coach Forrest Gregg is staying out of the controversy created when Atlanta Falcons coach Jerry Glanville said he would give Gregg a ame Ball after debating the Houston oilers and their new coach Jack Pardee. At the University Forrest Gregg of Houston last year Pardee Defeated sum 95-21. Glanville called Pardee Quot a Jerk for running up the score. Asked about it wednesday Gregg said a a let a done to get into that. I done to want to sell tickets to the nil. In a trying to sell tickets to sum and  earlier Gregg said a a Jerry steam won that game so its his game Ball and he can do anything with it he wants. At sum Well always be grateful for  a watch out Pittsburgh Southern miss is coming in 1991. The Golden eagles Are gaining a reputation for opening game upsets. They polished off Florida state last season and Alabama last saturday. Against the tide they pulled a Surprise in addition to the final score. Quarterback Brett Favre who was injured in an off season Auto Accident and was not expected to play started and completed nine of 17 attempts for 129 Yards. He directed the drive that set up the game winning Field goal. A Earle Bruce trying to build a respectable program at Colorado state faces a Stem test at Arizona state. A to think at this time we re 2-0 is pretty Good a said Bruce whose team averages 500 Yards on offence and 38 Points per game. A but i think we re going to find out about Colorado state this weekend. A a we re actually looking Forward to Arizona state what the Heck that a what College football is All  a it should Surprise nobody that Scott Zolak threw 50-Yard to passes in the final two minutes to pull out two victories for Maryland this year. Zolak attended the same Monongahela pa., High school As Joe Montana. A if new Michigan coach Gary Moeller needs a Pep talk to give his team saturday against notre Dame he can use the same one he gave in his first game at Illinois in 1977. Oddly enough the opponent then was Michigan which disoriented him. A a we re going to play with enthusiasm and emotion a he told the Zillini. A a we re going to make these fans proud. When this game is Over  throw the biggest party Ann Arbor Ever  the problem is Illinois is in Champaign. Michigan is in Ann Arbor. The Zillini lost 37-9. A Colorado quarterback Darian Hagan rushed for More than 50 Yards in All but one game last year a against Illinois which held Hagan to 20 Yards on 14 carries. But Hagan had his second most productive passing game completing six of eight for 175 Yards in a 38-7 Victory. The buffs travel to Illinois for the rematch saturday. A Auburn freshman Otis Mounds scheduled to be re shirted was paged out of the stands during the Fullerton state game when several runners were injured. Because of a hamstring pull he had barely practice in preseason. Quarterback Stan White had a never even met the  Mounds carried five times for 33 Yards in the 38-17 Victory. A asked if anything Good came from Oklahoma states 50-7 loss at Florida cowboys coach  Jones said a i guess a Check for about 300  games on an television Penn state at Southern Cal 9 30 . Saturday Michigan at notre Dame 3 . Sunday. Radio Colorado at Illinois 9 30 . Saturday