European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 17, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 22 b the stars and stripes thursday october 17, 1991 Ltd Point spread shows Cal problems huskies Berkeley Calif. A the Point spread for saturdays game against Washington does no to bother University of California coach Bruce Snyder. A a we be been underdogs Long enough to understand that a Snyder said monday. Cal seventh ranked at 5-0, has lost 10 straight games to the huskies and is a 14/2-Point underdog at Home in this one. A plus i done to think its a reflection on us a Snyder said. A i think the spread comes from the fact that everybody kind of knows Washington might be the Best team in the  Snyder said the team that beats Washington will need a ground game powerful enough to take the third ranked huskies a out of their pass  a a nobody a really been Able to run on them for two years a the California coach said. A i done to know if we can. But 1 do know this if they Are going to lose to anyone this year it will be to a team that establishes the run because that takes them out of their pass  Snyder Hopes his squad can take a relaxed aggressive attitude into the game. A i think its important not to go into the game worried or stressed a he said. A a that a our Best Chance of winning. A we need to look at this As being a great Opportunity and enjoy the Chal Lenge and done to be afraid of it. Just let her rip and done to be surprised if at the end we re  statistically the huskies Are clearly no. 1. They ranked first nationally in nearly every defensive category and have allowed just seven Points All season in the second half. In particular Washington is ferocious defending the run. Opposing teams have managed just 44.8 Yards Rushing per game at the rate of Only 1.3 Yards per crack. The bears boast the Pac-10�?Ts second Best running game featuring Junior tailback Russell White averaging 101.2 Yards. File calms Bruce Snyder. A enjoy the challenges Irish might Eye Miami Fla. St. Winner a _. .1 to my ___1_. _ i.1___iunt by Tim Layden new Day. After Miami beat Penn state 26-20, saturday at the Orange bowl Hurricane hideout Lamar Thomas a descended from a Long line of Miami extroverts a simply could not be still. Words flowed from his Mouth in torrents some made no sense others did. Like these a was soon As we won i started thinking about Terrell Buckley a Thomas said. No More than 15 feet away teammate Eric Miller a defensive tackle spoke in the same vein. A four weeks Florida state. That a going to be the whole season a Miller said. It is but mid october in theory much too soon to measure what is needed for a National championship. But after no. 2 Miami a Victory saturday and with no. 1 Florida state and loquacious defensive Back Buckley rolling along at 6-0, All scenarios hinge on their nov. 16 game in Tallahassee. The Winner will be ranked no. 1 and play for the National title on new years Day quite possibly in the fiesta bowl against notre Dame. Three other important dates a saturday no. 3 Washington 5-0 at no. 7 Cali fornia 5-0. The Winner is the front runner for the Pacific athletic conference 10 spot in the Rose bowl probably against no. 4 Michigan with a secondary shot at the National title. A nov. 9 Tennessee at notre Dame. A nov. 16 notre Dame at Penn state. If notre Dame 5-1which has moved up to no. 5, wins both of its key games expect the Irish to play the Miami Florida state Winner in the fiesta bowl. Bowl matchup Are expected to be set on nov. 17, which in itself is a problem. An Alliance joining four major bowls four conferences and notre Dame goes into effect next year. Florida state plays at no. 6 Florida nov. 30, and if the seminoles lose having already beaten Miami and committed to the fiesta bowl against notre Dame the fiesta bowl becomes far less attractive. Then. The Rose bowl Matching a highly ranked unbeaten Washington or California against Michigan would determine the National Champion for the first time since 1972. However if Miami beats Florida state and notre Dame wins out look for the hurricanes and fighting Irish to renew their dormant rivalry in the fiesta with the title on the line. The Only other bowl that could match notre Dame against the Miami Florida state Winner is the blockbuster bowl which would need an additional $3 million from blockbuster video Mogul and Miami marlins owner Wayne Huizenga and a change of Date from dec. 28 to Jan. 1. Possible controversy if notre Dame upsets an unbeaten top ranked Miami or Florida state in the fiesta bowl does 11-1 notre Dame or for instance 12-0 Washington win the National title other questions Are simpler. Will the Orange bowl have its third consecutive National title game no. Probably the Miami Florida state loser against the big eight Champion Nebraska Colorado or Oklahoma All tainted. Will the Cotton bowl be yet another Low interest Yawner yes. Possibly Sec Champion Texas a amp a or Arkansas against Tennessee Iowa or some other runner up Type. Could the sugar bowl get a big game out of this maybe. Perhaps Southeastern conference Champ Florida against Miami if notre Dame loses to Tennessee or Penn state. Could even have title implications. Everything hangs on nov. 16 in Tallahassee. Credibility on the line Friday who heavyweight Ray file Mercer left in the dark by Dave Raffo United press International Ray Mercer wants to beat Tommy Morrison Friday night to regain the credibility he lost when the fight was postponed in july. The bout was originally scheduled for aug. 9. It was postponed when Morrison was Cut sparring less than three weeks before the bout but Mercer was the Guy who came off looking bad. After Morrison pulled out promoter Bob arum negotiated with Riddick Bowe and Bruce Seldon As replace cats to fight Mercer. Bowe at first wanted too much Money so Seldon was tentatively named the opponent. By time Bowe agreed to terms Mercer had sprained his ankle and did not want the fight. But his manager Marc Roberts was calling Bowe a Chicken at the same time As Mercer was pulling out of the fight. Mercer said neither he nor his Trainer Hank Johnson knew anything about the Bowe negotiations until Roberts had agreed to terms. A i did no to really like it i did no to understand it a Mercer said. A it really ticks me off. A i feel like me and my Trainer were left in the dark. We lost some credibility. People say i pulled out of the fight with Riddick Bowe. I Wasny to training for Riddick Bowe i was training for Bruce Seldon. With my ankle Hurt it was Plain stupid to negotiate a fight with Riddick Bowe in three weeks. A people done to even think Morrison pulled out of the fight they say Ray Mercer pulled out of the fight. I done to want to be thought of As a quitter. I got fans saying i punted out and i care about what people  Mercer also pulled out of his previous scheduled fight last May 9 against . Williamson on the Day of the bout. He says his left wrist was Hurt and he did no to want to jeopardize his $550,000 payday against Morrison for $15,000 against Williamson. And Mercer still maintains he could have fought Seldon aug. 9, but not Bowe. A Bruce Seldon and Riddick Bowe Are two different fighters a Mercer said. A when the time comes for me and Riddick Bowe to fight ill be  it appears Mercer a 30-year-old former army infantryman and 1988 olympic heavyweight Gold medallist will make it to the starting blocks this time for the first defense of the world boxing organization title he won from Francesco Damiani last january. Done to feel bad if you did no to know Mercer was a heavyweight Champion of the world. Few people take the who title seriously and Mercer is Quick to admit evander Holyfield is the True heavyweight Champion. But Mercer 17-0, takes his own Belt seriously. A anybody right now can come and get the Belt a he said. A fall they have to do is step in the squared Circle to find out How Tough it is to be who Champion. I love that Belt its my Belt. People Are going to have to come and get it. I know one Day in a going have All the belts. A i feel like a Champion with a purpose. You can be a Champion like Buster Douglas. What respect did he get a Mercer is getting Little respect from Odd makers who make Morrison a slight favorite for the bout in Atlantic City new Jersey. Morrison is 24-0 but has never gone past six rounds and Mercer beat him on his Way to the olympics As an Amateur in 1988. A a in a just glad i get the Chance to fight him before anybody else does a Mercer Cash