European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 14, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 22 the stars and stripes sports saturday november 14,1992 cadets preparing for ground attack West Point . A the Lime for Post air Force depression is Over army coach Dob Sutton says. The cadets done to have time for it not with the nation s third leading rusher visiting West Point on saturday. Coming off a 7-3 loss to air Force which knocked army 3-5 out of Contention for the commander in chiefs trophy the cadets now must face Northern Illinois 5-4 and its Star tailback Leshon Johnson. Johnson has gained 1,194 Yards through nine games to Trail Only to Marshall Faulk of san Diego St. And Garrison Hearst of Georgia in the race for the National Rushing title. In the last four games the 6-foot, 201-Pound Junior has run for 689 Yards a a 172.3 Yards per game average. Understandably the Northern Illinois athletic information office has started pumping out news releases touting Johnson As an All american candidate. Quot he is one of if not the Best backs that a Ever played Here at Michic stadium Quot Sutton said wednesday. High Praise considering Michie was built in 1924, and has been Home to such Cadet running backs As Heisman trophy winners Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis. Sutton said that Johnson a season has been like Faulks was last year. An unheralded Back at the beginning of 1991, Faulk gained National attention after a series of great performances Midway through the season. Quot he son a comparable level with Marshall Faulk Quot Sutton said. Quot he not Only has great Speed he a a great competitor. He is Tough he runs through after saying there was Quot nothing left Quot following the air Force loss Sutton is telling his players to let go of their disappointment and focus on the task at hand. Quot we played hard but that game is history Quot he said. Quot i have to move on. The Best Way to get out of a Hole is to pull yourself that May be Tough for the cadets if they turn in a performance like the one against air Force. Army allowed the Falcons to gain 249 Yards on the ground while being held to a season Low 123 Yards Rushing that dropped army a ground attack from second in the country to sixth. Saturdays game will be the first meeting Between the two teams. Northern Illinois is playing its final year As an Independent before joining the big West conference next year. F to photo Niue a Leshon Johnson. 172.3 Yards per game crusading Irish meet Lions South Bend ind. Apr few coaches have beaten notre Dame More often than not and none As consistently As Penn slates Joe Paturno. While the Kittany Lions past glows Rosy though the present is Gray. Penn state 6-3ranked no. 22, has Long since squandered its bid for a National championship losing three of its last four games coming into saturdays contest against notre Dame. The eighth ranked Irish 7-1-1 by con Trast have become a team on the move pounding Brigham Young Navy and Boston College in consecutive games. A loss to Stanford before the Streak began botched notre Dames unbeaten Hopes. Quot Ever since the Stanford game notre Dame has been on a crusade to in a Paturno anyone in said. Quot i done to know the country who can prove there a any play with them right now. Penn state is a 10-Point underdog but the Irish own a 4-8 record against Paterno. Holtz dreads losing three in a Row As much As Paterno needs a Victory. A this is. An important game for us Quot Holtz said. Quot we would like to go to a bowl and we would like to play in a very meaningful talk of revenge though makes the Irish coach wary. Emotion can be a distraction and Holtz dislikes distractions. A a that a Over and in the past Quot he said of the consecutive is losses to Penn state. Quot nothing you do is going to change Zillini add balance to attack Ann Arbor Mich. Apr just when Michigan thought it had Jason Verduzco figured out Illinois changed coaches. And that changed Verduzco. In past seasons Michigan knew Verduzco would be throwing the Ball on nearly every play. They could plan a defense. Michigan won 20-0 last season and has an eight game win Streak against Illinois. Now with Lou Tepper calling the shots the fighting Zillini Arentt so predictable. This makes Michigan coach Gary Moeller nervous. There will be much at stake when the third ranked wolverines 8-0-1 Overall 6-0 big ten entertain the Zillini 5-4, 3-3 saturday. Michigan can Verduzco Clinch the big ten championship outright. Illinois feels it still has a shot at the Independence bowl. Quot this is a big week for us Quot Moeller said. A in College football you never know what can that a Why Moeller finds it so disturbing that Verduzco does no to throw the Ball As often As he once did. The wolverines faced a pure passing attack when they played Houston and won 61-7. But when they played Purdue a team that likes to mix it up As Illinois now does the wolverines struggled to win 24-17. Michigan has clinched at least a tie for the big ten title. It is the first time the. Wolverines Ever have won five consecutive big ten titles. A this is the season for us because we can reach our ultimate objective Quot Moeller said. Quot in that sense this game is As big As Ohio state. This is to overcome mus s motivation by Rick Warner a football writer bulls beware. If you re near Starkville miss., stay away from Mississippi states practice Field this week. Back in september coach Jackie Sherrill had a Bull for the Texas game. Mississippi state upset horns 28-10, so there a no telling what so e Long Errill will do castrated in front of his players to get them psyched up state upset Tiv big what she to get his no 16 bulldogs ready Tor second ranked Alabama. Motivation be a problem for Mississippi state. What does concern Sherrill is Alabama a defense which leads the country in every major statistical category. Quot its the Best defensive group in be Ever coached1 against a Sherrill said. Quot they re big they re Quick and they can run. A lot of them will be playing in the state must face that defense without Star quarterback sleepy Robinson who suffered a season ending knee injury against Florida on oct. 1. Sherrill has tried three quarterbacks since then but none has been consistent. Junior Greg plump completed Only 2 of 11 passes and threw three interceptions last week against Arkansas. His backup is freshman Rodney Hudson who has played in Only one game. Despite their quarterback problem the bulldogs think they can upset Alabama at Scott Field where they Are 4-0 this year. State has outscored opponents 110-22 in those games. Quot i think its the simple fact that our students and fans get into the game linebacker Daniel Boyd said. Quot they help us and our intensity this game will be intense. An Alabama Victory woul College predictions Send the tide to the first Sec championship game while a state win would keep alive its slim Hopes for a league title. This week s predictions the tide is favored by 10a Points. Alabama 17-14.temple plus 42 at no. 1 Miami hurricanes 27-0 in november Over last eight seasons. Miami 48-0,Illinois plus 27 at no. 3 Michigan wolverines Clinch Rose bowl berth. Michigan 35-7.tulane plus 41 at no. 5 Florida St. Seminoles have won 32 of last 35 Home games. Florida St. 51-7,Oregon St. Pius 34 at no. 6 Washington huskies still have inside track to Rose bowl. Washington 45-7.no. 7 Nebraska minus 28 at Iowa St. Cyclones Haven t beaten huskers since 1977. Nebraska 52-10. No. 22 Penn St. Plus 10 at no. 8 notre Dame Paterno 8-4 is. Irish. Notre Dame 24-14. No 9 Arizona plus 2va at no. 18 Southern Cal wildcats highest ranking since 1983. Arizon a 17-14.no. 10 Syracuse minus 4 at no. 17 Boston Coll. Eagles rebound from notre Dame disaster. Boston College 24-17.South Carolina plus 16 at no. 11 Florida gamecocks have won four straight after 0-5 start.,. Florida 27-17.no. 12 Georgia minus 8 at Auburn oldest rivalry in the deep South. Georgia 28 24no. 13 Colorado minus 3 at no. 20 Kansas Battle for second place in big eight. Kansas 31-Duke plus 16v& at no. 14 North Carolina St. Wolf pack has allowed Only four ads in last five games. . St. 31-10.no. 21 Wash St. Plus 8 at no. 15 Stanford Glyn Milburn averaging 179 All purpose Yards. Stanford 31-21. No. 19 Ohio St minus 6vi at Indiana hoosiers snap buckeyes four game winning Streak. Indiana 17-16. No. 23 Tennessee minus 3 at Memphis St. Vols 13-0 is. Tigers. Tennessee 27-23. No. 24 Hawaii plus 4 at san Diego St. Rainbows can Clinch wac title with win Over aztecs a san Diego St. 28-21. East week 14-3 straight 9-8 spread. Season 144-41 straight 83-82 spread
