European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 15, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse A Irish Eye title bowl possible by the associated press notre Dame probably is going to play for the National championship on new year s Day. However the fighting Irish Aren t sure where they will play or who the opponent will be. No. 2 notre Dame will take Over the Fop spot in the polls after beating no. 1 Florida state 31-24 saturday at South Bend ind. If the Irish beat Boston col lege next week they Likely will play in the fiesta bowl in to pc ariz., or the Orange bowl in Miami. But whom will they play it could be Florida state in the fiesta if the so minolts finish no. 2 in the bowl coalition poll a combination of the associated press Media rankings and Usa today can coaches Survey that is use to determine the major bowl pairings. But it also could be no. 4 Nebraska which clinched the big eight s Orange bowl berth saturday with a 49-17 Victory Over Iowa state. Or it could be no. J Miami although the hurricanes May have lost a shot at the title by struggling to beat Rutgers 31-17. Miami would have to move up to no. 2 to get a crack at notre Dame in the fiesta which has the rights to All 1-2 match ups Between available coalition teams. But even Hurricane coach Dennis Erickson whose team suffered its Only loss at Florida state expects a fiesta bowl rematch Between notre Dame 10-0 and the so minolts 9-1. I would assume notre Dame will move up and Florida state will be no. 2," he said. \ Florida state improved its chances of getting the no. 2 spot with a late rally against notre Dame. Would i vote for us no. 2? i Don t want to answer that said Florida state coach Bobby Bowden who votes in the coaches poll. I Don t know. I la think about it and do what i think is right which will probably be us no. 2." asked if he expected to meet Florida state again notre Dame coach Lou Holtz avoided an answer. I do expect to meet Boston College next saturday and we re going to have our hands full he said. The stars and stripes ports november 15,1993 Page 40 i turn noles into believers by Rick Warner South Bend ind. A Florida state did t believe in the magic and mystique of notre Dame. Did t believe that the Specter of the past could get in the Way of its perfect season. It docs now. On the same Field where Rockne coached Hornung ran and Montana threw the second ranked fighting Irish added another chapter to their football lore by beating a team Many considered unbeatable. Powered by a rugged Rushing attack notre Dame ran out to a 17-Point Lead and Hung on to beat top ranked Florida state 31-24 saturday when Charlie Ward s desperation pass was knocked Down on the Goa line As time expired. If the Irish 10-0 beat Boston College next week and win their bowl game they will capture their ninth National mystique did t Hurt us it helped them. Their kids played like they were possessed Florid state coach Bobby Bowden said. Lee Becton rushed for 122 Yards and a touchdown and Jeff Burris ran for two More scores As notre Dame won College football s game of the year and the 28th meeting Between the top two teams in the a poll. I was afraid with All the hype the game might no live up to it notre Dame coach Lou Holtz said. I Don t know How it looked from the press Box or the stands but i Don t want to see anything More exciting than that from the for Bowden it was another devastating big game de feat. His teams have finished in the top four the past six seasons but they be never finished no. 1 because of losses to intrastate rival Miami. Some people will sure say the big one got away Bowden said. After six years i found out what the big one is it s the one you lose. I d just like to be Lou Holtz for one night to night. We have no excuses. Notre Dame ran the foot Ball on us. They deserve to win. They did the things iwas afraid they Bowden could still get a shot at the title in a fiesta bowl rematch against notre Dame but that depends on whether the seminoles 9-1 can finish no. 2 in the polls. I wish we could win the rest of our games and get a shot at them again but they re pretty darn Good Bowden said. Said Holtz there were so Many times we had a Hance to Knock them out. But they refused to be knocked out. They re a great football after the Irish took a 24-7 Lead on Kevin Pender Gast s career Best 47-Yard Field goal in the third Quarter Florida state pulled to 24-17 on Ward s 6-Yardtouchdown pass to Warrick Dunn and a 24-Yard Field goal by Scott Bentley who turned Down a scholarship offer from Holtz. Notre Dame built a Cushion when Burris a defensive Back who is used As a runner in goal line situations. Flu receiver Kevin Knox fumbles As he s tackled by notre Dame s Greg Lane. Jeff Burris recovered for the Irish. See pages 33,34,36,37,38 for More on eol Lugt football scored on an 11-Yard run with 6 53 remaining. Florida state made it 31-24 on a tipped 20-Yard touch Down catch by Kez Mccorvey with 2 26 left. Notre Dame recovered the seminoles onside kick but Florida stat got the Ball Back with is seconds remaining. Operating with no timeouts the seminoles drove fro their 37 to the notre Dame 14 in the closing seconds. But Ward s final pass for Dunn was knocked Down at the Goa line by cornerback Shawn wooden As time expired. I saw the Ball coming to me and i looked around Tosee if there were any receivers who could make the catch wooden said the Guys were saying in the huddle to jus stay focused on not letting anybody get behind both teams entered the game with 16-game winning streaks tied for longest in the nation. The seminoles were favored by a touchdown because they had Bee More dominant outscoring their opponents by an aver age of 44-6. But after falling behind 7-0, the Irish scored 24straight Points harassed Heiskari trophy favorite Ward and dominated the smaller seminoles before frenzied crowd of 59,075 at notre Dame stadium. In pregame interviews several seminoles said they weren t worried about notre Dame s history and tradition and two referred to Knute Rockne As Rock but they should be believers now. The Irish ran for 165 Yards and three touchdowns inthe first half against a defense that had Given up Only two Rushing scores in nine games. Notre Dame s huge offensive line which outweighed Florida state s defensive front by 42 pounds per Man consistently opened up big holes for Becton and other Irish backs. Meanwhile notre Dame s defense kept Ward in in a Cwm i j a m i go affix a Gurassa Check and shut Down the seminoles fast break of sense which was leading the nation in scoring with a 44-Point average. Ward sacked Only seven times Al season was sacked twice for 22 Yards in the first half and finished 31 for 50 for 297 Yards and three also threw his first interception after 159 at tempts without having one picked off. some opportunities but they played Well Ward said. We played Well i the second half. We have no reason to hang our a a. _ in scam Oica twice Lor 34 Yaros Ana completed a five of his passes including a 12-Yard to toss to Kevin Knox who made the catch at the 8 and spun past de fender Greg Lane. Notre Dame came Back with its own Long scoring drive to tie the game. Adrian Jarrell a punter and flanker capped the 80-Yard drive by scoring on a 32-Yard reverse his first run this season and Only third of his career. Jarrell took a pitch from quarterback Kevin Mcdougal turned the right Corner and followed a Convoy of blockers to the end state stopped Mcdougal for no gain when notre Dame went for it on Founh-and-1 at the sem Moes 30 Early in the second Quarter. But the seminoles could t Stop notre Dame s Rushing attack which was averaging 274 Yards per game. Becton s 26-Yard to run gave the Irish a 14-7 Lea with 10 42 left in the first half. Becton who tied a school record with his fifth straight 100-Yard Rushing game broke through a huge Hole on the left Side and went All the Way without being Irish made it 21-7 on their next drive marching 39 Yards in four plays after Covington intercepted a pass byward who had thrown Only one interception All season. Notre Dame s score came on a 6-Yard run of Burris. ,
