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Arizona St. finally earns its place in the sun
By Barb McQuade
THE WORDS PAINTED in the
home team's endzone Jan. 1 will be
unfamiliar to the groundskeepers at
the Rose Bowl. Thp letters A-R-I-
Z-O-N-A S-T-A-T-E have never
before been spelled out on the
Pasadena turf.
The Sun Devils (9-1-1) earned
their first-ever appearance in the
New Year's Day classic after
winning the PAC-10 champion-
ship, their first since joining the
conference in 1978. The berth may
come as a surprise to Bowl
watchers used to UCLA, USC, and
Washington taking turns in the
granddaddy. But the Devils are no
weak sister.
"They're a powerful team," said
Michigan head coach Bo
Schembechler, who will be
appearing in his eighth Rose Bowl.
"A great defensive ball club and a
great all-around team."
Bo's accolades should come as
no surprise to the seventh-ranked
Sun Devils, who bear a striking
resemblence to the No. 4 Wol-
verines. Both are proven offensive
teams who toss out balanced
running and passing attacks. And
both have defenses that can be
crippling.
ASU outscored its opponents on
average this year 33-14. Michigan
bettered its rivals 31-16. Offensive
numbers are almost equal. Arizona
State gained 210 yards per game
rushing, 196 yards passing, while
.Michigan collected 207 yards
rushing, 227 yards passing.
Even the Wolverines' proudest
statistic, third-quarter scoring
nargin, is fairly comparable on the
Sun Devil stat sheet. Michigan has
outscored its opponents in that
period 99-22. ASU, 73-24.
But while the Wolverines are
perennial contenders for a trip to the
Rose Bowl, Arizona State has just
blossomed into a national power,
eight years after jumping from the
Western Athletic Conference to the
big time.
ASU made believers of its PAC-
10 rivals this season when it
survived the middle part of its
schedule. Three straight road trips,
including games with UCLA and
USC, were sandwiched in the
middle of seven home contests. The
Sun Devils won all three. Only a
21-21 tie with Washington State
marred its record before the last
game of the season.
"After we got through our three
road games, that was a big lift for
us," said ASU quarterback Jeff Van
Raaphorst. "We hoped to come out
of that road trip 2-1, and all of a
sudden we come out 3-0. We felt
we were sitting real pretty. After
that, we just kept playing hot."
Until it reached the heat of
Tucson. There, the Sun Devils
couldn't escape the fire, and fell to
Arizona 34-17 for their 'only loss.
ASU's success this season is no
fluke. In 1985, head coach John
Cooper came close to copping a
title in his first year with the team.
But he was robbed in the last game
of the season. Arizona recovered a
Van Raaphorst fumble with 1:43
remaining and kicked a field goal to
win it, sending UCLA to the Rose
Bowl.
This year, Cooper brought back
15 starters from the1985 squad,
including four on the offensive line.
The newcomer is Jim Warne, a 6-7,
300-pound strong tackle who has
filled in - and filled out -nicely.
The senior weighed in at a scant
267 last year.
The rest of the Sun Devils' line
comes close to measuring up to
Warne. Quick tackle Danny Villa,
6-6, 293, strong guard Todd Kalis,
6-6, 267, quick guard Randall
McDaniel, 6-4, 257, and center
Kevin Thomas, 6-3, 262, make the
ASU offense go. How big is this
offensive line? Bigger than Michi-
gan's, which is no small accom-
plishment.
"We aren't very deep at the
position," Cooper said, "but the
first five are very solid." As the
proverbial rock.
The strength of the offensive
line carries over to the Sun Devil
running attack. Tailback Darryl
Harris gets the bulk of the backfield
work. The junior collected 84.8
yards per game.
Arizona State's passing game
holds perhaps the closest parallel to
Michigan. Both teams go to the air
20 to 25 times a game. Van
Raaphorst has been compared to
Wolverine quarterback Jim Har-
baugh as a cool, controlled leader.
Nothing flashy, but big play
potential.
Defensively, the Sun Devils
mirror the Wolverines' stinginess.
ASU allowed 1,291 yards rushing,
compared to the 1,267 Michigan
yielded. Cooper's team gave up
2,022 yards passing to the
Wolverines' 1,962.
"We don't have a lot of great
defensive players," Cooper
said, "but we have a lot of good
ones."
If the Sun Devils sound like
they belong in the Big Ten, it's
because of who recruited them.
Most of the players were wooed to
Continued on Page
that's what.
Both teams have struggled with
inconsistent play. The Volunteers have won
their last three games to get to 5-5. The
Gophers went from a 0-63 dubbing from
Oklahoma, to a 20-17 upset over No. 2
Michigan.
The Gophers bring in the Big Ten's best
rusher (Darrell Thompson 1240 yds.), and
best rushing defense at 159 yds. per game.
The Volunteers are carried by Fullback
William Howard (629 yds. and 12 TDs), and
Kelly Ziegler with 92 tackles.
With two nearly .500 teams, the Liberty
Bowl celebrates the epitome of mediocrity in
college football.
-Walter Kopf
Holiday Bowl
Teams: Iowa, San Diego State
Place: San Diego, Calif.
Date: Dec. 30
The Big Ten's Iowa and WAC champ
San Diego St. come together this year to
spread good tidings and cheer --and to beat
the crap out of each other at the Holiday
Bowl, which can be seen Dec. 30.
Iowa's Hawkeyes, who are still spitting
up roses after a blasting by UCLA last year
in the Rose Bowl, site quarterback Mark
Vlasic, and runningback Rick Bayless as
their generals of the Holiday battle.
Denny Stoltz is the new kid on the block
for the Aztecs. le coached MSU from 1973-
75, if that means anything. Stoltz will build
his line around all-WAC guard Doug
Aronson.
-Shelly Ilaselhuhn
Bluebonnet Bowl
Teams: Colorado, Baylor
Place: Houston, Texas
Date: Dec. 31
At 6-5, Colorado would seem to be out
of the college bowl picture, but this is not
the case. Bill McCartney's Buffaloes finished
an astounding 2nd in the Big Eight with a 6-
1 conference.
The Buffalo wishbone offense is led by
quarterback Mark Hatcher and halfback O.C.
Oliver. Oliver, who came on late in the year,
set the record for freshman rushing yardage at
CU. The defense, solid against the rush, is
led by senior linebacker Barry Remington and
junior safety Mickey Pruitt.
Baylor is coming into this bowl looking
for their second straight 9-3 season. The
Bears possess one of the most potent
offensive weapons in college football in
quarterback Cody Carlson.
Eight starters returned on a defense that
held high-scoring Louisiana State to only 7
points in last year's Liberty Bowl.
-Adam Schrager
Peach Bowl
Teams: North Carolina State,
Virginia Tech
Place: Atlanta, Ga.
Date: Dec. 31
For a team whose best record in the last
four years was 3-8, the North Carolina State
Wolfpack have competed a 180-degree turn
with their present season.
The Wolfpack are led by All-ACC
quarterback Eric Kramer, who piled up 2171
yards of total offense, 2092 of them through
the air. Dick Sheridan's Wolfpack features
Mike Cofer and Kelly Hollodick, the best
kicker-punter combination in the country.
Bill Dooley's Virginia Tech team was
definitely one of the surprises in the nation
this year. The Hokies finished the year at 8-2-
1. They contain an explosive offense that can
strike from either the ground or the air.
On defense, junior free safety Carter
Wiley is a potential All-American candidate.
In five out of Tech's eight wins, kicker
Chris Kinzer has provided the winning
margin.
-Adam Schrager
All-American Bowl
Teams: Indiana, Florida State
Place: Birmingham, Ala.
Date: Dec. 31
No, this is not a misprint. Yes, it is the
same 6-5 Indiana team that had five losses
including one to Purdue and a blowout at the
hands of Michigan.
Not only that, but those six wins came
against the likes of Louisville, Northwestem,
and Wisconsin.
On offense, they are led by running back
Anthony Thompson. The freshman has had
four 100+ yard games, including 207 yards
against Wisconsin. He ended the season with
679 yards. The defense includes the Big Ten's
leading sacker, Van Waiters (14), a 6-4 senior
from Coral Gables, Fla.
It is hard to decide whether Florida State
(6-3-1) is a good or average football team.
Their three losses were to Nebraska,
Michigan, and Miami, nothing to be ashamed
of. But like Indiana, they beat powerhouses
like Tulane, Wichita State, and Louisville.
The offense features quarterback Danny
McManus, who completed 60 of 97 pass
attempts for 824 yards and seven touchdowns.
The defense is led by All-American candidate
Paul McGowan. The 6-1 linebacker has 110
tackles this year.
-Adam Schefier
Florida Citrus Bowl
Teams: Auburn, USC
Place: Orlando, Fla.
Date: Jan. 1
Once again, the Auburn Tigers have made
it to a post-season bowl game. Coach Pat
Dye brings in Aubumn with its perennial
superb rushing attack, but this year's Tigers
also have a passing attack.
Quarterback Jeff Burger has proven
himself to be a fine passer as he has thrown
for over 1,700 yards and 9 touchdowns this
seasor is favorite target is wide receiver
wye l'illman (35 catches, 730 yards, 6
nhe defense is led by inside linebacker
Kurt Crain who has over 140 tackles and 2
interceptions.
The Trojans are led by sophomore
quarterback Rodney Peete, who completed
55% of his passes this season for 2025 yards
and 10 touchdowns. Wide receiver Ken Henry
has caught 43 passes for 805 yards and 7
touchdowns and has been the main deep
threat for the Trojans.
The key to this year's USC team,
though, is the defense., led by senior All-
American strong safety Tim McDonald.
Sugar Bowl
Teams: Nebraska, Louisiana State
Place: New Orleans, La.
Date: Jan. 1
This New Year's Day game has the LSU
Tigers (9-2), champions of the Southeast
Conference, lining up against the Nebraska
Comhuskers(9-2).
The Comnhuskers, who finished an
uncharacteristic third in the Big Eight behind
Oklahoma and Colorado, still managed to
receive an invitation to a major bowl.
Playing this season without the injured Doug
DuBose, Nebraska has had to rely on
sophomore quarterback Steve Taylornand
DuBose's replacement, tailback Keith Jones.
The Tigers, whose only losses have
come, surprisingly, to Miami (Oh.) and
Mississippi, build their attack around All-
American wide receiver Wendell Davis. In
addition, redshirt freshman Tommy Hodson
and tailback Harvey Williams provide
offensive firepower. Nose guard Henry
Thomas anchors a stingy defense. LSU is
returning to the Sugar Bowl for the first time
since losing the 1985 game to these very
same Comhuskers, 28-10.
-Jim Downey
Cotton Bowl
Teams: Ohio State, Texas A&M
Place: Dallas, Texas
Date: Jan. 1
The 13th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes (9-
2) feel miserable about being in the 51st
annual Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Who wouldn't
be happier smelling roses than picking
cotton? The 9th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies
are elated. For the Bucks, it will be their
first appearance in the Cotton Bowl and the
first for any Big 10 team. The Aggies return
for their second consecutive appearance to go
along with their back-to-back SWC
championships.
If the Aggies hope to win, they'll need to
contain the explosive Karsatos-Carter
connection. Junior wide receiver Cris Carter
has the big-play ability to blow the game
wide-open.
The Aggies have their own dynamic duo
in junior quarterback Kevin Murray and wide
receiver Shea Walker who the OSU secondary
will need to watch. Murray was the SWC
Offensive Player of the Year in '85. Texas
A&M also has the SWC rushing champion
on their side with senior Roger Vick.
However, Vick will face a formidable wall in
the Bucks Lombardi award nominee, junior
linebacker Chris Spielman.
-Chris Gordillo
The Razorbacks are coming off a 41-0,
drubbing of Southern Methodist in which
quarterback Greg Thomas rushed for three
touchdowns. Head coach Ken Hatfield has
rebuilt a defense, which lost seven starters,
around All-SWC noseguard Tony Cherico.
- Scott Shaffer
FiestaBowl
Teams: Miami (Fla.), Penn State
Place: Tempe, Ariz.
Date: Jan. 2
This year, the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe,
Ariz. grabbed No. 1 Miami and No. 2 Penn
State to have its national championship
wrapped up and ribboned.
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Orange Bowl
Teams: Oklahoma, Arkansas
Place: Miami, Fla.
Date: Jan. 1
Oklahoma (10-1) will make its third
straight trip to the Orange Bowl. The Big
Eight champions will take on Arkansas (9-2)
in the New Year's day matchup.
Oklahoma was the preseason favorite for
the mythical national championship. Brian
Bosworthitheir flamboyant linebacker, posed
for SportsIllustrated's cover. The Sooners
seemed destined for the top spot.
But alas, the Sooners lost their number
one ranking to Miami on September 27
when they lost to the Hurricanes 28-16. Barry
Switzer's team can now only hope for second-
best.
Oklahoma's offense is run by quarterback
Jamelle Holieway from the wishbone
formation. They rarely pass, but the Sooners
proved they were capable of airing it out in a
comeback win against Nebraska.
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PAGE 4 WEEKEND/DECEMBER 5, 1986
WEEKEND/DECEMBER 5, 1986