2B - The Michigan Daily - SportsWednesday - January 5, 2000 'Noles nail Tech 46-29, claim national title ATbH LiEiO TWE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK . NEW ORLEANS (AP) - No. 1 at the start, No. 1 at the finish. Florida State is the perfect national champion. Led by the sizzling Peter Warrick and the steady Chris Weinke, the Seminoles held off Virginia Tech for a 46-29 victo- ry Tuesday night in the Sugar Bowl. The Hokies' freshman quarterback, Michael Vick, played an electrifying game of catch-me-if-you-can, but it wasn't enough. Warrick thrilled a Superdome crowd with a record 20-point game - he caught touchdown passes of 64 and 43 yards, returned a punt 59 yards for a score and snagged a 2-point conversion pass from Weinke. The 27-year-old Weinke, playing per- haps the final game of his college career, completed 20 of 34 passes for 329 yards and four TDs -two to Warrick and two to Ron Dugans. Warrick finished with six catches for 163 yards in the highest- scoring Sugar Bowl in history. Vick threw for 225 yards and one TD and ran for 97 yards and a score. Florida State was certain to become the first team to go wire-to-wire in the Associated Press' poll since the presea- son ratings began in 1950. The final AP poll will be released early Wednesday to confirm the obvious. The Seminoles were automatically crowned national champs in the USA Today-ESPN coaches' poll under the Bowl Championship Series format. All week, Warrick and his senior pals promised each other they would do everything possible to avoid losing three title games. They did - in a big way - and Bobby Bowden completed a remarkable year. He won his 300th game in the first father vs. son coaching matchup, celebrated his 70th birthday and 50th wedding anniversary and final- ly attained his first perfect season in 40 years as a coach. Warrick, the All-American wide receiver who lost his chance at the Heisman Trophy after a two-game sus- pension for his role in a shopping mall scam, came up with his best perfor- mance in the final game of his college career. In the first half, he caught three pass- es for 100 yards and his punt return helped the Seminoles build a 28-14 lead after 30 minutes of big plays. Last sea- son, he was held to one catch for seven yards in a Fiesta Bowl loss to Tennessee in the national title game. In fact, in three previous bowl games, Warrick totaled five catches and no TDs. He opened the scoring with his 64- yard grab, then took a punt and blazed past Tech defenders for a 59-yard score and a 28-7 lead. Late in the game, with half the crowd of 79,280 chanting "Peter Warrick, Who: Joe DeGain Sport: Wrestling Hometown: Clarkston Weight Class: 184 High School: Clarkston H.S. Year: Junior Why: DeGain had a breakout performance at the Midlands Championship over break. He placed seventh in his class and shutout the seventh ranked 184-pound wrestler. Background: Eighth in the Big 10 in 97-98; Academic All Big 10 in 97-98; Ninth-team High School All American by Amateur Wrestling News (189 pounds); 1996 Michigan State Champion; Seventh place in 1996rNational High School Championships; School record 159-32 overall High AP PHOTO Michael Vick and Virginia Tech were left wincing after Florida State walled on them in the Sugar Bowl. Virginia Tech was left without its first national title. Peter Warrick," Weinke reared back and threw a 43-yard TD pass to the wide receiver, who caught the ball while div- ing into the end zone with a Virginia Tech defender draped over him.The chants rang out again and Warrick ran to the sideline to celebrate with his team- mates. The win over the upstart Hokies stamped the Seminoles as the Team of the Decade and ended a run of national title misses under Bowden. Since win- ning its first national crown in 1993, Florida State had lost two of the past three title games - 23-16 to Tennessee last season, and 52-20 to Florida in '97 in what until Tuesdav night was the highest-scoring Sugar Bowl. 'M' SCHEDULE Wednesday. January S Men's basketball at Minnesota, 9 p.m. Men's tennis at Milwaukee Tennis Classic Thursdanuarv Women's basketball at Indiana, 8 pm. Men's tennis at Milwaukee Tennis Classic cFidav Janua r 7 Men's swimming and diving at Arizona State, 4 p.m. Ice hockey at Michigan State, 7:05 p.m. Men's tennis at Milwaukee Tennis Classic Wrestling at Virginia Duals Saturdav Januarvl Men's and women's track and field hosts Jack Harvey Invitational, 9:30 a ,m. Women's basketball vs. Purdue, noon Men's basketball at Purdue, 2:31 p~m. Men's swimming and diving at Arizona, 4 p.m. Women's gymnastics at Super Six Challenge in Athens, Georgia. 6:30 p.m. Men's tennis at Milwaukee Tennis Classic Wrestling at Virginia Duals COACHES' HOOPS POLL Maine 89, Towson 80 Quinnipiac 70, Army 63 Seton Hall 71, Villanova 64 Vermont 69, Hartford 67 SOUTH Campbell 69, Georgia St. 64 East Carolina 72, Mt. St. Mary's, Md. 49 Elon 100, S. Virginia 64 Florida St. 66, Wake Forest 64 Samford 73, Stetson 57 Troy St. 77, Florida Atlantic 51 UNCGreensboro 82, VMI 71 MIDWEST Kansas 105, Penn 59 Nebraska 92, Pacific 68 Winthrop 51, Missouri 46 NFL FINAL STAND.INS Dayne claims Rose Bowl MVP, win for Bagers PASADENA - Ron Dayne got going after a "nice ... little halftime talk" and Wisconsin got its second straight Rose Bowl victory. Dayne scored a touchdown and had 154 yards in the second half as the Badgers became the first Big Ten team to win back-to-back Rose Bowls, over- coming Stanford 17-9 Saturday in the lowest-scoring Rose Bowl since 1977. Dayne was held to 46 yards in the first half by a Stanford defense that ranked fifth worst in the nation. But he broke loose for a 64-yard gain on the second play after halftime and scored on 4-yard run two plays later. "We had a nice talk and everybody got more motivated," Dayne said. "I think that really gave us momentum and we just carried on. It would have been nice if we could have scored some more, so we wouldn't have had to bite our nails at the end" Dayne, who passed 7,000 career rushing yards in the game, joined quar- terback Bob Schloredt and tailback Charles White as winner of consecutive Rose Bowl MVP awards. Wisconsin held No. 22 Stanford to minus-5 yards on 27 rushes, a Rose Bowl record. The Cardinal, playing in their first Rose Bowl in 28 years, were held to 259 yards of total offense after 'a raging 467 per game this season. "We had a long layoff after that last game, and it took us a little while to get :in a rhythm," said Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez, noting the Badgers had not played since Nov. 13. "Big 33 (Iayne) got lathered up a little bit and Nebraska's that seemed to help a little." Dayne, who had 34 carries for 200 yards Saturday, reached 200 yards in three of the four bowls game in which he played. He finished his college career with 200 yards or more in four of his final five games. Brooks Bollinger had a 1-yard TD on a quarterback sneak for Wisconsin and Vitaly Pisetsky added a 31-yard field goal. Kerry Carter had a 1-yard scoring run for Stanford, and Mike Biselli had a 28-yard field goal. Wisconsin finally got its offense going with a 71-yard drive that led to Pisetsky's field goal with 9:19 left before halftime. After an exchange of punts, Walters' 19-yard reception and a couple of Wisconsin penalties helped the Cardinal march 45 yards on a drive capped by Carter's scoring run. Gabriel's high snap foiled the extra point, though, leaving the score at 9-3. On the second play after halftime, Dayne broke two tackles on his 64-yard run up the middle to the Stanford I1. Two plays later, he bounced outside to become the career Rose Bowl scoring leader with his fifth touchdown. The Badgers had a chance to widen the lead when Dayne ran for 33 yards on a 46-yard drive to the Stanford 17, but Pisetsky missed a 33-yard field goal to give Stanford one more chance. Husak, who was 17-of-34 for 258 yards, completed four straight passes as the Cardinal reached the Wisconsin 41, but was sacked on fourth-and-12 to end the comeback attempt. offense unst ESPN/USA Todayt Coaches' Top 25, Jan. 3T (first place votes in parentheses) Team 1. Stanford (29) 2. Connecticut 3. Cincinnati (2) 4. Arizona 5. Auburn 6. Florida 7. Duke 8. Syracuse 9. Kansas 10. Michigan State 11. Indiana 12. Oklahoma State 13. Tennessee 14. North Carolina 15. Maryland 16. Texas 17. Illinois 18. Ohio State 19. Oklahoma 20. UCLA 21. Temple 22. Utah 23. Depaul 24. Kentucky 25. Tulsa Record 11-0 9-1 12-1 11-2 12-1 11-1 9-2 9-0 10-2 9-4 10-1 104 12-1 9-4 11-2 73 8-3 8-2 11-1 8.2 6-3 11-2 10-3 8-41 13-1 Pts 772 724 723 655 636 582 579 541 512 457 440 368 367 334 304 286 228 227 195 167 160 157 148 98 92 Pvs 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 6 12 11 13 - 14 16 15 20 18 22 21 17 24 23 25 AFC East Y - Indianapolis X- Buffalo X- Miami New York Jets New England AFC Central Yz - Jacksonville X- Tennessee Baltimore Pittsburgh Cincinnati Cleveland AFC West Y - Seattle Kansas City Oakland San Diego Denver NFC East Y - Washington X- Dallas New York Giants Arizona Philadelphia NFC. Central Y - Tampa Bay X - Minnesota X - Detroit Green Bay Chicago NFC West Yz - St. Louis Carolina Atlanta San Francisco New Orleans PF 423 320 326 308 299 PF 396 392 324 }317 283 217 PF 338 390 390 269 314 PF 443 352 299 3 245 272 PF 270 399 322 357 272 PF 526 421 285 295 260 PA. 333 229 336 309 284 PA 217 324 277 320 460 437 PA 298 322 329 316 318 PA 377 276 358 382 357 PA 235 335 323 341 341 PA 242 381 380 453 434 COLLEGE BASKETBALL, EAST Colgate 68, Cornell 63, OT Delaware 96, New Hampshire 57 Drexel 58, Boston U. 50 Hofstra 84, Northeastern 45 Y " Won Division Title X - Clinched Playoff Birth Yz - Clinched Home Field Advantage Ron Dayne was only the third player ever to win after Wisconsin's 17-9 victory over Stanford. AP PHOTO two consecutive Rose Bowl MVPs SPORTS BRIEFS oppable at Fiesta Bowl TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - At its best, the option is unstoppable, and Nebraska was at its best in the second half of the Fiesta Bowl. In touchdown drives of 96 and 99 yards, followed by a marathon, 7- minute, 25-second march to end the game, the third-ranked Cornhuskers used a deadly combination of speed and strength Sunday night to beat No. 6 Tennessee 31-21. "We had to be the most physical team," Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch said. "1 think it showed." Crouch was the game's MVP The shifty, lightning-quick sophomore at the controls of Nebraska's offense never was corralled by the Volunteers for long. This time, after Tennessee cut the lead to 17-14 following a fumble by the Huskers on the first play of the second half. Then, Nebraska': offense took over. The Cornhuskers went 96 yards in nine plays, with Crouch throwing to wide-open tight end Aaron Goliday for a 13-yard touchdown and it was 24-14 with 4:44 left in the third quarter. Crouch never threw another pass. A perfect punt pinned the Huskers at their own I the next time they got the ball, and they went 99 yards in 10 plays to take a 31-14 lead on Correll Huckhulter's 2-yard touchdown run with 12:01 left. When Tennessee cut the lead to 31- 21 on a trick 44-yard pass play from wide receiver Cedric Wilson to Donte' Stallworth with 7:25 to play, it looked like a comeback was possible. But the Huskers, whose only loss was by four points at Texas, never gave up the ball again and the Vols could do nothing as ime ran out. It was a sobering end to Tee Martin's magnilicent college carer, and it hap- pened on the same field where he directed Tennessee to a national chain- pionship a year- ago. In his last college game, Martin com- pleted 19 of 34 passes 1or 223 yards and a touchdown, lie threw two intercep- tions. One of them bounced off of Wilson's chest into the hands of Nebraska's Joe Walker. Mike Brown, the game's defensive MVP, made a div- ing catch of Martin's long bomb for the other interception. Carr announces replacements on coaching staff In the wake of the thrilling victory in the Orange Bowl, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr announced several addi- tions to his coaching staff for the coming season. In response to former offensive coordinator Mike DeBord's decision to take the head coach position at Central Michigan, Carr promoted quarterback coach Stan Parrish to the position. In addition, Carr named former Michigan player Andy Moeller as offensive tackles coach. Parrish coached Michigan's quar- terbacks for the past four years. Prior to his tenure at Michigan, Parrish spent six seasons as quarter- backs coach at Rutgers, the last three as a head coach. His head-coaching resume also includes time at Wabash, Marshall and Kansas State. This past season was Parrish's 25th asa coach on the college circuit. In the second move, the 35 year- old son of former Michigan head coach Gary Moeller was added to the Michigan staff. Andy Moeller spent two seasons in the mid-1980s as the starting line- backer for the Wolverines and his 326 career tackles still rank as 12th on Michigan's all-time list. In his senior year, he helped lead his team to the Rose Bowl. Moeller comes to Michigan from Missouri where he was a coach for six seasons, helping lead three offen- Mchigan State's Burress, Ohio State's Diggs declare for NFL Michigan State wide receiver Plaxico Burress said Tuesday he will forgo his senior season for the Spartans and enter this spring's NFL draft. Burress, an all-Big Ten selection, led the Spartans with 53 catches for 957 yards during the past regular season. The Spartans' Citrus Bowl victory Saturday over Florida, he caught a school-record 13 passes for 185 yards and three touch- downs. "Since I started playing football, I have dreamed of playing in the National Football League," Burress told the Detroit Free Press. "But the* past two years at Michigan State have made me think hard about realizing it early." Burress, who is 6-foot-6, said that "his teammates and most importantly, the fans, have made this experience truy memorable." Burress wasn't the only Big Ten standout to declare NFL draft eligi- bility on Tuesday. Linebacker Na'il Diggs, Ohio State's leading tackler last season, seldom wavered on the field. But he sure did in the days and hours lead- ing up to Tuesday's decision to forgo his senior season. The tormented Diggs destroyed AP ' rr The Cornhuskers dominated the second half offensively to defeat Tennesse in the Fiesta Bowl, -21 Marshall shepherds 21-3 victory at Silverdome By Chris Duprey Daily Sports Editor PONTIAC, Mich. - Chad Pennington's last pass in a Marshall uniform had to be one of his worst. The telegraphed throw by the senior was almost intercepted and returned "We just kept believing that some- thing would happen," Brigham Young's Setema Gali said. "There's miracles that happen out there in games. Unfortunately, not for us today." The contest wasn't the aerial complaints, confronting lineman Matt Johnson in the huddle for allowing a weak-side blitzer a free hit. Feterik took one too many hits, and was forced out of the game per- manently in the third quarter with a Valuable Player award. A 30-yard reception over the middle from Pennington with 8:18 remaining in the second quarter put Marshall ahead to stay, 7-3. An 87-yard breakout run at the end of the third quarter gave the Herd a