Seminoles eke out win over USC

The Seminoles, two-touchdown favorites over USC in the first meeting between the storied football schools, finally put together a sustained scoring drive early in the final quarter.

Thad Busby, erratic for much of the game, completed 5-of-8 for 94 yards - including a 46-yarder to E.G. Green - to take Florida State on a 97-yard march for the only score of the second half.

Florida State didn't seal the victory until free safety Dexter Jackson tackled Trojans receiver Billy Miller for no gain after a short completion on fourth-and-6 at the Seminoles 26 with 2:20 remaining.

There was even a scare for the Seminoles after that. Florida State's Laveranues Coles fumbled after picking up 24 yards to midfield on a reverse, but teammate Melvin Pearsall fell on the ball.

No. 4 Washington 42, No. 19 BYU 20

For Washington's Rashaan Shehee, it was second verse, same as the first - and the nation's longest current winning streak came to an end at Brigham Young.

Shehee rambled for 171 yards and a touchdown and caught a pass for another as the No. 4 Huskies routed the 19th-ranked Cougars 42-20 Saturday in the opener for both teams. The senior tailback had two TDs in Washington's 29-17 win over BYU a year ago in Seattle, the last time the Cougars lost at home.

Brock Huard hit 18-of-23 passes for 285 yards and three scores as Washington of the Pac-10 snapped BYU's 12-game win streak.

Jerome Pathon caught seven passes for 163 yards for the Huskies, who now have beaten BYU three times in a row.

No. 8 Colorado 31, No. 24 Colorado St. 21

Rashidi Barnes and Marcus Washington grabbed momentum-turning interceptions early in the third quarter, rallying No. 8 Colorado to 31-21 victory over No. 24 Colorado State on Saturday.

Colorado (1-0) was trailing 14-7 when Barnes returned his theft 26 yards for a tying touchdown with 13:58 left in the period. Washington's interception and 10-yard return two minutes later set up the first of two touchdown passes from John Hessler to Phil Savoy.

Hessler hit Savoy in the back of the end zone on a 4-yard scoring pass with 8:38 to go in the quarter. After a Colorado State punt, Hessler and Savoy hooked up on a 43-yarder with 5:51 left, the third Colorado touchdown in a span of 8:07.

Colorado, which has won the last seven games in the series with its in-state rival, went ahead 31-14 on Jeremy Aldrich's 34-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter.

He'd been working with his new team only a month, but Michael Bishop did what every veteran quarterback would like to do - he moved the offense up and down the field.

"It wasn't easy when I first came in, but I got comfortable with what the coaches taught me," Bishop said Saturday night after leading Kansas State to a 47-7 rout of Northern Illinois. The win moved the Wildcats up to one spot to No. 20 in the poll.

"I'd probably give myself a B-minus. There are a lot of things that I missed, that I should have checked off. Overall I thought I did a pretty good job."

The transfer from Blinn (Texas) Junior College threw four touchdown passes and ran for another, gaining 98 yards rushing and passing for 172 - all in the first half - as the Wildcats built up a 42-7 halftime lead.

"He did all right in the first half but he made a lot of mistakes that will have to be corrected," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. "He's very athletic. It will come with time."

Bishop's athleticism showed itself on the Wildcats' first possession, when he ran 43 yards for a touchdown on a quarterback draw.

AP PHOTO
Florida State's Peter Warrick beats USC defender Daylon McCutheron in the second half of the Seminoles' 14-7 victory over the Trojans. For most of the game, however, the Seminoles two-touchdown favorites, struggled on offense.

09-08-97