A Terrapin Victory Has Fans in the Dark

THE COLLEGES

The Terrapins can come out of their shell. Maryland, the longtime Bottom Ten leader, ended its six-game losing streak Saturday with a 26-18 victory over a team with one of the most macho names in football--Duke.

Afterward, delirious Maryland fans rushed onto the field and, apparently inexperienced at celebrating, tore down two light poles that they mistook for goal posts.

Elsewhere, the University of Texas at El Paso-the-Buck fired Coach David Lee and replaced him with the team’s defensive coordinator, which makes sense since UTEP is giving up only 36 points a game.

Finally, thumbs down to Alabama Coach Gene Stallings for playing for a tie against Tennessee on Saturday. Yup, Bama made good on a two-point conversion to catch the Volunteers, 17-17. But a tie leaves everyone dissatisfied. Why didn’t Bama just take the honorable way out--kick the extra point and accept the loss?

Sad Sack (Rec) Last Loss Next Loss 1. Temple (1-5) 7-55 Va. Tech Akron 2. Duke (1-6) 18-26 Maryland Wake Forest 3. Purdue (1-5) 28-42 Wisconsin Ohio State 4. Utah State (1-5) 44-48 Nevada Las Vegas 5. Ark State (1-6) 3-19 SW La. Ole Miss St. 6. Arizona St. (2-4) 36-45 Oregon Stanford 7. Texas (1-3-1) Idle SMU 8. Tulane (2-5) 7-14 TCU B.C. 9. UTEP (1-6) 29-45 Utah Air Force 10. The Genius (2-4) 24-27 Arizona Arizona State

11. Do you know the way to San Jose State (1-5); 12. Las Vegas (Circus Circus) (1-5); 13. Iowa State (1-5); 14. Yale (1-4) or Columbia (1-4); 15. Houston (1-4-1); 16. Texas Low Tech (2-5); 17. Vanderbilt (2-4); 18. Colorado State (2-5); 19. Idle; 20. Pentagon (Air) (1-6).

Rout of the week: Awake Forest (2-4) over Duke (1-6).

Nothing to lose: Illinois’ fifth-year quarterback Jeff Schwarzentraub got into his first game ever, leading the final drive in a 49-3 rout of Iowa. He scored on a sneak and said later he would have called it no matter what the coaches ordered, observing: “What’s the worst thing that’s going to happen? They’ll bench me.”

THE PROS

It could be a long drought for Washington.

Since 1961, the ‘Skinned (1-5) have had only two winning seasons while a Democrat was President. With a Republican in the White House, they have had 17 winning seasons and won three Super Bowls. (Statistics are not available on how they have done with a Whig in the White House.)

So, don’t expect much from them until at least 1996 or maybe 2000. We’re sure owner Jack Kent Cooke will understand.

Speaking of conspiracies, ‘Skinned second-year wide receiver Desmond Howard, the former Michigan star, had this comment on his lack of playing time: “I think this is harder to piece together than the assassination of JFK.”

Tied with Howard for this week’s Keeping-It-All-in-Perspective award was Houston line coach Bob Young. After tackle David Williams missed a game to be present at the birth of his first child, Young said: “That’s like if World War II was going on and you said, ‘I can’t go fly. My wife’s having a baby.’ ”

The rankings:

THE UNWON

Sad sack (Record) Last Loss Next Loss 1. Cincinnati (0-6) 17-28, Cleveland Houston

*

BATTLE OF THE BAYS

Bay (Record) Last Loss Next Loss 1. Tampa (1-4) Idle Green 2. Green (2-3) Idle Tampa 3. San Diego (2-4) 14-17, K.C. Recovering

Crummy Game of the Week (traditional): Green at Tampa.

No kidding: Green Bay Coach Mike Holmgren: “It’s a cliche, but it’s very true that anybody can beat you on Sunday if you’re not ready to go.” The Packers (2-3) are certainly a good example.