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Extra points

Compiled by BOB HARIG

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 11, 2000

Player spotlight: Justin Bannan

Justin Bannan is a former high school tight end who now plays defensive tackle at Colorado. He had lobbied for three years for the opportunity to catch a pass in a college game. Bannan finally got his chance last week in a 28-18 victory over Missouri, and it turned out to be a 12-yard touchdown reception.

Yet it also was controversial.

Bannan lined up at left tackle with tight end Quinn Sypnieski to his left. Sypniewski, a freshman, was supposed to go in motion, but didn't. That left Bannan "covered" as an offensive linemen, meaning he was an ineligible receiver.

Bannan said he "pass blocked for a couple of seconds, then kind of rolled out, and it was supposed to be a screen-type play . . . I tried to hide behind the other linemen as much as I could."

Quarterback Craig Ochs sprinted right, then turned and threw back to an all-alone Bannan, who made the catch, ran toward the end zone, then went airborne and flopped across the goal line.

When a penalty flag was thrown, CU coaches were worried that it was for an illegal formation; it was for unsportsmanlike conduct. So the TD stood.

Missouri coach Larry Smith said he sent the league office a copy of the game tape, per normal procedure, but said the conference has no recourse on the play other than the "constant evaluating of officials."

Barnett said the missed call "wasn't a crime. We screwed it up, then the officials screwed it up. Two screw-ups made it work."

Although the stakes were not nearly as high, it brought back memories from a decade ago. Colorado was the beneficiary of a fifth-down that led to the winning touchdown in a 1990 game against Missouri. The Buffaloes went on to win the national title.

SAY WHAT?: If Purdue wins at Michigan State today and then defeats Indiana at home next week, the Boilermakers will clinch their first Big Ten title since the 1967 season. But it will be their first Rose Bowl trip since the 1966 season. Huh?

Purdue did not win the Big Ten in 1966, but went to Pasadena because of the conference's "no repeat" rule which then said a team could not go to the Rose Bowl two years in a row. So although Michigan State won back-to-back titles, the Boilermakers went. And when Purdue actually won the title in 1967, the Boilermakers couldn't repeat. So Indiana went.

RUNNING IT UP: It was no surprise when former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne won his state's 3rd Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday. He had 82 percent of the vote to defeat Democrat Rollie Reynolds. For Osborne, it was his most dominating victory in the first week of November since Nebraska defeated Iowa State 73-14 on Nov. 4, 1995.

PAC-10 PARITY: This season, the league has had:

Six overtime games, with Arizona State involved in three in the past three weeks, Washington State in three in the last four weeks and Oregon two in a row.

Eighteen of the 30 games decided by a touchdown or less.

Just three games in its last 15 in where the margin of victory was in double digits.

A week (last Saturday) in which each of the five games was decided by six points or less, with a total of 20 points separating the games.

CHART: Texas A&M has never beaten the nation's consensus No. 1 team, but the Aggies defeated Kansas State -- ranked No. 1 in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 -- in the 1998 Big 12 Championship Game in St. Louis. A look at the times A&M has played a team ranked No. 1. (The Aggies take on No. 1 Oklahoma today):

(Date, Opponent, Result)

Dec. 5, 1998 -- vs. Kansas State -- W, 36-33 (OT)

Nov. 26, 1977 -- vs. Texas -- L, 57-28

Sept. 25, 1971 -- at Nebraska -- L, 34-7

Nov. 26, 1970 -- at Texas -- L, 52-14

Sept. 26, 1970 -- at Ohio State -- L, 56-13

Nov. 27, 1969 -- vs. Texas -- L, 49-12

Nov. 27, 1963 -- vs. Texas -- L, 15-13

Sept. 17, 1955 -- at UCLA -- L, 21-0

Oct. 11, 1952 -- at Michigan State -- L, 48-6

Games of the Week

NO. 1 OKLAHOMA AT NO. 23 TEXAS A&M: Sooners have scored at least 31 in every game this season, but Aggies could be a good test in College State. 1 p.m. Channel 28.

PITTSBURGH AT NO. 2 MIAMI: For the Hurricanes, no longer are victories as important as impressive ones for the BCS. Noon. ESPN2.

NO. 4 NEBRASKA AT NO. 16 KANSAS STATE: Both teams are still in the running for the Big 12 North title, and the Cornhuskers are not out of the national title race. 7 p.m. Fox Sports Net.

NO. 21 SOUTH CAROLINA AT NO. 5 FLORIDA: Who would have ever believed this would be for the SEC East title? 3:30 p.m. Channel 10.

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