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Joey Johnston's College Football Sidelines

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 19, 2007

THE BUYOUT BOWL?

Texas A&M (5-2, 2-1 in the Big 12) at Nebraska (4-3, 1-2) might sound like a decent game, but more specifically, it's a study in the downward spiral for a pair of brand-name programs.

Nebraska has devolved into a defensive shambles, losing by 18, 35 and 31 points, and squeaking past Ball State by one. Monday, Athletic Director Steve Pederson was fired. Pederson is the guy who fired Frank Solich after a 9-3 season, saying, 'I refused to let this program gravitate to mediocrity.'

That puts Coach Bill Callahan on notice. Callahan signed a contract extension this season, but what does that mean? Pederson also agreed to five more years on his AD contract over the summer.

Meanwhile, Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione was reprimanded for his 'VIP Connection' e-mail newsletters, which passed along team information (including injuries) to boosters who bankrolled Franchione's Web site. Franchione might not survive that controversy.

But his situation isn't as tumultuous as Callahan's.

After a 45-14 loss against Oklahoma State, prominent Nebraska booster Dale Jensen, part of a four-man partnership that owns the Arizona Diamondbacks, told the Lincoln Journal-Star he considered last weekend as the lowest point in Nebraska's modern football history.

Jensen also said, 'The general consensus from everybody I've talked to is that Callahan and Pederson both have to go.'

Pederson is gone. Callahan might be next. Jensen is considering withholding his contributions until there's a change in the leadership.

'Right now, today, if someone came to me asking for money and I knew the current leadership was going to be there, probably not,' Jensen said. 'Not even probably. I get to vote with my pocketbook and that's the only vote I have.'

SPARTAN MEMORIES

Michigan State's trip to No. 1-ranked Ohio State today has Spartans coach Mark Dantonio thinking about 1998.

That's when Michigan State stunned the top-ranked Buckeyes 28-24. Dantonio was a Michigan State assistant.

'I would use it as a motivational tool in the fact that you can get things done,' Dantonio said. 'We were 28-point underdogs at that time. But these are different football teams and it's a different time.

'Because you play the No. 1-ranked team means everybody watches that score throughout America, and I think that's big. Everybody certainly is watching every single week because of how this year is unfolding.'

CYCLONES SLIDING

It's not working well in the debut season for Iowa State coach Gene Chizik, a Clearwater High graduate. The Cyclones are 1-6 (0-3 in the Big 12). Former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer, who does an XM radio show, says things will get better. He also says Iowa State never should have fired Coach Dan McCarney, now USF's defensive line coach, who took the Cyclones to five bowl games.

'Dan did a good job,' Switzer said. 'I think people get in a hurry sometimes and want to make changes. They think changing coaches is going to make a difference, and that sets a program back a lot of times.'

Switzer called coaching the Cyclones 'a hard deal. It's not easy, but it can happen. If you can get a salesman, and the guy can go out and get players to come to your place and believe ... you can build on that.'

HISTORY LESSON

Before this season's 1-6 record, Notre Dame's worst season in modern history was considered to be 1963, when the Irish went 2-7, when the Irish beat the No. 7-ranked defending national champion USC Trojans, then followed with a victory against UCLA.

This season, Notre Dame already has beaten UCLA. The Irish host USC today.

NOTABLE (PAC-10) QUOTES

•Washington coach Tyrone Willingham, leading 17-13 at Arizona State, was stopped by sideline reporter Elise Woodward and asked about the Huskies' propensity for third-quarter woes. Said Willingham: 'We've been outscored in the third quarter in certain games, and this is not that game.' The Huskies were promptly outscored 21-0 in the third quarter, en route to a 44-20 defeat. After the opening game at Syracuse, the Huskies have been outscored 56-0 in the third quarter.

•Speaking of Arizona State, Coach Dennis Erickson's Sun Devils are 7-0. Asked if he's a better fit for college football than the NFL, Erickson said: 'I think that's pretty obvious. I enjoy it more. Why I went back for a second time from Oregon State to the 49ers, I don't know.'

•Two weeks ago, Arizona coach Mike Stoops declared: 'It's official. We have an offense.' Arizona has since scored one offensive touchdown in two games.

•USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, on the Trojans' recent struggles: 'We're a different football team. The punter matters now.'

JOEY JOHNSTON'S SIDELINES

THE BUYOUT BOWL?

SPARTAN MEMORIES

CYCLONES SLIDING

HISTORY LESSON

NOTABLE (PAC-10) QUOTES

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