Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 31, 1994 TAG: 9411120044
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
After posting their most impressive victories of the season, Penn State and Nebraska felt they deserved to be No. 1. Both got their wish Sunday.
Nebraska, which defeated previously unbeaten Colorado 24-7 on Saturday, is No.1 in The Associated Press media poll. Penn State, which trounced Ohio State 63-14, is No.1 in the USA Today-CNN coaches' poll.
On the Virginia front, Virginia, which did not play Saturday, benefited from several upsets and moved up five spots in The AP poll to No.13 and six spots in the coaches' poll to No.10. Virginia Tech, which lost 24-3 to Miami on Saturday, held both of those positions last week.
The Hokies didn't fall far, though, dropping to No.17 in The AP poll and No.16 in the USA Today-CNN poll.
Nebraska, third in the AP poll last week behind No.1 Penn State and No.2 Colorado, rose to first after ending the Buffaloes' 11-game winning streak. But Penn State held on to the top spot in the coaches' poll after handing Ohio State its worst loss in 48 years.
The polls were extremely close. In the AP, Nebraska led Penn State by five first-place votes (33-28) and six points (1,520-1,514). In the coaches' survey, Penn State edged Nebraska by two first-place votes (32-30) and two points (1,520-1,518).
Nebraska coach Tom Osborne and Penn State's Joe Paterno refused to lobby for the top ranking.
``All we want to do is play well,'' Osborne said. ``If people think we deserve to be No.1, great. If not, then we've done all we can.''
``I think at the end of the year, after everyone's played all their games, if I feel [that we're No. 1], I'll say it,'' Paterno said. ``I think you win it by playing the season out.''
Both teams are likely to win their remaining regular-season games and, since they can't meet in a bowl, the debate probably will rage for some time.
If they finish unbeaten, Penn State (7-0) would go to the Rose Bowl as Big Ten champion and Nebraska (9-0) would go to the Orange Bowl as Big Eight champion. Bowl victories by the Nittany Lions and Cornhuskers could result in a split national title for the third time in five years. Nebraska is home against Kansas on Nov.5, then finishes at Iowa State and Oklahoma. Penn State travels to Indiana and Illinois before closing with home games against Northwestern and Michigan State.
by CNB