Tuesday, November 20, 2001
Buckeyes' Bellisari apologizes
QB reinstated; won't start against Michigan
The Associated Press
COLUMBUS — Steve Bellisari issued a public apology Monday, hours after coach Jim Tressel allowed him back on the Ohio State football team.
Whether the senior quarterback sees action when the Buckeyes play archrival Michigan on Saturday is the next big question.
Bellisari was arrested early Friday morning on two charges of drunken driving. Tressel then suspended him indefinitely — “indefinitely” becoming three days when Bellisari was reinstated by Tressel late Sunday night.
“I want to apologize to the university, my coaches, our great fans and especially my teammates for my behavior,” the three-year starter said in a statement issued through Ohio State's sports information department. “I let everyone down by my actions and for that I am extremely sorry.”
Asked where Bellisari would now fit in on the Ohio State depth chart, Tressel said, “As I stand here today, I guess he'd be No. 4.”
Tressel said he doubted that Bellisari would get the opportunity in practice to climb past Craig Krenzel (who will start), Scott McMullen (who started in Bellisari's place in Saturday's 34-22 home loss to Illinois) or Rick McFadden (scout-team QB).
Meanwhile, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said he was expecting Bellisari to play. “If he's traveling, he's going to play,” Carr said.
He said the 11th-ranked Wolverines — who can clinch at least a share of the Big Ten title and a BCS berth with a win over the Buckeyes — would not tailor their game plan to fit whomever starts for the Buckeyes.
BCS:
Miami spoke, and even the BCS computer listened.
The Hurricanes surged closer to first-place Nebraska and pulled further away from third-place Oklahoma in the Bowl Championship Series standings released Monday.
Two days after its 59-0 rout of Syracuse, Miami was second again, but this week the Canes should feel much more secure about playing for a national championship in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 3.
Should Nebraska (11-0) and Miami (9-0) win the rest of their games, it appears unlikely a one-loss team such as Florida or Oregon could pass them when the final standings are released on Dec. 9.
The Hurricanes are not about to get carried away with the latest BCS numbers.
“You've got to realize that there's two more games to go,” tackle Joaquin Gonzalez said. “It's not like these two teams are going to fall down and go, "OK, you guys go to the Rose Bowl.' It's out there, we just have to go take it.”
Miami, No. 1 in the AP poll, made up ground in three categories — the polls, the computers and strength of schedule. The Canes replaced the Huskers at No.1 in the coaches' poll, received first-place ratings in two computers, and saw their strength of schedule improve to 48th from 66th last week.
Nebraska is at Colorado (8-2) Friday, and a win puts the Huskers in the Big 12 title game on Dec.1, likely against Oklahoma.
Oklahoma plays Oklahoma State (3-7) on Saturday.
Miami has two games left — home to Washington (8-2) on Saturday and at Virginia Tech (8-2) on Dec. 1.
“Two wins give us an undefeated season and a shot at the Rose Bowl,” Miami running back Clinton Portis said. “We're close, we're close.”
WASHINGTON:
No. 12 Washington has accepted an invitation to play in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego on Dec. 28.
The invitation is contingent on the Huskies (8-2) being released next week from a Bowl Championship Series game.
Washington would be matched against a Big 12 Conference team.
The Huskies close their regular season at No. 1 Miami on Saturday.
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