Tuesday, August 27, 2002
UK ready for grudge match
Miami, Sooners tied for No.1
The Associated Press
LEXINGTON - Kentucky linebacker Morris Lane isn't sure how he and his teammates will survive the wait leading up to Sunday's showdown opener against archrival Louisville.
“To say we're hungry doesn't even come close to describing how we feel - hungry to get a victory, hungry to show people we're a lot better team than they think we are,” Lane said. “This whole season is about proving ourselves. It doesn't matter if it's against Louisville or UTEP. We're just ready to get started.”
Kentucky, coming off back-to-back 2-9 seasons, will be looking to bring the Governor's Cup trophy back to Lexington for the first time since 1998.
The Wildcats took a 9-2 lead in the annual series, which was resumed in 1994 after a seven-decade hiatus, following a 68-34 thrashing of the Cardinals in the inaugural game at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in 1998.
Since that time, however, Louisville has won three straight by a combined score of 132-72, including last year's 36-10 victory in Lexington.
Snatching the trophy back from U of L will not be an easy task this year, either. The Cardinals enter the season ranked 17th nationally after a school-record 11-win season and victory over BYU in the Liberty Bowl.
“Our kids understand, and rightfully so, that we'll probably be the underdog in just about every game we play,” said Kentucky coach Guy Morriss, who is entering his second season in charge of the program. “I think in the backs of their minds they have a little chip on their shoulder and have something to prove. I want them thinking, "Let's just go out and play our game and find out who's the better team.”'
TOP 25 - Miami and Oklahoma, the last two national champs, hope to wind up playing in the Fiesta Bowl in January for the title.
For now, they'll share in a little history.
Without playing a game, Oklahoma moved into a tie with the Hurricanes for No.1 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. It's the fourth tie in the 66-year history of the poll.
“Some people must have snuck in to see how well we played in practice last week,” said Sooners coach Bob Stoops, whose team last held the No.1 spot after winning the 2000 national championship.
Oklahoma can thank Florida State, which began the season at No. 3 but fell to fifth this week after having to hold on for a 38-31 victory over Iowa State on Saturday night.
Miami, which also hasn't played a game this season, and Oklahoma each received 27 first-place votes and 1,758 points in the media poll. Texas and Tennessee moved up one spot apiece, to third and fourth, respectively.
In the USA Today/ESPN poll of coaches, Miami remained No.1, followed by Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Florida State.
The last tie in the AP poll came Oct.18, 1992, between Washington and Miami. The other ties were Nov.27, 1939 (Texas A&M and Southern California), and Oct. 27, 1941 (Minnesota and Texas).
MIAMI REDHAWKS: Senior Matt Robillard is on the watch list of 67 players for the 18th Butkus Award, presented annually to the nation's best linebacker. The 2001 first-team all-Mid-American Conference honoree is a converted defensive back who led Miami with 74 solo tackles a year ago.
Sports Stories
Another year, another Bengals QB
Covington, 7 others released
AFC's best division? Try the East
Former Falcon agrees to deal with NFL champs
Spurrier wears target
Packers 27, Browns 20
Reds on ropes, needing wins vs. Cardinals
Cardinals-Reds series preview
Can Bud Selig save baseball?
Baseball negotiators meet, keep quiet
One strike, and you're out - of $40 million
Strike seems inevitable, unfathomable
No muscle in baseball's steroid-testing plan
Dayton, minors selling tickets
Brewers 2, Cubs 1
Indianapolis 6, Louisville 2
Ohio boys cross country preview
Ohio girls cross country preview
Stuck in the middle music to Vann's ears
UK ready for grudge match
