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| Saturday, October 14 Top Moments By John Crowley ESPN.com | ||||||
| They are but a few snapshots in a season full of compelling images, but these 10 moments have been certified as "suitable for framing" quality.
1. Alexander shreds Florida in OT Shaun Alexander might not stand out off the field, but his game against Florida spoke volumes. The soft-spoken Tide tailback cut down Florida's 30-game win streak at The Swamp with a four-touchdown, 106-yard effort that did more than up 'Bama's record to 4-1. His 13-yard gallop sent the game into overtime and his 25-yard romp in the extra period sent it into the history books. The 40-39 win established him as a bonafide Heisman candidate and temporarily lifted the shroud of uncertainty hovering over coach Mike DuBose's job. It also put a serious dent in Florida's air of invincibility at home, while stirring up memories of Alabama's 1992 national championship.
2. ECU tears down the goalposts at N.C. State The name of the game in Texas A&M's 23-6 win over Southern Miss was defense. But the guy everyone was talking about afterward was kicker Terence Kitchens. He sent three through the uprights on the last Saturday in September, but it was the kick before halftime that was heard around the college football world. With six seconds remaining in the second quarter, Kitchens -- who did not attempt a field goal all last season -- nailed a 62-yard field goal with a 14 mph wind at his back. The line drive shot cleared the crossbar easily. It was the third-longest field goal in A&M history, bettered only by Tony Franklin's kicks of 64 and 65 yards in a 1976 game vs. Baylor. 4. Chafie Fields runs past Arizona When No. 3 meets No. 4, the numbers on the scoreboard are supposed to be close. Chafie Fields made sure that wasn't the case as preseason hotshots Arizona and Penn State opened the 1999 campaign with a 41-7 laugher. Fields, who scored just two TDs all of last season, hauled in a 37-yard TD pass for the game's first score and raced 70 yards on an inside reverse for its second one. When the sun set on Happy Valley, Arizona coach Dick Tomey was miserable, Joe Paterno's promise to open up his typically conservative offense looked like a masterstroke and Fields had a career-high 186 all-purpose yards.
5. Peter Warrick jitterbugs for a TD vs. Louisiana Tech The most celebrated defensive player in the country came away looking like a neighborhood bully on the make for lunch money after a first-quarter encounter with Pittsburgh punter Greg DeBolt. The 6-foot, 185-pound DeBolt was little match for Arrington, the 6-3, 230-pound All-America linebacker. Arrington's misguided efforts drew a pair of personal fouls and the derision of everyone but coach Joe Paterno, who surprisingly called the altercation "a good lesson for him." Afterward, Arrington's defensive performance (four tackles, one interception and block of the potential game-winning field goal) was merely a footnote. 7. Michael Vick flip Last year it was Arizona's Ortege Jenkins cartwheeling into the end zone at Washington. This season Virginia Tech's Michael Vick did him one better with a move that would prove to be the coming-out party of highlights. The play resulted in a Hokie touchdown. It nearly put Vick on the bench on crutches for the season. Given that the opponent was James Madison, and the game was well in hand, Vick's zeal could have been costly. Instead, it's become a symbol of the precocious 19-year-old talent that he is. Vick's scoring scamper officially covered 7 yards on the ground, but 5 of them were in the air. While the flight was graceful, the landing left a little to be desired as he came down awkwardly on his right ankle in the end zone. He left the game, but was back in uniform a week later against UAB. 8. Warrick's sideline stint Unlike the artistry he showed in the season-opener against Louisiana Tech, the most lasting image of Warrick from the first half of the season has to be him standing on the sidelines of the Miami game. He was reduced to spectator status by a suspension following a felony charge for the theft of some clothing. On this day, Warrick was wearing a red Seminoles golf shirt in place of his usual No. 9 jersey, a gold cross draped around his neck. If nothing else, fans retained their sense of humor. One held a sign that read: "If the shirt don't fit, you must acquit." Tallahassee prosecutors apparently weren't paying attention. 9. Mount Union breaks the all-time win streak The buildup was mostly conducted in anonymity, but the 48th consecutive win for the Mountain Union Purple Raiders put them in a class by themselves. The game was played before a record crowd of 7,132 in Mount Union Stadium, capacity 5,000. No doubt, years from now 10 times that number will say they were there. Mount Union, a 2,000-student school in northeastern Ohio, has won 70 of its last 71 games. The 48th in a row -- over Otterbein by a 44-20 score -- broke Oklahoma's 42-year-old all-division record of 47 consecutive victories. 10. Moss' touchdown two-step against Ohio State It was billed as a shocker. Six games later it was more of a portent of things to come for Ohio State. Miami receiver Santana Moss did his best Fred Astaire imitation and left a Buckeye secondary without a dance partner in the Hurricanes' 23-12 victory in the Kickoff Classic. Moss' catch went in the books as a 67-yard TD, but mere statistics do little justice to his athleticism.The touchdown came eight seconds before halftime, gave Miami a 14-point lead, set the tone for the rest of the game, and for the Buckeyes, some might argue, for the rest of the season. Moss adjusted to an underthrown ball that was begging to be picked off, leaped and hip-faked Ahmed Plummer, Gary Berry and Nate Clements to the turf in one smooth motion, then sashayed into the end zone with a controlled arrogance that said "Miami is back." | ALSO SEE
Chalk Talk: Who will be No. 1?Midseason Report: Top 10 games Midseason Report: Games to watch Midseason Report: Top Upsets Midseason Report: Surprising Teams Midseason Report: Surprising Players Midseason Report: Disappointing Teams Midseason Report: Disappointing Players Midseason Report: Herbstreit's fabulous freshmen Midseason Report: Conference highs and lows  Harig: Halftime showVideo Plays of the Season | |||||
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