When John Robinson left USC for the NFL in 1982, he gave then offensive coordinator Ted Tollner a break that opened the door for Tollner’s first head coaching job. Tollner would eventually lead the Trojans to the ’84 Rose Bowl and an upset victory over No. 5 Ohio State. He still wears the gold Rose Bowl watch.
Now, 14 years later, Robinson may have given Tollner another break.
USC’s 27-20 upset of No. 10 Notre Dame Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum did more than end Lou Holtz’s regular season coaching career with a loss. it did more than snap a 13-year losing streak to the Irish. And it did more than save Robinson’s job.
The win may have opened the door for San Diego State to get a bowl bid.
The loss virtually knocks Notre Dame out of the controversial Bowl Alliance. The same Alliance that virtually requires a Western Athletic Conference team to win 13 games to get in. Most teams only play 11.
But Brigham Young has a chance to do just that. With a win over Wyoming in the conference championship game Dec. 7, the Cougars may lock up an Alliance berth, probably in the Fiesta Bowl. However, despite all those wins, BYU better win convincingly to guarantee its selection.
If the Cougars get to the Fiesta Bowl, that would leave Wyoming (which would be 10-2), Utah (which would be 8-3) and the Aztecs (8-3) alive with two realistic bowl possibilities. One is the Copper Bowl on Dec. 27 in Tucson, Ariz. The other, and most logical for SDSU, is the Holiday Bowl held Dec. 30 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.
The Holiday Bowl normally is required to take the WAC champion, but if that team has a chance for the Alliance, it can opt out. Holiday Bowl officials said they’re not restricted to choosing the loser of the WAC title game.
And if the Copper Bowl takes Wyoming, logic says the Holiday Bowl should take the Aztecs over the Utes. Home crowd means more tickets sold. And that’s what this whole bowl thing is about anyway. Isn’t it?
No second Chance for Air Force
Aztecs defensive lineman Cameron Chance is probably the only Aztec ever to get a touchdown and a grand slam on the same night.
First, the touchdown arguably the Aztecs’ most exciting defensive play of the season. With the Falcons facing a third and ten from the Air Force one-yard line, Beau Morgan pitched the ball to running back Todd Eilers, who swept right. That’s when James Heggins pops Eilers with a crushing tackle that dislodges the ball into mid-air.
Cameron Chance snatched the ball before it hit the ground and rumbled three yards for a SDSU score.
“It was probably the biggest hit of my career,” Heggins said.
Added Chance: “(The ball) hit me right in the chest, man. I felt like Jerome Bettis. It felt good. That’s what I told myself I was going to do set the tone for next year in this game.”
The grand slam? After the game Chance celebrated his touchdown with a late night meal with his family at Denny’s.
