BIG TEN ROUNDUP : Minnesota Opens by Losing to San Jose

Jeff Garcia passed for 302 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two scores as San Jose State gave Coach Ron Turner his first victory by defeating Minnesota in its opener, 39-30, Saturday night at Minneapolis.

The Spartans (1-1) rebounded from a 46-16 loss to California and avenged a 26-20 loss at Minnesota last season.

The Gophers have lost seven consecutive games.

Turner came to San Jose from Stanford, where he was offensive coordinator for new Minnesota Viking Coach Dennis Green. He replaced Terry Shea, who went to Stanford to be Bill Walsh’s offensive coordinator.

Minnesota was playing its first game under new Coach Jim Wacker, who spent nine seasons at Texas Christian before coming to Minnesota, where John Gutekunst resigned under fire after coaching the Gophers to a 2-9 record in 1991.

Garcia’s clutch passing enabled the Spartans of the Big West Conference to score on their first four possessions of the second half. Minnesota quarterback Marquel Fleetwood led his team right back on its first three tries but, facing fourth down and a foot at San Jose State’s two-yard line, Fleetwood was stopped for no gain by linebacker Raymond Bowles with 6:14 to play.

Garcia, who completed 20 of 32 passes, then passed to Donald Lindsey for an 11-yard gain on third down to keep the Spartans’ next drive alive. Minnesota didn’t touch the football again.

Iowa 21, Iowa State 7--Jim Hartlieb passed for two touchdowns and set up another with a key third-down completion at Iowa City as the Hawkeyes (1-2) bounced back from losses to North Carolina State and Miami to record their 10th victory in a row over the Cyclones of the Big Eight Conference.

Iowa led, 14-7, at halftime and had no breathing room until Hartlieb threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Harold Jasper with 8:40 left.

Iowa’s Jason Olejniczak ended Iowa State’s final threat with a diving interception of Bob Utter’s pass at the Hawkeyes’ two-yard line with 3:03 remaining.

Iowa State (1-1) had hoped to end its drought against the Hawkeyes with a triple-option offense that Coach Jim Walden installed this year. But Iowa held the Cyclones to 101 yards in the second half and 269 for the game.

Hartlieb completed 14 of 22 passes for 218 yards with one interception. Danan Hughes finished with eight receptions for 133 yards. He had five catches for 100 yards in the first quarter.

Central Michigan 24, Michigan State 20--For the second year in a row, the Spartans lost their season opener to the Chippewas.

A year ago, Central Michigan beat the Spartans, 20-3.

In Saturday’s game at East Lansing, Mich., the Chippewas (1-1) of the Mid-American Conference scored first and never trailed their Big Ten opponents.

Central Michigan’s Joe Youngblood completed 17 of 22 passes for 163 yards, including touchdown pass plays of six and 15 yards to Bryan Tice, who finished with six receptions for 78 yards.

Craig Thomas scored on a two-yard run and Tico Duckett had two one-yard touchdown runs for Michigan State. But Thomas lost a fumble at the goal line--which the Chippewas recovered in the end zone--and Jim DelVerne missed a 31-yard field-goal attempt for the Spartans.

No. 22 Ohio State 17, Bowling Green 6--Raymont Harris came off the bench to rush for 94 yards and a touchdown as the Buckeyes won at Columbus.

It was the first time Ohio State had played another Ohio school in 58 years. The last time was in 1934, when the Buckeyes beat Western Reserve, 76-0.

Bowling Green (1-1), defending champion of the Mid-American Conference, had won 11 in a row, third best in Division I-A behind Miami and Washington.

Ohio State (2-0) was outgained, 277-241, in total offense, but the Buckeyes intercepted four passes and recovered two fumbles.

Illinois 24, Missouri 17--Fullback Darren Boyer scored two touchdowns as the Illini built a 21-0 lead on their first three possessions and held on for a victory at Champaign, Ill.

Illinois’ Jason Verduzco completed 23 of 35 passes for 218 yards and easily won his quarterback duel with Phil Johnson, who had set a Missouri season total offense record last year with 2,187 yards. Johnson completed only one of his first seven passes and finished the first half with only 33 yards.

Trailing, 24-7, at halftime, Missouri got a 51-yard field goal from Jeff Jacke, his career best, in the third quarter.

Indiana 16, Miami (Ohio) 0--Emmett Pride, a redshirt freshman who alternated with sophomore Jermaine Chaney at tailback, rushed for 113 yards in 21 carries at Bloomington, Ind., as the Hoosiers won their season opener.

Chaney, who had 25 yards, scored on a one-yard run, and senior Scott Bonnell kicked three field goals.