Publication Date: Friday Oct 17, 1997

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: It's win, or else, for Stanford

The buzz words this week: "Single elimination tournament." Those are the words being bandied about both by Stanford coaches and players, and by the Arizona State coach. That's "single-elimination" as in one more loss probably means there's no longer a chance at the Pac-10 title.

That means so long Pasadena. Cancel the order for a dozen roses. Call off the parade. Send in the travel agents, maybe there's room left in San Diego, El Paso or Honolulu.

"We strive to be the best, so we want to go to the Rose Bowl," said Stanford linebacker Chris Draft, who returned to the lineup after missing 3 1/2 games with a pulled hamstring. "It's like a single-elimination tournament. We have to win the rest of our games if we want a shot of going to the Rose Bowl."

With his return to the lineup last week, the tandem of Draft and ILB Jon Haskins is back intact. The two seniors are considered one of the best pairs of linebackers in the Pac-10. "We both have similar strengths," said Draft. "We both want to do whatever it takes to get to the ball. We'll scratch and claw our way to the ball."

When Draft pulled his hamstring, Haskins was moved to Draft's position and Sharcus Steen and Mark Stockbauer got playing time at Haskins' spot.

"When I went out, (Haskins) stepped up and did a great job," said Draft. "We have a good feel for each other, and he knows what calls I'll make."

"His speed at linebacker gives us a dimension, that when he's out, we don't have," Stanford coach Tyrone Willingham said. "He also gives us leadership and gives the defense more confidence."

For somebody this week--No. 25 Stanford hosts Arizona State on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.--a loss changes the way they think about the rest of the season. That Jan. 1 bowl game will probably be out of reach for the loser. The winner gets to play for keeps again the following week. Both teams come into the game 2-1 in the Pac-10 and 4-2 overall.

"There are a lot of chips on the table," said Arizona State coach Bruce Snyder. "The winner of our conference will have no losses or one, I don't believe they'll have two. We're in a single-game elimination."

What are the odds of the champion having two losses? "Not going to happen," said Snyder. "One in a million."

Arizona State went last year, Stanford thinks it has the team to go this year. Something is going to give this week.

"Coach told us the Pac-10 champion will have no more than one loss," said Stanford fullback Jon Ritchie.

"It's probably unlikely the conference champion would have two losses," said Stanford coach Tyrone Willingham.

Which makes this game all the more important.

The Cardinal needs to re-establish their running game, which netted a miserable 11 yards against Arizona, and they have to hold onto the football. Stanford lost five of eight fumbles last week.

"The fumbles are not characteristic of our football team," said Willingham. "They all happened in different situations. Some were the result of giving the extra effort for more yardage, some were goofs on our part. I don't think you can totally ignore it, but you can't dwell on it. You have to have an awareness."

"I'm sure we'll all concentrate a little more on securing the ball," said Ritchie. "I think we were all bewildered by it."

Ritchie knows his team has to run the football to win. He also knows the Cardinal wasn't so hot in that category last week against Arizona.

"Any time you rush for 11 net yards it's a concern for the next few weeks," he said. "We have to keep doing what's made us successful the previous games.

"Arizona was a frustrating game. I have no answer for that game," Ritchie said. "With all the turnovers we committed, it was tough to get anything going, tough to establish ourselves offensively. We know we can run the ball. We know we had a terrible game. We know what not to do. We need to hang onto the ball. From week to week our job remains the same.

"Defense doesn't dictate the game to us. We should dictate the game to them. That's what we failed to do."

Ritchie, though he's only carried the ball nine times for 45 yards, has been given credit for helping running backs Mike Mitchell and Anthony Bookman gain over 100 yards each in three successive contests with his blocking ability. Ritchie and Comella share the fullback position, and have been alternating starting assignments.

"We're in a similar situation when we were 2-5 last season," said Ritchie. "Losses are no longer an option. We still have a lot to prove. I hope we can recover from the loss and do what we did last year when we kept winning. We have to focus on improving ourselves each week because that is possible." 

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