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Oregon coach celebrates new contract with loss

Associated Press Arizona Daily Wildcat Oregon football coach Mike Bellotti directs the team this summer at Eugene, Ore., as they prepare for their game at Michigan State last Thursday. Bellotti has agreed to a seven-year contract that could pay the Duck's fifth-year coach in excess of $800,000 a year.

The most successful program in the Pacific 10 Conference over the last five years just gave its coach a raise.

The Oregon Ducks, who are 39-23 since 1994, gave coach Mike Bellotti a seven-year contract extension that could be worth as much as $800,000 annually. This contract replaces Bellotti's old deal that would have paid him as much as $470,000 a year through the 2001 season.

Bellotti's new deal will pay him a base salary of $520,000 annually with incentives worth up to $280,000 if the Ducks win the national title and sell at least 40,000 season tickets.

To celebrate, Bellotti took his team to Michigan State on Thursday night and lost 27-20 to the Spartans after leading 17-7 in the first half.

However, all was not lost, other than some pride, a national championship bid and a couple hundred thousand dollars for Bellotti. Ducks quarterback A. J. Feeley was 27-for-49 with 343 yards passing, making the Ducks quarterback controversy and Bellotti's headaches over the matter a thing of the past. Feeley was battling sophomore Joey Harrington throughout summer camp and was named Oregon's starting quarterback for the season less than a week ago.

Washington State led all Division I-A schools last year with 40 turnovers, and they seem hell-bent on besting that mark this year.

In their season opener against Utah, the Cougars fumbled the ball four times and leapt ahead of last year's turnover pace while losing to the Utes 27-7. Team captain Nian Taylor personally accounted for two turnovers, fumbling the ball twice. Taylor's ability to hold on to things precious to him seemed solid going into this season - he was charged with malicious mischief for grabbing his ex-girlfriend and hitting her in the chest earlier in the year.

When asked what team Washington State was comparable to, Utah quarterback Darnell Arceneaux said that the Cougars reminded him of San Diego State.

Associated Press Poll 1. Florida State (31)    1-0 2. Penn State (26)    2-0 3. Tennessee (11)    1-0 4. Florida (1)    1-0 5. Nebraska    1-0 6. Michigan    1-0 7. Texas A&M    1-0 8. Miami, Fla.    2-0 9. Wisconsin    1-0 10. Georgia Tech    1-0 11. Virginia Tech (1)    1-0 12. Georgia    1-0 13. Ohio State    0-1 14. UCLA    1-0 15. Arkansas    0-1 16. Notre Dame    1-1 17. Kansas State    0-0 18. USC    1-0 19. Arizona    1-1 20. Purdue    1-0 21. Alabama    1-0 22. Virginia    1-0 23. NC State    2-0 24. Colorado State    1-0 25. Arizona State    1-0

As if the Pac-10 teams weren't hanging their collective heads enough, Texas trounced the Stanford Cardinal 69-17 in front of an ABC regional television audience.

Adding insult to injury, Texas also forced five Cardinal starters from the game due to injury, one of which was All-American candidate receiver Troy Walters with a foot injury.

Despite the loss, Stanford will battle for first place in the Pac-10 next week against Washington State. This game opens Pac-10 play with two 0-1 teams battling for supremacy and .500 records as they go for the early lead in the conference standings.

The USC Trojans humiliated Hawaii 62-7 on Saturday, extending the Rainbow Warriors' losing streak to a nation's worst 19 games in a row.

Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano predicted that the Rainbows would beat the 27-point favorite Trojans by a touchdown, but his home team disappointed the first sellout crowd at Aloha Stadium since 1992 and spoiled new head coach June Jones' debut.

The UCLA Bruins picked up a 38-7 victory against Boise State this weekend, but still has unanswered questions about two areas- the running game and the dress list.

The Bruins mustered only 153 yards on the ground against a less than formidable Boise State defense. Following the suspension of 11 players for improperly obtaining handicap permits, the UCLA Bruins will play No. 13 Ohio State this weekend without three of their offensive starters from a year ago.

The loss of these three starters combined with the poor showing on the ground this weekend could pose problems against the Buckeyes, a Big Ten team notorious for their run-stopping ability.