And after last week's convincing 28-9 rout of No. 21 Washington (then No. 16), who could argue.

So who was that flabbergasted guy standing behind the makeshift podium in the post-game media conference late Saturday afternoon?

"There will be some great lessons from this football game," the new guy responded to a question about Ohio State's struggle to hold off 32-point underdog San Diego State, 16-13. "They key will be what will we do with these lessons?"

He struggled for words. Much as the 2-0 Buckeyes vaunted offense struggled for yards. One hundred and ninety-six, to be exact.

"We were ready to play," Aztecs linebacker Kirk Morrison said after he led a charge that stuffed O.S.U.'s power running game into a 76-yard package. "I'm not sure about the national champions [Buckeyes]. I've never been a moral victory guy, but no one expected us to be in the game. Thirty-two-point underdogs? I took offense to that."

The Aztecs (1-1) took it to the Bucks big time in the first quarter as Matt Dlugolecki hit Wesley Williams for an early touchdown that shocked the 104,000-plus Buckeye (and sun) worshippers.

Then after a futile Ohio State possession, Dlugolecki drove the Aztecs deep into O.S.U. territory again, with Williams appearing to be open in the end zone for a potential 14-0 lead. But Chris Gamble's desperation thrust allowed him to get a couple of fingertips on the ball and it deflected to Will Allen on the goal line and the Buckeyes safety dodged and weaved his way 100 yards to wake up the crowd and the Bucks.

San Diego State did not go gently, forcing Bucks quarterback Craig Krenzel into an uncharacteristic 5-for-20 day passing and repeatedly jamming the line of scrimmage. Three Mike Nugent field goals were all the Buckeyes could manage the rest of the way.

It was a performance that produced a hearty sportsmanlike moment as the final seconds wore down.

"The fans clapped for us going off the field," Aztecs coach Tom Craft said appreciatively. "That was a first. Their experience was the final difference today."

The missile headed Ohio State's way this week comes from Raleigh, N.C. And after a very disappointing 38-24 upset at Wake Forest, you can be sure North Carolina State will be in a foul mood as it visits the Horseshoe.

The Gang Up North Loads Up

So far this year, Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr is an equal opportunity guy when it comes to the 2-0 Wolverines offense. Points and yards came from everywhere, but not to be lost in the statistical mishmosh of the No. 5 Wolverines' 50-3 victory over Houston (1-1) was a powerful 184-yard, two-touchdown effort by tailback Chris Perry, one of the nation's best.

"Chris Perry has a great competitive spirit," Carr praised. "He wants to be great. He wants to have the football. He's highly energized."

The energizers were everywhere on both sides of the ball and dispelled any thoughts early they would be looking ahead to this week's foe:

Notre Dame in Ann Arbor.

Come-From-Ahead Heartburn

Last year was emblazoned on the minds of the Northwestern Wildcats as they ground out their practice reps this past week. Visions of Anthony Butler dashing hither and yon, the Air Force defense swarming talented Brett Basanez, N.U.'s quarterback, and pinning a 52-3 number on the Wildcats.

On a day when Joey Ashcroft supplanted Attorney General John Ashcroft in the unpopularity on this left-leaning campus, the 'Cats were left to scramble for logical explanations for their 22-21 defeat.

It all seemed to come together Saturday at Ryan Field in Evanston as N.U. bolted to a 21-7 lead and its stout defense made it stand up through three quarters. But never did the term "60 Minute Man" carry more meaning.

Last year, playing at 7,425 foot altitude, the Wildcats' fast fade was at least partially understandable. But this time, it was just a case of...

WHAT?

"This is going to be a tough one to get over," Randy Walker told the Chicago Sun-Times' Brian Hanley, still trying to piece together the rhyme and reason for his team's loss to the Falcons (2-0) on Joey Ashcroft's 25-yard game winning field goal with 2:01 left. "There's no question about it and I'm not going to try and minimize it. We thought we had some things in hand."

But in the end, after Air Force's Fisher DeBerry made the adjustments and his defense converted two-of-three second half interceptions of Basanez into touchdowns, the Wildcats (1-1) were left to consider what might have been as they prepare for Miami (Ohio).

On and On Wisconsin

The No. 14 Badgers (2-0) found themselves in 34-31 battle with visiting Akron (1-1) with little more than six minutes to go before Jim Sorgi, backed up to his goal line, barely avoided a blitz and fired downfield toward a sprinting Lee Evans, who missed most of last season.

"It was the Lee of old," Sorgi remembered after Wisconsin's 48-31 victory over the game Zips. "Throw it up and let him catch it, make a play."

The Badgers, who host Nevada-Las Vegas this week, rolled up the offense all day. But Akron's 534-yard output had to be troublesome for coach Barry Alvarez, whose team faces a Runnin' Rebels team known to put up points in bunches.

Elsewhere

Illinois (1-1) gave up 511 yards offense to I-AA Illinois State but quarterback Jon Beutjer combined with a powerful running game to produce a 49-22 victory. Illinois transfer Dwayne Smith had 14 catches for 243 yards and two touchdowns for the Redbirds, who hung in for three quarters, trailing only 31-19 going into the fourth.

Game, Setta, Match

Notre Dame's Nicholas Setta, one of the nation's better field goal kickers, blasted five to help the No. 15 Fighting Irish opened their season by overcoming an early 19-0 deficit to Washington State (1-1) and beat the Cougars 29-26... Irish QB Carlyle Holiday was knocked from the game in the fourth quarter and true freshman Brady Quinn, who grew up in the shadow of the Big Horseshoe in Dublin, Ohio, guided the Irish to the tying touchdown. "I was yelling at him (on the sideline), 'Carlyle, if you're conscious, get in the game.' But Quinn stepped up," said coach Tyrone Willingham.

More from the Big Ten

It doesn't take Jeff Smoker long to compare notes with new Michigan State coach John L. Smith's offense and that of former Spartans' No. 1, Bobby Williams. "I love this offense," he said after throwing for 351 yards and three touchdowns in a 44-28 victory over stubborn Rutgers (1-1).

In moving to 2-0, the Spartans took the bumpy road. They trailed Rutgers 21-14 midway in the second quarter, but D'Andrea Cobb's 94-yard kickoff return touchdown started a 28-point Michigan State run. The Spartans host Louisiana Tech Saturday.

Minnesota's Asad Khaliq's 41st career touchdown pass was among the big Golden Gophers offensive output in Minnesota's 48-7 rout of Troy State. They visit Ohio U... Indiana (0-2) hung tough with No. 21 Washington (1-1) , actually taking an early third-quarter 13-10 lead on a Bryan Robertson field goal. But Reggie Williams returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to begin a Huskies string of 28 unanswered points. I.U. hosts I-AA Indiana State this Saturday, one of its few shots at victory this year.

And Finally, They Said It

Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry after his team's 22-21 win at Northwestern on the Falcons' failures to hit wide-open receivers in the first half (Air Force trailed 21-7): "My wife might have completed a few of those."

Lloyd Carr on relative merits of Central Michigan (a 45-7 Michigan victim two Saturdays ago), Houston (whom the Wolverines beat 50-3 Saturday) and this Saturday's home opponent, Notre Dame and a visit to always feisty Oregon Sept. 20: "It's about to get a lot tougher. Much."