To know list: 8 is enough—unless you're talking Oregon and turnovers, in which case it's nine

Sporting News, The, Oct 6, 2003

(4) NAME OF THE WEEK Joffrey Lupul

By now, many of you have read about Jordin Tootoo, the Predators' pint-sized but fiery prospect who's trying to become the first Inuk in the NHL--all while looking for good raw seafood in Nashville Mighty Ducks rookie Joffrey Lupul, 20, is the next name you should know. (Say it with us: "JAH-free LOO-puhl.") The 6-1 194-pound Lupul is young, sure, but he can put the biscuit in the basket (127 goals in three WHL seasons), and the Ducks are looking for offense. Plus, they have injury problems on their second line and need someone creative to play with sophomore sensation Stanislav Chistov. Jah-Loo might be just the answer.--P.G.

(5) IT'S AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN

Northern Illinois--a nice story with a lame ending

Settle down, DeKalb. Don't sweat it, BCS boys. Everything will work itself out as it always does.

A mid-major makes a splash early in the season with some key nonconference wins, then runs into problems within its league schedule because--whaddya know--everyone in its conference knows how to scheme it. This year's candidate is Northern Illinois, which after three wins against solid BCS programs (Maryland, Alabama and Iowa State) is thinking about eating at the big table, Forget it. Like the teams before them, the Huskies--with several tough MAC challenges ahead, including games at Bowling Green and at Toledo--don't stand a chance.

The little guy      The hype                  The reality

Fresno State,       Beat Colorado, Oregon     Lost to Boise State
11-3 in 2001        State and Wisconsin.      and Hawaii; didn't win
                                              the WAC.

BYU, 12-2 in 2001   Won its first 12 games.   Gave up 72 points in a
                                              mauling at Hawaii;
                                              quickly was forgotten.

TCU, 10-2 in 2000   Won its first seven;      Lost at lowly San Jose
                    reached the top 10.       State.

Marshall,           Had a spotless regular    Its nonconference
13-0 in 1999        season, with a win over   schedule wasn't BCS
                    Clemson.                  worthy; hello, Motor
                                              City Bowl.

(6) DIRTY 30

Downhill runners

Age may be only a number, but if you're an NFL running back, none is bigger than 30. Marshall Faulk, Eddie George and Curtis Martin all hit the milestone age this year; Priest Holmes will join them on Tuesday. Though there may be a difference between an "old" 30 (Faulk, who has been his team's primary ball carrier throughout his college and NFL career) and a "young" 30 (Holmes, until 2001, had been a backup for much of his career), history has not been kind to running backs once they reach that age.

Of the top 50 rushers in NFL history, these are the five who increased their rushing yardage totals the most, and those who suffered the biggest declines, from the year in which they turned 29 to the year in which they turned 30.--Dave Sloan

BIG GAINERS                       Turned 29   Turned 30   Difference

Wilbert Montgomery, Eagles,       139 yards   789          650
  1983-84
Marcus Allen, Raiders, 1989-90    293         682          389
Chuck Muncie, Chargers, 1982-83   569         886          317
James Brooks, Bengals, 1988-89    931         1,239        308
Walter Payton, Bears, 1983-84     1,421       1,684        263

HIT FOR A LOSS                    Turned 29   Turned 30   Difference

O.J. Simpson, Bills, 1976-77      1,503       557         -946
Mike Pruitt,Browns, 1983-84       1,184       506         -678
Eric Dickerson, Colts, 1989-90    1,311       677         -634
Roger Craig, 49ers, 1989-90       1,054       439         -615
Lydell Mitchell, Chargers,        820         211         -609
  1978-79