Vinny Testaverde is a big part of the history between Miami and Penn State.

Florida State, Florida, Tennessee, Penn State, and Miami represent five of the top six winning percentages in the '90s. Nebraska is the sixth.

You want wins? In terms of winning percentage, you've got the top four active coaches (minimum five years in 1-A): Phil Fulmer, Joe Paterno, Steve Spurrier, and Bobby Bowden.

You want stars? How about Peter Warrick, Tee Martin, Jamal Lewis, Doug Johnson, LaVar Arrington, James Jackson, and perhaps two dozen other players who will be selected in upcoming drafts.

Throw them into The Swamp, the Orange Bowl, and Doak Campbell and you have a unique day in the sport's recent history.

Here's my suggested itinerary for Saturday: breakfast on Miami's South Beach at the News Cafe... a couple hours on the beach... watch College Gameday at the Clevelander Bar... head to the Orange Bowl for tailgating (yes, it does exist there)... watch the Nittany Lions and Hurricanes, along with a rare O.B. sellout... then head to a chartered Gulfstream for a quick flight to Gainesville... just in time to get to The Swamp for the Vols-Gators' kickoff. Postgame festivities on G-ville's strip.

Lions-'Canes Classics
I'll give you some thoughts on the Sunshine Showdowns in chronological order. Penn State and Miami rarely play -- but they've created some great moments, each gaining one of the program's landmark victories against the other.

In 1979, Miami was a 3-4 team heading to Happy Valley with no chance of upsetting the mighty Lions. A rookie quarterback with a bright future was to be given a fiery baptism in Beaver Stadium. Jim Kelly was only told the night before the game by Howard Schnellenberger that he'd get the start. Kelly, a Pennsylvania native, was entertaining a huge group of buddies and relatives in his room when the coach arrived with the news.

Kelly showed his enthusiasm for his new starting role by getting sick in the locker room, then again as he was leaving the huddle for the first play -- by the way, a completion. Kelly went on to throw for 280 yards and three touchdowns as the huge underdogs pulled off the win that first put Miami on the map.

Four years later, the 'Canes shocked Nebraska for the national title, an accomplishment that Coach Howard traces back to that day at Penn State.

Flash forward to PSU payback Jan. 2, 1987 in the Fiesta Bowl. Final yardage totals: Miami 445, Penn State 162. Final score: Penn State 14, Miami 10. Miami's defense delivered one of the truly dominant performances in bowl history, surrendering a puny eight first downs! Jimmy Johnson's young defensive line coach that night? Butch Davis, who still sounds a little stung when the blown national title shot is brought up.

Miami's seven turnovers made the difference. We hate to heap misery on Vinny Testaverde in an already awful week, but he was terrible. Anybody but a Lions fan recall the name of the guy who made the game-saving pick in the Penn State red zone? Pete Giftopoulos. As in Gift-opolous. Right in his hands. Again, sorry Vinny and (seriously), speedy recovery.

They are less remembered, but UM's 26-21 win in a steamy Orange Bowl in '91 and Miami's 17-14 triumph keyed by a Jessie Armstead interception return were also great battles.

Saturday's edition
My ace researcher (and owner of a Miami championship ring), Chris Fallica swears his Hurricanes are ready for another landmark win. He thought so long before Penn State looked awful against Pitt Saturday. Without that alarming near-loss, the Lions would have been a solid favorite this Saturday. Instead, folks have abandoned the bandwagon as fast as they boarded it following the Arizona Woodshed.

That would be a mistake. Yes, I dropped Penn State on my AP ballot, as a lot of others did. They were unimpressive and had it coming. But I think they'll rebound nicely Saturday.

True, the offensive plan was too conservative against Pitt and Kevin Thompson made two of the worst QB decisions I've ever seen, resulting in picks. The O-line opened few holes and was confused by Pitt's fronts and blitzes. Result: 65 rushing yards, worst total in nine years!

I don't expect the Lions offense to roll up big yards in Miami, either. But, they'll do much better than that and the QB tandem has to play better. In fact, neither team will score much in my opinion.

Kenny Kelly must improve his passing 100 percent from the Ohio State game, and I think the loss of injured back Najeh Davenport will be felt beginning this game.

I'll go AGAINST my guy Fallica (just to make Saturday viewing in the trailer office at Gainesville a little more lively). By the way, he did not play for Miami, nor did he get that championship ring at a swap meet. Just worked in Sports Information.

Vols-Gators
Three ways of looking at this game: One, Florida had everything go wrong that could last year and still only lost on a missed field goal in OT, on the road. So, the breaks even out and at home, the Gators prevail. That's one theory. Or, two, Tennessee is the deeper, more seasoned team, with a much stronger defense, but won't overcome the legendary Swamp-factor and UF wins. Finally, there's door No. 3: The Vols are better for all the above reasons, and having cleared the Gator "mental block" a year ago, will be unfazed by the raucous din, and snap the home streak at 27.

Swamp talk
It's an interesting debate, this whole Swamp thing. Tennessee players say they love to play there -- that it's no big deal, that the fans will be no factor at all. Deon Grant says, "We'll go out there like it's our house and take it over."

Hmmm.

Another Vol says the place is no tougher to visit than Kentucky's Commonwealth Stadium. Raynoch Thompson refuses to call it The Swamp. He says he's from the REAL swamp: Louisiana.

These are all great quotes, but the Gator players are just chuckling. They say just wait. If it's not an intimidating place to play, why is UT 0-for-6 there since 1971? And what about that 27-game streak?

Steve Spurrier believes the Florida faithful will "do their part" Saturday night. I've been on The Swamp's sidelines for visits from the Vols and the Seminoles. The noise level is about as bad as it gets. But the key thing is, it's sustained noise. Three and a half hours' worth. The crowd doesn't let up and never lets you clear your head. Why? Because the Gators rarely let opponents' take the crowd out.

The last opposing coach to win there was Terry Bowden. He made some good points in a converstaion we had Wednesday. He said SEC teams are used to loud, hostile places. Georgia, LSU, Alabama, Auburn, even South Carolina's places are close to the size of The Swamp. They can all be real loud. Trust me, he's right.

The difference is the combination of the loud, ornery fans and the great Gator talent. Especially the latter. Gator talent rarely lets opponents take the big crowd out of the game and the aggressive fans are not familiar with the concept of mercy.

The exception would be four years ago, when Peyton Manning and the Vols jumped way ahead, silenced the crowd, only to self-destruct in the second half.

Here's the point: The '99 Vols are stocked with guys who have come through so often, and accomplished so much, that they can bring what Bowden says is the other essential ingredient to winning at Florida: "genuine" confidence.

Not the fake, talk yourself-into-believing variety. The real thing. Auburn had it in 1994 (with a 15-game win streak) and the '93 FSU team coached by Terry's dad did, too. Still, it took hugely heroic plays late in those games to get it done.

Thursday waffling
It's too early to commit... yet. Have to get a feel for Tennessee's readiness. Need to talk with Florida's "Ball Coach." See if the porous defensive performances (784 passing yards) are cause for true alarm, or just sandbagging.

But right now, I'll tell you I am leaning to the Big-Name Vols over the No-Name Gators. For bonus points and a berth on Regis' quiz show... Can anybody outside the state name two Florida defensive starters?

Harmony in Huskerland -- finally?
Name another undefeated, top five team that has outscored its opponents by 80 point in two games that has a starting I-back quit the team, starting QB get moved to wingback, and backup QB promoted. You can't.

That's the kind of thing that happens to 0-2 teams, except at Nebraska. Here's what I was told: the idea to make the official switch of Bobby Newcome from QB to WB came Monday morning -- from Bobby Newcombe!

He went to Frank Solich and stated that Eric Crouch was playing better than he was. That Crouch deserved to start, for the good of the team. That he would like the chance to play wingback.

Wow. For a guy as fiercely competitive as Bobby, that had to be very hard. It was also very unselfish. It made it very easy for Solich to make the move, without alienating one QB and risking a rift in the team.

The offense could now get really imaginative, with Newcombe doing all sorts of things from the wingback position, including throwing passes. By the way, did you catch Florida State's use of WR Peter Warrick and FB Dan Kendra under center Saturday night? The Noles actually have four guys who've played QB at various times on the field at once when Anquan Boldin is healthy.

At Nebraska the only remaining concern -- and it's a biggie -- is the I-back position. The "retirement" of D'Angelo Evans is not a big deal becauuse, sadly, he was rarely healthy the last three years anyway.

Correll Buckhalter returns from a one-game suspension for his mini-departure last week to find himself just beneath Dan Alexander on the depth chart. Neither guy is a home-run threat, though. Buckhalter was the top guy a year ago but typically got run down by linebackers. Alexander is a Joe Weider-disciple-body-builder type who likes to truck over defenders.

I'll leave you with a truly alarming stat by Nebraska standards: in the last 10 games -- almost an entire season's worth -- the Husker I-back position has produced exactly TWO runs of 25 yards or longer.

That used to be a quarter's worth in the eras of Rozier, Craig, Hipp, Green, and Phillips, to mention a few. The Husker line hasn't been pancaking people -- but coaches are satisfied with its play against nine man fronts.

The final difference: Tom Osborne isn't calling the plays, from a playbook he basically created. Solich doesn't have a quarter-century experience at that job. It has to be a factor. The Huskers, after all, have been facing nine man fronts for a long time.