Disneyland Pigskin Classic Football Game

The Disneyland Pigskin Classic football game, which has been marked by appealing matchups but lackluster crowds, might be making its final appearance in Anaheim Stadium Aug. 29. Disneyland's five-year contract to sponsor the event expires after this year's game between Fresno State and Ohio State, and "it's just very unlikely they'll renew it," said Orange County Sports Assn. Executive Director Don Andersen, whose group promotes the game.

New USC Coach Paul Hackett will get a national stage on which to make his debut. The Trojans have added a 12th game at the top of their 1998 football schedule by agreeing to take part in the ninth annual Pigskin Classic. USC will host the event, facing Purdue on Sunday, Aug. 30, at the Coliseum. The game will be shown by ABC. USC had been scheduled to open its season Sept. 12 at the Coliseum against San Diego State.

Colorado and Tennessee will meet in the inaugural Disneyland Pigskin Classic on Aug. 26 at Anaheim Stadium. Sources from both schools and the Orange County Sports Assn. confirmed the matchup, which will be announced at a press conference at 10:30 a.m. today at Disneyland. Coaches from both schools are expected to attend. Each team is guaranteed $550,000 and 25% of the profits after expenses. Although a television contract has not been signed, Orange County Sports Assn.

The Pigskin Classic, held in Anaheim Stadium the past five years before Disneyland dropped its $1-million-a-year sponsorship, will be played in August at the University of Michigan, with the Wolverines as one of the two competing teams. Michigan's opponent for the Aug. 26 game has not been selected.

It was vintage John Robinson offense. Student body right. Student body left. There were option plays galore. Pinpoint pitches. Power bursts up the middle. One problem--it wasn't Robinson's much-ballyhooed ball-control offense. It was North Carolina's. So much for The Debut, or at least the one everyone was talking about.

When Fresno State and Ohio State meet at the Disneyland Pigskin Classic Monday night, a crowd of 30,000 is expected, said Orange County Sports Assn. Executive Director Don Andersen, whose group promotes the game. "We're disappointed that our attendance will be on the low side," Andersen said. Because the Angels were scheduled to play a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians this weekend at Anaheim Stadium, the Pigskin Classic had to scheduled on Monday.

A Nebraska-Fresno State matchup in the Pigskin Classic fell through Tuesday when Cornhusker Athletic Director Bill Byrne informed Pigskin officials that Nebraska would not play in the Aug. 29 game in Anaheim Stadium. Nebraska, expected to have one of the nation's top college football teams next season, received an official invitation to the game Monday. Don Andersen, executive director of the Orange County Sports Assn.

Although ratings for Wednesday's Disneyland Pigskin Classic trailed several game shows and situation comedy reruns, it did draw more viewers than the programming KTLA Channel 5 presented Tuesday. According to figures released Thursday by the A.C. Nielsen Co., Texas A&M's 10-7 victory over Stanford drew a 4.6 rating. With each rating point being equivalent to 48,751 households, it means about 224,000 households were tuned it. The 4.

Organizers of the third Disneyland Pigskin Classic on Aug. 26 at Anaheim Stadium have created a unique fund-raising method for the county's high school athletic programs that have been hit hard by budget cuts over the past three years. The Orange County Sports Assn. has set aside a section of end-zone tickets priced at $15 each that are being offered to local high schools to sell as a fund-raiser. For each ticket sold, a high school will keep $7.50.

For $550,000, plus 25% of the net profits, Colorado's Bill McCartney and Tennessee's Johnny Majors didn't have to jump through hoops, but they did have to walk with chipmunks, talk with mice and shmooze with the rest of the frolicking Disney menagerie in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle Wednesday. If you thought McCartney was embarrassed at the Orange Bowl, you should have seen him being escorted across the draw bridge by Chip--or was it Dale?

The end has been expected for several weeks, and Disneyland made it official Tuesday, announcing it will not renew its sponsorship of the Pigskin Classic at Anaheim Stadium. Disneyland's five-year, $5-million sponsorship contract expired after Monday night's game, in which Ohio State beat Fresno State, 34-10. The attendance of 28,513 was the lowest in five years.

Don Andersen was watching the last five years of his life flash before his eyes, checking the fading pulse of his dying football game from a joyless, all-too-private suite atop Anaheim Stadium. Andersen probably preferred it this way, to spend these last few moments alone in quiet contemplation, but come the third quarter, the men from the newspapers were knocking at his door. Vultures. Obituary writers.

When Fresno State and Ohio State meet at the Disneyland Pigskin Classic Monday night, a crowd of 30,000 is expected, said Orange County Sports Assn. Executive Director Don Andersen, whose group promotes the game. "We're disappointed that our attendance will be on the low side," Andersen said. Because the Angels were scheduled to play a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians this weekend at Anaheim Stadium, the Pigskin Classic had to scheduled on Monday.

The Disneyland Pigskin Classic football game, which has been marked by appealing matchups but lackluster crowds, might be making its final appearance in Anaheim Stadium Aug. 29. Disneyland's five-year contract to sponsor the event expires after this year's game between Fresno State and Ohio State, and "it's just very unlikely they'll renew it," said Orange County Sports Assn. Executive Director Don Andersen, whose group promotes the game.

After failing to lure Nebraska, organizers of the Disneyland Pigskin Classic have targeted Ohio State for the Aug. 29 college football game at Anaheim Stadium. The Big Ten co-champion has been offered a spot to play Fresno State, but whether the Buckeyes accept is up to Coach John Cooper and the team, Athletic Director Jim Jones said Thursday. Don Andersen, executive director of the Orange County Sports Assn., which stages the game, is optimistic.

A Nebraska-Fresno State matchup in the Pigskin Classic fell through Tuesday when Cornhusker Athletic Director Bill Byrne informed Pigskin officials that Nebraska would not play in the Aug. 29 game in Anaheim Stadium. Nebraska, expected to have one of the nation's top college football teams next season, received an official invitation to the game Monday. Don Andersen, executive director of the Orange County Sports Assn.

Nebraska, which is expected to have one of the nation's top college football teams next season, and Fresno State have agreed to play in the Pigskin Classic Aug. 29 in Anaheim Stadium. Don Andersen, executive director of the Orange County Sports Assn., said athletic directors from both schools have accepted invitations to the game.

It was vintage John Robinson offense. Student body right. Student body left. There were option plays galore. Pinpoint pitches. Power bursts up the middle. One problem--it wasn't Robinson's much-ballyhooed ball-control offense. It was North Carolina's. So much for The Debut, or at least the one everyone was talking about.