ASU RESPONDS TO ATTENTION : UPSETTING NO. 1 NEBRASKA TOUCHES OFF A MEDIA FRENZY.

Byline: Jon Wilner

After working in the Notre Dame sports information department in 1993 (Rick Mirer's senior season) and in the Cincinnati SID office during the Bearcats' 1992 Final Four run, Doug Tammaro knows a media blitz when he sees one.

That training prepared him for this week's onslaught. Tammaro currently is the assistant media relations director at Arizona State, and the days following ASU's stunning victory over Nebraska have been as crazy as anything he experienced under the Golden Dome.

By the time Tammaro and his boss, Mark Brand, finished coordinating interviews Saturday night at raucous Sun Devil Stadium, it was Sunday morning. At 1:30, Tammaro began his weekly chore of updating statistics. At 3 a.m., the sports information office telephone rang. It was ESPN radio, calling from the East Coast to set up interviews.

Recognizing the pending blitz, Brand and Tammaro thought it best to stay put. So they napped in the office - Brand on his couch, Tammaro on a medical bed - and answered the phone throughout the night. Sports Illustrated called at 4:30 a.m., its reporter still in shock. (More on the mag in a moment.) By 6 a.m., the ASU SID office was buzzing like a Monday morning. ``And half the people calling from the East Coast didn't know who won,'' Tammaro said.

He worked until 8 p.m. Sunday, then headed home to his wife of five months, Stephanie. ``She wasn't upset at all,'' he said. ``She's an alum. She was pumped.''

The media crush has not relented. There were 20 reporters at coach Bruce Snyder's Sunday press conference, instead of the normal four. His weekly radio show, broadcast from a Tempe restaurant, usually attracts 10 people. This week, there were close to 100.

And in the last four days, Tammaro estimates ASU players and coaches have done well over 100 interviews. ``You never realize how many all-sports radio shows there are until you have a big win and they all come out of the closet,'' he said.

The aftermath: Between 10:30 and 11 p.m. Saturday night, Snyder received 16 calls on his answering machine.

The victory did not hit ASU quarterback Jake Plummer until 3 a.m. Sunday, when he saw Nebraska coach Tom Osborne on TV, trying to explain the Cornhuskers' first loss since the 1994 Fiesta Bowl. ``We beat them! We beat them!' Plummer screamed into his set.

One of the Sun Devil Stadium goalposts made it to Mill Ave., which is four blocks west of the stadium.

Sports Sillystrated: Instead of the ASU-Nebraska game, Sports Illustrated's cover this week features Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier for a story on their long-running feud. Way to react to breaking news, SI. What's next? Emmitt Smith, in his swimming pool, on the cover of a July issue?

And that's not all. SI faxes copies of its stories to the various teams featured each week. On Tuesday night, it sent the ASU story to the University of Arizona fax machine by mistake. ``All this,'' Tammaro said, ``and they still don't know the difference between a Sun Devil and a Wildcat.''

Keep it rolling: Snyder is taking every precaution against a letdown for this week's Oregon game in Tempe. (It's the fourth of ASU's five consecutive home games to open the season.)

At 8 a.m. Sunday morning, ``Beat Oregon'' signs were posted throughout the stadium and locker area. And just in case the players spent Sunday morning and afternoon basking in their accomplishment, their Sunday-evening practice went off as scheduled. (Snyder likes to work out on Sundays, then take Mondays off.)

Hindsight is 20-20: There's a two-word explanation for the Cornhuskers scoring 77 points against ASU last year and zero this year: Tommie Frazier.

Sure, the Sun Devils defense is much-improved, and Nebraska's Scott Frost will eventually be a solid quarterback. But it's now clear just how important Frazier was to one of the greatest teams ever, and that he may be the best college player this decade.

The Big Katz: The most sacred uniform in Ohio State history, that worn by two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, has been given to . . . a freshman.

But not just any freshman. Andy Katzenmoyer may be the best rookie linebacker in the country. Ohio State coach John Cooper thought enough of him to move Greg Bellisari, the Buckeyes' leading tackler in '95, from inside to outside linebacker to make room for his future star.

Katzenmoyer wore No. 45 as Ohio's Mr. Football last year at Westerville South High School. Some Buckeyes faithful frowned when he took Griffin's number - they believe it should be retired - but the 1974-75 Heisman winner, now an associate athletic director at the school, has been gracious.

``Hopefully, he'll make them forget who wore it before,'' Griffin said.

Katzenmoyer has 12 tackles and three sacks in two games. The Buckeyes play Notre Dame on Saturday in South Bend.

Around the Pac-10: California has lost talented tailback Tarik Smith for the season with torn medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee. Smith, from Agoura and Oak Park High, had 400 yards and five touchdowns in nine quarters before suffering the injury in the first quarter against Nevada.

Washington freshman quarterback Brock Huard is the real deal, already one of the best passers in the league after just 46 collegiate attempts. He leads the conference in passing efficiency (163.24). UCLA sophomore Cade McNown is second.

Despite an 0-3 start and 1-10 record last year, Oregon State coach Jerry Pettibone's job isn't in immediate danger. ``I will go before anyone goes,'' Beavers athletic director Dutch Baughman told the Eugene Register-Guard.

Cal's three victories equal its total of last season. But before Bears fans get too excited, consider the opposition: San Diego State, Nevada and San Jose State. With Oregon State this week, Cal should be 4-0 entering an Oct. 5 date at USC.

Arizona quarterback Keith Smith reportedly has $200,000 in a trust fund, the result of his contract with the Detroit Tigers. If he opts for baseball by July, the money's his. Meanwhile, the Newbury Park grad is drawing interest off the amount.

Top 10

1. Florida (3-0)

Gators' offense as good as ever, and the defense is better.

2. Notre Dame (3-0)

A victory Saturday over Ohio State means Irish should be 10-0 entering finale at USC.

3. Florida State (2-0):

We'll see just how good 'Noles are this week against North Carolina.

4. Ohio State (2-0):

If Buckeyes score 70 this week, it's a story.

5. Penn State (4-0):

Joe Pa still snoozing after fourth straight romp. Ohio State on the horizon.

6. Tennessee (2-1):

Vols psyched out by Florida every year, but still an elite team.

7. Miami (3-0):

Countdown to Florida State: 16 days.

8. Michigan (3-0):

No frills offense plus great defense equals trouble for UCLA.

9. Texas (2-1):

No shame in losing to Irish, but 'Horns better be ready for Virginia this week.

10. Colorado (2-1):

Punishing schedule for Team Neuhelsel continues this week at Texas A&M.

Five more to watch: Arizona State (3-0), Kansas State (4-0), North Carolina (3-0), Alabama (4-0), Virginia (3-0), Nebraska (1-1).

SOURCE: Jon Wilner

Player to Watch:

Northern Arizona tailback Archie Amerson. In four games Amerson has 10 touchdowns and is averaging 216.5 yards. A senior from San Diego Morse High School who began his Northern Arizona career as a defensive back, Amerson is on pace to shatter the Division I-AA single-season rushing record of 2,255 yards - set in 1994 by Butler's Arnold Mickens. He gained 289 yards against Portland State last week.

Game of the Week:

No. 4 Ohio State at No. 5 Notre Dame: Let's start with the national title implications. Notre Dame has only two tough games remaining - Washington at home, USC on the road - making this a major step to the land of 11-0. Ohio State has Penn State, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan left, plus the Rose Bowl commitment.

The Buckeyes beat Notre Dame 45-26 last year in Columbus and have scored over 70 points in two games this year, against Rice and Pittsburgh.

Notre Dame is a home underdog - about as common as a Nebraska loss.

Among the other significant games this weekend: Texas at Virginia, North Carolina at Florida State, Penn State at Wisconsin, Colorado at Texas A&M, Virginia Tech at Syracuse, UCLA at Michigan.

The defense rests

In the continuing effort to explain the Pac-10's fall from national dominance, this week we examine defense - or lack of it.

Last season only two teams, Stanford and Arizona State, surrendered more than 400 yards per game. This year the total stands at four: Oregon State (411.7), Washington State (444.7), Oregon (447.3) and Cal (485.3).

In addition, only one team, Arizona State, allowed 30 points per game in 1995. This year, three teams are more porous: Oregon (35), Washington State (38.3) and Oregon State (41).

Also, Arizona's usually stingy defense - tagged ``Desert Swipe'' after eight interceptions in four games - is having trouble. The Wildcats have allowed 895 yards the past two games. Desert Swipe? How about Desert Sieve?

MEMO: Jon Wilner's college football column appears weekly in the Daily News.

CAPTION(S):

2 Boxes

Box: (1) TOP 10 (see text)

(2) THE DEFENSE RESTS (see tex t)