College Football News and Notes Week 5

Erickson takes 4th team into AP Top 25
September 23, 2007

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) -- No matter where Dennis Erickson goes, his teams usually end up in the Top 25.

Four games into his first season as Arizona State coach, Erickson has the Sun Devils unbeaten and in The Associated Press poll for the first time this season at No. 23.

Arizona State is the fourth school Erickson has guided into the rankings, along with Washington State, Miami and Oregon State. Only Lou Holtz, with five, has coached ranked teams at more schools. Holtz did it with North Carolina State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame and South Carolina.

No. 1 Southern California and No. 2 LSU, as they have all season, head the Top 25.

USC received 43 first-place votes and 1,601 points. The Tigers got 22 first-place votes and 1,580 points. Both teams won convincingly at home Saturday. The Trojans routed Washington State 47-14 and the Tigers dominated South Carolina 28-16 on a rainy day in Baton Rouge, La.

No. 3 Oklahoma flip-flopped with No. 4 Florida after the Gators had a close call at Mississippi and the Sooner rang up their fourth blowout of the season.

West Virginia is No. 5, followed by California and Texas. Ohio State, Wisconsin and Rutgers round out the top 10.

Cincinnati moved into the rankings at No. 24, marking the first time since 1976 the Bearcats have been in the poll. Like Arizona State, Cincinnati has a new coach. Brian Kelly, who took over after last year's regular season when Mark Dantonio left for Michigan State, has the Bearcats 4-0 for the first time since 1954.

Falling out of the rankings were Louisville, which was upset 38-35 by Syracuse, and Texas A&M, beaten 34-17 by Miami on Thursday.

The Sun Devils (4-0) remained unbeaten with a 44-32 comeback victory over Oregon State on Saturday night. For the second time in three weeks, ASU faced a double-digit deficit in the first quarter and for the second time the Sun Devils stormed back for a decisive victory.

"There's no question it was a great comeback," Erickson said after the victory in Tempe. "We weren't on all cylinders, but one thing about it, we kept competing."

Arizona State is Erickson's sixth stop as a college coach. He spent last season at Idaho, his second tour of duty with the Vandals, and also coached Wyoming in 1986 before moving to Washington State the next year. He won two national titles with Miami and took Oregon State to a Fiesta Bowl victory over Notre Dame.

Erickson coached in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers.

No. 11 Oregon started the second 10 in the AP poll, followed by Boston College, Clemson, Kentucky and Georgia. At No. 14, Kentucky's ranking is its highest since it finished No. 6 in 1977.

South Carolina was No. 16 and Virginia Tech, South Florida, Hawaii and Missouri completed the top 20.

No. 21 Penn State dropped 11 spots after a 14-9 loss to Michigan and No. 22 Alabama fell six spots after losing 26-23 in overtime to Georgia. No. 25 Nebraska also dropped a spot after hanging on to beat Ball State 41-40 at home.

Appalachian State, the Championship Subdivision team that upset Michigan in the first week and prompted the AP to open poll voting to schools from all divisions, didn't appear on any ballots after its 17-game winning streak was snapped by Wofford. Appalachian State received votes in the previous two polls.

Spurrier pulls QB switch; Smelley to start
September 23, 2007

Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Steve Spurrier is at it again, shuffling quarterbacks at South Carolina until he finds someone who plays the ball coach's game.

The latest demotee is Blake Mitchell, a fifth-year senior who only a week ago Spurrier declared would be the one to take the 16th-ranked Gamecocks (3-1) as far as they would go this season.

But after South Carolina's undefeated start ended with No. 2 LSU's 28-16 victory, Spurrier said freshman Chris Smelley would get the start when the Gamecocks return to action this week against Mississippi State (3-1).

It's the second straight year Mitchell's been benched early in the season.

"Blake's had a lot of pressure on him" and that has led to erratic performances, Spurrier said. "So we're going to give Chris Smelley a chance right now."

Mitchell lost his starting spot in 2006 after South Carolina's 18-0 loss to Georgia. He returned late in the season and led the Gamecocks to close with three straight wins -- something that hadn't happened in 33 years.

But Mitchell hasn't looked as sharp so far this year. He was 7 of 16 for 70 yards against LSU before Smelley took over.

The loss dropped South Carolina four spots in this week's ranking and ended their six-game win streak.

Spurrier had been concerned about Mitchell's tendency to hold the ball too long, missing chances to connect with receivers on timing patterns.

Smelley did a good job, Spurrier said, in getting rid of the ball quickly enough to move the Gamecocks. Smelley was 12 of 26 for 174 yards and South Carolina's only touchdown pass Saturday, a 1-yard scoring toss to Kenny McKinley.

Spurrier didn't want to get into particulars about what Mitchell did wrong to lose his spot. "But obviously we weren't going very far and we just decided to let Chris have a chance," Spurrier said. "He threw the ball pretty well, actually."

Spurrier also didn't say if Mitchell or third-stringer Tommy Beecher would come in if Smelley was ineffective or aggravated the sprained right shoulder hurt in the Gamecocks' opener against Louisiana-Lafayette.

"Right now, Chris has a chance to go the distance," Spurrier said.

Spurrier was a Heisman Trophy winner as Florida's quarterback in 1966. He has called his own plays and coached quarterbacks throughout his career -- and that has led to some quick hooks for Spurrier's starters.

Figuring out Spurrier's rotation during his later seasons at Florida was a puzzle. He went with little-used Jesse Palmer against the Gamecocks in 1999 over starter Doug Johnson.

A year later, it was Palmer again going for the Gators in the South Carolina game when Spurrier was dissatisfied with starter Rex Grossman.

In 2006, Spurrier thought Mitchell was ready to do great things as South Carolina's quarterback, saying his player had a chance to be an all-Southeastern Conference pick.

Instead, Mitchell flopped so badly he was replaced after two games by the more mobile Syvelle Newton.

But Mitchell kept his poise and stayed ready. When Spurrier brought him in the second half of South Carolina's game with Arkansas a year back, Mitchell nearly rallied the team back from a 17-point deficit before losing 26-20.

Mitchell started the rest of the season. The way he finished had Spurrier and Gamecock fans hopeful Mitchell would pick up where he left off.

But whether it was a one-game academic suspension that made him miss the opener or a three-interception, one-fumble performance against South Carolina State two games ago, Mitchell did not meet expectations -- and finds himself again out of action.

After the LSU loss, Mitchell was asked what he would do on the sidelines. "Just sit there and wait until, I guess, somebody else messes up and I might get a chance to get back in there," he said.

With Spurrier as coach, that could be as soon as the next game.

Texas Tech def. coordinator resigns
September 23, 2007

Associated Press

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- Texas Tech defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich stepped down Sunday, citing personal reasons in a move that came a day after the Red Raiders lost to Oklahoma State 49-45.

Coach Mike Leach named assistant head coach Ruffin McNeill as the interim defensive coordinator. Setencich, who was in his fifth year as coordinator, will be assigned other duties by athletic director Gerald Myers.

"We appreciate Lyle and the work he did for our program," Leach said. "We wish him and his family the best."

McNeill will coach the linebackers. Charlie Sadler, defensive ends coach, will handle the defensive line, and duties for defensive tackles and special teams will be split among the staff.

McNeill was defensive coordinator at Appalachian State and UNLV. He coached the linebackers at Tech for three seasons from 2000-2002.

Leach said after Saturday's game that his defense needed to "work on having a burning desire to be tougher than the guy across from them."

Oklahoma State had three rushers surpass 100 yards for the first time in school history as the Cowboys gained 366 yards on the ground. They also passed for 244 yards. Tech had 718 yards of total offense in the loss.

Arkansas RB Smith arrested
September 23, 2007

Associated Press

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- Arkansas running back Michael Smith was arrested Sunday on suspicion of using a stolen credit card.

Smith was arrested on felony charges of forgery and theft by receiving. Coach Houston Nutt suspended him indefinitely and said the sophomore will not play next weekend when the Razorbacks host North Texas.

"I am extremely disappointed that he made a decision that reflects poorly on him and the Razorbacks," Nutt said in a statement. "He has been suspended indefinitely. He will not play this weekend and additional actions will be considered after we have an opportunity to fully review the situation."

Smith, whose fumble in the second quarter was a key play in the Razorbacks' 42-29 loss to Kentucky on Saturday night, was expected to remain in jail overnight. A court date was to be set Monday.

According to a police report, another person was arrested for fraudulent use of a credit card, and Smith is suspected of using the same stolen card. Smith said the other person owed him money for gas and gave him the credit card to use.

"Smith was very concerned and stated that he had no knowledge that the card was stolen," the report said. "Smith did admit to making purchases with it."

According the report, Smith used the card for three transactions worth a total of $96.34.

Jasper Brinkley Out for Season

South Carolina All-SEC Linebacker Sidelined With Knee Sprain
Sept. 24, 2007

University of South Carolina senior linebacker Jasper Brinkley will miss the remainder of the 2007 football season after suffering a right knee sprain in the Gamecocks' loss at LSU on Saturday, Head Coach Steve Spurrier confirmed Monday afternoon. Brinkley will undergo surgery at a date not yet determined.

Brinkley, a 6-2, 262-pound middle linebacker from Thomson Ga., was on the pre-season watch lists for the Butkus Award, given annually to the nation's best linebacker; the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is presented to the best defensive player in college football; the Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year; and the Lombardi Award, which honors the nation's top lineman. He was a consensus pre-season All-SEC first-team selection and an All-America candidate.

In four games this season, Brinkley registered 21 tackles, including 15 solo stops. He leads the team with two interceptions, including one in the final seconds to preserve the 16-12 win at Georgia. He has started all 17 games since his arrival on the South Carolina campus.

Brinkley was a first-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press in 2006 after registering a team-leading 107 tackles, including 85 solo stops, the most among the returning SEC players. He was fourth in the league and 55th in the country in tackles, averaging 8.2 stops per game.

The 16th-ranked Gamecocks (3-1, 1-1 SEC) will host Mississippi State (3-1, 1-1 SEC) on Saturday, Sept. 29 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. Kick off is set for 12:30 p.m. ET.

cstv.com

Minnesota Gophers RB Amir Pinnix punished
TwinCities.com

The University of Minnesota football team could have a new starting running back this week.

Displeased with captain Amir Pinnix losing a fumble in a critical situation for the second straight game, Gophers coach Tim Brewster benched his senior starter for the second half of Saturday night's 45-31 loss to Purdue in the Big Ten Conference opener at the Metrodome. Minnesota's three fumbles brought its season total to eight in four games, the most in a season since the Gophers had 10 fumbles in 2003.

Brewster said Sunday that the "decision hasn't been made yet" whether Pinnix would keep his starting spot when Minnesota (1-3) hosts Ohio State (4-0). Freshman Duane Bennett, who led the team with seven carries for 81 yards and a touchdown Saturday, could take his place.

"Those that turn the ball over consistently will not play," Brewster said. "(Pinnix) has just got to understand that we just can't put the ball on the ground. He's put the ball on the ground in two critical situations two weeks in a row."

Pinnix leads the team with 439 yards rushing and three touchdowns but has fumbled twice. Sophomore Jay Thomas has one fumble, while Bennett has none.

"There's some element of explosiveness there," Brewster said of Bennett, who averaged 9.4 yards a carry. "At the point of attack, there's a violence about him that all great backs have. His yards after contact are very good. He's a tough guy. He's a smart guy."

But Bennett had only six carries this season before taking over for Pinnix in the second half Saturday. Pinnix had only one fumble in his career before this season.

Pinnix's first fumble this season came against Florida Atlantic when the Gophers had a chance to cut into a 21-point deficit before halftime. Minnesota received the ball at the 1 after a fumbled punt by the Owls, but Pinnix gave it back on the next play.

Another opportunity to lessen a 21-point deficit before halftime was squandered Saturday against Purdue. Pinnix halted a nine-play drive by losing the ball after a 12-yard gain near the red zone. He was benched for the rest of the game while Bennett and Thomas provided some explosive plays and combined for two touchdowns in the second half. Pinnix had 173 yards rushing in his first career start last season against Purdue, but he finished with 53 yards in five carries Saturday.

"Coach put a lot of emphasis on (ball security) after that incident happened, but we had to put it behind us," said Bennett, an Illinois native. "When it happened, I tried to keep (Pinnix's) spirits up because he's a senior of the group. ... He was on himself real hard."

Pinnix isn't the only offensive starter who should be worried about being benched. Brewster responded "absolutely" when asked whether redshirt quarterback Adam Weber still had to earn his starting role. Weber set a school freshman record Saturday with his 11th touchdown pass this season, but he also threw his eighth interception and fumbled for the third time. He has accounted for 11 of the team's 16 turnovers this year.

"Adam Weber knows that I'm not going to tolerate turnovers," Brewster said. "It takes away from a lot of the good things he did yesterday, and that he's doing this season."

Briefly: Brewster celebrated prematurely when Mike Sherels blocked a field goal in the second quarter Saturday. Jamal Harris was in position for a walk-in touchdown after picking up the loose ball in the open field, but he fumbled before getting to the end zone while trying to switch hands.

"I'm sure there have been plays like that but never that I've watched in person," Brewster said. "I was just absolutely flabbergasted."

Olson back in, Cowan out at quarterback for UCLA
ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES -- Ben Olson is back as quarterback for UCLA, and Patrick Cowan is out again.

Cowan, who helped the Bruins beat Washington over the weekend, has a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee and will be sidelined for approximately three weeks.

After missing the first three games of the season because of a hamstring injury, Cowan got the start against the Huskies because Olson had recurring headaches following the loss at Utah and didn't practice last week.

Redshirt freshman McLeod Bethel-Thompson, a walk-on, is listed as the backup this week when the Bruins travel to Oregon State.

After Cowan was hurt early in the fourth quarter of Saturday's 44-31 victory over the Huskies, Bethel-Thompson engineered drives to one touchdown and two field goals - without throwing a pass.

He had made his debut during mop-up time in UCLA's rout of Stanford in the first game this season, and still hasn't thrown his first collegiate pass.

Last year, Olson went out with a knee injury in the fifth game and Cowan played the rest of the season.

Olson, who for the second year in a row played great in the season opener then tailed off, went 20-of-40, threw three interceptions and no touchdowns, and was sacked five times in the 44-6 loss at Utah on Sept. 15.

He was on the sideline in street clothes for the game against Washington.

UCLA coach Karl Dorrell said Cowan provided the team a spark against the Huskies, and that Olson needs to do the same this weekend against the Beavers.

''We definitely need to see that from Ben from an improvement standpoint. I know he's disgusted with how he played in the Utah game and I know he's working hard already to trying to get himself ready to have a great game,'' Dorrell said Monday. ''He knows what he has to do.''

The coach said Olson isn't worry or feeling negative.

''He's more excited about 'Hey, this is my chance again. I want to get it fixed. Let's go get this done.' That's kind of his attitude right now,'' Dorrell said.

Cowan went 17-of-30 for 147 yards and one touchdown against Washington. He threw one interception and hurt his knee on the play when he tried to make the tackle.

Olson, like Cowan a redshirt junior, has gone 49-of-97 for 702 yards in his three games this fall, with five touchdowns and three interceptions. All five of his touchdown passes came in the opening 45-17 victory over Stanford.

Kahlil Bell, who shares the tailback duty with Chris Markey, said the Bruins are ready to go with any of their quarterbacks.

''Whoever our quarterback is, he's the guy we're going to ride with,'' Bell said. ''We have confidence in all three guys. They're all leaders.''

Bell carried 27 times for 116 yards and a touchdown, and Markey rushed 14 times for 193 yards, including a 72-yard scoring run, as the tailback tandem led the way against Washington.

Bell said it obviously was important for the Bruins to bounce back after the lopsided loss to the Utes.

''A huge morale-booster,'' he said of the win over Washington. ''We know week in and week out in order to win a Pac-10 championship, we're going to have to go out there and perform like that - or better.

''For us to go out there and do what we did two weekends ago (at Utah), that can't happen again, or else everything we've worked for is down the toilet.''

UO's passing game takes a hit

The Ducks lose their leading receiver but have Jaison Williams and others ready to go

The Oregonian

EUGENE -- A couple of weeks ago, Oregon coach Mike Bellotti called this the healthiest football team he has ever coached early in the season, "knock on wood."

He didn't knock hard enough, as the 11th-ranked Ducks (4-0, 1-0 Pacific-10 Conference) will play the entire conference schedule and a probable bowl game without receiver Brian Paysinger, the all-around good guy who was the team's leader in receiving yards before suffering a right knee injury in practice last week.

"It's a horrible loss," tackle Geoff Schwartz said. "He's a great player, great guy, always works hard and does the right thing."

But as good a receiver as Paysinger was, the Ducks have proved he is replaceable -- at least against Stanford -- as they prepare to take on No. 6 California (4-0, 1-0) on Saturday at Autzen Stadium.

Cameron Colvin, a senior who had been the forgotten man in the offense, reminded many of his talents Saturday at Stanford, catching eight passes for 136 yards in the 55-31 win, including a 71-yard touchdown catch on the first play from scrimmage.

"Cameron's just as explosive as Brian was," said receiver Garren Strong, who returned but never could recover from an ankle injury suffered in the second game of last season. "He's a leader, too; he was a senior and all that. Cameron has to get on board and just really focus on what's going on."

Paysinger was not at practice Monday, and there has been a secrecy surrounding the injury since it happened Thursday, when he got his right foot caught in the grass as he was being tackled. Bellotti declined to comment on specifics of the injury, only that it would mean a recovery time of nine to 12 months. Team doctor Robert Crist also wouldn't discuss specifics, citing HIPAA laws.

The injury means that the focal point of Oregon's passing game could again become Jaison Williams, who was among the nation's receiving leaders last year before suffering a back injury in the USC game. And Williams has been something of a good luck charm -- the Ducks are 5-1 when he has 100 or more receiving yards.

"Ironically, it's happened in most of our big games," Williams said.

Williams had five catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns in the second half at Stanford as Oregon outscored the Cardinal 31-0 and quarterback Dennis Dixon -- 12 of 12 in the third quarter -- seemed in one of the most comfortable passing zones he has been in all season.

Although Cal ranks sixth in the Pac-10 in pass defense and is allowing a league-worst 66 percent completion percentage, the Golden Bears are regarded as having a better pass defense than Stanford, which was unable to cool off one of the nation's hottest passers.

Dixon, selected Monday the Pac-10 offensive player of the week for the second time in three weeks, still hasn't thrown an interception this season (he had three last year at Cal). There are only three other quarterbacks in the nation who are interception-free four games into the season (and throwing at least 15 passes a game): Kentucky's Andre Woodson, Cullen Harper of Clemson and West Virginia's Patrick White.

A new target for Dixon is freshman Aaron Pflugrad, who was told last Tuesday that he would be redshirting, only to find out two days later that he was added to the travel squad. He caught one pass for four yards against Stanford.

Dixon won't have a chance to throw to Jamere Holland, though. The former USC receiver, who transferred to Oregon and plans to play in the 2008 season, attended class Monday but did not finish his physical examinations in time to practice.

Safety Ryan DePalo, who returned in five months from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, thanks in large part to a tireless work ethic, said although Paysinger's Oregon career is finished, he could recover in less than nine months.

"It just depends on how much work he puts in," DePalo said. "And knowing Brian, he'll put a whole lot of work in."

Paysinger is not eligible for a medical redshirt because he redshirted in 2003.

Henne gets medical clearance to play; Carr comments on Mallett's endzone celebration

U-M senior quarterback Chad Henne is making progress from his right knee injury and has received medical clearance to play again.

Coach Lloyd Carr wasn't making any promises at his Monday news conference, though, that Henne would return this week at Northwestern.

Henne suffered a right knee sprain late in the first half against Oregon in the season's second week. Carr was asked if freshman Ryan Mallett would make his third straight start after beating Notre Dame and Penn State at Michigan Stadium to help the Wolverines improve to 2-2.

"Do I anticipate him starting? Well, we have to see," Carr said. "Chad took some snaps last week. (Trainer) Paul Schmidt worked him out (Sunday). It's to a point now where the doctors, they really now will leave it up to Chad, how he feels. And then, of course, it will depend on what I see and what I think. So I think as we go through this week, we really are encouraged by where he is. But we just have to look at him and see.

"Certainly we want to make sure that when he comes back, that his mobility is there. At that position, it would be unfair. We're not going to do anything that's going to jeopardize Chad and his ability to react to the pressure that comes with that position, as far as those people trying to get after him."

Henne improved enough to take snaps from center at every practice last week, but Carr said after the Wolverines' win over Penn State that Henne could not have played. He repeated those comments Monday.

"In my judgment, he could not have played," Carr said. "That's not a medical opinion. The doctors, I don't think they would have allowed him to play, either. I didn't ask them because I knew from what I saw that he wasn't ready to go back even if he wanted to."

Though Carr admitted Mallett made more mistakes Saturday than in his first start against Notre Dame, he also had more chances to stumble. He threw nearly twice as many passes (29 to 15) and has a playbook that grows larger each week.

Carr's primary concern is Mallett's inexperience. He has rushed plays and throws, a problem Carr said will improve with time.

The coach had one other concern.

"I think Mike Hart will show him how to act when he gets into the end zone again," Carr said, referring to Mallett's decision to flip the ball in the air Saturday after his first career rushing touchdown. "But you understand, he's only been there once. I'm sure he can do a better job there."

With Henne's return imminent, Mallett's performance will inevitably be compared with that of the senior.

Yet, Carr was quick to cut off a question Monday that began "If Mallett continues to improve ... " and was clearly headed toward an inquiry about a potential quarterback controversy upon Henne's return.

Carr never let the question get that far.

"I think Mallett will continue to improve," Carr said quickly. "That's why at practice and in those games, opportunities where he gets a chance, every snap he gets, he should learn from. So I do expect that he's going to get better. Next question."

freep.com

Ball State RB out indefinitely with knee injury
September 24, 2007

Associated Press

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) -- Ball State running back MiQuale Lewis, who injured his knee late in the Cardinals' loss at Nebraska, will be out indefinitely.

The sophomore from Fort Wayne had a career-high 167 yards rushing at Navy a week earlier and had 122 yards before he was hurt in the fourth quarter of Saturday's 41-40 loss to the No. 25 Huskers.

The extent of the injury wasn't immediately known, although coach Brady Hoke said Monday it could keep Lewis out the rest of the season.

"They have to still do an MRI so I don't want to be too specific because I really don't know what the status of his injury is at this time," Hoke said.

"He's got some damage to his knee and that is all I know. I know he will not play against Buffalo and that creates adversity and opportunities for other players on the team. That is the one thing we talked to our kids about yesterday."

Lewis had rushed for 447 yards and two touchdowns in the Cardinals' first four games. Backup Frank Edmonds, who had gained 132 yards on 32 carries, will likely start in place of Lewis.

"I think we have a lot of confidence in Frank. I know I do," Hoke said. "To be honest, if we didn't feel good about him we wouldn't have recruited him."

Hoke said the Cardinals were "heartbroken" after the narrow loss to one of the nation's top teams.

"We had opportunities to win. I couldn't say that four years ago about our team because these guys went there to win," he said. "We just have to execute better to win these games."

Ball State (2-2) plays Buffalo (1-3) in the Mid-American Conference on Saturday.

Inside the Boxscores - Week 4
VegasInsider.com

Inside the Boxscores is a weekly feature from Matt Fargo that has been widely recognized as one of the best summations in college football. He takes an in-depth look at each game and pulls out the most pertinent information that will help you handicap games in the future. College football is filled with quirky plays, misleading scores and surprise endings. Fargo takes you inside the action.

MIAMI-FLORIDA 34 Texas A&M 17

Miami outgained the Aggies 402-240 as the Hurricanes offense showed signs of life for the first time this season against a solid opponent. Miami jumped ahead 31-0 as the defense completely dominated through the first three quarters, not allowing a point and forcing three turnovers. Over half of Texas A&M’s yards came in the final quarter when the game was well decided as Miami easily covered the field goal.

(3) Oklahoma 62 TULSA 21

Tulsa was in the game throughout the first half and midway through the third quarter until Oklahoma ran off the final 27 points of the game to cover the contest easily. The Golden Hurricane pulled to within 14 points in their opening drive of the second half but the Sooners returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. Oklahoma racked up 553 yards of offense while its defense held Tulsa to -7 yards in the 4th quarter.

(5) WEST VIRGINIA 48 East Carolina 7

West Virginia outgained the Pirates 599-160 including a 397-106 advantage on the ground. East Carolina had crossed midfield only three times prior to scoring its garbage touchdown with under a minute remaining, costing the Mountaineers its first shutout since 2005. West Virginia crossed into Pirates territory on every possession and was a perfect 8-8 inside the redzone as the cover was never in doubt.

Illinois 27 INDIANA 14

Indiana outgained the Fighting Illini 397-386 but three fumbles and an interception led to 10 points while also killing two other drives inside the redzone. Illinois piled up 288 yards rushing on 55 carries (5.2 ypc) while the defense registered seven sacks. The Hoosiers defense allowed only 111 total yards in the 2nd half but the offense was forced to punt on its first four possessions of the 3rd quarter ending any chance of a cover.

(13) Clemson 42 NC STATE 20

Clemson racked up 608 yards of offense but the Tigers had trouble in the redzone as seven trips resulted in four field goal attempts. Clemson scored a touchdown on its first possession and the Wolfpack ran the ensuing kickoff back for a score to tie the game but the Tigers ran off the next 17 points and never looked back with an easy cover. NC State finished with only 202 yards including 55 yards rushing on 23 carries (2.4 ypc).

VIRGINIA 28 Georgia Tech 23

Virginia returned an interception for a touchdown to take a 14-point lead at the end of the 1st quarter before the Yellow Jackets scored the next 16 points to take the lead. The Cavaliers then recovered a fumble in the 4th quarter and scored the game winning touchdown on the next play and covered by 8.5 points. After gaining 175 yards on its first two possessions, the Cavaliers were held to just 179 yards the rest of the game.

(18) SO FLORIDA 37 North Carolina 10

South Florida outgained the Tar Heels 428-164 with 62 of those North Carolina yards coming on its last drive, its only touchdown. The score could have been worse but the Bulls fumbled three times and turned it over on downs on another drive. The Tar Heels had four interceptions which resulted in 13 points for South Florida. A field goal with 11:56 remaining in the second quarter secured the cover for the Bulls.

Syracuse 38 LOUISVILLE 35

Syracuse pulled the upset of the day as it scored on its first play from scrimmage and while Louisville responded with a tying touchdown, the Orange responded right back by returning the kickoff for a touchdown. The Cardinals racked up 628 yards of offense in a losing effort but it was four turnovers that eventually did them in. Six different possessions in Syracuse territory got them no points. The Orange covered by 40 points.

AKRON 27 Kent State 20

Kent jumped ahead 17-7 but the Zips stormed back with 17 unanswered points and the eventual win and easy underdog cover. The Golden Flashes easily won the yardage battle 375-245 but they committed four turnovers, three in the final quarter. Akron scored its first touchdown late in the second quarter by way of a Kent fumble and prior to that, it punted on its first eight previous possessions.

BOWLING GREEN 48 Temple 35

Bowling Green got its revenge from last season as it broke a 21-21 tie by scoring the next 27 points. The Owls were able to put up another touchdown to get back within the 22-point spread and then held the Falcons on 4th down at the 11-yard line to preserve the backdoor cover as they eventually put up another meaningless score. Three Owls fumbles led to 21 points for Bowling Green, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

(25) NEBRASKA 41 Ball State 40

Nebraska barely escaped the upset as the Cardinals were in position to kick the game-winning field goal but the 55-yard attempt sailed wide left. The lead changed hands nine times as the teams combined for 1,162 total yards of offense. The Cornhuskers second to last touchdown came on an interception return while their game-winning score came on an 82-yard drive that used enough of the clock to limit Ball St. on its final possession.

(4) Florida 30 OLE MISS 24

Florida outgained the Rebels 507-390 but needed a late 4th quarter stop to avoid the upset. The Gators jumped ahead 27-9 midway through the 3rd quarter but Mississippi wouldn’t go away as it scored touchdowns on its next two possessions to pull within a field goal. The defense forced a Gator field goal but the offense stalled with 3:01 remaining and never got the ball back. The 3+ touchdown spread was never covered by Florida.

(12) BOSTON COLLEGE 37 Army 17

Army was outgained 573-259 and was held to only seven first downs but an interception return for a touchdown cut the lead to 12 points early in the fourth quarter. The Eagles responded with a two-play drive that went 80 yards to put it away. Even with the yardage disparity, the Black Knights missed some chances as they turned it over on 4th down in their final three possessions, all in Boston College territory but still got the easy cover.

NAVY 46 Duke 43

Duke narrowly missed in pulling off its second straight upset. The Blue Devils took an 11-point lead into the 4th quarter but Navy scored the only 14 points in the final period to hold on. Navy rushed for 304 yards while Duke passed for 428 yards. The Blue Devils hurt themselves as they missed a short field goal while fumbling at the Navy 25-yard line. Four of the Blue Devils touchdown possessions were 54 seconds or less.

B-Y-U 31 Air Force 6

BYU picked off an Air Force pass on the third play of the game which eventually turned into a touchdown as the Cougars built a 24-point lead and never looked back in covering the two-touchdown number. The Cougars outgained the Falcons 452-231 with most of the disparity coming in the first three quarters. BYU ran 24 more plays which gave it a TOP edge of close to 15 minutes more.

Wyoming 34 OHIO U 33

Wyoming jumped ahead 6-0 but Ohio returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown and never gave back the lead until Wyoming scored the game-winning touchdown with 2:02 remaining in the game. The Bobcats had a 16-point lead at one point and still couldn’t hold off the Cowboys despite Wyoming turning the ball over seven times. Ohio managed only 292 yards of offense and fumbled in its last possession to end the game.

COLORADO 42 Miami-Ohio 0

Colorado piled up 634 yards of offense while the defense held the RedHawks to just 139 total yards and recorded its first shutout since early 2005. The Buffaloes amassed 359 yards rushing on 63 carries (5.7 ypc) as they ran 93 offensive plays compared to 49 for Miami. They held the ball for over 40 minutes while the defense forced the RedHawks to punt in 10 of 11 possessions.

(2) L-S-U 28 (16) So Carolina 16

LSU had its toughest fight of the season but the final score was still a little misleading. The Tigers had a 28-7 lead in the 4th quarter thanks in part to a fake field goal in the first half but the Gamecocks tacked on a field goal and then scored the final touchdown on an 80-yard drive for the backdoor cover. 136 of their 261 yards came on those final two possessions. South Carolina had only 17 yards rushing on 27 carries (0.6 ypc).

OKLAHOMA STATE 49 Texas Tech 45

A wild game in Stillwater saw 1,328 yards of offense while the Cowboys got the win thanks to a dropped Red Raiders pass in the endzone. Oklahoma St. forced a punt with 1:49 remaining and scored the go-ahead touchdown on its next play but the Red Raiders were left with enough time to drive down to the 15-yard line before eventually coming up short. The biggest lead by either team was only seven points.

(8) OHIO STATE 58 Northwestern 7

Ohio St. jumped out to a 45-0 lead at halftime as the Buckeyes outgained the Wildcats 396-120. Northwestern returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown for its only score as the offense crossed midfield only two times, both in the second half. Ohio St. had two turnovers and failed on two fourth down attempts so the score could have been even worse. The 23.5-point spread was covered by the 1st quarter.

MICHIGAN 14 (21) Penn State 9

Michigan held the Nittany Lions to three short field goals and then stopped Penn St. on four plays for no yards in the final possession to ice the win. The Wolverines took a 7-0 lead early in the 1st quarter thanks to a fumble recovery and didn’t score again until midway through the third quarter. A missed field goal along with an interception at the end the first half killed two scoring chances.

WAKE FOREST 31 Maryland 24

Maryland built a 24-3 lead and was ready to strike again but the Demon Deacons picked off a pass and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. Wake Forest then scored on drives of 82 and 80 yards with the tying touchdown coming with just three seconds left sending the game into overtime. The Demon Deacons scored in overtime and then registered two sacks on Maryland to pull out the improbable win and cover.

Michigan State 31 NOTRE DAME 14

The Notre Dame offense struggled again with only 203 total yards and nine first downs but the Irish were down only three points at halftime. This was mostly due to a Michigan St. fumble that led to a nine-yard touchdown drive for Notre Dame. Notre Dame crossed midfield only once in the second half as it was able to run only 22 plays on offense. The Spartans benefited from an averaging starting field position on its own 43-yard line.

U-C-F 56 Memphis 20

Central Florida jumped out to a 49-0 lead as it outgained the Tigers 314-47 in the first half in route to a 601-303 advantage in total yardage. Memphis got its offense going in the second half but the game and cover was well decided by that point. It all wasn’t good for the Golden Knights however as they fumbled on three straight possessions in the second half and committed nine penalties.

Third-team QB Antonio Henton charged with soliciting a prostitute
September 25, 2007

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -Ohio State's third-team quarterback Antonio Henton was arrested on charges of soliciting a prostitute.

The 20-year-old Henton entered a not guilty plea Tuesday in Franklin County Municipal Court to the misdemeanor charge. Lara Baker, chief prosecutor in the city's attorney's office, said the penalty carries a maximum six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, but generally results in a small fine.

Henton, a redshirt freshman, was arrested by Columbus police Monday night near campus.

Ohio State said in a statement that Henton will not travel to Minnesota for Saturday's game.

``It's a great disappointment for our Buckeye football family, and we are very concerned for Antonio,'' coach Jim Tressel said in the statement. ``Antonio is keenly aware of the standard we have for ourselves, and that makes this even more disappointing.''

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -Ohio State's third-team quarterback Antonio Henton was arrested on charges of soliciting a prostitute.

A college kid who has to pickup a hooker ???

Michigan player reinstated after acquittal
September 24, 2007

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -Michigan wide receiver LaTerryal Savoy has been reinstated to the team after being acquitted of an indecent exposure charge, coach Lloyd Carr said Monday.

``He's back on the team,'' Carr said during his weekly press conference without elaborating.

Savoy, 21, of Mamou, La., had been accused of exposing himself in July to a woman inside Michigan Stadium. The misdemeanor charge carries up to one year in jail. The 21-year-old woman was an athletic trainer working at a summer baseball camp, according to a report in the Detroit Free Press.

Defense lawyer Nicholas Roumel told The Ann Arbor News the jury in Ann Arbor's 15th District Court took about 30 minutes to reach a verdict Friday.

``I think it says two things,'' Roumel said. ``The evidence was simply not there. And it also says a lot about LaTerryal, that he is not the type of person who would ever do the type of crime that he was accused of.''