College Football News and Notes Week 6

Florida captain charged with felony burglary
Associated Press

Florida safety Tony Joiner was arrested early Tuesday and charged with felony burglary, police said.
Joiner, a senior captain who ranks fifth on the ninth-ranked Gators with 20 tackles, was arrested around 5 a.m. outside the fenced impound lot of a towing company, Gainesville police said.

Joiner was accused of pushing an electric gate open to enter the lot in an attempt to retrieve his girlfriend's car, which was being held in lieu of a $76 towing bill, a police report said.

According to the report, witnesses said Joiner opened the gate to the towing company, got into a car, drove out of the lot and was trying to close the gate when he was confronted by one of the witnesses. The witness said Joiner drove back into the lot and waited for police to arrive.

The arresting officer, Robert Concannon, wrote that Joiner was talking on a phone when he walked up. Concannon said he heard Joiner say, "I am probably about to go to jail 'cuz I did push the gate open."

Florida coach Urban Meyer was aware of Joiner's arrest and planned to address it after practice Tuesday.

Joiner's arrest came two days after three players were questioned about a shooting outside a downtown nightclub. The players were not considered suspects, but their names were given to police as people who may have witnessed the shooting that happened several hours after the Gators lost 20-17 to Auburn.

Stanford QB Ostrander suffers seizure; will miss USC game
October 2, 2007

Associated Press

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) -- Stanford quarterback T.C. Ostrander will miss this week's game against No. 2 Southern California after having a seizure at a restaurant over the weekend.

Ostrander was watching former teammate Trent Edwards play on television for the Buffalo Bills when he had the seizure Sunday.

Teammate Evan Moore was at the restaurant when he heard Ostrander's father yell out his son's name. Moore turned and saw Ostrander fall to the ground and slam his head on a pole.

"I ran over and he was in a full body seizure," Moore said Tuesday. "I had never seen that before so it was a little bit troubling to say the least. Not only that but he was bleeding out of his mouth because of how hard he hit his head. That was tough to watch. I didn't sleep too well Sunday night. I couldn't get that out of my head."

Ostrander was taken to Stanford hospital and had a series of tests. He was released from the hospital later Sunday after all tests came back normal. He rejoined his teammates that night on campus and Moore said he felt much better after talking to Ostrander.

"You're watching it thinking is he even going to make it through this," Moore said. "It's a scary looking thing. To see him come home and hear him converse normally was obviously very relieving to say the least."

Ostrander was back at classes this week and will travel to the game on Saturday in Los Angeles. He won't play as a precaution but could be back for the game Oct. 13 against TCU.

"He'll be reevaluated next week and then be ramped back up to play football," coach Jim Harbaugh said.

Sophomore Tavita Pritchard will make his first career start Saturday for the Cardinal (1-3, 0-3 Pac-10). Pritchard is the nephew of former NFL quarterback Jack Thompson, better known by his nickname, "The Throwin' Samoan."

Thompson, who starred in college at Washington State, was picked third overall by Cincinnati in 1979. He played six years in the NFL for the Bengals and Tampa Bay.

Pritchard has thrown only three passes in his career, completing one for 10 yards. He now must face the team that has the top-ranked defense in the Pac-10, allowing only 277.5 yards per game.

"You hate to have an opportunity come like this," Pritchard said. "T.C. is a good friend of mine. Having him go down like he did is nothing you want to see. But I've been preparing my whole life for this, to be able to start at the Division-I level in the Pac-10."

Ostrander has completed 90 of 166 passes for 1,065 yards and six touchdowns through four games. He began his senior year as the starter after backing up Edwards the previous three seasons.

The loss of Ostrander is just the latest to hit the Cardinal this season.

Linebacker Fred Campbell suffered a career-ending neck injury against San Jose State, offensive lineman Allen Smith could be out for the year with a knee injury, running back Toby Gerhart will miss his fourth game this week because of a knee injury, and defensive lineman Ekom Udofia is expected to miss his second straight game with a sprained ankle. In training camp, fullback Emeka Nnoli went down for the season with a hip injury.

The injuries have had a big impact on Stanford's depth and are a reason for the team's struggles in conference play. The Cardinal have been outscored 141-51 in the three Pac-10 losses.

"We put so much into this season, preparing for it, getting ready for it," Moore said. "We cannot let one, two or three or four injuries completely make us throw in the towel. As important as some of these players are, we still have our team, we still have our season left."

CFB - Never look ahead
October 2nd, 2007

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Don't Look Back was a documentary about Bob Dylan and his tour through England back in 1964. It is also a phrase people use to keep their minds focused on the task ahead rather than getting caught up in the past.

Which brings us to today's topic of "looking ahead." Keeping your eye on the future is usually much more important than being focused on previous events, but in college football it's a fate worse than death.

What happened last Saturday was a perfect example: four teams in the top seven were flat as a pancake the week before the "big game." Oklahoma and Texas both lost prior to this Saturday's Red River Shootout, while Florida was upset at home by Auburn and LSU struggled against Tulane prior to their showdown in Baton Rouge.

The Sooners, 23-point favorites at Colorado, led the Buffaloes 24-10 heading to the fourth quarter, but lost the game in the final seconds when Kevin Eberhart nailed a 45-yard field goal on the last play of the game.

After averaging 564 yards in their first four games, the Sooners were only able to muster 230 against Colorado. The Buffaloes pass defense was superb, holding Sam Bradford to eight completions in 19 attempts for 112 yards and two interceptions. Colorado had previously displayed a penchant for stopping the passing game as Arizona State, Florida State and Miami-Ohio had combined for only 38 for 87 - a 44% completion rate.

One trend that could have been used in this contest was the "conference home underdog" angle. The Buffaloes were getting a ton of points at home vs. a league foe, a proposition that proved to be successful on multiple occasions this past Saturday. Washington covered at home vs. USC, Minnesota did the same against Ohio State and the Northwestern Wildcats, who led Michigan at home going into the final 15 minutes, lost 28-16, but covered the 17-point number. And don't forget South Florida's home win over West Virginia on Friday night.

Texas, just like its Big 12 rival, fell victim to looking ahead as Kansas State came into Austin and wiped the floor with the Longhorns. Colt McCoy had a pitiful afternoon competing less than 50% of his tosses with four interceptions. Texas has now failed to cover four of its last five years in the game prior to Oklahoma.

There is another big game this weekend besides the Longhorns vs. the Sooners and it comes from the SEC. Unfortunately, both teams were not that prepared to play the previous Saturday, so this Florida-LSU contest has lost a lot of its luster.

The Gators took on an Auburn squad that had been one of the most disappointing clubs in the nation. Florida was home and favored by 17.5 points, but the Tigers dominated early, getting out to a 14-0 halftime lead on two TDs on three first half drives. The Gators looked flat, but picked up their game in the second half, scoring 17 points to tie it with less than five minutes remaining. The Tigers, though, got the last laugh as Wes Byrum booted home a 43-yarder on the last play to deflate the reigning national champs.

LSU didn't bring its "A-game" to the Superdome either, as Tulane enjoyed a lead until the final seconds of the first half when Colt David nailed a FG to give the Tigers a 10-9 halftime advantage. LSU pulled away in the second half for the 25-point win, but it wasn't anywhere near enough since the Green Wave were getting over 40 points.

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS AND THE NEW TOP 10

Not a good week as Indiana was the only winner. At least the Hoosiers won the game outright. The record now stands at 19-17-1.

The Top 10 has a huge western flavor as five of the ten teams reside in the Pac-10. Both California and UCLA move into the rankings for the first time, but other than those two clubs, no new schools made the jump.

1) LSU, 105.5; 1) Oklahoma, 105.5; 3) USC, 103.5; 4) West Virginia, 100.5; 5) Ohio State, 99.5; 6) California, 96.5; 6) Oregon, 96.5; 8) UCLA, 95.5; 8) Boston College, 95.5; 10) Arizona State, 94.5

WEEK SIX PLAYS

Get ready because a huge week is upon us with multiple top plays, beginning with Virginia Tech at Clemson. The Hokies will be getting their first true test since bowing out early vs. LSU. Incidentally, it seems every game has been a test for them since they have failed to cover any of their four lined games. Freshman quarterback Tyrod Taylor has completed just over 50% of his passes with only one touchdown and that came vs. William and Mary. In two starts against FBS schools, he's led Virginia Tech to just 17 points vs. North Carolina and 28 against Ohio.

Good luck, Mr. Taylor, this Saturday in Death Valley against Clemson. The Tigers defense has already recorded five sacks vs. Florida State and six at Georgia Tech. I can't imagine what the "D" will do at home against a V-Tech offensive line that has allowed seven sacks total in its last two games, and at least three in four of its five this season.

The Tigers are 3-0 at home this year and would love nothing more than to pound Virginia Tech after the Hokies crushed them 24-7 on national television last October.

Take Clemson minus the points.

Game two pits Rutgers at home against Cincinnati. If this game were played a couple of weeks ago, I would have picked the Scarlet Knights to walk off the field with a slight victory. However, since that time, the Bearcats had to travel to the west coast for a meaningless game with San Diego State and now have to come all the way East to New Jersey to take on a Rutgers squad not in the best of moods after falling at home to Maryland.

The Knights had to bounce back twice last season after two losses, and both times recorded easy wins. They dumped Kansas State in the Texas Bowl after losing to West Virginia the last week of the regular season and prior to that, beat up on Syracuse, 38-7 after losing to Cincinnati on the road.

Rutgers remembers that game vs. the Bearcats extremely well, as the Knights could only gain 50 rushing yards on 21 carries, the only time they failed to gain 100 on the ground all year. Now the tables are turned as the 'Cats come to New Brunswick as the undefeated squad trying to get national attention. Their play has been quite a story this year with five blowout victories along with a +14 turnover ratio. Unfortunately, this Saturday it all will come crashing down as the Scarlet Knights exact revenge for last year's upset.

Take Rutgers minus the points.

Maryland upset Rutgers last week, and now the 3-2 Terrapins come back home to take on 3-2 Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets had lost two straight with an unhealthy Tashard Choice, but bounced back in a big way last week crushing Clemson at home. Choice, who was still not 100% for the game, rushed for 145 yards on 32 carries, and the defense shut down Clemson the final three quarters to win, 13-3.

The "D" was the story, giving up just 228 total yards and recording six sacks. The Yellow Jackets now have 21 sacks in five games and will push the Maryland offensive line around the entire game. Tech has given up 100 rushing yards just once this season, which doesn't bode well for the Terps, who run the ball 66% of the time.

Take Georgia Tech minus the points.

Conference USA presents a solid betting opportunity this Saturday when Tulsa heads out to El Paso, Texas to take on UTEP. The Miners, 3-2 on the year, 2-0 at home, are 12-2 in the first four home games the last three years under Mike Price. The only two losses came to Top 25-ranked teams in Texas Tech and Boise State.

UTEP's rushing attack gives them ample opportunities to match strides with Tulsa, as the Miners have rushed for 200 yards or more in three of their five games. They have also averaged over 4.5 yards per carry and have thrown for over 200 yards in four of the five.

This will be the Golden Hurricane's first road game since opening the season at UL-Monroe, a game they trailed at halftime. They have also lost three of their last four away from home going back to last year. Their defense, usually rock-solid, especially against the pass, has been nothing of the sort this season. After giving up an average of 297 total yards per game in 2006, they have allowed an average of 482 this season.

Going up against a UTEP team that will look to run at every opportunity is not what Tulsa will appreciate since the Hurricane have not given up less than 157 rushing yards per game.

Take the Miners plus the points at home.

Oregon State continued its ineffectiveness at quarterback as Sean Canfield threw two more picks against UCLA, bringing his total to 11 in five games. Backup Lyle Moevao has thrown four in just 43 passes. Take away the game vs. Idaho State, and OSU quarterbacks have 15 picks in four FBS games.

Yvenson Bernard has carried the offense averaging 100 yards per game, but Arizona's run defense has been superb holding all but California to 3.3 yards per carry or less. The only way the Beavers can win this game is if Canfield doesn't turn the ball over, which will be almost impossible based on his past performances.

It took many weeks for the Wildcats offense to explode with the new spread formation, but going against Washington State was the tonic they needed. Running back Nicolas Grigsby picked up 262 all-purpose yards, tops in U of A history for freshmen. The offense won't have to produce a ton of yards since Canfield will help them get decent field position with a few errant throws.

Take Arizona plus the points.

Six other plays are worthy of action including Georgia getting the win at Tennessee, Kansas plus the points vs. Kansas State, LSU minus the points in a blowout of Florida, Oklahoma gets the best of Texas by at least two touchdowns, Vanderbilt covers the number vs. Auburn and Illinois continues its winning ways with a TD victory over Wisconsin.

News and Notes - Week 6
Northcoast Sports

WEEK 6

Colt Brennan may have hurt his Heisman chances throwing 5 int's vs Idaho but Hawaii still won comfortably, 48-20...

Texas Tech DC Lyle Sentencich stepped down this past week after Tech allowed 49 points to Oklahoma St. Their new DC is Ruffin McNeill who was the DC at UNLV in '98 and at Appalachian St from '94-'96...

A&M dominated the Baylor game even more than the final would indicate with 31-7 FD and 552-254 yd edges. Baylor came in avg'ing 441 ypg but had just 2 FD's at the half. A&M missed their 3rd FG of the game to start the 4Q up 20-3 and BU got a 68 yd pass to the 4 setting up a TD and actually got under the spread, 20-10 with the ball back with 12:08 left. After BU punted, A&M drove 58/11pl for a TD to get ahead of the spread with 5:39 left, 27-10 and after a fmbl A&M drove 59/7pl for another TD, 34-10 (1:42)...

For the 2nd year in a row, Duke took Miami to the wire. While UM controlled the 1H with a 233-122 yd edge and scored on their first 2 poss, it was just 10-0 at the half. When Duke got a TD with 9:46 left they made it 17-14 and UM was SOD at the Duke 32. Duke got to the UM 30 threatening to take the lead but was sk'd on 4th & 5 and 2 plays later UM got a 33 yd TD pass for some breathing room...

Iowa St had not won in Lincoln since 1977. The Huskers turned the ball over on their first 3 poss and were called for a number of bad penalties while falling behind 10-0 but rallied for a 35-17 win...

Kent St's Eugene Jarvis rushed for 230 yds vs Ohio and like last week, Kent St dominated the game but this week they hung on for the win leading 27-10 after 3Q's...

Louisville bounced back nicely from their embarrassing loss to Syracuse holding NCSt to 334 yds and forcing 5 TO's in their 29-10 win...

Pitt onside kicked to open vs Virginia and in the 1H the two teams had a combined 5 TD's with UVA leading 30-7 but the TD drives were 39, 51, 26, 21 and 28 yds with special teams setting up the short field on all 5...

In the 1H Northwestern had a 308-153 yd edge over Michigan but missed some key scoring opportunities and only led 16-7. Surprisingly Michigan started QB Henne and he led them to a TD on the opening poss but then true frosh Mallett played the rest of the 1H but generated zero points. Henne QB'd the 2H and the Wolves took the lead with 9:53 left and even ended the game on the NW 15 yd line...

Bobby Bowden, who played at Alabama, got a victory over his old school, 21-14. Florida St was in a great situational edge with the Tide off 2 games that came down to the last minute while FSU was off a bye...

Arkansas-Pine Bluff came in just 1-3 in IAA ball and almost got the week's IAA upset as they took New Mexico St to the wire. NMSt needed a FG with :01 left to pull out the 20-17 win...

Last week Cincinnati was ranked for the first time in 31 years and then moved to 5-0 for the first time since 1954 when they whipped San Diego St 52-23. They have now outscored their first 5 opponents 232-53 and still lead the nation in TO margin...

Louisiana Tech lost their 3rd straight game despite a 21-14 FD edge vs Fresno and having just 1 pen and zero TO's yet still lost by 11...

Tulsa appeared on their way to a big win and amassed 695 yds vs UAB leading 38-16 in the 4Q but allowed 2 late drives for TD's. Surprisingly after UAB pulled within 8 they did not onside kick and Tulsa got 3 FD's and ran out the clock...

Arkansas piled up 713 yds vs N Texas in their 66-7 rout despite RB McFadden only playing the 1H. Only 66,343 were on hand, the smallest crowd in Fayetteville since 2005...

New Mexico was done in by 5 TO's vs BYU with 2 int's and 3 fmbl's lost...

Thomas Brown rushed for 180 yds for UGA and helped them break open a game that was tied 17-17 in the 3Q as UGA finished with 328 yds rushing. UGA backup Munzenmaier even tacked on a TD with :44 left. At the half UGA had just a 266-236 yd edge...

Penn St drove deep into Illini terr four times in the 2H and all but one ended in a TO. IL got a 90 yd KR TD in the 1Q. Anthony Morelli appeared to get the key FD on 4th & 13 running inside the Illini 10 but he fumbled with 2:12 left and Morelli's final pass was int'd at the 9 on their next drive.

DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN

Two ranked teams lost to the same opponent for the 2nd straight year as Florida lost to Auburn and Texas to Kansas St and the Longhorns cannot cry about playing without an injured Colt McCoy this time (see Blown Opportunites)...

Purdue for the 2nd straight week had a huge halftime lead over an outmanned foe. Last week they led Minnesota big but only won by 14 giving up some late yards. Versus Notre Dame, Purdue led 23-0 at the half and appeared on their way to a blowout. They once again let up and the Irish, which came in avg'ing just 137 per game, would pile up 426 yds with all but 130 in the 2H and actually made a game of it closing to within 26-19 before PU got a TD. Jimmy Clausen was inj'd and Evan Sharpley came off the bench hitting 16 of 26 for 208 yds.

KEY PLAYS OF THE WEEK

Iowa St trailed Nebraska 21-10 in the 3Q and went on a 13 play drive but was not only int'd they were ret'd 93 yds for a TD and instead of pulling within 3, they trailed 28-10. Trailing 28-17 NU got a 41 yd IR to the 3 setting up a TD with 2:25 left and ISU had 20-17 FD & 415-369 yd edges...

Arizona St led just 6-0 late 2Q when they got a 62 yd TD pass and then on the next play from scrimmage got a 29 yd IR TD to make it 21-0 late 2Q and rolled to a 41-3 win. The two TD's came within a span of :09 and ASU is off to their third 5-0 start since 1982...

Houston trailed E Carolina 37-35 but drove for the game winning FG and with 1:55 left missed it from 37 yards. They got the ball back, drove down again and this time with :08 left missed a 38 yd FG and EC hung on for a 37-35 road upset despite Houston having a 484-329 yd edge.

BLOWN OPPORTUNITIES SOMETIMES EQUAL 2H BLOWOUTS

A few weeks back there were numerous underdogs which should have been leading at the half but were not and in the 2H, those close games turned into blowouts. That happened again this past week with Akron and Connecticut. Akron settled for a 28 yd FG after a 69/13pl drive. They got a TD with 4:04 left in the half to lead 10-9 but UC returned the KO 97 yds for a TD. UA then drove 50/11pl and had a 2nd & goal at the 3 with :33 left but their QB was tackled inbounds and they did not get another play off and despite a 170-151 yd edge, they trailed by 6 at the half. Zips QB Jacquemain was pushed OOB but the refs ruled his forward progress stopped and UA did not realize the clock was running and UA lined up for a FG as the UC players were running to the lockerroom.The 2H turned into a blowout and UC got the cover, 44-10...

Texas came in ranked #7. In the 1H they did have a 183-166 yd edge but gave up a 41 yd IR TD, an int set up a 32 yd FG and they also gave up a KR TD and trailed 24-14. UT pulled within 24-21 but KSU, after an int, drove 13 yds for a 44 yd FG then got an 89 yd PR TD to lead 34-21 after 3Q's and the Cats went on to win comfortably beating UT for a 2nd straight year.

INJURIES OF NOTE

Idaho played most of the game vs Hawaii w/o RB Deonte Jackson who came in leading the WAC in rushing. He was listed as doubtful but had 7 carries for 47 yds only playing in the 4Q...

Iowa was missing 4 starters vs Indiana due to injuries as they were missing their top 2 receivers in WR Brodell and TE Moeaki as well as their leading tackler, LB Klinkenborg and S Moylan. Indy was w/o starting WR Bailey who was susp for the game. Iowa had 428-395 yd and 22-17 FD edges but lost at home...

W Virginia star QB Pat White was inj'd late 1H vs USF. It probably wouldn't have affected the outcome, however, as USF was in control and led 14-3 at the half and took their opening drive of the 3Q for a TD, 21-3. The game did have a misleading box score as USF was clearly in control but WV, after trailing big, rallied for some scores and ended up with a 437-274 yd edge. The stats are very surprising because watching the game it appeared USF was in control throughout...

NCSt QB Harrison Beck was inj'd with 5:01 left in the 3Q and did not return...

Middle Tennessee was without their starting QB for a 2nd straight week but frosh Dwight Dasher led the team to 47 points in the 1H vs Florida Int'l and MSTU finished with a 405-145 yd edge. FIU's only TD came when MT mishandled a punt snap in the EZ.

MISLEADING FINALS, FRONTDOOR AND BACKDOOR COVERS

UCLA appears to have had a blowout win over Oregon St at 40-14. OSU led 14-0 after 1Q and 14-6 at the half. They led in the 4Q when UCLA's stagnant offense got a screen pass to Breazell that he broke 3 tackles and raced 69 yds for a TD. OSU amazingly fmbl'd the next 3 KO's, setting up TD drives of 21 & 39 yds and then after a blk'd punt UCLA drove 21 yds for a TD giving them four 4Q TD's with the longest drive being 5 plays...

Florida Atlantic moved the ball well vs Kentucky and appeared to have the cover well in hand. The game was 38-17 after an FA TD with 6:53 left and UK punted with 5:14 left only up by 21. FA was not only int'd, but ret'd 21 yds for a TD with 4:27 left and the Wildcats got the frontdoor cover. FA got to the UK 31 but a 4th & 1 run was stopped short and UK held on...

Special teams were a key in Army's 37-21 win over Temple. The Cadets got an 88 yd KR TD on the opening KO and later an 85 yd PR TD. It was tied 21 at the half and Army added a 69 yd TD pass in the 4Q but Temple had a 463-329 yd edge but also had 5 TO's and the 2 ST TD's allowed...

It appears C Michigan blew out N Illinois 35-10 but NI did have 28-21 FD and 521-381 yd edges. Here is a litany of NI's problems in the game which turned this into a blowout: They went on a 17 pl drive but settled for a 21 yd FG and missed it. They fmbl'd at the CM 1, allowed a 90 yd KR TD, fmbl'd the ensuring KO which set up a 28 yd TD drive and went on a 16 play drive but settled for a 25 yd FG and trailed 35-10 at the half. In the 2H NI was SOD at the CM 12, int'd at the CM 44, 13 and 3 & 32 yd lines and SOD at the CM 3...

Utah was not dominant as they needed a fake punt to set up a TD and got a 75 yd PR for a TD but still led 34-10 late 4Q before Utah St went on a long drive for a TD and 2 pt conversion with 2:33 left to give the Aggies the backdoor cover...

UNLV got a TD on 4th & 10 with 1:02 left to tie it at 20, apparently clinching the cover with Nevada needing just a FG for the win but the Wolf Pack got a 33 yd TD pass with :27 left for their 12th straight cover as a home favorite. UNLV did get to the Nevada 18 yd line but on the final play overthrew 2 rec's in the EZ and was also called for holding...

Mississippi St appeared to have the S Carolina game completely under control leading 21-17 in the 3Q as SC missed a 50 yd FG however SC blk'd a punt and got a TD on the next play to take the lead. After getting another TD in the 4Q SC took over with just 3:22 left trying to run out the clock from their own 36. They got a 25 yd run by Boyd to the 28 and then on 3rd & 2 when a FD would have ended the game got a 12 yd Davis TD run for the frontdoor cover with :58 left.

POINTSPREAD PLAYS OF THE GAME

Colorado St was a 10 or 10' pt dog vs TCU. They trailed 24-6 when at the start of the 4Q they got a 54 yd TD pass. CSU went for 2 which would have pulled it within 10 but failed and they did not score again losing by 12 to TCU.

TOP TEAMS STRUGGLING

Many top teams either lost or struggled with almost all the big boys falling into that category including #1 USC. Washington came out in uniforms that looked like Notre Dame wearing dark blue and gold jerseys and plain gold helmets matching the 1960 team which beat #1 Minnesota in the Rose Bowl, the only time UW beat a top ranked foe. USC did have a 460-190 yd edge and led just 17-14 at the half. At 27-17 UW blk'd a punt setting up a TD with :34 left but USC rec'd the onside kick...

#2 LSU - they actually trailed Tulane 9-7 before getting a FG on the final play of the half for a 10-9 lead. LSU did get a 22 yd 3Q drive for a TD after a fmbl and after an int drove 76/8pl for a TD to get some breathing room in a 34-9 win that was closer than expected...

#3 Oklahoma - Unlike the other ranked teams that fell, OU appeared to have their game in hand. OU led 24-7 late 3Q. OU fmbl'd the punt with 4:44 left on their own 16 setting up CU's tying 15 yd TD pass with 4:05 left then punted and CU got a 45 yd FG on the final play to pull out the win...

#4 Florida - had an 11 game winning streak and had won 18 in a row in The Swamp but both of those streaks were snapped by an Auburn team that came in at just 2-2. UF was held to 312 yds total offense despite Quentin Groves missing a good portion of the game with an inj'd right foot. AU led 17-3 but needed a 43 yd FG as time expired for the upset...

#6 California. The Bears had the toughest test facing #11 ranked Oregon on the road. The Ducks appeared on their way to the win leading by 7 most of the game but needed a TD to tie it with 7:06 left. UO forced a punt but then threw an int which led to a Cal TD. The Ducks immediately came down the field for what appeared to be the tying TD with :22 left but WR Colvin reached the ball out and it came loose and was ruled a TB and Cal escaped winning at Autzen Stadium for the first time since 1987 breaking a 7 game losing streak there...

#8 Ohio St - No struggle here as the Buckeyes had 459 yards and finished a perfect 11-0 in the Metrodome with Michigan being the only other team UM did not defeat in the dome as they move to a new stadium next year...

#9 Wisconsin. Mich St rolled up 564 yds vs the Badgers as UW had their 4th unimpressive win out of 5 games...

#10 Rutgers - Moved into the top 10 for the 2nd time in school history and just like last year, lost. We used Maryland as the as a play on Saturday and the Terps appeared in control leading 14-3 but missed a 39 yd FG with 1:41 left in the half. RU got a TD with :52 left then amazingly got the ball back with :29 left trying for a FG but ended up with a TD and a 17-14 halftime lead. The Terps finished with a 24-19 FD edge and 239 yards rushing and 219 passing in their 34-24 road win...

#13 Clemson - Missed an amazing 4 FG's, had a punt blk'd that set up GT's only TD, fumbled the KO setting up a FG and had a TD called back b/c of a personal foul penalty gave GT an extra shot at TD after pass interference in the EZ and lost to GT 13-3 on the road.

FOOTBALL IS 60:00

Memphis appeared to ice their game vs Arkansas St when they got an 88 yd FR for a TD with 1:00 left in the 1H and led 31-6. An 89 yd PR helped spark ASU in the 2H. They pulled to within 31-21 after 3Q's and scored on their first 2 poss of the 4Q for a 35-31 lead. UM had a 75 yd PR for a TD called back on penalty with 3:16 left and their final 2 drives were SOD at the ASU 30 (3:16) and their own 45 (:49). Tough break for UM as this was a rescheduled game making them play on a Saturday, followed by a Thurs and then again Tuesday for an amazing 3 contests in 11 days.

Lester returns to Auburn backfield
October 2, 2007

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) -Brad Lester is back in a familiar role: Auburn's backup tailback.

The main point for both the Tigers and Lester, who was projected to be the starter, is that he is back. The junior returns from a six-game suspension for academic issues Saturday against Vanderbilt, supplying instant speed, experience and depth to a backfield that could use a dash of each of those qualities.

Coach Tommy Tuberville said Lester will play but won't start and will have to work his way past Ben Tate and Mario Fannin on the depth chart.

``He's going to have to earn his way back,'' Tuberville said Tuesday. ``He will be there because he's done a lot of it before, but we need to ease him in and let him know he'll be playing a spot role for us the first couple of games.''

Whatever his role, Auburn (3-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) is happy to have Lester back. He was viewed as the starting tailback before the season, but his suspension from the Cotton Bowl carried over well into this season.

Lester, who wasn't made available for interviews this week, ran for 849 yards and 14 touchdowns the past two seasons behind Kenny Irons. Without him and an injured Tristan Davis, the inexperienced Tate and the redshirt freshman Fannin were forced to carry the load for a running game that ranks eighth in the SEC. With Lester, they finally have depth.

``It will be hard for teams to prepare for us because they'll always have a fresh back coming at them,'' said Tate, whose 410 yards leads the team. ``We won't have to worry about getting tired. Well always have fresh legs.''

But they'll also have extra competition for carries. Tate has run the ball 41 times the past two games and Fannin 28.

``You know there's another back out there, so your chances get cut down a little more,'' Tate said. ``That makes you more hungry. You want to make a play every time. That will make you run harder. That will help us out tremendously.''

Even though the Tigers indicated they plan to ease the 5-foot-11, 194-pound Lester back into action, he has been able to practice during the suspension.

So he's at least close to playing shape. But, Tuberville said, ``The other two guys have put a lot into the first five games. They've made a lot of progress.''

In fact, he said the backs' pass protection in Saturday's 20-17 win at No. 9 Florida represented ``one of the biggest improvements we've had in the entire offense.''

But Lester remains the team's most experienced tailback, with three career starts and a solid average of 5.2 yards per carry.

``He's going to add a lot of speed back there,'' Fannin said. ``Brad's a real quick guy. It's going to help us out a lot. We're happy that he's back, and he's happy that he's back. He just can't wait to get out there and play.''

Notes: Tuberville said defensive end Quentin Groves was scheduled for X-rays on three dislocated toes Tuesday, and didn't have his prognosis. Antonio Coleman is expected to replace him against Vandy. ... Linebacker Merrill Johnson practiced some Tuesday after missing the last three games with a shoulder injury.

Michigan QB Henne ready to play against Eastern Michigan
By ASSOCIATED PRESS

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Chad Henne is ready to resume his full-time quarterbacking duties for Michigan.

The senior quarterback sat out home wins against Notre Dame and Penn State while nursing a knee injury, but returned last weekend to lead Michigan past Northwestern.

On Monday, Henne pronounced himself ready for Saturday's game against Eastern Michigan at the Big House. Henne said he had a partial ligament tear in week two when his right knee was driven into the ground after being hit from behind in a loss to Oregon.

Against Northwestern, Henne played in the first series before yielding to freshman Ryan Mallett. Henne returned to play the entire second half, leading Michigan on two scoring drives. His fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Adrian Arrington gave Michigan its first lead before Mike Hart capped the 28-16 win with a touchdown run.

Henne said he experienced only limited swelling and had no pain in the knee Sunday, a day after completing 18-of-27 passes for 193 yards and three touchdowns.

He said he won't allow his game to change while his knee continues to heal.

''If it happens, it happens. I'm going to be the same person in the pocket,'' Henne said. ''I'm not going to shy away from the pressure or someone in my face. I'm still going to try and make plays.''

Michigan coach Lloyd Carr expressed satisfaction with Henne's return Saturday.

''He did a great job managing the game and managing our offense,'' Carr said.

Outside the Top 25: College football betting
Covers.com

Tuesday is my column day. I find it gives me enough time to get over the shock of Saturday’s results and gear up for another week of madness.

The day breaks down with me spending a good part of the day going over the numbers, results and injuries in my ongoing quest to unearth some shred of value in the second tier of NCAA football games. I'm seeking a rock the oddsmakers haven’t overturned or a cranny where they didn’t look.

Amazingly, after my best efforts, it was those wise and thoughtful readers who posted responses to this column which offered the most valuable insight into last week’s games.

A number of readers disagreed with my opinion that Miami would thump Duke last week, correctly pointing out that the Hurricanes’ win the previous week over Texas A&M didn’t really prove as much as I had thought. Surprise, surprise, Kyle Wright throws a couple of picks that allow Duke to hang around for all but the last two minutes of the game.

Readers also took issue with my affection for New Mexico over BYU. As it turned out, I underestimated the BYU defense which went into Albuquerque, stymied the NMU passing game and notched a win on the road.

Don’t get me wrong, I also made a few good calls last week. It just goes to show you that when we put our heads together, we’re always better off. I thank everyone for their responses to this column and I encourage readers to jump in and add their two cents again this time around. Even if it’s just to call me an idiot.

Utah at Louisville (-14 ½)

How does that saying go? Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. How many times are bettors going to get fooled into believing that this Louisville team will do anything other than embarrass themselves on the football field this year?

Personally, I’m not willing to drink Steve Kragthorpe’s Kool-Aid (or eat Papa John’s pizza, for that matter). The defense has been absolutely horrendous all year and Brian Brohm looks like he’s going backwards after tossing four interceptions in the last three games. I know Utah’s season is in competition with Louisville’s for “Most Disappointing Performance”, but I just don’t see the Cardinals running up the score on anyone at this point.

Northwestern at Michigan State (-14 ½)

Wow. Big game for Northwestern this past weekend as they led Michigan at halftime and ended up covering the spread in a 12-point loss. Too bad about that fourth quarter. Quarterback C.J. Bacher wasn’t great all game, but he completely fell apart in the fourth quarter, committing four of his five turnovers when the game was on the line. If that meltdown carries over into this week, it won’t help them against the Spartans. Under new coach Mark Dantonio, MSU seems to have shaken its penchant to blow leads and give up in close games. They hung tight with Wisconsin in Camp Randall on Saturday, trading scores throughout the game and covering as 7-point underdogs. It was thanks to a team effort with contributions from almost everyone in a Michigan State uniform. Suddenly the Spartans are scary.

Vanderbilt at Auburn (-7)

Auburn had its problems at the start of this season, but nobody goes into The Swamp and knocks off the Gators by accident. This Auburn team has all the elements it needs to win in the SEC. Regardless of what happened in the early going, they will continue to improve in the upcoming weeks.

A young offensive line is finally starting to come together and Brandon Cox finally has some time to throw the ball. Vanderbilt has a better team than they’ve had in years past, but they haven’t come within arm’s length of a pointspread at Auburn in 20 years. With oddsmakers serving up the smallest home handicap for the Tigers against Vanderbilt in a decade and a half, I don’t expect the streak to end this year.

Arizona at Oregon State (-4)

Arizona has a glaring weakness on defense, but lucky for Mike Stoops and his Wildcats, Oregon State is not equipped to attack that soft spot. The Arizona secondary is full of holes and they’ve already been lit up by quarterbacks like New Mexico’s Donovan Porterie and Washington State’s Alex Brink. Things got even more desperate after free safety Dominic Patrick sprained his knee last week. Now Stoops is looking at moving his best cornerback, Antoine Cason, over to safety.

But even with all their problems defending the pass, don’t expect Sean Canfield to take advantage. The Beavers’ sophomore quarterback has thrown nearly twice as many picks as touchdown passes this year and his passer rating is among the worst in the Pac-10.

Central Florida at East Carolina (+3 ½)

Don’t be fooled. This is not East Carolina, the emerging powerhouse that we’ve seen in recent years. This is East Carolina, rebuilding team. They upset Houston last week, but they took advantage of a young quarterback who threw a pair of bad interceptions in the first half. That isn’t likely to happen against Central Florida, a team that runs the ball on average 48 times per game. East Carolina has been pretty average against the run. When they face Kevin Smith on Saturday, the running back with the best yards-per-game in the nation, they’ll have to improve in a hurry. Smith will help UCF take control of this game and grind the Pirates into the turf.

Tulsa at UTEP (+3)

Admittedly, Paul Smith threw a couple of picks last week and his Golden Hurricane couldn’t cover the 23 points against UAB. That still does not explain this line. This Tulsa offense is absolutely lethal and UTEP has shown an amazing inability to stop anyone through the air. They rank fifth to last in passing defense in the country and have allowed an average of 277 passing yards per game. Of course, Tulsa’s defense isn’t exactly anything to write home about, but I’m putting my money on Smith to put on an aerial clinic against a vulnerable opponent.

Ferringo Examines Early Line Moves
by Robert Ferringo

It's time once again for that weekly waltz that occurs between our friends over at the Las Vegas Sports Consultants and the sharp gamblers that pry apart the early college football spreads. Essentially, the LVSC recommends the lines to their clients, the sportsbooks, each week and the books respond by posting a suitable opening number. The sharps then come along like ravenous wolves encircling a wounded animal, ready to pounce on any number that they feel displays weakness or vulnerability. The result is an early week steam move on those seemingly weak lines, and that helps set the number that a majority of bettors in the general public will then have to wager on.

Just as there is a science and an art to setting the lines, it also requires a certain amount of skill to be able to red these opening line movements. Like stockbrokers, handicappers and bettors can learn a lot about a game by the way the early line moves break. So while I am no J.P. Morgan, I am here to try to shed some light on some of the college football games with the most significant variance from the time of the spreads' release on Sunday to the open wagering on Monday morning.

Over the past two weeks the strongest initial college line movements have only precluded a win against the spread for the team getting heavy early action in four of 13 instances. Either the sharp money is getting a bit dull or the books are intent to short worthy favorites. To this point, sharp action has gone 14-14 against the spread in college movements and 12-7 ATS in the NFL movements. That's 26-21 ATS (55.3 percent) overall. Here are some of the most noticeable and significant early steam movements in both the college and pro football opening lines:

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Wisconsin at Illinois (Noon, Saturday, Oct. 6)
Open: Wisconsin -1.0.
Current: Illinois -3.0.

No love for Bucky. The Badgers have been one of the least-impressive 5-0 teams in the nation, posting a 1-3 record against the number while slogging out wins against supposedly inferior competition. Wisconsin couldn't cover in either of its first two Big Ten games even though both were played at home, and now the No. 5 Badgers are dogged on the road against an unranked foe. That's a huge red flag. And the fact that the Illini possess the Kryptonite for burly Big Ten clubs - speed - tells me that this potential "upset" is just loaded with value.

Central Michigan at Ball State (Noon, Saturday, Oct. 6)
Open: Ball State -7.5.
Current: Ball State -12.0.

The Chippewas have been gashed by injuries this season and apparently the books believe their 35-10 thrashing of equally thin Northern Illinois was an aberration. Ball State has lost three straight in this series but has the talent on the home field on its side. CMU's secondary should be no match for Nate Davis and Co. and the Chippewas are just 21-43-2 on the road in conference play. Be wary if this line moves much more (I expect it to hit 14) because the last time the Cardinals were a double-digit favorite they were hammered, 38-14, at Eastern Michigan in 2003.

Georgia Tech at Maryland (Noon p.m., Saturday, Oct. 6)
Open: Maryland -1.0.
Current: Georgia Tech -2.0.

The three-point shift in the line isn't what got my attention in this ACC matchup. But the fact that Georgia Tech is involved with a crossover spread like this in back-to-back weeks did. Last week the Jackets opened as a small favorite but the line instantly steamed to Clemson laying a field goal in Atlanta. The Jackets sprung the upset easily. This week Tech is on the opposite end, laying points on the road to a conference foe.

Texas Christian at Wyoming (2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 6)
Open: TCU -2.0.
Current: Wyoming -2.0.

War Memorial Stadium should be rocking when the defending Mountain West champs roll into town. TCU's margin of victory over its past two games (13) belies the fact that this clearly isn't as talented of a Horned Frogs club as the ones that posted back-to-back conference titles. Wyoming had an extra week to prepare, is 13-6 ATS as a home dog since 2001, and is 8-2 ATS with revenge off a win against an opponent off back-to-back victories.

Oklahoma at Texas (3:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 6)
Open: Oklahoma -6.5.
Current: Oklahoma -10.0.

The Red River Rivalry brings us the most significant early line movement, as this number skyrocketed through several key numbers on the way to its present position. It's pretty clear which team the books feel is the best equipped to bounce back from an upset last Saturday (OU to Colorado; Texas to K-State) and the fact that each of the last nine meetings has been decided by double digits certainly bore consideration. Longhorn backers do have some hope: teams off a straight-up loss as a favorite of 20 or more points that were instilled as a favorite the following week are just 3-15 ATS since 1997.

South Florida at Florida Atlantic (4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 6)
Open: South Florida -21.5.
Current: South Florida -16.0.

Is that a Let Down I smell? South Florida is coming off what most observers feel is a program-defining victory over West Virginia last Friday night. The Bulls were playing at home in prime time and now they're expected to go on the road against an inferior in-state school and maintain their intensity level? Doubtful. South Florida is 7-3 as a road favorite over the past six years, but not only do they have to fight against a possible let down but they also may get caught looking ahead to a underrated rivalry game against dark horse Central Florida next weekend. I'm not predicting a loss here, but FAU could make things interesting.

Cincinnati at Rutgers (8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 6)
Open: Rutgers -6.0.
Current: Rutgers -3.0.

The Bearcats have been a wrecking crew this season and are one of my favorite teams in the country. But it may be time to sell on a team that's gone 4-0 ATS to this point in the season and coming off a 29-point road victory. Last year Cincinnati stunned Rutgers as a home dog just one week after the Scarlet Knights dropped Louisville (are you listening South Florida?) so there is a revenge factor at work. The bottom line is that this Cincy team may be even better while last week Rutgers may have been exposed. But are we getting enough points for optimum value?

docsports.com

Inside the Boxscores - Part I
By Matt Fargo
VegasInsider.com

ARKANSAS STATE 35 Memphis 31

In what looked like an easy win for the Tigers turned into a nightmare. Memphis pulled ahead 31-6 at the break following an 88-yard fumble return for a touchdown but the Indians stormed back. They returned a punt for a touchdown midway through the 3rd quarter and then scored the game’s final three touchdowns to pull off the improbable win. Despite gaining only 80 yards in the 2nd half, Memphis got the two-point cover.

BOISE STATE 38 Southern Miss 16

Boise St. racked up 506 yards of offense as it scored touchdowns on its first two possessions and was never threatened by the Golden Eagles. Southern Mississippi put a small run together as it scored the final touchdown of the first half and scored again to open the second half to pull within 12 points but the Broncos shut it down the rest of the way. Boise St. scored the final 10 points to get the cover.

(6) SO FLORIDA 21 (13) West Virginia 13

West Virginia outgained the Bulls 437-274 but turnovers and injuries were the differences in the upset. South Florida forced six turnovers including an interception for a touchdown to open the scoring. Four of the turnovers by the Mountaineers occurred in Bulls territory while South Florida didn’t do itself any favors by committing four miscues of its own. The Bulls easily covered as a touchdown underdog.

ILLINOIS 27 Penn State 20

Penn St. started the scoring with a field goal but the Illini returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown and never relinquished the lead while easily covering. The Nittany Lions finished with four turnovers which led to 10 Illinois points while two miscues took place inside the Illini 25-yard line. The Nittany Lions won the yardage battle 427-336 but had three interceptions and a turnover on downs in their final four possessions.

Michigan 28 NORTHWESTERN 16

Northwestern outgained the Wolverines 417-380 and took a 16-7 lead into halftime but the offense was shutout in the second half thanks to four turnovers on its final four possessions. Two of those led to Michigan touchdowns that covered only 42 combined yards. The Wildcats crossed midfield only twice in the second half but they were still able to bring home the cash by 4.5 points.

(1) L-S-U 34 TULANE 9

Tulane held tough for the first 36 minutes before the Tigers pulled away in the second half. The Green Wave fumbled on their third play of the game which led to a short field goal attempt that was missed by LSU and the defense allowed only 89 total yards in the first half. The offense mustered only 227 total yards however including 88 yards rushing on 33 carries (2.7 ypc). The 41-point spread was never in jeopardy.

MIAMI-FLORIDA 24 Duke 14

Miami jumped ahead 10-0 in the first quarter after two possessions but Duke pulled to within three points on two different occasions including midway through the fourth quarter. Two possessions were costly however as the Blue Devils fumbled at the Miami 17-yard line in their first possession of the third quarter and then turned it over on downs at the Miami 40-yard line late in the fourth. Duke easily cashed the +24-point ticket.

(15) VIRGINIA TECH 17 North Carolina 10

North Carolina dropped its 4th straight game but this one was in its grasp. The Tar Heels outgained the Hokies 306-241 but two costly turnovers proved to be the difference. They started the second half with a fumble in the Virginia Tech endzone which resulted in a touchback and then tossed an interception on its next possession that led to a touchdown. The Tar Heels scored after but it was too late for the win although they covered easily.

(23) PURDUE 33 Notre Dame 19

Notre Dame moved to 0-5 but did cover for the first time this year. The Irish had their best offensive game of the season as they outgained Purdue 426-371 but they missed a field goal, threw an interception inside the redzone and turned it over on fourth down twice in Boilermakers territory. Notre Dame pulled to within a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter but the Boilermakers matched it on their next possession.

CONNECTICUT 44 Akron 10

Connecticut outgained the Zips 465-251 but Akron was able to hang around for the first half. The Zips took the lead late in the second quarter but the Huskies returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to start a 35-0 run. The Zips had a chance to respond at the end of the first half but they were stopped at the five-yard line to end the half. Connecticut easily covered the 14.5 points as it held Akron to 66 yards in the second half.

BALL STATE 49 Buffalo 14

Ball St. did not let down after the near miss at Nebraska as it racked up 507 yards of offense while holding Buffalo to just 219 total yards. This included 274 yards rushing on 48 carries (5.7 ypc) as the Cardinals jumped out to a 35-0 lead and never looked back. 159 of the Bulls 219 yards came after the 5th Cardinals touchdown and Ball St. easily covered the two-touchdown spread.

CENTRAL MICH 35 Northern Ill 10

Northern Illinois actually outgained the Chippewas 521-381 but it committed six turnovers, two of which led to 14 points while Central Michigan also returned a kickoff back for a touchdown. The Huskies threw interceptions on four of their final five possessions all of which took place in Central Michigan territory. The Chippewas managed only 76 yards in the second half but still covered by 22 points.

Indiana 38 IOWA 20

Indiana jumped out to a 21-0 lead as the defense kept the Hawkeyes in check through the first half by allowing only 59 total yards. Iowa responded with a stronger second half with three long touchdown drives but it was too late as the lead was too much to overcome. Iowa outgained the Hoosiers 428-395 but three turnovers and nine penalties did not help its cause. Indiana was getting 8.5 points which it certainly didn’t even need.

ARMY 37 Temple 21

Temple remained winless as it dominated the game by outgaining Army 463-330 but there were too many mistakes. The Owls turned in over five times which led to 14 points while the special teams gave up both a punt and a kickoff return for touchdowns, the latter opening the game. Still, it was tied at the half but the Owls had three turnovers and gave it up on downs twice in the second half, resulting in an easy cover for Army.

TEXAS A&M 34 Baylor 10

This game was actually closer than the Aggies had hoped as they outgained Baylor 552-254 but still only had a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter. Texas A&M did respond with the final two touchdowns but the score should have been much worse. The Aggies missed three field goals while also throwing an interception in their own territory that set up a Bears field goal. The last Aggies score provided the frontdoor cover.

(11) SO CAROLINA 38 Miss State 21

Mississippi St. had control of this game as it had a four-point lead midway through the third quarter but the Gamecocks got it going with three straight touchdowns to end the game, the final one resulting in a three-point cover. South Carolina outgained the Bulldogs 402-258 but a turnover on downs, a missed field goal and an interception inside the redzone killed three scoring chances.

NAVY 31 Air Force 20

Air Force outgained the Midshipmen 474-381 and held a three-point lead at the end of the third quarter but the final quarter was a disaster. The Falcons allowed Navy’s two longest touchdown drives while the offense fumbled at their own 35-yard line and also missed a field goal, its second miss of the day. That first miss was preceded by a turnover on downs at the Navy five-yard line. The Midshipmen covered by 8.5 points.

(12) GEORGIA 45 Ole Miss 17

Mississippi tied this game at 17-17 late in the third quarter but Georgia ran away with it by scoring the final 28 points of the game. The Rebels were outgained by only 86 total yards but a fumble at the Georgia four-yard line on their second possession and then a turnover on downs late in the game at the Georgia 19-yard line stalled two drives. Two turnovers led to 14 points and the easy cover for the Bulldogs.

(8) KENTUCKY 45 Fla Atlantic 17

Kentucky kept rolling along as it tallied 514 total yards while holding the Owls to 307 yards and scored touchdowns on its first four possessions. The score should have been much worse but the Wildcats had two turnovers inside the redzone and also missed a field goal. Kentucky was up by 21 points late in the fourth quarter and returned an interception for a touchdown for the frontdoor cover.

COLORADO 27 (10) Oklahoma 24

Oklahoma was cruising along with a 24-7 lead thanks to two interceptions that resulted in two short touchdown drives but then the tides turned. The Sooners committed three turnovers in the second half, including a muffed punt, which led to 10 Colorado points. The Buffaloes forced a late punt which set up the game winning field goal as time expired. Colorado held Oklahoma to just 230 total yards while covering by 26 points.

(25) NEBRASKA 35 Iowa State 17

Iowa St. outgained the Cornhuskers 415-369 and jumped ahead 10-0 before Nebraska fought back. The Cornhuskers scored the next three touchdowns and Iowa St. was looking to pull back within four but threw an interception that was returned 93 yards for the touchdown. The Cyclones did get another touchdown back which secured the cover but their third interception at their own three-yard line set up the final Nebraska score.

UTAH 34 Utah State 18

Utah won its 10th straight meeting against its in-state rival as it outgained Utah St. by only 50 total yards. The Aggies scored first to take a 7-0 lead but Utah scored 34 of the next 37 points to pull away. Included in this was a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown. Utah St. used a 44-yard punt return late in the fourth quarter to set up a short touchdown drive and the backdoor cover.

MIAMI-OHIO 17 Syracuse 14

Syracuse was feeling the hangover from the Louisville win as it managed only 86 total yards in the first half. The RedHawks jumped ahead 14-0 thanks in part to a Syracuse interception that set up a short field. Miami did its best to let Syracuse back in the game as it threw two interceptions to start the second half. The Orange pulled to within three points late and got the ball once again but could not move past their own 13-yard line.

Kent State 33 OHIO U 25

Kent St. scored on its first three possessions and held off a late rally from the Bobcats. Ohio scored with three minutes remaining and then got the ball back again with less than two minutes remaining but failed on a fourth down attempt in its own territory. The Golden Flashes rushed for 233 yards while holding Ohio to just 88 yards on the ground. Kent got the cover and was helped out by 17 Bobcats penalties for 170 yards.

(24) Kansas State 41 (19) TEXAS 21

Kansas St. won going away even though it was outgained 330-272 as it scored 21 points on an interception return, a punt return and a kickoff return. The Longhorns finished with four interceptions which led to 20 points that was the ultimate difference. Texas drove 80 yards on its second possession of the second half to pull within three points but managed only 61 yards the rest of the way as Kansas covered by 34.5 points.

(3) California 31 (14) OREGON 24

Oregon outgained the Bears 497-400 but had four turnovers, all of which occurred in the fourth quarter. The final one was the most devastating as the Ducks fumbled into the Bears endzone with 16 seconds left and it went out of bounds which resulted in a touchback. In the possession prior to that an interception at the California 17-yard line killed another drive. The Bears covered the number outright.

(5) WISCONSIN 37 Michigan State 34

Wisconsin was outgained by the Spartans 564-461 but was able to build a late 10-point lead that it almost squandered. Michigan St. scored on it next two possessions to tie the game and after the Badgers retook the lead, it has a chance to tie again but missed a 53-yard field goal. The Spartans did force a punt but were stopped on downs at the Wisconsin 38-yard line with 1:09 remaining. Michigan St. did get the cover by four.

Inside the Boxscores - Part II
By Matt Fargo
VegasInsider.com

GEORGIA TECH 13 (22) Clemson 3

The defenses were the story here as Georgia Tech outgained the Tigers 256-228. The Yellow Jackets fumbled on their first play from scrimmage but Clemson was held to a field goal. On the day, the Tigers missed four field goals which obviously made a difference in both the win and Georgia Tech cover. Clemson was held to just 34 yards rushing on 32 carries (1.1 ypc).

Maryland 34 (21) RUTGERS 24

Maryland dominated the line of scrimmage as it outgained the Scarlet Knights on the ground 239-82 and 458-392 in total yards. Rutgers scored first on a field goal but the Terrapins responded with two touchdowns only to see the Scarlet Knights match that and take a three-point lead into halftime. Rutgers was down by three late in the fourth quarter but could not convert on fourth down and Maryland punched it in on the next play.

Louisville 29 NC STATE 10

Louisville outgained the Wolfpack 498-334 but still needed two fourth quarter scores to put the game away. NC State pulled to within six points and then moved the ball to midfield on its next possession before being forced to punt. The Cardinals put up a touchdown and the Wolfpack fumbled on their next drive and lost it on downs to end the game. The 13 fourth quarter points solidified the cover for Louisville.

NEVADA 27 U-N-L-V 20

There were four lead changes and four ties before the Wolf Pack scored the winning touchdown with 27 seconds remaining and grab the 3.5-point cover. The Rebels tied the score but Nevada was able to drive the field in just 35 seconds for the win. Both teams had costly interceptions in the redzone. Nevada scored on its final three possessions while UNLV had a chance to match that but turned it over on downs.

Texas-El Paso 48 S-M-U 45

It took overtime to decide this shootout as the teams combined for 1,074 yards of offense and 61 first downs. The Mustangs picked off a pass early in the fourth quarter and scored on their next offensive play to take a 14-point lead. The Miners had drives of 79 and 66 yards to tie the score while the defense forced two punts for SMU. The winning touchdown in overtime got the win and also the five-point cover for the Miners.

FLORIDA STATE 21 Alabama 14

Defense dominated for three quarters but the offense came alive for both teams in the final period as each team put up two touchdowns. Alabama was forced to punt on each of its first 10 possessions and then fumbled on its own five-yard line on its 11th possession to set up Florida St. with an easy touchdown. The Tide did score twice but never got closer than seven points. The Seminoles covered the field goal spread.

(16) Hawaii 48 IDAHO 20

Hawaii took a 7-0 lead before the Vandals tied it but the Warriors then ran off 31 unanswered points to pull away. Hawaii outgained Idaho 485-303 but most of the Vandals yards came in garbage time as 164 of those yards came in the final 18 minutes of the game. Idaho finished with five interceptions but Hawaii was even worse with five interceptions and a fumble. Despite the late Idaho run, Hawaii covered by four points.

U-C-F 37 UL Lafayette 19

Central Florida outgained the Cajuns 466-314 but it was La-Lafayette that looked to have the upper hand early. It drove inside the redzone three times in its first four possessions however it came away with just six points on three field goal attempts. The Golden Knights scored one of its touchdowns on a blocked punt but they could not cover the 22.5 points as they fumbled twice inside the Cajuns 30-yard line in the fourth quarter.

U-C-L-A 40 OREGON STATE 14

UCLA fumbled in its first two possessions, both on the first play of the drive, but allowed just a touchdown off them. The Beavers jumped ahead 14-0 before UCLA scored the final 40 points of the game. Oregon St. had a two-point lead going into the fourth quarter but the Bruins scored four touchdowns on four possessions, two aided by two fumbles. Oregon St. finished with five turnovers that led to 21 points and an easy UCLA cover.

Western Mich 42 TOLEDO 28

Toledo jumped ahead 14-7 but the Broncos scored 28 unanswered points to pull away for the easy win and cover. Western Michigan had two turnovers in its first four possessions but then scored touchdowns on five of its next six possessions. Toledo rushed for 224 yards on 36 carries (6.2 ypc) yet the Broncos won the time of possession by over 15 minutes as they ran 28 more plays from scrimmage.

TULSA 38 U-A-B 30

Tulsa racked up 695 yards of offense as it built a 22-point lead but the Blazers did not give up. They had a rough start as they punted five times to go along with two turnovers in their first seven possessions. UAB scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull within eight points with 3:47 remaining but the Golden Hurricane did not give the ball back as they ran out the clock.

ARKANSAS 66 North Texas 7

Arkansas dominated from start to finish as it gained 713 yards on offense including 446 yards rushing on 55 carries (8.1 ypc) while the defense allowed 329 total yards. The score could have been even worse but the Razorbacks fumbled twice in the fourth quarter, once at the two-yard line and once in the North Texas endzone. The Mean Green did enter Arkansas territory six times but scored just once, missing the cover by 24 points.

VANDERBILT 30 Eastern Mich 7

Vanderbilt dominated on defense as it allowed only 173 total yards while forcing six turnovers including five interceptions, one that was returned for a touchdown. In total, the Commodores had 20 points off turnovers. The Vanderbilt offense generated only 341 yards as it tossed four interceptions, three of which occurred inside the Eagles 33-yard line, wiping out 173 yards of offense. A field goal with 2:06 left gave it the cover.

VIRGINIA 44 Pittsburgh 14

Special teams were the difference as the Cavaliers scored four touchdowns in the first quarter. The Panthers tried an onsides kick to start the game but failed, giving Virginia a short field. Pittsburgh also fumbled a punt return and allowed a 45-yard punt return the next possession. The Panthers pulled to within 16 points but the Cavaliers tacked on two late touchdowns for the easy cover. The Panthers were outgained by only 54 total yards.

East Carolina 37 HOUSTON 35

East Carolina was outgained 484-329 but squeaked out the victory thanks to two missed field goals by the Cougars in the fourth quarter. The final 38-yard kick was missed with just three seconds remaining. It was back and fourth the whole way and the Pirates did their best to give it away as they allowed a 100-yard kickoff return for a score at the end of the third quarter while the offense mustered only 15 yards in the fourth quarter.

TROY 24 UL-Monroe 7

Troy had the only score of the first half as it intercepted a pass and ran it back for a touchdown. The Warhawks had the best offensive opportunity in the half but they were stopped on fourth down at the Trojans one-yard one. Neither team did itself any favors by committing 20 penalties in total. Troy tacked on the final 10 points of the game which got it the cover by 5.5 points.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE 47 Florida Intl 6

Middle Tennessee scored all 47 points in the first half as it outgained the Golden Panthers 316-32 in the first 30 minutes as the cover was locked in the first quarter. Florida International finished with only 145 total yards and it crossed midfield twice. Its lone touchdown came on a blocked punt in the Blue Raiders endzone. In eight second half possessions, Middle Tennessee punted six times and fumbled in the other two.

T-C-U 24 Colorado State 12

TCU outgained the Rams 398-271 as it rushed for 201 yards while holding Colorado St. to only 55 yards on 28 carries (2.0 ypc). The Rams pulled to within four points after the Horned Frogs led off the game with an 83-yard scoring drive but TCU ran off the next 17 points to pull away. The Rams pulled to within 3.5 points of covering but they threw two interceptions on their final three possessions to miss coming in the backdoor.

(2) U-S-C 27 WASHINGTON 24

The game was not as close as the final score indicates as USC outgained the Huskies 460-190 but turnovers almost did them in. The Trojans picked off Washington at the eight-yard line, saving a touchdown but USC gave it back and Washington took advantage with a short field and a touchdown. The Huskies also returned an interception for a touchdown to tie the game in the second quarter. Washington covered from start to finish.

(4) Ohio State 30 MINNESOTA 7

The Buckeyes shut down the powerful Minnesota rushing attack, holding the Golden Gophers to just 45 yards rushing on 29 carries (1.6 ypc) while the offense ran for 250 yards on 47 carries (5.3 ypc). Minnesota did have some chances but missed a field goal on its opening drive, threw two interceptions in Ohio St. territory and was stopped on fourth down at the Buckeyes four-yard line. Minnesota still covered by a point.

Auburn 20 (9) FLORIDA 17

Auburn had the game won however a timeout was called prior to the kick but the Tigers nailed the second attempt for the huge upset. The Gators were down by two touchdowns heading into the final quarter but scored touchdowns on back-to-back possessions, the first coming off an Auburn fumble. An interception led to the Tigers first field goal while Florida also fumbled at the Auburn 29-yard line and missed a field goal as well.

B-Y-U 31 NEW MEXICO 24

BYU jumped ahead 14-0 including an interception return for a touchdown on the fourth play of the game. The Lobos stormed back and tied the game at 21 apiece thanks in part to a Cougars fumble at their own 19-yard line. BYU was up by four points midway through the fourth quarter and New Mexico fumbled on its own 22-yard line to set up the late field goal and the cover. BYU scored 24 points off turnovers.

ARIZONA 48 Washington St 20

Arizona racked up 567 yards of offense as it got into Cougars territory on 11 of its 12 possessions. Washington St. scored on its opening drive of the second half to tie the game at 20-20 before the Wildcats ran off the final 28 points of the game and covered easily. Following that, the Cougars managed just 103 total yards the rest of the way and they finished with only 71 yards rushing on 25 carries (2.8 ypc).

(18) Arizona State 41 STANFORD 3

Arizona St. had just 96 yards and only six points in its first six possessions but exploded for 344 yards and five touchdowns the rest of the way. One of those touchdowns came on an interception return, one of three turnovers for the Cardinal. Stanford finished with only 235 total yards and 13 first downs while going just 2-14 on third down. The Cardinal never got past the Sun Devils 25-yard line.

(20) Cincinnati 52 SAN DIEGO ST 23

The Bearcats string of blowouts continued as they outgained San Diego St. 547-377 while also returning an interception 58 yards for a touchdown. Cincinnati finished with 263 yards rushing on 50 carries (5.3 ypc) while holding the Aztecs to just 65 yards on 24 carries (2.7 ypc). The Bearcats scored touchdowns on six of their first seven possessions and finished a perfect 5-5 inside the redzone.

FRESNO STATE 17 Louisiana Tech 6

Fresno St. was outgained by the Bulldogs 282-262 and trailed 6-0 at halftime before scoring the only 17 points of the second half. After its second field goal, Louisiana Tech punted on its next six possessions. It got to the Fresno 33-yard line late in the fourth quarter but was stopped on fourth down and then ended the game at the Bulldogs 18-yard line as time expired but still covered the number by a point and a half.

Louisville's Stripling suspended for Friday
October 3, 2007

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -Louisville running back George Stripling was suspended from Friday night's game against Utah for violating team rules.

Coach Steve Kragthorpe did not elaborate Wednesday on why Stripling was disciplined.

Stripling, second on the team with 171 yards and one touchdown, is the second Louisville player suspended this week. Wide receiver JaJuan Spillman was suspended indefinitely on Monday.

Stripling serves mainly as a backup to starter Anthony Allen and fullback Brock Bolen.

Texas Tech LB Tillman suspended
October 3, 2007

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -Texas Tech linebacker Kellen Tillman was suspended indefinitely after his arrest on a marijuana possession charge.

Tillman, who missed last week's game for undisclosed disciplinary reasons, was arrested Monday when police responding to minor traffic accident found marijuana in the car he was driving. Tech coach Mike Leach, who had reinstated Tillman as a starter the day of the arrest, suspended him Tuesday.

Leach called the incident ``a huge distraction.''

``We've just got to see what happens and get to the bottom of it,'' he said. ``We've got a season to play and games to coach. He's just going to have to figure it out.''

Tillman's attorney, Dan Hurley, said the marijuana did not belong to his client. Hurley said Tillman has passed two urine tests since his arrest.

Tillman believes a friend who used his car stashed the drug in the upper part of car's console and that the accident probably knocked the marijuana loose, Hurley said.

According to police, an officer walked up to one of two cars stopped in the center turn lane of a street on Monday and saw what he believed to be marijuana. Tillman, the only person in the car, was arrested at the scene, Lubbock police Lt. Scott Hudgens said.

Tillman, a 23-year-old senior, posted $750 bond and was released a short time later. If convicted, he faces up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Leach hasn't disclosed why Tillman was benched for Saturday's 75-7 victory against Northwestern State. Tillman had 21 tackles and a sack in Texas Tech's first four games.

U-M receiver Mario Manningham to miss Eastern game for violating team rule
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITERS

Michigan wide receiver Mario Manningham is not expected to play Saturday against Eastern Michigan after violating a team rule.

Multiple people with knowledge of the violation confirmed his one-game punishment.

U-M coach Lloyd Carr was unavailable for comment, and Manningham’s grandfather, Gerald Simpson, said he was not aware of the penalty.

Manningham, a junior who leads the team with 29 catches for 402 yards and two touchdowns, has had an up-and-down season.

He had his best game against Northwestern last weekend with a career-high 10 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown.

But he hasn’t been that productive all season.

Before the Notre Dame game, Carr said of Manningham: “I don’t think he’s played as well as he can.”

At the time, Carr would not elaborate, saying, “that’s part of coaching. We’ll deal with that. He’s done some very good things. I just think he’s capable of playing better, and I’m confident he will.”

Manningham did not start against Penn State but entered on the first series and drew some postgame attention after he did the “worm” dance on the field to celebrate the victory. A video of the dance has drawn more than 17,000 viewers on YouTube.

There were moments early this season when Manningham appeared to be out of sync with the quarterbacks.

On Monday, U-M quarterback Chad Henne identified what he felt was the biggest reason for the offensive inconsistency this year, without pointing out an individual.

“It was more getting on the right page with our receivers, them running the right routes, them going full speed at times and us making smart decisions — putting the ball where it needs to be,” he said.

Two other wide receivers — Adrian Arrington and Greg Mathews — have drawn significant praise from Carr this season for their work ethic and effort.

Alabama's D-line sustains another loss
October 3, 2007

Associated Press

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- Alabama's defensive line wasn't back to full strength for very long.

Nose tackle Brian Motley played for the first time this season against Florida State after recovering from a broken foot. Now, starting defensive end Bobby Greenwood is likely out for Saturday's game against Houston with a sprained ankle.

He will be replaced by sophomore Brandon Deaderick.

"We'd like to get to where we have our five guys that we feel are all kind of starters for us up front," coach Nick Saban said. "Depth at that position has been critical for us all year."

In fact, Crimson Tide defensive linemen have combined for just two sacks in five games, and Greenwood had one of them. Saban said he was "very questionable" for the game.

"That's definitely tough, because Greenwood's a guy that you can count on," end Wallace Gilberry said. "You can count on him doing his job and being in the right place at the right time."

Deaderick has played in all five games. He was arrested over the summer on charges of criminal mischief, resisting arrest and providing a false name in an off-campus incident also involving two teammates but has applied for youthful offender status.

Motley, meanwhile, is a redshirt freshman who had won the No. 1 job in spring practice after moving over from the offensive line.

"He worked extremely hard to get back," Saban said. "He's got good leverage, he's got good lower-body explosion, he's got good quickness, he's smart. He's certainly a guy that we welcome back and we need to come back."

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ACADEMIC FACTOR: Alabama coach Nick Saban believes the ability to accept partial academic qualifiers is a factor in the rise of Big East Conference teams like No. 6 South Florida.

The theory drew the ire of USF coach Jim Leavitt, who called Saban's facts "not right."

"Whoever gave him that information needs to correct it," Leavitt told the Tampa Tribune. He said only two of his players are partial qualifiers and only one starts.

Saban said Monday that the stricter rules for the Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference, for instance, helps "create a lot of parity."

"When you play those schools, you're playing against guys that you couldn't recruit," he said.

He used South Florida as an example. "I think there's six guys starting on South Florida's defense that probably could have gone to Florida or Florida State, but Florida and Florida State couldn't take them," Saban said.

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BIG PLAYS: Saban declined to say whether cornerback Lionel Mitchell would return to the starting lineup, but he did give a hint of how that decision is made.

He wants his defensive backs to "practice fast" and "finish plays" -- not just in games but practice.

"And if you don't do it, when the speed of the game gets to what it is against the good skilled players that we play against, you're not going to be in position to make the play," said Saban, who frequently works with the defensive backs. "You're going to be one step behind in the down, and it's going to affect our ability to be successful."

Freshman Kareem Jackson replaced Mitchell in the starting lineup against Florida State. Mitchell gave up the winning touchdown catch in an overtime loss to Georgia, though Saban didn't cite that as a factor in his benching.

"All the corners have to do a little better job of playing with consistency and not giving up the big play," Saban said. "That's something that's been a problem."

The Tide allowed three big offensive plays against the Seminoles, including two of 50-plus yards. Linebacker Darren Mustin said the coaches had an interesting analogy before the season on the importance of the not just doing the right thing most of the time.

"If 99 percent of the ATMs work throughout America, a whole bunch of people are going to go without money," Mustin recalled a coach telling them. "If 99 percent of babies are delivered to the wrong parents, a whole bunch of babies are going to the wrong people.

"You've got to give 100 percent. You can't have 99 percent. You've got to give it all."

Could injury reports cure gambling concerns?
October 3, 2007

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) -- With West Virginia quarterback Pat White hurting and uncertain to play Saturday against Syracuse, it took oddsmakers a couple extra days to make the Mountaineers a 241/2-point favorite.

No matter when West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez decides whether White will play, he won't tell anyone outside the program until game time. That inside information is too valuable -- to gamblers.

"We're really concerned about a 'runner' for gambling. It concerns us to death," said Texas coach Mack Brown, who warns players to keep team information to themselves. "We tell our players, if you're going to talk, even to your parents, don't talk about injuries."

That secrecy, however, increases the information's value and leaves major college football programs vulnerable, said RJ Bell, president of Pregame.com, a Web site that provides information for gamblers.

"What we have in college football is a culture and context where there is no official information," Bell said. "Clearly what it leads to is the high value of inside information."

In the wake of the NBA betting scandal involving former referee Tim Donaghy, accused of selling inside information to bookies, perhaps it's time for college football to have an official injury report.

Last week, Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione admitted he was charging boosters $1,200 for a secret newsletter with injury updates he wasn't making public. Franchione said the dozen or so boosters signed an agreement to keep the information confidential and there's been no evidence showing it was used for gambling.

The NCAA bylaws prohibit providing information to "individuals involved in or associated with any type of sports wagering activities."

Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer said he takes a cautious approach when talking about the team.

"Yeah, to be honest with you, you never know who's doing what, so you've just have to stay tightlipped," he said. "We always say, 'Anything with the team stays inside with the team.' You can't let anything like that out because you never knows who is going to take it to a bookie or whatever and say, 'I just heard from so-and-so that their running back is out.' So in this era, you have to be careful about everything you do."

Bell said providing more official information, the way the NFL does, might alleviate some of the NCAA's worries about gambling.

The NFL releases a weekly injury report, which lets everybody -- teams, fans and gamblers -- know who's hurt and how likely it is the ailing player will play.

Because it would involve students' medical records, the NCAA has no jurisdiction and couldn't be involved in putting together an injury report. That would leave it up to each conference.

Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson said his league last year briefly discussed a leaguewide policy on how all coaches -- not just football -- would disclose injuries after some women's volleyball players at Hawaii refused to sign a release allowing the school to discuss their injuries.

In the end, the WAC stuck with the status quo and let the schools determine their own policies, Benson said.

Several years ago, Southeastern Conference sports information directors talked about a weekly injury report, but it never went past the SIDs.

Coaches haven't always been so tightlipped about injuries.

Grant Teaff, the executive director of the American Football Coaches Association who coached at Baylor for 20 seasons starting in 1972, would let the medical staff speak directly with reporters.

Over the years, some coaches started holding back information to keep the competition guessing, and there was a domino affect. If your opponent wasn't being forthright, than why should you, Teaff said.

Stricter federal health privacy laws have caused some schools to be even more restrictive about releasing information. Those same laws mean every player would have to give permission to be listed on an injury report.

Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe said that alone might be enough to derail the idea of a conference producing an NFL-style report.

Although Teaff doesn't support the idea of an injury report, he said it warrants warrants discussion.

Even so he's not optimistic coaches would support it and guessed at least 60 percent would be against it.

Count Oregon State coach Mike Riley among those in favor.

"It sure would be good for me and for us as coaches ... not have to dance around this stuff," said Riley, who coached in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers, "where you don't have people sneaking around trying to find out information and posting it on the Internet."

USC coach Pete Carroll, who coached the New York Jets and New England Patriots, is glad to be done with an injury report and doubts it would solve anything.

"I've been part of that," he said. "As standardized as it is, it's still hokey."