Ohio State tops AP rankings; USF No. 2
October 14, 2007
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) -- Ohio State has risen -- all the way to No 1.
A day after the top two teams in the AP Top 25 lost, the Buckeyes jumped two spots Sunday in the media poll and became the third school this season to hold the No. 1 ranking.
"We've improved each week but we understand that the only poll that counts is the last one," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said in a statement.
The Buckeyes (7-0) beat Kent State 48-3 Saturday and have played only one team that's been in the rankings at any point this season. In a season in which 10 ranked teams have been beaten by unranked teams, just avoiding the upset bug has been enough for Ohio State.
Ohio State was No. 1 last season from preseason until the final poll, when the Buckeyes dropped to No. 2 after losing the BCS national championship game to Florida.
An unpredictable season took a new twist Saturday when LSU, in its second week as No. 1, was upset 43-37 in triple overtime by Kentucky. A few hours later, California, poised to move up one spot to No. 1 with a victory, lost at home 31-28 to Oregon State.
It was the first time in 11 years the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in the AP poll lost on the same day.
The Buckeyes received 50 of a possible 65 first-place votes, and were not the only team to advance. South Florida, which had never been ranked before this season, moved up three spots to No. 2, leapfrogging No. 3 Boston College.
The Bulls received 11 first-place votes after a 64-12 victory over Central Florida. BC's workmanlike 27-14 victory over Notre Dame helped get the Eagles one first-place votes. No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 5 LSU each received one first-place vote, as did No. 12 Arizona State.
The last time six teams received first-place votes after the first month of the season was Nov. 25, 1990.
The rest of the top 10 was No. 6 South Carolina, followed by Oregon, Kentucky, West Virginia and Cal, which slipped eight spots to No. 10.
Virginia Tech was No. 11, followed by Arizona State and Southern California, which fell another three spots to No. 13.
USC was the preseason No. 1, but lost the top ranking three weeks ago after a lackluster victory at Washington. The Trojans slipped to No. 10 last week after being upset by Stanford.
Florida was No. 14, followed by Kansas and Missouri, which were tied at No. 15. Hawaii, Auburn, Texas and Tennessee rounded out the top 20.
Georgia, Texas Tech, Cincinnati, Michigan and Kansas State were the final five.
Michigan started the season at No. 5 and fell all the way out after an opening loss to Appalachian State. The Wolverines have won five straight after starting the season 0-2.
Texas Tech is making its first appearance in the poll this season. Dropping out this week were Wisconsin, Illinois and Florida State.
'The Senior,' 59-year-old Mike Flynt, plays football after 37-year layoff
October 13, 2007
Associated Press
ALPINE, Texas (AP) -- To the shreiking delight of his wife, three kids, grandson and a legion of new fans, 59-year-old Mike Flynt returned to college football action Saturday night.
His Sul Ross State teammates marched for a touchdown on their opening drive against Texas Lutheran and Flynt went in at left end on the extra-point unit. He sealed his block as the kick went through, marking his first game action in 37 years. He remained a fixture at that spot on extra points and field goals.
His first block wasn't much, but it didn't matter. The play culminated a comeback that began almost as a dare at a reunion this summer, then was delayed by the kind of lingering aches and pains that slow most card-carrying AARP members.
"I wasn't nervous," said his wife, Eileen, who'd met Flynt the year after he was kicked off the team right before what was supposed to be his senior season, thus had never seen him play before. "It was just exciting. I thought I was going to be nervous."
Flynt might be giving new meaning to being a college "senior," but he's not the oldest ever as a 60-year-old played in 1997. However, he went in for one snap late in a blowout; Flynt is truly part of his Division III team, with expectations to eventually get in at his old position, linebacker. The Lobos have four games left and he expects to play in them all.
When Flynt ran in for his first play, his son, Micah, was the first to holler, "There he goes!"
All six members of his immediate family, even 11/2-year-old Collin, screamed before, during and after the play. As Flynt ran back to the sideline, a fist pump showed his thrill.
"Awesome, awesome, awesome," said his oldest daughter, Delanie Flynt-Swanson. Then she turned to Collin and said, "You're grandpa just played football!"
"How many other grandpas can say that?" added son Micah Flynt.
"None. Zero," she said.
Before the first quarter ended, Sul Ross scored again, and Flynt went back to his same spot. When he returned to the sideline this time, he hugged the quarterback, then looked up into the stands and pointed at wife and grandson. Then he flashed another fist pump toward Delanie, who was videotaping his every move.
"I got all of that," she said, smiling as wide as he was.
His first good hit came on a second-quarter field goal try. The kick went through, but Texas Lutheran had called time. They did it again and Flynt again did his job, but the other end of the line didn't and a fake attempt was snuffed out.
Flynt doesn't look like most 59-year-olds. He spent years as a strength coach at Nebraska, Oregon and Texas A&M, and in recent years sold a piece of fitness equipment that he invented, with the military among his clients. In other words, he's in great shape.
He was quite a player back in the day, helping Odessa Permian (of "Friday Night Lights" fame) win its first state title in 1965. He wound up at Sul Ross in 1969 and in '70 he led the team in tackles. He was going to be a team captain in '71, but was ousted during two-a-days.
Flynt carried that regret throughout his life, sharing it with former teammates at a reunion this summer. One of them suggested he go back to school. Once he found out he was eligible, he did.
Now, he's played -- and intends to keep playing, providing his body lets him.
Oregon loses players in easy win
Associated Press
Oregon's easy victory over Washington State came at a high cost - receiver Cameron Colvin and running back Jeremiah Johnson left with injuries, and could miss the rest of the season.
Dennis Dixon threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns and No. 9 Oregon handed Washington State its fourth straight loss, 53-7 on Saturday. Dixon also ran for a touchdown for the Ducks (5-1, 2-1 Pac-10).
But Colvin broke his ankle early in the game, and Johnson injured his right knee after scoring two touchdowns.
"Those are serious blows," coach Mike Bellotti said. "Our depth will be tested, but I have confidence that we will still be able to do the things we want to do."
Upon further review: Week 7 lessons learned
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Saturday of Week 7 was a bad, bad day for this college betting junkie. Not so bad that strangers are leaving threatening messages on to pay up "or else", but definitely frustrating.
I'd built up my account slowly and steadily but Oct. 13 put me right back to where I was on August 30, when the current NCAA season kicked off.
Has there ever been a season like this for the absolute need to erase our preconceptions? Last summer's predictions were a joke by Week 4 and we've had to alter how we feel about teams over the past month alone. Remember when Tennessee lost by 39 points at Florida and Auburn fell at home to Mississippi State in Week 3? Well, the Vols and Tigers might end up playing for the SEC Championship.
But enough grousing. When life hands you lemons, use 'em to make your tequila go down smoother. As personally painful as it is to look back to Saturday's action, it's something we need to do to make Week 8 a smoother ride.
Arkansas Razorbacks
The No. 1 sign that Arkansas is in trouble: when opposing defenses key on the running game so much that quarterback Casey Dick has the team's nicest stat line at the half.
The No. 2 sign: repeated stupid mistakes. Three personal foul penalties by the defense? Kicking the ball out of bounds immediately after taking the lead in the closing minutes? Unforgivable.
Auburn Tigers
Sportsbooks dangled a 21-point total for the second half despite the 3-0 halftime score at Arkansas. The defenses controlled the first half so much that I would have been all over the under had I not been burnt by the similar under play I made in the Georgia Tech - Miami game. At least taking Auburn on the moneyline kept me from going 0-for-the-SEC.
Central Florida Golden Knights
South Florida's defense was too fast for UCF on Saturday, but the Golden Knights' offensive line fared decently. Central Florida's running backs, however, should be taught how to pick up blitzing defenders if the school's quarterbacks want to live to see Christmas.
Connecticut Huskies
UConn lost its undefeated record but won a backer. The Huskies will be friendly dogs for five of their six remaining Big East games. The Huskies' defense impressed at Virginia and quarterback Tyler Lorenzen capably runs an efficient offense.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Taylor Bennett wins this week's "Stop picking on me, Roberts" award after showing confidence and leadership in the win at the Orange Bowl. Taylor's next tasks: stop using Tashard Choice as a crutch and pick a go-to receiver.
Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa's offense looked vaguely threatening for most of the game, despite the low score. Snapping its Big Ten losing streak should do wonders for the confidence, too.
The Hawkeyes visit Purdue next week and the Boilermakers are at the other end of the confidence spectrum. Give me enough points and I'll count on Iowa's defense to at least keep it close.
Kentucky Wildcats
The Wildcats' toughness was the most impressive facet of their upset of LSU. The Tigers kept swinging haymakers like they were the football version of George Foreman c.1974, but Kentucky played the Muhammed Ali role to perfection, bouncing off the ropes to eventually floor an exhausted giant. But will the Wildcats have anything left in the tank for the rested Gators (Smokin' Joe Frazier?) this Saturday?
The Cats' front seven was fantastic in the second half, pressuring Matt Flynn and minimizing an LSU ground game that had been effective before halftime.
Louisville Cardinals
The Cardinals' defense started off as most people expected, but steadied itself admirably. It forced Cincinnati offense into making uncharacteristic turnovers, which suggests the Cards are making up for lax coverage schemes by attacking the ball with extra vigor.
Brian Brohm's numbers were only marginally better than Ben Mauk's, but Brohm had to be twice as accurate to make them so. Watching him dissect a strong Cincinnati defense made me think how demoralizing Louisville practices must be on the Cards' secondary with Brohm taking snaps.
Miami Hurricanes
Kyle Wright's numbers were horrible, granted, but he threw multiple early deep passes and opened up the middle of the field for the Canes' runners. Georgia Tech shored things up again, though, once they realized Wright wouldn't actually complete any of his bombs. I don't like Miami's chances of topping 14 points at Florida State this weekend.
Michigan Wolverines
As long as Mike Hart isn't on crutches, Michigan can beat anyone in the Big Ten with the exception of Ohio State.
Michigan's defense shut down what was viewed as an above-average offense yesterday, which raises two questions. Does this confirm that the Big Ten is slow? Has the defense been training with the school's track team? We'll find out how fast they are this week when they visit Illinois.
Mississippi Rebels
Ole Miss covered the spread and should have beaten Bama outright on Saturday. The Rebs' defense did its job but it will need to be twice as good this Saturday if Mississippi wants its first conference win against the frustrated Razorbacks. Arkansas demoralized Ole Miss 38-3 last year.
Missouri Tigers
Mizzou threw a scare in Sooner nation before throwing the game away with ugly turnovers. Tigers backers, however, were saved by Chase Daniel's late touchdown toss for the backdoor cover.
The Sooners were the better team on Saturday, but not by much. Missouri has a defense that can win games by itself and an offense that can play catch-up if needed. This Saturday's game against Texas Tech is Mizzou's biggest test left on its schedule.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Jimmy Clausen is the man of the future, but is he the man to face USC, the giant in Notre Dame's immediate future? Put simply, the Irish move the ball better with Evan Sharpley under center.
In encouraging news, the Notre Dame defense rightfully played with a strut in its step against Boston College. Let's see how many points the Irish get before we start praying to Touchdown Jesus, though.
SMU Mustangs
Justin Willis ended up with average numbers in Southern Miss but the bulk of them were built against the Eagles' lax defense in the second half. It was halfway through the second quarter when I had to check the box score because I couldn't recall if Willis had completed a pass. His passing stats at that point were 2-of-7 for 12 yards.
We all knew SMU couldn't stop anyone coming into Week 7, but the Mustangs' offensive (in all senses of the word) display in Hattiesburg will make me stay away from them the rest of the C-USA season. The crowning of the Southern Miss homecoming queen at halftime was easily the most entertaining aspect of this game.
South Carolina Gamecocks
Quarterback Chris Smelley's trio of first-half touchdowns couldn't obscure the fact that he makes too many dangerous passes. North Carolina's defensive persistence was rewarded after halftime with a pair of turnovers.
South Carolina could have covered the 7-point spread with a last-minute field goal, but Ryan Succop hit the upright in the cruellest blow to my gaming day. Cocky, the Gamecocks' mascot, shall no longer be my IM picture.
South Florida Bulls
Matt Grothe made multiple plays in the first half against UCF that 115 of the 120 starting QBs in top-tier football could not make. The Bulls' drive to close the first half with a 19-point lead was all Grothe.
South Florida visits Rutgers this Thursday and I love how the Bulls sent a message in Saturday's second half. USF was relentless until the final whistle, beating the Golden Knights 35-2 after the half and rendered the Bulls -3 second-half line a joke.
Vanderbilt Commodores
Vandy covered the spread against Georgia on Saturday but the Commodores' second-half performance will keep me away when they visit South Carolina in Week 8. The Dawgs' defenders spent so much time in Vandy's backfield after the break it made me wonder if the Dores' 17 first-half points were a dream.
Wisconsin Badgers
I know the Badgers are banged-up, but they were never going to be a come-from-behind team anyway. Taking the ball out of P.J. Hill's hands and putting it in Tyler Donovan's to win a game will be Wisconsin's death knell. On the bright side, the school's consecutive losses likely puts some value back in the Badgers' line for their next two winnable games.
College football today - October 14
ASSOCIATED PRESS
STARS
- C.J. Bacher, Northwestern, completed 41-of-58 for 470 yards and four TDs in the Wildcats 49-48 victory over Minnesota.
- Graham Harrell, Texas Tech, threw for 425 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score in the Red Raiders 35-7 win over Texas A&M.
- Ray Rice, Rutgers, ran for 196 yards and three touchdowns and the Scarlet Knights beat Syracuse 38-14.
- Colt McCoy, Texas, threw four touchdown passes and ran for another and the Longhorns beat Iowa State 56-3.
- James Starks, Buffalo, ran for 231 yards and three touchdowns and the Bulls defeated Toledo 43-33.
- Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan, ran for four touchdowns and threw for two more to lead the Chippewas past Army 47-23.
- Anthony Alridge, Houston, ran for 205 yards and four touchdowns in a 56-48 victory over Rice.
TAMED TIGERS
Kentucky's Andre Woodson found Steve Johnson open in the end zone for a 7-yard score in the third extra period as No. 18 Wildcats stunned the No. 1 LSU Tigers 43-37 in triple overtime on Saturday. LSU had a chance to win, but Charles Scott ran just one yard on fourth down when the Tigers needed two. It was Kentucky's first victory over a No. 1-ranked team since 1964, when the Wildcats beat Mississippi State.
CLOSE CALL
Highly touted freshman Joe McKnight gave the Trojans the big plays they desperately needed, Mark Sanchez threw his first career touchdown pass, and No. 7 USC rallied to beat Arizona 20-13. The game was USC's first since a 24-23 loss to 41-point underdog Stanford, snapping the Trojans' 35-game homefield winning streak. USC won despite being held to 12 yards of total offense in the second quarter and 50 in the third period.
LION KINGS
Rodney Kinlaw for 115 yards and a touchdown, Anthony Morelli threw for 216 yards and another score and Penn State beat Wisconsin 38-7 win Saturday. The Nittany Lions moved the ball with ease in claiming its second straight conference win and scored on two of three Wisconsin first-half turnovers. The Badgers lost their second straight after having won 14 in a row.
THE RIGHT CHOICE
Georgia Tech's Tashard Choice ran for a career-high 204 yards on 37 carries, and the Yellow Jackets beat Miami 17-14. Georgia Tech became the fourth team since 1978 to beat Miami in three consecutive seasons, joining Notre Dame, Virginia Tech and Florida State.
EYE OF THE HAWKS
Iowa's Brett Greenwood intercepted an Eddie McGee pass at the goal line with 1:12 left and the Hawkeyes upset No. 19 Illinois 10-6 on Saturday, snapping the Illini's five-game winning streak. The Hawkeyes snapped an eight-game losing streak in Big Ten play and knocked off a ranked opponent for the first time since 2005.
BOILED
Mike Hart and Mario Manningham each scored two touchdowns in the first half to help Michigan take a big lead, and the Wolverines went on to beat Purdue 48-21. The Boilermakers have lost in consecutive weeks after starting strong and rising to No. 23 in AP poll. Purdue hasn't won at Michigan Stadium since 1966 when Bob Griese was its quarterback.
COMEBACK CATS
Brandon Roberson ran 6 yards for a touchdown in the second overtime and Northwestern stopped a 2-point conversion attempt by Minnesota for a 49-48 victory. The Wildcats (4-3, 2-2) trailed 35-14 in the second half and tied the game on C.J. Bacher's 8-yard, fourth-down TD pass to Eric Peterman with eight seconds left in regulation, forcing a second straight overtime for Northwestern, which beat Michigan State 48-41 last week.
SUPER SUB
Sean Glennon threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns in relief of injured Tyrod Taylor and No. 10 Virginia Tech's defense shut down Duke yet again in a 43-14 win. Taylor, a freshman who had earned the starting job after Glennon struggled in his first two games, left early in the second with a sprained right ankle. Glennon entered the game with Virginia Tech leading 13-7, but directed consecutive touchdown drives to take the drama out of this one.
A HUSKER LOSS
Oklahoma State pounded Nebraska 45-14, the largest rout of the Huskers at home in 49 years. It was the first time since 1960 the Cowboys won at Memorial Stadium. Missouri's 31-0 victory in 1958 was the previous most-lopsided home loss for Nebraska. It's the first time in Nebraska's 118-year history that they have surrendered 40 points four times in the same season. The Cowboys, who had lost 20 straight games in Lincoln, scored on their first six possessions in taking a 38-0 halftime lead. That marked a stretch of six quarters where Nebraska was outscored 79-6.
STORMY WEATHER
Todd Reesing passed for two touchdowns and Jake Sharp rushed for 110 yards and another score, leading No. 20 Kansas past Baylor 58-10 in a game delayed more than two hours by lightning and heavy rain. ... Travis Brown had a 63-yard reception for the go-ahead touchdown as New Mexico beat Wyoming 20-3 in a game interrupted nearly two hours by lightning.
STREAKING
Matt Ryan threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns, Andre Callender scored three TDs and No. 4 Boston College held on to beat Notre Dame 27-14 to remain undefeated. Boston College is 7-0 for just the fifth time in 107 seasons - the first time since 1942 - and beat the rival Irish for the fifth straight time. ... Chris Gould kicked a 19-yard field goal with 3:20 to play and Virginia won its sixth consecutive game and knocked Connecticut from the unbeaten ranks with a 17-16 victory.
OVERTIME THRILLERS
The Citadel gained a school record 641 yards as the Bulldogs beat Furman 54-51 in overtime. Citadel quarterback Duran Lawson went 28-of-37 for 386 yards and ran for 100 yards to set a school record with 486 yards of total offense in the win. ... Liam Coen's 11-yard pass to J.J. Moore in the 4th overtime session helped Massachusetts defeat Villanova 32-24. ... Brandon Roberson ran 6 yards for a touchdown in the second overtime and Northwestern stopped a 2-point conversion attempt by Minnesota for a 49-48 victory. ... Quarterback Byron Selby completed 11 of 20 passes for 216 yards and one touchdown as Morgan State sneaked by Howard 36-33 in overtime. Morgan State kicker James Meade made a 23-yard field goal after Howard's Dennis Wiehberg missed a 38-yard attempt to seal the win for the Bears. ... Andrew Wilcox kicked five field goals, including a 49-yarder in the second overtime, to lead Elon to a 36-33 victory over Georgia Southern.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Craig Hormann threw for 417 yards and two touchdowns, and Austin Knowlin had 10 receptions for 188 yards and two scores in Columbia's 59-28 loss to Pennsylvania. ... Andy Schmitt passed for 210 yards and four touchdowns and also led the Eagles with 55 yards rushing in a 48-42 loss to Ohio. ... D.J. Lenehan threw for 307 yards and three touchdowns, Jalen Parmele rushed 29 times for 171 yards, and Stephen Williams tied a school record with 15 receptions for 172 yards and two TDs in Toledo's 43-33 loss to Buffalo. ... Scott Gray ran for 103 yards and three touchdowns for Butler in a 42-37 loss to Valparaiso. ... Adam Weber, completed 25-of-38 for 341 yards with five touchdowns, but Minnesota lost to Northwestern 49-48. ... Patrick Sprauge had nine catches for 238 yards and three touchdowns for Furman in a 54-51 overtime loss to the Citadel. ... Maine's Jhamal Fluellen rushed for a career-best 200 yards on 31 carries in a 21-20 loss to William & Mary. ... Chase Clement threw for a 355 yards, a career high, and three touchdowns and led Rice with 52 rushing yards in a 56-48 loss to Houston. ...
DYNAMIC DUO
Anthony Alridge had 205 rushing yards, Donnie Avery had 346 receiving yards and Houston scored the final 21 points to rally past Rice 56-48. Aldridge scored four touchdowns, including a 33-yard run that put the Cougars ahead 49-48 with 3:37 remaining. He added a 50-yard TD for the final points two minutes later. Avery set conference and school records with his receiving total and finished with 427 all-purpose yards. He had two touchdowns.
SPEAKING
''It proved we're a team that obviously earns a lot more respect now. We've come a long way from being a doormat in the SEC to competing with the best teams in the SEC and getting some wins.''- Kentucky QB Andre Woodson after the Wildcats' 43-37 upset of No. 1 LSU in triple overtime.
Michigan's Mike Hart injured in first half against Purdue
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan's Mike Hart was injured in the first half against Purdue on Saturday, and was not in uniform after halftime.
The senior running back appeared to hurt his right ankle when he was tackled by Anthony Haygood.
Hart ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns in the first half - helping the Wolverines build a 24-point lead - and set a school rushing record with his seventh straight 100-yard game.
Brandon Minor, Hart's backup, limped off the field during the first drive of the second half after he appeared to hurt his left ankle. Minor was later carted off the field, and replaced by Carlos Brown.
Hart became Michigan's career rushing leader last week and entered Saturday's game leading the nation with 976 yards this season and 4,655 in his career.
Against the Boilermakers, Hart moved past Wisconsin's Anthony Davis for fifth among the Big Ten's career rushing leaders. He trails Wisconsin's Ron Dayne - who ran for a conference-record 7,125 yards - Ohio State's Archie Griffin, Indiana's Anthony Thompson and Michigan State's Lorenzo White.
Hart finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting last year
Georgia RB Lumpkin out indefinitely
October 14, 2007
Associated Press
ATLANTA (AP) -- Georgia is still alive in the Southeastern Conference East Division race, though Kregg Lumpkin may have taken his final handoff for the Bulldogs.
The injury-plagued senior suffered a serious knee injury in Georgia's 20-17 victory over Vanderbilt, coach Mark Richt said Sunday.
"He may or may not finish the season," Richt said. "He's got a significant injury to the knee. He's not going to play anytime soon."
The No. 21 Bulldogs, who moved up three spots in the latest Associated Press poll, already lost Thomas Brown for at least four weeks, leaving redshirt freshman Knowshon Moreno as the main option at running back.
Moreno rushed for 157 yards in his first career start, 123 of those coming in the second half against the Commodores.
Lumpkin, who went out in the third quarter, may need arthroscopic surgery to clean out some damaged cartilage, but the medical staff won't be sure until the inflammation in the knee subsides. He also suffered a high ankle sprain on the play in which he injured he the knee, making a fast recovery even more unlikely.
Injuries are nothing new for Lumpkin. After a promising freshman year, he tore up a knee on the first day of fall practice in 2004, forcing him to take a redshirt. He returned to lead the Bulldogs in rushing last season with 798 yards and six touchdowns, but suffered another setback in this year's opener against Oklahoma State.
Just three carries into the season, Lumpkin went out with a broken thumb. He missed two games and had to wear a special pad on his hand when he returned. His carries figured to increase in the coming weeks as Brown recovered.
Having already played in five games, Lumpkin has no chance of gaining a sixth year of eligibility. He has just nine carries for 37 yards, hardly the way he wanted to end his college career.
The Bulldogs are off this week, which might allow Brown to be available for a few carries against rival Florida on Oct. 27.
Moreno leads the team with 619 yards and is averaging 5.2 a carry. The coaches will spend the next two weeks trying to get a backup in place. Jason Johnson, a senior, has three career carries. Redshirt freshman Shaun Chapas has rushed eight times for 24 yards. Freshman Kalvin Daniels will move over from the scout team.
"Kalvin will probably come over with the offensive first and second units, work with them to make sure he's ready when the time comes," Richt said.
The Bulldogs (5-2, 3-2 SEC) preserved their hopes in the East Division, though they face a brutally tough stretch run: No. 14 Florida, No. 8 Kentucky and No. 18 Auburn. Georgia rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit Saturday to win on Brandon Coutu's last-second field goal.
Afterward, the Bulldogs celebrated on Vanderbilt's logo in the center of the field. Richt apologized to Commodores coach Bobby Johnson afterward and admonished his players in the locker room to refrain from those sort of displays in the future.
"I don't think that's the right thing to do at the end of a ballgame," Richt said. "Should we have been celebrating? Absolutely. But not in a way that incites people's emotions like that."
He also disputed reports that said had him getting into an argument with Johnson after the game.
"There was nothing like that at all," Richt said. "I just said, 'Coach, I'm sorry my guys did that.' He said, 'Coach, don't worry about it."'
Vols pair should play despite injuries
October 14, 2007
Associated Press
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee wide receiver Lucas Taylor and tailback LaMarcus Coker were expected to miss several days following injuries suffered in the Vols' 33-21 victory over Mississippi State, coach Phillip Fulmer said Sunday.
Fulmer said both should be ready to play when No. 20 Tennessee takes on Alabama next Saturday.
Taylor has a sore toe; Coker suffered a concussion.
Taylor's 186-yard performance against Mississippi State moved him into the rushing lead in the Southeastern Conference with an average of 103 yards per game.
Vandy May Make QB Change
Coach hints that Adams will start at quarterback
Bobby Johnson didn't christen Mackenzi Adams as Vanderbilt's starting quarterback, but the Commodores coach certainly seemed to lean in that direction a day after his team's 20-17 Southeastern Conference loss to visiting Georgia.
In discussing the two-quarterback system utilized in Saturday's contest, Johnson was encouraged by the play of the sophomore — and indicated that previous starter Chris Nickson would have an opportunity to regain that status as the team prepares for this week's road trip to South Carolina.
"I thought Mackenzi did a good job, made some plays for us, did some good things for us," Johnson said following Sunday's short workout. "For his amount of time being in a real game when the game was on the line, I thought he did really well."
Coming off the bench two plays into Saturday's game, Adams split time with Nickson and completed 7-of-10 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 46 yards on 14 carries — a total that was affected by his three sacks.
"It was fun," Adams said of his most appreciable time in a pivotal situation at the collegiate level. "It's what you go out and practice for every day. Getting to lead the team down (the field) was a big thing."
Although Johnson said in the days prior to the Georgia game that Nickson wasn't "being thrown in the back of the bus," it's apparent that he's slipped down the depth chart.
"We still think Chris is a really good player," Johnson said. "He can do a lot of good things on the football field; we'd be crazy not to use him. He can fight his way back to being the starter."
Nickson, who threw four interceptions — and two touchdowns — in the Sept. 30 win over Eastern Michigan and completed just 5-of-16 first-half passes before being pulled against Auburn, connected on just 2-of-5 passes Saturday night for 6 yards and had five rushes for 10 yards.
"I think Mackenzi adjusted very well," Nickson said. "There were times when he just got hot.
"I don't know what's going to happen. I think some games may cause some different situations. It depends on how we attack the game plan against South Carolina and the games after that."
Asked if Adams had been pronounced the starter for the South Carolina game, Johnson said:
"If you go off (Saturday) night's game, ... Practice is going to come into it. We've got two good quarterbacks."
Streak stopped: Earl Bennett's three-reception game marked the first time the junior receiver had been held to fewer than four catches since his Oct. 8, 2005, outing against Louisiana State — a string of 22 straight games.
With 205 career catches, Bennett needs four to become the SEC's all-time leader in receptions.
www.tennessean.com
Penn State DE Hayes to miss rest of season
October 15th, 2007
University Park, PA (Sports Network) - Penn State defensive end Jerome Hayes will miss the remainder of the 2007 season after suffering a serious knee injury in Saturdays 38-7 win over No. 19 Wisconsin.
The redshirt sophomore tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a play in the third quarter and will have surgery within the next two weeks.
Rehabilitation is expected to take approximately nine months, according to Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, Penn State director of athletic medicine.
Hayes played in all seven games this season and tallied 17 tackles with three tackles for losses and 2 1/2 sacks.
Notre Dame offensive lineman to transfer
October 15th, 2007
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Notre Dame offensive lineman Matt Carufel has left the school with the intention of transferring, the Chicago Tribune reported Monday.
Carufel started three straight games in place of the injured Dan Wenger but left the team last week and returned to his Minnesota home.
The newspaper reported that Carufel plans to transfer to Iowa or Minnesota.
"I spoke via telephone with Matt Carufel Sunday evening and he informed me that he was going to leave the team and withdraw from the University of Notre Dame," Irish head coach Charlie Weis said in a statement released to the newspaper. "I appreciate all Matt has done for Notre Dame and wish him nothing but the best."
Carufel is the second high-profile player to leave the struggling Notre Dame program this season.
Quarterback Demetrius Jones started the Irish's season opener against Georgia Tech, but was pulled during Notre Dame's embarrassing 33-3 loss to the Yellow Jackets. The sophomore decided to leave the school soon after.
The Fighting Irish, one of the nation's most storied football programs, are a dismal 1-6 this seas
Dorrell hopes QB Cowan will be ready for Cal game
October 15, 2007
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- If the UCLA Bruins are lucky this weekend, they'll be able to go with their backup quarterback.
Coach Karl Dorrell is optimistic that Patrick Cowan will be ready when the Bruins come off a bye week to face No. 9 California.
"We gave him the week off last week, and that was on purpose to give him a chance to continue his rehab and to strengthen his knee and get his conditioning back," Dorrell said Monday.
"We do anticipate him having a full week of practice and, if everything goes as planned, we will use him as the starter."
If Cowan doesn't look ready, the Bruins likely will have McLeod Bethel-Thompson -- who isn't even on scholarship -- calling the signals again on Saturday at the Rose Bowl.
UCLA's other options are freshman Chris Forcier, who has been on the scout team, or Osaar Rasshan, a former quarterback who had been shifted to wide receiver.
Bethel-Thompson, who had not thrown a collegiate pass, was pressed into duty in the Bruins' last game when Ben Olson went out with a knee injury in the first quarter.
A walk-on who is a redshirt freshman, Bethel-Thompson struggled mightily. He threw four interceptions and lost a fumble that Notre Dame turned into a touchdown -- and the Irish beat the Bruins 20-6 to win for the first time this season.
Olson had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and will be sidelined for at least three more weeks.
Cowan, who started the last half of 2006 after Olson went out with an injury in the fifth game, missed the first three games of this season because of a torn hamstring. He returned and started against Washington on Sept. 22 because Olson had concussion-like symptoms, but Cowan tore a ligament in his right knee in that game (a 44-31 victory) and has been sidelined since then.
Dorrell said that, in addition to giving Cowan time off to fully recuperate, it gave the other quarterbacks time to work with the offense.
"We know what Pat can do," Dorrell said. "We just needed him to get some more time to rest. But it gave us a chance this past week to see Osaar, put him back under center and watch him take some plays, and also Chris Forcier, and keep developing Mac (Bethel-Thompson) as well.
"It was a good week to continue to develop those guys."
The Bruins (4-2, 3-0 Pac-10) still have their main goal intact, Dorrell said.
"We're excited about this particular week, given where we are in this conference. In this conference, each and every week is going to be an event and each and every week is going to have a lot of excitement," he said.
"We're in really good position. Even though we're at 4-2, we're 3-0 in conference with nothing but conference games left. Our players are rejuvenated."
Cal (5-1, 2-1) also may use its No. 2 quarterback, redshirt freshman Kevin Riley. Riley filled in for Nate Longshore (ankle sprain) against Oregon State on Saturday, and his failure to throw the ball away on the last play of the game cost the Bears a chance at overtime. They lost 31-28.
Temple probable for Texas Tech game
October 15, 2007
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said Monday that running back Tony Temple, who missed Saturday's loss at Oklahoma with a sprained ankle, was probable for this week's game against Texas Tech.
Temple is the leading rusher for the 15th-ranked Tigers with 351 yards, a 4.9-yard average and three touchdowns. Missouri was held to a season-low 57 yards rushing by Oklahoma, well below the previous low of 195 yards.
"He's our catalyst on the offense," Pinkel said. "He likes to run the football well and he does. That's definitely going to be a huge bonus to have him back."
Texas reserve RB Cobb out for season with knee injury
October 15, 2007
AUSTIN (AP) -- Texas freshman fullback Antwan Cobb will have season-ending surgery after spraining a ligament in his left knee in last week's win over Iowa State.
Cobb has played in all seven games for the No. 19 Longhorns (5-2), mostly on special teams. He caught a touchdown pass in his only start, a 21-13 win over Arkansas State in the opener.
Notre Dame to start Sharpley at QB vs. USC
October 16, 2007
Associated Press
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Evan Sharpley will start at quarterback for Notre Dame against No. 13 Southern California, making the junior the third starting signal-caller for the Fighting Irish this season.
Sharpley, the backup to Brady Quinn last season and the No. 2 quarterback when Demetrius Jones and Jimmy Clausen started the first seven games this season, will make his first career start Saturday at home.
"I think Evan this week gives us the best chance of winning," coach Charlie Weis said during his weekly news conference Tuesday.
Sharpley has led the Fighting Irish (1-6) to four of its seven offensive touchdowns, despite playing significantly less time than Clausen, a freshman who had started the past six games. Weis said part of the reason for the change is Clausen's health.
"The separation between the two isn't enough for the banged up guy to start ahead of the fresh guy," Weis said.
Jones started the season-opener, a 33-3 loss to Georgia Tech, and left the team a week after Clausen became the starter for the second game against Penn State.
Weis had said Clausen had been the starter because he's been more accurate, completing 81-of-141 for a 57.4 completion rate, compared with Sharpley's 43-of-80 passing for a 53.8 completion rate. But Clausen had his worst outing last week, going 7-of-20 for 60 yards against Boston College with two interceptions.
Sharpley replaced Clausen early in the second half against Boston College and was 11-for-29 for 135 yards and a touchdown. Another TD pass was called back because of a holding penalty. Sharpley also rallied the Irish in the second half of a loss to Purdue.
Sharpley, who has passed for three touchdowns and two interceptions in six games, has a 111.42 pass efficiency rating compared with Clausen's 89.51. Clausen has one touchdown pass and five interceptions.
Three of the four touchdown drives Sharpley has led the Irish on have been 79 yards or longer. The other was 37 yards long. Clausen has led the Irish on TD drives of 9, 80 and 2 yards.
Weis also announced that James Aldridge, who is leading the Irish with 249 yards rushing on 67 carries, is doubtful for the game with a high ankle sprain.