EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -Oregon can start seriously thinking about a national title run. As for Southern California, just winning the Pac-10 could be a long shot at this point.
Jonathan Stewart ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns and the fifth-ranked Ducks knocked off No. 9 USC 24-17 on Saturday.
Dennis Dixon completed 16 of 25 passes for 157 yards. He also ran for 76 yards and a touchdown for Oregon (7-1, 4-1). The Ducks, who came into the game ranked second nationally in total offense, had 339 yards against the Trojans’ third-ranked defense. But it was turnovers – including a fumble recovery and a pair of interceptions – that gave Oregon the advantage over the Trojans (6-2, 3-2).
USC, which came into the season ranked No. 1 and a heavy favorite to play for a national title, now will need lot of help to defend the Pac-10 crown it’s owned at least a share of for five straight seasons.
Mark Sanchez, making his third start for the Trojans in place of the injured John David Booty, completed 26 of 41 passes for 277 yards and two touchdowns, but the misthrows hurt him.
No. 1 Ohio State 37, Penn State 17
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) – Todd Boeckman threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns and Chris Wells ran for 133 yards, leading the Buckeyes to another easy victory.
The Buckeyes’ vaunted defense didn’t play up to its stingy standards, but it didn’t need to be at its best with Boeckman on a roll and Ohio State’s massive offensive line dominating.
Several Buckeyes (9-0, 5-0, Big Ten) earlier this week complained they weren’t getting enough respect despite their No. 1 ranking in the polls and Bowl Championship Series standings. Penn State (6-3, 3-3) was only the second ranked team Ohio State has faced.
No. 6 West Virginia 31, No. 25 Rutgers 3
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) – Steve Slaton ran for three touchdowns and Pat White rushed for 156 yards and a score as the Mountaineers beat the Scarlet Knights 13th straight time.
Slaton went from sideline to sideline on a spectacular 38-yard run that gave West Virginia (7-1, 2-1 Big East) the early lead, and he scored on second-half runs of 1 and 6 yards to bury Rutgers (5-3, 2-2).
White, who missed last year’s wild 41-39 triple overtime win over Rutgers with an ankle injury, scored on a 1-yard run. He also threw for 144 yards, highlighted by a 51-yard screen pass to Slaton to set up a touchdown.
Jeremy Ito kicked a 39-yard field goal for Rutgers, which was hurt by missed tackles and dropped passes.
No. 7 Arizona State 31, Cal 20
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) – Arizona State spotted Cal a 13-point first-quarter lead, then rallied for a victory with Dimitri Nance running for for three touchdowns.
Rudy Carpenter threw for 219 yards and a touchdown as the Sun Devils overcame a double-digit deficit at home for the third time.
Arizona State (8-0, 5-0) took over first place in the Pac-10 and set up a high-stakes showdown with No. 5 Oregon next week in Eugene – a game that will have national title implications.
Nate Longshore threw for 261 yards and a touchdown and also threw two interceptions for the Golden Bears (5-3, 2-3 Pac-10), who dropped their third straight. Cal has plunged from No. 2 in the country to sixth in the conference in 21 days.
No. 20 Georgia 42, No. 9 Florida 30
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Knowshon Moreno ran for a career-high 188 yards and three scores, Matthew Stafford threw three touchdown passes and Georgia earned a rare victory over Florida.
The Bulldogs (6-2, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) sacked Tim Tebow six times and contained the Gators’ high-scoring offense most of the game.
Florida (5-3, 3-3) had won 15 of the last 17 at the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Part and eight of nine. Georgia turned it around Saturday, taking advantage of Tebow’s bruised non-throwing shoulder and Florida’s porous defense.
Tebow finished 14-of-22 for 236 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.
Connecticut 22, No. 11 South Florida 15
STORRS, Conn. (AP) – Andre Dixon ran for a career-high 189 yards and Connecticut used a late goal-line stand to upset South Florida 22-15 and get its first win over a ranked opponent.
The victory keeps UConn (7-1, 3-0 Big East) in sole possession of first place in the Big East, and all but assures them of the first Top-25 ranking the program’s history.
South Florida (6-2, 1-2), which was ranked No. 2 just two weeks ago, has lost two straight.
Matt Grothe finished with 146 yards rushing on 25 carries and threw for 189 yards for the Bulls. He also had two interceptions.
UConn quarterback Tyler Lorenzen was 13-for-25 for 194 yards and a touchdown.
M 11
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) – Brandon McAnderson rushed for a career-high 183 yards and two touchdowns and the Jayhawks improved to 8-0 for the first time since 1909.
M gained 191 yards in the fourth quarter, after the Jayhawks built a 19-0 lead.
M and won in Texas for the first time since 2001.
Stephen McGee finished 24-for-44 for 244 yards, but most of the completions came in the last quarter for the Aggies (6-3, 3-2).
No. 13 Missouri 42, Iowa State 28
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) – Lorenzo Williams recovered a fumble in the end zone at the start of the second half and Missouri pulled away from stubborn Iowa State.
Jimmy Jackson, Tony Temple, Martin Rucker and Jeremy Maclin each scored for the Tigers (7-1, 3-1 Big 12), who had been four-touchdown favorites against the downtrodden Cyclones (1-8, 0-5). Missouri was held to a season-low 366 yards.
Chase Daniel was 28-for-37 for 250 yards with one touchdown and one interception for Missouri.
Alexander Robinson had 149 yards on 21 carries with a 37-yard scoring run for Iowa State, his first career 100-yard game.
Mississippi State 31, No. 14 Kentucky 14
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – Wesley Carroll threw for two touchdowns and Mississippi State forced six turnovers in the second half to upset Kentucky.
Kentucky (6-3, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) has lost two straight since knocking off No. 1 LSU in triple overtime. Heisman Trophy hopeful Andre Woodson threw for 230 yards, but was sacked three times and threw three interceptions.
The Bulldogs (5-4, 2-3) hadn’t won three road games since 2000, the last time they appeared went to bowl game.
Carroll threw for 152 yards and Christian Ducre rushed for a career-high 119 yards and a 34-yard TD run in the fourth quarter for the Bulldogs.
Tennessee 27, No. 15 S. Carolina 24, OT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Volunteers are in position to play for a conference title again after Daniel Lincoln kicked a tying 48-yard field goal with 5 seconds left, then provided the only points in overtime.
The victory, coupled with No. 20 Georgia’s victory over ninth-ranked Florida earlier Saturday, puts the Volunteers (5-3, 3-2) atop the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division. The Vols are tied with Georgia but beat the Bulldogs earlier this month.
Lincoln got two chances to force overtime. He hooked a 43-yarder wide left, but a false start penalty on the Vols gave him another chance. This time, Lincoln sent the 48-yarder through to tie the game at 24.
Ryan Succop, who gave South Carolina (6-3, 3-3) its only lead of the game at 24-21 with 1:24 left with his own 49-yard field goal, was wide right on a 40-yarder on fourth-and-8.
No. 17 Texas 28, Nebraska 25
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Jamaal Charles ran for fourth-quarter touchdowns of 25, 86 and 40 yards to send the Cornhuskers to their fourth straight loss.
Nebraska has lost four in a row for the first time since 1961, another black mark for beleaguered coach Bill Callahan, who’s future with the Huskers beyond this season is in the hands of former Huskers coach and interim athletic director Tom Osborne.
For Texas coach Mack Brown, the win was a milestone – No. 100 with the Longhorns.
The Longhorns spent three quarters trying to pass against one of the worst rush defenses in the country and Nebraska (4-5, 1-4) led 17-9 to start the fourth behind two touchdown passes from Sam Keller to Nate Swift.
No. 19 Michigan 34, Minnesota 10
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) – Mario Manningham had five receptions for a career-high 162 yards and a victory-sealing touchdown early in the fourth quarter to help Michigan pull away.
The Wolverines (7-2, 5-0 Big Ten) have won seven straight since opening the season being stunned by second-tier Appalachian State and getting routed by Oregon.
The Golden Gophers (1-8, 0-5) have lost eight of their first nine games for the first time in 15 years. They are in danger of winning only one game for the first time since 1983.
Without injured star seniors Mike Hart and Chad Henne, Michigan trailed 10-0 early in the second quarter and didn’t lead by more than a score until late in the third.
North Carolina State 29, Virginia 24
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – Daniel Evans threw for a career-high 347 yards and three touchdowns, two to Donald Bowens, to lead North Carolina State.
Bowens finished with 11 catches for 202 yards for the Wolfpack (3-5, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who snapped a nine-game conference losing streak that dated to the middle of last season. Koyal George added a touchdown on the first catch of his career, while Jamelle Eugene ran for 112 yards.
Jameel Sewell threw for 260 yards and two scores for the Cavaliers (7-2, 4-1) before leaving the game with a leg injury with about 7 minutes left. Mikell Simpson scored a pair of touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough for Virginia to win an eighth straight game.
No. 23 Auburn 17, Mississippi 3
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) – Brandon Cox threw a 34-yard scoring pass to Rod Smith in the final minutes and Brad Lester rushed for a career-high 96 yards for Auburn.
Patrick Lee set up the decisive drive with an interception in the end zone for the Tigers (6-3, 4-2 Southeastern Conference).
The Rebels (2-7, 0-6) are the only SEC team without a league win.
Smith finished with a career-high 111 yards on eight catches. Lester had 23 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
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