MuskogeePhoenix.com, Muskogee, OK

Sports

October 12, 2008

Top 25 roundup

From wire reports

NO. 11 FLORIDA 51, NO. 4 LSU 21 — Tim Tebow threw two touchdown passes to Percy Harvin and ran for a score, and the Gators thumped defending national champions in The Swamp.

The fourth-ranked Tigers (4-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) had won six consecutive games, 19 in a row at night and 23 straight in regulation. Florida (5-1, 3-1) ended all those streaks with a fast start and some huge plays from Tebow, Harvin, Jeff Demps and Brandon Spikes.

NO. 6 PENN STATE 48, WISCONSIN 7 — With coach Joe Paterno perched in the press box for the second straight week because of a sore hip, Daryll Clark threw for a touchdown and ran for two more as Penn State dismantled Wisconsin.

Cornerback Lydell Sargeant had two interceptions — off of two different Wisconsin quarterbacks — and Derrick Williams scored again in the return game as the Nittany Lions (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten) made another strong statement asserting their place among the nation’s top teams.

NO. 7 TEXAS TECH 37, NEBRASKA 31, OT — Eric Morris had a 1-yard touchdown run in overtime and Jamar Wall made it stand up for Texas Tech with an interception.

Texas Tech (6-0, 2-0 Big 12) left the door open for the Cornhuskers (3-3, 0-2) to win it with a touchdown and extra point, when the Red Raiders botched the PAT after Morris’ score.

NO. 8 USC 28, ARIZONA ST. 0 — Mark Sanchez passed for one touchdown and ran for another, and the Southern California defense dominated Arizona State.

Joe McKnight ran for a career-high 143 yards on 11 carries and Kevin Thomas returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown for the No. 8 Trojans (4-1, 2-1 Pac-10), who extended their winning streak over the Sun Devils to nine games, winning by an average of 20.1 points.

NO. 9 BYU 21, NEW MEXICO 3 — Max Hall threw for three touchdowns and No. 9 BYU survived its lowest scoring game of the season, extending the nation’s longest winning streak to 16 straight.

BYU (6-0, 2-0 Mountain West) remained unbeaten at the halfway point of the season, but needed Hall’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Austin Collie with 3:05 left in the game to seal it.

NO. 10 GEORGIA 26, TENNESSEE 14 — Matthew Stafford passed for a career-best 310 yards, Knowshon Moreno ran for 101 yards and Georgia dropped Tennessee to 0-3 in the Southeastern Conference for the first time in 20 years.

Tennessee netted only 1 yard on the ground, but the Volunteers capitalized on two Stafford interceptions for their only touchdowns. Nick Stephens, in his second career start, threw two touchdown passes.

NO. 12 OHIO ST. 16, PURDUE 3 — Malcolm Jenkins blocked a punt and Etienne Sabino returned it 20 yards for a touchdown to lead Ohio State to the win.

Freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor had an erratic day and tailback Chris “Beanie” Wells totaled 94 yards on 22 carries for the Buckeyes (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten).

MISSISSIPPI ST. 17, NO. 13 VANDERBILT 14 — Anthony Dixon rushed for 107 yards, De’Mon Glanton set up the game-clinching touchdown with an interception and Mississippi State handed Vanderbilt its first loss.

The Commodores (5-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) were looking to go 6-0 for the first time since 1928. Instead, the Bulldogs (2-4, 1-2) did to them what they’ve done to most of their opponents this season. Mississippi State played good defense — Vandy gained 107 yards — capitalized on mistakes and gutted out a close victory.

NO. 14 UTAH 40, WYOMING 7 — Matt Asiata ran for a touchdown and caught a TD pass, and Utah’s special teams scored two touchdowns.

Utah (7-0, 3-0 Mountain West) remained undefeated, having no problem clearing this hurdle after needing a last-second field goal to beat Oregon State last week.

NO. 16 KANSAS 30, COLORADO 14 — Jake Sharp scored three touchdowns for Kansas, and Todd Reesing threw for 256 yards and another score.

The Jayhawks led only 16-14 after Cody Hawkins’ 1-yard touchdown run at the end of the third period. But Reesing quickly engineered two scoring drives to salt away Kansas’ 20th win in 23 games and its 13th in a row at home.

ARKANSAS 25, NO. 20 AUBURN 22 — Michael Smith rushed for 176 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 63-yard run in the fourth quarter and the Razorbacks mounted two late defensive stands.

Arkansas (3-3, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) forced Auburn’s Kodi Burns into three straight incompletions from the 5 to halt one drive. Then Matt Harris made a diving interception with 29 seconds left on the Tigers’ last chance.

NO. 22 NORTH CAROLINA 29, NOTRE DAME 24 — Cameron Sexton scored on a leaping 4-yard keeper to start the fourth quarter and Quan Sturdivant returned an interception for a touchdown for North Carolina.

Ryan Houston scored on a short run for the Tar Heels (5-1), who are off to their best start since winning the first eight games of the 1997 season. Hakeem Nicks added nine catches for 141 yards, helping North Carolina rally from an 11-point first-half deficit and beat Notre Dame for just the second time in 18 meetings.

NO. 23 MICHIGAN STATE 37, NORTHWESTERN 20 — Javon Ringer ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns to lead Michigan State to a win over previously unbeaten Northwestern.

Brian Hoyer added two short touchdown passes as the Spartans never trailed. Michigan State (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) scored 17 straight points in the first quarter with the help of a pair of Northwestern turnovers.

NO. 25 BALL ST. 24, WESTERN KENTUCKY 7— Nate Davis threw for 155 yards and two touchdowns to help the Cardinals overcome a slow start in their first game as a ranked team.

MiQuale Lewis ran for 112 yards and a score for No. 25 Ball State (7-0), which needed more than a half to find any rhythm against the pesky Hilltoppers (2-5).

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