Columbus, OH - Troy Smith threw for 316 yards and four
touchdowns as top-ranked Ohio State held off No. 2 Michigan, 42-39, to win the
Big Ten title and earn a spot in the Bowl Championship Series national title
game on January 8. Smith completed 29-of-41 passes for the undefeated Buckeyes
(12-0, 8-0 Big Ten), who have won 19 straight games, 14 consecutive Big Ten
contests and 12 straight at Ohio Stadium. Ted Ginn Jr. caught eight balls for
104 yards and a TD while Roy Hall, Anthony Gonzalez and Brian Robiskie also
had touchdown receptions. Antonio Pittman ran for 139 yards and a TD on 18
carries for Ohio State and highly-touted freshman Chris Wells also ran for a
score. Mike Hart had 142 yards rushing and three touchdowns for the Wolverines
(11-1, 7-1), who will now likely be headed for a spot in the Rose Bowl. Chad
Henne connected on 21-of-35 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns while
Adrian Arrington caught five balls for 90 yards and a score.
Final Score: (3) Florida 62, Western Carolina 0
Gainesville, FL - Freshman wideout Riley Cooper enjoyed a
career day as he hauled in three passes, all for touchdowns, in Florida's 62-0
drubbing of Western Carolina at The Swamp. Tim Tebow completed 10-of-12 passes
for 200 yards with two touchdowns, and rushed six times for 47 yards with two
more scores for the Gators (10-1), who have won their last four games
following a defeat against Auburn. Mon Williams carried nine times for 95
yards while DeShawn Wynn scored two touchdowns on just four carries in the
opening quarter. Florida limited the playing time for many of its regulars,
including starting quarterback Chris Leak, who completed 9-of-12 passes for
100 yards. Andy Horn threw for just 35 yards on 5-of-12 passing and Darius
Fudge could only muster 44 yards on 23 carries for the I-AA Catamounts (2-9),
who wrapped up their season with nine straight losses after a 2-0 start.
Final Score: (4) Southern California 23, (17) California 9
Los Angeles, CA - John David Booty completed 18-of-31 passes
for 238 yards and two touchdowns, to lead fourth-ranked Southern California
past 17th-ranked California, 23-9, to win its league record fifth straight
Pac-10 title and at least a berth in the Rose Bowl. The Trojans still hope to
play for the national championship against No. 1 Ohio State. Steve Smith
hauled in six receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown while Dwayne Jarrett
finished with five catches for 66 yards and a score for the Trojans (9-1, 7-1
Pac-10), who have won three straight. C.J. Gable added 91 rushing yards in the
victory for USC, which outscored Cal, 17-0 in the second half. Next up for USC
is a matchup with Notre Dame next Saturday. The Trojans will also play UCLA on
the road on December 2. Nate Longshore threw for 176 yards with a touchdown
and two interceptions for the Golden Bears (8-3, 6-2), who were looking to
earn their first Rose Bowl berth since 1958. Marshawn Lynch ran for 88 yards
on 20 attempts and had five catches for 21 yards in the loss, the second
straight for California after winning eight in a row.
Final Score: (5) Arkansas 28, Mississippi State 14
Starkville, MS - Casey Dick threw a pair of touchdown passes
to lift fifth-ranked Arkansas over Mississippi State, 28-14, and clinch a spot
in the SEC championship game as the West Division champion. Chris Houston
added an 87-yard interception return for a touchdown and Darren McFadden
returned a kickoff 92 yards for a score for the Razorbacks (10-1, 7-0 SEC),
who will play Florida in the championship game on December 2 at the Georgia
Dome. McFadden added 84 yards on 26 carries for Arkansas, which has won 10
straight and finishes its regular-season schedule next weekend against LSU. If
the Razorbacks win out, they could have a chance to play for the BCS national
championship. Arkansas came into the weekend as the seventh-ranked team in the
BCS. Anthony Dixon ran for 89 yards and a touchdown for the Bulldogs (3-8,
1-6), who failed to follow up their win against Alabama last time out with
another victory. Mississippi State has not won consecutive games this season
and finishes its season next week at Ole Miss.
Final Score: (6) Notre Dame 41, Army 9
South Bend, IN - Brady Quinn threw for 218 yards and three
touchdowns and Darius Walker rushed for 162 yards on 24 carries and two scores
as sixth-ranked Notre Dame defeated Army, 41-9, at Notre Dame Stadium. Quinn
was 22-of-30 passing with an interception and Jeff Samardzija pulled in nine
passes for 87 yards with a touchdown. Rhema McKnight grabbed three balls for
50 yards with a pair of touchdowns for the Fighting Irish (10-1), who will
travel to Los Angeles to play the USC Trojans next Saturday. Army starting
quarterback Carson Williams was only 1-of-8 passing for 16 yards with an
interception. Backup quarterback David Pevoto finished 7-of-13 for 76 yards
with a touchdown and an interception. The Black Knights (3-8), who have lost
five straight games, will play rival Navy at Lincoln Financial Field in
Philadelphia on December 2.
Final Score: Cincinnati 30, (7) Rutgers 11
Cincinnati, OH - Last Thursday, the Rutgers football team
posted its biggest win in school history. Nine days later, it was Cincinnati's
turn, as the Bearcats upset the seventh-ranked Scarlet Knights, 30-11, ending
Rutgers' slim chance for a shot at the national title. DeAngelo Smith returned
an interception 83 yards for a touchdown and the Bearcats (6-5, 3-3 Big East)
picked off Mike Teel four times, on the way to ending Rutgers' perfect season.
Senior Nick Davila, making his first career start, threw for a touchdown and
ran for another score for Cincinnati, which became bowl-eligible for the fifth
time in seven years and did it by beating its highest-ranked opponent in
school history. Davila completed 11-of-15 passes for 277 yards, which included
an 83-yard TD strike to Brent Celek in the third quarter that accentuated the
rout. The Scarlet Knights (9-1, 4-1) were coming off the biggest victory in
its annals, a 28-25 comeback home win over Louisville last Thursday, sending
the fans pouring onto the field in a sea of red. However, at the final gun on
Saturday, it was the Cincinnati fans celebrating. The loss not only left
Rutgers out of the national title picture, but also meant a three-way tie atop
the Big East standings with West Virginia and Louisville.
Final Score: (9) LSU 23, Ole Miss 20 (OT)
Baton Rouge, LA - After an Ole Miss fumble in overtime, Colt
David kicked a 26-yard field goal as ninth-ranked LSU avoided an upset with a
23-20 win over the Rebels. JaMarcus Russell completed 19-of-35 passes for 217
yards and three touchdowns for the Tigers (9-2, 5-2 SEC), who were officially
eliminated from SEC title contention with Arkansas' win over Mississippi State
on Saturday. The Razorbacks, who clinched the SEC western division, will meet
Florida for the conference championship. Dwayne Bowe caught seven passes for
64 yards and two touchdowns while Early Doucet also had a score for LSU, which
has won five in a row. Brent Schaeffer completed just 6-of-14 passes for 72
yards and a touchdown for the Rebels (3-8, 1-6), who will finish their season
next week against Mississippi State.
Final Score: (10) Louisville 31, South Florida 8
Louisville, KY - Brian Brohm completed 19-of-33 passes for
274 yards and two touchdowns, leading the 10th-ranked Louisville Cardinals to
a 31-8 win over the South Florida Bulls at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Gary
Barnidge recorded five receptions for 112 yards, and Harry Douglas caught
seven balls for 86 yards and two scores. Anthony Allen rushed for only 34
yards on 12 carries, but scored twice for the Cardinals (9-1, 4-1 Big East),
who rebounded from their loss last week at Rutgers. Matt Grothe threw for 237
yards on 15-of-31 completions with one touchdown and one interception. Ricky
Ponton rushed 11 times for 52 yards and Amp Hill caught a TD pass for the
Bulls (7-4, 3-3 Big East), who had a two-game winning streak halted. Coupled
with Rutgers' loss at Cincinnati on Saturday and West Virginia's victory at
Pitt on Thursday, Louisville finds itself in a three-way tie for first place
in the conference with the Mountaineers and Scarlet Knights -- who all have
identical 4-1 conference records.
Final Score: (12) Wisconsin 35, Buffalo 3
Madison, WI - Tyler Donovan made his second straight start in
place of the injured Jim Stocco and passed for 308 yards and two touchdowns,
leading 12th-ranked Wisconsin to a 35-3 rout of Buffalo at Camp Randall
Stadium. Donovan was 16-of-26 with an interception, as the Badgers (11-1, 7-1
Big Ten) completed their season with eight straight wins and locked up a
chance to play in a BCS bowl game. Stocco, a fifth-year senior, missed his
second straight start after suffering a shoulder injury versus Penn State on
November 4. P.J. Hill ran for 86 yards and a touchdown and Travis Beckum ended
with 135 yards on five catches for Wisconsin. Luke Swan had 73 yards and a TD
and Paul Hubbard added 47 yards and a score on three catches in the win.
Wisconsin, which is No. 9 in the BCS standings, finished 7-0 at home this
season and is 18-1 in its last 19 games at Camp Randall Stadium since the
start of the 2004 season. Tony Paoli passed for 107 yards and an interception
for the Bulls (2-9, 1-6 MAC), who lost every game on the road this season
(0-7). Buffalo will conclude its 2006 season at home against MAC foe Central
Michigan next Friday.
Final Score: (13) Boise State 49, Utah State 10
Boise, ID - Jared Zabransky threw for 236 yards and three
touchdowns while Brett Denton carried the load for the injured Ian Johnson,
rushing for 125 yards and two scores as 13th-ranked Boise State demolished
Utah State, 49-10 at Bronco Stadium. Denton carried the ball 17 times for an
average of 7.4 yards per carry in place of Johnson, who leads the nation with
21 touchdowns. The standout running back is recovering from a partially
collapsed left lung he sustained last week. Zabransky finished 21-of-23
passing with no interceptions, while Taylor Tharp went 3-for-3 for 17 yards
and a score in relief for the Broncos (11-0, 7-0 WAC), who have won 11
straight and join Ohio State as the only undefeated teams in the nation. Riley
Nelson completed just 6 of his 15 passes for 40 yards with an interception and
rushed for 45 yards for the Aggies (1-10, 1-6), who have dropped five in a
row.
Final Score: (19) Virginia Tech 27, (14) Wake Forest 6
Winston-Salem, NC - Sean Glennon threw for 252 yards and two
touchdowns as 19th-ranked Virginia Tech upended No. 14 Wake Forest, 27-6, in
an ACC matchup at Groves Stadium. Glennon finished 14-of-21 passing while
Xavier Adibi returned a fumble 35 yards for a score for the Hokies (9-2, 5-2
ACC), who have won five straight. Branden Ore, the ACC's leading rusher, left
the game in the first quarter after injuring his ankle while being tackled. He
did not return and finished with one carry for five yards. Riley Skinner
completed 17 of his 30 passes for 195 yards and Nate Morton finished with five
receptions for 94 yards for the Demon Deacons (9-2, 5-2), who had a four-game
winning streak snapped but can still clinch the ACC title and an appearance in
the championship game against Georgia Tech with a win at Maryland next
Saturday.
Final Score: (15) Auburn 22, Alabama 15
Tuscaloosa, AL - Brandon Cox hit Prechae Rodriguez with a 22-
yard touchdown pass for the go-ahead score late in the third quarter, as 15th-
ranked Auburn held off Alabama, 22-15, in the annual Iron Bowl. Kenny Irons
ended with 85 yards and a touchdown rushing and Cox finished 6- of-14 for 137
yards for the Tigers (10-2, 6-2 SEC), who rebounded from their disappointing
setback to Georgia last weekend to end their regular-season with 10 wins. John
Parker Wilson completed 18-of-33 passes for 252 yards with two touchdowns and
one interception for the Crimson Tide (6-6, 2-6), who ended their regular
season with three straight setbacks. Nikita Stover ended with five catches for
101 yards and a score for 'Bama, which has lost five straight to Auburn.
Final Score: (16) Oklahoma 36, Baylor 10
Waco, TX - Paul Thompson threw two touchdown passes and Chris
Brown ran for 169 yards and a score to lead 16th-ranked Oklahoma to a 36-10
rout of Baylor at Floyd Casey Stadium. Malcolm Kelly added 115 yards and a
touchdown on five receptions for the Sooners (9-2, 6-1 Big 12), who have won
six in a row. Thompson finished 12- of-19 for 178 yards with an interception
for Oklahoma, which used a 23-point third quarter to beat Baylor for the 16th
straight time. Reggie Smith had a pair of interceptions, returning one for a
touchdown, to lead a Sooners defense that recorded five sacks and held the
Bears to just 140 yards of offense. Blake Szymanski ended 22-of-45 for 188
yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions for Baylor (4-8, 3-5), which
ended its season with four straight losses. Braelon Davis' 55-yard fumble
return for a score was the only touchdown by the Bears, who have never beaten
the Sooners in school history.
Final Score: (18) Georgia Tech 49, Duke 21
Atlanta, GA - Reggie Ball played only the first half, but it
didn't stop him from throwing three touchdown passes as 18th-ranked Georgia
Tech trounced Duke 49-21 at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Tashard Choice ran for 118
yards and a score for the Yellow Jackets (9-2, 7-1 ACC), who have won four in
a row. Ball ended 7-of-13 for 122 yards, as Tech heads to Georgia for its
annual meeting against the Bulldogs next weekend before playing in the ACC
championship game December 2. Calvin Johnson and Greg Smith each had two
touchdowns receiving and reserve QB Taylor Bennett threw two touchdown passes
for Tech, which scored 21 second- quarter points to put this game away.
Thaddeus Lewis went 19-of-32 for 237 yards with two touchdowns and one
interception for the Blue Devils (0-11, 0-7), who have one more chance to get
into the win column this season when they host North Carolina next weekend.
Final Score: (20) Boston College 38, (21) Maryland 16
Chestnut Hill, MA - Jolonn Dunbar returned a pair of fumbles
for touchdowns on the first two possessions of the game and Matt Ryan added a
pair of second-quarter scoring passes, as 20th-ranked Boston College rolled to
a 38-16 victory over No. 21 Maryland in an important ACC matchup at Alumni
Stadium. The Eagles (9-2, 5-2 ACC), who also scored a touchdown on an
interception return, won their second straight game and kept alive their slim
hopes for an ACC title game appearance. A win at Miami-Florida on Thanksgiving
coupled with a Wake Forest loss to Maryland next weekend gets them in the
championship against Georgia Tech. Maryland (8-3, 5-2) had a five-game winning
streak stopped and lost for the first time since October 7 at Georgia Tech.
The Terrapins can still win the Atlantic Division and gain a rematch against
the Yellow Jackets in the ACC title game if BC loses to Miami and they beat
Wake Forest next Saturday.
Final Score: (22) Tennessee 39, Vanderbilt 10
Nashville, TN - LaMarcus Coker ran for 126 yards with two
touchdowns and Erik Ainge threw for 266 yards with a pair of scores, leading
22nd-ranked Tennessee to a 39-10 victory over Vanderbilt. Coker, who carried
the ball only 10 times, scored on runs of eight and 87 yards for the
Volunteers (8-3, 4-3 SEC). Tennessee bounced back from losses to LSU and
Arkansas and also avenged last year's setback to Vandy at Neyland Stadium. The
Commodores (4-8, 1-7) pulled off a 28-24 stunner at Tennessee last season to
halt a 22-game series losing streak, but still haven't beaten their state
rivals at home since 1982. Ainge completed 21-of-26 passes without an
interception for Tennessee in its 12th straight win at Vanderbilt Stadium.
Robert Meachem caught seven passes for 95 yards with a score and Jayson Swain
added six catches for 76 yards with a touchdown. Vanderbilt was outgained
429-218 and closed its season with three straight losses.
Final Score: (23) BYU 42, New Mexico 17
Provo, UT - John Beck's 464 yards on 28-of-42 completions,
four touchdown passes and one rushing score helped the 23rd-ranked BYU Cougars
cruise to a 42-17 win over the New Mexico Lobos at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Curtis Brown rushed for 124 yards on 13 carries and one TD, also catching five
balls for 44 yards and one score. Nathan Meikle chipped in six catches for 111
yards for and McKay Jacobson, Jonny Harline and Matt Allen also recorded
touchdown catches for BYU (9-2, 7-0 MWC), which has reeled off eight
consecutive wins. Chris Nelson completed 22-of-38 passes for 245 yards, one
touchdown and two interceptions. Rodney Ferguson rushed 20 times for 138
yards, while Travis Brown had six receptions for 116 yards and one score.
Quincy Brown returned a pick for another score for New Mexico (5-6, 3-4 MWC),
which has dropped two straight games. The victory means BYU wins the Mountain
West Conference title outright, and that they have been invited to the Las
Vegas Bowl.
© 2006 The Sports Network
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