ESPN College Football

Every Saturday during the 2007 season, the ESPN.com college football team will be blogging live from Bristol, bringing you inside information and commentary from our writers and analysts who are at the top games at stadiums across the country. Refresh this page often to keep track of all the entries throughout the afternoon.

Have a question or comment on today's action? E-mail us and let us know what you're thinking.

ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach will be tracking all of Saturday's games and providing insight on all of the day's action.

11:30 a.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach

Here's a look at 10 things to watch for today:

1. Can USC reestablish its dominance in the Pac-10?
For the first time in six years, the Trojans will be an underdog in a Pac-10 game when they play Oregon at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. Both the No. 5 Ducks and No. 12 Trojans are 6-1, 3-1 in Pac-10 play. Oregon boasts the top-ranked offense in the Pac-10; USC has the best defense in the league. Ducks quarterback Dennis Dixon tries to keep alive his Heisman Trophy hopes after throwing for 1,728 yards with 16 touchdowns and only three interceptions. The senior also has run for 416 yards and seven scores. It will be Oregon's first big test since losing tailback Jeremiah Johnson and receiver Cameron Colvin. The Ducks didn't miss them in a 55-34 win at Washington last week. Much of Oregon's spread offense is predicated on speed, so look for USC linebackers Brian Cushing, Rey Maualuga and Keith Rivers to really be tested. With Colvin and receiver Brian Paysinger out, the Trojans also might try to roll safeties Keith Ellison and Taylor Mays up to try and slow down running back Jonathan Stewart. USC coach Pete Carroll is sticking with sophomore quarterback Mark Sanchez over senior John David Booty. It will be Sanchez's first difficult road test (sorry, Notre Dame doesn't count this year).

2. Can Morelli handle the pressure for Penn State?
If senior quarterback Anthony Morelli can keep his composure against Ohio State, then the No. 25 Nittany Lions might have a chance at stunning the top-ranked Buckeyes at Happy Valley tonight. Morelli has played pretty well at Beaver Stadium this season, with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions in five games. He threw three interceptions with only one touchdown in Penn State's first two road games (losses at Michigan and Illinois), but rebounded to play pretty well in a 36-31 win at Indiana last week, completing 22 of 32 passes for 195 yards with two touchdowns and one pick. Against Ohio State last year, Morelli threw for only 106 yards with three interceptions in a 28-6 loss. At least he'll have a rowdy crowd on his side this time.

3. Will the Sun Devils wilt in the spotlight?
Arizona State never had much success against ranked opponents under former coach Dirk Koetter, losing 19 of their previous 21 such matchups. The No. 4 Sun Devils will play a ranked team for the first time this season when No. 21 California comes to Sun Devil Stadium tonight. Arizona State is 7-0, 4-0 in Pac-10 play, but it has played only one opponent (4-3 Oregon State) with a winning record. In fact, its seven opponents have a combined record of 20-31. First-year coach Dennis Erickson has had a lot of success against ranked foes with a 26-15 record against them. California is coming off consecutive losses to Oregon State and at UCLA and has never lost three in a row under coach Jeff Tedford. The Bears have won their last four games vs. Arizona State by a combined score of 182-82.

4. Will Georgia fans have another hangover?
There are few reasons to believe the No. 18 Bulldogs can end No. 11 Florida's dominance in the game formerly known as the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" in Jacksonville, Fla. But in a season of so many surprises, even Georgia fans have hope after losing 15 of 17 times to the Gators since 1990. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow has a bruised right (non-throwing) shoulder, and freshman free safety Major Wright underwent surgery earlier this week to repair a broken thumb. The Bulldogs are well-rested -- this season is the first time since 1991 they had an open date the week before playing the Gators. Florida was idle the week before playing Georgia in 13 of the previous 14 seasons. The Bulldogs have to hope redshirt freshman tailback Knowshon Moreno stays healthy -- walk-on Jason Johnson is his backup after Thomas Brown (broken collarbone) and Kregg Lumpkin (knee) were injured.

5. Which teams move ahead in the Big East race?
The top four teams in the Big East standings -- 2-0 Connecticut, 2-1 Rutgers, 1-1 South Florida and 1-1 West Virginia -- square off against each other today. The Mountaineers go to Piscataway, N.J., to play the Scarlet Knights in a game that matches up Heisman Trophy hopefuls Steve Slaton and Pat White of West Virginia and Ray Rice of Rutgers. The No. 10 Bulls, who are coming off their first loss of the season, 30-27 at Rutgers on Nov. 18, play at surprising Connecticut. The No. 23 Huskies haven't beaten a Division I-A opponent with a winning record and the five I-A foes they beat are a combined 14-23 going into today's games.

6. Will Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer silence his critics again?
No coach in the country seems to be as good at coming up with much-needed victories as Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer. When Fulmer's back has been to the wall, his teams have seemingly always delivered. When Volunteers fans were hot about a 59-20 loss at Florida on Sept. 15, the Vols blew out Georgia 35-14 two games later to keep the wolves away. But Tennessee's ugly 41-17 loss at Alabama last week put Fulmer right back on the hot seat. Now, Steve Spurrier -- Fulmer's biggest nemesis -- is coming to Neyland Stadium with a wounded South Carolina team. The No. 16 Gamecocks lost to Vanderbilt 17-6 at home last week and can't afford another loss if they're going to stay in the SEC East race. Spurrier is 10-6 vs. Fulmer; Fulmer is 13-1 against the Gamecocks (the only loss was a 16-15 defeat in Knoxville in Spurrier's first season in 2005).

7. Will Nebraska's collapse continue?
The Cornhuskers have allowed an average of 38 points in their last six games, losing four times. Texas comes into DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium having won its last two games against Iowa State and Baylor by a combined score of 87-13. Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy completed 76 percent of his passes for 591 yards with five touchdowns in those two games. He might have an easier time against the Cornhuskers' "Black Skirts" defense.

8. Can Virginia keep winning?
The No. 15 Cavaliers are 7-1 and have won five of their games by five points or fewer. Virginia has never won eight games in a row and can take a one-game lead over rival Virginia Tech in the ACC's Coastal Division with a victory at NC State today. The Cavaliers are heavy favorites, but this is the type of games they've lost in the past. The Cavs are doing it with smoke and mirrors more than anything else -- they rank 101st in the country in total offense (326.9 yards per game) and 89th in scoring offense (22.4 points per game). The Wolfpack have been undone by turnovers (their 18 giveaways are most in the ACC) and they must contain defensive ends Chris Long and Jeffrey Fitzgerald, who have combined for 14 sacks.

9. Can Kansas stay unbeaten?
The No. 9 Jayhawks finally left their state last weekend and won at Colorado 19-14 to run their record to 7-0. Now Kansas travels to a place where they've never won. Texas A&M has won seven games in a row against Kansas and has never lost to the Jayhawks at Kyle Field. The Jayhawks' only victory in the series came in the first game between the two teams in 1974. The Jayhawks are the first of four ranked opponents the Aggies will play to finish the season. Games against No. 6 Oklahoma, No. 13 Missouri and No. 19 Texas also loom on the schedule, a stretch that will probably determine coach Dennis Franchione's future in College Station.

10. Can Duke beat Florida State?
With the way the FSU quarterbacks have played, anyone is capable of beating the Seminoles, perhaps even the lowly Blue Devils. FSU turns to junior Drew Weatherford again, after replacement Xavier Lee had seven turnovers combined in consecutive losses to Wake Forest and Miami. Duke is 1-6 and has lost 21 consecutive ACC games. But the Blue Devils were competitive against three of the league's better teams -- Virginia, Miami and Wake Forest. Weatherford might have a chance to gain some confidence against a Duke defense that ranks last in the ACC in yards allowed (438.3 per game) and points allowed (33.9). But FSU will have to slow down quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, an underrated passer who has thrown nearly twice as many touchdowns (16) as Lee and Weatherford combined (nine).

12:22: We're up and running in soggy Connecticut. E-mail us with all of your questions and comments today!

12:24: ESPN.com's Dave Albright
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rutgers is wearing all-black for the first time in program history. This just in: gimmicks don't win games.

12:30: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Two games that won't be on the national radar early this afternoon have big bowl implications. Indiana plays at Wisconsin and the Hoosiers need one more victory to become eligible for their first bowl game since 1993. The Hoosiers, who have lost three of their last five games, should reach six wins under first-year coach Bill Lynch. Indiana hosts Ball State next week, then plays at Northwestern, before hosting rival Purdue in the Nov. 17 regular-season finale. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt hosts Miami (Ohio) at 2 p.m., and the Commodores can claim their fifth victory of the season after upsetting South Carolina 17-6 on the road last week. The Commodores have to win today to have any chance of ending the longest postseason drought in major college football. Vanderbilt hasn't played in a postseason bowl game since 1982. After playing Miami (Ohio), the Commodores play at No. 11 Florida, host No. 14 Kentucky, play at Tennessee and then host surging Wake Forest in the finale. According to ESPN research, 29 teams have already qualified for postseason play heading into this weekend's games. Four teams that didn't play in bowl games last season are already eligible: 7-0 Kansas, 7-1 Virginia, 6-1 Connecticut and 6-2 Air Force.

12:37: Steve Slaton scores on a 38-yard run to put West Virginia on the board in the first quarter. He showed why he was an early Heisman contender, showing moves on a wet field few college players have.

12:40: ESPN.com's Dave Albright
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rutgers QB Mike Teel was a game-time decision with an injury to the thumb on his throwing hand. He ended up getting the start, but the weather here in central New Jersey isn't doing him any favors. The rain is alternating between coming down sideways and coming down in sheets. It also rained all Friday night and a let-up doesn't seem to be in sight. The soggy conditions shouldn't have any effect on the FieldTurf playing surface, but throwing a wet football with an injured thumb has proven difficult so far for Teel as several passes have clearly sailed on him. Look for steady diet of RB Ray Rice this afternoon if the conditions continue and the game remains close.

12:43: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Looks like West Virginia and Rutgers is catching the weather system that hit Virginia Tech on Thursday night. We'll see if the Scarlet Knights and Mountaineers can adapt better than No. 2 Boston College did in Blacksburg, Va. The Eagles didn't make their comeback in the fourth quarter until after the rain stopped. Then Matt Ryan picked apart the Hokies defense. Rutgers quarterbacks Mike Teel and Pat white completed only two of their first six passes each. But West Virginia tailback Steve Slaton sure didn't seem to mind the slick surface, scoring his fourth touchdown in three games against Rutgers for his career. Meanwhile, just picked up a weather report from Jacksonville, Fla. -- expect rain for the game formerly known as the "World's Largest Cocktail Party" between Georgia and Florida.

12:53: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
They played one quarter in Lubbock, Texas, and Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell already has attempted 15 passes against the Buffaloes. But Colorado quarterback Cody Hawkins, son of Buffs coach Dan Hawkins, has outdueled the Heisman Trophy hopeful so far. In his first season as a starter, Hawkins drove Colorado 91 yards on 10 plays on their first drive, with Hugh Charles running for a 31-yard touchdown for a 7-0 lead. After Tech's Alex Trlica missed a 42-yard field goal attempt, Hawkins drove the Buffaloes right back down the field. The Buffs have it first-and-goal at the Tech 5 heading into the second quarter. Colorado had 161 yards of offense in the first quarter, and Hawkins was 6-for-6 passing for 70 yards.

12:55: Louisville has jumped out to a 14-0 lead against Pitt early in the second quarter. Wake Forest is up 17-3 on North Carolina. Mississippi State leads Kentucky by a touchdown, and Illinois is up 7-0 on Ball State.

12:58: ESPN.com's Dave Albright
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Think the weather isn't an issue? The last play of the first quarter was a third-and-19 run by Rutgers. Ray Rice picked up 6 and the Scarlet Knights were forced to punt. In addition to Steve Slaton's 38-yard TD run being his fourth score in three games against Rutgers, it was Slaton's 49th of his career, making him the NCAA's active career TD leader -- ahead of Texas A&M's Jorvorskie Lane (44), Ohio's Kalvin McRae (43) and Michigan's Mike Hart (41). Slaton finished the first quarter with 55 yards on 5 carries, and Rutgers' Ray Rice had 63 yards on 16 carries.

1:04: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Wake Forest's Kevin Marion returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, putting the Demon Deacons in front of North Carolina 17-3 early in the second quarter in Chapel Hill. I've been on the Jim Grobe bandwagon for quite a while -- even before he led Wake Forest to an improbable ACC championship last year. I'll ask the question again, does any coach in America get more out of his team's talent than Grobe? The Demon Deacons are going for their sixth straight victory, after losing their first two games, and are only one game behind Boston College in the ACC's Atlantic Division standings. I don't know if Grobe will ever leave Wake Forest because I think he likes living in Winston-Salem, N.C., and enjoys not coaching at a high-pressure situation. But if Nebraska does fire Bill Callahan at the end of the season, isn't Grobe the first guy Tom Osborne should call? His option offense would be a perfect fit at Nebraska.

1:11: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
From the Conversation pages:
From Yangshuo: Writing you from the middle of Mainland China, Sir Bristol ('tis a nod to the London upset about to occur to the Giants, ahem, however improbable without Ronnie Brown's power running), and wanting to just add one request: in light of the fact that this upcoming Yale-Harvard contest is looking like it'll be one of the more impressive college games wrapping up the season, and due to the incredible Princeton win last week, I am hoping you'll add some comment or two on the Yale-Columbia and Harvard-Dartmouth games. Yale is not only undefeated, but winning in mighty impressive fashion. Your blog will be part of how I'm updating myself on tonight's (yeah, it is early a.m. hours, over here) contests.
Schlabach: I'll always answer questions from Mainland China -- anything to promote the American game. You're right -- Yale is crushing its Ivy League competition. The Bulldogs have outscored three conference opponents by a combined score of 127-42. Harvard hasn't been too shabby, either, winning three Ivy League games by a combined score of 83-42. Two tough defenses. Yale and Columbia are scoreless late in the first quarter; Dartmouth and Yale are tied at 7-7 at the start of the second.

1:20: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Looks like Kentucky's recent tough stretch against South Carolina, LSU and Florida has taken its toll on the Wildcats defense. Mississippi State is running right down the field at Kentucky, with Anthony Dixon scoring on a 2-yard touchdown catch to put the Bulldogs in front 14-7 very early in the second quarter. Mississippi State drove 80 yards for its first touchdown and 78 yards for its second score. The Bulldogs came into the game ranked 95th in the country in total offense, but they already have 160 yards at Kentucky. The Bulldogs had only 146 yards of offense in their 45-0 loss at LSU in the opener; 213 yards in a 19-14 win at Auburn; and 214 in a 38-13 loss at West Virginia last week. I thought Sly Croom could turn around Mississippi State if he ever found a consistent quarterback. He might have found one: Wesley Carroll is 10-for-12 for 99 yards with two touchdowns so far.

1:29: ESPN.com's Dave Albright
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rutgers is on the board, thanks to a 39-yard Jeremy Ito field goal to make it 14-3 in favor of WVU. Scarlet Knights coach Greg Schiano mixed it up on offense on that 11-play drive. He brought in backup QB Jabu Lovelace to spell Mike Teel on four plays. The sophomore ran the ball each time and picked up 24 yards and two first downs. Ray Rice had three carries for 13 yards and is up to 76 yards on 19 rushes for the game.

1:35: West Virginia nailed a field goal right before the half to go up 17-3. Here's a quick look at a few other scores from around the country:

Louisville 14, Pitt 7
Wake 17, UNC 3
Wisconsin 17, Indiana 3
Illinois 7, Ball State 3
Northwestern 14, Purdue 14
Colorado 14, Texas Tech 6
Mississippi State 14, Kentucky 7

For the complete scoreboard, click here.

1:40: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Four Big Ten games have reached the half and keep an eye on each of them in the second half. As I mentioned earlier, Indiana is only one win away from reaching the needed six victories to become eligible for a postseason bowl game (the Hoosiers are down 17-3 to Wisconsin at the half). Northwestern also is one victory away from six wins (the Wildcats are down 14-7 at Purdue at the half) and so is Illinois (struggled to a 7-3 lead at the half against Ball State). If Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State and Northwestern (tied 14-14 at Purdue) become bowl-eligible, the Big Ten might not have enough tie-ins to accommodate all of them. Unless Michigan beats an unbeaten Ohio State team in the Nov. 17 regular-season finale, I can't see the Big Ten getting two teams into BCS bowl games. The Big Ten has six bowl tie-ins (Capital One, Outback, Alamo, Champs, Insight and Motor City), plus an automatic spot in the BCS for the league champion. Five Big Ten teams (Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin and Purdue) already have the required six wins.

1:44: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Wisconsin leads Indiana 17-3 at halftime at Camp Randall, but the Badgers lost star tailback P.J. Hill to a leg injury in the first half. Hill ran 12 times for 57 yards and a touchdown before leaving. Zach Brown replaced him and ran eight times for 29 yards and one score in the first half. If we get more information on Hill, we'll pass it along.

1:54: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
There might be an upset brewing at Commonwealth Stadium in Kentucky. The No. 14 Wildcats trail Mississippi State 14-7 at halftime and they might have lost freshman tailback Derrick Locke, who hurt his left leg on a freak play late in the second quarter. Kentucky already is without star tailback Rafael Little, who is sidelined again with a thigh injury. Locke ran 10 times for 47 yards before he was hurt. Kentucky's Lones Seiber missed a 34-yard field goal attempt late in the first half, but the Wildcats' problem continues to be defense and poor tackling. We'll see if Heisman Trophy hopeful Andre' Woodson can engineer a second-half comeback. He completed eight of 11 passes for 98 yards with one touchdown in wet conditions during the first half.

1:57: From ESPN Research: Ball State trails Illinois by just four points early in the second half. Ball State has never beaten a BCS conference team. In fact, since joining D-I, with the exception of Independents (Navy, UConn before joining the Big East), Ball State has never defeated anyone outside the MAC.

2:11: From ESPN Research: As bad as Colorado was last year (2-10), the Buffaloes still beat Texas Tech 30-6. This year, they lead 24-6 in the 3rd quarter. That's 47-6 in the last 6+ quarters. And the last time Texas Tech was held without a TD in the first half was last year against Colorado.

Hey Mike Leach, this ain't intramurals brotha!

2:21: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Straight from the mailbag:
From Ty: OK, so if you answer questions from Mainland China, then how about one from a Mountaineer in West Africa. Isn't Pat White and Steve Slatons' drop in the heisman race more of a political thing than a reflection of their talent and performance this year. I'd take Pat White over Tim Tebow any day of the week. What do you think? Thanks!!!!
Schlabach: I think White and Slaton kind of fell off the map a little bit when they lost to South Florida. White was obviously hurt, but he wasn't playing very well before the injury. If the Mountaineers keep climbing up in the BCS race, then White and Slaton we'll get them there, so they'll get back into the Heisman Trophy conversation. They're both great, great players. Both have looked fantastic so far today. Sorry, but I'd take Tebow over White. Tebow is a more polished passer and is a bruising runner. Not as fast as White, but tougher to bring down.

From Keith in Columbus: Why are all of the ESPN experts and poll voters making exclusives for USC with their injuries as a reason they are not playing well. What happened to their so called deep talent pool?
Schlabach: The offensive line injuries would affect any team. I don't think John David Booty's injury was that bad because he wasn't playing very well before he was hurt. A lot of USC fans thought Mark Sanchez should have been starting before Booty was hurt. We'll see if Sanchez's inexperience is a factor at Autzen Stadium, one of the loudest venues I've been to. Most of the Trojans' great talent came in the last two recruiting classes, particularly at tailback and receiver, and some of those guys are starting to make an impact. I think USC will be one of the most-improved teams in the country by season's end.

From Nathan in Santa Cruz, Calif.: What happened to Texas Tech's offense?
Schlabach: The Red Raiders are probably too unbalanced. They rely so much on Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree that defenses don't have to respect the running game. Tech is usually pretty balanced, but defenses are dropping seven players into pass coverage now and making it very difficult on Harrell.

To send in a question or comment, click here.

2:27: ESPN.com's Dave Albright
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rutgers just chewed up 5:55 off the clock on a 14-play, 56-yard drive that resulted in exactly nothing. Jeremy Ito missed a 41-yard FG attempt that was short and a little right against a stiff wind. The Scarlet Knights defense may be able to keep them in the game the rest of the way, but it won't matter if the offense can't convert -- including finding a touchdown along the way. The good news for RU fans is that Ray Rice went over the 100-yard rushing mark (26 carries, 127 yards) for the 20th time in his career and also passed the 4,000-yard rushing mark. All of which will be difficult to celebrate if the Knights drop to 5-3 (2-2 Big East) on the season.

2:32: From ESPN Research: Iowa senior running back Albert Young has his first 100-yard game since the fist game of season, matching his total from 2006. Of course, combined, that's just half the amount of his total in 2005 (eight).

2:38: Colorado scored yet again to widen the gap 31-13 against Texas Tech. Mississippi State is poised for the upset, leading Kentucky 24-7. Ball State is hanging with Illinois, 21-17. Northwestern is up three on Purdue. West Virginia is hurting Rutgers, 24-3. Check out the full scoreboard.

2:39: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Mississippi State just went ahead 24-7 on Anthony Dixon's 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Kentucky botched a punt to give the Bulldogs great field position. There was a high snap and the punter tried to run because his kick was going to be blocked. The punter fumbled and the Bulldogs recovered. Then State quarterback Wesley Carroll completed a long pass to the tight end to set up first-and-goal. Dixon ran it in two plays later. It would be a second big road victory for Sly Croom -- the Bulldogs won at Auburn 19-14 earlier in the season. But Andre' Woodson is capable of bringing the Wildcats back. It would be a second straight loss for Kentucky and would really hurt the Cats' chances of winning the SEC East.

2:41: From ESPN Research: With his performance against West Virginia, Ray Rice moves into sole possession of the Rutgers record for most 100-yard career games (20). It is his fifth this season.

2:43: ESPN.com's Dave Albright
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Steve Slaton's 1-yard TD run to give West Virginia a 24-3 lead was the 50th of his career. He's only the second player in Big East history to reach the 50 TD mark. The other was Virginia Tech's Lee Suggs, who finished with 56. Slaton's only a junior, so it's likely he will take over the Big East TD lead at some point -- assuming he doesn't bolt for the NFL. Then again, WVU still has four regular-season games and a bowl appearance to come, so it very well could happen this year. It's stopped raining as we head to the fourth quarter and the Mountaineers have the ball and their 21-point lead.

2:52: Pitt has staged a comeback to tie the score with Louisville at Papa John's.

3:01: ESPN.com's Dave Albright
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Another long drive. Another lost opportunity. Rutgers, pinned against its own goal line at the 1, drove all the way down to the West Virginia 37. But a Mike Teel pass on fourth-and-6 that was intended for Dennis Campbell was picked off by Boogie Allen. It's still 24-3 Mountaineers, and another scoring drive or a time-chewing march down the field will all but finish the day for the Black, I mean Scarlet, Knights. I wonder how long it will be before Greg Schiano breaks out the all-black uniforms again?

3:04: … and West Virginia scores again to go up 31-3. Louisville's back on top as well, pushing into the end zone with less than two minutes to go.

3:07: ESPN.com's Dave Albright
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- A 50-yard scamper by West Virginia QB Pat White on a third-and-16 play set up another Steve Slaton TD  his third of the day. The Mountaineers now lead 31-3 with 8:12 left and the soggy crowd here at SUNJ has started to head for the exits.

3:09: From ESPN Research: Steve Slaton now has three three-touchdown games this season. As spectacular as he was last year, he didn't have any such games.

3:09: We've got kickoff in USC-Oregon … and a Ducks fumble on the return!

3:11: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Did Pete Carroll make the right choice at quarterback? We'll find out soon. It will be USC quarterback Mark Sanchez's first difficult road game after he replaced senior John David Booty, who had a broken finger. This game will probably be decided in the trenches, despite the wealth of talent at the skill positions on both sides. Oregon's offensive line is as good as any in the country; coach Mike Bellotti called it his best offensive line there. Meanwhile, the Trojans' front five are pretty banged up. Tackles Sam Baker (hamstring), Charles Brown (ankle) and Drew Radovich (back), guard Chilo Rachal (knee) and center Kris O'Dowd all are nursing injuries. The Trojans have won three in a row against the Ducks, after Oregon beat USC in Pete Carroll's first season. USC scored 45 and 44 points in its last two trips to Eugene, The Trojans might need that many points to beat the high-powered Ducks today. The winner takes control in t he Pac-10 race, with Arizona State facing still facing difficult tests against Cal, USC and Oregon.

3:16: From ESPN Research: It's been a rough day for Texas Tech, which trails Colorado 31-19 with just over seven minutes remaining in the fourth. Quarterback Graham Harrell, who had just three picks in his first seven games, has been intercepted seven times in his last two games.

3:19: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Louisville seemed on the verge of yet another late-game collapse against Pittsburgh at PapaJohns Stadium. The Cardinals blew a 17-7 lead against Pittsburgh in the second half, but then went ahead 24-17 on Brock Bolen's one-yard touchdown run with 1:54 to play. But Pittsburgh drove right down the field again and had first-and-goal at the Cardinal 1 with less than 1 1/2 minutes to go. But on first-and-goal, Pittsburgh's LeSean McCoy fumbled and Rod Council recovered with 1:10 left. Tough finish for McCoy, who ran for 120 yards and one touchdown. Much-needed finish for first-year Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe.

3:22: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Iowa rallied from a 17-3 halftime defict against Michigan State and led 20-17 late in the fourth quarter. But Brett Swenson kicked a 29-yard field goal to force overtime. The Spartans scored on their first possession of overtime to go ahead 27-20. Iowa's Albert Young has gained 168 yards and scored two touchdowns.

3:225: With less than five minutes to play, Navy trails Div. I-AA Delaware 42-35. That could be a good thing for Notre Dame, which plays host to the Midshipmen next weekend. Then again, the Irish haven't put together a combined 35 points in their last three games.

3:31: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Will Florida's dominance in the game formerly known as the "World's Largest Cocktail Party" end today? After losing 15 of the last 17 games in Jacksonville, Fla., the Bulldogs actually think they have a chance today. Bulldogs defensive coordinator Willie Martinez told me yesterday it will come down to his defenders getting off blocks and trying to tackle Gators quarterback Tim Tebow. Tebow has a bruised right shoulder -- his non-throwing shoulder. He has to be effective for the Gators to be successful. He has accounted for 72 percent of his team's offense this season. Look for Gators coach Urban Meyer to try and get receivers Percy Harvin and Jared Fayson more involved on offense. Georgia will try to run the football a lot to keep the football away from Tebow and Co. That means redshirt freshman Knowshon Moreno will have to carry the load, with seniors Thomas Brown (broken collarbone) and Kregg Lumpkin (knee) out with injuries. If Georgia can establish its running game, then quarte rback Matthew Stafford might have some play-action chances against a Florida secondary that allowed 415 passing yards and five touchdowns against Kentucky last week.

3:33: And Hawkeyes fans have rushed the field to celebrate Iowa's overtime win against Michigan State. Here's a look at some of the final scores from the afternoon's early games:

Wake Forest 37, UNC 10
West Virginia 31, Rutgers 3
Purdue 35, Northwestern 17

3:40: USC's Joe McKnight showed why he was the No. 1 overall recruit from the Class of '07, sprinting into the end zone to tie the score, only to have the play called back on a holding penalty.

3:47: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Iowa capped a comeback from a 17-7 deficit at halftime by beating Michigan State 34-27 in two overtimes in Iowa City. After the Hawkeyes went ahead on Jevon Pugh's 1-yard touchdown run in overtime, the Spartans faced third-and-6 at the Iowa 16. Iowa's Adrian Clayborn sacked Brian Hoyer for a 7-yard loss. Hoyer threw a 6-yard pass on fourth-and-13 to end the game. Iowa's Albert Young ran for 179 yards and two touchdowns.

3:48: From ESPN Research: Michigan State fast starts, and slow finishes:

Year Start Finish
2007 4-0 1-4*
2006 3-0 1-7
2005 4-0 1-6
2003 7-1 1-4

* three games to play

3:51: From ESPN Research: Mississippi State won its first road game against an AP ranked team since a 20-0 win at No. 11 Auburn in 1997. With this win at Kentucky, Mississippi State won its third road game in one year for the first time since 2000, which is also the last time State went to a bowl game. (MSU is one win from bowl eligibility after today.)

From 2001 to 2006, the Bulldogs were 1-23 in SEC road games and 3-26 overall on the road. They're 2-1 in the SEC road games this year (at AUB, at UK) and 3-2 overall.

3:53: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
How big is Mississippi State's 31-14 upset of No. 14 Kentucky? The victory moved the Bulldogs' record to 5-4 and they have games left against Alabama, at Arkansas and home against Ole MIss. The Bulldogs should be able to get to 6-6, at least, making them eligible to play in a bowl game for the first time under coach Sly Croom. The Bulldogs might have found a quarterback, too. Freshman Wesley Carroll completed 17 of 28 passes for 151 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. State ran for 199 yards, with Christian Ducre running for 121 yards and one touchdown and Anthony Dixon gaining 73 and scoring once. Kentucky quarterback Andre' Woodson was intercepted three times, probably knocking him out of the Heisman Trophy race. It's his second poor performance (he had three turnovers in a loss at South Carolina).

3:58: From ESPN Research: Kentucky QB Andre' Woodson went seven straight games without an interception and set an FBS record with 325 straight attempts without a pick. In his last five games, he's thrown seven interceptions. Bye-bye Heisman.

3:59: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
What in the world just happened at the World's Largest Cocktail Party? Georgia picked up a fumble and then ran nine straight times to score on Knowshon Moreno's 1-yard run. What happened next was bizarre. Georgia cleared its bench, sending all of its players into the end zone to celebrate. Georgia coach Mark Richt, who was peeved two weeks ago when his team celebrated at midfield after a game-winning field goal at Vanderbilt, was on the sideline clapping. It was obviously premeditated. For a team that has lost 15 of its last 17 games, the Bulldogs sure seem to be a confident team. Maybe overconfident, because the celebration resulted in a pair of 15-yard penalties against the Bulldogs.

4:03: It didn't take long for Florida to answer, as Tim Tebow tossed a 40-yard pass to Louis Murphy in the end zone to tie the game. In other games around the nation, Oregon leads USC 7-3, and UConn is up a field goal on South Florida.

4:15: Oregon QB Dennis Dixon is putting on a show. He's 12-for-13 passing with 118 yards, and he's carried the ball 10 times for 41 yards and a score.

4:18: Don't look now, but Minnesota, which lost to a Division I-AA school last week, is up 10-0 on Michigan early in the second quarter.

4:26: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Georgia has a 14-7 lead after the first quarter, despite having two plays in which the Bulldogs were penalized 30 yards. All of the Bulldogs ran onto the field to celebrate after the first touchdown (the CBS sideline reporter said it wasn't premeditated, according to sources, but how could it not be?) and were given two unsportsmanlike penalties. Then Georgia had a pair of personal fouls for facemasks on a kickoff. But the Dawgs have done a good job of containing quarterback Tim Tebow, who has yet to take off on a designed run. The Bulldogs have sacked Tebow three times and really set the tone with that weird celebration after the first touchdown.

4:30: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
No Mike Hart again for Michigan, which trails Minnesota 10-3 early in the second quarter. Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown have yet to get the running game going against one of the worst defenses in the country. The Gophers returned a fumble for a touchdown to go up 10-0 early.

4:32: UConn takes a 9-0 lead in the second quarter over visiting South Florida under really messy conditions. It would be a great win the Huskies, who've never beaten a ranked opponent.

4:35: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon could go a long way in becoming a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate with a strong performance against USC, but it's the Ducks' defense that has led the way so far at Autzen Stadium. The Trojans have only 111 yards of offense and the Ducks lead 10-3 at halftime. Mark Sanchez has completed eight of 13 passes for 56 yards. Dixon has completed 13 of 19 passes for 133 yards. The Ducks had two turnovers in the first two quarters.

4:35: A few interesting scores from around the nation:
Nebraska 3, Texas 3
Georgia 14, Florida 14
UConn 16, South Florida 0
Minnesota 10, Michigan 6
Delaware 59, Navy 52
Oregon 10, USC 3
For all of the scores, click here.

4:49: From ESPN Research: In Florida's first seven games, the Gators have allowed five sacks. In the first half today, they allowed four.

5:09: From ESPN Research: Tim Tebow entered the game averaging 17.9 rushes and 82.6 rush yards per game. In the first half today, he rushed the ball five times for -16 yards (four sacks). So, one actual rush for 7 yards. The Gators trail 21-17 at the half.

5:12: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Is it time to consider Connecticut a serious contender in the Big East race? The Huskies, who played a very soft nonconference schedule and then lost at Virginia, are leading South Florida 16-0 at the half. Bulls quarterback Matt Grothe is struggling for the second game in a row, completing only 4 of 8 passes for 40 yards with an interception in the first two quarters. A loss would be a crushing blow to South Florida's BCS hopes.

5:12: From ESPN Research: With a win over Akron today, Buffalo is all of the sudden 4-1 in the MAC. Since entering Division I-A in 1999, Buffalo had never won four games of any kind in any season. For all of the scores, click here.

5:17: Oregon takes a 16-10 lead over USC thanks to a Jonathan Stewart run. Nebraska leads Texas 10-3, and Michigan has a 13-10 lead over Minnesota. Clemson is up 20-3 on Maryland.

5:19: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Georgia leads Florida 21-17 at the half in Jacksonville, and Bulldogs coach Mark Richt just confirmed what I believed from the start: Georgia's bizarre celebration after Knowshon Moreno's first touchdown run wasn't spontaneous. Richt told CBS's halftime reporter (who said earlier in the day that, according to sources, the celebration wasn't premeditated) that he told his team he'd be upset if they didn't get a celebration penalty after the first score. Richt really put his neck out there. If Georgia wins, it will be perceived as a great motivation ploy to energize what has been a pretty emotionless team this season. If Georgia loses, he'll be questioned for what might be perceived as a classless act. After all, it was Richt who told his team "to act like they've been there before" when they celebrated at midfield after a game-winning field goal at Vanderbilt two weeks ago. It's obvious Gators quarterback Tim Tebow's injured right shoulder is bothering him. Tebow didn't run until there was less than a minute left in the first half. He has been sacked four times.

5:21: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
What do you know? Nebraska is showing some life against Texas at Memorial Stadium, as the Cornhuskers have taken a 10-3 lead at the half. Cornhuskers quarterback Sam Keller has completed 12 of 16 passes for 119 yards with a touchdown. The Longhorns can't punch the football into the end zone, as they have 208 yards in the first half, but no touchdowns. Quarterback Colt McCoy has completed 9 of 19 passes for 128 yards. Surprisingly, it's been a pretty even game so far.

5:26: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
I kind of predicted this one might be coming earlier. Virginia, in the driver's seat in the ACC's Coastal Division after rival Virginia Tech lost to Boston College 14-10 on Thursday night, is struggling at NC State. Perhaps it should not be that much of a surprise. The Cavaliers, who are trying to win eight games in a row for the first time in school history, have struggled in these types of games before. A few seasons ago, Virginia upset Florida State in Charlottesville, Va., then lost at North Carolina the following week. Wolfpack coach Tom O'Brien has done a nice job rebuilding his team in his first season, too, as they beat East Carolina last week. NC State leads 10-3 with about 13 minutes to go in the first half.

5:29: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
USC quarterback Mark Sanchez just flinched for the first time, throwing an interception as the Trojans were seemingly driving for a game-tying touchdown late in the third quarter. Sanchez, who replaced senior John David Booty three weeks ago, has completed 16 of 26 passes for 142 yards with one touchdown and one interception so far. The Ducks lead 17-10. Give a lot of credit to the Oregon defense. The Trojans have only 223 yards of offense so far, with only 81 yards on the ground. For a team that lost three of its best playmakers -- tailback Jeremiah Johnson and receivers Cameron Colvin and Bryan Paysinger -- the Ducks are playing as well as any one-loss team in the country. We'll see if they can hang on. Quarterback Dennis Dixon has done more damage with his legs than his arm. He has run 13 times for 65 yards and one touchdown, while completing 14 of 21 passes for 132 yards.

5:33: Oregon let USC hang around for the first half, but Jonathan Stewart and Dennis Dixon are trying to give the Ducks some breathing room in the third quarter. Dixon's latest score put Oregon up 24-10.

5:39: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Straight from the mailbag:
From Shannon in Beaumont: Texas has looked average all year what do my longhorns need to do to become as good as they were in their championship year? I think starting John Chiles would give them that Vince Young type they seem to work better with no offense to McCoy.
Schlabach: I'd stick with McCoy. He's a heck of a quarterback. The Longhorns have struggled, starting with the game at Central Florida. They weren't very good in the first half against Baylor last week and now are struggling at Nebraska, which hasn't stopped anybody all year.

From Chris in New Orleans: What do you think of Tulane's Matt Forte, the nation's leading rusher. He has three straight 200+ yard games and has 186 yards through halftime today?
Schlabach: He won't win the Heisman Trophy, but there might not be a tough runner in college football. Kind of like Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, defenses know where the football is going to be each play.

From Frank: After that performance today, shouldn't a banged-up Pat White get more respect for the Heisman than Matt Ryan's 2-minute drill?
Schlabach: They're both Heisman Trophy candidates, but I like what Matt Ryan has done. He doesn't have the weapons that West Virginia has. His receivers aren't speed burners, and Andre Callender certainly isn't Steve Slaton. But they could both end up in New York as finalists.

From J.D. in Summerville, S.C.: After WVU's impressive win AT Rutgers, what do you guys think about their chances of running the table and possibly getting a trip to the National Championship game?
Schlabach: Depending on what happens to the teams in front of them in the BCS standings, I could see it happening. West Virginia has already played its two toughest games, at South Florida and at Rutgers. Louisville still lurks on the schedule, but the Cardinal can barely beat the likes of Pittsburgh any more. I would think the West Virginia offense would slice up the Louisville defense pretty good.

5:42: ESPN.com's Bruce Feldman
Ole Miss didn't bring its best player, Greg Hardy, the SEC's leading sackman, on the trip to Auburn. Coach Ed Orgeron opted to leave Hardy at home for disciplinary reasons. Viciente Deloach will start in his absence.

5:50: From ESPN Research: The Trojans, which trail Oregon by 14 points, have 13 losses since Pete Carroll took over in the 2001 season (six of the losses were that season). Of the 13 losses, 12 were by seven points or less. The worst loss was by 11 (a 27-16 loss to ND in 2001).

5:53: We've had a lot of amazing moments in college football this season, but this I HAVE to see:
From San Antonio: Did you see the last play of the Trinity University vs Millsaps College (Div. 3) game? Trinity 1st and 10 with the ball on own 39 with 2 seconds left and down by 2. They ran a cal/stanford "the play". This is now "the new play" 61 yards no time on the clock 15 laterals for a touchdown and the win.

5:59: From ESPN Research: Tim Tebow's rushing TD to put Florida within four of Georgia also put the sophomore QB in the lead for most consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (nine straight games). Navy's Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada and Oregon's Dennis Dixon, who have both scored rushing TDs today, are tied at eight.

6:00: If you have questions you'd like one of our writers to answer or comments you'd like us to post, e-mail us.

6:08: From ESPN Research: Georgia now has six sacks of Florida QB Tim Tebow. Florida had allowed five sacks all season entering this game.

6:12: The Oregon defense picks off USC QB Mark Sanchez again -- this time, with just :09 remaining to give the Ducks a 24-17 over the Trojans.

6:25: You had to know South Florida would climb back into the game, and the Bulls have, closing the gap 19-12. UConn jumped out to a 16-0 lead by limiting QB Matt Grothe's production, but by the end of the third quarter, the sophomore sensation had already doubled his offensive output of the first half.

6:28: I'm not sure what's gotten into Georgia, which is playing with a passion usually reserved for WWE wrestlers or Mike Gundy press conferences. In any case, it's paying off, as the Dawgs have taken a 35-24 lead over the Gators. Perhaps coach Mark Richt can let Mack Brown know his secret, because the Horns could use some help. Texas trails Nebraska 17-9 in the fourth quarter.

6:31: From ESPN Research: USC's 24-17 loss to Oregon is the Trojans' most lopsided loss in five years. The Trojans lost at Kansas State by seven in 2002 (27-20).

6:44: We're getting into do-or-die territory for South Florida, Florida and Texas, which are all in danger of losing to lower-ranked (or in Texas' case, unranked) teams.

6:55: From ESPN Research: Since allowing a 62 points in the Fiesta Bowl loss to Nebraska in January 1996, this is only the fifth time a team has scored 40 on Florida defense.

6:55: Nice win for UConn and coach Randy Edsall, who hung in for a gritty over No. 10 South Florida -- the program's first win over a ranked team.

6:58: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo told me yesterday the Bulldogs' game plan was to run the ball 40 times and score 40 points. Well, the Bulldogs have run it 39 times for 189 yards to go in front of the Gators 42-30 with less than four minutes to play. Bulldogs running back Knowshon Moreno, a redshirt freshman from New Jersy, has run 30 times for 178 yards and three touchdowns. It would be Georgia's third victory over the Gators in the last 18 meetings in the game played in Jacksonville. Huge win for Georgia coach Mark Richt, to say the least.

7:01 ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Texas has jumped in front of Nebraska 20-17 on Jamaal Charles' 86-yard run for a touchdown. Charles has run 25 times for 220 yards with two touchdowns. Nonetheless, a nice effort by Nebraska's defense, which has kept the game close after parting like the Red Sea the last three weeks.

7:05 And it's over in Jacksonville, where the Dawgs played like a team possessed to beat Tim Tebow and the Gators. They held Tebow to -15 yards rushing.

7:20 Nebraska is doing its best to challenge Texas. Can the Horns hang on for the win?

7:30 Texas hangs on for the win, coach Mack Brown's 100th at Texas.

7:33 ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
It's been a pretty tame weekend, considering how the college football game has gone so far. But can Penn State beat No. 1 Ohio State in Happy Valley tonight (ABC, 8 p.m. ET)? It will all depend on the play of Nittany Lions quarterback Anthony Morelli, who has played remarkably well at home. Ohio State has played several lesser teams from the state of Ohio, and the Buckeyes' stiffest test came against a Michigan State team that lost to Iowa in double-overtime today. If Morelli plays well and doesn't turn the football over, Penn State's defense is good enough to slow down the Buckeyes. Ohio State tailback Chris "Beanie" Wells might be the difference. As successful as Ohio State coach Jim Tressel has been during his tenure in Columbus, his teams have struggled playing in Happy Valley.

That's it from us in Bristol. Lots of great games left tonight -- enjoy watching them!