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, Pat Forde, Heather Dinich, Chris Low and David Albright will be tracking all of Saturday's games and providing insight on all of the day's action.

9:30 a.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach

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

1. Will the Wolverines break through against the Buckeyes?
The Ohio State-Michigan game at the Big House lost much of its luster when both teams lost last weekend. But the winner still claims the Big Ten title. Michigan seniors Mike Hart, Chad Henne and Jake Long returned for a final season to beat the Buckeyes, who have bested them three straight seasons. Henne (shoulder) and Hart (ankle) are banged up, but they'd like nothing more than to end their college seasons with a win over the Buckeyes and a victory in a bowl game. They'd also like to send Lloyd Carr out a winner, if the Michigan coach decides to step down after this season. If the Buckeyes win, they'll be back in the BCS title hunt after losing to Illinois last week.

2. Can Oklahoma take a step toward No. 2?
With No. 2 Oregon losing at unranked Arizona on Thursday night, Oklahoma is positioned to move up to No. 2 in the BCS standings behind No. 1 LSU with a strong regular-season finish. But the Sooners, who have won five games in a row since a stunning 27-24 loss at Colorado on Sept. 29, have a stiff test at Texas Tech today. Beat the Red Raiders, and the Sooners still must top rival Oklahoma State and Kansas or Missouri in the Big 12 title game to keep their national title hopes alive.

3. Can Notre Dame beat Duke?
The 1-9 Fighting Irish are headed toward the worst season in their storied history. A loss to the Blue Devils, who have lost 24 ACC games in a row and 61 of their last 64 against conference foes, would cement Notre Dame's 2007 campaign as the worst on record. Scoring should be at a premium under First Down Jesus. The Irish rank last among 119 Division I-A teams in total offense (218.8 yards per game) and next-to-last in scoring offense (14.8 points per game) and rushing (56.6 yards per game). The Blue Devils are last nationally in rushing (52.9 yards per game), 116th in total offense (266.1 yards per game) and 108th in scoring (19.4 points per game).

4. Which quarterback will shine at Death Valley?
Boston College senior Matt Ryan has been a Heisman Trophy candidate all season, but Clemson's Cullen Harper might end up being the ACC Player of the Year. Harper, a junior in his first season as a starter, has completed 66.5 percent of his passes with 26 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Ryan has thrown 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The winner of today's game at Clemson wins the ACC's Atlantic Division and earns a spot in the Dec. 1 ACC Championship Game in Jacksonville, Fla.

5. Will Georgia or Tennessee blink?
The No. 9 Bulldogs need the No. 20 Volunteers to lose one of their remaining SEC games, against Vanderbilt today and at No. 23 Kentucky next week, to have a chance at winning the SEC East. Georgia has to beat the Wildcats at Sanford Stadium today to even have a shot at earning a spot against No. 1 LSU in the Dec. 1 SEC Championship Game. Bulldogs running back Knowshon Moreno should have a big day against a Kentucky defense that ranks 97th nationally against the run, allowing 197.3 yards per game. Moreno, a redshirt freshman, will try to become the first Georgia player since Herschel Walker in 1982 to run for more than 100 yards in five straight games.

6. Will Kansas or Missouri be looking ahead?
We saw what happened to Michigan and Ohio State last week, as both teams might have been guilty of looking ahead. With a Nov. 24 showdown looming at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium, No. 3 Kansas and No. 5 Missouri have to be very careful. The Jayhawks will attempt to win 11 games in season for the first time in school history when they host Iowa State today. Kansas has won 11 of the last 16 games against the Cyclones, who are coming off consecutive victories over Kansas State and Colorado, their first back-to-back wins in Big 12 play since November 2005. The Tigers travel to Kansas State, where they haven't won since 1989. The Wildcats have lost four of six games and need a victory to become bowl eligible.

7. Can Cincinnati get over the hump?
Bearcats coach Brian Kelly has done as good of a job as any first-year coach in the country, leading his team to an 8-2 record. To have any chance at winning the Big East championship, the No. 22 Bearcats must beat No. 6 West Virginia today at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. The Mountaineers and Connecticut each have one loss in Big East play; the Huskies play at West Virginia next week. With a win, the Bearcats would have victories over the Huskies and Mountaineers. Cincinnati allows only 98.8 rushing yards per game, while Mountaineers tailback Steve Slaton averages 98 yards himself.

8. How will the Big Ten standings shake out?
As many as four Big Ten teams might be fighting for their postseason lives on the final weekend of the league's regular season. The conference will have too many teams for its bowl tie-ins, so four teams with 6-5 records -- Northwestern, Indiana, Iowa and Michigan State -- might need to win today to get to a bowl. The Hawkeyes finished 4-4 in Big Ten play and finishes the season against Western Michigan. Northwestern plays at Illinois, which is coming off an emotional win over Ohio State. Purdue plays at Indiana, which needs a win badly with a 2-5 record in league play. Same for Michigan State, which is 2-5 in Big Ten play going into today's home game against Penn State.

9. Can Florida State win seven games?
The Seminoles were hoping for big improvement after coach Bobby Bowden added five new assistant coaches in the offseason. But the Seminoles might have to beat Maryland today at Doak Campbell Stadium to finish the regular season with a winning record. At 6-5, FSU can't afford a loss to the Terrapins, with a road trip at defending national champion Florida looming on the schedule. Maryland is 5-5 and can gain bowl eligiblity with a victory.

10. Will LSU be focused?
The No. 1 Tigers play at Ole Miss, which should be an easy victory. But for whatever reason, LSU has struggled against the Rebels recently. LSU has won five games in a row in the series, but four of those games were decided by three points or less. Last year, the Tigers won 23-20 against a Rebels team that finished 4-8. LSU has won 17 games in a row in November, including all 11 under coach Les Miles. LSU needs a solid victory to stay ahead of Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri in the BCS standings. The Rebels need to beat LSU or Mississippi State next week to avoid an 0-8 record against SEC foes.

11:50 a.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
ANN ARBOR, Mich -- Michigan quarterback Chad Henne went through warmups with his separated right shoulder, and running back Mike Hart went through the pregame drills on his tender ankle. They both look good to go. The question is how long they'll last. If Hart has to hop, or Henne has to throw with his left arm, they'll do it to play in this game.

In addition to the emotion already surrounding this game for its storied rivalry, the fact a Big Ten title is on the line, and that it might be Lloyd Carr's last game in the Big House, there's also a sentimental subplot looming here. It's the one-year anniversary of the death of Bo Schembechler, who died a year ago today on the eve of the 2006 Michigan/Ohio State game. The coin toss will feature a special commemorative coin with Woody Hayes on one side on Schembechler on the other. When the players call it, it will be "Woody" or "Bo." Those here in Michigan say Hayes represents "tails."

Michigan Stadium is quickly filling up. The old-timer working the press box elevator said he's never seen so many people. Expects it to be a record crowd. Better paint some more numbers on the seats.

12:05 p.m.: From ESPN Research: All eyes will be on The Rivalry in Ann Arbor, but Florida fans have something to watch for as the Gators kick off against FAU. With one rushing touchdown today, Tim Tebow will become the first player in Division I-A history to have 20+ rushing TDs and 20+ passing TDs in the same season. He enters today with 19 TD runs and 23 TD passes. By the way, the Division I-A record for rushing TDs in a season by a quarterback is 22 by Chance Harridge of Air Force in 2002. Tebow could also have that record by the end of the day.

12:18 p.m.: From ESPN Research: Rashard Mendenhall puts Illinois on the board early against Northwestern (ESPN), scoring his 15th rushing touchdown of the season. The score ties Howard Griffith's record for the most in a single-season in Illinois history.

12:21 p.m.: Chad Henne and Mike Hart are both on the field for Michigan. Henne's first pass was a deep ball intended for Mario Manningham. He looks a bit rusty. The Wolverines will need him to shake off the rust pretty quickly if they want to win this one.

12:32 p.m.: A couple of Ohio State-Michigan facts from ESPN Research: Jim Tressel is 5-1 against Michigan and is the first coach to win five of his first six games in this series since Lloyd Carr. Just as John Cooper was constantly criticized (and perhaps lost his job) for his 1-5 record against Carr, the Michigan coach can't go very far now without hearing about his 1-5 record against Tressel. Since World War II, Carr and Tressel are the only coaches to win five of their first six games in the Michigan-Ohio State series.

12:38 p.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- And you were wondering if injured Michigan seniors Chad Henne and Mike Hart would hang onto the ball today.

Nothing is wrong with Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman but the rain. There's a steady drizzle out there, possibly accounting for a loss of 18 yards on the final three plays of the Buckeyes' last drive. Boeckman fumbled for a loss of five. The he slipped for a loss of eight. After going backwards for another five yards on the final play, OSU punted on fourth-and-28.

Mike Hart? He's getting ready to slip into the end zone.

12:49 p.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Whoops he did it again.

Todd Boeckman is looking more like the quarterback who threw three interceptions in a season-changing loss to Illinois last week than a quarterback who is leading his team to a miracle national championship. So far Boeckman has fumbled twice. In the first quarter.

12:58 p.m.: Beanie Wells pushes into the end zone to put Ohio State on the board. The Buckeyes lead 7-3. Here's a look at some of the other scores from around the nation:

Illinois 14, Northwestern 0
Pitt 10, Rutgers 10
Florida 21, FAU 10
Georgia Tech 7, UNC 3
UConn 14, Syracuse 0
Kentucky 7, Georgia 0
Missouri 14, K State 3
Florida State 21, Maryland 3
Harvard 20, Yale 0
For the full scoreboard, click here.

1:06 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Georgia is already in trouble against No. 23 Kentucky at Sanford Stadium. The No. 9 Bulldogs lost a fumble deep in Wildcats territory after they returned the opening kickoff 80 yards. Then Cats quarterback Andre' Woodson threw a 36-yard touchdown to Keenan Burton for a 7-0 lead. Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford threw an interception near midfield, and the Wildcats are driving again deep in Dawgs territory.

1:09 p.m.: From ESPN Research: With his 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, Missouri's Jeremy Maclin broke the Division I-A record for most all-purpose yards by a freshman. The old record was held by Rutgers' Terrell Willis, who had 2,026 all-purpose yds in 1993.

1:14 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Florida State has jumped all over Maryland at Doak-Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, taking a 21-6 lead early in the second quarter. Junior quarterback Drew Weatherford, who was knocked out of last week's game at Virginia Tech with a head injury, has completed his first five passes for 87 yards and one touchdown. The Seminoles really need to beat the Terrapins to have any chance at finishing with an improved record. They're 6-4 going into today's game, with defending national champion Florida on the schedule next week. Maryland is 5-5 and needs one more victory to become bowl eligible.

1:25 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
I was about to comment how it looked like Missouri was focused and wasn't looking ahead to next week's showdown against Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. The No. 5 Tigers were ahead of Kansas State 14-3, after Wildcats quarterback Josh Freeman helped set up the Tigers' first touchdown with an interception deep in his own territory. But Kansas State tailback James Johnson just broke loose for a 66-yard touchdown. The Tigers blocked the point-after kick to make it 14-9 with 3:10 left in the first half. You have to wonder whether Missouri and Kansas, which plays Iowa State in Lawrence, Kan., later today, won't get caught looking ahead, like Michigan and Ohio State last week.

1:32 p.m.: FAU isn't rolling over in Gainesville. After Florida jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, the Gators have allowed 20 points in the second. Florida leads 28-20 with just under a minute left in regulation.

1:35 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Will Florida quarterback Tim Tebow move to the top of the Heisman Trophy race now that Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury? Tebow might have already been No. 1 on a lot of ballots, after scoring an SEC-record 42 touchdowns in the No. 12 Gators' first 10 games. Tebow has scored two more touchdowns today -- one running and one passing -- but the Gators are in a fight against Florida Atlantic late in the first half. The Owls just scored to cut Florida's lead to 28-20 at the Swamp. Tebow has completed 15 of 20 passes for 216 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The Owls already have 13 first downs and 255 yards in the game.

1:44 p.m.: Florida's Tim Tebow tossed another touchdown pass in the final seconds of the half to take a 35-20 lead into halftime. Here are a few other scores at the half:
Ohio State 7, Michigan 3
UConn 21, Syracuse 0
Illinois 21, Northwestern 7
Rutgers 17, Pitt 1o
For the full scoreboard, click here.

1:50 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Harvard is crushing Yale in "The Game" with a 27-0 lead at halftime at the Yale Bowl. The score might have been even worse, but Harvard's Gino Gordon was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-goal at the Yale 1 on the final play of the first half. Both teams came into the game with 6-0 records in the Ivy League standings, only the third time two teams with unbeaten marks in the Ivy League standings squared off in the final weekend of the season. The Bulldogs are 9-0 and ranked No. 11 in the FCS coaches' poll. They haven't had a perfect season in 47 years and haven't won an outright Ivy League championship in 26 seasons. The Crimson are 7-2 overall and ranked No. 25. Harvard quarterback Chris Pizzotti completed 17 of 27 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. The Crimson have won five of their last six meetings in the storied series.

1:59 p.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- A few keys to the game for Ohio State and Michigan in the second half:
Somebody needs to sustain a drive. Michigan and Ohio State combined to go three-and-out four times in the second quarter. Michigan has been held to 77 yards of total offense in the first half -- not exactly a surprise, though, considering the Wolverines are facing the Big Ten's best defense. Get back to running the ball. It's what they do.

Cut down on the mistakes. It is raining here, which might explain a few slips and blunders, but if Michigan safety Brandent Englemon can snag an interception and run it back for 33 yards, then his counterpart on offense, receiver Mario Manningham, should be able to hold onto the ball, too. Michigan couldn't do anything with Englemon's interception, as K.C. Lopata's 48-yard field goal attempt came up short, and Mario Manningham dropped two balls on one series. If they're going to pass, the Henne-Maningham connection needs to evolve.

Field position. Ohio State was doing well until Michigan's Zoltan Mesko punted a career-best 68 yards, starting the Buckeyes out on their own four-yard line.

2:04 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Yet another sign that Illinois coach Ron Zook actually knows what he's doing: The Illini are ahead of Northwestern 28-7 early in the third quarter. This was a dangerous game for the Illini, who were coming off that emotional upset at Ohio State last week. The Wildcats are 6-5 and might need to win today to get to a postseason bowl game. Northwestern, Michigan State, Indiana and Purdue each need to win today to bolster their postseason hopes. The Wildcats and Boilermakers would finish 4-4 in Big Ten play with victories; the Hoosiers and Spartans would avoid 2-6 finishes in Big Ten play with wins. Illini quarterback Juice Williams has played spectacularly so far, completing 12 of 18 passes for 212 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also has rushed 18 times for 104 yards and two scores.

2:09 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Georgia got a 2-yard touchdown run from redshirt freshman Knowshon Moreno with 40 seconds left in the first half to cut No. 23 Kentucky's lead to 10-7 at halftime. The No. 9 Bulldogs are fortunate they're not behind by much more at Sanford Stadium. Moreno fumbled inside Kentucky's 10-yard line on the first series, after Georgia's Asher Allen returned the opening kickoff 82 yards. Bulldogs quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a pair of interceptions in the first half and completed only 8 of 17 passes for 67 yards. Georgia drove 80 yards for its late touchdown, and Moreno seemed to be hitting his stride in the running game. The Bulldogs have to win today to have any chance of winning the SEC East. Tennessee also would have to lose one of its last two SEC games -- against Vanderbilt today and at Kentucky next week -- for Georgia to earn a spot in the Dec. 1 SEC Championship Game against No. 1 LSU in Atlanta's Georgia Dome.

2:11 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Ohio State's Chris "Beanie" Wells just broke loose for a 62-yard touchdown run to put the Buckeyes ahead 14-3 early in the third quarter. Wells' long run came one play after another long touchdown run was wiped out by a holding penalty. Wells has already run 21 times for 129 yards and two touchdowns.

2:17 p.m.: Tennessee is on the board early against Vanderbilt. The Vols need wins today and against Kentucky to earn a spot in the SEC championship game.

2:20 p.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Ohio State coach Jim Tressel looked livid as his team headed into the tunnel at halftime with a precarious 7-3 lead, but the Buckeyes gave him some reassurance quickly in the third quarter. Running back Chris Wells took off for an 11-second, 62-yard touchdown run on their opening drive. The Buckeyes are up 14-3.

If this is Lloyd Carr's last game, it's starting to look as dismal as the weather here. There was just a warning in the press box for the reporters in the front row to move their laptops to the back after the game so they don't freeze. Seriously. Speaking of the press … Michigan gave out 1,248 credentials to this game. They didn't say how many of them were for "working" media. Attendance in the Big House is 111,941.

2:29 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Straight from the mailbag:
Joe in Newport Beach: I know late losses weigh heavier than early losses, but how can Ohio State's loss to an 8-3 Illinois team be worse than Oklahoma's loss to a 5-6 Colorado team? Is the Big Ten that down this year? The Big 12 isn't that impressive this year, is it?
Schlabach: It's probably not worse than the Sooners' loss in Boulder, but the Buckeyes' loss did come at home. Late losses have always been worse than early-season losses. But with Oregon losing at Arizona on Thursday night, the Buckeyes are back in the BCS championship mix. I think they'll have to have a lot of help to get to the BCS title game. LSU would either have to lose, and two of the three Big 12 teams (Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma) might have to lose. What about West Virginia? The Buckeyes might get a bump if they beat Michigan today, but how much weight will that victory carry with voters? It's still the same Michigan team that lost to Division I-AA Appalachian State and was blown out by Oregon. Ohio State's biggest problem is today is their last chance to impress voters. After today, the Buckeyes will be watching while other teams are playing big games.

Ryan in St. Louis: What do you think of Hawaii's will to win games?
Schlabach: The biggest thing that surprised me in last night's game at Nevada was the physical play by both defenses. There were some big hits in that game that I hadn't seen all season. Great win for Hawaii, which was playing without quarterback Colt Brennan. The Warriors have two more chances to impress voters -- home games against Boise State and Washington. I think if Hawaii finishes unbeaten, I don't see any way the Warriors are left out of a BCS bowl game.

Jesse in Centreville, Va.: I'm an all-time Tennessee Vol fan and the most painful loss to me was the 2001 SEC championship against LSU with a national championship on the line and it will be sweet revenge if Tennessee knocks off LSU with championship on the line for them. Do you not agree?
Schlabach: I'm sure it would be pretty sweet for Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, who continues to find ways to win when his back is against the wall. The Volunteers have two pretty tough games left, though, against Vanderbilt today and at Kentucky next week. Let's not get ahead of ourselves yet. The Vols play very, very well at home, but they've struggled on the road. Kentucky will be ready to play next week.

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

2:30 p.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Uh oh. Chris Wells, who has sparked Ohio State's offense in the second half, just limped off to the sideline after a 23-yard run. The drive sputtered without him in there.

2:39 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Big turn of events at Sanford Stadium, after Georgia safety Kelin Johnson blocked a punt on Kentucky's first possession of the second half. The No. 9 Bulldogs took over at their 19-yard line, and running back Thomas Brown scored on a 1-yard run to give Georgia a 14-10 lead. Georgia trailed 10-0 until very late in the first half.

2:41 p.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Chad Henne just jogged back onto the sideline and is warming up. Michigan needs him to relieve 19-year-old Ryan Mallett, a freshman whose passes have been off. It's official, Henne is back.

2:49 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
No. 5 Missouri took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 77 yards for a touchdown. The big play of the drive was Chase Daniels' 37-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin to the Kansas State 2. Tigers running back Tony Temple scored on a two-yard run on the next play to make it 28-18 with 14:07 left in the third quarter.

2:51 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Keep an eye on these early games: North Carolina at Georgia Tech and Mississippi State at Arkansas. Yellow Jackets coach Chan Gailey is on the hot seat, for whatever reason, after leading Tech to the ACC Championship Game in 2006 and a bowl game every season he has coached there. But new Tech athletics director Dan Radakovich has been noncommittal about Gailey's future at the school. The Yellow Jackets are ahead of the Tar Heels 10-9 late in the third quarter. Gailey can't afford to lose to North Carolina, as the Yellow Jackets would finish 4-4 in ACC play with a victory. Tech finishes the regular season next week against rival Georgia at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Meanwhile, there are all kind of rumblings that Arkansas coach Houston Nutt won't return to coach the Razorbacks next season. New Arkansas athletics director Jeff Long, who takes over when longtime AD Frank Broyles retires Dec. 31, insists he hasn't made a decision about Nutt's future. A loss to Mississippi State wouldn't help Nutt's case. The Bulldogs lead the Hogs 7-3 early in the second quarter, as State freshman quarterback Wesley Carroll continues to play very, very well for coach Sly Croom.

2:54 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Just a friendly reminder to flip your TVs from Michigan-Ohio State or whatever big game you're watching. Notre Dame and Duke just kicked off in the shadows of First Down Jesus at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind. The not-so-Fighting Irish will attempt to avoid a 1-10 record by beating the Blue Devils, who have lost 24 ACC games in a row and 61 of their last 64 against conference foes.

2:56 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Georgia might be pulling away from No. 23 Kentucky at Sanford Stadium. The No. 9 Bulldogs just went ahead 21-10 on quarterback Matthew Stafford's 10-yard scoring run with 5:40 left in the third quarter. Georgia's defense has done a nice job of shutting down the Wildcats' high-powered offense. Cats quarterback Andre' Woodson has completed 12 of 22 passes for 121 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Kentucky has run 18 times for only 31 yards.

2:57 p.m.: Florida has pulled away as well, as the Gators own a comfortable 49-20 lead early in the fourth quarter. Tim Tebow has four touchdowns -- three in the air -- on the day.

3:05 p.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
During the TV timeout, the vastly outnumbered Ohio State fans here started their O-H-I-O cheer. Michigan fans, who had been quiet, let it go on for a while before they started to boo.

3:08 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Vanderbilt just went ahead of No. 20 Tennessee 7-6 on Mackenzi Adams' 5-yard touchdown pass to Brad Allen with 8:32 left in the first half. The scoring pass capped an impressive 18-play, 77-yard drive that took more than nine minutes off the clock. The Vols went ahead on Erik Ainge's 6-yard touchdown pass to Lucas Taylor, but Vols kicker Daniel Lincoln missed the point-after kick. Lincoln later missed a 41-yard field goal. The Vols have to win their last two SEC games -- they play at Kentucky next week -- or have Georgia lose to the Wildcats today to win the SEC East.

3:21 p.m.: It's over in Champaign, Ill., where Ron Zook's Illini beat rival Northwestern 41-22 to win the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk.

3:23 p.m.: Ohio State wins in Ann Arbor, 14-3. The win assures the Buckeyes of an outright Big Ten championship and a Rose Bowl bid, although the Buckeyes are still in the hunt for a national championship.

3:30 p.m.: From ESPN Research: Knowshon Moreno has rushed for over 100 yards rushing for his fifth straight game this season, becoming the first Georgia running back since Herschel Walker in 1982 to have 5 consecutive 100-yard games.

3:32 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
North Carolina just went ahead of Georgia Tech 25-24 on Anthony Elzy's 1-yard touchdown run with 5:50 to go. The Tar Heels have scored 10 consecutive points, with the last touchdown being set up when Tech quarterback Taylor Bennett was sacked and fumbled. Georgia Tech returned the ensuing kickoff to near midfield.

3:37 p.m.: From ESPN Research: With Connecticut's 30-7 win today over Syracuse at the Rent, the Huskies finish their home schedule with a perfect 7-0 record. They become just the second Big East team ever to have a 7-0 home record, joining West Virginia, who achieved the feat in 1993.

3:42 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
A few updates from the early games:
• Florida State beat Maryland 24-16 at Doak Campbell Stadium, meaning the Seminoles will finish no worse than 7-5 this season. FSU plays at Florida next week.

• Connecticut drilled Syracuse 30-7, keeping the Huskies' Big East title hopes alive. The Huskies had 396 yards of offense.

• Illinois beat Northwestern 41-22, delivering a big blow to the Wildcats' postseason hopes. Illinois quarterback Juice Wiliams threw for 220 yards and a touchdown and ran 23 times for 136 yards and two scores. Illini tailback Rashard Mendenhall ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

• Vanderbilt has gone in front of No. 20 Tennessee 17-9 near the end of the first half. Mackenzi Adams threw a 19-yard touchdown to Jeff Jennings to make it 14-9. Then Vols quarterback Erik Ainge fumbled deep in UT territory, and Vanderbilt's Patrick Benoist recovered at the Vols' 16. Bryant Hahnfeldt kicked a 33-yard field goal to make it 17-9 at halftime.

• Alabama is struggling again, tied 14-14 with Louisiana-Monroe with about 7 1/2 minutes to go in the first half in Tuscaloosa.

• Arkansas leads Mississippi State 24-7 at halftime. Surprisingly, the Hogs are doing it in the air, instead of on the ground. Quarterback Casey Dick has completed 9 of 10 passes for 131 yards and three touchdowns in the first half.

• BYU leads Wyoming 21-3 at halftime in Cheyenne, Wyo., on what I'm sure is a beautiful afternoon for bird watching.

3:45 p.m.: From ESPN Research: A few notes from the Ohio State-Michigan game:
• Buckeyes win back-to-back games at the Big House for the first time since 1979 and 1981
• Jim Tressel is the first coach to lead team to three straight Big Ten titles since Gary Moeller (1990-92)
• Lloyd Carr is the first coach in Michigan history to go 1-6 over a seven-year stretch vs Ohio State
• First 4-game win streak by Ohio State vs Michigan since 1960-63
• Fewest points Michigan has scored in a game vs Ohio State since losing 28-0 in 1962.

4 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
With Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, who will jump to the top of the Heisman Trophy race?

• Florida quarterback Tim Tebow had another spectacular day in the Gators' 59-20 win over Florida Atlantic. Tebow completed 25 of 34 passes for 338 yards with three touchdowns. The sophomore also ran 11 times for 31 yards and one score, giving him an SEC-record 46 touchdowns. Tebow has a rushing touchdown and passing touchdown in 12 consecutive games, a school record and the longest streak in the country.

• Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel has been impressive against Kansas State, leading the Tigers to a 49-25 lead with less than seven minutes to play. Before the last touchdown drive, Daniel has completed 28-41 for 284 yards with four touchdowns so far.

• And how about Missouri receiver/kick returner Jeremy Maclin? After Daniel threw a 1-yard touchdown to tight end Martin Rucker to put the Tigers ahead 42-25, Maclin had 360 all-purpose yards. He had 143 receiving yards, 8 rushing yards and 209 return yards, including a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

4:11 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
Straight from the mailbag:
Mel in Honolulu: Mark, Wanted to thank you for the nice article about the Warriors today. We Hawaii fans understand the disdain that people across the country feel for our cute little program. Many see 3 eekers over 3 bad WAC opponents, but we only see courage. We see our boys growing into men before our very eyes against some very tough odds. It's not about a BCS or Heisman for us, it's about doing what no other Hawaii team has done before. The last drive of last night's game was set up perfectly as the potential Heisman moment for Brennan, but instead Graunke got his own personal moment. Thank you and Aloha.
Schlabach: Aloha to you, too. Great win for Hawaii. The Warriors tried to schedule tougher opponents (Michigan and USC, among others), but couldn't get any takers. So they were forced to play a pair of Division I-AA opponents. Again, if the Warriors finish unbeaten, I can't see how they're left out of the BCS. If they beat Boise State, that will go a long way in securing a BCS at-large berth. But the Broncos are playing pretty good football, too.

Chris in Sumter: If Carr retires after this year you is in line to become the next Michigan coach.
Schlabach: I would expect Michigan to go after LSU coach Les Miles. I don't know if Miles will leave a very good job to return to his alma mater, but I'm sure it will be a tough decision for him if the Wolverines indeed want him. I wonder if Carr will wait until after the bowl games to announce his retirement, if he indeed steps down, so it doesn't force Miles to make a decision before LSU potentially plays in the BCS title game (if the Tigers win out, of course).

From Anonymous in Houston: Who do you think will be in the National title game? Who would you pick to win the Heisman if you the season ended today?
Schlabach: After Oregon lost to Arizona, I'll have to change my pick to Oklahoma vs. LSU. As far as the Heisman, with Ducks quarterback Dennis Dixon out for the rest of the season, I'll have to go with Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. I've said all season that there isn't a more valuable player in the country than Tebow, and it's too hard to ignore the unbelievable statistics he's putting up this year.

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

4:15 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
A few final scores are in:
• No. 9 Georgia held on for a 24-13 win over No. 23 Kentucky. Bulldogs tailback Knowshon Moreno ran for 128 yards, becoming the first Georgia player since Herschel Walker in 1982 to run for 100 yards or more in five straight games. Georgia wins the SEC East if Tennessee loses one of its last two SEC games, against Vanderbilt today or at Kentucky next week. The Vols trail the Commodores 17-9 at halftime.

• Rutgers beat Pittsburgh 20-16 in what was undoubtedly a very physical game in Piscataway, N.J. Neither team had 200 yards of offense. Rutgers tailback Ray Rice ran 17 times for 75 yards and one touchdown. The Scarlet Knights threw only 13 passes in the game.

• Georgia Tech beat North Carolina 27-25 on Travis Bell's 27-yard field goal with 15 seconds to play. The Yellow Jackets overcame four fumbles to finish 4-4 in ACC play.

• Vanderbilt leads No. 20 Tennessee 24-9 at Neyland Stadium. The Commodores took the second-half kickoff and drove 76 yards in eight plays, with Mackenzi Adams throwing a two-yard touchdown to George West with nine minutes to play in the third quarter. Tennessee has to beat Vanderbilt and Kentucky to earn a spot in the Dec. 1 SEC Championship Game in Atlanta's Georgia Dome. A loss to the Commodores might put Vols coach Phillip Fulmer back on the hot seat.

Some games just under way:
• Western Michigan has a 9-0 lead at Iowa, which would be a big blow to the Hawkeyes' postseason hopes. Broncos quarterback Tim Hiller threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Brandon West, and Mike Jones added a 30-yard field goal.

• Michigan State jumped ahead of Penn State 7-0 on Brian Hoyer's 12-yard touchdown pass to Devin Thomas early in the first quarter.

• Notre Dame and Duke are scoreless with less than five minutes to go in the first half. The Irish have twice as many first downs, have nearly doubled Duke's total offense and have held the football for more than 16 minutes, but they have no points to show for it. Quarterback Jimmy Clausen is playing pretty well, completing 10 of his first 18 passes for 111 yards.

• Ole Miss is already putting a scare into No. 1 LSU as the score is tied 7-7 late in the first quarter. The Tigers drove 98 yards for quarterback Matt Flynn's 5-yard touchdown run. Ole Miss' Marshay Green returned a punt 44 yards for a touchdown to tie the score at 7-7.

4:26 p.m.: Vanderbilt has a commanding lead in Knoxville -- the Dores lead Tennessee 24-9 with less than two minutes in the third quarter. LSU isn't faring much better against Ole Miss; the Tigers are trying to preserve a 14-7 lead in the second quarter.

4:40 p.m.: ESPN.com's David Albright
No. 6 Mizzou held up its end of the Big 12 equation with a 49-32 win against K-State in the Little Apple. Chase Daniel went for 284 passing yards and 4 TDs. Also noteworthy was freshman Jeremy Maclin set an NCAA single-season freshman record for all-purpose yards with 2,201 for the season -- thanks to 252 total yards (and 3 TDs) against the Wildcats.

Still to be decided are No. 3 KU -- up 21-0 over Iowa State in the second quarter in Lawrence (ABC) -- and No. 4 OU in Lubbock (ABC, 8 ET).

4:55 p.m.: ESPN.com's David Albright
The solution to Notre Dame's problems is clearly that the Irish need to get Duke on the schedule earlier in the season. Charlie Weis' crew was up 14-0 at halftime and had real offensive stats to prove it. ND racked up 238 total yards, lead by QB Jimmy Clausen's 169 passing yards and 2 TDs.

5:05 p.m.: ESPN.com's David Albright
Here come the Vols. Tennesse was trailing Vandy 24-9 at home entering the fourth quarter, but a pair of Erik Ainge TD passes (one to Josh Briscoe and one to Austin Rogers) has the lead down to two points (24-22) with 7:00 minutes to go.

5:19 p.m.: Vandy misses a 49-yard field goal that would have given them the lead against Tennessee. It's a rough way to lose for the Commodores, who at one point lead 24-9.

5:20 p.m.: ESPN.com's David Albright
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why you're Vanderbilt. Tough loss for the Commodores and the Vols are back in the SEC East hunt. A UT win next weekend at Kentucky and the Vols will be headed to the SEC Championship Game.

5:42 p.m.: ESPN.com's David Albright
I have a nominee for the coveted No. 5 slot in the next Bottom 10 rankings. Alabama just lost to … wait for it, wait for it … Louisiana-Monroe. You know, formerly of UL-U-Pick-'em fame. The final was 21-14 in Tuscaloosa. So much for St. Nick being Bama's savior this season. The loss drops Bama to 6-5 with one to play. Since the holiday season is upon us, maybe the Roll Tide crowd could see if Fred Claus is available to coach in the Iron Bowl next week.

6:05 p.m.: ESPN.com's David Albright
Two other interesting developments today. William Hung (yes, that one) was the halftime entertainment in Seattle at the Cal-Washington game. Apparently David Hasselhoff wasn't available. You can't make this stuff up. And Notre Dame is putting the finishing touches on a 28-0 win over Duke. And who replaced Jimmy Clausen at QB late in the fourth quarter? Tom Zbikowski (yes, that one). If the Irish hang on to pitch the shutout, it will be the first one for ND since 2002 vs. Rutgers.

6:11 p.m.: ESPN.com's David Albright
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why you're Notre Dame (this year). Duke just scored to make it 28-7.

6:25 p.m.: ESPN.com's Pat Forde
CINCINNATI -- Here are three keys to tonight's game between No. 6 West Virginia and No. 22 Cincinnati (ESPN, 7:45 ET):

1. Turnover battle: Cincinnati leads the nation in percentage of opponents' throws intercepted, at 5.6. But West Virginia QB Pat White has only thrown two of his 155 passes to the wrong team this year, among the lowest percentages in the country. No team in America relies more on turnovers than Cincinnati, which is 7-0 when it wins the turnover battle and 1-2 when it does not.

2. Containing White: Pat White has gotten stronger as the year has progressed, reasserting himself as a Heisman candidate along the way. As talented as Steve Slaton is, WVU coach Rich Rodriguez will rely on White in the clutch. That's why he carried the ball six straight times on the Mountaineers' winning drive against Louisville last game. Cincinnati needs to limit White's big plays, both with his feet and his arm.

3. Mauk Trial: Ben Mauk's transfer and immediate eligibility at Cincy has been a huge part of the Bearcats' success. But he'll probably be facing his toughest defense of the year, a West Virginia unit that ranks among the most improved in the nation. If Mauk has time to throw he could find some seams to exploit.

6:45 p.m.: ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Here are three keys for each team in tonight's game between No. 4 Oklahoma and Texas Tech (ABC, 8 ET):

Sooners:
1. Hope that Sam Bradford is settled. The Sooners' redshirt freshman quarterback needs only two TD passes to break the national freshman record for touchdowns and comes into tonight's game as the nation's leader in pass efficiency. But he's been a different player on the road. Bradford has thrown for four touchdowns and four interceptions in his three true road games, compared with 21 TD passes and one interception at home. And he will be facing the most hostile crowd this season at Jones AT&T Stadium.

2. Produce a better pass rush. The Sooners failed to notch a sack last week for the first time in 16 games. Top pass-rusher Auston English will be back and will be needed to get a better rush against Tech's spread passing attack that features wide blocking schemes and many quick throws from Harrell.

3. Remember 2005. The Sooners felt like they were jobbed in Lubbock in a 23-21 loss in 2005 that was settled by several controversial calls. OU coach Bob Stoops hasn't forgotten -- and neither have his players, either. An OU victory will wrap up the Sooners' fifth Big 12 championship game berth in the last six seasons.

Red Raiders:
1. Be productive. Mike Leach's offense has always struggled against Oklahoma, since he started coaching the Red Raiders in 2000. During those seven games against coaching mentor Bob Stoops, Oklahoma has limited Tech below its seasonal point and total yardage averages in every game and allowed the Red Raiders to top their passing average only once. QB Graham Harrell needs to have success throwing the ball, but getting the ground game involved will be important for balance. Tech has produced only 28.3 yards per game and 2.2 yards per carry in its last four games. Freshman RB Aaron Crawford will make his fourth-straight start, but needs to be more effective.

2. Play better defense. The Red Raiders forced only one punt against Texas last week, allowing the Longhorns to convert 12-of-18 third-down plays and 4-of-4 fourth-down attempts. And they will be facing an offense with even more weapons than the Longhorns when they meet Oklahoma. If interim Tech coordinator Ruffin McNeill cant conjure up a better game plan this week, it could be a long night for the Red Raiders.

3. Start quickly. It would be understandable if the sellout crowd takes a wait-and-see approach after Tech's struggles last week at Texas. But if the Red Raiders could score early and take an immediate lead, it would get them involved from the start.

6:55 p.m.: ESPN.com's Chris Low
CLEMSON, S.C. -- Here are three keys in tonight's game between No. 17 Boston College and No. 15 Clemson (ESPN2, 7:45 ET):

Can Tommy Bowden finally break through?
The Tigers have been in position the last two years to potentially get to the ACC championship game, only to fall on their faces when it counted most. Here they are again in a do-or-die game, and while it may not be do-or-die for ninth-year coach Tommy Bowden in terms of keeping his job, the difference between winning and losing tonight will be like the difference in a day at the beach and a day in the dentist's chair. If the Tigers take care of their business against the Eagles and advance to their first ACC championship game on Dec. 1, he's likely to get an extension and maybe even a raise. If they lose, he's right back on the hot seat.

Who's the best quarterback in the ACC?
The easy answer is Boston College's Matt Ryan. Just a few short weeks ago, he was probably the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy and made a throw for the ages in the comeback win over Virginia Tech. He's a likely first-round selection in the draft and has had a great year, even though he's thrown seven interceptions in his last three games. Still, if Clemson wins tonight, and Cullen Harper is a big part of that win, how do you not vote for Harper as the first-team quarterback on the All-ACC team? Harper has come out of nowhere to have a record-setting season with 26 touchdown passes and only four interceptions. He's completing 66.5 percent of his passes and has been at his best in the Tigers' four-game winning streak. But to separate yourself as one of the great ones, these are the types of games you have to win.

How will the Eagles fare without DeJuan Tribble?
The senior cornerback was one of the fixtures of the Eagles' defense, but won't be around tonight after injuring his knee this week in practice. He'd started in 19 straight games and was their top cover man with four interceptions and eight pass breakups. With Tribble out, that means true freshman DeLeon Gause will make his first start. Wonder how long it will take Clemson to try and get its leading receiver, Aaron Kelly, matched up against Gause? Boston College is second nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 65.7 yards per game, and already has 18 interceptions this season, which is sixth nationally. But Tribble was a big part of their defense, both as a performer and a leader.

7:00 p.m.: Thanks for joining us this afternoon and we'll see you next week. Enjoy the rest of your college football Saturday. And follow the fortunes of (or lack thereof) your favorite team here. And stay tuned for more potential news out of Ann Arbor.