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 and Chris Low 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. Which team will win the Big 12 North -- and climb to No. 1 in the BCS?
It's hard to imagine the game between No. 2 Kansas and No. 4 Missouri (ABC, 8 ET) becoming any more important, but after No. 1 LSU lost 50-48 in three overtimes to Arkansas on Friday, the winner of tonight's contest at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City now might have an inside track to the BCS Championship Game. The Jayhawks are 11-0. The Tigers are 10-1 and might be more battle tested. With Missouri's Chase Daniel and Kansas' Todd Reesing playing as well as any quarterbacks in the country, the game figures to be a shootout. The winner at least earns a date in the Dec. 1 Big 12 Championship Game in San Antonio.

2. Will West Virginia use the back door to a BCS title?
The No. 3 Mountaineers might benefit more than any other team from LSU's second loss of the season. West Virginia has won five games in a row since losing to South Florida 21-13 on Sept. 28. The Mountaineers play their final two games in Morgantown, W. Va. -- against No. 20 Connecticut today (ABC, 3:30 ET) and against Pitt in the "Backyard Brawl" on Dec. 1. The Mountaineers can win the Big East title with a victory over the Huskies. West Virginia will have to take care of the football against the Huskies, who are 18th nationally with 26 forced turnovers. The Mountaineers have fumbled seven times in the last two games, losing five.

3. Can Tennessee win the SEC East?
The No. 18 Volunteers can punch their ticket to the Dec. 1 SEC Championship Game in Atlanta's Georgia Dome by beating Kentucky at Commonwealth Stadium today. Tennessee has won 22 consecutive games against the Wildcats, the longest current winning streak over an opponent in Division I-A. The Vols have won four games in a row since losing at Alabama 41-14; the Wildcats have lost four of their last six games after starting the season 5-0. If Tennessee loses, Georgia will win the SEC East and play LSU in the SEC title game. The No. 7 Bulldogs finish the regular season today against rival Georgia Tech (ABC, 3:30 ET) at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta.

4. Which Virginia school goes to the ACC Championship Game?
Virginia Tech was supposed to be in this position at season's end, as the No. 8 Hokies are one victory away from winning the ACC's Coastal Division and claiming a spot in the ACC Championship Game for the second time in three seasons. But who knew No. 16 Virginia would be standing in the way? The Cavaliers finished 5-7 last year and then opened this season with a 23-3 loss at Wyoming. But Virginia has won eight of its last nine games, including five contests by two points or fewer, an NCAA Division I-A record. Virginia Tech has won seven of its last eight games against Virginia, including a 17-0 victory in Blacksburg last season. The winner of today's game at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville (ESPN2, noon ET) plays No. 14 Boston College in the ACC Championship Game at Jacksonville Stadium. The Eagles finish the regular season today against Miami (ESPN, noon ET) at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

5. Can Oregon save its Rose Bowl hopes?
The No. 9 Ducks were knocked out of the BCS championship race after losing at Arizona 34-24 on Nov. 15. But Oregon still controls its fate in the Pac-10 Conference race and can earn a spot in the Rose Bowl by winning at UCLA today (ABC, 3:30 ET) and beating rival Oregon State on Dec. 1. The Ducks will have to do it without quarterback Dennis Dixon, a Heisman Trophy candidate, who tore the ACL in his left knee against the Wildcats and will miss the rest of the season. Backup Brady Leaf completed 22 of 46 passes for 163 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns against Arizona. The Bruins will be highly motivated today, too, as they need one more victory to become bowl eligible.

6. Can Tim Tebow score 50 touchdowns?
The Florida quarterback needs four more touchdowns to run his season total to 50 (26 passing, 20 rushing). Tebow might need a big game against rival Florida State in the Swamp today to keep pace with Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, Daniel, Dixon and Reesing in the Heisman Trophy race. Florida has beaten the Seminoles in each of the last three seasons.

7. Which teams will become bowl eligible?
Along with the aforementioned UCLA Bruins, who are 5-5 with games left against Oregon and USC, about a dozen teams around the country will be trying to earn an elusive sixth victory during the final two weeks of the regular season. These teams also are sitting on the bowl bubble: Arizona (5-6), Kansas State (5-6), Louisiana Tech (5-6), Louisville (5-6), Maryland (5-6), Miami (5-6), Nevada (5-5), N.C. State (5-6), Ohio (5-6) and Vanderbilt (5-6). In a season chock full of mediocre teams, a 6-6 record doesn't guarantee a postseason appearance. The Wolfpack and Terrapins play an ACC elimination game at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C. The winner probably earns a trip to the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho; the loser gets to spend the holidays at home.

8. Which teams recovers best in the Iron (deficient) Bowl?
One of the South's fiercest rivalries gets little attention nationally this season, as both teams come into the game at Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium after unsightly losses. The Tigers have stewed over a 45-20 loss at Georgia for two long weeks. Auburn's best medicine? The Crimson Tide's embarrassing 21-14 loss to Louisiana-Monroe last week. If Auburn beats Alabama for the sixth consecutive time, it would be the longest winning streak for the Tigers in the storied series. Alabama needs a victory to finish better than 6-6 in coach Nick Saban's first regular season.

9. Can Steve Spurrier halt South Carolina's slide?
The Gamecocks are on the verge of one of the worst collapses in SEC history. On Oct. 13, South Carolina was 6-1 and ranked No. 6 in the country. But the Gamecocks have lost four games in a row and are in danger of missing a postseason bowl if they can't beat the Tigers. The No. 22 Tigers are coming off a 20-17 loss to Boston College, which cost Clemson the Atlantic Division title and a spot in the ACC Championship Game. Clemson has won eight of the last 10 games in the series.

10. Can Vanderbilt finish the season with a non-losing record?
The Commodores, who blew a golden opportunity in a 25-24 loss at Tennessee last week, can finish the season with a 6-6 record by beating Wake Forest today. Vanderbilt hasn't finished a season with a non-losing record in 25 seasons. A victory over the Demon Deacons also would make the Commodores eligible for the postseason, but the chances of a bowl invitation seem pretty slim.

12:01 p.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Not even strep throat is going to sideline Virginia defensive end Chris Long for this game. Long, who is fifth in the country in sacks with 1.09 per game, missed practice on Monday but was out there warming up and banging his helmet with his hands for the TV camera. On the Virginia Tech sideline, it looks like Sean Glennon will get the starting nod, but Tyrod Taylor is sure to play an equal amount.

These teams have met 88 other times, but never has so much been riding on it. The sold-out Scott Stadium (technically, it's the Carl Smith Center, Home of David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium, but even the Internet doesn't have room for that one) is quickly filling up, including the hill. It's getting tough to see the grass.

12:16 p.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- And this is why it doesn't matter who starts at quarterback for Virginia Tech -- they get it done together. Sean Glennon got the Hokies in scoring position and Tyrod Taylor sealed the deal for a 7-0 lead less than three minutes into the game. Of course, they got a little help from Justin Harper's 43-yard punt return. Still, the drive took four plays.

12:26 p.m.: The winner of Virginia Tech-Virginia faces Boston College, which is hosting Miami today. The Eagles have dropped 15 straight in this series, but don't look for Miami to get No. 16. Over the last two weeks, the Hurricanes were outscored 92-14 by the commonwealth of Virginia (48-0 vs UVA, 44-14 at VT). Miami is trying to avoid its first seven-loss season since 1977.

12:35 p.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Virginia Tech switched quarterbacks every three plays on that last scoring drive, which ended in a 20-yard field goal by Jud Dunlevy for the 10-0 lead. The Hokies are moving the ball with ease against this Chris Long-led defense, as they have scored on each of their first two possessions.

12:43 p.m.: From ESPN Research: It's all tied up at the end of the first quarter in the South Florida-Pitt game, where Panthers RB LeSean "Shady" McCoy's touchdown run broke Steve Slaton's record for the most rushing yards by a Big East true freshman with 1,129.

12:56 p.m.: A bit of trickeration came back to bite Virginia Tech, as chris Cook intercepted a pass from senior WR Eddie Royal on the flea flicker. With a back as talented as Branden Ore, it's a little disconcerting to see VaTech rely so much on the passing game.

1:04 p.m.: Virginia takes the lead with 6 minutes remaining in the second quarter, thanks to a Jameel Sewell run. It's been a very entertaining start to the game, which is no surprise considering what's on the line. From ESPN Research: It's safe to say this is biggest game ever between Virginia Tech and Virginia. Although this is the 89th meeting, this is only the third time both teams have been ranked in the Top 16 (1994, 2004) and it's the highest-ranked matchup ever if you combine the rankings (24).

1:14 p.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- This was supposed to be a defensive game. From the start of the season -- especially after a 48-7 drubbing by LSU -- many wondered where Virginia Tech's offense was. And Virginia, which has squeaked out five wins by two points or less this season, is eighth in the ACC in total offense.

Defensively, though, Virginia Tech and Virginia are No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in scoring defense.

For the most part, neither have been playing like it. Instead, both have allowed several big plays.

Virginia Tech scored on its first three possessions.

On third-and-10 late in the first quarter, Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell completed a 22-yard pass to sustain a scoring drive.

On third-and-10 in the second quarter, Sean Glennon completed a 13-yard pass.

Virginia got a momentum changing defensive play when cornerback Chris Cook's interception led to a 52-yard scoring drive capped by an 8-yard run by Sewell. The Cavaliers are up 14-13.

1:31 p.m.: A flurry of scoring just before the half of the noon games: Matt Ryan led BC down the field to take a 14-0 lead over Miami, and Virginia Tech regained the lead after intercepting a Jameel Sewell pass. Sean Glennon tossed a 39-yard pass for Eddie Royal to go up 20-14. Virginia fumbled the kickoff return, and Virginia Tech recovered it. Now the Hokies are threatening to kick a field goal.

1:37 p.m.: Tennessee didn't waste any time getting on the board against Kentucky. Erik Ainge threw a 65-yard bomb to Arian Foster to put the Vols up 7-0 in the game's first 15 seconds.

1:44 p.m.: Tennessee's 22-game win streak over Kentucky is the longest active streak in an uninterrupted series. The previous two longest streaks were Notre Dame over Navy and Nebraska over Kansas. Tennessee leads the all-time series with Kentucky 70-23-9, dating to 1893. UT's 70 wins over the Wildcats are its most over any opponent in the program's history.

1:55 p.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Here are three keys to the game for Virginia Tech and Virginia in the second half:

Continue to pressure both quarterbacks. When Virginia's defense was at its best in the first half, the Hokies were sacked twice by linebacker Clint Sintim and held to -4 yards on four plays in the second quarter. And when Virginia Tech applied its pass rush, Jameel Sewell threw an interception that led to the Hokies' 20-14 lead three plays later.

Limit the big plays. Sean Glennon threw a 56-yard completion to Eddie Royal. Sewell had back-to-back 22-yard plays. Virginia running back Mikell Simpson scored on a 27-yard run. Royal had a 39-yard touchdown reception, and Virginia Tech split end Josh Morgan caught a 26-yard pass.

Mind the little things that add up. If Virginia is going to make a comeback, it has to hang onto the ball. Virginia has two turnovers -- one interception and a fumble. If the Hokies are going to maintain their lead, they've got to watch the penalties. Virginia Tech has lost 39 yards so far on four penalties.

2:01 p.m.: ESPN.com's Chris Low
Is there really any doubt about who should win the Heisman Trophy this season?

If the Heisman truly is about the best player in college football, then go ahead and give it to Arkansas junior tailback Darren McFadden. His performance against an LSU defense laden with future NFL talent on Friday ought to be the clincher.

McFadden rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns and also threw for a touchdown. On the season, he has 1,725 yards and 15 touchdowns, pretty remarkable when you consider that backfield mate Felix Jones also has 1,117 yards and the Hogs don't have much of a passing game.

But the most convincing argument for McFadden is also the simplest: He's the best player out there.

2:07 p.m.: ESPN.com's Chris Low
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- So much for the ball control, keepaway theory for Tennessee.

The Vols came out throwing against Kentucky, and it paid off immediately. Erik Ainge rolled right on the first play from scrimmage and found running back Arian Foster wide open back across the field. Foster did the rest, reversing his field and breaking tackles on his way to a 65-yard touchdown.

Coming into the game, the prevailing opinion was that Tennessee had to run the ball and keep it away from Andre Woodson and Co.

It didn't stop on Tennessee's first drive, either. On the Vols' third possession, Ainge rolled left and hit tight end Brad Cottam, who showed off his deceptive speed for 59-yard gain. Two plays later, Ainge connected with Lucas Taylor on an 18-yard touchdown.

So just like that: Tennessee 14, Kentucky 0 -- and the Vols are doing it with the pass.

2:15 p.m.: Virginia Tech widened its lead to 23-14 on a 29-yard field goal by Jud Dunlevy. Here's a quick look at other scores from around the country:
BC 14, Miami 7
Maryland 24, NC State 0
South Florida 17, Pitt 14
For the full scoreboard, click here.

2:24 p.m.: Turnovers have been the story of the day in Charlottesville. Virgnia's Chris Long sacked VT QB Sean Glennon and knocked away the ball, which the Cavaliers were able to recover. This could be Virginia's opportunity to get back into the game. Is Long a Heisman candidate? He's certainly one of the best players on the defensive side of the ball, and a win against the Hokies would give him increased exposure.

2:37 p.m.: It's Senior Day at Virginia, and the Wahoos honored Chris Long by retiring his jersey before the game. After his dominating performance today, I'm not sure many other players would want to invite comparisons by wearing the number again anyway. Long is certainly making the most of the nationally-televised game. Now it's up to the rest of the Cavs to close the two-point gap with Virginia Tech.

2:40 p.m.: ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- It's plays like this that led to Virginia's decision to retire senior Chris Long's jersey before he even walked off the field at Scott Stadium for the last time. Long forced Sean Glennon to fumble and Virginia recovered it, leading to a scoring drive that closed the gap to 23-21 with just under three minutes to play in the third quarter.

Long, on the Hokies' following possession, wrapped up Tyrod Taylor for a loss of five yards on third down, forcing them to punt. Apparently it doesn't matter to Long which one starts, either.

2:45 p.m.: From ESPN Research: Through three quarters, Boston College leads 14-7 but has turned it over four times against Miami, including two lost fumbles. Coming in, the Eagles had lost just five fumbles all year, including just one in their last five games. By the way, BC has lost 15 straight games to Miami since the Doug Flutie Hail Mary in 1984.

2:53 p.m.: Tyrod Taylor's 5-yard rushing touchdown gives Virginia Tech a 30-21 lead early in the fourth quarter. Clearly, the two-quarterback system is working well for the Hokies. In Chestnut Hill, Miami is hanging around Boston College. The Eagles lead 21-14.

3:11 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. -- West Virginia will probably earn a spot in the Jan. 7 BCS Championship Game if the No. 3 Mountaineers beat No. 20 Connecticut today and Pittsburgh in next week's regular-season finale.

But where will the rest of the Big East teams spend the postseason? Big East officials tell me Connecticut will probably play in the Dec. 29 Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, N.C., unless the Huskies upset West Virginia and win the Big East title and corresponding automatic entry into a BCS bowl game.

Here's where it gets tricky, though. Gator Bowl officials, who must take a Big 12 team instead of a Big East team twice in the next three years, have apparently decided to exercise that option this season. So look for Texas Tech or Texas to end up in the Jan. 1 Gator Bowl against an ACC team, probably the loser of today's Virginia-Virginia Tech game or Clemson (if the Tigers beat South Carolina today).

With a Big 12 team going to the Gator Bowl, the No. 3 Big East team will head to the Dec. 31 Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. Sun Bowl officials are expected to take the highest-ranked Big East team, either No. 23 South Florida or No. 24 Cincinnati. The team that doesn't go to the Sun Bowl will end up in the Dec. 22 Papajohns.com Bowl in Birmingham, Ala.

Rutgers is probably headed to the Jan. 6 International Bowl in Toronto, where the Scarlet Knights will play a MAC team, Big East officials said today.

3:15 p.m.: Virginia has been the king of close games this season, so there's no counting out the Cavs, even with under 5 minutes remaining. But a Virginia Tech win would pitt the Hokies against Boston College in the ACC championship game. Their game earlier this season was an instant classic, with Matt Ryan directing an improbable, come-from-behind win. Virginia Tech certainly hasn't forgotten.

3:21 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. -- How big is today's game between No. 3 West Virginia and No. 20 Connecticut (ABC, 3:30 p.m. ET) at Milan Puskar Stadium?

After No. 1 LSU lost 50-48 in triple overtime to Arkansas on Friday, the Mountaineers can pretty much walk into the BCS Championship Game by beating the Huskies today and Pittsburgh in the "Backyard Brawl" next week.

With a victory over Connecticut, West Virginia would figure to be ranked at least No. 2 when the new BCS standings are released Sunday. The winner of tonight's game between No. 2 Kansas and No. 4 Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City (ABC, 8 p.m. ET)might be No. 1, but the Mountaineers could land in the top spot if the Tigers beat the Jayhawks.

But the Mountaineers first have to win the Big East title, which will be at stake against the Huskies today. Connecticut (9-2, 5-1 Big East) can win the title by upsetting the Mountaineers, but UConn has never fared well against West Virginia. The Huskies lost the first three meetings in the series by an average score of 38-14, including a 37-11 defeat in 2006.

To win today, Huskies quarterback Tyler Lorenzen must take advantage of West Virgina's secondary, which might be the Mountaineers' most suspect unit. Lorenzen has thrown for 2,118 yards with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions.

The Mountaineers must take better care of the football, after fumbling seven times in the last two games. Quarterback Pat White has had a tough time hanging onto the football as he carried a much bigger load in recent weeks.

3:35 p.m.: It's over in Charlottesville, where Virginia Tech's win sets up a rematch with Boston College, which handled Miami today. The Eagles broke a 15-game losing streak against Miami -- another sign of how far the Canes have fallen. We're awaiting kickoff of WVU-UConn, Georgia-Georgia Tech and Oregon-UCLA.

3:48 p.m.: ESPN.com's Chris Low
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Tennessee's 24-7 halftime lead over Kentucky was surprising enough, not so much that the Vols were leading, but the fact that they totally dominated the favored Wildcats.

But even more surprising was the way Kentucky's offense tried to attack Tennessee. The Wildcats had 25 rushing attempts for 55 yards. This coming from a team that's thrown the ball all over the park against just about everybody it's played this season.

Here's the other thing: Tennessee hasn't stopped a decent passing game all season long, but Kentucky seemed hell bent on running the ball in the first half.

When the Wildcats did try to pass, Andre' Woodson didn't have much time. He was sacked three times in the first half and threw an interception toward the end of the first half that the Vols turned into a touchdown.

3:49 p.m.: It didn't take long for the scoreboard to light up in UConn-West Virginia, but shockingly, it wasn't Pat White and Co. who were dancing in the end zone. After electing to kick, West Virginia couldn't solve Huskies QB Tyler Lorenzen. No score yet in Los Angeles or Atlanta -- or Stanford, for that matter, where Notre Dame is battling the Cardinal.

3:54 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. -- So much for Connecticut rolling over against No. 3 West Virginia.

The No. 20 Huskies took the game's opening kickoff and drove 92 yards on seven plays, with quarterback Tyler Lorenzen throwing a 6-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Brad Kanuch with 12 minutes to go in the first quarter.

The Huskies started the drive at their own 8, after an illegal block in the back wiped out a pretty good kickoff return. On second-and-12 from the 6, West Virginia safety Quinton Andrews was guilty of a 15-yard face mask penalty, giving the Huskies some room to work.

Lorenzen threw a 29-yard pass to Kanuch on the next play, then he had a 27-yard pass to receiver Terrence Jeffers to the West Virginia 6.

3:56 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. -- Shootout at Milan Puskar Stadium?

West Virginia needed only five plays to match No. 20 Connecticut's opening touchdown, with quarterback Pat White scoring on a 3-yard run to make the score 7-7 with 10:08 to go in the first. The big play in the drive was White's 49-yard pass to Darius Reynard on second-and-12 from near midfield.

4:06 p.m.: From ESPN Research: The 28-14 loss to Boston College not only gives Miami its worst record (5-7) in 30 years, but it's also the first time since that 1977 season that the Hurricanes have lost three straight games by 14+ points. The Hurricanes are just 7-15 in their last 22 games against BCS-conference teams (6-12 in ACC). As for Boston College, this marks the first back-to-back 10-win seasons in school history.

4:13 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. -- Connecticut made the first big mistake against West Virginia, and the No. 3 Mountaineers capitalized on the miscue in a big way.

After the Huskies defense forced the Mountaineers to punt, UConn freshman Jasper Howard muffed the return. The fumble was forced by defensive back Trippe Hale and recovered by senior Ryan Mundy at the Huskies'W 14.

On the next play, quarterback Pat White fired a 14-yard touchdown to Darius Reynaud to make it 14-7 with 7:01 left in the first.

4:29 p.m.: The much-anticipated 3:30 games are living up to expectations. West Virginia leads UConn 17-7, Georgia Tech is up 7-3 on the Dawgs, and UCLA has a three-point lead on Oregon. And in what could be considered a shootout for Notre Dame and Stanford this year, it's all tied up at 7 in Stanford.

4:42 p.m.: Tennessee leads 31-21 with 8:43 remaining. Kentucky has slowed the Vols offense, and UT has relied upon its defense to maintain its first-half lead.

4:46 p.m.: UConn has won this season because it has played mistake-proof football. But the Huskies have turned the ball over twice in the first half, giving West Virginia additional opportunities to run up the score.

4:52 p.m.: Steve Slaton's 31-yard run for a touchdown put Slaton above 1,000 yards for the third consecutive season. Pat White also has over 1,000 rushing yards for the season.

4:59 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. -- This is what makes West Virginia so dangerous.

On third-and-10 from the Mountaineers' 40 late in the first half, quarterback Pat White took the snap and scrambled left. He left linebacker Scott Lutrus scrambling to find his shoes near the 45, before breaking away for a 29-yard gain to the UConn 31.

On the next play, while the Huskies were still trying to catch their breath on defense, tailback Steve Slaton burst for a 31-yard touchdown to the left side, giving the No. 3 Mountaineers a 24-7 lead with 3:44 to go in the half.

Slaton and White each went over 1,000 yards rushing on the season, only the third time in NCAA Division I-A history teammates have accomplished the feat in consecutive seasons.

4:59 p.m.: ESPN.com's Chris Low
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Don't pencil Tennessee into the SEC championship game just yet.

The Vols, leading 31-21, had a chance to probably knock Kentucky out, but Lucas Taylor dropped what would have been a key first down on a fourth-and-3 play from the Wildcats' 33. The ball hit Taylor in his hands, and the normally sure-handed receiver dropped it.

Sure enough, the Wildcats took advantage and streaked downfield for 66 yards and a touchdown. Steve Johnson's leaping 8-yard touchdown catch cut the Vols' lead to 31-28 with 6:11 to play.

Quarterback Andre' Woodson, after taking a wicked blow and having to leave the game for a play, came back in to connect with Johnson in the end zone.

The Wildcats have driven the ball at will in the second half after inexplicably trying to establish the run in the first half. Now it appears that the Vols' offense will have to score again if they're going to hold on and get to Atlanta.

Think the Bulldog Nation is paying close attention?

5:07 p.m.: ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. -- West Virginia's Pat McAfee missed a 56-yard field goal wide left as time expired in the half, leaving the Mountaineers with a 10-point lead going into halftime.

5:15 p.m.: As the 3:30 games go to halftime, here's a quick look at the scores from around the country:
Georgia 16, Georgia Tech 14
WVU 24, UConn 14
UCLA 6, Oregon 0
Oklahoma 28, OK State 10
Tennessee 31, Kentucky 28
BYU 17, Utah 10
Notre Dame 14, Stanford 14
Duke 7, UNC 7 For the full scoreboard, click here.

5:18 p.m.: From ESPN Research: Sam Bradford has two touchdown pass at halftime, giving him 30 for the season. Bradford breaks the NCAA freshman record for most touchdown passes in a season (29), set by Colt McCoy (Texas) in 2006 and David Neill (Nevada) in 1998.

5:29 p.m.: We're going into overtime in Lexington, where Kentucky came back from down 24-7 to flip the script and put a scare in the Vols. Andre' Woodson and the Cats had a few opportunities to score in the final seconds, but were held to a game-tying field goal. Can Kentucky keep Tennessee out of the SEC championship game?

5:32 p.m.: ESPN.com's Chris Low
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Tennessee's football team has been hanging on all season. Can the Vols do it one final time?

A 31-14 lead late in the third quarter has vanished, thanks to a frantic Kentucky comeback, and the Vols will now have to win it in overtime if they're going to play for the SEC championship.

It's an overtime they'll no doubt be monitoring closely in the state of Georgia.

If the Wildcats win, Georgia heads to the SEC championship game to face LSU.

The Wildcats had it on the 1-yard at the end of regulation, but Andre' Woodson dropped the shotgun snap and missed a wide-open Keenan Burton in the end zone.

One second remained, and Lones Seiber booted the short field goal to force overtime.

5:37 p.m.: Pat White and the Mountaineers are showing no mercy to the visiting Huskies. West Virginia opened the third quarter by increasing its lead on a 24-yard TD run by White.

5:45 p.m.: And Kentucky intercepts an Erik Ainge pass in the second overtime period! All the Cats need is a field goal to win.

5:49 p.m.: And Tennessee blocks the kick! Does anyone want to win this game?

5:58 p.m.: The Vols are a two-point conversion away from a trip to the SEC Championship game.

6 p.m.: And they're stuffed! We're headed to our fourth overtime. Meanwhile, West Virginia is finding new ways to score on UConn, Georgia is sweating out a 16-14 lead over Tech, and UCLA has increased its lead to nine over Oregon. And yes, it's still tied in Stanford.

6:03 p.m.: Tennessee was penalized 15 yards for unsportmanlike behavior, but it didn't matter. The Vols scored on their first try, on a great catch/run by Quintin Hancock. They nailed the two-point conversion too, putting the pressure on Kentucky.

6:07 p.m.: Erik Ainge and Andre' Woodson have combined for 13 touchdown passes … and the game's not over.

6:09 p.m.: Kentucky runs it in for a touchdown. Can the Cats covert?

6:14 p.m.: Woodson fumbles! Tennessee wins! It's over in Lexington. Tennessee wins 52-50. The Vols are in the SEC Championship game.

Whew.

6:16 p.m.: ESPN.com's Pat Forde
Here are three keys to the game for Missouri-Kansas (ABC, 8 p.m. ET):

1. Which defense can make a stop? This is a battle of high-octane offenses that are unaccustomed to being stopped, matched up with good-but-not-great defenses. If one of those overmatched units can force a few three-and-outs or create a few turnovers, it could make be the difference. The Jayhawks have been the better team in terms of turnover margin, ranking first nationally.

2. Jeremy Maclin vs. Aqib Talib. Maclin, the freshman Missouri wide receiver, is second nationally in all-purpose yardage. Talib, the junior Kansas cornerback, is a likely first-team All-American. The Tigers use Maclin a bit like Percy Harvin, lining him up all over the place and mixing runs in with receptions. But when those two hook up on the outside, it could be the best matchup on the field.

3. Chase Daniel vs. Todd Reesing. Two quarterbacks who are stone-cold winners with stats out of proportion for their diminutive stature -- Daniel barely scrapes 6 feet tall, while Reesing is about 5-10. The two tiny Texans could be competing for a spot at the Heisman Trophy award show two weeks from now in New York City.

ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
Here are three keys to the game for Missouri and Kansas:
Missouri:
1. Control Kansas' running game -- Kansas will be able to dominate the clock if the Jayhawks can consistently run with Brandon McAnderson and Jake Sharp. Missouri needs to keep Kansas away from long, time-consuming drives.

2. Don't make mistakes in the special teams -- The Tigers have had two punts blocks with another snap sailing over P Adam Crosett's head in the last three games. They can't afford similar mistakes against Kansas.

3. Continue their varied offensive attack -- Missouri has 13 players who have snagged at least three passes this season. Kansas CB Aqib Talib will only be able to cover one player. That means that Chase Daniel should have a lot of chances with his second, third and fourth options, if he has time to pick them out.

Kansas
1. Contain Jeremy Maclin -- If any player could be considered an "X Factor" it's the Tigers' talented redshirt freshman wide receiver/kick returner. The Jayhawks need to account for him on every snap.

2. Have patience with the running game -- In Kansas' 42-17 loss at Missouri last season, coach Mark Mangino abandoned the ground game too early and started relying on passing. It was a recipe for disaster. They need to stick with their strength in the trenches longer this year.

3. Don't worry if they fall behind early -- Missouri QB Chase Daniel orchestrates the most explosive passing attack in the Big 12. And Kansas has been behind for only a matter of minutes earlier this season. If the Jayhawks do fall behind, they can't panic -- even though it's happened rarely this season.

That's it from us in Bristol. Enjoy tonight's games and check back next weekend!