College Top 25 Capsules: Newton dominates, No. 21 Auburn beats MSU 17-14
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Cameron Newton put on another impressive show Thursday night, this time against a Southeastern Conference defense in No. 21 Auburn's 17-14 victory over Mississippi State.
Newton, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound junior, threw for two touchdowns and accounted for 206 yards of total offense, mixing passes with his ability to run over and around the Mississippi State defense.
"You sign up to play college football to play in games like this," Newton said.
He compeleted 11 of 19 passes for 136 yards, the two touchdowns and one interception and also ran for 70 yards on 18 carries in the SEC opener for both teams.
Newton outgained Mississippi State 146-125 all by himself in the first half. But after leading 17-7 at halftime, the Tigers had to lean on their defense to pull out the hard-fought victory.
"We started off on fire," Newton said. "But we put our defense in some binds, I'm not going to lie. It's just a sign of a good team — our defense stepped up and did what they had to do."
Mississippi State's last drive ended at the Auburn 40 when Chris Relf's fourth-down pass fell incomplete with 22 seconds remaining.
Both teams had impressive high-scoring openers last week, with Auburn beating Arkansas State 52-26, while Mississippi State battered Memphis 49-7.
Neither team was as successful against an SEC defense, but both had their moments.
Auburn started quickly, taking a 7-0 lead on Newton's 39-yard touchdown pass to Emory Blake early in the first quarter.
Mississippi State tied it 7 after offensive lineman Gabe Jackson fell on quarterback Chris Relf's fumble in the end zone late in the first quarter.
Auburn added from Newton's 12-yard touchdown pass to Darvin Adams and a 34-yard field goal from Wes Byrum to take a 17-7 lead at halftime.
In the second half, Mississippi State pulled to 17-14 on Vick Ballard's 1-yard run midway through the third quarter after grinding through a 12-play, 63-yard drive.
But after that, the Tigers' defense didn't allow much of anything.
Auburn defensive end Nick Fairley always seemed to be in the middle of important plays, finishing with 2.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception and three quarterback hurries.
Mississippi State botched several opportunities to capitalize on big plays and a homefield advantage that featured a packed stadium of 54,806 fans who were screaming and clanging cowbells.
The Bulldogs recovered an onside kick after narrowing Auburn's lead to 17-14, but the offense had three empty plays before punting. Cornerback Corey Broomfield dropped an interception on what would have been a sure touchdown.
And on the final drive, Mississippi State receiver Leon Berry dropped a pass that would have put the Bulldogs in field goal range. For Bulldogs coach Dan Mullen, there were several cringe-worthy moments.
"Every time we'd hit a high note, we wouldn't make the play," Mullen said. "We would thud."
Relf completed 12 of 25 passes for 110 yards.
Auburn has won 17 of its past 18 SEC openers. The Tigers outgained the Bulldogs 348-246.
Mississippi State hasn't won its first two games in a season since 2000 and hasn't won a conference opener since 1999.
Features
Alabama-PSU rivalry has produced classic moments
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Barrett Jones was 5 months, 2 days old the last time Alabama and Penn State played.
He doesn't remember the game, but the top-ranked Crimson Tide's guard has become fairly well versed on a rivalry that has featured memorable kicks, great defenses and a goal line stand that is a significant part of 'Bama lore.
"I can't speak for everybody on the team, but I really feel like I appreciate the history of the game," said Jones, born on May 25, 1990. "I feel like this is really something special. You go into an old Alabama restaurant — which there are many of them across the state — and you see old games playing. And a lot of times you see Alabama-Penn State, and it's great to be a part of that rivalry.
"Maybe one day they'll be showing our Alabama-Penn State (game) on the TVs."
Saturday night's showdown will be televised.
The Tide and 18th-ranked Nittany Lions face off at Bryant-Denny Stadium in their first meeting since 1990, renewing a rivalry that has produced some classic moments and monumental games.
Jones knows about the biggest of them all. "The goal line stand in '79."
In a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2, Alabama's Barry Krauss upended running back Mike Guman at the goal line to preserve the Tide's 14-7 win in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1979. It gave second-ranked 'Bama a national title.
Defensive back Don McNeal had knocked Scott Fitzkee out of bounds about a foot from the goal line on the second-and-goal play before that.
"Can I ever forget it? I don't want to ever forget it, I really don't," said McNeal, a great uncle of current Penn State quarterback Rob Bolden. "I had covered my guy in the end zone on that play, I saw he made the throw and just reacted. I hit him and took him out of bounds. My roommate Curtis McGriff said, 'Don, that's one heck of a play you just made.' I didn't realize that. I was just playing football."
Krauss was the one immortalized. Penn State assistant athletic director Fran Ganter, running backs coach for that '79 team, knows that from his last Tuscaloosa trip.
"We went into the building, and the first thing we saw was a mural of Barry Krauss stopping Mike Guman," Ganter recalls.
The first four meetings included Hall of Fame coaches Bear Bryant of Alabama and Penn State's Joe Paterno — an assistant in the 1959 game.
Much has changed in the two decades since the teams last met, when Penn State's defense dominated the game. The Nittany Lions picked off five passes and recovered a fumble in a 9-0 win in 1990. Alabama managed just 6 yards rushing, nearly 200 below its season average.
Paterno recalls Alabama agreeing to play a home-and-home series, something other Southeastern Conference teams were reluctant to do.
"It's a great experience to take a bunch of kids down to the stadium such as the one we're going to play in with that many people and the kind of enthusiasm," he said. "And they'll learn from it. They'll be better, they'll remember."
The two teams played eight times in the 1980s, producing a bounty of memories.
If the '79 Sugar Bowl is the biggest one for Alabama fans, there are a few more pleasing to the Nittany Lions (though the Tide leads the series 8-5).
—Oct. 12, 1985. National title contender Penn State set up Matt Knizner's 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brian Siverling with Michael Timpson's 29-yard reverse. Eventual Tide coach Mike Shula threw for a 14-yard score to Thornton Chandler with 14 seconds left, but the onside kick failed. Penn State 19-17.
—Oct. 8, 1983. Alabama quarterback Walter Lewis' pass to Preston Gothard in the end zone was ruled out of bounds in Penn State's 34-28 win. The Nittany Lions then stopped Kerry Goode short from the 2 as time expired.
Happier memories for the Tide:
—Oct. 13, 1984: Van Tiffin's 53-yard field goal set a then-school record in a 6-0 Alabama win. Penn State missed two first-half kicks, then couldn't cross Alabama's 45.
—Oct. 28, 1989. Defensive lineman Thomas Rayam blocked Ray Tarasi's last-second 17-yard field goal attempt after a high snap. Alabama wins 17-16.
The average score of the first 13 meetings was appropriate for two programs known for defense: Alabama 12.4, Penn State 11.8.
All that history is ancient for the current players on both sides.
"I'm sure to our fans it probably means something," Tide coach Nick Saban said. "To most of our players, I think they have a tremendous amount of respect for Penn State based on the great program that they've had in their lifetime, whether they've played Alabama or not. I really don't think it means a lot to the players, and it's not something that we emphasize with the players.
"We're looking forward, not in the rear-view mirror."
Penn State guard Stefen Wisniewski knows more than most of his teammates about the history with Alabama. His father, Leo, played for the Nittany Lions from 1979-81.
"I think most people my age probably don't appreciate the whole Bear Bryant-JoePa thing as much," the younger Wisniewski said. "Personally I have a little more of an appreciation for it because of my father's connection to the program. My dad played in the '79 Sugar Bowl and played against Alabama, so I have a little bit a sense of the history, and how cool of a rivalry this is."
Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower is only vaguely familiar with the stand in the '79 game, but he can picture making a game-saving stop like Krauss.
"I'd be speechless," Hightower said. "You got a vision going in my head. I don't even know how to explain that feeling. That would be something that'd go down in history."
-- John Zenor
A tale of 2 quarterbacks for Penn State-Alabama
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Greg McElroy doesn't think he could have succeeded right out of high school.
Alabama's senior quarterback says the college game for a freshman moves at "100 mph." And that makes him all the more impressed with what Penn State's Rob Bolden has accomplished in one promising start against Youngstown State.
His second career start will be a lot tougher. No. 18 Penn State (1-0) travels to Tuscaloosa to take on the top-ranked Crimson Tide (1-0) on Saturday night.
"I would have gotten killed. I was skinny," said McElroy, who redshirted his first year at Alabama. "That's OK. We make due with what we've got. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. For some people, not so much. It worked out for me, I guess, in the long run, right?"
Sure did. McElroy is 15-0 as Alabama's starting quarterback, with just five interceptions in 361 career attempts. He completed 61 percent of his passes last year in helping the Tide to a national championship.
McElroy didn't miss a beat last week in the season opener against San Jose State, going 13 of 16 passing for 218 yards and a TD.
"He scrambles outside the blitz in the pocket. ... If he's outside, he can run. He's a heck of a competitor," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "I think he's a guy that when they've been in trouble, he's answered for them."
Bolden last week threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns at home against the Penguins — an FCS team — in a sensational debut. He is the first freshman quarterback to start a season opener in Paterno's 45 years as head coach.
"He sure didn't look like a freshman last week," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "The guy hard counts like a veteran, draws the other team offsides. He stood in the pocket, took a couple of licks and completed" passes.
A month ago, this game could have been billed as a duel between two top running backs in Alabama's Mark Ingram and Penn State's Evan Royster. But Ingram, the Heisman Trophy-winning tailback, is unlikely to play Saturday because of a left knee injury — though Saban hasn't ruled out his star.
Royster is 42 yards shy of the 3,000-yard mark for his career, and he's 441 away from breaking the school career rushing mark of 3,398 held by Hall of Famer Curt Warner. But Royster had a subpar game last week with 40 yards on 11 carries after the offensive line got off to a sluggish start in opening rushing lanes.
The Nittany Lions will likely need more production from Royster and backups Stephfon Green and Silas Redd to keep Alabama's defense off-balanced and Bolden out of third-and-long situations.
Paterno thinks Bolden has the poise to handle the pressure.
"He's going to get knocked around. We can't protect him (against Alabama) like we did. ... He's going to have trouble finding open people," Paterno said. "But I don't think he's going to lose his poise."
Bolden may need to speak up a little more, though, to offset 100,000-plus fans trying to disrupt his every move. Last week, teammates told Bolden to raise his voice while calling plays in the huddle — something the Penn State offense didn't have an issue with last season with charismatic Daryll Clark at quarterback.
"He's little quieter guy in the huddle compared to Daryll but he's already speaking louder," receiver Graham Zug said. "He's learning, and he's making a lot of progress."
The 18-year-old Bolden could take some lessons Saturday night from McElroy, the 22-year-old senior with an unblemished football resume. McElroy has won his last 31 starts as a starter, dating to his senior year in high school in 2005.
McElroy has plenty of other options even if Ingram doesn't play, like backup running back Trent Richardson and 6-foot-4 wide receiver Julio Jones. With excellent protection, McElroy can burn defenses down the field.
Former Alabama defensive back Don McNeal has split allegiances. He's one of the stars from the 1979 Sugar Bowl victory over Penn State that won a national title for the Tide, but also Bolden's great uncle.
"I'm torn between the two, but I guess I've got to go with Alabama (because) my whole family's going with my nephew," McNeal said. "You know what? I want him to do great, but I don't want him to do that great because we want to win the football game."
-- Genaro C. Armas
Big win doesn't alter Moore's '1 game' focus
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — If the impact of Boise State's big victory over Virginia Tech ever sinks in to Kellen Moore's brain, don't expect the soft-spoken quarterback to veer from the team's modesty mantra.
Like his coach and teammates, Moore simply refuses to use the latest win as leverage or proof the No. 3 Broncos should be taken seriously in any national title conversation.
As fans, sports writers and college football analysts stoked the debate in the wake of Boise State's thrilling victory Monday night, Moore stuck to an all-too-familiar script around Idaho's capitol city: Focus only on the things you can control on the field.
"It was one game, one week and we still have a lot of football to deal with," said Moore, who threw three touchdown passes, including a late game-winner, in Monday night's 33-30 victory at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.
"We can't even be thinking about a bowl game right now. We just aren't going to be talking about that for a long, long time," he said.
It's as if Moore was reciting from a memo passed out by coach Chris Petersen on the plane trip back to Idaho.
During the last two years, as the Broncos pursued back-to-back undefeated regular seasons and BCS respectability, Petersen has refused to engage in 'what-if' postseason scenarios or speculation his team deserved to play on college football's biggest stages.
This year, Petersen has altered his tone slightly, suggesting the Broncos have an opportunity to prove themselves as legitimate title contenders.
But he refuses to take the bait when asked if Boise State deserves a shot at the title or if the system is skewed against schools from conferences without an automatic BCS bid.
He still refers to his team as a bunch of underdogs.
"I just don't think you can worry about all of that right now," Moore said. "We still need to play like we've got a chip on our shoulder. We still need to have that edge ... and the feeling like we're never going to satisfy everyone until we reach our goals at the end of the season."
His caution could also be tied to the miscues and mistakes that nearly cost the Broncos on Monday night.
Despite his poise and decision-making down the stretch, Moore knows his performance was far from perfect. He overshot a few open receivers, forced a handful of throws in tight coverage and failed to spot some open receivers downfield.
It's also a safe bet the coaching staff will preach ball security and penalties. The Broncos have plenty of time to focus on those fundamentals: Their next game is a week away, a Sept. 18 visit to Wyoming.
Against Virginia Tech, the Broncos lost two fumbles and were penalized 11 times for 105 yards, including a running-into-the-kicker infraction late in the third quarter that gave the Hokies new life. On the ensuing play, Virginia Tech coaches decided to go for it on fourth down. The Hokies capitalized when quarterback Tyrod Taylor fired a 28-yard TD pass to give the Hokies a 27-26 lead.
Moore knows his team needs to avoid those kinds of flubs.
"There are obviously a lot of things for us to clean up," Moore said. "A lot of it is just execution. Mechanically, I was a bit off.
"But the important thing is we were able to execute down the stretch in a critical situation. But that's football, the game changes, there are lots of momentum changes. In a game like that, it's all about how you respond," he said.
-- Todd Dvorak
Oregon RB James comes off suspension for Tennessee
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — After the disappointment of sitting out the opener — but with the understanding of why he had to — Oregon running back LaMichael James looks forward to returning to football on a grand stage at Tennessee.
The No. 7 Ducks visit the Volunteers this Saturday, making a rare foray into SEC country. James will make his season debut after a one-game suspension because of offseason trouble kept him out of Oregon's 72-0 rout of New Mexico.
"I really wanted to be with my teammates, you know," he said. "But you have to deal with consequences with everything in life. I'm just eager to get back out here this week."
James is the Pac-10's leading returning rusher. He ran for a Pac-10 freshman record 1,546 yards last season and was named the league's freshman of the year. Among his highlights was 183 yards rushing in Oregon's 47-20 upset over then-No. 5 USC on Halloween night.
Oregon went 10-3 and earned its first trip to the Rose Bowl since 1995, and James was a sensation in Eugene. Considered a good kid, it was a shock when he was suddenly arrested on domestic violence charges on Feb. 17.
James got into an argument with an ex-girlfriend which turned physical. The woman claimed he grabbed her by her neck and shoved her to the ground.
James spent two days in jail. He eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge and Ducks coach Chip Kelly suspended him for the opener.
Kenjon Barner took his place last Saturday against the Lobos, rushing for 147 yards and four touchdowns in his debut as a starter. He added a reception for another TD to tie Oregon's modern scoring record.
"It's probably going to give a little fear to Tennessee to know that Kenjon comes out and scores five touchdowns in the first half and that's our second guy," Oregon receiver Jeff Maehl said. "So getting LaMichael back is going to help us out a lot and it's going to open a lot of things up for everyone else."
Because of Barner's breakout, there were rumblings that perhaps the Ducks should be making a switch at starter. Kelly nixed the notion, and even seemed a bit peeved that it came up.
"We play both those guys just like we always have. I don't know if this is new, Kenjon Barner has 225 all-purpose yards in the Rose Bowl so we've been playing two running backs here for a long time," Kelly said. "(In) 2007 it was Jonathan Steward and Jeremiah Johnson, 2008 we had 2,000-yard rushers in LeGarrette Blount and Jeremiah Johnson.
"Now we've got two quality backs, 1A and 1B, in LaMichael and Kenjon. They both played a ton in the Rose Bowl and they're both going to play a ton in Tennessee."
It is likely that Oregon will use both at times in their spread-option offense.
"These guys are going to be extremely fast, and they hit the holes hard," Tennessee linebacker Austin Johnson said. "They try to find the openings in the holes. So as long as we try to close down the gaps between us, we should stop it."
Oregon is 3-4 all-time against members of the SEC, but has a two-game winning streak after consecutive victories over Mississippi State in 2002 and 2003.
While the Ducks pride themselves on the hostile environment of Autzen Stadium, they certainly are not used to the sheer size of Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, capacity 102,455.
"I'm really excited. Anytime you get to play in front of 100,000 people and play in an SEC stadium, it really is a big deal," James said.
The Ducks were doing their best to prepare, practicing this week in their indoor facility with the heat and humidity cranked up.
After Oregon's big victory against New Mexico, the Ducks jumped from No. 11 in the preseason rankings. But even as the defending Pac-10 champions, they're still striving to get the recognition of the top-tier programs while under the radar in the Pacific Northwest.
"It doesn't matter who we play, we're going to treat it like a national championship game," James said. "But a little more hype does go into this game and we're really practicing hard and we really know what's at stake."
-- Anne M. Peterson
Florida's Brown making gains after years of pain
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Just hours before Florida's season opener, cornerback Jeremy Brown was still wearing a protective boot on his right foot.
A teammate landed on him in practice earlier in the week, leaving Brown on crutches and out of the starting lineup against Miami (Ohio).
"Everybody kept saying, 'Maybe you should just let it go and sit out this game,'" Brown said.
No chance. Not now. Not after all he had been through.
Brown spent his first two years at Florida battling a debilitating back injury. He had two herniated discs, inflamed joints, nerve damage and enough pain that he "couldn't even put on socks and shoes." Compared to that, playing though a sprained ankle was easy.
"I worked so hard to try to come back," Brown said. "I worked so hard for this moment, and here it was and I'm thinking I'm not going to be able to play. ... I just had faith. Then when it got closer to game time, I just said I have to go. I have to do what I can to help my team."
Brown came up big, too.
Filling in for injured starter Moses Jenkins, Brown intercepted a pass late in the fourth quarter that ended Miami's slim shot at a comeback. Now, with Jenkins sidelined indefinitely because of a dislocated elbow, Brown will make his first career start Saturday when the eighth-ranked Gators (1-0) host South Florida (1-0).
It has to go smoother than his back injury.
"I'm just thankful to have this opportunity," Brown said. "I would rather be on this end than the other end. ... It definitely puts a little pressure on me to step up. It's time to turn it up a little bit and get ready to go."
Brown was ready to go as a freshman.
Coach Urban Meyer likes to point out that Brown, a third-year sophomore from Orlando, was ahead of Janoris Jenkins when he got hurt in 2008. Yep, the guy who made just about every All-Freshman team might not have gotten on the field had Brown not tweaked his back.
Brown did, and Jenkins took advantage. Jenkins started 25 games the last two years and emerged as the team's best man-to-man defender.
Brown could only think about what might have been.
"Sometimes when you have a series injury, you second-guess and you wonder a little bit," he said. "But my confidence is back and I'm past my injury."
It wasn't an easy road, though.
Brown had a minor back injury in high school, but nothing that kept him off the field. He came to Florida in January 2008 and made strides in spring practice and summer workouts. But when fall practice rolled around, his back starting to tighten up. It kept getting worse, too.
Ice, heat, message therapy, nothing worked. Team doctors eventually ran tests that showed disc damage.
"When the MRI showed that my discs were messed up, I though, 'Wow, this is serious,'" said Brown, who had his L4-L5 discs repaired. "I've had a million procedures done, but we've got it taken care of," he said.
It took two years to get right, though. Brown spent countless hours in the training room, in the pool and hooked up to a back machine.
Nonetheless, there were times none of it helped.
"Whenever it would get bad, I would stay in bed for days," Brown said. "I literally mean days. There were consecutive days I just couldn't even get up. ... There were times I couldn't even get out of bed, move. I just passed out on the ground. It was bad."
It's better now, healthy enough that Brown actually beat out Moses Jenkins during training camp. Jenkins started the opener only because of Brown's foot injury. Brown didn't stay on the sideline for long. He got a painkilling injection before the game and got called on in the third quarter.
"He came out and played 31 plays and graded out a champion in his first ever game played at Florida," Meyer said. "That's a heck of a story."
It's just getting started. Brown will face South Florida's Evan Landi and Dontavia Bogan on Saturday. They combined for eight catches for 178 yards and a touchdown last week against Stony Brook.
The Gators are confident Brown is ready for the next test.
"All the things that he's been through with his back just shows that if you keep going and keep working hard good things will come to you," safety Ahmad Black said.
-- Mark Long
Pressure points: QBs for Miami, Ohio State
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — When No. 12 Miami plays at second-ranked Ohio State on Saturday, all the attention will be drawn to the teams' Heisman hopefuls, quarterbacks Jacory Harris and Terrelle Pryor.
Yet the linchpins of the game might just be the comparatively unknown guys who labor on the defensive lines.
"We always talk about if we can get after them up front, if we can get pressure on the quarterback and stop the run game, it's going to make the game 20 times easier," said Dexter Larimore, a starting defensive tackle for the Buckeyes.
Miami cornerback Brandon Harris puts the onus on the 'Canes' front wall to put the clamps on not just Pryor, but also his running mates in the backfield.
"The D-line is the strength of our defense," Harris said. "We're depending on them this week to put a lot of pressure on Pryor, but also to keep that running game slowed down. They have a great group of backs, so we want to control the running game and hopefully the D-line will get to Pryor a little bit."
No one disputes the talent of Harris, the Hurricanes' strong-armed passer, or Pryor, the Buckeyes' star who can beat you with his legs or arm. But both players will be marked men by the opposing defense — and both have occasionally faltered in the heat of a big game.
"This is a game of pressure," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said.
Harris and Pryor have known each other for years and exchange texts. The juniors have each played in 26 career games and have similar numbers in total yardage and touchdowns created.
Both have had highs and lows in their progression since taking over as starters as freshmen.
A year ago, Harris was sacked three times, losing 28 yards, and was harassed into a miserable passing day (9 for 25 with one interception) in a 31-7 loss at Virginia Tech. In a defeat to North Carolina a few weeks later, he tossed four interceptions while trying to rally the 'Canes from a big first-half deficit. And in an awful performance by the whole team in a 20-14 setback to Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl, Harris was largely ineffective while being sacked five times.
Ohio State is paying particular attention to what its fellow Big Ten member did to subdue Harris.
"Using the Wisconsin film?" Tressel repeated. "That was the last time they played in a big game like this and we use it a bunch."
The Badgers played keep away with mammoth running back John Clay (121 yards rushing), throttled Miami's running attack (holding it to 61 yards on 23 attempts) and then teed off on Harris at every opportunity.
Harris prefers to throw the ball and isn't afraid to go long. That's not necessarily the case for Pryor, who loves to break containment and scramble for yards instead of going over the top.
"Jacory Harris is a guy who you can tell he really wants to throw the ball and really wants to throw it deep," Ohio State cornerback Chimdi Chekwa said. "Sometimes last year that cost them a few times. But he's a great quarterback, a guy who can make the throws you might not think he can. It's going to be a real big challenge for us."
Ohio State's Paul Haynes, who coaches the safeties, said the key to stopping Harris is up front where ends Nathan Williams and Cameron Heyward and tackles Larimore and John Simon hold down the fort.
"A good pass rush is important," he said. "You have to keep pressure on him to keep him off balance."
Pryor's two worst games a year ago were losses to Southern California and Purdue. Against the Trojans, he was just 11 of 25 passing for 177 yards with an interception and no touchdowns. In the stunning loss at 13-point underdog Purdue, Pryor threw two interceptions and was almost a non-factor.
His ability to run — Pryor said this week that one of his major goals this season is to rush for 1,000 yards — is a big concern for the Hurricanes.
"We've got to stay in our lanes," said defensive tackle Marcus Forston, who will be chasing Pryor along with linemates Allen Bailey, Josh Holmes, Micanor Regis and Olivier Vernon. "A quarterback like that, you have to trust the defensive end, (and) the defensive ends have to trust the defensive tackle. Have to."
Pryor is expecting Miami to provide plenty of heat.
"Whatever they are going to bring, I'll be ready because we practice daily against the best defense in the country," he said. "They bring all the kinds of blitzes you could possibly imagine, so if our offensive line can stay with them we can at least slow down the 'Canes. They're really good up front, speedy and strong. But if they come after me, then so be it."
-- Rusty Miller
No. 13 Hokies eager to play again after loss
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Virginia Tech can't wait to play its next football game.
The No. 13 Hokies' pain at losing to No. 3 Boise State on a late Broncos touchdown Monday night was magnified during film study that highlighted a series of costly mistakes.
Coach Frank Beamer brought a list of the errors to his media session. He cited miscues like a fumble that gave Boise State possession at the Hokies' 31, a blocked kick that set them up at the Hokies' 12 and allowing a 71-yard touchdown on a third down.
And that's only a fraction of the issues the Hokies had in their third consecutive season-opening loss, this time in a game they led until 1:09 to play.
Safety Davon Morgan can't wait until Saturday, when James Madison (1-0) comes to Lane Stadium looking take advantage of the Hokies' short work week.
"I'm a little sore, but I'm anxious to get after it," Morgan said. "I've still got a sour taste in my mouth, so I'm looking to knock some heads a little bit and go play some ball."
So is quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
"Because of the loss, our team is ready to go out there and prove to people that the team that they saw is not the team that it's going to be all year," Taylor said. "Everyone wants to play again as soon as possible. We're looking forward to this game against JMU."
The Dukes have two assistant coaches — J.C. Price and Chris Malone — that played for Virginia Tech, and even knows their signals, James Madison coach Mickey Matthews said.
"When we watch them on film, we know exactly what they're doing," he said.
But, he added, the Hokies must not be too worried about that familiarity.
"They're not paying us $450,000 to go down and beat them," Matthews said.
The Hokies have won all six meetings, the last two by a combined 90-0.
Despite the litany of errors against Boise State, Beamer gave his team high marks for rallying from an early 17-0 deficit, outscoring the Broncos 30-9 until the final touchdown. He said with so much football ahead, they have "a lot to play for."
"We've got to eliminate this list of deals I've got right here," Beamer said, holding up the list. "And we can, because we got great, great effort during the game, but we need to take care of Virginia Tech right now and get ready to play a really good football team."
That will be the easy part, Morgan said.
"Hard work pays off; it always has," he said. "Unfortunately, we came up short this Monday. From here on out, I don't plan on coming up short. We don't plan on coming up short.
"So we're going to go out there today, practice hard, and get ready for Saturday."
Nesbitt has No. 15 Georgia Tech on the run again
ATLANTA (AP) — The ACC's leading rusher is hearing questions about his passing game.
What else is new?
Georgia Tech quarterback Joshua Nesbitt had 130 yards rushing with three touchdowns in the Yellow Jackets' easy opening win over South Carolina State last week, but he completed only one pass for 8 yards.
As No. 15 Georgia Tech prepares for Saturday's game at Kansas, Nesbitt shrugs off talk about the lack of balance in the offense.
Why worry? Nesbitt led the Yellow Jackets' option attack to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship last year by emphasizing the run.
"I don't really look into all those questions because I know everybody is going to have their opinion about what we're doing at Georgia Tech," Nesbitt said. "I'm just ready to go out and play."
Nesbitt has the respect of Kansas coach Turner Gill, who says containing the senior is the key to containing Georgia Tech's spread option offense.
"Their quarterback is a key guy in their offense," Gill said. "He is an outstanding player with excellent size and good speed and he can run their offense to precision."
Nesbitt had the top rushing total among ACC players in the opening week of the season. He ran for 1,037 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2009, when Georgia Tech ranked second in the nation in rushing and 110th in passing.
Even for the run-first Yellow Jackets, Nesbitt's passing totals in the 41-10 win over South Carolina State were unusually meager. Nesbitt was 1-for-6 passing for 8 yards with an interception.
"Yeah we want to be more efficient, but six attempts is a pretty small sample size to announce something is dead, especially when one got dropped," said Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson.
"It wasn't that big a deal to me. Would I like to have seen him throw a couple balls better? Yeah, but I've seen the kid. He can throw. If you're waiting for him to complete 70 percent of his passes, you're gonna be waiting a long time, but he's very adequate throwing the ball for us to do what we need to do."
Georgia Tech didn't have to pass the ball to beat South Carolina State. The Yellow Jackets had 372 yards rushing with six touchdowns.
"I really believe we could have won the game on Saturday without ever throwing one," Johnson said. "We've played a lot of games that way."
Nesbitt kept the ball on many option plays because the South Carolina State defense was committed to stopping the B-backs, including Anthony Allen.
"We always keep an open mind going into a game, really not knowing what the defense is going to do for that game," Nesbitt said. "We noticed early they were taking the B-back out of the game and giving me a chance to run, so we took advantage of it.
"I don't mind. Whatever the team needs. If it calls for me to hand the ball off, I'll do that and be satisfied with it."
Nesbitt's production in the opener likely will influence the game plan of the Kansas defense.
"You have to beat Georgia Tech by being disciplined," said Kansas cornerback Chris Harris. "Everybody is going to have a responsibility. A linebacker might have the quarterback this time. Somebody might be watching the pitch. You've got to stay disciplined, you can't try to be the hero. You have to stay focused on your job."
Former Mississippi State defensive coordinator Carl Torbush is in his first season directing the Kansas defense. Torbush knows it is difficult to stop Nesbitt Georgia Tech's spread option. Georgia Tech swept Mississippi State the last two years, winning 38-7 in 2008 and 42-31 last year in Starkville, Miss.
"We've got an idea what they'll play defensively," Johnson said. "(Torbush) was at Mississippi State ... and you watch the tape and they're playing the same defense. It won't be drastic changes, I wouldn't think."
The Kansas defense played well in a 6-3 loss to North Dakota State last week, giving up only 168 yards and two field goals. The Jayhawks committed three turnovers, including an interception in the end zone and a late fumble, in the upset.
"We know they're a pretty good defense," Nesbitt said. "We've just got to be ready for the challenge they're going to give us."
Nesbitt said the Kansas loss doesn't dim his excitement in his first chance to play at a Big 12 school.
"I'm excited to go to Kansas and play because I've always seen them on TV and know that they've always had a good program," he said. "I just always wanted to go there and take a visit and now I get a chance to go play there.
"Some guys have talked about it this summer because a lot of us really haven't had a chance to travel that far and just to go to Kansas is a great trip."
-- Charles Odum
Touted talent Dillon Baxter set for USC debut
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dillon Baxter is eager for his Hollywood premiere, even if it's a week late.
Southern California's touted freshman tailback will be in uniform Saturday night when the 16th-ranked Trojans host Virginia at the Coliseum.
Although Baxter is among the most anticipated skill-position recruits in the recent history of a talent-studded program, coach Lane Kiffin suspended him for last week's opener at Hawaii for violations of team rules. While the Trojans traveled to Honolulu and spent an extra day on the beach after their 49-36 victory, Baxter stewed at home.
"That's probably the worst thing I've been through football-wise, aside from when I was 7 and my mom took all my trophies away," Baxter said, recalling a punishment after a poor performance on a science test.
"I wanted to go out and party a little bit, but I've been getting in trouble and whatnot. So I stayed in and watched it at home — be mad, sit in my little corner. But that pumped me up and got me pretty hyped for this week."
Kiffin hasn't confirmed exactly what Baxter did to earn a suspension, but it hasn't soured the first-year coach on his prize prospect. Kiffin has suggested the Trojans could use Baxter as a ball carrier, receiver and quarterback at various points in the same game — although the coach also has more mundane instructions.
"Take care of the ball," Kiffin said when asked his primary instruction for Baxter. "That's the first concern always for a freshman. It's the most important thing. We'll see what he can do from there."
Baxter played three skill positions in high school in San Diego, winning several awards as the nation's top player last fall after rushing for 50 touchdowns and passing for 26 more scores. He stuck with his commitment to the Trojans even after NCAA sanctions ruined his chances of playing in a bowl game for two years.
Baxter has lived up to his hype during his first few months with the Trojans, culminating in a stellar performance during USC's spring scrimmage. Film of his speedy, nimble running became a Youtube sensation with several hundred thousand hits.
Baxter might be USC's unofficial third quarterback behind Matt Barkley and Mitch Mustain, but he's likely to get his most extensive action as a running back. Baxter is eager to play alongside tailback Marc Tyler, who unexpectedly won the Trojans' starting job in training camp before rushing for 154 yards in last week's opener.
"It's going to be huge," Barkley said of Baxter's addition. "It's another tool in my tool bag. He's going to be great, whether we use him as a quarterback or as a runner."
And after his suspension gave him an early taste of the media spotlight surrounding USC's best players, Baxter is prepared for the Coliseum fans hanging on his every move this Saturday.
"I'll be nervous that first play, but after that first hit, I'll be good," Baxter said. "I wished I could have been there in Hawaii, but the offense overall did really good. We'll be ready."
-- Greg Beacham
LSU's versatile Shepard sees himself as playmaker
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Russell Shepard's career at LSU isn't turning out quite as he had envisioned, and that might be the best thing that ever happened to him.
The Tigers' quarterback-turned-wide receiver has remade his game in the mold of dynamic players like Percy Harvin, Reggie Bush and Aramanti Edwards, whose versatility allows them to be a big part of their teams' attack on the ground, through the air and even on special teams.
"I want to be a guy who's able to create that big play when we need it, something that Percy did throughout his career," Shepard said this week. "I love players that are able to move around the field. At the end of the day, I want to be a football player. Receiver is my main position, but I feel like I can play other positions."
Shepard is off to a promising start, having scored touchdowns on a 50-yard run and 6-yard catch in his debut at his new position in the No. 19 Tigers' 30-24 win over North Carolina last Saturday night.
Bush, a Southern Cal standout, is now a key player for the New Orleans Saints. Edwards quarterbacked Appalachian State to the upset over Michigan and the NFL rookie is now doing a little bit of everything for the Carolina Panthers.
But the way Shepard compares his role to Harvin, entering his second year with the Minnesota Vikings, makes sense. LSU receivers coach and passing game coordinator Billy Gonzales was Harvin's receivers coach at Florida.
When Shepard made the move to receiver, Gonzales showed him "a million clips of Percy Harvin," Shepard recalled.
"Seeing how he moved from position to position, how he made things happen, definitely helped me out a lot."
As a true freshman in 2009, Shepard saw limited action at quarterback, receiver and running back, and contends he can be effective at all three spots as needed. LSU coach Les Miles wants to get Shepard the ball more. Miles has him on the kickoff return team with Patrick Peterson and even seems willing to have Shepard take some snaps at quarterback in the wildcat formation.
"He's really just starting to receive the opportunities that he's going to get," Miles said. "You'll find going forward that his productivity will continue to rise, and he's a guy we'd love to get more touches."
That's exactly what Vanderbilt coach Robbie Caldwell expects when the Commodores host the Tigers this Saturday.
Caldwell said Shepard "looks like he catches lightning bugs for practice."
"He's quick as a cat and can dodge and make you miss."
Just like he did when he ran away from North Carolina linebacker Bruce Carter and the rest of the Tar Heels' defense on his 50-yard score.
Shepard, who is 6-foot-1, 198 pounds, recently ran an electronically timed 4.45 40-yard dash and has a vertical jump measured at 41½ inches.
He was always a threat to scramble while playing quarterback at Cypress Ridge High School in Texas, where he ran for more than half of the 3,789 total yards and 48 TDs he racked up his senior year.
His speed and agility led most colleges to recruit him as a receiver, but he chose LSU in part because he would be given an opportunity to keep playing quarterback.
Shepard was the third-string quarterback as a freshman behind Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee, and as that season progressed, he began to consider whether a change would be best for his career.
"I realized that Jordan and Jarrett were our two quarterbacks. So I had to sit down and think to myself, 'You can play, but where do you best fit this team, and also, where can you have the most success?'" Shepard recalled. "I realized quarterback is something I did in the past, something I love, but at the same time, I can help this team and I can better myself by playing receiver and running back. So far that's been the best thing for me and I haven't looked back."
Shepard spent the past six months trying to master the fundamentals of a position he'd never really played, saying he's "never worked harder at anything in my life." Last weekend, it was clear he still had more to learn. He dropped an early pass in the open field and later got flattened by Carter during another incompletion because he did not run his route correctly.
"That's the first time I've ever been hit in my life like that. It woke me up," Shepard recalled. "I told Bruce, when he hit me, 'Good hit. You're going to regret that.' A couple plays later I had my long run."
Harvin's best year at Florida, in terms of yards from scrimmage, was 2007, when he totaled 1,622. His best for touchdowns was 2008, when he had 17.
Shepard said his goal this season is 1,000 total yards and 20 TDs. With 80 yards and two TDs in his first game, he's on pace in touchdowns and close in yardage.
He has yet to face a Southeastern Conference foe this season, but he also expects to improve.
"I had right under six months to prepare to be a starter in the SEC," Shepard said. "The rest of our receiving corps has been receivers their whole life. So I really challenged myself to not be that weak point in this offense."
He just may turn out to be its greatest strength.
-- Brett Martel
Marshall tries for 1st win against West Virginia
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Marshall has played well against West Virginia, though the Thundering Herd have nothing to show for it since victories are not awarded for one half of play.
Decent starts, yes. Strong finishes, no.
Marshall hasn't put together a solid overall effort against West Virginia, but gets another chance at bragging rights on Friday night. It's in a rare home game for the Thundering Herd in the series between the state's only Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
As bad as Marshall (0-1) looked in a 45-7 loss at Ohio State last week, that would be long forgotten if the Thundering Herd can knock off the 23rd-ranked Mountaineers (1-0) for the first time in 10 overall meetings.
"I told them after the loss that they can do something that no other team in the history of Marshall football has ever done," first-year coach Doc Holliday said. "We have to win this game at some point. For it to be a rivalry, we have got to go win that game."
As much as it means to Marshall, West Virginia is simply looking at it as the next nonconference game, not trying to keep an unbeaten streak going.
"We don't think like that," West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith said. "We don't think about what's happened in the past."
West Virginia has outscored the Thundering Herd 141-43 since the series resumed four years ago. The Mountaineers are heavily favored again, but there's a feeling this might be Marshall's best chance yet.
Marshall is 119-19 at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, although nearly all of those games were against lower-tiered schools. Marshall's only home win against a BCS conference school came against Temple in 1999.
In its last trip to Huntington in 2007, West Virginia was held to three first downs and 118 total yards in the opening half and trailed 13-6 at halftime.
Any momentum Marshall had wilted in the 90-degree heat. The Mountaineers scored on their first three possessions of the third quarter and won 48-23, handing Marshall its worst home loss since its stadium opened in 1991.
"It's loud. There's name calling and it's a hostile environment," West Virginia's Noel Devine said. "It was pretty wild."
Marshall was ahead at halftime again last year in Morgantown but went scoreless after that and lost 24-7.
This time, Marshall has Holliday and other converts from the West Virginia camp.
Holliday was the Mountaineers' recruiting coordinator the past two seasons. Former WVU offensive graduate assistant JaJuan Seider now is Marshall's running backs coach and recruiting coordinator, while three ex-graduate assistants at WVU have similar roles at Marshall.
"The coaches are going to do a great job of breaking it down and hopefully (Holliday) can give us some extra insight," said Marshall quarterback Brian Anderson, who will be making his 16th straight start.
Execution on both sides of the ball, even some of the time, might help the Thundering Herd.
Terrelle Pryor roughed up Marshall for 247 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Junior cornerback Rashad Jackson played in his first college game and sophomore safety Donald Brown got his first start at the Horseshoe last week. Jackson allowed Dane Sanzenbacher to score on a 65-yard pass play, while Brown picked up an unsportsmanlike penalty.
"Their secondary is not their strength," said West Virginia slot receiver Jock Sanders. "We'll have to exploit the secondary with the things that we do with our offense."
Marshall didn't score an offensive touchdown against the Buckeyes and faces a West Virginia defense that allowed just 186 yards in a 31-0 win over FCS Coastal Carolina.
"It's always been said that the great trial for a team is between the first and second week and that's just what we're going to have to do," Anderson said. "We're going to have to come out and execute the way our coaches coach us and come out and make plays. We all feel good about the game coming up and we feel good about our season."
West Virginia has that feeling, too.
Smith was effective in his first career start last week and will get another shot at Marshall. He played nearly the entire game against the Thundering Herd last year after starter Jarrett Brown got hurt on the fourth play from scrimmage.
Smith, who was recruited by Holliday, said this week's game doesn't hold any special meaning for him.
"What Doc did for me, getting me here, I can't thank him enough for that," Smith said. "He's our opponent. He's on the opposite team. We're not adding any extra pressure that we don't need."
Devine will be looking for his third straight 100-yard rushing effort against Marshall.
"It's all about state pride," Devine said. "It means a lot to people here. We're the 2010 version — it means a lot to us seniors."
-- John Raby
Georgia tries to recapture its swagger on defense
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — When Bacarri Rambo was in grade school, he changed his last name. He's sure glad he did.
Bacarri Fudge wouldn't sound nearly so intimidating for a starting safety at Georgia.
"When people see the name 'Rambo' on the back of my jersey, they expect me to be a hard-nosed killer with a scarf around my head and paint under my eyes," he joked. "If I was playing in the secondary and named Fudge, everybody would say I was soft. I went from being soft to being hard."
These days, Rambo is trying to be part of another name change. After years of getting lit up on defense, Georgia would like to rekindle a familiar moniker: Junkyard Dogs.
"We're trying to get our swag back, man," said Rambo, invoking the name of a coordinator still remembered fondly around Athens, the late Erk Russell. "We've got the players. It's all on us."
Coach Mark Richt didn't just leave it in the hands of the players, though.
He fired defensive coordinator Willie Martinez and brought in former Dallas Cowboys line coach Todd Grantham run the defense.
Grantham immediately put his stamp on the unit, switching to a 3-4 alignment and vowing to be more aggressive in calling blitzes and stunts. The reviews from the first game — a 55-7 rout of outgunned Louisiana-Lafayette — were generally positive, especially when pressure off the edge forced the first of three interceptions by the Ragin' Cajuns.
"That was good," Grantham said. "You get the guy to throw the ball early, and he throws it in a bad spot. That's the whole ticket right there."
But the real test will come Saturday, when the No. 22 Bulldogs (1-0) hit the road to take on 24th-ranked South Carolina (1-0) in a game that generally sets the tone for the Southeastern Conference rivals.
The defense could really be under the gun if Georgia has trouble in the passing game — a distinct possibility with redshirt freshman Aaron Murray playing his first SEC road game and star receiver A.J. Green serving what is now a four-game suspension for selling a bowl jersey in violation of NCAA rules.
That's OK with the guys like Rambo, eager to show this isn't the same unit that had so much trouble stopping top teams under Martinez.
"It's fun because we're learning something new," Rambo said. "We want to see how it turns out. I think it's going to turn out great. Coach Grantham has a great scheme and a great mindset for what he wants to do. He's a great defensive mind. He knows what he's doing. We just have to follow his lead."
Even taking more chances, the inevitable consequence of a team that relies on the blitz, Grantham showed he's not going to tolerate giving up the sort of big plays that plagued the Bulldogs in previous years. Leading Louisiana-Lafayette 24-0 late in the first half, Rambo was suckered by a pump fake and gave up a 60-yard touchdown pass.
When Rambo got to the sideline, ohhhhhh did he get an earful from the new coordinator, who ripped off his headset, flapped his arms wildly and let loose with a verbal barrage that can't be repeated around the dinner table.
"That's part of the learning process," Grantham said, sounding a lot more calm after a practice this week. "When situations come up, we need to answer the challenge and be able to stop them. If we don't, we've got to learn from it. We learned from it, moved on and played better in the second half. It's just one of those things."
Georgia fans cheered Grantham when he was shown on the video board, and they're certainly hoping he's able to transform a unit that was burned for 40 points six times over the last two seasons.
"This defense is definitely an attacking defense," inside linebacker Christian Robinson said. "It's not the old defense where we sat back on our heels. ... We're definitely going to be bringing the heat, no matter who the opponent is, whether it's a running team or a passing team. That's just how it is."
This week should give a much better indication at how effective Grantham's defense will be. The Bulldogs are going against South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, who has designed some of college football's most explosive offenses over his long career.
"I think even coach Grantham will tell you the players are going to make all of us look good or bad, whoever I'm coaching, whoever he's coaching," Spurrier said. "But he has got a little different scheme of things, a little bit different kind of scheme than a lot of people. Hopefully we'll have a little different kind of scheme than maybe the NFL has seen in the last several years and so forth as far as the spread and stuff like that."
Robinson is eager to see how it all works out.
"It's like they finally let the dog out of his cage," the linebacker said.
Let's see if that's a junkyard dog.
-- Paul Newberry
Notes
Tressel says LeBron James welcome at Miami game
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — With many fans still angry over LeBron James' decision to leave Cleveland for the Miami Heat, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is calling for calm.
James, who jilted the Cavaliers to jump to the Heat this summer, may attend Saturday's game at Ohio Stadium between No. 12 Miami and second-ranked Ohio State.
Tressel said Thursday that it was time to let go all that anger.
"Sore subjects need to pass," Tressel said at a news conference. "Things are as they are. We all make decisions. You have to respect one another's decisions and move on."
On some message boards and college football sites, angry fans have said they do not want James coming to the game. Some have hinted at violence.
James communicates with Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who also urged fans to welcome the former Cavaliers guard.
"If LeBron does come, just treat him with respect and respect his decision," Pryor said. "Please, no name calling, or booing, or anything like that because that's my mentor. I have a lot of respect and a lot of love for him."
James, who grew up in Akron, did not play college basketball. But he has said that if he had not jumped directly to the NBA, he would have attended Ohio State.
"He's a Buckeye," Pryor said of James' rooting interest in the game pitting the Buckeyes against the team from his new hometown, the Hurricanes.
Tressel joked that James had been an Ohio State fan for years.
"I think LeBron committed to me back when he was a junior," he said with a laugh. "I think we're in good shape."
After James announced that he was leaving the area where he grew up to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh with the Heat, there was an immediate backlash from irate fans. Some burned James' No. 23 jersey.
Pryor, who called James "my main man, my mentor," said he always defended James.
"When he was down and people were burning his jersey, I just picked him up and said I'm with you 100 percent," he said he told James.
James and Pryor have been friends for years, frequently trading texts and e-mails. James stood on the sidelines at Ohio Stadium for the 10th-ranked Buckeyes' game against No. 3 Penn State on Oct. 25, 2008. Pryor failed to convert on a keeper on fourth down late in the game, leading to a 13-6 defeat.
"I told him I owe him a show," Pryor said.
-- Rusty Miller
Miami lists four players as out for season
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Defensive tackle Jeremy Lewis and three other Miami players were ruled out for the season because of injuries on Thursday.
Lewis hurt his lower right leg early in No. 12 Miami's season-opening 45-0 win over Florida A&M last week. The Hurricanes have also listed fullback John Calhoun, running back Darion Hall and linebacker Travis Williams as out for the year because of undisclosed surgeries.
Defensive lineman Luther Robinson and linebacker Kevin Nelson are listed as out for Saturday's game against No. 2 Ohio State. Running back Graig Cooper is listed as doubtful, although it's a virtual certainty he will also miss this weekend's matchup against the Buckeyes.
