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Top College Top 25 Football Capsules: Forcier's 5 TOs help No. 9 OSU beat Michigan 21-10
Comments 0 | Recommend 0ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Terrelle Pryor is thankful he chose to play at Ohio State, instead of for Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines.
Pryor threw a touchdown for the final score in the third quarter and avoided making many mistakes to help the ninth-ranked Buckeyes beat Michigan 21-10 Saturday for its sixth straight win in the series and an outright Big Ten title.
"I'm glad I'm on this side," Pryor said.
Ohio State (10-2, 7-1) has won five straight conference championships and will play in the Rose Bowl with a five-game winning streak.
"When you're undefeated in November, good things are going to happen over the holidays," coach Jim Tressel said.
Michigan wouldn't know.
The Wolverines lost their last five games and beat only Delaware State after September to finish 5-7. College football's winningest program has endured consecutive losing years for the first time since the 1962-63 seasons.
Freshman Tate Forcier threw four interceptions and fumbled in his end zone, spoiling Michigan's chances of an upset it needed to become bowl-eligible.
"I lost that game," Forcier wrote in a text message to The Associated Press about an hour after the game. "This offseason, I'm gonna make sure myself and every single person on this team works the hardest we have ever worked.
"We're gonna come back a a new team. I'm not going to let this happen again."
Michigan's flop followed a school-record nine-loss year in Rodriguez's debut in Ann Arbor.
"I'm tired of being humbled," Rodriguez said.
He said earlier in the week the Wolverines would not be "doomed" if they were shut out of the bowl picture. But he desperately needed the feel-good victory to take some heat off him — especially with an NCAA investigation looming over his program.
Does Rodriguez fear losing his job?
"No," he said.
Tressel, meanwhile, can probably coach the Buckeyes as long as he wants with the success he's had overall and especially against their rival.
He improved to 8-1 against Michigan and extended Ohio State's longest winning streak that matches the best run in the rivalry since Michigan also won six in a row in the 1920s.
Forcier fumbled on his first drive and Cameron Heyward recovered to give Ohio State a 7-0 lead. He threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter.
"Turnovers and rushing game are always going to be the key to this game," Tressel said.
Ohio State turned the ball over only once, on Pryor's deflected pass, and outrushed Michigan 251-80.
Dan Herron had 96 yards rushing, Brandon Saine ran for 84 yards and scored on a 29-yard run on a play in which his team was misaligned, and Pryor finished with 74 yards on the ground.
"They couldn't stop the run," Pryor said.
Pryor wasn't spectacular — 9 of 17 for 67 yards with a TD and an interception — when Tressel asked him to throw, but the sophomore made some smart plays such as throwing the ball out of bounds instead of taking a sack.
He perfectly lofted a screen pass to Herron, whose 12-yard touchdown gave the Buckeyes a 21-10 lead.
"It was a momentum-changer," Pryor said. "We needed that touchdown or maybe Tate Forcier would've taken them right back down the field again."
Or, not.
Forcier, who made two game-winning passes in September, had not thrown more than one interception in a game and entered the game with just six this season.
Ohio State's Kurt Coleman made two interceptions, the second coming after a video review at the Buckeyes 6 early in the fourth quarter. Forcier threw his third interception on the ensuing drive, making an ill-advised pass that cornerback Devon Torrence caught in the end zone with 8 minutes left.
Perhaps fittingly, the Wolverines were flagged for having five men in the backfield on their final snap.
The Buckeyes ran out the clock much to the delight of thousands of their fans who were at the Big House to witness the scarlet-and-gray seniors sweep the Wolverines in their careers.
"This is what you dream of," Coleman said. "I'm able to say I left a lasting legacy against Michigan."
Gators rout FIU 62-3, extend winning streak to 21
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Following weeks of close calls, controversy and criticism, top-ranked Florida got to play on cruise control.
The Gators enjoyed every minute of it.
Tim Tebow accounted for three touchdowns, Brandon Spikes returned an interception for a score and Florida extended the nation's longest winning streak to 21 games with a 62-3 victory over Florida International on Saturday.
The Gators improved to 11-0 for just the second time in school history and need two more wins — against Florida State and Alabama — to earn a shot at repeating as national champions.
After surviving several struggles during Southeastern Conference play, the Gators probably needed an easy week. The Golden Panthers (3-8) played the part to perfection.
"It was real nice," guard Mike Pouncey said. "We had a long SEC run, then to go out there and have a game like this, where we can rest starters the second half, was real good for our team. We'll be ready to go Saturday."
Florida scored touchdowns on eight of 11 offensive possessions. The only scoreless drives came when Caleb Sturgis missed a 52-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter and when Florida ran out the clock in the final seconds of each half.
Spikes started the onslaught when he intercepted Paul McCall's pass and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown, his fourth INT return for a score in the last two years.
"He does have a knack," coach Urban Meyer said. "Great anticipation."
The defense didn't let up, sacking McCall twice and holding the Golden Panthers to 189 yards and 11 first downs.
Tebow, hoping to solidify a spot as a Heisman Trophy finalist, had one of his best games of the season. It came against a defense that had allowed nearly 500 yards a game.
Tebow completed 17 of 25 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns and ran seven times for 102 yards and a score. His rushing touchdown — a 55-yard scramble on a third-and-2 play — was the longest run of his career. Tebow rolled left after faking a handoff, then took off against man-to-man coverage and ended up tiptoeing the sideline.
"They forgot to account for me," he said.
It was Tebow's 54th career touchdown, breaking the SEC record held by former LSU star Kevin Faulk.
Tebow also had a 27-yard TD pass to Chris Rainey early in the second quarter that made it 21-0 and an 18-yarder to roommate Riley Cooper on the opening drive of the third.
Rainey and Jeff Demps had rushing scores. Backup John Brantley had three TD passes, including a perfectly thrown 31-yarder to Frankie Hammond Jr. on a fourth-and-11 play with 2:28 remaining.
"It was definitely fun," linebacker Ryan Stamper said. "After the starters got out, it's just fun watching guys who go real hard in practice but don't really play as much get a chance to go in the game and play."
The Swamp started to empty early in the fourth, with Tebow standing on the sideline wearing a headset and many other starters done for the day.
The Gators finished with 584 yards, 30 first downs and no punts.
The Golden Panthers — 45-point underdogs paid $425,000 to play in Gainesville — missed a field goal try in the second quarter and turned the ball over on downs twice in the second half.
McCall completed 9 of 21 passes for 134 yards. Kendall Berry ran 13 times for 26 yards.
"We played hard, but we're not at the level of the Florida Gators right now," FIU coach Mario Cristobal said.
Things could get tougher in Florida's home finale against rival Florida State, which eked out a 29-26 win over Maryland on Saturday to become bowl eligible for the 28th consecutive year. Then again, the Seminoles have posed little threat to the Gators the last five years.
"That'd pretty much make their season, if they beat us," Stamper said. "Like I said, we have a lot to accomplish and a lot of goals, so I don't think it'll be a problem."
-- Mark Long
Ingram, Tide roll over Chattanooga 45-0
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — No. 2 Alabama was still celebrating Mark Ingram's second long touchdown run when coach Nick Saban told his star tailback to take the rest of the day off.
Ingram ran for 102 yards and TDs of 25 and 40 yards in the first 20 minutes, then happily yielded the stage while the Crimson Tide breezed to a 45-0 win over Chattanooga on Saturday.
"Just get in, get a good day's work, execute and have some success. Then let the other people get the playing time they deserve," Ingram said.
Yes, the Tide (11-0) did make it seem just that easy.
Alabama raced to a 35-0 halftime lead and showed no signs of a letdown ahead of games with rival Auburn and No. 1 Florida. That enabled the starters to take a break in the second half against the Mocs (6-5), although Ingram and the Tide still managed a few highlight-reel plays.
Javier Arenas set the SEC career record with his seventh punt return for a touchdown, sprinting 66 yards down the right sideline in the second quarter. He also had an interception.
Julio Jones caught a 44-yard pass and scored on a 19-yarder from Greg McElroy.
The stats were perhaps even more lopsided than the final score. The Tide had a 422-84 advantage in total yards, gained 313 on the ground and had five players with at least 60 yards rushing. They also had 26 first downs while holding Chattanooga to five.
It only seemed like a pressure-free game. Saban warned his team of the repercussions of a huge upset, even beyond their national title hopes.
"I told the players if we had lost this game today, there would be nothing else that would tarnish what you've accomplished more than that. You would someday be an NFL player in a Mercedes-Benz and roll your window down to talk to a pretty girl and she'd say, 'You lost to Chattanooga when you played at Alabama,'" Saban said. "Nobody would ever forget that one."
Instead, it'll be forgotten quickly with the Iron Bowl awaiting six days later.
This was the sixth time the Tide's defense had held an opponent to seven points or less this season, but the first shutout since last year's 36-0 win over Auburn.
"We played a good football team and I don't know if there was much we could have done to be better than this," said first-year Mocs coach Russ Huesman, who led a turnaround after a 1-11 season.
Ingram managed his sixth 100-yard effort of the last seven games despite carrying only 11 times. The Heisman Trophy candidate broke three tackles and had two defenders draped across his back at the end of the 25-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
Then, Ingram zigzagged 40 yards for another score 5 minutes into the second quarter on his final carry. Then he headed to the sidelines and Saban told him he "was pretty much done."
"I'm sure we could have left him in today and he could have had a huge day," Saban said. "He gained 100 yards. That's a good day's work when you come out with 10 minutes to go in the second quarter."
McElroy was 6-of-11 passing for 80 yards, including that 19-yard touchdown pass to Jones, before giving way to backup Star Jackson in the second half. Jones caught three passes for 65 yards, all in the first half.
After that, Alabama attempted only five passes, content to control the ball against the Southern Conference team and let the clock wind toward bigger games. It was the finale at Bryant-Denny Stadium for 27 Alabama seniors.
"Just about every senior on our team got to play in the game," Saban said. "It was good that the players came out and played Alabama football so those guys got a chance to play."
Arenas wasn't the only Bama special teamer in record territory. Leigh Tiffin kicked a 41-yard field goal, tying the school records for kicks made in a season (25) and career (78).
Arenas sat out the second half and only got halfway to his ideal final home performance of scoring "a couple of touchdowns" that he stated early in the week.
"I'll settle for one," Arenas said.
He is 37 yards shy of the Lee Nalley of Vanderbilt's SEC career punt return record of 1,695 yards, and 103 yards from the NCAA mark set by Texas Tech's Wes Welker.
Trent Richardson and Roy Upchurch also rushed for touchdowns.
Chattanooga twice drove into Alabama territory in the first half, both times failing to convert on fourth-and-long. The first ended with four straight incompletions from the 38, and the second on an interception from the 22.
"I didn't feel like bragging about kicking a field goal and having three points on the board," Huesman said. "You kick field goals to put yourself in position to win games. You don't kick field goals just because you're at Alabama trying to put three points on the board."
-- John Zenor
Clock runs out on LSU in 25-23 Ole Miss win
OXFORD, Miss. — So many unusual things happened in the final 3 minutes of Mississippi's victory Saturday against No. 10 LSU, it got confusing.
Even for the participants.
"I don't know what all happened down there at the end," Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said. "I just know the scoreboard read 25-23 Ole Miss Rebels."
Nutt's confusion was nothing compared to what was happening on the LSU sideline as precious seconds ticked off the clock with less than a minute left and the game on the line.
The Tigers were divided over what plays to call, lost 17 seconds when the team tried for a timeout and didn't get it, and there was admittedly no backup plan when LSU went for the end zone on the last play of the game and came up short at the Ole Miss 5 with 1 second left.
"I can only tell you that the management at the back end of the game was the issue," LSU coach Les Miles said, later adding: "It's my fault that we didn't finish first in that game."
When reporters asked Miles which coach decided to try to spike the ball before the clock restarted rather than going for a field goal, he said he wasn't yet sure and would have to find out. Jordan Jefferson and the Tigers never got lined up anyway and Ole Miss earned its second straight win over the Tigers and the first at home since 1998.
Nutt has beaten LSU four straight times with Ole Miss and Arkansas and has never experienced anything like it.
"You were holding your breath every play," he said.
It was the first time Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) beat LSU (8-3, 4-3) in consecutive seasons since 1997-99. The win also gives the Rebels the inside track to second place in the SEC West, which could lead to a better bowl spot when invitations are handed out.
Until the final quarter it was a game only a defensive coordinator could love. But things got interesting fast.
First Dexter McCluster, who ran for 148 yards, completed the first pass of his career with a 27-yard scoring strike to a wide-open Shay Hodge, giving Ole Miss a 22-17 lead 29 seconds into the final quarter.
On their next drive, the Rebels appeared to put it away with a 15-play, 8:26 drive that ended with a short field goal to make the lead eight points.
Jefferson answered with a 10-play, 66-yard drive that ended with his second touchdown pass to Rueben Randle, a 25-yarder that left LSU with a 2-point conversion to tie it.
Ole Miss' Cassius Vaughn was called for pass interference on a fade to the left corner of the end zone, putting the ball at the 1. Jefferson made the same pass on LSU's second attempt, but was hurried by Kendrick Lewis. The ball and Vaughn arrived at the same time and Terrance Toliver couldn't make the catch.
But Brandon LaFell recovered the onside kick with 1:16 left at the LSU 42, giving the Tigers one last chance. LaFell gave his team another big boost when two plays later he took Jefferson's pass, broke two tackles and ran 20 yards after the catch to move LSU into field goal range at the Ole Miss 32.
Here's where it got sketchy for LSU. Kentrell Lockett forced Jefferson to throw his first pass away, then the quarterback was sacked by Emmanuel Stephens, a play that pushed the Tigers all the way back to the Ole Miss 41.
"We talked about runs," Miles said. "I felt like the quarterback could manage the situation. That was my mistake."
Miles said he suggested to assistant coaches that they call a run play at that point, but allowed a pass play to be signaled in. Jefferson completed a 7-yard pass to Stevan Ridley with 26 seconds left and Miles said he thought he heard timeout being called.
But the referees never got the message and 17 seconds ticked off the clock before coaches realized what was happening, leaving LSU with fourth and 26 at the Ole Miss 48 with 9 seconds left.
"The clock ran down, timeouts were being called verbally and I didn't relate that to the official apparently and that was the mistake," Miles said.
The team was going for the end zone on the last pass play, he said, and when Jefferson found Toliver in traffic at the 6 with a second left, the team was unprepared. Rather than run the field goal unit on field while there appeared to be confusion with the chain gang, Jordan tried to get the team lined up to spike the ball but never got the play off.
"I know there was a lot of confusion on the sideline," said Jefferson, who rallied the Tigers with 120 yards passing and a touchdown in the fourth quarter. "Nobody knew what to do."
Ole Miss fans rushed the field and celebrated with the Rebels while several LSU players dropped their helmets to the field in dismay.
Despite all the confusion, Vaughn said the Ole Miss defense knew exactly what was going on as the Tigers foundered making a final decision.
"You have to have a plan," Vaughn said. "I'm looking at the ref waiting for him to call the play. As soon as I hear the whistle and the clock went to zero, I threw my helmet and ran off. It felt good to beat LSU."
-- Chris Talbott
No. 11 Oregon slips past Arizona 44-41 in 2 OTs
TUCSON, Ariz. — Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli watched as red-clad Arizona students ringed the sidelines as time ticked down, ready to rush the field.
"I saw it and I actually smirked," Masoli said. "It was kind of funny. I wasn't really worried about it."
The Ducks' gifted quarterback ruined the celebration in Arizona Stadium and started another one in Eugene.
Masoli tied it with a touchdown pass to Ed Dickson with six seconds left, then won it with a 1-yard run in the second overtime as No. 11 Oregon defeated Arizona 44-41 on Saturday night and took a big step toward the Pac-10 title.
The Ducks (9-2, 7-1 Pac-10) will earn a Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl berth with a victory over No. 20 Oregon State in a winner-take-all Civil War on Dec. 3 in Eugene.
Masoli threw for three scores and ran for three more as the Ducks rallied from a 24-14 deficit early in the fourth quarter.
"Our guys didn't flinch," Oregon coach Chip Kelly said.
Nick Foles threw four TD passes for Arizona (6-4, 4-3), which was eliminated from Rose Bowl contention.
"That was a real tough loss, especially for the kids," said Arizona coach Mike Stoops, whose team lost for the first time at home. "We did really well tonight with getting Oregon out of their comfort zone. They've got a very good quarterback, and that is definitely what makes the difference."
Facing relentless pressure from the Wildcats, Masoli struggled at times, fumbling twice and throwing an interception that led to Arizona's first score.
But Masoli was there when the Ducks needed him most. He was unstoppable late in the game, then took over in overtime.
After Masoli hit Jeff Maehl for a 4-yard score on Oregon's first overtime possession, Foles hit Juron Criner with a 3-yard strike to tie it at 38-38.
In the second OT, Oregon forced Arizona to settle for a 41-yard field goal by Alex Zendejas.
A touchdown would win it for Oregon, and Masoli quickly produced it.
He hit Dickson for 22 yards, and three plays later Masoli bulled over from a yard out.
"I was just resolved," Masoli said. "I'm just really happy with the result and really proud of our guys. They just played their hearts out the whole time."
Minutes early, Oregon tied it at 31-31 when Masoli hit Dickson in the back of the end zone for an 8-yard score.
That stunning strike came after another minor miracle for the Ducks. Oregon had tied it at 24-24 midway through the final quarter on a 43-yard field goal by Morgan Flint — a line-drive kick that hit the crossbar and bounced through the uprights.
Arizona took a 31-24 lead midway through the fourth quarter on a 71-yard screen pass from Foles to Criner, who outraced the defense to the end zone, fighting off two defenders over the final 10 yards.
Arizona appeared ready to run the clock out on its next possession. But Oregon's Talmadge Jackson III picked off a pass in the end zone, giving the Ducks one last shot.
"That changed the whole perspective of the game," Oregon cornerback Cliff Harris said.
The Ducks took over at their own 20 with 3:11 to play. As students began to mass on the sidelines, Masoli guided the Ducks downfield in 15 plays and 3:05, scoring with six ticks to spare.
Masoli completed 7 of 11 passes for 54 yards on the drive and also ran for 13 yards.
"It (upsets) you for the most part because you let opportunities like that slip away," Arizona free safety Cam Nelson. "It's hard to know you could have won a game, or you were supposed to win a game, and then you end up losing."
On a 70-degree night in the desert, Wildcats faithful packed Arizona Stadium for one of the bigger games in school history. But this was a matchup few had circled in September.
The Wildcats were picked to finish eighth in a preseason poll of reporters regularly assigned to the conference. Oregon, meanwhile, seemed adrift after opening with a 19-8 defeat at Boise State — a loss that made national news when tailback LeGarrette Blount punched a Broncos player after the game and was suspended for the season. He dressed Saturday night but did not play.
Oregon had scored at least 40 points in six of seven Pac-10 games, including its last four, and the Ducks looked unstoppable on the game's opening possession. They marched 74 yards in nine plays, with Masoli snaking 14 yards up the middle to give Oregon a 7-0 lead.
Masoli made it 14-0 with a 9-yard strike to Maehl early in the second quarter.
But the Wildcats cut the deficit in half on a Foles' first TD pass, a 5-yarder to Criner, who caught three touchdown passes.
Arizona scored 24 straight points before the Ducks awoke and rallied.
"We just have perseverance," Masoli said. "That's one of the characteristics of this team. Everybody on our team believed to the end."
-- Andrew Bagnato
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