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College Top 25 Football Capsules: Tebow shines on senior day, Gators beat FSU again
Comments 0 | Recommend 0GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Tim Tebow's eye black is waterproof. His perfect season is starting to look shatterproof.
Tebow accounted for five touchdowns in his home finale, a triumphant farewell that included tears on the field and in the stands, and top-ranked Florida thumped rival Florida State 37-10 Saturday for its sixth consecutive victory in the series.
"I don't want to say goodbye," coach Urban Meyer said. "The good thing is we're not done. The negative is we're done in this great stadium."
The Gators stayed unbeaten heading into next week's Southeastern Conference showdown against No. 2 Alabama, extended the nation's longest winning streak to 22 games and improved to 12-0 for just the second time in school.
Tebow may have even secured a third consecutive trip to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation. He gets one more chance to impress on the big stage next week in Atlanta against the Crimson Tide with a trip to the national championship game on the line.
The Seminoles (6-6) lost for the second time in six games, and longtime coach Bobby Bowden's likely finale at Florida Field showed exactly why some FSU faithful are urging him to retire: Florida outplayed its in-state rival at every position.
Bowden said he has some "soul-searching" to do before making a decision about his future at Florida State.
"I want to coach next year, but let me say I want to go home and do some soul-searching," said Bowden, who has 388 career victories, second most in major college football. "I've got to run this thing through my mind a few times."
It might be hard to keep images of Tebow embarrassing his defense again out of those thoughts. Tebow completed 17 of 21 passes for 221 yards. He also ran 15 times for 90 yards against a defense that might be Bowden's worst in 34 seasons.
It was hardly a surprise considering Tebow torched the 'Noles the previous two years, totaling eight TDs in those. This one could have been even more lopsided than the 45-12 drubbing in 2007 and the 45-15 beatdown last year. But Meyer pulled many of his defensive starters late in the third quarter.
The Seminoles trailed 30-0 before Bowden opted for a field goal on fourth-and-goal from the 2 on the final play of the third. They added a touchdown with 6:03 remaining to make it 37-10.
"They have solid players at every position, very fast, very strong, they're good," said FSU quarterback EJ Manuel, who threw two interceptions and was sacked three times. "We'll get to that level one day. Our energy level wasn't high enough to match their energy level. They're a high energy team."
Manuel's TD pass to Jarmon Fortson was the team's only cause for celebration on a day that belonged to Tebow, linebacker Brandon Spikes and their fellow seniors who have more wins (47) than any other class in SEC history. They also improved to 12-1 against their four traditional rivals — Tennessee (4-0), Georgia (3-1), Florida State (4-0) and Miami (1-0).
The revelry started with Tebow making his final walk into The Swamp amid 90,000-plus fans screaming his name. Tebow and Meyer embraced at the 30-yard line as tears flowed down Tebow's cheeks. Spikes kissed the ground as he was introduced. Receiver Riley Cooper was wearing eye black — much like many others in attendance.
Fans paid tribute to Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, by wearing his famed eye black patches. Meyer's wife and two daughters also donned the little ovals under their eyes.
"That was special," Tebow said.
So was the rest of his day.
He had two TD passes to Aaron Hernandez and another to Cooper, his roommate. Tebow scored on an 18-yard run in the second, then added the 56th rushing TD of his career early in the fourth. The stadium was lit up by camera flashes as he zipped across the goal line.
It capped his best performance of the season. Tebow left the game to a long, standing ovation after the first play of Florida's next possession.
"I was so happy for him," cornerback Joe Haden said. "Tebow's probably one of the best college football players ever to play the game. All the credit he gets, I still don't think it's enough still for all he does for the team and all he does for everybody. He's way more than a football player."
When it was over, Tebow jogged to midfield to shake hands with Seminoles defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews and Bowden. He sang Florida's alma mater with teammates and then started his final victory lap. It seemed to take forever. He was soaking it all it.
"Just saying thank you to all the fans and not get too emotional about it," Tebow said. "My relationship with the fans is great. One reason is 'cause I'm such a passionate Gator fan. I care so much about this university and this team because I'm such a big fan. They know I appreciate them."
Tebow handed out high-fives, handshakes and hugs. He came across several crying faces, telling one girl, "It's OK. I'll be around."
He also stepped on a cheerleader.
"She went down hard," he said. "I felt terrible, so I gave her a big hug. She was a little embarrassed. I felt bad about that. They were all laughing, so I think she's OK."
Many of Tebow's teammates came out of the locker and danced around the "F'' at midfield as he worked his way around the stadium. Tebow finally caught up with them back inside, just in time to join the seniors in sharing a few words in front of the team.
"Jermaine Cunningham probably said it best. He put both arms up and said, 'I'm living a dream,'" Meyer said.
The Gators are two wins from a third national championship in four years. They have more celebrations planned, and they could be better than this one — even for Tebow.
"It's been a long day," he said. "I was telling (Cooper), 'Man, it seems like everything's in slow motion, which is good because you want to remember everything."
Georgia runs past No. 7 Georgia Tech 30-24
ATLANTA — Georgia came out running and never slowed down. When it was done, the Bulldogs had a huge upset that took some of the sting out of their disappointing season, while the Atlantic Coast Conference was left with a huge letdown for a championship game.
Taking a page out of Georgia Tech's playbook, Georgia rushed for 339 yards to beat the seventh-ranked Yellow Jackets 30-24 Saturday night. Freshman Washaun Ealey rambled for 183 yards and Caleb King broke loose for 166 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bulldogs (7-5) reclaimed state bragging rights in a tumultuous year and handed the Yellow Jackets (10-2) a huge setback in what has been their best season in nearly two decades. The nation's second-best rushing team was held to 205 yards — 109 below its average.
"It hurts. I know I'm hurting," Georgia Tech safety Morgan Burnett said. "We were a higher-ranked team, but I think we got complacent.
The loss completed a dismal day for the two teams that will meet next week in Tampa, Fla., for the ACC title. Earlier, Clemson was blown out by South Carolina 34-17.
Ealey and King left little doubt what they had in mind. The freshman had written "I Run" in black under his left eye and "This State" under his right eye. King has the same words written on his arms.
"We had a lot of success (running)," said Ealey, who had already set a new career high by early in the second quarter. "I hope we do it a lot in the future."
Georgia set the tone right from the opening kickoff. The first 10 plays? All runs, including a 35-yarder by Ealey and a 6-yard touchdown for King.
The offensive line was dominating, pushing around the Yellow Jackets to open one big hole after another.
High-scoring Georgia Tech, averaging 36 points a game, looked totally out of sync throughout the first half and put themselves in another deep hole, just as they did against Georgia a year ago. In that one, Georgia Tech fell behind 28-12 at the midway point but rallied for a 45-42 victory than snapped a seven-year losing streak against their state rival.
"I just wanted to get this game," said Georgia safety Reshad Jones, who took a lot of heat for missed tackles in last year's loss. "It was real personal. I wanted redemption."
This time, the Yellow Jackets went to the locker room down 17-3. They couldn't make it all the way back.
After Georgia's Blair Walsh was wide left on a potentially clinching field goal from 55 yards out, only his second miss of the season, Georgia Tech converted a fourth down at the Georgia 46 with plenty of time to run it the rest of the way.
But coach Paul Johnson abandoned the triple option, taking three straight deep shots through the air — all incomplete — to leave the Yellow Jackets facing fourth-and-10. Quarterback Josh Nesbitt, who returned to the game on a gimpy ankle after being injured in the first half, found Demaryius Thomas wide open along the sideline for what would have been enough for the first down.
But Georgia Tech's top receiver let the ball slip through his hands with no one around. Game over.
Georgia has been one of the nation's most disappointing teams, losing more games than it had in any season during Mark Richt's nine years as coach. Amid calls for him to shake up his coaching staff, the Bulldogs defied their critics and pushed the coach's record against Georgia Tech to 8-1.
For good measure, the Bulldogs likely improved their bowl prospects, though it will still be a postseason trip below their expectations.
"I know we've got some areas to improve in," Richt said. "Right now, I'm just going to enjoy this victory."
The Yellow Jackets are still in the same position as they were before the game, knowing a win in the ACC title game likely sends them to the Orange Bowl.
"We need to get over this fast," Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer said. "We have a bigger game to worry about."
King was part of an exciting sequence early in the third quarter, when Georgia Tech could have launched another comeback but were instead answered right away.
The Yellow Jackets closed to 17-10 on their third play from scrimmage when Thomas turned a short pass into a 77-yard touchdown. He caught a throw just across the line, stiff-armed Vance Cuff and took off down the sideline for his 10th play of the year covering at least 50 yards.
But Georgia took the very next snap to the house. King got the handoff, blew through yet another big opening up the middle and zigzagged his way down the field for a 75-yard touchdown.
Georgia Tech never caught up. Walsh added field goals of 38 and 43 yards to offset a pair of Georgia Tech touchdowns: Dwyer's 5-yard run and a 1-yard sneak by Nesbitt.
The Bulldogs had two 100-yard runners in a game for the first time since 2004 and piled up the most rushing yards of Richt's tenure. By comparison, Nesbitt was Georgia Tech's top rusher with a mere 41 yards. Dwyer, the reigning ACC player of the year, was held to 33 yards on 14 carries.
When it was over, Georgia got back at the Yellow Jackets for snatching pieces of the famed Sanford Stadium hedge following their 2008 upset. This time, defensive lineman Kade Weston planted a huge flag with a "G'' near the middle of the field.
"To see them walk out with pieces of hedges in their mouths," said Georgia quarterback Joe Cox, "that motivates you to want to win."
-- Paul Newberry
Williams' 4 TDs lift Hokies past Virginia, 42-13
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Al Groh knew the question was coming, the one about the likely end of his career as Virginia's coach. As it did, he began unfolding his answer.
"Here's what I got for you," Groh said before he began reading a poem, "The Guy in the Glass," about how the most important person an individual has to please is himself.
He closed with a testimonial about himself.
"When I visited the guy in the glass, I saw that he's a guy of commitment, of integrity, of dependability and accountability," he said. "He's loyal, his spirit is indomitable and he's caring and loving. I'm sure I will always call the guy in the glass a friend."
And with that, Groh got up from the table where he's presided over postgame news conferences at Scott Stadium for nine years, hugged his sobbing daughter and wife and walked out, a 42-13 loss to No. 14 Virginia Tech probably the final chapter in his coaching career at his alma mater.
Virginia (3-9, 2-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) had its worst season since 2-9 in 1982.
The game was more competitive than the final score suggested, unraveling on a Virginia turnover that set up a 10-yard touchdown drive for the Hokies. They scored 28 points in the last 21 minutes.
But at the end, Groh's verse — which he read to the team in the locker room before coming out to talk to the media — stood out for his players as much as the game.
"Coach Groh is a very well educated, smart, emotional man, and I think that poem captured his spirit," said running back Rashawn Jackson, who played his final college game. "It takes a big man to stand in front of a team and read something like that. It was very moving."
The Cavaliers said they tried to win the game for Groh and the coaching staff, knowing that change is probably coming. But the Hokies were too strong.
Ryan Williams ran for 183 yards and four touchdowns and No. 14 Virginia Tech won for the sixth consecutive time in the series and the 10th time in the last 11 meetings. In nine meeting since leaving the NFL's New York Jets in 2000, Groh beat his rival once.
The turnover was critical, coming on a botched option pitch from Jameel Sewell to Mikell Simpson just two plays after Chris Cook stopped a Virginia Tech with an interception.
The pick aroused the crowd, and the fumble recovery by Kam Chancellor deflated it.
Two runs by Williams later, the Hokies led 21-13 and the beginning of the end was near.
"After that, it all fell down," Groh said, whose future is likely to be known soon.
He has a contract clause requiring that the school inform him by Nov. 30 if it plans to add a year, and it has declined twice in the past three years. Virginia has had three losing seasons in the last four and its average attendance has fallen by nearly 14,000 in two years.
The Hokies (9-3, 6-2), meanwhile, are bowl-bound for the 17th consecutive year. They can also reach 10 victories for the sixth year in a row if they win their bowl game, keeping them in rarified company. Only Texas and Southern California have also done it the past five.
Williams had a lot to do with it on Saturday. He had scoring runs of 5, 20, 4 and 2 yards. He added a 51-yard burst in the fourth quarter that ended when he was stripped of the ball at the 10, but the ball squirted into the end zone and Hokies wide receiver Jarrett Boykin recovered for the touchdown, giving Virginia Tech a 35-13 lead with 10:21 to play.
Williams set an ACC record for touchdowns by a freshman with 20, passing the mark of N.C. State's T.A. McClendon, who had 18 in 2002, and padded his freshman ACC yardage record.
"Yardage, touchdowns, ACC teams — none of that really mattered to me," he said. "You can be the best person on the field but if your team isn't winning, it does not mean anything."
Boykin's touchdown sent Cavaliers fans heading for the exits, turning the largest crowd of the season at Scott Stadium — 58,555 — into a vitual Hokies home game at its rival's stadium.
Much of what the Hokies were able to do on offense, though, was set up by the passing game. Tyrod Taylor completed on 8 of 15 passes for 185 yards, with completions of 41, 36 and 38 yards in the first half, all against cornerback Ras-I Dowling, an all-ACC candidate.
"We tried to take advantage of (Dowling's) aggressiveness," said Danny Coale, who had six catches for 135 yards. "He is a great corner, he has a long reach and he competes. We just wanted to go right at him with everything we did and hit him right on."
Despite the defensive breakdowns, the Cavaliers trailed just 14-13 at the half and it was still that way until Simpson failed to handle the option pitch from Sewell at his 25.
Sewell finished with a career-best 104 yards rushing, but that was the bulk of Virginia's 118th-ranked offense as they were outgained 483-295 and turned the ball over twice.
-- Hank Kurz Jr.
Garcia, defense help Gamecocks top No. 15 Clemson
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier still has a few of those Heisman Trophy moves.
Gamecocks captain Moe Brown and fellow senior Garrett Anderson chased an elusive Spurrier, the 1966 Heisman winner at Florida, with a water bucket and eventually doused their coach after beating rival No. 15 Clemson 34-17 Saturday.
Spurrier's rule is save such showers for championships. Even the head ball coach had to smile when Brown pointed out the Gamecocks won the Palmetto State title.
"I figured I only got one game left, he can't be too mad at me," Brown said. "We said we won the state championship and he gave me a hug."
"That was a big win," Brown said. "We needed it."
Besides short-circuiting another late-season swoon, the Gamecocks (7-5) most likely earned a bid to one of the Southeastern Conference's mid-tier bowls like the Music City or Chick-fil-A.
"It was a wonderful win," Spurrier said.
And it came mostly because South Carolina's defense slowed a Tigers attack that had averaged more than 40 points and 415 yards during its six-game win streak.
Clemson's run brought it an ACC Atlantic Division crown and a spot in next week's league title game against Georgia Tech. The Tigers (8-4) had few answers for South Carolina's rested and raring-to-go defenders.
Clemson star C.J. Spiller had his NCAA record-setting seventh career kickoff return touchdown to start the game. He managed only 18 yards on the ground after that.
Spiller battled an illness throughout, saying he felt sick to his stomach. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Spiller "tweaked" his groin but should be fine by next week.
By the end, backups Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper did most of the backfield work.
"It's better for another guy to be out there than for me to be out there not giving it my all," Spiller said.
Stephen Garcia threw three touchdown passes as South Carolina put a temporary halt to Clemson's series dominance.
Clemson had won two straight, six out of seven and 10 of 12 against the Gamecocks, who had only one victory over the Tigers in the last 10 games at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Clemson had just 260 yards of offense. Spiller finished with 18 yards rushing and 19 receiving.
South Carolina fans chanted "S-E-C" as the outcome became clear.
The Tigers head into next week's championship with several questions to answer. No. 1 among them: What happened to the offense?
Swinney says the team will respond with character and hard work.
"Our next goal is to try and win the ACC," Swinney said. "We will turn the page."
After Spiller struck for his 88-yard kickoff return just 20 seconds in — it was his fourth such score this season — the orange-clad fans among the 80,574 in the stands had little reason to doubt it'd be another day to celebrate.
But the Tigers had only 138 yards through three quarters.
There were interceptions, fumbles and penalties galore that helped South Carolina score 17 points in the opening half, more than it had in any of its last five games.
"We were moving the ball down the field and moving on their defense and then we would kill ourselves," Clemson tight end Michael Palmer said.
South Carolina made the Tigers pay.
Jamie Harper's fumble turned into a 1-yard touchdown run by Brian Maddox to tie things.
Kyle Parker's first interception in three games followed on Clemson's next drive, with freshman DeVonte Holloman returning it 54 yards to the Tigers 11. Garcia connected with tight end Weslye Saunders for the go-ahead score from 9 yards out.
If you needed proof this was the Gamecocks' day, it came a series later.
Ricky Sapp had a roughing penalty on a punt to keep another Gamecocks drive going. That one ended with Spencer Lanning clanging a 47-yard field goal off the right upright.
Garcia clinched things in the third quarter with a 14-yard touchdown throw to a wide-open Tori Gurley.
Spiller fumbled on the Tigers' first possession of the second half, and Clemson got just one first down its next three series.
The victory ended what looked like another late-season swoon in Spurrier's fifth year as Gamecocks coach.
In 2007, South Carolina opened 6-1 and lost its last five. A year ago, a 7-3 start was ruined by three straight defeats down the stretch.
The Gamecocks were 6-2 a month ago after beating Vanderbilt 14-10. Losses to Tennessee, Arkansas and top-ranked Florida had Spurrier fielding uncomfortable questions about playcalling and his future.
Spurrier, testily at times, preached patience and reminded critics his team's best days were down the road. That showed against the Tigers.
Hollomon's game-changing interception was the first of his career. Defensive back Stephon Gilmore, Holloman's teammate at South Pointe High last fall, was used successfully in a wildcat look that set up Maddox's tying touchdown.
Senior linebacker Eric Norwood reminded everyone how important it is to beat your rival.
"It feels good," Norwood said, smiling. "It feels like we're 10-0."
-- Pete Iacobelli
LSU survives Arkansas comeback bid, 33-30 in OT
BATON ROUGE, La. — Les Miles trotted to the edge of the boisterous student section at Tiger Stadium, pumping his fist in triumph.
LSU's embattled coach was one week removed and a world away from the Tigers' late-game debacle at Mississippi.
The Tigers calmly drove 41 yards in 1:08 to set up Josh Jasper's game-tying 41-yard field goal with 4 seconds left in regulation, then the kicker made a 36-yarder in overtime to lift No. 17 LSU to a 33-30 victory over Arkansas on Saturday night.
"We worked that situation a couple of times this week in practice and even in walkthroughs this morning," said LSU tight end Richard Dickson, who had an 11-yard catch on the game-tying drive. "I'm not saying you ever want to be in that situation again, but we were not going to make the same mistake twice."
Alex Tejada missed a 36-yard field goal that could have forced a second OT. Arkansas (7-5, 3-5 Southeastern Conference) fell short in a remarkable comeback bid, highlighted by Ryan Mallet's fourth-down touchdown pass to Joe Adams with 1:18 left, which gave the Razorbacks a short-lived 30-27 lead.
Jordan Jefferson threw for touchdown passes of 16 yards to Brandon LaFell and 15 yards to Deangelo Peterson, and Trindon Holliday had an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown for LSU (9-3, 5-3), which could sneak into a New Year's Day bowl game because of Mississippi's loss earlier Saturday.
"I'm looking forward to the opportunity at a 10th victory at a bowl game of our team's liking," Miles said.
LSU stormed the field after Tejada's field goal sailed wide, celebrating their victory in the battle for "The Golden Boot" with Miles, who'd been under fire from fans since the Tigers' loss at Ole Miss the previous weekend.
LSU botched the end of that game with poor clock management and play-calling. Against Arkansas, Jefferson and the Tigers looked like old pros in the 2-minute drill.
"I'm proud of this team," Miles said. "In an area where there's a swirling backdrop and agendas, it didn't bother them. They got the distraction behind them and they came out and played as a team. I'm very proud of them. I'm proud of this coaching staff."
A week earlier, LSU recovered an onside kick and advanced to Mississippi's 32, but moved backward on a sack and a screen pass, then completed a long pass to the Rebels' 5, only to run out of time. Miles was berated by fans even on his own call-in show a couple days later.
"I've got thick skin," Miles said. "I know what I did and how I did it and more importantly I understand how the corrections were made. ... My professional life is good and in turn my personal life is good. My wife loves me no matter what, so I think I will be OK."
Against the Hogs, LSU marched from its own 36 with one timeout to set up Jasper's tying field goal. Jefferson moved his team efficiently, completing four short passes, the last an 8-yarder to Stevan Ridley, who got out of bounds at the Arkansas 23 with 9 seconds left. Then it was up to Jasper.
"I know what it meant for this team and in particular these seniors," LSU's junior kicker said. "You wanted to send these seniors out with a win in their last game in Tiger Stadium. I knew once I made that kick that we were going to win the game."
Some could argue the Golden Boot, a cumbersome and heavy trophy in the shape of the states of Arkansas and Louisiana, is a bit unsightly. The games to decide who gets it have been thrilling in recent years.
Last season, Arkansas scored a touchdown with 21 seconds left to win 31-30. In 2007, Arkansas won 50-48 in triple overtime, needing a fourth-and-10 conversion to extend that game past the first OT.
This year, it was LSU's turn to pull it out amid the adversity stemming from the previous weekend's loss.
Jefferson finished 17 of 25 for 179 yards and one interception. LaFell had four catches for 70 yards. Missing its top two running backs in Charles Scott (collarbone) and Keiland Williams (ankle), LSU rushed for 147 yards, led by Holliday's 57. Jasper made two 47-yard field goals in regulation.
Mallett was 17 of 39 for 227 yards and was intercepted once. Greg Childs caught five passes for 124 yards.
"We certainly did a nice job of making adjustments at halftime, coming out and competing hard," Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. "We got in position where we had the chance to win the game. Unfortunately, we didn't get it done."
Arkansas' final drive was loaded with heavy hits. Several plays before Adams scored the go-ahead TD, his helmet was knocked off by Chad Jones at the goal line. A flag for helmet-to-helmet contact came in several seconds later, inciting a storm of boos from the crowd.
Although LSU's defense could not protect the lead on that drive, it stepped up in overtime, completing a solid performance against an offense that came in averaging 445.2 yards and 38 points.
Arkansas finished with 375 yards, most of it coming in the second half as the Razorbacks gradually erased a 17-6 deficit with scoring runs of 13 yards Ronnie Wingo Jr. and 8 yards Broderick Green, and Tejada's third field goal of the game.
"We started too slow on offense," Mallett said. "I take full responsibility for that. We can't start like that against a decent team."
-- Brett Martel
Hall throws TD in OT, BYU beats Utah 26-23
PROVO, Utah — Max Hall wanted to be clear: He really, really doesn't like Utah.
The BYU quarterback burned his in-state rivals with a touchdown pass in overtime, then blasted them with some scathing comments after the 18th-ranked Cougars' 26-23 win over the No. 22 Utes.
Hall redeemed himself from a year ago, when Utah intercepted him five times in a 48-24 blowout in Salt Lake City. Hall said Saturday he was still upset with the way his family was treated by Utes fans.
"I don't like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, their fans. I hate everything," Hall said. "It felt really good to send those guys home."
Hall's blunt remarks will probably get a reprimand from the Mountain West Conference, but he didn't seem too concerned. The Cougars (10-2, 7-1) beat the Utes (9-3, 6-2) for the third time in four years, and it was the last regular-season game of the senior's career.
"I think the whole university and their fans and the organization is classless," Hall said. "They threw beer on my family and stuff last year and did a whole bunch of nasty things. I don't respect them and they deserved to lose."
Hall threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Andrew George in overtime, setting off a long celebration that covered the field with blue-clad, screaming fans.
Instead of a high-powered shootout between potent offenses, the defenses dominated this one. Utah held BYU to just 120 yards in the second half, but the Cougars kept the Utes to just 298 total for the whole game.
"For it to come down to an overtime play was just a perfect scenario for a big college rivalry," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said.
Hall found George open for a quick dump-off over the middle and George had nobody between him and the goal line, hugging the ball with both hands as he went for the winning score.
George's teammates piled onto him, then the Cougars' fans stormed down from the stands.
"I couldn't breathe. My shoulder was like up by my head, but it's awesome," George said. "If that's what happens when you catch a game-winning TD, I'll take it."
The game was decided by a touchdown or less for the 11th time in 13 meetings.
Joe Phillips kicked five field goals for Utah, including a 40-yarder with 29 seconds left that forced the overtime. The Utes had the first possession of OT and had to settle for another kick by Phillips.
"I was proud of Joe Phillips for converting five field goals, but therein lied our problem because we were kicking field goals instead of scoring touchdowns," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.
Utah's 23-20 lead was short-lived, though. After an illegal procedure penalty forced the Cougars back to the 25 with second-and-10, Hall found George for the easiest touchdown of the game.
The Utes may have been looking for Dennis Pitta, who caught two passes to break Austin Collie's school record of 215 career receptions, because they certainly were not focused on George.
"We're pretty down right here. I have to see how it lasts," Utah linebacker Stevenson Sylvester said. "It's one thing about a game during the season. You have a chance to even it out on Saturday. This is the end of the (regular) season so we've got a couple of weeks to have this loss linger."
Hall finished 12 of 32 for 134 yards and Harvey Unga ran for 116 yards and a touchdown for the Cougars, who finished in second place in the Mountain West Conference.
"We struggled in the second half to get stuff going on, but bottom line we made the play that we needed to win the game," Hall said. "What better guy than Andrew to make it."
Eddie Wide topped 1,000 yards rushing for the season with 114 yards and a score for the Utes, who scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to tie it.
Jordan Wynn, making his first start in the rivalry, was 21 for 41 for 198 yards with one interception.
The Utes were going nowhere in the second half until Shaky Smithson sprung a 40-yard punt return to the BYU 37. The Utes survived a close call during the drive when Aiona Key fumbled after making a catch, but the play was whistled dead because Key's helmet was knocked off before he lost the ball.
That kept the drive alive at fourth-and-4, and Wynn went right back to Key, who held on to the ball and his helmet this time for a first down. Wide broke loose up the middle to the 3-yard line then scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 7:16 left. Wynn completed a pass to David Reed for the 2-point conversion to get Utah within 20-17.
-- Doug Alden
James, Harris lift No. 19 Miami past USF, 31-10
TAMPA, Fla. — Jacory Harris picked his receiver, let a spiral fly into the end zone and cringed when someone he wasn't expecting came down with the football.
Fortunately for him, it was a teammate.
Harris' 33-yard touchdown pass to Dedrick Epps — who wasn't the intended receiver — late in the third quarter swung momentum back Miami's way, and the 19th-ranked Hurricanes closed their regular season with a 31-10 win Saturday over South Florida.
"A fluke play," Harris said. "A little bit of miscommunication. ... He caught the touchdown. That's all that counts."
Harris threw for 161 yards and two scores, and Javarris James rushed for two short touchdowns as the Hurricanes ran out to a quick 21-3 lead. Miami (9-3) used a strong ground game to outgain the Bulls 401-220, even with left tackle Jason Fox out of the lineup because of illness.
Damien Berry rushed for 114 yards, Graig Cooper added 83 more and the Hurricanes capped their first nine-win regular season since 2005. They'll try for their first 10-win season since 2003 in the bowl game — destination undetermined but surely helped by Saturday's showing.
"We finished strong," Miami coach Randy Shannon said. "That tells you about this team. If we get everybody on the right cylinders and doing all the right things, we're going to be fine. I'm very proud of this football team, this coaching staff and what we've done this year. We've still got another game to go and we still have things we need to accomplish."
A.J. Love caught a 12-yard touchdown pass for South Florida (7-4), which closes its regular season at Connecticut next Saturday. The Bulls fell to 7-28 when allowing at least 31 points.
"They're just a better football team and they showed it," said USF coach Jim Leavitt, whose team beat Florida State earlier this season. "Our day will come."
The schools were meeting for just the second time, with plans calling for the teams to play in late November annually until 2013, by which time another true Sunshine State rivalry could be born.
It's not there yet, and to the chagrin of 66,469 — the second-most in South Florida history — Miami wasted no time pointing that out.
"I think they tried to make it a big deal, the in-state rivalry with USF," Miami linebacker Colin McCarthy said. "I think we made a statement tonight. And we're going to make another statement in the bowl game and carry it on to next season."
A 12-play, 81-yard drive on the opening series set the tone, fueled by a gutsy call and Berry's 6-yard run on 4th-and-1 from the USF 17. On the very next play, Leonard Hankerson made a juggling catch in the right side of the end zone, and the Hurricanes were on their way.
Darryl Sharpton forced USF quarterback B.J. Daniels into a fumble later in the opening quarter, Randy Phillips recovered and James went in from 5 yards out three plays later for a 14-0 lead. Midway through the second quarter, James struck again, a 2-yard scoring burst to wrap up a 10-play, 61-yard drive and put Miami up 21-3.
"They weren't that much better than us," USF defensive lineman Jason Pierre-Paul said. "It's just we didn't execute. And I'll give it to them, they beat us up front."
Eventually, South Florida's defense stopped making things easy for Miami.
The Hurricanes ran 36 plays for 233 yards on their first four drives, with three touchdowns. Their next four drives went three-and-out every time, netting a total of 8 yards, with Harris — already nursing a tender thumb on his throwing hand — getting his arm jolted on the last of those possessions.
Daniels hit Love on third-and-goal from the 12 to make it 21-10, and Miami seemed in trouble.
That is, until Harris engineered Miami's sixth touchdown drive of two plays or less this season.
Berry ran for 18 yards on the first play and Harris did the rest. He was trying to throw to Travis Benjamin, but Epps ran a post route that Harris wasn't expecting and simply beat his teammate to the ball for the score.
Now, the only thing left to do is hear which bowl comes calling.
"We deserve a big bowl game," Harris said. "We play hard. We work hard. Our fans are going to travel. We deserve it."
-- Tim Reynolds
Relf, Dixon lead Miss. St. pass Ole Miss 41-27
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Coaches always say they take one game at a time, but the clock in Mississippi State's locker room tells a different story.
That timepiece had been counting down to the Egg Bowl matchup against No. 20 Mississippi since first-year coach Dan Mullen took over last winter, and when it hit zero the Bulldogs put on quite the show.
Anthony Dixon rushed for 133 yards and set the school single-season rushing mark, Chris Relf rushed for 131 yards and accounted for three touchdowns and the Bulldogs manhandled the Rebels 41-27 on Saturday.
"This program is on the rise," Mullen said, "maybe to the contrary of what some others are saying around the state."
It was the most points scored by the Bulldogs (5-7, 3-5 SEC) in the 106-year-old series since a 41-14 victory in 1917, and the most Ole Miss (8-4, 4-4) has given up this season.
The Egg Bowl was supposed to be a victory lap for the Rebels, who appeared on their way to their second straight nine-win season for the first time since 1961-62, second place in the SEC West and a balmy bowl appearance somewhere in central Florida.
Dixon and Relf had other plans, pushing Mississippi State to more than four wins for just the second time since 2000 by accounting for 64 percent of the offense. The Bulldogs treated the regular-season finale like a bowl and made the home team winners for the 10th time in 11 games.
"In a rivalry game like this, for those 3 hours you've got to want it," Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said.
And it was clear in the second half once Relf and Dixon got rolling that Mississippi State wanted it more.
Relf has been Tyson Lee's backup and shared playing time all season, but was often given the short hook after mistakes. This time he played most of the second half and dominated Ole Miss with 131 yards rushing, averaging 10 yards per carry on his first 10 and 8.7 overall.
The run specialist also stung the Rebels with touchdown passes of 2 and 34 yards, rallying the Bulldogs from a 13-10 halftime deficit.
The second scoring pass — a 34-yard lob to Chad Bumphis, who broke three tackles on the play — came on fourth and 9. He also mined the edge of the Ole Miss defensive front on the option for several big runs, clinching the game with a 10-yard power rush with 10:56 left.
"Chris got it rolling and got a feel for what was going on and we were able to run the football," Mullen said. "I think they had 11 guys on the line of scrimmage and we were able to run the football."
Mississippi State's defense set the tone early, stopping Ole Miss short of the goal-line and forcing two field goals in the first half. The young Bulldogs secondary finished off the job in the second half when Corey Broomfield returned an interception 64 yards for a touchdown and Charles Mitchell picked off his second pass of the game.
The Rebels' only success came on long pass plays for touchdowns — 20 yards to Shay Hodge, who became the first receiver at Ole Miss with 1,000 yards in a season (1,023), 48 yards to Markeith Summers and 52 yards to Dexter McCluster.
The Bulldogs mostly held McCluster in check, allowing just 82 yards rushing to snap a four-game streak of 100-plus against SEC opponents. And though Jevan Snead finished with 275 yards passing, the three interceptions were costly.
The Bulldogs carried the golden egg-shaped trophy given to the winner to the end zone and celebrated with fans after the victory, dancing as a group to "Who Let the Dogs Out."
Ole Miss, on the other hand, got out of Starkville as quickly as possible. The buses pulled away from the stadium a half hour after Mullen saluted the crowd over the public address system.
"It is a sick feeling," Nutt said. "It is not what we planned."
Dixon finished the season with 1,391 yards in 11 games, eight more than James Johnson's 1998 record set over 13 games, and now owns every significant rushing record at Mississippi State.
His dive to catch the pylon for a 2-yard score got the Bulldogs offense rolling and set the tone for a running game that couldn't be stopped. Mississippi State had 317 of its 412 total yards on the ground.
"I had a lot of fun," Dixon said. "We beat our rival. I knew a bunch of them dudes on the other side. We were talking back and forth the whole game."
-- Chris Talbott
NC State beats No. 23 North Carolina (again) 28-27
RALEIGH, N.C. — Even in a season gone awry, Russell Wilson and North Carolina State still know how to beat North Carolina.
Wilson threw four touchdown passes and Alan-Michael Cash blocked a field goal attempt with about 5 minutes left to help the Wolfpack rally past the 23rd-ranked Tar Heels 28-27 on Saturday, ending a bowl-less season in the jubilant style that only a win against a nationally ranked rival can bring.
Wilson connected twice with Owen Spencer for scores, including the go-ahead 38-yard touchdown two plays into the fourth quarter that gave the Wolfpack (5-7, 2-6 ACC) a third straight win against their next-door neighbors and fiercest football rivals. All three have come since Tom O'Brien took over shortly after the Tar Heels (8-4, 4-4) made their big splash by luring former Miami and NFL coach Butch Davis to Chapel Hill in late 2006.
"It means a tremendous amount to this program," O'Brien said. "They're going to ask how (their) senior year was, and they're going to say, 'We beat Carolina.' And that'll sum up their year."
That should offer some solace to a program that expected it could contend for an ACC division title only to see everything go wrong. The defense was terrible all year, allowing 30 or more points in seven straight games to undermine an offense that returned an all-ACC quarterback in Wilson and averaged about 31 points.
Much of those troubles began with injuries, starting with losing top linebacker Nate Irving for the season after he was injured in an offseason car wreck. Another 11 players went down with season-ending injuries.
"Thank God it's over," O'Brien said. "I mean, I don't think we could go play in a bowl game if we had to."
While playing North Carolina in a de facto bowl game was incentive enough, the Wolfpack also had the motivation of playing for offensive coordinator Dana Bible. The team learned earlier this week that Bible, who was not with the team for its final two games, had been diagnosed with leukemia and would be hospitalized for treatment for a month.
Bible was clearly on Wilson's mind afterward. He chucked the football into the stands in celebration, then remembered he wanted to send it to Bible. So team staffers sought out the fan who had the ball and got it back, though O'Brien said he planned to send the fan another ball to replace it.
Wilson said he had spoken with Bible as recently as Friday.
"I felt it right here in my heart for him," Wilson said. "He told me to persevere, he told me to keep my mind in the right spot, to play the game how I know to play the game."
Wilson completed 20 of 27 passes for 259 yards, including a 25-yard pass to Spencer on third down with about 3 minutes left that moved the chains and allowed the Wolfpack to work on the clock while the Tar Heels — who burned their final timeout with 3:16 left — could do nothing to stop them.
North Carolina finally got the ball back at its 28-yard line after a fourth-down stop with 23 seconds left. T.J. Yates forced a pass to Erik Highsmith, and the throw went high and into the arms of Clem Johnson to seal the win.
Yates threw two touchdown passes to Jheranie Boyd for the Tar Heels, including a 70-yarder in the final minute of the first half, while Johnny White scored on a 40-yard run that helped North Carolina take a 24-14 halftime lead.
But the Tar Heels repeatedly cost themselves with penalties and a goal-line fumble by White that wiped out what should have been a first-quarter TD run.
In fact, the Tar Heels had two penalties after driving inside the 10 — one holding, one personal foul — that forced them to settle for field goals. Then there was a second-quarter touchdown drive by the Wolfpack in which North Carolina's defense was flagged twice for pass interference and once for roughing.
North Carolina was penalized 10 times for 122 yards in the game.
"It's very disappointing," Davis said. "We didn't play very smart today."
Wilson put N.C. State on top by lofting a pass over the middle to Spencer, who sprinted away from defender Da'Norris Searcy for the 28-27 lead with 14:31 to play. Then the Wolfpack's much-maligned defense earned its biggest stop of the game, stringing out an end-around from Boyd for a 12-yard loss that forced the Tar Heels into a 38-yard field goal attempt for the lead. Cash blocked the low kick with 4:44 to play.
"They just did a good job of stealing the momentum," North Carolina safety Deunta Williams said.
-- Aaron Beard
USC's D, Bradford lead Trojans past UCLA
LOS ANGELES — When Matt Barkley kneeled down to end Southern California's victory in the final minute, UCLA defiantly stopped the clock with a timeout.
So the Trojans let 'er rip, throwing a long touchdown pass and then celebrating it with a taunting ferocity that brought the Bruins onto the field on the verge of a brawl.
The last 90 seconds of Los Angeles' 79th crosstown showdown had more action than the first 58½ minutes, even if it was just a few extra fireworks at the close of No. 24 USC's workmanlike 28-7 victory Saturday night.
Malcolm Smith returned one of USC's three interceptions 62 yards for an early touchdown for the Trojans (8-3, 5-3 Pac-10), who regained their defensive pride while maintaining their city dominance.
Yet those in the non-sellout Coliseum crowd who left early missed most of the good stuff in an otherwise lusterless game between two opponents in brightly colored home jerseys.
"You're either competing or you're not," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "We've been saying it for years. We've been living it for years. If you really believe in competing, if you really do, you'll understand it."
When the Bruins stopped USC's attempt to run out the clock, offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates dialed up a play-action pass with Carroll's eager approval. Barkley's 48-yard throw down the middle to Damian Williams with 44 seconds left led to an ebullient USC celebration that nearly set off an all-out fight.
"No, we weren't going to fight — but I put my helmet on and my mouthpiece in, just in case," Barkley said, grinning.
The Trojans jumped, yelled and gestured on their sideline before moving onto the field in unison in a teamwide taunt of the Bruins (6-6, 3-6), who then came across midfield to challenge them before coaches and officials kept them apart.
"They were excited, they were taunting, and we wanted to let them know we weren't going anywhere," UCLA linebacker Reggie Carter said. "I don't take offense. If we were winning, I would have done the exact same thing. I still shook hands with everybody on that team."
Incredibly, no penalties were called for the faceoff, although UCLA got two personal fouls for in-game infractions in the final seconds. UCLA's coaches herded most of their players to the locker room without the customary postgame handshakes.
Both Carroll and UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel didn't see the final touchdown as a pile-it-on score, noting the Trojans were only ahead by 14 points and had tried to run out the clock.
"Our job is to cover, and they have every right to throw deep," Neuheisel said. "People can make their own conclusions. Our job is to stop the play. ... I don't blame them for doing it."
Allen Bradford ran for 62 yards and two TDs, including a score with 1:30 to play, as the Trojans rebounded splendidly from the worst defensive performance in USC history.
USC has won three straight over UCLA — allowing just 21 total points — since the Trojans' 13-9 loss to UCLA in 2006. But the long-mighty Trojans staggered into the Coliseum with two blowout losses in their last three games and their lowest ranking since 2001.
The Trojans gave up 47 points to Oregon and a school-record 55 to Stanford in the past three games, but UCLA barely threatened to score until the final minutes. USC constantly rattled UCLA freshman quarterback Kevin Prince, and Will Harris' interception set up Bradford's first TD run early in the second half.
USC limited the Bruins to 180 yards and no points in the first three quarters, more than making up for the Trojans' unabated offensive struggles under Barkley, who passed for 206 yards in his first crosstown game. USC also lost starting tailback Joe McKnight on the first drive of the second half to a thigh injury.
"You come here knowing how big this rivalry is, and how much it means to everybody in this city," Barkley said. "I'm going to remember this one."
The Bruins barely moved until senior quarterback Kevin Craft relieved Prince, who sprained his right shoulder, in the second half. Fullback Chane Moline scored their only TD on a 2-yard direct snap with 5:41 to play.
But Barkley then made perhaps his best throw, hitting Ronald Johnson with a 20-yard pass on third down with less than 2½ minutes to play. Bradford rumbled 21 yards to the UCLA 2 on the next play before scoring.
USC then took over on downs near midfield with 54 seconds left, sealing the Trojans' 10th win in the last 11 meetings — and setting up those late shenanigans.
Craft passed for 98 yards and Prince had 90 for the Bruins, whose three-game winning streak ended. The Bruins are bowl-eligible, but they're the seventh-place team in a strong conference with just six automatic bowl affiliations.
Both teams marched into the Coliseum wearing their home jerseys, a long-dormant tradition revived last season by USC at the Rose Bowl. UCLA even went a step further with the powder-blue 1967 throwback jerseys that the Bruins first wore in a win over Washington three weeks earlier to snap a five-game skid.
But all the color was in the uniforms, not the dull play. USC led 7-0 after a 10-punt first half, the rivalry's lowest-scoring first half in 33 years.
Prince made the half's biggest mistake when he lost sight of Smith, throwing a short slant pass right into the USC linebacker's numbers in the first quarter. Smith outran Prince down the UCLA sideline, showing off the speed he shares with his brother, former Trojans receiver Steve Smith.
-- Greg Beacham
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