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Volunteers blow the Hurricanes away

Texas Tech quarterback B.J. Symons, center, loses his helmet as he is stopped at the line of scrimmage by Baylor defenders, including Derrick Cash, left, and Stephen Sepulveda, right, during the second quarter in Waco, Texas, Saturday. Tech's Joey Hawkins is at bottom left. PHOTO: AP

Tennessee knocked Miami out of the national championship picture Saturday for the first time in four years.

The Hurricanes failed to score a touchdown at home for the first time since 1984. It also was the first time since a 47-0 drubbing at Florida State in 1997 that Miami (7-2) failed to scored a touchdown in any game. And they looked bad doing it.

"It was probably the prettiest, ugliest win I've ever had," said Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, who posed for pictures with his family in the Orange Bowl after the game.

Brock Berlin threw two interceptions and fumbled once -- and probably lost his starting job for the rest of the season. The Hurricanes also had 12 penalties for 121 yards, including a key one that helped Tennessee (7-2) score its only touchdown.

"Nobody believed we could win, but in the end we did what we had to to win," said Casey Clausen, who was 11-of-18 passing for 81 yards and improved to 13-1 as a starter on the road.

No. 1 Oklahoma 77, Texas A&M 0

In Norman, Oklahoma, Jason White tied a school record with five touchdown passes and Oklahoma's defense didn't allow a touchdown for a second straight week.

The Sooners (10-0, 6-0 Big 12) exacted a brutal revenge against the team that derailed their national title hopes in a 30-26 upset last season. It was Oklahoma's most lopsided victory since a 77-0 win over Missouri in 1986 and was A&M's worst loss ever.

Oklahoma scored touchdowns on 10 of its first 11 possessions and got its final score of the day when cornerback Derrick Strait scooped up a fumble and returned it 17 yards to the end zone late in the third quarter. The 77 points and 636 yards of offense were both the most in coach Bob Stoops' five years in Norman.

Clemson 26, No. 3 Florida St. 10

In Clemson, South Carolina, Charlie Whitehurst threw for one TD and ran for another and Clemson likely ended Florida State's national title hopes with its first victory ever over a top-three team.

The Tigers (6-4, 4-3 ACC) snapped an 11-game losing streak to the third-ranked Seminoles and gave Tommy Bowden his first win in five tries over his father, Bobby. Fans tore down both goal posts after Clemson's biggest win in years.

Aaron Hunt added four field goals and the Tigers held the Seminoles (8-2, 6-1) to their fewest points of the season and just 11 yards rushing.

No. 25 Pittsburgh 31,
No. 5 Virginia Tech 28

In Pittsburgh, Lousaka Polite finished off a score-or-else 70-yard Pittsburgh drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with 47 seconds remaining, rallying the Panthers past Virginia Tech.

Pitt, beating the Hokies for the third straight season, led 24-14 late in the third quarter, only to fall behind 28-24 as Kevin Jones scored on runs of 80 and 13 yards barely two minutes apart. Jones scored four TDs and ran for a school-record 241 yards.

Pitt quarterback Rod Rutherford, who was 24-for-31 for 303 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a score, directed the winning drive that kept the Panthers (7-2, 4-0) as the only unbeaten team in Big East play.

Virginia Tech (7-2, 3-2) failed to follow up on last week's 31-7 rout of previously unbeaten Miami and dropped out of contention for the national championship.

No. 7 Ohio St. 33,
No. 14 Michigan St. 23

In Columbus, Ohio, Craig Krenzel threw three touchdown passes and Lydell Ross ran for 125 yards for Ohio State.

The Buckeyes (9-1, 5-1 Big Ten) turned the game around on Tyler Everett's second-quarter interception and 66-yard return.

Ohio State moved into a tie for the top spot in the conference heading into season-ending games against Purdue and Michigan.

Jeff Smoker passed for 351 yards for the Spartans (7-3, 4-2), but 265 yards came in the opening half. Smoker was 35-of-55 for two touchdowns with two interceptions.

No. 16 Purdue 27, No. 10 Iowa 14

In West Lafayette, Indiana, Jerod Void ran for a career-high 120 yards and two touchdowns for Purdue.

Purdue (8-2) is 5-1 in Big Ten play for the first time since 1979 and moved into a three-way tie for first with Michigan and Ohio State. Iowa (7-3, 3-3) had its worst regular-season defeat since a 28-point loss to Ohio State on Oct. 21, 2000.

No. 11 Texas 55,
No. 21 Oklahoma St. 16

In Stillwater, Oklahoma, Cedric Benson ran for 180 yards and a touchdown and Roy Williams caught six passes for 162 yards and a score for Texas.

Texas (8-2, 5-1 Big 12) kept its Bowl Champion Series hopes alive with its sixth straight victory over the Cowboys (7-3, 3-3) and its fourth consecutive lopsided win since a 65-13 loss to No. 1 Oklahoma.

Vince Young scored from 23 yards and Benson from the 1 in the third quarter as the Longhorns took control with 27 straight points. Fullback Will Matthews scored his first three touchdowns of the season.

No. 12 Washington St. 31, UCLA 13

In Pullman, Washington, Jonathan Smith ran for three touchdowns to help Washington State move into first place in the Pac-10.

Washington State (8-2, 5-1) broke a three-way tie for first by beating the Bruins (6-4, 4-2). No. 2 Southern California (4-1) is a half-game behind the Cougars, but controls the race after beating Washington State last week.

Smith, who has been hobbled by an ankle injury, scored on runs of 1, 12 and 9 yards. He carried 36 times for 130 yards and caught four passes for 85 yards.

No. 17 Florida 35, Vanderbilt 17

In Gainesville, Florida, Ciatrick Fason scored twice, Keiwan Ratliff returned an interception for a score and Florida kept its surprising Southeastern Conference title hopes alive.

Florida (7-3, 5-2) won its fourth straight game and moved alone into first place in the SEC East, one game ahead of idle Georgia (4-2) in the win column and two in front of Tennessee (3-2).

No. 19 Nebraska 24, Kansas 3

In Lawrence, Kansas, Judd Davies scored two touchdowns and Nebraska took advantage of a rash of penalties to beat Kansas for the 35th consecutive time.

The Huskers (8-2, 4-2 Big 12) have beaten Kansas (5-5, 2-4) every year since 1969, the second strongest streak major colleges to Notre Dame's 40-game streak against Navy.

No. 20 Mississippi 24, Auburn 20

In Auburn, Alabama, Brandon Jacobs had a 1-yard touchdown run with 2:39 left, and Ben Obomanu dropped a pass in the end zone on Auburn's final drive, giving Mississippi the victory Saturday.

The Rebels moved to 6-0 in the Southeastern Conference for the first time since 1962 and remain in position for their first Western Division title.

Colorado 21, No. 22 Missouri 16

In Boulder, Colorado, Joel Klatt threw two touchdown passes and Colorado hung on to end a three-game losing streak.

Colorado (4-6, 2-4 Big 12) built a 21-9 third-quarter lead that Missouri (6-3, 2-3) couldn't overcome, despite outgaining the Buffaloes 447-276. Klatt completed 19 of 25 passes for 187 yards.

No. 23 N. Illinois 40, Buffalo 9

In Amherst, New York, Josh Haldi threw three touchdown passes and Michael Turner ran for 163 yards for Northern Illinois.

P.J. Fleck caught four passes for 142 yards, and Shatone Powers hauled in two TD passes for the Huskies (9-1, 5-1 Mid-American Conference). Buffalo dropped to 1-10 overall and 1-6 in the MAC.

No. 24 Minnesota 37,
Wisconsin 34

In Minneapolis, Rhys Lloyd kicked a 35-yard field goal as time expired to lift Minnesota past Wisconsin.

Marion Barber III had 139 yards rushing and a touchdown, and Laurence Maroney added 135 yards and a score for the Gophers (9-2, 5-2 Big Ten).

Minnesota has succeeded in winning three straight games for its first nine-win season since 1905, when it won 10 games.
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