Buckeyes in good shape for title run

The toughest part of Ohio State’s schedule is behind the Buckeyes.

Troy Smith and Co. handled it with ease in Iowa City, Iowa, Saturday night.

Smith threw for 186 yards and four touchdowns and No. 1 Ohio State picked up its second road win over a ranked opponent by manhandling No. 13 Iowa 38-17.

The Buckeyes (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) faced three ranked teams in September – Texas, Penn State and the Hawkeyes – and beat them all by at least 17 points. Ohio State, which extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 12 games, won’t face another team currently ranked until their season finale against Michigan Nov. 18.

Iowa (4-1, 1-1) fell to 0-10-1 against No. 1 teams.

Ohio State broke open a 21-10 game with long scoring drives on its first two possessions of the second half. Anthony Gonzalez gave the Buckeyes an 18-point lead by weaving through traffic for a spectacular 30-yard TD grab, and Aaron Pettrey capped a 14-play drive with a 36-yard field goal that gave Ohio State a 31-10 lead.

The Hawkeyes pulled within 31-17 in the fourth quarter on a 4-yard TD pass from Drew Tate on fourth down. But Ohio State forced a fumble and two interceptions on Iowa’s next three possessions. Smith put Iowa’s comeback hopes to rest with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Brian Robiskie.

(5) Florida 28, Alabama 13: At Gainesville, Fla., Ryan Smith had two interceptions, Reggie Nelson returned another pick for a touchdown and the Gators (5-0, 3-0 SEC) beat the Crimson Tide (3-2, 1-2) to avenge last season’s most embarrassing loss. Chris Leak threw two touchdowns for the Gators in the win. Florida overcame a 10-7 halftime deficit to beat Alabama for just the second time in nine tries in Gainesville, extending its home winning streak to 12 games. The Crimson Tide has lost two straight. The Gators, meanwhile, are 3-0 in the SEC for the first time since Steve Spurrier’s final season in 2001.

(6) Michigan 28, Minnesota 14: At Minneapolis, Chad Henne got the sixth-ranked Wolverines (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) off to a fast start with three touchdown passes in the first half in the win over the Gophers (2-3, 0-2).

Henne was 17 for 24 for 284 yards and Mike Hart rushed for 195 yards – 54 on his final carry of the game – for the Wolverines, who looked like they would blow the game open early but let the Gophers hang around with a sluggish performance in the second half.

Bryan Cupito threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns to Logan Payne for the Gophers in the loss.

(7) Texas 56, Sam Houston State 3: At Austin, Texas, Henry Melton ran for two touchdowns, Colt McCoy passed for two more and the Longhorns (4-1) emptied their bench and still piled up the points on the Division I-AA Bearkats (2-2).

Texas scored more than 50 points for the third time this season in what amounted to little more than a scrimmage the week before the annual showdown with Big 12 rival Oklahoma. McCoy was 13 of 15 passing for 178 yards as the Longhorns took a 42-0 halftime lead.

(9) LSU 48, Mississippi State 17: At Baton Rouge, La., not even a thunderstorm could help the Bulldogs slow down JaMarcus Russell and the Tigers offense.

Russell threw for a career-best 330 yards and matched a school record with 14 consecutive completions as the Tigers (4-1, 1-1 SEC) beat the Bulldogs (1-4, 0-3) in a game delayed when lightning sent spectators scurrying for cover. After the storm passed, the junior quarterback returned and ended up completing 18 of 20 passes, including three for touchdowns.

(10) Georgia 14, Mississippi 9: At Oxford, Miss., Gregg Lumpkin ran for 101 yards and Matthew Stafford directed two second-half touchdown drives as the Bulldogs (5-0, 2-0 SEC) beat the Rebels (1-4, 0-2).

Neither Stafford nor starter Joe Cox, both freshmen, had much of an impact on the Rebels. But good field position and a strong second-half performance by Lumpkin helped the Bulldogs come from behind to win for the second straight week.

Fullback Brannan Southerland had two 1-yard touchdowns in the win.

(12) Notre Dame 35, Purdue 21: At South Bend, Ind., Brady Quinn, Darius Walker and the Notre Dame offense were at their best against one of the nation’s worst defenses.

Quinn picked apart the Boilermakers (4-1), completing 24 of his first 28 passes to help the Irish (4-1) build a three-touchdown lead on their way to a victory.

Quinn finished 29 for 38 for 316 yards against the Boilermakers, who entered the game with the fifth-worst pass defense in the country. The Irish, who entered the game with the nation’s 12th-worst rushing offense, got 146 yards on 36 carries from Walker.

(15) Tennessee 41, Memphis 7: At Memphis, Tenn., Erik Ainge completed 23 of 27 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns as the Volunteers (4-1) beat the Tigers (3-1). Jason Swain caught two touchdown passes for the Volunteers and Ainge also threw an 84-yarder to Robert Meachem. LaMarcus Coker added 125 yards on 26 carries in his first start for the Volunteers.

(21) Nebraska 39, Kansas 32 (OT): At Lincoln, Neb., Cody Glenn scored from 1 yard out in the first overtime and the Cornhuskers (4-1, 1-0 Big 12), who blew a 17-point lead, held the Jayhawks (3-2, 0-1) out of the end zone for the victory.

It was Nebraska’s 19th straight win over Kansas in Lincoln since 1968, and payback for last season’s 40-15 Jayhawks victory. Zac Taylor completed 15 of 33 passes for 395 yards for the Cornhuskers.

(25) Missouri 28, Colorado 13: At Columbia, Mo., Chase Daniel’s threw four touchdown passes to lead the Tigers to a victory over the Buffaloes, giving the Tigers their first 5-0 start since 1981.

The Buffaloes (0-5, 0-1 Big 12), meanwhile, have lost nine straight – their longest losing streak since a 10-game slide during the 1963 and 1964 seasons.