Dillon At Three And Counting

College football

For the third time this football season, Washington tailback Corey Dillon has been named the Pacific-10 Conference player of the week for offense.

Oregon linebacker Derrick Barnes and Stanford kick returner Troy Walters received the league’s other weekly honors.

Dillon established an NCAA and Pac-10 record for most rushing yards in a quarter in Washington’s 53-10 victory Saturday against San Jose State. Playing in only the first quarter, Dillon rushed 16 times for 222 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught a screen pass and ran 83 yards for another touchdown.

Barnes sparked Oregon’s defense in the team’s 40-23 victory against California. He had nine tackles, including three sacks and forced two fumbles.

Walters returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown to key Stanford’s 33-17 win against Washington State. It was the longest punt return in the Pac-10 this season.

Manning injured, but will play

Peyton Manning’s right knee may be sore but the Tennessee quarterback should be ready to play Saturday against Kentucky, Volunteers coach Phillip Fulmer said after an MRI exam Monday.

“Peyton’s MRI came back with a slight tear of the MCL (medial-collateral ligament) - the same thing they thought,” Fulmer said. “So it will be sore a few days and we’ll just evaluate it as we go.”

UCLA unbeaten?

UCLA wide receiver Jim McElroy shook his head when discussing the ups and downs the Bruins have experienced.

“It’s hard to understand,” McElroy said of the 4-6 Bruins. “We’ve been real good at times, real, real bad at others. There’s just some things that don’t work. We’ve given up a lot of big plays. We’ve been the highlight film for a lot of people.

“No team beat us, we lost games. No disrespect meant, but I feel like we lost those six games, not that we got beat.”

Unbeaten, part 2

One of the UCLA-USC game’s most intriguing matchups Saturday is the Bruins’ McElroy against Trojans cornerback Daylon McCutcheon.

If history has a say, the Bruins are in good shape.

“I’ve never lost to him in four games,” McElroy said. “We played against each other in Pop Warner three times and then last year. When I was in seventh grade, they had the best team and were undefeated, and we won 13-0.

“I’ll let him know I’m 4-0.”