Quick Kicks
Payton watch
It’s too early to talk Heisman, so let’s take a look at a couple of Division I-AA stars bidding for the Payton Award. Adrian Peterson, Georgia Southern: The reigning Payton Award winner extended his streak of consecutive 100-yard rushing games to 31 in a 29-7 loss to No. 10 Georgia. He gained 152 yards on 27 carries to become the school’s career leading rusher with 3,891 yards, breaking Joe Ross’ mark of 3,876.
Ryan Westbrook, Villanova: Some touted the talented multi-dimensional player for the Wildcats as a Heisman candidate last year before an injury stopped an already disappointing season. He returned Saturday in the Wildcats’ loss to Rutgers. His stats were respectable: 46 yards rushing and 93 yards receiving, including one touchdown.
Nebraska goes .com
It wasn’t on television, so thousands of Nebraska football fans hit the Internet to watch the San Jose State game. The FOXSports.com webcast was the first college or pro football game ever produced and shown on a Web site directly linked to a major TV network.
Elements of surprise
As many as 300 people were treated for heat exposure during No. 1 Nebraska’s 49-14 victory over San Jose State, when temperatures in the stands reached 100 degrees. … No. 19 Oklahoma beat Texas-El Paso 55-14 in 106-degree weather, the hottest home game in Sooner history… . No. 8 Kansas State picked on Louisiana Tech 54-10 on a day when temperatures reached 127 degrees on the field.
And the heat wasn’t the worst culprit Saturday.
Lightning strikes outside Three Rivers Stadium and a brief cloudburst caused the first half of the Kent State-Pittsburgh game to be delayed twice for a total of 1 hour, 2 minutes.
The Kentucky-Lousville game was suspended for more than an hour Saturday night when a severe thunderstorm flashed lightning and dumped heavy rain on Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Ky.
Firefighters squeeze in
The University of Montana’s season-opening football game against Hofstra was sold out, but that didn’t keep the school from squeezing in a few more appreciated fans and breaking an attendance record.
A group of firefighters from Fort Hood, Texas, showed up shortly before game time because rain had made it too slippery to fight the Ninemile fires.
The school had invited a few firefighters to honor for their efforts in battling fires in western Montana.
But when 165 showed up in their green pants and yellow shirts, gate officials weren’t sure what to do.
EVentually, firefighters squeezed into the student section and Montana ended up with 19,248 fans at the game, 10 more than the previous record.
Passing Archie
Romaro Miller threw for 302 yards and three touchdowns and Deuce McAllister scored three touchdowns as No. 18 Mississippi defeated Tulane 49-20. It was Miller’s third career 300-yard game, tying the school record of Archie Manning. McAllister passed Manning in the Ole Miss record book becoming the career leader in touchdowns with 27.
Getting reacquainted
Syracuse’s 63-7 rout of Buffalo was the first meeting between the teams in 101 years and Syracuse’s first victory in five games against the Bulls, who posted three shutouts over the Orangemen in the late 1890s. The teams play again in 2004 in Buffalo.
Sweet success
South Carolina snapped the nation’s longest losing streak by beating New Mexico State 31-0. The Gamecocks had lost 21 straight games since beating Ball State on Sept. 5, 1998.
Milestones
No. 13 Tennessee won its 700th game, 19-16 over No. 22 Southern Mississippi.
Division I-A stars 300 yards passing
Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech: 450 (3TDs)
Mike Bath, Miami (Ohio): 358 (4TDs)
Jason McKinley, Houston: 339 (2TDs)
Matt Newton, Colo. St.: 327 (4TDs)
Mike McMahon, Rutgers: 323 (5TDs)
Drew Brees, Purdue: 317 (3TDs)
Greg Zolman, Vanderbilt: 307
Romaro Miller, Mississippi: 302 (3TDs) 200 yards rushing
Dan Alexander, Nebraska: 208 (2TDs) The double-triple
Michael Vick, Va. Tech: 186 pass, 101 rush
The final word
“Well, if you can’t run the football, you have to throw it. And if you can’t catch it when you throw it, you have some problems.” - Penn State coach Joe Paterno after the Nittany Lions’ 24-6 loss to Toledo.