Can you spell BCS?
The BCS is all but busted.
Utah beat rival Brigham Young 52-21 Saturday in Salt Lake City, completing its first unbeaten season since 1930 and putting the Utes one step closer to the first appearance in the Bowl Championship Series for a team from a mid-major conference.
Receiver Steve Savoy ran for two touchdowns and caught a pass for another score to lead the fifth-ranked Utes (11-0, 7-0 Mountain West) and help offset the worst game of the season for Alex Smith. Utah’s Heisman hopeful quarterback threw two interceptions — doubling his season total — and had another in the hands of a BYU defensive back that was dropped.
But Smith had enough help around him to get Utah past the rival Cougars (5-6, 4-3) for the third straight year.
Savoy ran 92 yards for a score in the third quarter that turned the game for good in Utah’s favor. Quinton Ganther ran for 122 yards on 11 carries and Smith completed 16 of 24 for 184 yards and a touchdown.
Next for Utah: End of regular season
(2) Oklahoma 35, Baylor 0
Adrian Peterson ran for 240 yards, including three second-half touchdowns, and the Sooners (11-0, 8-0 Big 12) got the lopsided win they needed for the BCS standings by beating the Bears (3-8, 1-7) in Waco, Texas.
After a slow start, the Sooners (11-0, 8-0 Big 12) scored on four straight possessions. Jason White threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Travis Wilson just before halftime to make it 14-0, and Peterson had short TD runs on the first three drives of the second half.
Next for Oklahoma: Big 12 title game, Dec. 4
(3) Auburn 21, Alabama 13
Jason Campbell passed for 224 yards and Ronnie Brown and Carnell Williams ran for second-half touchdowns, leading the Tigers (11-0, 8-0 SEC) to a win over the Crimson Tide (6-5, 3-5) in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Now the question is will an impressive final 30 minutes be enough to cancel out a 6-0 halftime deficit and lackluster start when this game is figured into the BCS standings?
Next for Auburn: SEC title game, Dec. 4
(8) Louisville 65, Houston 27
Stefan LeFors threw for 317 yards and three TDs and Eric Shelton rushed for three more scores, keeping the Cardinals (8-1, 6-0 CUSA) in the hunt for a BCS berth with a win over the Cougars (3-8, 3-5) in Houston.
The Cardinals scored the final 30 points of the game — in a little more than 10 minutes — to turn a close game into a rout.
Next for Louisville: Cincinnati
(17) Iowa 30, (9) Wisconsin 7
Drew Tate threw three touchdown passes and Iowa’s defense forced four turnovers as the Hawkeyes (9-2, 7-1) beat the Badgers (9-2, 6-2) to claim a share of the Big Ten title.
The Hawkeyes won their second league title in three years, splitting it this time with Michigan. But the Wolverines claim the invitation to the Rose Bowl thanks to their 30-17 victory over Iowa earlier this season.
Next for Wisconsin: End of regular season
Next for Iowa: End of regular season
Florida 20, (10) Florida State 13
Chris Leak threw a touchdown, Ciatrick Fason ran for a score and the Gators (7-4) upset the Seminoles (8-3) to win in Tallahassee for the first time since 1986.
It also gave fired coach Ron Zook a victory in his final regular-season game.
Condemned since the day he replaced Steve Spurrier, Zook finally did something the ol’ ball coach (0-5-1) didn’t in his 12 glorious seasons with the Gators — he won at Florida State.
Next for Florida State: End of regular season
Next for Florida: End of regular season
(12) Miami 52, Wake Forest 7
Brock Berlin threw for a career-best 361 yards and four touchdowns in just more than one half, and the Hurricanes (8-2, 5-2) stayed in contention for an ACC title by beating the Demon Deacons (4-6, 1-6) in Miami.
Berlin threw the scoring passes to four different receivers and completed 13 of 19 passes.
Next for Miami: bye
(13) Boise State 55, Louisiana Tech 14
Jon Helmandollar rushed for a school-record five touchdowns, and the Broncos (10-0, 7-0) clinched at least a share of their third straight WAC title with a win over the Bulldogs (5-6, 4-3) in Boise.
Boise State extended the nation’s longest win streak to 21 games and tied BYU’s record for the most consecutive conference wins at 25.
The Broncos can claim the WAC title outright by beating Nevada next week.
Next for Boise State: at Nevada
(14) LSU 27, Mississippi 24
Alley Broussard ran for a school-record 250 yards with three touchdowns and the Tigers (8-2, 5-2 SEC) rallied to beat the Rebels (3-7, 2-5) in Baton Rouge, La.
Broussard broke the previous mark of 246 yards that Kevin Faulk set against Houston Sept. 7, 1996.
Joseph Addai rushed for 107 yards on 14 carries for LSU.
Next for LSU: at Arkansas
(15) Tennessee 38, Vanderbilt 33
Cedric Houston ran for three TDs in Nashville, Tenn., and the Volunteers (8-2, 6-1) clinched the SEC’s Eastern Division title with a win over the Commodores (2-9, 1-7).
Tennessee will play No. 3 Auburn in the SEC championship game in Atlanta on Dec. 4.
Next for Tennessee: Kentucky
(18) Virginia 30, Georgia Tech 10
Alvin Pearman scored two touchdowns and Virginia came up with four key turnovers, leading the Cavaliers (8-2, 5-2 ACC) to a victory over the Yellow Jackets (6-4, 4-4) in Atlanta.
Next for Virginia: at Virginia Tech
(19) Boston College 34, Temple 17
L.V. Whitworth ran for 151 yards and two TDs, and the Eagles (8-2, 4-1 Big East) took another step closer to their first BCS berth with a win over the Owls (2-9, 1-5) in Philadelphia.
Boston College pulled into a first-place tie in the Big East with No. 21 West Virginia, which ends its season Thursday against Pittsburgh. Even if the Mountaineers win that game, Boston College would earn the automatic BCS slot and its first Big East championship if it can beat Syracuse.
Next for Boston College: Syracuse
(24) Texas-El Paso 57, SMU 27
Jordan Palmer threw for 339 yards and five touchdowns and the Miners (8-2, 6-1 WAC) beat the Mustangs (3-8, 3-5) in El Paso, Texas, to clinch a bowl berth in coach Mike Price’s first season running the formerly downtrodden program. UTEP secured second place behind Boise State in the conference, which has two guaranteed bowl spots.
Next for Texas El-Paso: at Tulsa