Oklahoma clinches Big 12 South title
After a costly controversy and a Red River loss, Oklahoma seemed to be down and out. But look at the Sooners now, back on top and playing for a berth in the BCS.
Allen Patrick ran for 163 yards and a touchdown to help No. 13 Oklahoma survive another scare and win the Big 12 South title with a 27-21 win against Oklahoma State on Saturday in Stillwater, Okla.
The Sooners’ run to the title started immediately after a loss to Texas in October, and six of the team’s seven straight wins have come without star tailback Adrian Peterson.
“We’ve overcome a lot, but we knew we could get here,” quarterback Paul Thompson said. “We knew we had the guys, the personnel to get here, especially after the changes we made and we saw what we had in our replacements. … We never gave up hope of getting here, and now we’re here.”
Patrick gave Oklahoma (10-2, 7-1) a two-touchdown lead with a 65-yard run on the opening play of the second half, and the Cowboys (6-6, 3-5) couldn’t quite finish a comeback despite three straight three-and-outs by the Sooners down the stretch.
South Florida 24, (7) West Virginia 19: At Morgantown, W. Va., the Bulls’ defense scored on a fumble return and held the nation’s second-best rushing and scoring offense to less than half of its averages in a win over the Mountaineers.
Matt Grothe ran for a touchdown and passed for another as South Florida (8-4, 4-3 Big East) handed West Virginia (9-2, 4-2) its first home loss in nine games – a loss that could end the Mountaineers’ chances for a Bowl Championship Series bid.
(8) Louisville 48, Pittsburgh 24: At Pittsburgh, Brian Brohm threw four touchdown passes against a Pitt defense that again showed little resistance and the Cardinals beat the Panthers to take another step toward a Big East title.
If Louisville (10-1, 5-1 Big East) defeats Connecticut next Saturday and Rutgers loses at West Virginia, the Cardinals will represent the Big East in a BCS bowl. Rutgers gets the bid if it wins, since the Scarlet Knights defeated Louisville 28-25 on Nov. 9.
(15) Rutgers 38, Syracuse 7: At Piscataway, N.J., Brian Leonard became Rutgers’ career scoring leader and the Scarlet Knights (10-1, 5-1) moved within a win of earning their first Big East championship with a victory over the Orange (4-8, 1-6).
The once-downtrodden Scarlet Knights can clinch the Big East with a win over West Virginia on the road next Saturday in what will easily be the biggest game for the school that was the birthplace of college football in 1869.
Georgia 15, (16) Georgia Tech 12: At Athens, Ga., Georgia Tech can still win the Atlantic Coast Conference championship, but the Yellow Jackets will have to wait an agonizing year for another shot at their biggest rival.
Georgia’s Matthew Stafford threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Massaquoi with 1:45 remaining, leading the Bulldogs (8-4) past the Yellow Jackets (9-3) – their sixth straight win against Georgia Tech.
This one was especially galling for Georgia Tech, which already had clinched a spot in next Saturday’s ACC championship game. But quarterback Reggie Ball had a miserable game, completing just 6 of 22 passes for 42 yards with two interceptions.
(17) Virginia Tech 17, Virginia 0: At Blacksburg, Va., Sean Glennon threw a touchdown pass, George Bell ran for a score and Virginia Tech’s defense made it stand as the Hokies ran their winning streak to six games and beat the Cavaliers.
The Hokies (10-2, 6-2 ACC) deprived the Cavaliers (5-7, 4-4) of a bowl chance and beat their in-state rivals for the seventh time in eight meetings.
Virginia Tech put the game away in the third quarter, outgaining Virginia 160-12 while putting together scoring drives of 74 and 91 yards.
(19) Tennessee 17, Kentucky 12: At Knoxville, Tenn., LaMarcus Coker plunged 1 yard for a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, and the Volunteers’ defense preserved the lead to beat the Wildcats (7-5, 4-4 SEC).
Erik Ainge was 19 of 33 for 240 yards for the Volunteers (9-3, 5-3) and completed a 15-yard TD pass to Robert Meachem in the first quarter. Coker finished with 90 yards on 22 rushes.
(20) Wake Forest 38, Maryland 24: At College Park, Md., Kenneth Moore ran for 165 yards and a touchdown, Kevin Harris scored twice, and freshman quarterback Riley Skinner went 10 for 13 for 125 yards and a touchdown for the Demon Deacons (10-2, 6-2 ACC), who became the first ACC team in history to go 6-0 on the road.
Now, after defeating the Terrapins (8-4, 5-3), the Demon Deacons will take their successful road show to Florida to play for the league championship against Georgia Tech.
(21) BYU 33, Utah 31: At Salt Lake City, John Beck scrambled away from trouble and threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jonny Harline with no time remaining to rally the Cougars (10-2, 8-0 MWC) to a win over the Utes (7-5, 5-3).
The Cougars erupted in celebration, but needed to take a knee on the point-after attempt to officially end the game.
Utah had just taken a 31-27 lead on Brett Ratliff’s 19-yard pass to Brent Casteel with 1:19 left, but Beck led BYU on a 75-yard drive to win it.
South Carolina 31, (24) Clemson 28: At Clemson, S.C., the Gamecocks and Steve Spurrier finally found a way to beat a ranked opponent and end a four-game losing streak to a state rival.
Mike Davis rushed for two second-half touchdowns and Ryan Succop hit a go-ahead 35-yard field goal as the Gamecocks (7-5) defeated the Tigers (8-4).
The Gamecocks rallied behind quarterback Blake Mitchell, who shook off three early interceptions to lead three late scoring drives.