Buckeyes stifle Wolverines

Jim Tressel became the first Ohio State coach to beat Michigan six times in seven years, and the seventh-ranked Buckeyes’ 14-3 victory Saturday at Ann Arbor, Mich., over their archrival gave them consecutive outright Big Ten titles for the first time in a half-century.

Chris Wells ran for a career-high 222 yards and two touchdowns and Vernon Gholston and the Buckeyes’ defense dominated Michigan’s banged-up offense.

The Buckeyes (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten) are likely headed to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1997. They also hold onto slim hopes of climbing back into the BCS title game.

A win would’ve put No. 23 Michigan (8-4, 6-2) in Pasadena for the fourth time in five years, but the loss might send it to a bowl game prior to New Year’s Day.

(1) LSU 41, Mississippi 24: At Oxford, Miss., Trindon Holliday returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, LSU forced two turnovers during goal-line stands and the top-ranked Tigers (10-1, 6-1 SEC) slipped past the Rebels (3-8, 0-7).

The Tigers didn’t play especially well on offense, but the nation’s top-ranked defense helped them earn their first outright SEC Western Division title.

(4) Kansas 45, Iowa State 7: At Lawrence, Kan., Todd Reesing passed for 253 yards and four touchdowns and the Jayhawks (11-0, 7-0 Big 12) remained unbeaten with a rout of the Cyclones (3-9, 2-6), setting up a grand showdown with sixth-ranked Missouri for the Big 12 North title and possibly much more.

Reesing hit 19 of his first 20 passes as the Jayhawks romped to their first 11-0 mark in school history.

(5) West Virginia 28, (21) Cincinnati 23: At Cincinnati, Pat White ran for a pair of second-quarter touchdowns, leading the Mountaineers (9-1, 4-1 Big East) to a victory over the Bearcats (8-3, 3-3) that left only two teams in the conference title chase.

The Mountaineers can win their second Big East championship in three years by closing with victories over No. 25 Connecticut and Pittsburgh.

(6) Missouri 49, Kansas State 32: At Manhattan, Kan., Jeremy Maclin scored three touchdowns and had 252 total yards to set the NCAA single-season freshman record for all-purpose yards, helping the Tigers (10-1, 6-1 Big 12) rally from a sluggish first half for a win over the Wildcats (5-6, 3-5).

Maclin returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and caught two touchdown passes, giving him 2,201 all-purpose yards for the season – 175 more than Terrell Willis of Rutgers had in 1993. Maclin finished with nine catches for 143 yards.

(8) Georgia 24, (22) Kentucky 13: At Athens, Ga., Knowshon Moreno ran for 124 yards, Matthew Stafford surprised Kentucky with a 10-yard touchdown run and the Bulldogs (9-2, 6-2 SEC) overcame four turnovers and an early deficit to beat the Wildcats (7-4, 3-4).

The Bulldogs (9-2, 6-2 SEC) clinched at least a tie for first in the Eastern Division and will face top-ranked LSU in the Dec. 1 title game in nearby Atlanta if Tennessee loses either of its last two games.

(10) Virginia Tech 44, Miami 14: At Blacksburg, Va., Branden Ore ran for two touchdowns in his best performance of the season as the Hokies (9-2, 6-1 ACC) beat the Hurricanes (5-6, 2-5) in their final tuneup for a huge game with rival Virginia next weekend.

Virginia Tech moved into a share of first place in the Coastal Division with the Cavaliers. The teams will play Saturday in Charlottesville with the winner moving on the conference championship game Dec. 1.

(14) Florida 59, Florida Atlantic 20: At Gainesville, Fla., Tim Tebow became the first player in NCAA history with at least 20 touchdowns passing and rushing in the same season, Andre Caldwell broke the school record for career receptions and the Gators (8-3) hammered the Owls (5-4).

Tebow completed 25 of 34 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score. He has 20 rushing touchdowns and 26 TD passes.

Caldwell caught a career-high 13 passes for 164 yards, giving him 176 career receptions and breaking the previous mark of 172 set by Carlos Alvarez (1969-71).

(18) Boston College 20, (15) Clemson 17: At Clemson, S.C., Matt Ryan pulled out another game for Boston College and put the Eagles (9-2, 5-2 ACC) in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

Ryan threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Rich Gunnell with 1:46 to go, lifting the Eagles to a victory over the Tigers (8-3, 5-3).

(19) Tennessee 25, Vanderbilt 24: At Knoxville, Tenn., Daniel Lincoln kicked a 33-yard field goal with 2:46 left to cap a 16-point fourth-quarter comeback and the Volunteers (8-3, 5-2 SEC) defeated the Commodores (5-6, 2-6).

The Commodores attempted a comeback led by a 55-yard kickoff return by D.J. Moore, but a 49-yard field-goal attempt by Bryant Hahnfeldt with 33 seconds left sailed wide left.

(20) Illinois 41, Northwestern 22: At Champaign, Ill., a week after leading his team to an upset of Ohio State, Illinois quarterback Juice Williams led the Illini (9-3, 6-2 Big Ten) a step closer to a New Year’s Day bowl with a win over the Wildcats (6-6, 3-5).

Williams ran for 136 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 220 yards and two more scores.

(24) Wisconsin 41, Minnesota 34: At Minneapolis, David Gilreath made an electrifying return to his home state, racking up 226 return yards to help the Badgers (9-3, 5-3 Big Ten) to a victory over the Gophers (1-11, 0-8).

Zach Brown rushed for 250 yards and two touchdowns in place of the injured P.J. Hill for the Badgers.

(25) Connecticut 30, Syracuse 7: At East Hartford, Conn., Tyler Lorenzen threw for 213 yards and a touchdown and the Huskies (9-2, 5-1 Big East) beat the Orange (2-9, 1-5) to stay in sole possession of first place in the Big East.

Connecticut can win its first conference title with a victory at West Virginia next week.