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Joey Johnston's College Football Sidelines

Joey Johnston/The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 10, 2007

McFADDEN: HE'S BACK

Arkansas junior RB Darren McFadden has returned to the Heisman Trophy short list after an SEC-record-tying 321-yard performance against South Carolina. McFadden's re-emergence could also be good news for the Florida Gators. Arkansas travels to Tennessee today, and UF desperately needs the Volunteers to lose for a logjam at the top of the SEC East.

McFadden, who became the fifth-leading career rusher in SEC history, actually was credited with 323 yards in the 48-36 win against the Gamecocks, breaking the league's all-time single-game record (321 by Vanderbilt's Frank Mordica against Air Force in 1978). The next day, a tape review by Arkansas officials found that McFadden was credited with a 3-yard gain by Felix Jones in the third quarter. The review also showed that the starting spot of Arkansas' first possession was a yard off on the stat sheet, adding that yard to McFadden's total.

Net change: a 2-yard deduction.

But McFadden still passed five backs (Auburn's Cadillac Williams, Kentucky's Sonny Collins, Florida's Emmitt Smith and LSU's Charles Alexander and Dalton Hilliard) while torching the Gamecocks.

"McFadden may have an NCAA record for yards against a team," South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said. "He's averaging over 200 a game against us."

Sure enough, McFadden has 727 yards on 91 carries in three games against South Carolina.

ZOOKER'S BIG MOMENT?

There's already anticipation for Ohio State at Michigan on Nov. 17. But Illinois (7-3) can really screw up the Big Ten (and the national title race) with an upset of the Buckeyes (10-0) today.

And a victory might also do wonders for the reputation of Illinois coach Ron Zook, often painted as a great recruiter and so-so game strategist.

"How do you measure either?" Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "I guess your win-loss record, but nowadays they have recruiting scales, which is crazy.

"A.J. Hawk former Ohio State LB, was a battle to get him, us and Akron. It wasn't like he visited 19 places, but A.J. Hawk became a great player. So I don't know how you really measure recruiting versus sideline coaching, because inevitably the record is what is the indicator of both."

In his three seasons at Florida, Zook was 5-4 against teams ranked in the top 10.

NERVOUS TIME FOR DUCKS

Oregon (8-1), in control of the Pac-10 race, gets a break today before returning to action Thursday night at Arizona (ESPN). Ducks fans already are getting nervous about the BCS race. If No. 1-ranked Ohio State and No. 2 LSU win out, that probably will be the BCS Championship Game, regardless of whether the Ducks finish 11-1. In fact, Oregon could eventually get jumped by the Big 12 winner (Oklahoma, Kansas or Missouri).

"I'm not going to start politicking for anything," said Oregon coach Mike Bellotti, for now assuming the reverse-Urban Meyer stance. "We've got to win the games we're in."

True enough. But that didn't work in 2001 (when No. 2 Oregon was nosed out by Nebraska in the final BCS standings) or 2005 (when the Fiesta Bowl selected two-loss Ohio State and two-loss Notre Dame over one-loss Oregon).

IN HIS OWN WORDS

With Nebraska (4-6, five straight losses) in full free-fall, here's Coach Bill Callahan on Monday's Big 12 coaches teleconference.

Reporter: "Is there any reason to believe you're going to be back at Nebraska next season?"

Callahan: "Yes."

Long pause.

"But I'll let the powers that be make that decision."

MAMMOTH TO MEDIOCRE

USC at California.

Wasn't it supposed to be the game to decide everything?

Instead, the Trojans (7-2, 4-2) and Golden Bears (6-3, 3-3) might tonight be deciding who goes to the Holiday Bowl.

USC, the preseason No. 1, has lost to Stanford and Oregon while looking particularly mortal. Cal, once ranked No. 2, endured a three-game losing streak in October.

"I'm surprised they Cal are where they are now," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "They had some great players returning. It's just the conference parity."

NOTABLE NUMBERS

•With Navy ending its 43-game losing streak against Notre Dame, the current standard for domination falls to Tennessee, which has 22 straight wins against Kentucky. The Volunteers and Wildcats meet Nov. 24 at Lexington, Ky.

•Arkansas RBs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones are the second duo (along with Minnesota's Laurence Maroney and Marion Barber III) to rush for 1,000 yards each in successive seasons.

•Kansas defeated Nebraska 76-39. Virginia (8-2), which leads the ACC's Coastal Division, also scored 76 points - in its last four games.

•When Nebraska won consecutive national championships in 1994 and 1995, the Cornhuskers allowed a total of 336 points. With two regular-season games remaining, this season's Nebraska team already has surrendered 359 points.

•For the first time in his college/NFL career, Alabama coach Nick Saban, a defensive guru, lost a game in which his offense scored 30 or more points. LSU beat Alabama 41-34.