Welcome to TBO.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Sports

TBO > Sports

Saturday's Notables

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 25, 2007

HE SAID IT

No one here has ever played in a game like that. I'm still trying to get it to soak in. It's just crazy, that's all.

- Chadron State QB Joe McLain, who scored on a 12-yard run in the third overtime to give the Eagles a 76-73 win over Abilene Christian in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs Saturday. Chadron State came from 29 points behind in the fourth quarter to tie the game.

1,000-YARD TEAMMATES

West Virginia QB Pat White and RB Steve Slaton became only the third pair of teammates in the Football Bowl Subdivision to each surpass 1,000 yards rushing in consecutive seasons, matching Arkansas' Darren McFadden and Felix Jones this year and Minnesota's Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney in 2003-04. Barber and teammate Gary Russell each surpassed 1,000 yards in 2005.

IT'S POSSIBLE

How crazy has this season been? UCLA (6-5, 5-3 Pac-10) still has a chance to play in the Rose Bowl. No. 11 Southern California (9-2, 6-2) is in position to win its sixth straight Pac-10 championship and play in the Rose Bowl with a victory over the Bruins at the Los Angeles Coliseum next week. But if UCLA upsets USC and Arizona tops No. 7 Arizona State later that day, the Bruins would get the Rose Bowl bid - a shocking development considering their recent slump (four losses in their five games prior to beating banged-up No. 9 Oregon 16-0 on Saturday) and the possibility that fifth-year coach Karl Dorrell's job is in jeopardy. Last year, UCLA eliminated USC from the BCS Championship Game.

CATCHING ON

Vanderbilt WR Earl Bennett's six catches in a 31-17 loss to Wake Forest gave him 75 for the season, and the SEC career receptions leader became the first receiver in league history with three consecutive seasons with at least 75 catches. The junior receiver, who has etched his name all over the SEC's record book, said he hasn't decided if he will return for his senior season or opt for the NFL draft. "I want to make sure my coaches are involved in this situation and also my family so they can see what's best for me," Bennett said. "It's all up to what my coaches think I should do. ... There's a lot of unfinished business here."

RECORD SETTER

Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford set an NCAA freshman record by throwing his 30th touchdown pass of the season. Bradford, a redshirt freshman, set the mark with a 2-yard toss to TE Joe Jon Finley to give the 10th-ranked Sooners a 28-7 lead over Oklahoma State with 2:25 left in the first half. He'd earlier thrown an 11-yard touchdown pass to TB Allen Patrick to tie the season mark of 29 set by Nevada's David Neill in 1998 and tied last season by Texas' Colt McCoy.

BIG PERFORMANCES

•QB Paul Smith threw for 441 yards and five touchdowns and ran for another score to lead Tulsa to the Conference USA West Division title with a 48-43 win over Rice.

•Tennessee QB Erik Ainge threw for a career-high 397 yards and seven touchdowns in the Volunteers' 52-50 quadruple-overtime win. Kentucky QB Andre' Woodson matched Ainge throw for throw, tossing for 430 yards and six touchdowns.

•Appalachian State QB Armanti Edwards rushed for 132 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 126 yards as the Mountaineers beat James Madison 28-27 in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

•Massachusetts QB Liam Coen passed for 419 yards and four touchdowns in a 49-35 win over Fordham in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.