November 2, 2009

Tim Prister
IrishIllustrated.com Senior Editor

Nevada 31, Hawaii 21
RENO, Nev.-Colin Kaepernick rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns and threw for two more as Nevada (5-3, 4-0) overcame a 14-0 first-quarter deficit by scoring 28 unanswered points en route to a 31-21 victory over Hawaii (2-6, 0-5). Vai Taua rushed for 127 yards for the Wolf Pack, who took the lead for good with 31 seconds left in the first half on a 38-yard touchdown run by Kaepernick. The Nevada quarterback became just the sixth player in FBS history to score at least 200 points and pass for 200 points in a career. Hawaii quarterback Bryant Moniz completed 29-of-49 for 374 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. The victory was Nevada's fifth in a row and the defeat was Hawaii's sixth straight.

Illinois 38, Michigan 13
CHAMPAIGN, Ill.-With Michigan on the verge of taking a two-score lead early in the third quarter, a replay overturned a Wolverine touchdown, and Illinois (2-6, 1-5) scored the final 31 points as Michigan fell to the Illini, 38-13. Illinois' defense held Michigan (5-4, 1-4) on four running plays from the one after a replay overturned what would have been a long touchdown pass and a 20-7 Michigan lead. Moments later, Mikel LeShoure's 70-yard touchdown run sparked the rally, which was capped off by a 79-yard run by Jason Ford with 1:45 remaining. Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier completed 13-of-23 passes for 257 yards, but fumbled twice as the Wolverines finished with a minus-three turnover margin. Illinois rushed for 377 yards and totaled 500. LeShoure (150) and Ford (128) both cracked the 100-yard mark. Carlos Brown rushed for 94 yards on 25 carries for Michigan, scoring its lone touchdown of the game with 3:39 left in the first quarter. The Wolverines have now lost four straight Big Ten games. The victory was Illinois' first this season over a FBS opponent.

Minnesota 42, Michigan State 34
MINNEAPOLIS-Adam Weber passed for 416 yards and five touchdowns as Minnesota (5-4, 3-3) totaled 505 yards yet had to overcome 17 penalties for 157 yards in a 42-34 victory over Michigan State (4-5, 3-3). Duane Bennett caught two touchdown passes totaling 121 yards, including one that bounced off the chest of falling tight end Nick Tow-Arnett and popped into Bennett's hands for a 59-yard score. The Gophers possessed the football 12:16 more than the Spartans, who were led by Kirk Cousins' 21-of-35 passing for 236 yards. Michigan State's Keshawn Martin returned the second half kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. Martin raced 84 yards for a touchdown later in the quarter on an end-around. Each of the five Michigan State losses this season has been by eight points or less.

Wisconsin 37, Purdue 0
MADISON, Wis.-Purdue (3-6, 2-3) never seriously competed against Wisconsin (6-2, 3-2) en route to a 37-0 loss for the Badgers' first shutout victory over a Big Ten opponent since 1999. Purdue totaled just 141 yards of offense and suffered their worst shutout loss since a 48-0 setback to Notre Dame in 1992. Wisconsin had more yards total offense in the first quarter than the Boilermakers had for the game. John Clay rushed for 123 yards and three touchdowns for the Badgers. Purdue's Joey Elliott was 5-of-23 for 59 yards and an interception. The Boilermakers converted just 2-of-16 on third down and had the football 13:30 less than Wisconsin, which totaled 266 yards on the ground.

Washington (3-5) was idle

Oregon 47, USC 20
EUGENE, Ore.-Jeremiah Masoli threw for 222 yards and a touchdown and ran for 164 yards and another score as No. 10 Oregon (7-1, 5-0) turned a nip-and-tuck game through two-and-a-half quarters into a 47-20 route of No. 5 USC. Oregon scored 30 of the last 33 points in the game. The Ducks totaled 613 yards of offense, including 391 yards rushing, to hand the Trojans (6-2, 3-2) their worst loss since 1997. The 47 points allowed by USC were the most they have surrendered since a 48-41 loss to UCLA in 1996. Freshman LaMichael James ran for 183 yards and a touchdown for Oregon. USC quarterback Matt Barkley completed 21-of-38 passes for 187 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The victory was the Ducks' seventh straight after falling to Boise State in the season-opener. USC's streak of seven straight Pac 10 titles is in serious jeopardy, as is their seven straight BCS appearances. The loss was USC's fourth straight in the state of Oregon-two each to the Ducks and the Beavers of Oregon State.

Boston College 31, Central Michigan 10
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass.-Boston College (6-3) won for the sixth time this season in Alumni Stadium, snapping Central Michigan's seven-game winning streak with a decisive 31-10 victory over the Chippewas (7-2). Trailing 3-0 in the second quarter, the Eagles took the lead with 50 seconds left in the first half on Montel Harris' three-yard touchdown run. Boston College would then score 17 unanswered points in the third quarter and 14 more in the fourth. Harris finished with 136 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Eagles kicker Steve Aponavicius became Boston College's all-time leading scorer. His 18-yard field goal and four extra points give him 267 career points, surpassing kicker Brian Lowe's (1986-89) previous high of 262. Dave Shinskie completed 18-of-28 for 262 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles, who are bowl eligible for the 10th straight season. Boston College wide receiver Rich Gunnell had eight receptions for 134 yards and a 41-yard touchdown.

Temple 27, Navy 24
ANNAPOLIS, Md.-Bernard Pierce rushed for 267 yards to lead Temple (6-2) to a 27-24 victory over Notre Dame's next opponent, Navy (6-3). The victory was the Owls' sixth in a row, making them bowl eligible for the first time since 1979. Navy took a 24-17 lead five seconds into the fourth quarter on a two-yard run by Kriss Proctor, who was filling in for injured quarterback Ricky Dobbs. But the Owls kicked a field goal less than three minutes later, and Pierce's 41-yard touchdown run with 2:41 remaining proved to be the game-winner. The 274 yards rushing by the Owls were the most against a Navy team since Notre Dame rushed for 280 yards in 2003. Dobbs did play the final series for the Midshipmen, but could not lead the Mids on a game-winning drive.

Pittsburgh (7-1) was idle

Rutgers 28, Connecticut 24
EAST HARTFORD, Conn.-Tim Brown's 81-yard catch-and-run with 22 seconds remaining broke the hearts of Connecticut faithful once again. Brown's touchdown gave Rutgers (6-2, 1-2) the improbable 28-24 victory after Jordan Todman's two-yard touchdown run gave the Huskies (4-4, 1-3) the lead with 38 seconds left. It was Connecticut's second straight heartbreaking loss on the heels of the tragic stabbing death of cornerback Jasper Howard. The Huskies lost by the identical 28-24 score to West Virginia the previous week. Connecticut out-gained Rutgers, 481-322. Former Notre Dame quarterback Zach Frazer, subbing for injured Cody Endres, completed 21-of-46 passes for 333 yards one touchdown and three interceptions. Frazer led Connecticut on a pair of scoring drives in the fourth quarter to give the Huskies a three-point lead-their first of the day. The Huskies have lost four games by a total of 13 points.

Stanford (5-3) was idle

Nov. 7, 2009
? Nevada (5-3) @ San Jose State (1-6) Nov. 8
? Purdue (3-6) @ Michigan (5-4)
? Western Michigan (4-5) @ Michigan State (4-5)
? Washington (3-5) @ UCLA (3-5)
? USC (6-2) @ Arizona State (4-4)
? Boston College (6-3) is idle
? Arizona (5-2) @ Washington State (1-7)
? Navy (6-3) @ Notre Dame (6-2)
? Syracuse (3-5) @ Pittsburgh (7-1)
? Connecticut (4-4) @ Cincinnati (8-0)
? Oregon (7-1) @ Stanford (5-3)