FSU And PSU Top The Polls

Re-boot your computers, it's going to be a bumpy ride to the national championship.

After a Saturday filled with shockers and season-saving comebacks, a few more title chasers fell by the wayside, but No. 1 Florida State and No. 2 Penn State barely held on to perfect seasons with far-from perfect performances.

When the day ended, five of top 13 teams had been beaten Nebraska for the first time; and Michigan, Alabama, Michigan State and Texas A&M each for the second, thus dropping them from the national title scene.

On Monday night, the Bowl Championship Series releases its first standings, which will be used to pick the top two teams to play in the Sugar Bowl, college football's designated national title game this season. The standings are based on a formula that combines polls, computer ratings, strength-of-schedule and won-loss records.

While Florida State (8-0) and Penn State (8-0) remained 1-2 in the AP media poll and the coaches' poll, No. 3 Virginia Tech (6-0) has been gaining ground in the eight computer ratings being used by the BCS.

Last week, the Hokies were rated first by five of the eight services being used by the BCS. This week, they were first on two of three ratings services that were available as of Sunday afternoon. But they will likely lose ground when a weak schedule is weighed into the equation.

Same for No. 6 Kansas State (7-0), which spotted Oklahoma State a 21-point lead Saturday and then won 44-21. Anyway, that's for the computer to digest.

Let's not forget about No. 4 Tennessee (5-1), the defending national champions who beat No. 14 Alabama 21-7 in Tuscaloosa.

"We have a saying we like to go by `Why not us?"' Vols coach Phillip Fulmer said after Tee Martin ran for two TDs and threw for another. "You look at the country right now and there doesn't seem to be one dominant team. We'd like to think we can get back into the mix."

Florida State gave Bobby Bowden career win No. 300 with a 17-14 decision over Clemson before a record crowd of 86,200 at Death Valley. But college football's first father-son coaching matchup almost produced the season's biggest upset.

"Mamma's happy, I know that," Bobby Bowden, referring to his wife, Ann, who said she wanted her husband to win in a close game. "It was close too close for me."

The Seminoles trailed 14-3 at halftime, but rallied with some help from reinstated wide receiver Peter Warrick. The one-time Heisman Trophy frontrunner caught 11 passes for 121 yards but dropped at least four balls, and failed to come up with one of his patented game-breaking plays.

"Pete had a couple of times he could win the darned game," said Bowden, adding that the last time he saw that many bobbles was during Warrick's freshman season.

The second-ranked Nittany Lions survived Drew Brees once again in beating Purdue 31-25. Brees threw for 379 yards and two touchdowns, but Pen State forced him into four incomplete passes over the final 28 seconds after he had moved the Boilermakers (5-3, 2-3) to the Lions 12.

"That was just way too close," said Lions linebacker LaVar Arrington, who scored one of two defensive TDs and also blocked a field goal. "Right now, my nerves are all messed up."

While Bowden became the fifth major college coach to reach 300 wins, Penn State's Joe Paterno won No. 315 and moved into a third place on the list, a game ahead of Amos Alonzo Stagg and eight behind the leader, Bear Bryant.

In other Top 25 games Saturday, it was: No. 12 Texas 24, co-No. 8 Nebraska 20; co-No. 8 Mississippi State 17, LSU 16; No. 10 Georgia 49, Kentucky 34; No. 11 Wisconsin 40, No. 19 Michigan State 10; No. 13 Marshall 59, Buffalo 3; Illinois 35, No. 15 Michigan 29; No. 16 BYU 29, UNLV 0; No. 17 East Carolina 52, Tulane 7; No. 20 Southern Mississippi 28, Cincinnati 20; No. 21 Ohio State 20, Minnesota 17; No. 24 Oklahoma 51, No. 22 Texas A&M 6; and No. 23 Miami 31, Boston College 28.

Here's a rundown of the top games:

At Madison, Wis., Ron Dayne picked himself up and got back in the Heisman race with 214 yards and two TDs as the Badgers (6-2, 4-1) remained in the Big Ten race. The Spartans (6-2, 3-2) were beaten last week by Purdue, 52-28.

At Ann Arbor, Mich., Kurt Kittner threw four TD passes and once-lowly Illinois (4-3, 1-3) rallied from 20 points down to stun the Wolverines (5-2, 2-2), who have dropped their last two games.

At Austin, Texas, Major Applewhite threw two second-half TD passes as Texas (6-2, 3-1 Big 12) came from behind for its third straight win over Nebraska (6-1, 3-1), which saw its title hopes dimmed.

At Norman, Okla., Josh Heupel accounted for six TDs three running and three passing as Oklahoma (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) handed Texas A&M (5-2, 2-2) the third-worst loss in the school's 105-year history.

At Boston, Andy Crosland's 30-yard field goal with 3 seconds left capped an amazing comeback by Miami 15 years after losing to the Eagles on Doug Flutie's Hail Mary pass. The Hurricanes are 3-3 and 1-0 in the Big East; BC is 5-2, 2-2.

"People ask you, `Have you ever seen anything like this before? "' Miami coach Butch Davis said. "Unfortunately, I've been on the other side of that."

Davis was a Miami assistant in 1984 when Miami blew a 31-point lead to Maryland in what remains the biggest college football comeback. The next week, Miami lost to BC 47-45 on Flutie's 48-yard desperation TD heave.

The glamour game was at Death Valley.

A few trick plays from Tommy's Tigers nearly ended his father's quest for a second national title and first perfect season.

First, a fake punt led to a first-half TD as Clemson took a 14-3 halftime lead. But Sebastian Janikowski's third field goal a 39-yarder with 5:29 left provided the winning points.

Clemson (3-4, 3-2 ACC) staged a final chargeand with one more razzle-dazzle play a series of handoffs and then a 14-yard pass reception by quarterback Woody Dantzler, was set to tie the game. However, Tony Lazzara's 41-yard field goal attempt fell short after it was partially tipped by FSU's Tay Cody with 1:57 left in the game.

"This is one of those games you go out there and play and you feel like you're losing, you're losing, you're losing, and you're going to get beat," Bobby Bowden said. "Then all of a sudden you win it and I don't even know how. This was a great game."

In the Pac-10, Todd Husak threw for two TDs and ran for a third as Stanford (5-2, 5-0) remained perfect in the league with s 34-31 win over now struggling USC (3-4, 1-3).

Also, Oregon State (4-3, 1-3) hammered UCLA 55-7, the most points the Bruins (3-5, 1-4) have allowed since 1970 when they lost to Washington 61-20.

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