Week 10 National Notebook

Texas Tech — Playing on the biggest stage in school history, the Red Raiders delivered with a thrilling 39–33 win over their hated rivals from Austin. Texas Tech is now 9–0 overall and, most important, ranked No. 2 in the latest BCS standings. There are plenty of challenges remaining — beginning next week with Oklahoma State — but Mike Leach’s club controls its own destiny: Keep winning and Tech will find itself in South Florida playing for the national title.

High Honorable Mention

Florida — There were no excessive celebrations. No paybacks. Just a dominating performance on the football field that left no doubt who has the best team in the SEC East. Florida jumped on Georgia early, seized control of the game with a 21-point third quarter and cruised to a stunningly easy 49–10 win in the most anticipated meeting in the storied history of the Georgia-Florida rivalry. The Gators have all but wrapped up the SEC East title — a win at Vanderbilt this Saturday will make it official — and now have their sights set on squeezing their way into the BCS national title game.

Honorable Mention

Syracuse — The Orange held on for a 28–21 win over Louisville, giving SU its first win over a Division I-A opponent this season and only the second Big East home win of the three-year Greg Robinson era. Curtis Brinkley was the star for Syracuse, rushing for a career-high 166 yards on 33 carries. He is the first player in school history to rush for at least 100 yards in five straight games.

Disappointments of the Week

Tulsa — The toughest test of the season for the undefeated Golden Hurricane was a lower-tier SEC team that had lost five of its previous six games. But Tulsa, hoping to keep its BCS bowl dreams alive and playing for the credibility of Conference USA, dropped a 30–23 decision at Arkansas. The Golden Hurricane did roll up 528 yards of offense, but they managed only 23 points, 14 fewer than their previous low. Tulsa still leads the nation in total offense and scoring offense, but Todd Graham’s team is out of the national rankings and now has no shot at crashing the BCS party.

Notre Dame — Like Tulsa, Notre Dame had an opportunity to earn some national respect. Like Tulsa, Notre Dame failed to capitalize, losing a four-overtime heartbreaker to Pittsburgh. The loss leaves Notre Dame with a 5–3 record and without a win over a team with a winning record. There is no doubt that the Irish are an improved team in 2008, but you must beat a good team before you can be considered a good team.

Fresno State — The Bulldogs were the overwhelming favorite to win the WAC but have played their way out of the league race with two losses in their first four conference games. Last Saturday, Fresno State lost 38–35 at Louisiana Tech due in large part to a run defense that was gashed for 280 yards and three touchdowns. Pat Hill has done great work at Fresno State, but his teams have been unable to take care of business in league play.

Player of the Week

Graham Harrell, Texas Tech — His numbers were, as usual, terrific, but Harrell will be remembered for what he did with the game on the line. Facing a deficit for the first time all night, the senior quarterback drove the Tech offense 62 yards on six plays, culminating with a 28-yard bullet to Michael Crabtree that will go down as perhaps the most memorable play in school history. On that drive, Harrell completed 5-of-6 passes (with one very near interception), and for the game, he finished 35-of-53 for 474 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Freshman of the Week

Malcolm Williams, Texas — Williams, who entered the game with a total of 68 yards receiving, caught four passes for 182 yards in the Horns’ heartbreaking loss in Lubbock. Exactly half of his yards came on one play, a 91-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter that trimmed Tech’s lead to 29–26.

Highs and Lows

• Central Michigan has been one of the top teams in the MAC in recent years, but the Chips had lost 23 straight games against BCS conference schools before topping Indiana Saturday. CMU’s last win vs. one of the big boys was a 24–20 victory over Michigan State on Sept. 12, 1992.

• Ole Miss, which went winless in the SEC last season, improved to 5–4 overall and 3–3 in the league with a 17–7 win over Auburn. The Rebels, who also have a win at Florida, have lost their four games by an average of 4.8 points.

• Tennessee has scored less than 10 points in three of its six SEC games this season. The Vols had not been held to single digits three times in league play since 1964, when Doug Dickey’s first UT club scored less than 10 in six of the team’s seven SEC games.

• North Texas topped Western Kentucky Saturday, leaving Washington as the only winless Division I-A team in the nation.

• Washington, Washington State, Iowa State and NC State are the only BCS conference teams without a league win.

• The top four teams in the Big 12 South are a combined 17–3 in conference games.

• Five of the six teams in the ACC Coastal Division have exactly two losses.

• USC has allowed a total of 30 points in its eight wins and 27 points in its one loss.

• Arizona State is in the midst of its longest inseason losing streak (six games) since 1929, when Aaron McCreary’s Sun Devils went 0–6.

• Washington State has gone scoreless in 12 of its last 13 quarters.

• UConn’s Donald Brown was held to under 100 yards for the first time this season in the Huskies’ 35–13 loss to West Virginia.

• Since racing out to a 7–0 record, BYU has lost 32–7 at TCU, held on for a 42–35 win over UNLV and had to rally late to top Colorado State 45–42.