Terrelle Pryor passed his first big test for No. 14 Ohio State.
The freshman quarterback ran 11 yards for a touchdown with 1:08 left and Chris "Beanie" Wells had 168 rushing yards and a touchdown as the Buckeyes' new double-threat backfield starred in a 20-17 victory over No. 18 Wisconsin last night in Madison.
The last time the Buckeyes (5-1, 2-0 Big Ten) played a marquee game under the lights, they got pounded by Southern California last month. Wells didn't play in that game, and Pryor, the talented freshman, wasn't the starter.
With Wells healthy and Pryor getting comfortable, Ohio State looks like a much different team.
Pryor, 19, kept his poise in his third college start, leading Ohio State on two fourth-quarter scoring drives and ending Wisconsin's 16-game home winning streak. Coach Jim Tressel evened his record (3-3) against the Badgers (3-2, 0-2).
"Every snap he gets, he learns from," Tressel said of Pryor, who finished with 144 passing yards and 20 rushing yards.
Wisconsin, which was trying to rebound after a demoralizing loss to Michigan, received 63 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries from P.J. Hill.
No. 1 Oklahoma 49, Baylor 17: : Sam Bradford threw for 379 yards and a touchdown and ran for another touchdown, DeMarco Murray ran for two scores and four other players got into the end zone for the visiting Sooners (5-0, 1-0 Big 12) in another lopsided victory over the Bears (2-3, 0-1). Oklahoma has never lost to Baylor, winning all 18 games in the series.
No. 2 Alabama 17, Kentucky 14: : Glen Coffee rushed for 215 yards, Leigh Tiffin kicked a 24-yard field goal with 2:12 left and the host Crimson Tide (6-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) held on to beat the Wildcats (4-1, 0-1).
No. 4 Missouri 52, Nebraska 14: : Chase Daniel threw three touchdown passes, Derrick Washington ran for 139 yards and scored three times, and the Tigers (5-0, 1-0 Big 12) earned their first road win over the Cornhuskers (3-2, 0-1) in 30 years.
No. 5 Texas 38, Colorado 14: : Chris Ogbonnaya scored two touchdowns and saved another as the visiting Longhorns (5-0, 1-0 Big 12) beat the Buffaloes (3-2, 0-1). The senior running back scored on a 65-yard dump-off and a 13-yard gallop through the befuddled Colorado defense, then saved a score when he chased down cornerback Jalil Brown at Texas' 16-yard line after a rare interception of Colt McCoy.
No. 6 Penn State 20, Purdue 6: : Evan Royster rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown, and the visiting Nittany Lions (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten) beat the Boilermakers (2-3, 0-1). Penn State coach Joe Paterno chose to coach from the press box because of a lingering right hip injury. Paterno, 81, was hurt while performing an onside kick during practice Aug. 28.
No. 7 Texas Tech 58, Kansas State 28: : Graham Harrell threw six touchdown passes, leading the visiting Red Raiders (5-0, 1-0 Big 12) to an easy win over the Wildcats (3-2, 0-1).
No. 9 Southern California 44, No. 23 Oregon 10: : Mark Sanchez threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns, and the host Trojans (3-1, 1-1 Pacific-10) stormed back from a stunning loss to rout the Ducks (4-2, 2-1). USC shook off a defeat at Oregon State in Corvallis that knocked it out of the No. 1 ranking and dominated Oregon.
No. 12 Florida 38, Arkansas 7: : Tim Tebow threw two touchdown passes and Jeffrey Demps ran for 103 yards and two long touchdowns to help the visiting Gators (4-1, 2-1 SEC) beat the Razorbacks (2-3, 0-2). Florida was coming off an upset by Mississippi, 31-30.
No. 16 Kansas 35, Iowa State 33: : Todd Reesing threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns, and the visiting Jayhawks (4-1, 1-0 Big 12) stormed back from a 20-point deficit before hanging on to beat the host Cyclones (2-3, 0-1).
No. 21 Oklahoma State 56, Texas A&M; 28: : Dez Bryant caught three passes for touchdowns and scored one on a punt return, and the host Cowboys (5-0, 1-0 Big 12) took advantage of five first-half turnovers in rolling over the Aggies (2-3, 0-1).
Illinois 45, Michigan 20: : Juice Williams threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns without making a mistake, leading the Fighting Illini (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) past the host Wolverines (2-3, 1-1). The quarterback's 431 yards of offense were the most any player has had at Michigan Stadium and matched an opponent record against the Wolverines.
Notre Dame 28, Stanford 21: : Jimmy Clausen threw for a career-high 347 yards and three touchdowns, and the host Fighting Irish (4-1) held on for a victory over the Cardinal (3-3). It was Notre Dame's seventh straight win over Stanford.
Army 44, Tulane 13: : Collin Mooney ran for 187 yards and four touchdowns, and the Black Knights (1-4) defeated the host Green Wave (2-3) for their first win of the season. Army had scored just 37 points coming into the game.