ALABAMA...Soph QB Pennington started at Georgia. He was relieved in 2nd Q by top QB Croyle, who lasted only a couple of plays before re-injuring his separated non-throwing shoulder. Pennington, who completed 9 of 20 for 109 yds. with a TDP and an int., returned, but he was knocked out of game midway thru 3rd Q after hurting his throwing shoulder. Green RS frosh Avalos was 2 of 8 for 6 yds. in relief during 37-23 loss to Bulldogs, and o.c. Rader said on Sunday that Tide would prepare for this week?s game against So. Miss as if Avalos will be the starter. Starting DT Tatum (ankle) left in 1st Q vs. UGa and did not return, and starting sr. OLB Pope (ankle) played, but at far less than 100%.
AUBURN...Co-No. 1 RB Ronnie Brown (hamstring) left game at Tennessee after running for 65 yds. and a TD. Jr. ?Cadillac? Williams had 185 YR and a TD on 36 carries in win over Vols.
BOSTON COLLEGE...Starting LG Augie Hoffman (neck/shoulder) DNP vs. Ball State. And sr. DT Tom Martin (knee), one of Eagles? top defenders, left in 1st Q and did not return.
BOWLING GREEN...Starting RG Grubb (back spasms) & starting sr. SS Malone (knee) DNP vs. Cent. Michigan, and starting OLB Sayles (leg) left midway thru 3rd Q in 23-3 win over Chips.
Advertisement
BYU...Top QB Berry (hand) has missed last 3 games, but he was in uniform at San Diego State and might be ready to return vs. Colo. State this week. Cougs, who had scored only 34 points in previous 3 games, tallied 44 in win over Aztecs, with maturing frosh QB Beck completing 17 of 26 for 180 yds. with 2 TDP & no ints. and also running for 48 yds. & a TD. Starting sr. OLB Madarieta (foot) DNP vs. SDS.
CENTRAL FLORIDA...Strong-armed sr. QB Schneider (shoulder) DNP vs. Buffalo. HC Kruczek kept Knight attack very conservative in 19-10 home win over downtrodden Bulls, as jr. Rivera was 6 of 14 for only 59 yds. and ran 15 times for another 89 yards. Starting jr. OLB Bray (foot) DNP.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN...Top QB Perry (leg) DNP vs. Bowling Green and is thru for season. Sr. QB Vickers, who lost starting job to Perry in preseason despite having 23 starts in previous 3 campaigns, was 14 of 27 for 122 yds. in 23-3 loss to Falcons. Impact true frosh RB Seymour (384 YR, 5 TDs) DNP and is expected to miss next 3 games.
CINCINNATI...Bearcats played most of the 4th Q vs. Southern Miss without starting QB Guidugli (knee) & starting RB Hall (concussion). Cincy did not attempt a pass without Guidugli, as jr. George Murray, a former QB who has been playing WR last 2 seasons, ran 11 times for 69 yds. in relief of Guidugli. Bearcats were shut out for most of last 3 Qs in come-from-ahead loss to Eagles.
COLORADO...Top QB Klatt (shoulder) did not start for 2nd straight game, but he was forced into action late in loss to Baylor after soph Greenberg hurt his throwing hand in 4th Q. Klatt completed 3 of 8 for 53 yds. with an int. in relief, and he is expected to be back in lineup vs. Kansas this week. Top RB Purify (ankle) has missed last 2 games and is unlikely to be available against Jayhawks. Starting FS Moorer hurt his elbow vs. Bears.
CONNECTICUT...Star RB Caulley (601 YR & 7 TDs in first 4 games) suffered season-ending knee injury two weeks ago at Va. Tech. Frosh RBs Lawrence & Bellamy combined for 130 YR and 2 TDs in 35-17 win over Div. I-AA Lehigh last week.
FLORIDA...Gators? defensive front 7 was severely depleted in home loss to Ole Miss. Starting jr. OLB McCullough had season-ending shoulder surgery. Impact RS frosh LBs Crowder (knee) & Charles (leg), sr. LB Dwright Jackson (shoulder), and starting DT Parker (knee) were also unavailable against Rebs, who ran for 223 yds. and more than 6 ypc in upset of Gators. Crowder, Jackson, and Parker are not expected to return until Oct. 18 vs. Arkansas, at the earliest.
FLORIDA STATE...TBs Booker, a blue-chip RS frosh, and soph Leon Washington (elbow) are expected back this week after both sat out most of September. HC Bowden says their absence had robbed rush attack (fewer than 100 YR in each of last 3 games; 432 YR in first 2) of vital draw dimension.
FRESNO STATE...Top QB Pinegar saw his first action of season at Colo. State after missing first 5 games with slightly torn pectoral muscle. Pinegar relieved sr. Grady in loss to Rams and was 11 of 19 for 111 yds. with 2 interceptions. Starting soph RT Stevenson is expected to miss 4-6 after hurting his knee in game, and starting LG Pouono (concussion) DNP.
HAWAII...Warriors? ?Red Gun? attack was without its top 2 receiving targets at Tulsa, as sr. WR Cockerhan (ankle) & jr. slotback Owens (suspension) both sat out loss to Hurricane. Hawaii threw for only 249 yds. in game, more than 100 yds. below their average.
INDIANA...Starting sr. RB Lewis (hamstring) sat out vs. Mich. State. Frosh Green-Ellis & soph Chris Taylor combined for 144 YR in loss to Spartans.
IOWA STATE...Starting QB Flynn hurt his leg late in Oklahoma game, but is expected to be ready for Texas Tech game. Sr. RB Rutland is thru for season after hurting his knee at No. Illinois two weeks ago. Starting sr. DT Carstens (knee; 6-5, 303), Cyclones ? top run stuffer, DNP in loss to Sooners and is out indefinitely. Sr. DE Tyson Smith, team?s best pass rusher, was lost to season-ending injury earlier in campaign. Sr. G Bob Montgomery, ISU?s best OLman, has returned to action after missing first month with a foot fracture. But starting G Vander Sanden left OU game after hurting his leg.
KENT STATE...Top TB sr. Alston (foot) DNP vs. Ball State and will miss rest of season. True frosh RBs Beverly & Tillman lost fumbles on 3 consecutive 3rd-Q possessions in 34-17 loss to Cardinals. Versatile star QB Cribbs (1000+ YR in each of his first 2 seasons) has been held -20 YR on only 18 carries in two games since he sprained his ankle vs. Penn State.
MIAMI-FLORIDA...Starting RB Gore suffered season-ending knee injury early in narrow win over W. Virginia.
MIDDLE TENN. STATE...Starting sr. QB Hines missed most of Temple game due to back spasms. RS frosh Marks was 10 of 14 for 150 yds. with 2 TDP & an int. and also ran for a TD, and soph Harris was 4 of 5 for 32 yds. as Raiders nearly made up 41-14 deficit after 3 Qs in eventual 44-36 home loss to Owls.
NEVADA...Bread-and-butter RB Kretschmer played sparingly after hurting his shoulder in 3rd Q vs. UNLV.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE...Star RB McClendon (hamstring) has missed last 2 games. Wolfpack had -8 YR in loss at Ga. Tech last week.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS...Big-play WR Sheldon (elbow; 20.6 ypc, 3 Tds) DNP vs. Ohio and is not expected back this week. Starting OLB Javan Lee (hamstring) & starting DE Travis Moore (ankle) also sat out narrow win over Bobcats.
OHIO...Starting QB Ray left after injuring his shoulder on 5th play of the game at No. Illinois and did not return. Jr. Hawk was 5 of 15 for 98 yds. with a TDP and no ints. in OT loss to Huskies.
OHIO STATE...Starting QB Krenzel is expected to be back in lineup at Wisconsin after sitting out last 2 games with a sore elbow.
PENN STATE...Jr. QB Zack Mills (knee), who started first 5 games of season, DNP vs. Wisconsin but is expected to be available vs. Purdue. Athletic soph Michael Robinson, who was pushing for playing time before Mills was injured, was 22 of 43 for 379 yds. with 2 TDP and no ints. in loss to Badgers.
SAN DIEGO STATE...Top QB Hall returned to action vs. BYU after sitting out last 4 games with a high-ankle sprain. Hall was 18 of 34 for 352 yds. with 3 TDP and an int. in 44-36 loss to Cougars. Aztecs had been held to fewer than 200 YP in 4 of 5 games prior to last week.
SOUTHERN CAL....Starting QB Leinart left in 1st half vs. Ariz. State after re-aggravating a knee injury, but returned to lead Trojans to scores on 5 of their first 6 2nd-half drives, turning 10-10 tie at halftime into 37-17 rout.
SOUTHERN MISS...Top QB D?Angelo (concussions) has sat out last 2 games and is expected to miss at least 1 more week. Struggling soph QB Almond was sharper in win over Bearcats, completing 9 of 18 for 133 yds. with no ints., and highly-regarded true frosh QB Carter was 3 of 6 for 23 yds. with a TDP and an int. in limited action. Top RB Blackwell (ankle) DNP vs. Cincy.
Brandon Hassell filled in for Tye Gunn last Saturday. (AP)
TCU...Top QB Gunn did not start, but returned to action vs. Army after sitting out a couple games with a shoulder injury. Gunn completed 6 of 10 for 103 yds. with no ints. in win over Knights and is expected to be back in starting lineup at South Florida this week. Top RB Hobbs (ankle) missed his 2nd straight game, but might be available this week. RS frosh RB Merrill has 367 YR in last 3 games.
TEMPLE...With top QB McGann less than 100% due to nagging knee & ankle injuries, highly-touted juco Walter Washington started at Middle Tenn. State last week. But McGann was forced to come on in relief after Washington left late in 1st Q with an ankle injury. McGann was 16 of 34 for 186 yds. with a TDP & no ints. and also ran for another score in 44-36 win over Raiders.
