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For Temple, 49 isn't enough

Temple takes a 21-point lead and finishes with 49, but still loses to SMU by 10.

Temple's P.J. Walker. (Garett Ray Fisbeck/The Dallas Morning News/AP)
Temple's P.J. Walker. (Garett Ray Fisbeck/The Dallas Morning News/AP)Read more

Players of the Weekend

National: Octavias McKoy, of Division III Western Connecticut, rushed for an NCAA all-divisions record 455 yards on 43 carries in a 55-35 win at Worcester (Mass.) State. The record had been 441, set by Marietta College's Dante Brown on Oct. 5, 1996.

Local: Shawn Leo kicked a 26-yard field goal with a second left to give West Chester (8-0, 5-0 PSAC) a 32-29 win at Shippensburg (5-3, 4-1). The Rams, who used three quarterbacks because of injuries, have won their first eight for the first time since 1974.

Around town

SMU 59, Temple 49

The only time the Owls had more points in a loss was Oct. 5, 1996 at Pitt (53-52), when fourth-year coach Ron Dickerson resigned afterward but ended up sticking around for 17 more games (14 losses).

One week after winning for the first time in 11 months, they led by 21 in the second quarter in Dallas. The Mustangs (3-4, 2-1 American Athletic Conference) got 45 in the second half. It was tied at 42 with 11 minutes left. SMU scored 17 straight in the next 9.

Garrett Gilbert, who played in the BCS title game for Texas as a freshman 4 years ago against Alabama when Colt McCoy got hurt, had an SMU-record 635 yards total offense, the seventh-best total in FCS history. He threw for four touchdowns and ran for two. His 538 passing yards (37-for-53) and SMU's 728 were the most by a Temple opponent.

True freshman P.J. Walker, who completed his first 16, finished 26-for-37 for 293 and four scores. He also led the Owls with 92 rushing yards and a TD. And for the first time in his three starts, he didn't throw an interception.

The 108 combined points were the most in a Temple game since an 82-28 win over Bucknell in 1966. Its 593 yards were 29 short of the program record set in 1974 against Southern Illinois.

The Owls (1-7, 0-4) now go to Rutgers (4-3, 1-2), which was just clubbed at home by Houston (6-1, 3-0), 49-14.

Maine 37, Villanova 35

The Wildcats (4-4, 3-2 Colonial Athletic Association, who were ranked fifth in FCS to start the season, now have to win their last three and hope that's enough to get an at-large playoff bid. The field has been expanded from 20 to 24.

One week after losing by one at New Hampshire on a two-point conversion with 14 seconds left, they trailed most of the way. A TD with 4:17 left gave them a chance, but they couldn't get the ball back until the final 20 seconds (at their 26).

Their three FCS losses, to teams that are a combined 19-4, are by a total of six points.

John Robertson, playing without his top two receivers, was big-time once again (335 yards and five TDs, four rushing). But Maine's Marcus Wasilewski was better (424 yards and three scores, including what turned out to be the winning 6-yard run with 8:45 to go). The visitors got three field goals from Sean Decioux, two into the wind. They had the ball for 36:33, going 13-for-19 on third down.

It was the Wildcats' final game on the Main Line. They had won their previous three. The Nov. 23 finale against Delaware will be played at Chester's PPL Park.

This week they're at James Madison (5-3, 2-2), which just lost at William & Mary but is 5-0 at home.

Penn 28, Yale 17

Quarterback Billy Ragone (foot) was out. Didn't matter. Ryan Becker, in his first start since 2010, threw for 167 yards (10-for-13) and two TDs.

The Quakers (4-2, 3-0 Ivy) led by 13 at the half and 25 after three quarters.

The Bulldogs (3-3, 1-2), the only league team to beat Penn last season, has won once at Franklin Field in the last 21 years. But they did score first.

Kyle Wilcox, former third-stringer and the star of the four-overtime win over Dartmouth on Oct. 5, rushed for 129 yards on 23 carries. He also scored Penn's first TD on his first career TD reception, a 29-yarder. Spencer Kulcsar added 85 yards on 18 carries.

Connor Scott, who also caught a 29-yard TD, surpassed 1,000 yards receiving for his career.

Yale had four turnovers, while the Quakers lost three fumbles.

This week they're at Brown (4-2, 1-2), where they've lost three times in their last four trips. They're tied for first with Princeton (5-1, 3-0), which beat Harvard (5-1, 2-1) in triple overtime, 51-48.

So much for Missouri

At least as far as the BCS-conference unbeatens are concerned. The Tigers lost at home to South Carolina, 27-24 in double overtime, when Andrew Baggett's 24-yard field goal attempt found the left upright. But first they had to get outscored in the fourth quarter, 17-0. It was a nice ride while it lasted. Same with Texas Tech, which finally went down at Oklahoma (38-30).

So now there are six left, not including Fresno State (Mountain West) and Northern Illinois (MAC), who are just trying to get into a BCS bowl game. And another one will be gone next weekend, when Miami heads to Florida State. Baylor's next game is home with Oklahoma on Thursday, Nov. 7. That same night, Oregon will be at Stanford, which gave the Ducks their lone blemish last year in Eugene in OT.

Smalls stuff * 

Rondell White now has 6,574 career all-purpose yards. That breaks the West Chester record that had been held by Derrick Price since 1990.

* Jerry Rahill set an Ursinus record with 12 catches in a game, as the Bears (6-1, 5-1 Centennial) clinched a fifth straight winning season for the first time.

Did you notice? * 

Alabama has outscored its last six opponents, 246-26.

* Oregon outscored UCLA in the second half, 28-0.

* Florida State scored 35 in the first quarter against North Carolina State, which beat FSU last year.

* Eight of Baylor's nine scoring drives against Kansas took less than 2 minutes.

* For the second straight week, Miami scored in the final minute to avoid an upset, as Wake Forest fell to 1-53 against Top 10 teams.

* Duke beat a ranked team for the first time since 1994, and for the first time on the road in 42 years. And it didn't convert a third down. It hadn't beaten Virginia Tech since 1981.

* Southern Mississippi, which has lost 19 straight, is assured of back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1933-34.

* Minnesota hadn't even held the lead against Nebraska since 1969.

* Bo Cordell of Tusculum Collge (Greeneville, Tenn.) broke the Division II record for career passing yards (15,049).

MICHAEL JACK'S TOP 10
1. Alabama (8-0). Beat Tennessee, 45-10. Extra week to get ready for team that it lost to at home in 2011. Next: Nov. 9 vs. LSU.
2. Oregon (8-0). Beat UCLA, 42-14. Extra week to get ready for only team it lost to last year. Next: Nov. 7 at Stanford.
3. Florida State (7-0). Beat North Carolina State, 49-17. Has beaten Miami last 3 years. Saturday: vs. Miami.
4. Ohio State (8-0). Beat Penn State, 63-14. Good thing Braxton Miller only played three quarters. Saturday: at Purdue.
5. Baylor (7-0). Beat Kansas, 59-14. Extra week to get ready for team it beat 2 years ago at home with RGIII. Next: Nov. 7 vs. Oklahoma.
6. Stanford (7-1). Beat Oregon State, 20-12. Can Cardinal ruin Ducks' dreams again? Next: Nov. 7 vs. Oregon.
7. Miami (7-0). Beat Wake Forest, 24-21. Hasn't lost four in a row to FSU since 1996-99. Saturday: at Florida State.
8. Auburn (7-1). Beat Florida Atlantic, 45-10. Gus Malzahn for Heisman. Saturday: at Arkansas.
9. Missouri (7-1). Lost to South Carolina in OT, 27-24. Tough way to go down. Saturday: vs. Tennessee.
10. Clemson (7-1). Beat Maryland, 40-27. Hasn't played at Virginia since 2008. Saturday: at Virginia.
Five worth considering: Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, LSU and South Carolina.
FRAUD FIVE
Virginia Tech : Just when you were starting to think Hokies might really have something going . . .You can't be losing to Duke, especially in Blacksburg. This isn't hoops.
Missouri: It's OK to lose to South Carolina, even at home. But maybe not when you're leading by 17 after three quarters.
Penn State: How's that for a sharp slap of reality?
Rutgers: Can't be losing to Houston at home by 35. Good thing the Knights scored first. And it was still 14-all midway through second.
Nebraska: I guess it's OK to lose at Minnesota, which is 6-2. But it hadn't lost to the Gophers since 1960. In the 16 games since then, the average score had been 40-9.
Dishonorable mention: To the former college-picks leader, who had about as many winners this week as he did on a recent trip to Vegas. It happens.