Sportsticker College Football Notebook
By Doug Mittler
SportsTicker College Football Editor
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Ticker) - There is some bite in the Auburn Tigers after all.
College football's preseason darlings finally were in sync last week in a convincing 28-21 win over then No. 7 Tennessee. As a result, Auburn remains a viable candidate for the Southeastern Conference title, even if its chances of playing for the national title are long gone.
Tagged as the preseason No. 1 by some media outlets, Auburn fell off the radar screen and out of the rankings with September losses to Southern California and Georgia Tech in which it did not score a touchdown.
At first, the loss to USC was excusable since the Trojans supposedly had the most stubborn defense in America. But California ran wild against the Trojans and put up 34 points in their stunning upset a few weeks ago, so something clearly was wrong with the Tigers.
Somehow, the lost running game has been found. The Tigers have rolled up over 200 yards rushing yards in each of their last three games, and Carnell "Cadillac" Williams exploded for 185 in the victory over Tennessee.
"Obviously, we've improved over the last month," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said. "I'm proud of the team. They stayed positive. They stayed focused."
Auburn's strength is a deep running game that also includes Ronnie Brown, Brandon Jacobs and Tre Smith, all of whom made contributions against Tennessee. That took the pressure off erratic quarterback Jason Campbell, who with ample time threw for a pair of touchdowns.
The defense, led by star linebacker Karlos Dansby, has never been a problem. Tennessee had a mere four rushing yards on 16 carries.
Auburn has three games left against top 10 teams - all on the road - beginning with Saturday's clash at No. 9 Arkansas. There also are trips to No. 6 LSU and No. 10 Georgia.
"We have to put together two straight well-played games, which is something we haven't done in a long time," Tuberville said. "This a good time for us to do it. We have some confidence now on both sides of the ball."
It is too late to make Sugar Bowl plans, but Auburn could ruin the national title hopes of some other teams before the season is done.
MINNESOTA AND OHIO STATE WILL NOT MEET: For the second straight year, the most intriguing matchup of the Big Ten Conference season will not take place.
No. 13 Minnesota faces its first major test of the season when it hosts No. 19 Michigan at the Metrodome on Friday night.
Should the Golden Gophers win, they will have cleared a major obstacle en route to the league crown and would have to be considered as a candidate for the national title game.
Obviously, some big tests still remain, including home games with Michigan State and Wisconsin and a road game at Iowa. But Minnesota does not have to play third-ranked defending national champion Ohio State, thanks to the rotating conference schedule.
Last season, Ohio State did not play Iowa, and both teams ended up undefeated in conference play.
The Golden Gophers (6-0) are off to their best start since winning the national championship in 1960. Minnesota has benefited from a favorable schedule, as its opponents have a combined record of 11-23. But coach Glen Mason considers every game important.
"Every game is a big game," Minnesota coach Glen Mason said. "If you win this one, then what's the next one?"
BOWDEN CLOSES IN ON PATERNO: With Florida State off to a fast start and Penn State enduring another tough season, it seems inevitable that Bobby Bowden will past Joe Paterno and become the all-time leader in wins among Division I-A coaches.
Bowden can claim career victory No. 338 in Saturday's showdown with Miami, which would tie him with Paterno, the current leader. In order for Paterno to stay ahead if Bowden wins, the Nittany Lions would have to defeat No. 20 Purdue.
Bowden and Paterno are good friends, so Bowden admits to feeling a bit awkward about approaching the milestone. Bowden recalls attending a coaching convention in Hawaii in which Paterno was honored for breaking Bear Bryant's record.
"Everybody gave him a hand. So when he got through, Joe came up to me and said, 'Bobby, you will be there next year,'" Bowden said. "He is such a good, thoughtful guy."
But Bowden admits he would not mind eventually having the record as his own.
"If I had my way, he would keep winning and I would too and in about six years he hangs it up and then I go one more year," Bowden joked.
Should Bowden defeat Miami this weekend, his chances of adding another national championship to his resume will increase dramatically.
A schedule that looked like a minefield a few weeks ago no longer appears imposing. The Atlantic Coast Conference is not nearly as strong as anticipated, with the toughest remaining league test next week at Virginia, which admittedly is no gimme.
The non-conference games left on the schedule are Notre Dame and Florida, a pair of traditional powers whose combined record this year is 4-6.
THIS AND THAT: Give some credit to Guy Morriss, who has perennial Big 12 Conference doormat Baylor at 3-2. Last week, the Bears stunned Colorado, 42-30, for their first victory over the Buffaloes since 1991 and just their fifth in conference play since 1996. ... Ditto for Paul Johnson at Navy, where the Midshipmen are 3-2 after a dismal 2-10 mark last season. Navy defeated Air Force last week for its first win over a ranked opponent since 1985. Johnson was I-AA Coach of the Year for four straight seasons at Georgia Southern and has the Midshipmen on the right course in his second year at the Academy. ... Northern Illinois (5-0) can cry all it wants about not getting consideration for a BCS bowl, but teams that need overtime to defeat Ohio do not deserve multi-million dollar paydays. ... Rice lost its first four games and entered last week's game against San Jose State ranked dead last nationally in passing. But the Owls completed seven straight passes on their final two scoring drives and managed a 28-24 win.
A FINAL THOUGHT: Maybe Nebraska didn't feed Chad Kelsay enough.
Kelsay, a former rush end for the Cornhuskers who graduated in 1998, was arrested last week for allegedly eating off other customer's plates at a Lincoln, Nebraska restaurant. Police also said Kelsay sat down and began eating directly from the salsa bar. Bon appetit.
