SPORTS - QB Jones and No. 1 Sooners beat FSU 23-13 (AP)

SPORTS - QB Jones and No. 1 Sooners beat FSU 23-13 (AP)

• Photo:Oklahoma wide receiver Kenny Stills (4) goes high over Florida State cornerback Greg Reid (5) for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of a NCAA coll AP

By RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo, Ap College Football Writer – 1 hr 14 mins ago

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Landry Jones' pass seemed like it would never come down.

Kenny Stills waited in the end zone for what must have felt like an eternity, then reached high for a touchdown that gave No. 1 Oklahoma the type of rugged road victory that teams need to win national championships.

Stills, playing for the first time this season after being suspended for the opener because of an offseason DUI arrest, grabbed a 37-yard scoring pass midway through the fourth quarter for the tiebreaking score, and Oklahoma's defense made the lead stand as the Sooners beat No. 5 Florida State 23-13 on Saturday night.

"We won ugly, but that's OK," said Jones, who came in 3-5 as a starter the past two seasons in true road games. "That's what No. 1 teams do, that's for sure."

Javon Harris picked off two passes for the Sooners (2-0), who forced three turnovers and had six sacks against two Florida State quarterbacks.

The Seminoles (2-1) played the final 20 minutes without starting quarterback E.J. Manuel, who left in the third with a left shoulder injury.

Backup Clint Trickett kept the Seminoles in it. He hooked up with freshman Rashad Greene for a 56-yard touchdown on a third-and-28 with 9:32 left in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 13.

But on the next possession, Jones went high and deep down the sideline to the 6-foot-1 Stills, who easily outleaped the 5-8 Greg Reid for the touchdown.

Trickett couldn't respond. On the next drive, he had a pass tipped at the line by Ronnell Lewis, and Harris came up with his second interception near midfield. Just like the first pick, Oklahoma turned it into a field goal, this one from 31 yards out by Jimmy Stevens.

"All of a sudden the crowd's on you, they tie it up at home," said OU coach Bob Stoops, who shared a hug with his brother, Mark, the Florida State defensive coordinator, after the game. "We come back ... with the big drive, defense gets the turnover, we eat up the clock and get a field goal. I'm really proud of 'em. Our kids really answered the bell when they had to."

And maybe we can start calling Stoops "Big Game Bob" again, too.

Jones finished 18 for 27 for 199 yards with two interceptions, though he did become the school's career passing leader, moving past Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford.

"All great games come down to two or three plays," second-year Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. "They made plays; we didn't."

A rematch of a lopsided 47-17 Oklahoma victory in Norman last season, this was more reminiscent of the most important game these two heavyweight programs have played. The Sooners won their last national championship in 2000 by beating the Seminoles 13-2 in the Orange Bowl.

The Sooners, from the Big 12 — at least for now — scored a touchdown on their first possession and one of the most potent offenses in the country didn't find the end zone again until the fourth quarter. Florida State looked as if it would never get there.

Then Greene's touchdown sent most of the record crowd of 84,392 at Doak Campbell Stadium into hysterics. Like Stills, he went high in traffic to come down with Trickett's pass then broke free from the pack and raced for the score.

"It was just loud, I couldn't hear anything, especially down there when we were in their student section," Jones said. "I called some plays six or seven times, and I still don't think the guys heard me."

Florida State showed it's worthy of again being considered a national title contender, a title the Seminoles held for 14 years under Hall of Fame coach Bobby Bowden, but relinquished in the 2000s.

Fisher's Seminoles aren't quite all the way back, but they are getting there.

"I hope it changed people's perspective of us," Trickett said.

Trickett, who was sacked five times, was 7 for 15 for 134 yards for Florida State, which had no running game beyond Manuel's 49 yards.

Fisher said Manuel's status for next week's pivotal Atlantic Coast Conference game at Clemson was uncertain, though the junior did watch most of the fourth quarter from the sideline.

Oklahoma seemed to pick up right where it left off last year in Norman on the first drive of the game, zipping down field with little resistance for an 80-yard drive that ended with Jones' 1-yard touchdown sneak.

Dustin Hopkins booted a 53-yard field goal to make it 7-3 with 2:42 left in the first.

Turnovers, penalties and defense dominated the rest of the way.

Manuel made some nifty plays on the run, jumping over one of his lineman on the way to a 12-yard gain in the second quarter. But the junior also was intercepted twice in Oklahoma territory.

The second came late in the half when Harris grabbed a high throw and returned it 69 yards to the Florida State 3.

But for the second time in the half, the Sooners got inside the 5 and settled for a field goal. Stevens kicked a 29-yarder to make it 13-3 as time expired in the half.

"We slowed down their no huddle offense," Florida State defensive end Bjoern Werner said.

Oklahoma managed 310 yards, its fewest since Nov. 21, 2009, in a road loss to Texas Tech. But the Sooners held the Seminoles to 246.

"We knew coming in we were going to have to be physical," Harris said.

Florida State's best shot to get in the end zone in the first half came when Manuel found Kenny Shaw deep down the middle inside the 5, but the receiver was sandwiched by Tom Wort and Harris, taking a double-helmet shot, and the ball came out. The Sooners were flagged 15 yards for the hit and Shaw lay motionless on the turf for several minutes. He was carted off, conscious and moving his arms, and taken to the hospital for X-rays. He later returned to the sideline in the fourth quarter.

The Sooners' defense got a boost with the return of star linebacker Travis Lewis, who came back earlier than expected from a broken left toe to start against Florida State.

With 5:42 left in the third quarter, Manuel was swarmed under by Oklahoma on a third-and-2 play that never had a chance and the quarterback came off the field wincing, holding his left arm close to his body. He went to the locker room to have his shoulder examined, and Trickett took over the offense after Lamarcus Joyner intercepted a deep ball by Jones.

Trickett, a redshirt freshman and the son of Florida State offensive line coach Rick Trickett, led the Seminoles to Hopkins' 46-yard field goal to make it 13-6 with 53 seconds left in the third.

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SPORTS - FSU president confirms Pitt, Syracuse applications (AP)

SPORTS - FSU president confirms Pitt, Syracuse applications (AP)

AP – Tulsa alumnus G.E. Beard sits alone in the rain in the stands of H.A. Chapman Stadium as heavy rain and …

By JEFF LATZKE, AP College Football Writer Jeff Latzke, Ap College Football Writer – 6 mins ago

TULSA, Okla. – By the time No. 8 Oklahoma State and Tulsa were about to get their game started after midnight Sunday, referee Randy Smith had a question for the teams' captains before the pregame coin flip.

"Are you guys ready to finally play some football?" Smith asked.

A thunderstorm that brought lightning and heavy rains to H.A. Chapman Stadium kept an already late-night game from starting until 12:16 a.m. Sunday. Thousands of fans who had been asked to clear the stadium as the storm approached returned to the stands to watch the game after a delay of just more than 3 hours.

Tulsa offensive tackle Stetson Burnett's long brown hair flipped around as he jumped up and down to try and rile up the fans when the players jogged back onto the field for pregame warm-ups a few minutes before midnight. Then the game got off to a false start when officials had to whistle the opening kickoff dead to reset the 25-second play clock.

The teams were prepared to play a little later than usual, with kickoff originally scheduled for 9:10 p.m. Tulsa's band already had played the national anthem and kickoff was only a few minutes away when fans were encouraged to seek shelter on the concourses, at the Reynolds Center basketball arena or in their vehicles because of the approaching storm.

Increasingly heavy rain moved over the stadium soon after, and only one man remained in his seat as the stadium got soaked.

Those who stuck around got rewarded with some early action. Shawn Jackson intercepted one of Brandon Weeden's passes on Oklahoma State's opening drive to set up Kevin Fitzpatrick's 25-yard field goal.

Justin Gilbert returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, and the Cowboys stretched the lead to 14-3 on Weeden's flea flicker pass to Hubert Anyiam.

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy had said earlier in the week that he thought the late start would have more of an impact on coaches than players, who are more accustomed to staying up late.

"By 10 o'clock, I'm asleep," Gundy said. "I would think the adjustment would be for the staff and obviously the fans. There will be a big adjustment for them."

Gundy had expected the team to arrive back in Stillwater around 3 a.m. Sunday, but the delay meant the game likely wouldn't end until that hour. The team didn't have a hotel in Tulsa, so a 70-mile drive back to Stillwater was ahead after the end of the game.

Gundy had said he couldn't remember playing or coaching in a game that got started after 9 p.m. — much less after midnight — in two and a half decades in college football.

"We all know that television and money is dictating when we kick games off. ... It doesn't matter what I think," Gundy said. "We're going to go down and kick it off whenever somebody else tells us to do it."

The teams don't share a weekend off this season, so the options to postpone the game were limited. And both teams face ranked opponents next Saturday. Oklahoma State opens Big 12 conference play at No. 9 Texas A&M while Tulsa is at No. 4 Boise State.

Now, they'll have a little less time to prepare.

"It spills over into an early Sunday morning for the coaches," Gundy said. "And then the players will sleep in, and they'll come in later. There is some effect. For a week or two, late nights could affect you."

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SPORTS - Avalanche's Mueller back after concussion (AP)

SPORTS - Avalanche's Mueller back after concussion (AP)

AP – Lexi Thompson hits her drive from the third tee during the third round of the Navistar LPGA Classic golf …

– Sat Sep 17, 8:09 pm ET

PRATTVILLE, Ala. – Lexi Thompson is poised for an historic victory.

Thompson shot a 5-under 67 in the Navistar LPGA Classic on Saturday and is in position to become the youngest player to win an LPGA tournament.

Thompson, who turned 16 in February, is at 15-under 201 and has a five-stroke lead heading into the final round at the Robert Trent Jones Trail's Capitol Hill complex.

"I always go into every tournament wanting to win," Thompson said. "I'm at 15, so my goal is to take it one shot at a time and try to get it to 20."

Paula Creamer set the age record for a multiple-round tournament when she won the Sybase Classic in 2005 at 18 years, 9 months and 17 days. Marlene Hagge was 18 years and 14 days old when she won the single-round Sarasota Open in 1952.

Thompson, who led by two after the second round, had four consecutive birdies on Nos. 6-9 and recorded six overall Saturday. She bogeyed the par-4 18th.

"It's incredible," said Juli Inkster, a Hall of Famer with 31 career victories who said she started playing when she was 15. "They're just starting younger and they're just so much better."

South Korea's Meena Lee is second, and Tiffany Joh, Karen Stupples and Becky Morgan are tied for third at 8-under 208.

If Thompson wins, she will not receive automatic LPGA Tour membership because of her age. Thompson would have to petition the LPGA for an exemption of its 18-year-old age requirement.

The LPGA already granted her petition for qualifying school, and she won the first stage by 10 strikes in July.

"It's definitely going to change my life and my career, but you just have to take it one shot at a time," Thompson said.

Joh made the biggest move in the third round with a 65. She had nine birdies, including her final two holes, and two bogeys.

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SPORTS - No. 17 Ohio State falls at Miami, 24-6 (AP)

SPORTS - No. 17 Ohio State falls at Miami, 24-6 (AP)

AP – Philadelphia Phillies' Hunter Pence celebrates in the locker room after the Phillies defeated the St. …

By ROB MAADDI, AP Sports Writer Rob Maaddi, Ap Sports Writer – 2 hrs 42 mins ago

PHILADELPHIA – Hunter Pence clutched a bottle of champagne and jumped around like an excited child opening Christmas presents.

The Philadelphia Phillies won another division crown, and Pence is along for his first postseason ride.

Roy Oswalt threw seven dominant innings, Raul Ibanez hit a grand slam and the Phillies clinched their fifth straight NL East title with a 9-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night.

"I've waited for this moment a long time," said Pence, the All-Star outfielder who joined Philadelphia in a trade from last-place Houston on July 29.

"It's incredible, and I'm enjoying the moment. We've got a lot of work to do still. The expectation is to win the World Series, but this is one of the steps you gotta make, and to me it's my first time, so this is great."

In a season where nothing less than a World Series championship would be considered a success, there wasn't much of a party on the field. The Phillies had a been-there, done-that attitude toward winning the division last year, and this time was no different.

Players ran onto the diamond a bit faster than usual, but they simply exchanged handshakes, hugs and high-fives as if this was an ordinary game in April. They did at least put on shirts and hats proclaiming themselves division champs.

The fans didn't even scream all that loud, even when the Phillie Phanatic ran on the field with a big flag that said 2011.

Once they reached the clubhouse, however, the Phillies popped open the bubbly and celebrated their achievement.

"I'm excited for a guy like Hunter who has never been here before," Chase Utley said. "It's a long season and you never know what's going to happen."

With the Four Aces leading the way, the Phillies are seeking their third NL pennant in four years and second World Series title.

They've taken care of the first step. Now they'll use the 12 remaining games to get ready for the postseason. It's still uncertain who the Phillies will face in the best-of-five first round when the NL playoffs begin Oct. 1.

"This is the first step," slugger Ryan Howard told the crowd that remained after the game. "We're gonna try to go all the way and we'll need you guys."

The major league-leading Phillies (98-52) are four wins away from setting a single-season club record.

None of those accomplishments will matter if they don't finish the season with a championship parade on Broad Street.

"It's an extraordinary effort," team president David Montgomery said. "Clearly, it's a team that has its priorities in order."

Oswalt (8-9) allowed no runs and five hits, striking out seven. Brad Lidge got one out in the eighth after Michael Stutes ran into trouble, and Ryan Madson finished with a seven-run cushion.

St. Louis fell 4 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the wild-card race. They had won eight of nine to narrow the gap from 8 1/2 back on Sept. 6.

"We played with a lot of urgency," Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa said.

Cardinals starter Jake Westbrook (12-9) allowed one earned run and five hits in 3 1-3 innings. He's given up two earned runs or less in 11 of his 16 road starts this season, but fell to 8-4 away from home.

Oswalt, Philadelphia's best pitcher down the stretch last year after coming over from Houston in a trade on July 29, left spring training as the No. 3 starter behind Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. But he struggled after starting 3-0, and a back injury forced him to the disabled twice.

The three-time All-Star was vintage Oswalt against the Cardinals. His fastball reached 94 mph a few times, and he had a nasty curveball.

Oswalt struck out Skip Schumaker on a 76 mph curve to leave two runners on in the seventh. All of his Ks came on swings.

"I'm not really going to be satisfied until we win that last game," Oswalt said. "I've done enough personal stuff that it really doesn't matter. All I want now is to win that last game. That's all any of us really want."

Stutes nearly blew a 3-0 lead in the eighth after getting the first two outs. Four straight singles by John Jay, Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman and David Freese got the Cardinals within 3-2.

But Lidge came in and retired Allen Craig on a grounder to second on his first pitch to end the inning.

The Phillies then blew it open with six unearned runs in the eighth. Carlos Ruiz reached second when his grounder skipped past third baseman Daniel Descalso for an error. Ruiz went to third on Jimmy Rollins' one-out single and scored on Shane Victorino's single up the middle.

After Utley was hit by a pitch, Howard struck out.

Octavio Dotel entered and Pence hustled out an infield single to shortstop Rafael Furcal to drive in another run. Ibanez then hit his slam to right to put it away.

Pence gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead on an RBI double in the first. An error by Furcal helped the Phillies add a run in the fourth. Placido Polanco led off with a walk. Oswalt sacrificed with one out and Furcal dropped the throw to second. Rollins followed with a single to load the bases. Victorino walked to force in Polanco to make it 2-0.

That ended Westbrook's night.

Arthur Rhodes came in and retired Utley on a shallow fly and Howard on a grounder.

Victorino hit a solo homer off Kyle McClellan in the sixth. He's been slumping lately, batting just .163 (14 for 86) in his previous 21 games.

Oswalt likely will be the fourth starter in the postseason after Halladay, Lee and Cole Hamels. Rookie Vance Worley would go to the bullpen, despite an 11-2 record.

NOTES: A crowd of 45,470 was the 211th straight sellout at Citizens Bank Park, including playoffs. ... This was the fastest the Phillies ever clinched a division title. The previous was Game No. 156 in 1976. ... The Phillies had all their regulars in the starting lineup for the first time since Aug. 6. ... Rollins was 4 for 5. He was 3 for 20 coming in. ... The Phillies had scored just 22 runs in the last nine games before getting six in the eighth. ... The Cardinals are 6-28 when scoring fewer than three runs. ... St. Louis used seven pitchers. ... Hamels (14-8) faces Chris Carpenter (9-9) when the teams meet Sunday night.

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SPORTS - MMA headed to mainstream with 'Warrior,' TV deals (AP)

SPORTS - MMA headed to mainstream with 'Warrior,' TV deals (AP)

Reuters – WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz (L) of the U.S. takes a punch from Floyd Mayweather Jr., also …

By Mark Lamport-Stokes Mark Lamport-stokes – 49 mins ago

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Floyd Mayweather Jr took the WBC welterweight title from Victor Ortiz with a controversial fourth-round knockout on Saturday that prompted an angry response from the crowd and raised questions about his conduct in the ring.

Ortiz had pinned Mayweather against the ropes before he was penalized by referee Joe Cortez for a head-butt. After a brief time-out, Ortiz apologized to his opponent in the center of the ring by touching gloves and Mayweather suddenly responded with a left hook and crunching right that dropped Ortiz to the canvas.

Boos rang out from the crowd in the MGM Grand Garden Arena but Mayweather, who improved his career record to 42-0 with 26 knockouts, was unrepentant.

"I got hit with a dirty shot, I was protecting myself at all times," the 34-year-old said ringside. "I hit him with a left and then a right hand, and that ended the bout."

Asked to describe what happened as a replay of the final moments was shown on a giant television screen above the ring, Mayweather replied: "We touched gloves, right hand and that's all she wrote.

"You just protect yourself at all times. I was victorious. If he wants a re-match, he can get a re-match."

Mayweather then showered his interviewer with abuse and said he had never given him "a fair shake."

Fighting for the first time in 16 months, Mayweather had upped the pace early on in the fourth round with a flurry of body jabs and upper cuts.

Ortiz responded with a furious sequence of blows before pinning the challenger to the ropes.

Ortiz, who took the WBC welterweight title from Andre Berto in April with an unanimous points victory, slipped to 29-3-2 with 22 knockouts.

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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SPORTS - NASCAR: 'Nothing conclusive' on Menard spin (AP)

SPORTS - NASCAR: 'Nothing conclusive' on Menard spin (AP)

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SPORTS - Phillies win, clinch 5th straight NL East title (AP)

SPORTS - Phillies win, clinch 5th straight NL East title (AP)

AP – Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick passes to a teammate during the second half an NFL football …

By JOHN WAWROW, AP Sports Writer John Wawrow, Ap Sports Writer – 1 hr 57 mins ago

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Chan Gailey has devised enough offensive game plans in his day — remember the Kordell Stewart "Slash" offense in Pittsburgh of the mid-1990s? — to appreciate a good power running attack when he sees one.

So all it took was one glimpse at the big, bruising, run, run, and run it again Raiders' approach to pounding the ball to leave Buffalo's coach more than impressed.

"Scary, is the better term," Gailey said.

Pleased as he was to see his once-porous defense contain the run-happy Kansas City Chiefs in last weekend's opening 41-7 victory, Gailey acknowledged the Bills' home opener against the Raiders on Sunday will be a far more daunting challenge.

"They're so massive up front and their backs are big and strong and (run) downhill," Gailey said. "Last week, it was edge, hitting the crease, dip, dart. This is right at you: `Here we come. See if you can stop us.'"

The Broncos couldn't stop the Darren McFadden-led Raiders, who combined for 190 yards rushing in a 23-20 win at Denver on Monday night. And yet, the Raiders aren't looking too far ahead, because the Bills firmly have their attention given how Buffalo manhandled the Chiefs.

"Oh yeah, that caught everybody's attention," defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said. "Any time you can go on the road and have a victory like that, that's going to open up a lot of people's eyes."

That's not to say Kelly is overly concerned.

"The thing about the NFL is that happened last week," he said. "They've got to come and deal with us now. And we ain't the Chiefs."

A pair of original American Football League franchises meet at Orchard Park in an early season test between two teams attempting to become relevant again.

The Bills have endured six straight losing seasons after last year's 4-12 finish. Buffalo has not made the playoffs in 11 seasons, tied with Detroit for the NFL's longest active drought.

The Raiders haven't been much better. They've not opened a season with two straight wins since going 4-0 in 2002. That was the last time they had a winning record and made the playoffs, which ended with a loss to Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl.

There's renewed hope the Raiders are finally poised for a breakthrough. Coming off an 8-8 record, first-year coach Hue Jackson has made it his objective to re-establish the Raiders' smash-mouth reputation.

"It's all about building a bully with Hue," right tackle Khalif Barnes said. "We're getting there."

The Raiders have been rebuilt with an eye on brute force and speed.

It's evident with their massive defensive front, anchored by Kelly and Richard Seymour. The two already made their presence felt against the Broncos in combining for three of the Raiders' five sacks.

And then there's a mammoth offensive front, which sometimes features a sixth lineman to better open holes for the one-two punch running attack of McFadden and Michael Bush. McFadden had three 20-plus-yard runs against the Broncos, including a 20-yarder on third-and-13, no less.

That doesn't mean the Raiders have arrived just yet.

Discipline remains an issue after Oakland was penalized 15 times for 131 yards on Monday. Jackson brought in referees to throw flags at practice Wednesday in a bid to send a message to his players.

The Raiders also face a short week in which they have to travel across the country to face a nondivision rival, which is something they struggled with last year. While sweeping all six matchups against AFC West opponents, they went 2-8 in their remaining games.

"That's history," said Jackson.

The Bills might be off to a good start, but still have a dysfunctional history of their own to overcome entering Gailey's second year.

In his first season-opening start, journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had four touchdown passes as part of a balanced attack complemented by Fred Jackson's 112 yards rushing. The Bills led 20-7 by halftime, a year after they scored 20 points only four times in an entire game.

The retooled defense proved stout. It forced three turnovers and eight punts, while limiting the Chiefs to 213 yards offense — including a modest 108 yards rushing. That's a significant improvement over last year, when the Bills allowed 200 yards rushing eight times.

The Raiders provide the Bills a chance to gauge how far they've come.

"We won't have an answer, but we'll have a better idea of where we are," Gailey said.

Fitzpatrick is focused on putting the opening win behind him, saying the Bills still have much to prove.

"We're done patting everybody on the back," Fitzpatrick said. "We're moving on to this week."

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SPORTS - Loney, Rivera homer in Dodgers' win over Pirates (AP)

SPORTS - Loney, Rivera homer in Dodgers' win over Pirates (AP)

AP – Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, center, reacts during a basketball clinic on Saturday Sept. …

By ALEX KENNEDY, Associated Press Alex Kennedy, Associated Press – Sat Sep 17, 7:49 am ET

SINGAPORE – Kobe Bryant said that he's still considering playing overseas because an owners' lockout of players threatens to sabotage the upcoming NBA season.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar told The Associated Press on the sidelines of a youth basketball clinic in Singapore that he didn't know if there will be a 2011-12 season and hasn't ruled out playing abroad.

"I could," Bryant said Saturday. "I'm playing abroad right now."

Bryant said he may join informal workouts with Lakers teammates in the future, but that no such sessions have been scheduled yet.

Turkish club Besiktas said in July it was in talks with Bryant's representatives about possibly playing for the team. At least one team in China has also expressed interest in the 33-year-old Bryant, who has won five NBA championships and been an All-Star 13 times.

Meanwhile, other NBA players are committing to playing next season in leagues outside the U.S.

Denver Nuggets free agents Wilson Chandler and J.R. Smith plan to play in China, Denver's Ty Lawson will play in Lithuania and New Jersey Nets All-Star Deron Williams signed with Turkey's Besiktas.

The NBA season usually begins in late October but owners and players have so far failed to agree on a new labor deal. The two sides are at loggerheads over how to divide the league's revenue, a salary cap structure and the length of guaranteed contracts, and have made no significant progress in talks to end the lockout.

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SPORTS - APNewsBreak: US gold medalist replaced at worlds (AP)

SPORTS - APNewsBreak: US gold medalist replaced at worlds (AP)

AP – FILE - This March 9, 2010, file photo shows Colorado Avalanche center Peter Mueller warming up before …

By PAT GRAHAM, AP Sports Writer Pat Graham, Ap Sports Writer – 25 mins ago

DENVER – For the first time in quite a while, Colorado Avalanche forward Peter Mueller's focus is on hockey instead of his head.

So antsy for the start of training camp Saturday, Mueller was one of the first to arrive at the rink, eager to resume his career after missing an entire season with a concussion.

After a team scrimmage in which he dished out and took some good hits, Mueller proclaimed himself fully fit.

"Things are good," Mueller said. "Didn't really feel anything."

Over the offseason, Mueller worked on strengthening the muscles in his neck to avoid another round of concussions. He sustained a head injury when he took a blow along the boards against San Jose on April 4, 2010, and hasn't been completely right since.

This season, Mueller will wear a specially designed helmet that has extra padding and a tinted visor to shield his eyes from the glare of arena lights. He also will don thicker shoulder pads.

"I'm ready to get this thing going," Mueller said. "I'm feeling great."

The 23-year-old was part of a rash of concussions last season that sidelined some of the top players in the game, including Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby.

That led the league to amend and strengthen its stance on hits to the head. Players now will face a minor penalty for any hit that involves primary contact to the head, along with shots that target an opponent's head and make it the principal point of contact.

It's long overdue, in Mueller's opinion.

"There are a lot of guys that are going through a tough time right now, and I think something should be done about it," Mueller said. "It's tough when a guy loses that much time and other people don't get a suspension or anything. I understand that I'm not in charge with (discipline). I just hope the NHL figures something out.

"But for now the biggest thing for me is not to worry about that and to get back on the ice."

He's just hoping he can be the type of player he was before the concussion.

"I want to be," Mueller said. "I think I can get back to that level."

Colorado acquired Mueller in a deal that sent Wojtek Wolski to the Phoenix Coyotes in March 2010.

Instantly, Mueller showed his offensive flair, scoring 20 points in 15 games.

Then came the hit that caused the concussion. He was tracking down a puck in the corner when he was smashed by former Sharks captain Rob Blake into the boards, Mueller's head hitting first. Mueller would miss the rest of that season and the playoffs.

He attempted to come back last fall, but re-injured his head in a preseason game and never returned to the ice for the Avalanche in 2010-11.

Not that he didn't try. But something as simple as stepping into the sunlight gave him intense headaches. The tattoo-laden Mueller also couldn't get new ink because the buzzing sent his head pounding.

"It was a chapter of my life that I hope will never come again," Mueller said.

In Mueller's absence, the Avalanche struggled and won their fewest games (30) since relocating to Denver from Quebec in 1995. Now, he's itching to help the Avs restore the luster to a franchise that's won two Stanley Cup trophies.

"I kind of feel like a rookie right now," said Mueller, who's from Bloomington, Minn. "I haven't been in a game in a long time, and there's something I need to prove. I definitely need to prove myself."

On Saturday, Mueller was paired with Matt Duchene, the team's leading scorer last season, and Milan Hejduk, who's entering his 13th season.

Almost immediately, that line clicked.

"He looks good," Duchene said of Mueller. "It's great to get a guy like that back."

Mueller was hit early in practice Saturday and said his head didn't bother him.

Definitely a relief.

"This was a little nerve-racking at first," said Mueller, a first-round pick by Phoenix in 2006. "It's always in the back of your head: What's going to happen when you get that first hit? But it happened. It went good.

"It was just a good day."

___

AP Sports Writer Pat Graham can be reached at http://twitter.com/pgraham34

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SPORTS - WADA approves changes to banned drugs list (AP)

SPORTS - WADA approves changes to banned drugs list (AP)

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SPORTS - Mayweather controversially stops Ortiz (Reuters)

SPORTS - Mayweather controversially stops Ortiz (Reuters)

• Play Video Olympics Video:Chesapeake team practices for plane-pull competition, all for a good cause 13 News, WVEC Hampton Roads
• Play Video Olympics Video:Europe's largest mall opens for London 2012 AFP
• Play Video Olympics Video:Elite triathlete wins race for sick teammate AP

– Sat Sep 17, 5:06 pm ET

LAUSANNE, Switzerland – The World Anti-Doping Agency has set the list of banned substances for the London Olympics, allowing a previously prohibited asthma drug to be used to certain forms.

WADA's executive committee met in Lausanne on Saturday to approve the list that will apply to all accredited sports in 2012.

The list will not be published until until Oct. 1. The agency, however, said the asthma drug formoterol will be permitted when inhaled in "therapeutic doses."

WADA also said it plans to put more emphasis on collecting blood samples. It said only 4 percent of all doping samples collected this year were for blood, and it will aim to reach 10 percent next year.

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SPORTS - Thompson builds lead in Navistar LPGA Classic (AP)

SPORTS - Thompson builds lead in Navistar LPGA Classic (AP)

AP – FILE - This Sept. 6, 2011 file photo shows cast member Tom Hardy arriving at the premiere of 'Warrior' …

By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham, Ap Sports Writer – Thu Sep 8, 6:35 pm ET

LOS ANGELES – Tom Hardy showed up on director Gavin O'Connor's porch at midnight a few years ago, brimming with excitement about playing a fighter in a bizarre, violent fringe sport called mixed martial arts.

"I flew out and knocked on his door to tell him why he should hire me to be Chuck Norris," Hardy said with a grin. "At the time, when I read `Warrior' the first time, I thought it was Chuck Norris he wanted."

Hardy and Joel Edgerton both acknowledge they knew almost nothing about MMA when they signed on to star in "Warrior," the biggest major-studio film to date featuring the fast-rising sports.

The two actors quickly figured out MMA isn't about blood, rage and Chuck Norris-style beatdowns. They're hoping audiences will enjoy getting a similar education about a niche pursuit that's about to go mainstream.

"Warrior" puts MMA in the nation's multiplexes Friday as the biggest major-studio film to date about the sport, and the critically acclaimed drama is leading a slew of MMA-related projects in various stages of production. The UFC also just signed a nine-figure broadcast deal with Fox, putting the sport's dominant promotion on network prime-time for the next seven years.

O'Connor knows why MMA is suddenly under Hollywood's spotlight. Storytellers have always loved a good fight — going all the way back to Theogenes, the mythical, undefeated Greek boxer referenced in "Warrior" — but the MMA cage is a fascinating, fresh visual locale for a scrap.

"You can't turn to anyone else, and there's something so primal about that," O'Connor said. "Two men entering a ring, and one guy walks out, one guy gets his hand raised. It's just primal, and when you can use MMA, we haven't seen it in cinema before. If we got it right, which we take great pains to try to do, it'll be something that's new and fresh."

O'Connor first became intrigued by MMA more than a decade ago when he financed the completion of "The Smashing Machine," director John Hyams' 2002 documentary about early MMA fighter Mark Kerr. O'Connor has followed the sport ever since.

"It's beautiful and athletic as hell, and the evolution of it has been like a freight train," O'Connor said.

A couple of years after O'Connor made "Miracle," his well-received 2004 retelling of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team's gold-medal triumph, he conceived a story about two brothers coming to terms with their violent childhood and a once-domineering father, played by Nick Nolte.

As in any good sports film, the competition in "Warrior" is only a vehicle for telling a bigger story, this one about family bonds and redemption. Yet the fighting scenes are fierce and pivotal, with both brothers competing in a tournament that takes up the film's final act.

"The light bulb went off when I (realized) the backdrop of this sport has never been captured," O'Connor said. "Maybe there's a way to take this story and put it somewhere that some people haven't seen yet."

The actors' MMA training took nearly as long as the shoot. Hardy, who filmed "Warrior" before his mainstream breakthrough roles in "Inception" and the upcoming "The Dark Knight Rises," put 14 more pounds of muscle on his already bulging frame to play Tommy Conlon, the ex-Marine who wins most of his fights by brutal knockout.

"It's terrifying. Don't try it at home," Hardy said with a laugh. "It really is an athletic sport, but the guys aren't the way you might expect. The Brazilian jiujitsu guys, you could marry any of them. They're lovely gentlemen. It's the most humbling experience working with them. They're so kind, so serious, and you can't believe they take 25 minutes of an evening trying to smash each other in the face."

Edgerton tore a ligament in his knee while performing nearly every bit of his own fight action as Brendan Conlon, who returns to fighting to save his family from home foreclosure. Edgerton only gave way to a stunt double for a handful of dangerous body slams.

"It wasn't really as brutal a sport as I was first judging before I got involved," said Edgerton, an Australian and longtime karate student who starred in "Animal Kingdom."

"I had no idea. I just saw it as a bloody gladiator sport, and there's much more to it than meets the eye."

If "Warrior" lives up to its early critical acclaim while also finding acceptance with MMA fans, the film could become a benchmark in a new subgenre. Although Hong Kong superstar Donnie Yen has made MMA films, North American filmmakers are just starting to figure out how to exploit the sport's unique cinematic possibilities.

Chiwetel Ejiofor played a jiujitsu instructor turned MMA fighter in "Redbelt" in 2008, but director David Mamet's meditation on integrity is only tangentially about martial arts, with fights that don't really resemble modern MMA. "Never Back Down," a low-budget MMA film starring Djimon Hounsou, made $41 million at the box office in early 2008, but not much of a splash with critics or MMA fans.

What's more, dozens of low-budget MMA films have filled the DVD bargain bin in recent years, often starring UFC fighters acting their way through threadbare plots.

"It's not like the bar is very high on this stuff, but we still wanted to do it justice right away," O'Connor said.

Several MMA-related films are in various stages of production, some more serious than others. Next July, UFC superfan Kevin James will star with Salma Hayek in the comedy "Here Comes the Boom," playing a teacher who becomes an MMA fighter.

And back in the world of professional MMA, UFC President Dana White believes his TV deal with Fox will put the sport in front of an entirely new group of potential fans. MMA isn't mainstream yet, but White believes it can get there in two years.

"We won't be mainstream until we don't have to explain what we're doing — what the holds are, what the basic rules are," White said. "But people can learn about MMA in a lot of places now — on TV, in the movies, and with everything we do. We're getting there, and we're going to be there soon."

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SPORTS - Florida State falls to No. 1 Sooners 23-13 (AP)

SPORTS - Florida State falls to No. 1 Sooners 23-13 (AP)

AP – FILE - This Oct. 22, 2010 file photo shows Olympic gold medalist Kristin Armstrong with her son Lucas, …

By JOHN MILLER, Associated Press John Miller, Associated Press – Fri Sep 16, 6:01 pm ET

BOISE, Idaho – Olympic gold medalist Kristin Armstrong was bumped from the U.S. time trial team at the world championships after USA Cycling reviewed Amber Neben's protest.

Armstrong told The Associated Press in an email on Friday that Neben challenged USA Cycling's decision earlier this month to enter Armstrong as one of two American riders in the time trial at worlds in Copenhagen, Denmark.

USA Cycling issued a statement Friday confirming its switch to Neben more than six hours after Armstrong disclosed the decision. It declined to give a reason for the change.

"USA Cycling does not publicize the details of any specific selection process or individual protests," the organization said. "Following consideration of the protest USA Cycling's Selection Committee reconvened and, after further review, named Amber Neben as the discretionary nominee."

Armstrong ended a brief retirement from professional cycling in 2010 after giving birth to her son. She had been hoping for a top-three finish in Denmark that would have automatically qualified her for the U.S. Olympic team bound for London next summer.

Instead, she's returning home to the uncertainty of having to qualify in races next year while Neben, the 2008 world champion, rides the race against the clock next Tuesday.

"I landed in Denmark to only find out that I had been replaced," Armstrong wrote in her email. "Three hours later in the airport I am on my way home."

Evelyn Stevens finished first at the U.S. national championships time trial in June, winning the automatic bid. She was followed by Neben and Armstrong.

But Armstrong was named as the discretionary nominee for the time trial squad by USA Cycling on Sept. 2 after winning the Tour of California time trial in May by 13 seconds over Neben, as well as the Aspen Women's Pro Race in August.

An email to Neben on Friday through her professional team, HTC-Highroad, didn't receive an immediate response.

Neben placed sixth when Armstrong won her second world championship time trial in 2009 in Mendrisio, Switzerland.

In addition to the time trial, Armstrong was scheduled to compete along with Neben in the road race at worlds, which begin Monday and run through Sunday.

Armstrong's husband, Joe Savola, said Friday she decided against participating in the road race on Sept. 24 because her focus had been on the time trial.

"Her heart was not in it," Savola said. "She's got to regroup and really think about what's next."

Savola said they learned of Neben's protest from USA Cycling on Tuesday evening, giving them just hours to prepare a defense.

USA Cycling's decision was made Thursday while Armstrong was still flying over the Atlantic Ocean, he said, adding he's frustrated the selection and protest process weren't more transparent or timely.

"They're both top-notch time trialists," Savola said. "What hurts and gnaws on me is, an athlete can file a grievance, and they can reverse the decision based on criteria that's unknown."

Armstrong learned the news of her ouster in a text message from Savola when she stepped off the plane.

There was nobody in Denmark from USA Cycling to greet her.

"Usually I could be there, to give her a hug," Savola said. "I was trying to think if there was a way to beat her to Denmark. It was physically impossible."

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SPORTS - Lakers' Bryant still mulling playing abroad (AP)

SPORTS - Lakers' Bryant still mulling playing abroad (AP)

• Photo:Oklahoma wide receiver Kenny Stills (4) goes high over Florida State cornerback Greg Reid (5) for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of a NCAA coll AP

By BRENT KALLESTAD, Associated Press Brent Kallestad, Associated Press – 1 hr 12 mins ago

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State was 20 points better than last year against Oklahoma and it still wasn't good enough.

The top-ranked Sooners (2-0) scored 10 points in the final seven minutes Saturday night for a 23-13 victory that put the fifth-ranked Seminoles' bid to show they're back among the elite on hold.

"All great games come down to two or three little plays here and there," Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. "They made plays, we didn't."

Fisher's club managed to hang around despite having three of its top receivers and starting quarterback, EJ Manuel, out of the game. They also had one touchdown called back and Kenny Shaw dropped the ball in the Oklahoma end zone after a big hit by two Oklahoma defenders.

"Our kids can compete at the highest level," Fisher said. "We played with tremendous toughness."

A year ago there was no question who was better after Oklahoma's 47-17 runaway victory.

This time, the outcome was up for grabs after freshman sensation Rashad Greene's catch and run on a 56-yard scoring play tied the game at 13 with 9:32 left. The Fort Lauderdale freshman, who already has four touchdown catches this season, leaped high to catch the pass from redshirt freshman Clint Trickett and then outran the defenders.

But the Sooners answered almost immediately when Kenny Stills caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from Landry Jones to snap the tie and Oklahoma's defense did the rest.

"A huge catch," sighed Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops afterward.

The Seminoles (2-1) played the final 20 minutes without Manuel, who left in the third with a left shoulder injury.

Trickett kept the Seminoles in it.

"I dreamed about this all summer, getting in there," said Trickett, who completed 7 of 15 passes for 134 yards. "I didn't take full advantage of it, so I'm kind of upset about it."

Javon Harris picked off two passes for the Sooners, who forced three turnovers and harassed both Florida State quarterbacks all night.

After Oklahoma took the lead, Trickett couldn't respond while trying to avoid a ferocious Oklahoma pass rush. He had a pass tipped by Ronnell Lewis, and Harris came up with his second interception near midfield. Just like the first pick, Oklahoma turned it into a field goal.

Florida State's best shot to get in the end zone in the first half came when Manuel hit Shaw inside the 5, but the receiver was sandwiched by Tom Wort and Harris, taking a double-helmet shot, and the ball came out. Oklahoma was penalized and Shaw lay motionless on the turf for several minutes. He was taken to a local hospital to be examined and returned to the sideline in the fourth quarter.

With 5:42 left in the third quarter, Manuel was swarmed under by Oklahoma on a third-and-2 play that never had a chance and the quarterback came off the field in obvious pain, clutching his left arm tightly. He went to the locker room to have his shoulder examined, and Trickett took over.

Manuel's status for next weekend's game at Clemson is uncertain.

"He could be fine," Fisher said. "It could be a week or two."

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SPORTS - Bills brace to face run-run Raiders (AP)

SPORTS - Bills brace to face run-run Raiders (AP)

AP – Los Angeles Dodgers' Matt Kemp hits a single to center field in the sixth inning of a baseball game against …

– 17 mins ago

LOS ANGELES – James Loney hit his second three-run homer in two nights, Juan Rivera added a two-run shot and Ted Lilly pitched seven sharp innings, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 6-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night.

Lilly (10-14) allowed a run and four hits, struck out seven and walked two.

The two-time All-Star, winding up his first full season with the Dodgers, joined CC Sabathia and Mark Buehrle as the only left-handers to reach double digits in wins during each of the past nine seasons.

Lilly has a 2.67 ERA over his past 10 starts, lowering his overall ERA to 4.27.

All-Star Matt Kemp scored his 100th run in the third inning on Rivera's homer and stole his 40th base in the sixth, becoming the first player in Dodgers franchise history with at least 40 steals, 100 runs scored, 100 RBIs and 30 home runs.

James McDonald (9-9) matched his shortest outing in 30 starts this season, throwing 76 pitches over three innings and giving up five runs and seven hits.

It was his first appearance against the team that drafted him in the 11th round of the 2002 draft and brought him up to the majors for the first time in 2008.

The Pirates acquired McDonald from Los Angeles at last year's non-waiver trade deadline.

Saturday was the third anniversary of his big league debut, when the lanky right-hander pitched a perfect inning of relief at Pittsburgh and struck out two. He was 5-6 with a 4.11 ERA in 53 appearances with Los Angeles, including five starts.

The Dodgers grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first, as Loney drove a first-pitch homer into the pavilion seats in right-center for his 11th of the season and the 23rd allowed by McDonald.

In Friday's series opener, Loney ended a homerless drought of 57 at-bats on a full count against reliever Chris Resop while pinch-hitting for Justin Sellers in the sixth inning of the Dodgers' 7-2 win.

Kemp led off the third with a single and Rivera followed with his fourth home run since joining the Dodgers in a trade with Toronto on the day of the All-Star game.

Los Angeles increased the margin to 6-1 in the fifth, when Tim Federowicz singled home Aaron Miles for his first RBI in the major leagues.

Pirates catcher Matt Pagnozzi, the nephew of former St. Louis catcher Tom Pagnozzi, made his Pirates debut in the fifth as a pinch-hitter for reliever Aaron Thompson and hit an opposite-field single on the second pitch he saw.

Once he puts on the gear, Pagnozzi will become the eighth different catcher used this season by manager Clint Hurdle — the most by the Pirates since 1953 and one shy of the franchise record set in 1914.

Notes: The Dodgers were eliminated from the NL wild-card race Saturday with Atlanta's 1-0 victory over the New York Mets. ... Lilly had a career-high 17 wins in 2008 with the Chicago Cubs. ... The Pirates are 17-40 since July 19, when they were 51-44 and led the NL Central by a half-game. They have since plummeted to a season-worst 21 games out of first place. ... Rivera ended an 0-for-19 drought with a first-inning single. In 53 games with the Dodgers, he is hitting .283 with 37 RBIs.

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SPORTS - Mayweather wins in 4th round KO (AP)

SPORTS - Mayweather wins in 4th round KO (AP)

AP – Floyd Mayweather Jr. hits Victor Ortiz Floyd during their WBC welterweight title fight Saturday, Sept. …

By TIM DAHLBERG, AP Boxing Writer Tim Dahlberg, Ap Boxing Writer – 50 mins ago

LAS VEGAS – In just one round, Floyd Mayweather Jr. got a head butt, a kiss and a hug from Victor Ortiz.

He responded with a right hand that ended a bizarre fight early.

Mayweather remained unbeaten and did it in emphatic fashion Saturday night, stopping Ortiz at 2:59 of the fourth round to take the piece of the welterweight title Ortiz brought into the ring.

The end came just as the two fighters emerged from a break, in which Ortiz had embraced Mayweather in the center of the ring. As they broke, Mayweather shot out a left hand and followed it with a right that put Ortiz down in his corner.

Ortiz struggled to get up as referee Joe Cortez called an end to the fight.

"We touched gloves and we were back to fighting and then I threw the left and right hand after the break," Mayweather said. "In the ring you have to protect yourself at all times."

The round was already controversial, as Ortiz appeared to head butt Mayweather intentionally, leading Cortez to take a point away from him. After the head butt, Ortiz went to Mayweather and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Seconds later they were in the center of the ring ready to resume action when two punches ended it quickly.

"I took the break by the referee and I obeyed exactly as I was told," Ortiz said. "And then, boom, he blindsided me."

Mayweather was winning the fight through three rounds, dominating with speed and landing good right hands to the head of Ortiz. He won all three rounds on two ringside scorecards, and two of three on the third.

Ortiz picked up the pace in the fourth round, trying desperately to get inside Mayweather's vaunted defense. He did on occasion and was having a better round when, late in the round, he appeared to intentionally head butt Mayweather in frustration as the two fought in Mayweather's corner.

"He did something dirty when it was his corner who said I was dirty," Mayweather said. "But I won the fight."

Mayweather later engaged in a verbal confrontation with HBO announcer Larry Merchant, calling him a name at one point and drawing a pointed response from the 80-year-old broadcaster, who said he would thrash the boxer if he "was 50 years younger."

While Ortiz claimed he was caught by a punch that came before Cortez ruled the fighters to continue, the referee said Mayweather did nothing wrong.

"Time was in, the fighter needed to keep his guard up. Mayweather did nothing illegal," Cortez said.

Mayweather, a 5-1 favorite in the fight against a champion 10 years younger, had vowed to go right after Ortiz and give the fans who bought the pay-per-view card at home an exciting fight. He mostly delivered on that promise, landing some good right hands in the early rounds and winning exchanges with his quickness.

Ringside punch stats reflected his dominance, showing Mayweather landing 73 of 208 punches to just 26 of 148 for Ortiz. Mayweather consistently beat Ortiz to the punch, and his experience and hand speed appeared to be the difference.

But he hadn't really hurt Ortiz and took some punches himself in the fourth round as Ortiz seemed to rally before the head butt touched off the series of events that brought the fight to an end. Ortiz quickly apologized to Mayweather after the head butt, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek while Cortez was busy taking a point away from him.

There was another quick hug in the center of the ring as action was about to resume, followed by the 1-2 combination by Mayweather that put Ortiz on his rear. Ortiz tried to get up, but was still on his knees when the fight was waved to a close.

"There's two ways to look at it but as far as I was concerned I came here to entertain the fans and I think they were entertained," Ortiz said. "There was a miscommunication with the referee but nobody is perfect and this was a learning experience."

Mayweather made a minimum of $25 million for his first fight in 16 months, a sum that will likely go up as the pay-per-view receipts are totaled. He could make even more against Manny Pacquiao next May should Pacquiao win his November fight with Juan Manuel Marquez and the two finally agree to fight.

Mayweather remained unbeaten in 42 fights, scoring the knockout he had predicted. Ortiz, who lost his 147-pound title, fell to 29-3-2.

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SPORTS - Oklahoma State, Tulsa get started after midnight (AP)

SPORTS - Oklahoma State, Tulsa get started after midnight (AP)

AP – Miami wide receiver Allen Hurns (1) scores a touchdown in front of Ohio State defensive back Bradley …

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds, Ap Sports Writer – 2 hrs 3 mins ago

MIAMI – Ohio State interim coach Luke Fickell was hoping his team would start quickly, avoid giving up big plays and take advantage of any opportunities Miami provided.

The Buckeyes failed on all counts, and now are in danger of slipping out of the AP Top 25 for the first time in nearly seven years.

Lamar Miller ran for 184 yards — 54 on Miami's first play from scrimmage — and Jacory Harris threw two first-quarter touchdown passes to Allen Hurns, helping the Hurricanes top No. 17 Ohio State 24-6 on Saturday night in a matchup of teams dealing with NCAA scandals.

Miami outgained Ohio State 363-209 and held the Buckeyes to an abysmal 4 of 18, 35-yard passing performance by quarterbacks Joe Bauserman and Braxton Miller.

"We've got to do a better job all around," Fickell said. "They made a lot more plays than we did and ultimately that's what the game came down to."

Ohio State got into the red zone twice and settled for field goals. The Buckeyes allowed Miami to go 9 for 15 on third-down conversion chances, and the Hurricanes held the ball for 11:16 in the final quarter — nine of those minutes coming after Marcus Robinson punched the ball away from Braxton Miller in Miami territory. Mike Williams recovered for the Hurricanes and the celebration started revving up right there.

"That's what Miami Hurricane football should be," Miami coach Al Golden said. "Play good defense, make some explosive plays on defense and then run the ball in the fashion that we did."

The Buckeyes have appeared in every The Associated Press poll since Nov. 28, 2004. And for the first time in exactly 23 years, the Buckeyes lost a road game to an unranked nonconference opponent — the last time that happened was Sept. 17, 1988, a 42-10 defeat at Pittsburgh in John Cooper's first season.

Now Fickell knows how that feels. His team went three-plays-and-out on the first two possessions, got into a 14-0 hole before the game was 10 minutes old, and never got rolling. A team dealing with suspensions and injuries, at least at this point, looks nothing like Ohio State teams of recent years, the ones who owned the Big 10 and typically found their way into the national-title picture.

"We pride ourselves on not giving up big plays," Fickell said. "But the big plays hurt us."

Braxton Miller completed his last two passes on the game's final, meaningless drive — which at least salvaged something, albeit merely in the statistical sense, for Ohio State. The four completions matched the program's worst total for any game in the last 15 years, something that happened on three other occasions.

"You just have to move on," Bauserman said. "It's a next-play mentality, whether it's a great play or a bad play."

Or in this case, a bad game.

"I'm kind of shocked," Ohio State's Carlos Hyde said. "I wasn't expecting to lose to these guys."

The win snapped a four-game slide dating to last season for the Hurricanes (1-1), who got their first win over a ranked opponent since beating Oklahoma on Oct. 3, 2009.

Miami gave up 348 yards passing in a season-opening loss at Maryland. Of the six Terrapins who caught passes that night, five finished with more yards than Ohio State had through the air as a team on Saturday, and the one who fell short had 34 yards.

"We have a lot of talent," said Miami linebacker Sean Spence, one of five Hurricanes returning from one-game suspensions for accepting extra benefits from a former booster. "As long as we continue playing with pride and passion, the sky's the limit for us."

How bad was it for the Buckeyes? Ohio State seemed to give up on the game in the final minutes, not even bothering to stop the clock with one of their three timeouts as Miami moved down the field in the final minutes with a 17-6 lead.

Mike James plunged in from the 1 with 33 seconds left, capping the scoring, as many of the 10,000 or so scarlet-clad fans began leaving in earnest.

"We lost, so apparently we didn't do a good enough job," Ohio State safety C.J. Barnett said. "I don't know what to tell you."

Harris finished 16 of 23 for 123 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for Miami, which opened a three-game homestand.

Jordan Hall had 87 yards on 14 carries for Ohio State, which got 54 more rushing yards from Hyde. Until the final seconds, the Buckeyes did not have a single pass for more than 10 yards.

Even Harris' mistakes — two more interceptions, pushing his career total to 41 — couldn't get cashed in by Ohio State, which struggled with Toledo at home last weekend and were kept out of the end zone entirely by the Hurricanes.

"This win feels wonderful," Harris said. "It feels great to get out there and beat a great team like Ohio State. We have much respect for them, but we made sure we came out with the 'W.'"

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