Saturday, November 5, 2011

SPORTS - Oh no, Wisconsin: Buckeyes stun Badgers, 33-29 (AP)

SPORTS - Oh no, Wisconsin: Buckeyes stun Badgers, 33-29 (AP)
Braxton Miller AP – Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller (5) smiles as he celebrates with teammates after a one yard touchdown …

COLUMBUS, Ohio – After almost a year of suspensions, rumors and NCAA trouble in the headlines, Ohio State finally made some news on the field.

Braxton Miller threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Devin Smith with 20 seconds left and the Buckeyes beat No. 12 Wisconsin 33-29 on Saturday night, handing the Badgers their second consecutive stunning defeat.

It was seven days earlier that Wisconsin was beaten 37-31 at Michigan State on a desperation pass on the final play of the game. The latest heartbreak, just like the one that ended the Badgers' run at an undefeated season, wasn't confirmed until a video review.

"The replay booth has definitely not been our friend the last two weeks," frustrated Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said.

The Buckeyes (5-3, 2-2 Big Ten) earned their biggest win yet in a season shadowed by NCAA problems.

"This is what Ohio State's about," interim coach Luke Fickell said. "We don't ever look at ourselves as underdogs. This is a huge win, a signature win. This is for this team, this is for this program. This is what we expect."

The Badgers (7-2, 3-2) drove to the Ohio State 45 — and got an extra play after time elapsed due to a defensive facemask call — but linebacker Andrew Sweat hit quarterback Russell Wilson as he was throwing to end the game and touch off a wild celebration.

It was an incredible finish, with four touchdowns scored in the final 4:39. But the Buckeyes were the last team standing after a series of knockdown punches by both sides.

Miller, a freshman, ran for 99 yards on 19 carries and scored twice, in addition to completing 7 of 12 passes for 89 yards and a score.

Fickell said that before Miller went onto the field for the last possession, the quarterback turned to the coach and winked.

"I felt good about it. That's what you need," Fickell said. "You've got to have confidence in what you're doing. You have to have belief in what you're doing."

Dan Herron, in his second game back from two separate suspensions for accepting improper benefits, rushed for 160 yards on 33 carries.

"It was a great feeling," Herron said. "We definitely wanted this win very bad. The team kept on fighting and guys never gave up and we went out there and got it done."

Miller scored on runs of 1 and 44 yards — the latter putting Ohio State up 26-14 with 4:39 left. Herron rumbled 57 yards on the first play of the second half to set up Miller's first TD.

The Badgers came in averaging 47.4 points and 512 yards, but were stymied most of the night. They also said all week that they had put the painful loss in East Lansing, Mich., in the rearview mirror. But adding in this latest loss, they may have recurring nightmares.

"(This is) real tough," Wisconsin wide receiver Nick Toon said. "We've handed them the game two weeks in a row at the end of the game. You can't do that."

Wilson completed 20 of 32 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns and Montee Ball gained 85 yards on 17 carries with one touchdown. Jared Abbrederis had six catches for 113 yards and two scores.

Taking the kickoff to start the second half, Ohio State immediately got a big play.

Herron burst through a hole at the line and past defenders pinching the line, racing 57 yards to the Wisconsin 18. He later went 18 yards to the 1, setting up Miller's first TD run.

After the kickoff, the Badgers had to punt. For the second week in a row, things didn't go as planned.

A week after Wisconsin had a blocked punt lead to points in the backbreaking loss at Michigan State, Ohio State's Ryan Shazier came in completely untouched to block Brad Nortman's punt. The ball was downed at the Wisconsin 1 by Curtis Grant and the Buckeyes were right back near paydirt.

On Jordan Hall's third run from the 1, he stuck his nose in the back of blocking fullback Zach Boren and slid into the end zone, putting the Buckeyes up 17-7.

The celebration was short-lived. The Buckeyes forced a punt but Hall promptly fumbled it, with Andrew Lukasko recovering at the Ohio State 27, leading to Ball notching his 21st touchdown of the season through a wide hole on the left side.

After Drew Basil converted a 22-yard field goal to push the lead to six points, a Wisconsin drive ended at the Ohio State 38 on fourth-and-2 when Sweat knifed through to bring down Ball a yard short.

Six plays later, Miller kept the ball on third-and-2 and raced through a big hole at left tackle, going 44 yards untouched for the score with 4:39 remaining.

The Badgers answered with a quick score in just 44 seconds, with Wilson hitting Abbrederis on a 17-yard score to cut it to 26-21 with 3:48 left.

Wisconsin kicked deep and then held the Buckeyes on three runs, forcing a punt.

It took just four plays to cover the 68 yards, with Wilson finding Abbrederis all alone down the left sideline for a 49-yard score with 1:18 left. A 2-point conversion pass from Wilson to Ball made it 29-26.

"Unfortunately, we scored too fast," Bielema said.

But the Buckeyes came right back, taking over at their own 48 after a 42-yard kickoff return by Hall.

They picked up 12 yards on three plays before Miller took the snap on first down at the Wisconsin 40 with 30 seconds left. He floated right to avoid a rush, barely sidestepped a potential tackle and suddenly noticed Smith wide open in the end zone. Miller stopped and looped the ball to Smith who caught it just before two defenders closed on him.

The crowd of 105,511 went wild.

After Basil's extra point, the Buckeyes kicked off — out of bounds. That gave Wisconsin the ball at its own 40 with 18 seconds left.

Wilson threw three incompletions — twice off the hands of receivers who could easily have made huge plays.

As a mob of fans waited to rush the field, it was announced there was a flag on the final play of regulation. It was for a facemask against safety Christian Bryant.

That gave the Badgers the ball at the Ohio State 45 and one final play.

But the pocket closed on Wilson and Sweat hit him from behind just as he was releasing the pass, the ball fluttering to the ground while the field filled with running, jumping fans celebrating Ohio State's 90th homecoming.

"We knew it was going to be a fight," lineman John Simon said. "This is a big win for us. We're going to enjoy it tonight and get back to work tomorrow. There's a lot of football left."

The Badgers are hoping for brighter days.

"Obviously, it's another heartbreaking loss," Bielema said.

___

Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rustymillerap.

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SPORTS - No. 6 Clemson stumbles in 31-17 loss to Ga. Tech (AP)

SPORTS - No. 6 Clemson stumbles in 31-17 loss to Ga. Tech (AP)
Vancouver Canucks left wing Christopher Higgins (20) tries to get a shot past Washington Capitals goalie Tomas Vokoun (29) and Capitals defenseman Joh AP – Vancouver Canucks left wing Christopher Higgins (20) tries to get a shot past Washington Capitals goalie …

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Alex Edler scored his first two goals of the season and added an assist to lead the Vancouver Canucks past the Washington Capitals 7-4 on Saturday night.

Maxim Lapierre and Chris Higgins also had a pair of goals for the Canucks. Henrik Sedin scored the winner at 6:18 of the third period.

Alex Ovechkin had two goals for the Capitals, who lost their second straight after opening the season with seven consecutive wins for the first time in franchise history. Mike Knuble converted a penalty shot and Marcus Johansson also scored for the Capitals.

The Canucks, notorious for starting the season slowly, improved to 5-5-1 as they ended a two-game skid. It was Vancouver's third win in six home games.

All the offense was fitting for a game featuring three of the NHL's past four scoring champions: Ovechkin, Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin.

The Canucks outshot the Capitals 43-32 as the teams combined for 75 shots. Vancouver converted two of five power-play chances, while Washington was 1 for 4.

Lapierre opened the scoring 3:31 into the game. He checked the puck off Tomas Vokoun behind the net, then banked it in off the Washington goaltender's skate as he tried to get back into his net.

Ovechkin, held without a point in Washington's last visit to Vancouver in 2009, tied it at 8:55 of the first period. He jammed the puck into Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo, then it flew high in the air and bounced in off Luongo's back as he searched for the puck in vain.

Higgins gave the Canucks a 2-1 lead on a power play about 5 1/2 minutes later, putting in his own rebound after Vokoun robbed him on his initial shot. David Booth, acquired in a trade from Florida last week, got an assist for his first point with the Canucks.

The goal came while Washington's Joel Ward was off for high-sticking Ryan Kesler on a blatant cheap shot. Kesler got his revenge by setting up Edler's goal on a power play with 3.2 seconds left in the first period.

Edler ripped a shot from the point over Vokoun's glove after Kesler won a faceoff cleanly to Sami Salo and the two defensemen passed the puck back and forth.

The Canucks outshot the Capitals 17-10 in the first, and Washington coach Bruce Boudreau replaced Vokoun with Michal Neuvirth at the start of the second period.

For the first time in more than a week, fans gave the much-maligned Luongo an affectionate "Loooo" as he made a save early in the second period. But the crowd groaned moments later as Ovechkin reduced Washington's deficit to 3-2 on a one-timer off Nicklas Backstrom's pass during a power play.

Knuble scored on a penalty shot at 5:07 of the second after Luongo blocked the shot with his arm but then fell back into the net, knocking the puck in. The penalty shot was awarded after Edler tripped Knuble on a breakaway.

Edler put the Canucks ahead 4-3 at the 8-minute mark of the second as he cruised into the high slot and fired in Henrik Sedin's pass.

Johansson tied it 4-all at 17:54 of the second when he elected to shoot during a 2-on-1 with Ovechkin.

Henrik Sedin gave the Canucks a 5-4 lead just more than six minutes into the third when he flipped in a rebound after Neuvirth made two saves but could not freeze the puck.

Higgins' second goal gave the Canucks a two-goal cushion 44 seconds later as Jannik Hansen sidestepped a sliding Ovechkin and fed him the puck in the slot.

Lapierre capped the scoring with his second of the night midway through the third. Using Higgins as a decoy on a 2-on-1, he slid a shot through Neuvirth's legs.

NOTES: The Canucks start a six-game road trip in Calgary on Tuesday. The Capitals head home to face Anaheim the same night. ... Capitals defenseman Mike Green (ankle) missed his fifth straight game. He is expected back next weekend. ... Injured Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome (hand) and wing Steve Pinizzotto (shoulder) remained out, but are expected to return sometime during the upcoming road trip. ... Many fans were dressed in Halloween costumes.

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SPORTS - Stanford outlasts USC in triple-OT thriller (AP)

SPORTS - Stanford outlasts USC in triple-OT thriller (AP)
Andrew Luck AP – Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, center, carries the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football …

LOS ANGELES – Stepfan Taylor ran for the tying touchdown with 38 seconds left in regulation and the go-ahead score in the third overtime, and Stanford's defense preserved its 16-game winning streak by forcing Curtis McNeal's fumble into the end zone to finish a 56-48 victory over No. 20 Southern California on Saturday night.

Andrew Luck burnished his Heisman Trophy credentials by engineering four late scoring drives for No. 4 Stanford (8-0, 6-0 Pac-12), though he nearly cost the Cardinal the game by throwing a crucial interception late in the fourth quarter.

"I was very disappointed in myself," Luck said. "For a couple of seconds, I wanted to go dig a hole and bury myself in it, but guys believed in me. I was so happy to still see time on the game clock. It was another chance to get out there."

Four years after Stanford stunned USC (6-2, 3-2) with a one-point victory as a 41-point underdog, the schools played another classic on a cool Coliseum night — and once again, the Cardinal ruled.

Both teams scored in the first two overtimes. After Taylor's run in the third OT, Coby Fleener caught the 2-point conversion pass.

USC quickly got to first-and-goal at the 4, but Terrence Stephens forced the ball from McNeal. It squirted into the end zone and A.J. Tarpley jumped on it. After a lengthy Stanford celebration, Luck was among the last players to leave the Coliseum field, sprinting to the locker room while thrusting his arms triumphantly in the air.

Luck passed for 325 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a key score, but the Cardinal were in serious trouble after he made a rare mistake. Nickell Robey intercepted his pass and returned it 33 yards for a score to make it 34-27 with 3:08 left in regulation, but Luck calmly engineered a 76-yard drive capped by Taylor's short score.

Matt Barkley passed for 284 yards and three scores in his third straight loss to Luck. He got the Trojans into Stanford territory in the final seconds of regulation, but Robert Woods used up the final 9 seconds running to the sideline, preventing USC from trying a long field goal. USC coach Lane Kiffin said he was "very disappointed" the officials didn't allow him to call a timeout before it ended.

McNeal rushed for 146 yards and two long second-half touchdowns before committing the key mistake for the bowl-banned Trojans, whose three-game winning streak ended.

The Cardinal were truly tested for the first time since the middle of last season, which ended with an Orange Bowl victory. USC nearly pulled off another upset last season at Stanford Stadium, sticking with the Cardinal until Luck engineered a last-minute drive ending in a field goal for a two-point victory.

Although the bowl-banned Trojans fell agonizingly short of the biggest win in Kiffin's two seasons, USC chipped away much of Stanford's dominant aura accumulated during the nation's longest winning streak.

Stanford fell behind by 10 points in the third quarter, and the Cardinal won by fewer than 25 points for the first time in 11 games since last November. Stanford's defense had limited its last 13 opponents to 21 points or fewer, the school's longest stretch since 1939-41, before USC scored 34 points in regulation.

Stanford had gone three-and-out on offense just four times all season before USC forced three more three-and-outs. Luck had been sacked just twice all season before the Trojans put him down twice, including a huge third-down sack by Devon Kennard that knocked Stanford out of range for a potential tying field goal with less than 9 minutes to play.

The same Trojans defense that yielded 43 points at Arizona State and 41 by Arizona in consecutive games earlier this season played quite well against Luck and the Cardinal until the score ballooned late.

USC took a 20-10 lead shortly after halftime with McNeal's TD runs of 61 and 25 yards. Luck rushed for a go-ahead score in the third quarter, but the Trojans pushed back ahead on Marqise Lee's 28-yard TD catch with 13:04 to play.

Stanford's Eric Whitaker tied it at 27 on a 29-yard field goal with 5:10 left.

Luck rallied the Cardinal back, overcoming his fourth interception of the season to force the first overtime game at the sold-out Coliseum since 2003.

Jeremy Stewart scored on a dive over the line to cap Stanford's first possession of overtime, but Barkley hit Woods in the corner for a 15-yard score to even it. Freshman tight end Randall Telfer turned a short pass from Barkley into a TD to start the second OT, but Luck found Levine Toilolo with a cross-field TD pass moments later, and Whitaker knuckled home the extra point.

Woods had nine catches for 89 yards and a score.

Luck threw early TD passes to Tyler Gaffney and Ryan Hewitt, but he was at his best on the Cardinal's final drive of regulation. He completed 10 straight passes down the stretch, yet still got help after throwing an incompletion on third down near midfield when USC safety T.J. McDonald needlessly leveled receiver Chris Owusu, keeping the drive alive.

After Robey's TD, the Coliseum announcer warned fans in the sold-out stadium against rushing the field after the final gun.

Turns out, that gun was still about an hour away.

Stanford is USC's oldest rival, and the schools have an eventful recent history during the Cardinal's improbable rise as a football power. Stanford posted one of the most shocking upsets in recent college football history here four years ago before a 55-21 rout of USC in 2009 that included the most points allowed in USC history — until the latest unforgettable night at the Coliseum.

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SPORTS - No. 11 Sooners roll over No. 10 K-State, 58-17 (AP)

SPORTS - No. 11 Sooners roll over No. 10 K-State, 58-17 (AP)
Landry Jones AP – Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones (12) passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game …

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles put Oklahoma's season back on track.

Now, Kansas State will see if it can bounce back from its own loss.

Jones threw for a school-record 505 yards and five touchdowns Saturday, his All-American wide receiver caught 14 passes for 171 yards and a score, and the 11th-ranked Sooners took out some pent up frustration with a 58-17 thumping of the No. 10 Wildcats.

Their national championship hopes dashed by Texas Tech last week — along with their 39-game home winning streak — the Sooners (7-1, 4-1) spoiled the same hopes harbored by Kansas State.

Jones shattered the previous school record for yards passing of 468, which he had shared with Sam Bradford, and moved into first place on the Oklahoma career list with 90 touchdown passes.

"We just came out with a focus," he said with a shrug. "Kept playing ball."

Just about the only downer on an otherwise splendid Saturday afternoon was a season-ending injury to leading rusher Dominique Whaley, who fracture his left ankle on the first play of the game.

Whaley will have surgery Sunday to have a pin inserted.

"Really sad for Dom," coach Bob Stoops said. "What a great young man. We'll miss him."

Perhaps so, but the offense looked just fine without him.

Broyles moved into first place on the Big 12's career list with 4,499 yards receiving, Kenny Stills added four catches for 101 yards, and Roy Finch finished with 73 yards rushing and another 69 through the air for the Sooners' potent, fast-paced attack.

They wound up with a season-high 690 yards of offense against the Big 12's top defense.

"Oklahoma's a lot better than some people would want to think, probably, and I did a really miserable job of getting our football team ready to play," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said.

Relying on a smoke-and-mirrors offense that had been consistently out-gained all season, Kansas State (7-1, 4-1) still managed to piece together its best start since 1999.

It all came undone against Oklahoma.

Collin Klein was sacked seven times, the Wildcats were penalized an uncharacteristic five times, normally reliable kicker Anthony Cantele missed a chip-shot field goal and a defense that had been assignment sound all year crumbled against the Sooners' relentless onslaught.

"It's really painful," cornerback David Garrett said, "but they're a good team, a lot of great athletes. We've just got to come together Monday and bounce back."

Kansas State actually led 17-14 midway through the second quarter, but the Sooners scored late in the half, and John Hubert's fumble with 19 seconds left allowed Michael Hunnicutt to kick a career-long 53-yard field goal on the final play for a 23-17 halftime advantage.

It was the start of 44 straight points scored by the Sooners.

Broyles hauled in a 29-yard touchdown catch early in the third quarter, tightrope walking down the sideline the final 10 yards. Moments later, Jones hit Jaz Reynolds for the second of his two touchdown catches to give Oklahoma a 37-17 lead.

Finch added a 31-yard touchdown run later in the third quarter and the rout was on.

"It was a fun night," Jones said. "The offense was executing and we were doing our job."

By the time Trey Millard slipped through the porous Kansas State defensive front and outran the secondary to the end zone for a 61-yard touchdown run with 11 minutes left, a crowd of 51,004 that had been in such a festive mood early in the afternoon was heading for the doors.

Klein finished with 92 yards and two TDs rushing for Kansas State, but he was just 8 of 16 for 58 yards through the air. Hubert added 71 yards rushing, while Nigel Malone had two interceptions.

That was about it for the positives.

Oklahoma scored on six straight possessions at one point, and the 58 points allowed by Kansas State's defense were the most by a Snyder-coached team at home since Nov. 18, 1989, when Colorado piled up 59. The Wildcats' offense couldn't keep up, managing only 32 yards after halftime.

"We knew what kind of team they were coming in," Klein said. "It wasn't a surprise, but it was frustrating, not being able to execute like we were. We were struggling."

The Sooners have won five straight in the series, their last loss coming in the 2003 conference championship game. They haven't lost in Manhattan since 1996.

More importantly, they're still alive in the Big 12 race.

The Sooners and Wildcats are both chasing undefeated Oklahoma State, with Kansas State getting the first shot against the nation's third-ranked team next weekend. Oklahoma gets its chance against its in-state rival in the annual Bedlam game on Dec. 3.

"We bounced back the way we should," Reynolds said with a sly smile. "There were some plays that we left out there, but we were pretty good."

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SPORTS - Alex Edler scores twice, Canucks beat Capitals 7-4 (AP)

SPORTS - Alex Edler scores twice, Canucks beat Capitals 7-4 (AP)

LONDON – It rises 35 stories high, is made of ruby red steel and vaguely resembles a squashed roller coaster.

Standing next to the main stadium for the 2012 Olympics, it bears the formal name of the "ArcelorMittal Orbit" — although everybody will probably call it the London Olympic Tower or somesuch.

Meant to be a tourist landmark like Big Ben or the London Eye wheel, the abstract work of art is already getting some odd reactions. London's vigorous press has already coined a few nicknames: the Eyeful Tower, the shisha pipe, Hubble Bubble. Tourists gazing at it for the first time Friday as the final link moved into place added a few descriptions of their own.

"It's a combination between a helter skelter and a helix," said Hugh Shelmerdine, 60, a credit manager at a leasing company who likes it. "It adds a bit of a difference to the Olympic Park. Without it everything is a little bit too controlled."

The 1,500 metric ton (1,650 U.S. ton) top ring of the showcase sculpture of the London Olympics was lifted by three cranes and slid into place Friday. The project had been repeatedly delayed to adjust to weather conditions; little or no wind was necessary to keep the movement of the steel to a minimum and also so that the four-man team could hear one another from above.

The tower is designed by London-based artist Anish Kapoor, a previous winner of the prestigious Turner Prize, and his design partner Cecil Balmond. Their design, dominated by a looping lattice of tubular steel, won a competition to be designated the art project of the games.

One of Britain's foremost artists, Kapoor is known for large-scale installations like "Marsyas" — a giant blood-red PVC membrane that was displayed at London's Tate Modern in 2002 — and "The Bean," a 110-ton (100-metric ton) stainless steel sculpture in Chicago's Millennium Park. But the Orbit is a departure from previous work, based on taking a point in space that is "orbited" by a dancing line of steel.

For his part, Kapoor said in a statement that he hopes the structure will engage the viewer "through form, color and reflectivity."

But much is left to interpretation — and that was precisely the point, said project architect Kathryn Findlay. She doesn't mind that some people see DNA helixes, or roller coasters or Lego or a series of knots — what matters is that they look at the piece and get involved with it.

"I think it is a positive thing that no one sees it the same way," she said.

London Mayor Boris Johnson could barely contain himself with joy.

"It would have boggled the minds of the Romans. It would have dwarfed the aspirations of Gustave Eiffel, and it will certainly be worthy of the best show on earth, in the greatest city on earth," Johnson said in a statement. "And as the final giant steel loop is swung into place, lifting the ArcelorMittal Orbit to its full height, we are truly witnessing the most significant iconic addition to London's skyline for decades."

Soaring above the stadium and the swimming pool, the tower will give visitors vistas across the city from two viewing platforms.

When finished, the 114-meter (375-foot) tower will be 22 meters (72 feet) higher than the Statue of Liberty and twice the height of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square.

The project got its start in a coat check room at the World Economic Forum in Davos two years ago. London Mayor Boris Johnson bumped into steel mogul Lakshmi Mittal — rated the wealthiest man in Britain by the Sunday Times Rich List with an estimated wealth of 17.5 billion pounds ($28.1 billion) — and gave him a 45-second pitch.

Johnson remembered that Mittal immediately said, "'I'll give you the steel.'"

But Mittal said he had a slightly different recollection of the meeting, saying the chatty mayor spoke for a full 45 seconds.

"I didn't have a chance to say yes or no," he joked last year.

ArcelorMittal, a steel and mining company, will fund up to 19.2 million pounds ($30 million) of the 22.3 million pound ($35 million) project. The London Development Agency will provide the remaining 3.1 million pounds ($5 million).

The agency hopes to recoup its contribution by renting the restaurant and viewing platform to corporate sponsors who want to take in the 20 mile-(32 kilometer) view. International Olympic Committee rules will restrict its use during the games.

Those waiting to watch the last link drop on Friday tried to imagine the possibilities as they waited for workers to finish. Jim Nagel, 67, from Somerset, thought it would be ideal to actually make it an amusement park ride — and sounded almost like a kid as he imagined zooming around the edges.

"It should have a capsule," he said. "I want a capsule to ride around the red tubes."

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SPORTS - Garcia takes 2-shot lead at Andalucia Masters (AP)

SPORTS - Garcia takes 2-shot lead at Andalucia Masters (AP)
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SPORTS - New London Olympic landmark gains final ring (AP)

SPORTS - New London Olympic landmark gains final ring (AP)
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SPORTS - Worsham No. 1 Top Fuel qualifier on The Strip (AP)

SPORTS - Worsham No. 1 Top Fuel qualifier on The Strip (AP)
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SPORTS - Pacquiao fired up for third bout with Marquez (Reuters)

SPORTS - Pacquiao fired up for third bout with Marquez (Reuters)
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SPORTS - Diaz wins unanimous decision over Penn at UFC 137 (AP)

SPORTS - Diaz wins unanimous decision over Penn at UFC 137 (AP)
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SPORTS - Yankees pick up options on Cano and Swisher (AP)

SPORTS - Yankees pick up options on Cano and Swisher (AP)
David Stern, Adam Silver AP – FILE - In this file photo taken Oct. 4, 2011, NBA Commissioner David Stern listens during a news conference …

NEW YORK – Anyone who has been to a car dealership, or bought a home, understands how negotiating works.

One side offers a number, the other counters, and they meet somewhere in the middle and make a deal.

That's not the way it's working in the NBA's labor standoff — even with potentially $2 billion at stake for each side.

Owners and players keep insisting they are ready and willing to make the necessary financial step for an agreement. Yet talks have broken down each of the last two weeks with little movement and the same type of answer: "We're here, they're there, and that's that."

That won't get players back on the court or fans in the seats.

And with both sides so entrenched, it might be a question of when, not if, another round of cancellations will be necessary.

"I don't know," Commissioner David Stern said Friday when asked about the next deadline. "We just had a difficult day. We'll go back, we'll go to the office Monday and see what to do about this big mess."

They could start with a phone call to the players' association to schedule more talks, and the sides likely will meet again soon. But it will remain pointless if neither side is prepared to offer compromise.

Owners are insistent on a 50-50 split of basketball-related income. Players have proposed reducing their guarantee from 57 percent down to 52.5, saying that will transfer more than $1.5 billion to owners over six years.

And when neither side would go further Friday, NBA officials said union executive director Billy Hunter ended the session.

"Billy said, `My phone is ringing off the hook from agents and players telling me I cannot go under 52 percent' and he said unless you're willing to go there, we have nothing to talk about," Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver said.

The difference between 50 and 52.5 percent is about $100 million annually, based on last season's revenues, or $1 billion over the course of the 10-year agreement the NBA is seeking.

The cost of not making a deal?

"We expect there to be a $2 billion loss for us for the loss of the season, which we will then begin to dig out from under and try to get back, if there were a season's loss," Stern said. "And the players would lose $2 billion. Period."

The losses already have been piling up. Stern said wiping out the preseason schedule, which would have ended Friday, cost the league $200 million. The first month of real games adds another couple hundred million, and Hunter has said missing a month would cost the players about $350 million.

But that's not enough to make players agree to a deal they say would cost them money and limit their options in free agency.

"We think we gave more than enough, and that's what we constantly said to them: `Look, we did what it was you said you needed, we did it,'" Hunter said. "And now all of a sudden, every time we did it, it's like their eyes got bigger and they wanted more and more and more. So finally we just had to shut it down and just say it can't be."

Stern has made it clear that owners' future proposals could be made with the losses in mind. Players eventually will get their money, just less of it, but the damage to businesses that rely on the game won't be recovered.

"I think it is hard for the average person to understand what it is they're arguing over," said Jim Taggart, the manager of The Four's, an upscale sports bar across the street from Boston's TD Garden. "A lot of the people that work concessions at the Garden come in here, and their pay is budgeted into how they pay their mortgages, how they put their kids through school.

"Events at the Garden are just absolute big business. There's a whole ancillary economy that depends on the Garden, and it's pretty far reaching, all the restaurants and parking garages."

The sides are much closer after three straight days of meetings in consecutive weeks. Besides the BRI split, the list of remaining items is down to just a handful, such as the ability of teams over the luxury tax threshold to use the midlevel exception or participate in sign-and-trade deals.

Those are important to players. The top-spending teams are mostly the ones in the biggest markets, and players want to know teams in the most desired cities won't be prevented from bidding on them.

"What we did not want to do and what we don't want to do is take taxpaying teams completely out of the market for other teams' free agents," union president Derek Fisher of the Lakers said. "We want our midlevel players to be able to sign contracts or at least have the opportunity to sign a contract wherever they would like to play."

There had been a sense of optimism going into Friday after both sides acknowledged progress on the salary cap system over the previous two days. But they hadn't talked about the split, and sure enough, once they did things fell apart again.

Wasted was the meeting room the NBA had reserved through the weekend at a top New York hotel, where it hoped to be announcing a deal by Sunday. The next talks haven't been scheduled, but the sides reconnected quickly after the last breakdown.

"Each time I come here, we've come in thinking we may be here for weeks and we're not going to leave the room," Fisher said. "But sometimes they end and you assume you won't talk again for weeks and you're back the next day."

___

AP Sports Writer Howard Ulman in Boston contributed to this report.

___

Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: twitter.com/Briancmahoney.

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SPORTS - Raiders owner Al Davis died of heart failure (AP)

SPORTS - Raiders owner Al Davis died of heart failure (AP)
Robinson Cano AP – New York Yankee Robinson Cano attends the 2011 GQ Gentlemen's Ball at the Edison Ballroom on Wednesday, …

NEW YORK – The New York Yankees have exercised contract options for next season on second baseman Robinson Cano and right fielder Nick Swisher.

The moves were announced Saturday night.

The decision on Cano's $14 million option was a mere formality, but there was some thought that the Yankees might consider parting ways with Swisher because of his postseason struggles. The AL East champions chose to pick up his $10.25 million option rather than pay him a $1 million buyout.

A three-time All-Star, Cano signed a four-year, $30 million contract before the 2008 season that includes a pair of club options. The 29-year-old slugger hit .302 with 28 homers and a career-high 118 RBIs this year. New York, which could have paid him a $2 million buyout, holds a $15 million option for 2013.

The effervescent Swisher batted .260 with 23 homers and 85 RBIs during the regular season. But he was 4 for 19 (.211) with one RBI in a first-round playoff loss to Detroit, his third postseason flop in three years with the Yankees.

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SPORTS - Prosecutor seeks 2 1/2-year ban for cyclist (AP)

SPORTS - Prosecutor seeks 2 1/2-year ban for cyclist (AP)
BJ Penn, Nick Diaz AP – BJ Penn, bottom, and Nick Diaz grapple during a mixed martial arts welterweight bout, Saturday, Oct. …

LAS VEGAS – Nick Diaz moved back into title contention with a convincing unanimous decision victory over BJ Penn in the main event at UFC 137 Saturday night.

The first round was evenly matched with both fighters landed strikes from the start. Penn was able to take Diaz down to the mat briefly, landing a few strikes to gain the early edge.

Diaz begain to land a number of strikes to the body and face in the second round. He taunted Penn and continued to land heavy strikes, dazing the former champion. It was more of the same in the third round with Diaz picking apart Penn at will, landing numerous combinations that left Penn's face swollen and bloodied.

All three judges scored the fight in Diaz's favor 29-28, 29-27 and 29-28.

In the co-main event, Cheick Kongo defeated Matt Mitrione by unanimous decision 30-27, 30-28, 29-28.

After an inactive first round by both fighters, Kongo opened up the second striking, landing multiple solid kicks to Mitrione's legs and body.

Both came out swinging in the third round with Kongo landing a strike that sent Mitrione back to the cage. Kongo went for a takedown and ended up slamming Mitrione to the ground then landed a few shots that opened up a small cut and caused some swelling.

Mitrione was able to make it back to his feet only to find himself on the mat after another takedown. Kongo controlled the action from the top using effective ground and pound to neutralize any counter from Mitrione.

Earlier, Roy "Big Country" Nelson defeated Mirko Cro Cop by TKO due to strikes at 1:30 of the third round, sending the MMA legend home with a loss in what appears to be his final fight. Also, Scott Jorgensen earned a unanimous decision over Jeff Curran and Hatsu Hioki won a closely contested split-decision victory over George Roop.

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SPORTS - NBA talks need economic move to end the lockout (AP)

SPORTS - NBA talks need economic move to end the lockout (AP)
Orwin Smith AP – Georgia Tech running back Orwin Smith (17) gets past Clemson's Jonathan Willard, bottom, and Xavier Brewer, …

ATLANTA – The Clemson players straggled off the field, trying to avoid thousands of Georgia Tech students who hopped out of the stands to celebrate.

The Tigers' unbeaten season was over.

In all likelihood, so were their national title hopes.

Tevin Washington rushed for 176 yards — the most ever by a Georgia Tech quarterback — and broke the two longest runs of his career, leading a 31-17 upset of No. 6 Clemson on Saturday night.

Clemson, which had scored 115 points in its two previous games, turned it over four times. Tajh Boyd threw for 295 yards, and freshman Sammy Watkins had 10 catches for 159 yards and a touchdown. But starting back Andre Ellington didn't play because of a sprained ankle, and his replacements — freshmen D.J. Howard and Mike Bellamy — each had a fumble.

"We kind of self-destructed," said Boyd, who had two interceptions. "We did have a shot to make a run to do something that hasn't been done here in a long time. We've got to keep building from it."

Indeed, the Tigers (8-1, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) have to adjust their goals. They still lead their division. They still have the inside track to play in the ACC championship game. No wonder coach Dabo Swinney told his players afterward, "Get your heads up. We're an 8-1 football team."

The Yellow Jackets (7-2, 4-2) raced to a 24-3 halftime lead and made it hold up. So much for Clemson's best start since 2000 (which, in an interesting twist, also ended with a loss to Georgia Tech). So much for climbing to fifth in the BCS standings. The Tigers figure to take a tumble and are unlikely to have enough games left to re-enter the national race.

"It's a very disappointed locker room. I'm disappointed in the turnovers in particular," Swinney said.

The Yellow Jackets snapped a two-game losing streak behind their junior quarterback, who had runs of 46 and 56 yards and touchdown among his 27 carries. He broke the school quarterback mark of 151 yards rushing, set by Joshua Nesbitt in 2008. Overall, Georgia Tech finished with 383 yards on the ground, compared to 95 for Clemson.

"I had some real big holes," Washington said. "Anybody could've run through 'em. I'm just lucky to have my number called."

No one could've seen this coming. These were teams headed in opposite directions.

Georgia Tech got off to a dynamic start, winning the first six games for its best start since 1966. But Washington slumped and the triple-option bogged down badly, leading to losses at Virginia and Miami.

"We know what we can do as a team," Washington said. "It's not about falling down. It's about getting back up."

Clemson got off to a sluggish start with lackluster wins against Troy and Wofford. But a victory over defending national champion Auburn seemed to ignite the Tigers, who took command of the ACC race and arrived in Atlanta having put up more than 50 points the two previous weeks in wins over Maryland and North Carolina.

More of the same on the first possession, when Clemson drove right down the field before settling for Chandler Catanzaro's 34-yard field goal.

It was all Georgia Tech the rest of the first half.

The tide swung toward the Yellow Jackets when Howard caught a pass out of the backfield, but lost the ball just before he hit the ground. The officials initially ruled him down, but changed the call after a video review. Rod Sweeting was credited with a recovery at the Clemson 19, and Orwin Smith scored the first of his two TDs on a fourth-down run from the 1.

Washington broke off the 46-yard run down the sideline — the longest of his career, though that mark wouldn't last long — to set up Justin Moore's 23-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead. The Yellow Jackets followed by going 80 yards in 10 plays, making it 17-3 on Smith's 3-yard TD.

Stephen Hill, who had earlier dropped a long pass that might've gone for a touchdown, made up for it — and then some. The 6-foot-5 receiver stretched out with both arms to make a diving catch, pulling the ball into his body with the left hand before slamming into the turf. He rolled over and did a little dance with his arms, celebrating the 44-yard completion.

Two plays later, Washington ran it in from the 3 to push the lead to 24-3 with just 37 seconds left in the half.

The Tigers have been a great second-half team, and they came out of the locker room looking to pull off their biggest comeback yet. They took the kickoff and needed only four plays to reach the end zone for the first time. Boyd hooked up with Watkins on a 48-yard touchdown pass to make it 24-10.

But Georgia Tech quickly answered. Again, it was Washington with the big run. With Georgia Tech facing third-and-6 and the Clemson defense waving their arms to rev up a sizable contingent of orange-clad fans, the quarterback spotted a hole up the middle and took off for the 56-yard gain.

David Sims finished the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run, restoring Georgia Tech's 21-point lead.

After Clemson's second fumble of the game, this one by Bellamy, the Yellow Jackets were on the verge of putting the game away. They drove to a first down at the Tigers 1 and were back there on third down after a delay of game. Then, a break for the visiting team.

Defensive tackle Rennie Moore shot through a gap ahead of the snap, appearing on the replay to be clearly offsides. But the officials didn't catch it, and Moore snatched the ball away from Washington just as he was taking the snap. It was ruled a fumble, and Clemson took over at the 3.

The Tigers took advantage of their good fortune, driving 97 yards in 10 plays. Boyd tried to sneak it over, fumbled in the pile of bodies and 300-pound Brandon Thomas fell on it for the first touchdown by a Clemson offensive lineman since 1966, cutting the deficit to 31-17.

Clemson had one more chance to make a game of it. Washington made his only big mistake of the night, throwing a pass down the middle that was picked off by Rashard Hall and returned to the Georgia Tech 9 with about 10 1/2 minutes to go. But Clemson gave it right back when Boyd threw a fade route, only to have Watkins pull up short. Jemea Thomas made an uncontested pick in the corner of the end zone.

The Tigers were done.

___

Follow AP Sports Writer Paul Newberry on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

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SPORTS - JoePa gets record in 10-7 win against Illinois (AP)

SPORTS - JoePa gets record in 10-7 win against Illinois (AP)
Nathan Scheelhaase, Devon Still AP – Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still (71) sacks Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase (2) during …

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – In bright white letters against a blue background, the electronic sign boards around Beaver Stadium took note of another milestone for Joe Paterno long after the stands had cleared.

"Congratulations Coach Paterno," the signs read. "Winningest Coach In Division I College Football."

It took all 60 minutes on a snowy, sloppy Saturday in Happy Valley, but JoePa broke Eddie Robinson's record with victory No. 409 as No. 21 Penn State defeated Illinois 10-7.

The Nittany Lions (8-1, 5-0 Big Ten) overcame six fumbles — losing two — with Silas Redd's 3-yard touchdown run with 1:08 to go. Penn State's only touchdown came after Illinois corner Justin Green was whistled for pass interference while breaking up a fourth-down pass for Derek Moye in the end zone.

Illinois (6-3, 2-3) drove from its 17 to the Penn State 25 on the next drive, but Derek Dimke's 42-yard field goal attempt bounced off the right upright as time expired.

Even JoePa was nervous in the press box before Penn State's last drive. Paterno coached upstairs since he's still got a sore right leg, shoulder and pelvis following an accidental preseason hit.

"Did I have any doubts," he asked rhetorically with a chuckle. "Sure I had doubts ... but it worked out anyway."

In a common occurrence over his remarkable 46-year career, Paterno was feted again with a postgame ceremony. School president Graham Spanier and athletic director Tim Curley presented JoePa with a plaque that read, "Joe Paterno. Educator of Men. Winningest Coaach. Division One Football."

Among all coaches, Paterno now only trails John Gagliardi, still active at Division III St. John's, Minn., with 481 victories.

"It really is something I've very proud of, to be associated with Eddie Robinson," Paterno said in a brief postgame ceremony in the media room broadcast to fans still waiting in the stands 10 minutes later. "Something like this means a lot to me, an awful lot. But there's a lot of other people I've got to thank."

Start with Redd, the budding star who had a career-high 30 carries for 137 yards for Penn State, none bigger than his late TD run.

An early-season snowstorm had fans bundled up in winter parkas and hoodies. The offenses seemed to be frozen stiff.

After struggling most of the afternoon, quarterback Matt McGloin drove Penn State from their own 20 to the Illini 32 on three long completions before the pass interference call gave the Nittany Lions a second chance.

"I thought it was a good play myself," frustrated Illini coach Ron Zook said. "But obviously (the referee) thought ... I don't know, I didn't ask him."

Redd capitalized four plays later by barreling into the end zone, the crowd erupting in delight.

Jason Ford rushed for 100 yards on 24 carries but Illinois couldn't capitalize on a slew of Penn State mistakes in a defensive slugfest.

Illlinois outgained Penn State 286-209. After a quiet start, Illinois' pass rush turned up the heat in the second half, getting 2.5 sacks combined from standout ends Michael Buchanan and Whitney Mercilus.

Still, the Illini's offense wasn't much better than Penn State, but they got just got enough in the third quarter from scrambling quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase to scratch out a 10-yard touchdown pass to Spencer Harris for a 7-0 lead.

Illinois' defense held firm from there until Penn State's late TD drive.

Moye, back after missing two games because of a left foot injury, dropped a third-down pass to groans from the crowd on the winning drive. McGloin went for Moye on fourth down with 1:31 left, and the ball bounced off the receiver's hands in the end zone — but there was contact and the interference penalty gave Penn State another chance.

Zook could only wince on the sideline as a once-quiet Penn State crowd burst back to life.

"They were just able to find their receivers. They weren't able to do that all game, we pretty much got them all game," Buchanan said. "As a D-line, we weren't able to get pressure on the quarterback that we wanted to. So it was pretty much on us."

Illinois' struggling offense couldn't get untracked again early, going scoreless in the first half for a third straight game. They wasted opportunities deep in Penn State territory following fumbles by Redd at his own 37 in the first half, and quarterback Rob Bolden at the 29 late in the second half.

On that drive, Illinois receiver Ryan Lankford made a pretty tiptoe catch along the sideline from backup quarterback Riley O'Toole for a 12-yard gain to the 12. The play was upheld by replay — and fans in the student section showed their displeasure by tossing snowballs on the field.

The snowballs missed the players — much like most of the passes Saturday. McGloin was 9 of 24 for 98 yards, while Bolden missed all four of his pass attempts, all in the second quarter.

Scheelhaase finished 9 of 16 for 63 yards, and ran 14 times for 89 yards.

After the game, Paterno had one last message to the frigid fans outside before they headed to the exits in relief.

"For all the fans out there, thanks for sitting through that today," Paterno said half-jokingly, "You've got to be nuts!"

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SPORTS - Randle has 4 TDs, No. 3 Cowboys beat Baylor 59-24 (AP)

SPORTS - Randle has 4 TDs, No. 3 Cowboys beat Baylor 59-24 (AP)
Joseph Randle, Chance Casey AP – Oklahoma State running back Joseph Randle, left, runs in to score ahead of Baylor cornerback Chance Casey, …

STILLWATER, Okla. – When it mattered the most, No. 3 Oklahoma State made every yard seem like the longest yard for Robert Griffin III and Baylor.

Joseph Randle set career-highs by running for 152 yards and four touchdowns, Justin Blackmon matched his career best with 13 catches for 172 yards and two scores and the Cowboys carried a shutout into the fourth quarter of a 59-24 win over the Bears on Saturday.

Brodrick Brown recovered two fumbles, and Daytawion Lowe and Justin Gilbert had interceptions as the Cowboys (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) forced five turnovers and stopped the Bears twice on fourth-and-1.

"I think at that point, you just have to dig deep and just find something inside of you to not let them in the end zone," safety Markelle Martin said. "Let's not make it easy on them."

Far from it.

The Cowboys ran out to a 35-0 halftime advantage that was hardly indicative of how competitive the game was, but Baylor came up with absolutely nothing out of a series of promising drives.

The Bears (4-3, 1-3) were stuffed on fourth-and-1 twice, including on the goal line on their opening drive, and Gilbert picked off one of Griffin's passes in the end zone on third-and-goal from the 5. Aaron Jones also continued his struggles, missing a 48-yard field goal.

The Bears got inside the Oklahoma State 35-yard line on each of their first five drives and then found a way to give the ball back without getting any points.

"Sickening comes to mind because you know how important it is to punch it in in that situation," coach Art Briles said. "It's not like you are going to pitch a shutout game against them but you certainly better match scores when you have opportunities and we didn't."

That's nothing new for the Cowboys.

OSU came into the game ranked 103rd in the nation in yards allowed — easily the worst of the eight remaining undefeated teams — but has consistently found ways to get critical stops when needed. The Pokes lead the nation in turnover margin and added to their Bowl Subdivision lead in interceptions by picking off their 16th and 17th of the season.

Glasco Martin also fumbled inside the 1-yard line in the third quarter, setting up Oklahoma State's second 99-yard touchdown drive of the game.

"They didn't want to give anything up," OSU coach Mike Gundy said. "We talk to them all the time about fighting right 'til the end."

The Cowboys started a season with eight straight wins for only the second time in school history. The other time was in 1945, when they finished the season 9-0, won the Sugar Bowl and were ranked fifth in the final poll.

"It's a sweet feat," said quarterback Brandon Weeden, who had 274 yards passing and three touchdowns without any interceptions.

"But last year we were talking about winning 11 games and how exciting that was, and we're not there yet. We've still got a lot left on our plate."

Griffin threw for 425 yards to end up 5 shy of his career best set last week. In a matchup of two of the nation's top three offenses, the Bears' second-ranked attack outgained Oklahoma State's third-ranked unit 622-601 but the scoreboard was lopsided the opposite way.

Baylor didn't get into the end zone until the first play of the fourth quarter, when Terrance Ganaway's 18-yard scamper made it 49-10.

"The score is crazy," Ganaway said. "It looks lopsided but ... if we don't have any turnovers and finish in the red zone, it's a whole new ballgame. That's what we have to work on. We have to make sure we're taking care of the ball and playing smart."

To start the game, Griffin drove the Bears 68 yards with relative ease to set up first-and-goal at the 2. Three running plays later, they had only made it to the 1 and Briles decided to give it to Ganaway once more.

"For us, it's just pride right there. There's no space to worry about. It's just you versus that guy in front of you," Martin said.

"So for us, it's that battle that you want every day. You don't have to worry about nothing else, just you and the guy in front of you."

The Cowboys, who've been hearing the increasing noise that they can't win a BCS title with a 100th-ranked defense, won that battle over and over again.

"We wanted to go out and prove that we are a good defense," Martin said. "I think that fire was lit and we all shined and had fun."

Randle, who also scored four total touchdowns last week, ran for TDs from 2, 62 and 7 yards as the Cowboys built up a 35-0 halftime lead. He then followed Brown's 47-yard fumble return by scoring from 7 yards out early in the third quarter.

Blackmon, an All-American last season, returned after missing the second half of last week's game with a head injury to catch TD passes from 2 and 8 yards. Weeden's other scoring pass was an 18-yarder to fullback Kye Staley, who had given up the game entirely after a serious knee injury and got into the end zone for the first time in his comeback.

Terrance Williams caught eight passes for a career-high 154 yards, including a 72-yard fourth-quarter touchdown, and Kendall Wright had 117 yards on 11 receptions as Baylor lost in Stillwater for the 10th straight time and fell to 1-15 against OSU in Big 12 play.

Griffin also scored on a 1-yard run — finally ending the Bears' short-yardage struggles on their 14th snap inside the 5 and long after it mattered.

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SPORTS - Georgia Tech upsets No. 6 Clemson 31-17 (AP)

SPORTS - Georgia Tech upsets No. 6 Clemson 31-17 (AP)
Orwin Smith AP – Georgia Tech running back Orwin Smith (17) gets past Clemson's Jonathan Willard, bottom, and Xavier Brewer, …

ATLANTA – After all the big plays, Tevin Washington finally had it easy.

He dropped to his knee a couple of times, then celebrated with thousands of Georgia Tech students who stormed the field.

Washington rushed for 176 yards — the most ever by a Yellow Jackets quarterback — and broke the two longest runs of his career, leading a 31-17 upset of No. 6 Clemson that likely snuffed out the Tigers' national title hopes Saturday night.

The Yellow Jackets (7-2, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) raced to a 24-3 halftime lead and held off Clemson (8-1, 5-1) which was off to its best start since 2000, The Tigers had climbed to fifth in the BCS standings, but they figure to take a tumble and are unlikely to have enough games left to re-enter the national race.

"It's a very disappointed locker room. I'm disappointed in the turnovers in particular," coach Dabo Swinney said.

The Yellow Jackets snapped a two-game losing streak behind their junior quarterback, who had runs of 46 and 56 yards and touchdown among his 27 carries. He broke the school quarterback mark of 151 yards rushing, set by Joshua Nesbitt in 2008. Overall, Georgia Tech finished with 383 yards on the ground, compared to 95 for Clemson.

"I had some real big holes," Washington said. "Anybody could've run through 'em. I'm just lucky to have my number called."

Clemson, which had scored 115 points in its two previous games, turned it over four times. Tajh Boyd threw for 295 yards, and freshman Sammy Watkins had 10 catches for 159 yards and a touchdown. But starting back Andre Ellington didn't play because of a sprained ankle, and his replacements — freshmen D.J. Howard and Mike Bellamy — each lost a fumble.

Now, the Tigers have to adjust their goals.

They still lead their division. They still have the inside track to play in the ACC championship game.

Swinney told his players "too get your heads up. We're an 8-1 football team."

No one could've seen this coming. These were teams headed in opposite directions.

Georgia Tech got off to a dynamic start, winning the first six games for its best start since 1966. But Washington slumped and the triple-option bogged down badly, leading to losses at Virginia and Miami.

"We know what we can do as a team," Washington said. "It's not about falling down. It's about getting back up."

Clemson got off to a sluggish start with lackluster wins against Troy and Wofford. But a victory over defending national champion Auburn seemed to ignite the Tigers, who took command of the ACC race and arrived in Atlanta having put up more than 50 points the two previous weeks in wins over Maryland and North Carolina.

They couldn't keep it up.

"Give all the credit to Georgia Tech. They just flat-out whipped us," Swinney said. "The biggest problem was the quarterback. They kept running the quarterback follow."

Clemson drove right down the field on its first possession, settling for Chandler Catanzaro's 34-yard field goal. It was all Georgia Tech the rest of the first half.

"I know a lot of people are disappointed that wrote us off," coach Paul Johnson said sarcastically. "Let us finish the season before you do our tombstone."

The tide swung toward the Yellow Jackets when Howard caught a pass out of the backfield, but lost the ball just before he hit the ground. The officials initially ruled him down, but changed the call after a video review. Rod Sweeting was credited with a recovery at the Clemson 19, and Orwin Smith scored the first of his two TDs on a fourth-down run from the 1.

Washington broke off the 46-yard run down the sideline — the longest of his career, though that mark wouldn't last long — to set up Justin Moore's 23-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead. The Yellow Jackets followed by going 80 yards in 10 plays, making it 17-3 on Smith's 3-yard TD run.

Stephen Hill, who had earlier dropped a long pass that might've gone for a touchdown, made up for it — and then some. The 6-foot-5 receiver stretched out with both arms to make a diving catch, pulling the ball into his body with the left hand before slamming into the turf. He rolled over and did a little dance with his arms, celebrating the 44-yard completion.

Two plays later, Washington ran it in from the 3 to push the lead to 24-3 with just 37 seconds left in the half.

The Tigers have been a great second-half team, and they came out of the locker room looking to pull off their biggest comeback yet. They took the kickoff and needed only four plays to reach the end zone for the first time. Boyd hooked up with Watkins on a 48-yard touchdown pass to make it 24-10.

But Georgia Tech quickly answered. Again, it was Washington with the big run. With Georgia Tech facing third-and-6 and the Clemson defense waving their arms to rev up a sizable contingent of orange-clad fans, the quarterback spotted a hole up the middle and took off for the 56-yard gain.

David Sims finished the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run, restoring Georgia Tech's 21-point lead.

After Clemson's second fumble of the game, this one by Bellamy, the Yellow Jackets were on the verge of putting the game away. They drove to a first down at the Tigers 1 and were back there on third down after a delay of game. Then, a break for the visiting team.

Defensive tackle Rennie Moore shot through a gap ahead of the snap, appearing on the replay to be clearly offsides. But the officials didn't catch it, and Moore snatched the ball away from Washington just as he was taking the snap. It was ruled a fumble, and Clemson took over at the 3.

The Tigers took advantage of their good fortune, driving 97 yards in 10 plays. Boyd tried to sneak it over, fumbled in the pile of bodies and 300-pound Brandon Thomas fell on it for the first touchdown by a Clemson offensive lineman since 1966, cutting the deficit to 31-17.

Clemson had one more chance to make a game of it. Rashard Hall picked off Washington and returned to the Georgia Tech 9 with about 10 1/2 minutes to go. But Clemson gave it right back with Jemea Thomas making an uncontested pick in the corner of the end zone.

Washington's reaction when Thomas pulled it down?

"I was happiest guy on the field," he said, breaking into a big smile.

It was time to celebrate.

___

Follow AP Sports Writer Paul Newberry on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

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Yahoo News SPORTS + Image

Yahoo News SPORTS + Image Pipes Output
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