BIG 12/TOP 25 BOXES; Vandy gets first 5-0 start since 1943

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Oct 5, 2008

- Michigan has 16 turnovers and 14 touchdowns this season.

- San Diego extended its home win streak to 27 games, the longest in the nation, with a 42-14 win over Valparaiso.

QUOTE, UNQUOTE

"I'm not letting anybody get near me with a knife." -- Penn State coach Joe Paterno, whose lingering right hip injury has forced him to coach from the press box. The sixth-ranked Nittany Lions beat Purdue 20-6.

"I'd use the word awful." -- Florida coach Urban Meyer, describing the Gators' offense.

ROCK CHALK

No. 16 Kansas' rally from a 20-point deficit to beat Iowa State 35-33 was its biggest comeback since 1992, when the Jayhawks came back from a 26-point deficit to beat -- you guessed it -- Iowa State 50-47.

With the Jayhawks trailing 20-0 at halftime, Kansas coach Mark Mangino figured his team was bound to start playing better. It would be hard for them to play worse.

"'We've played very poorly,'" Mangino said he told his team. "'But we can win this game, and we will win this game, if you keep your poise, you stay calm.' "No. 2 Alabama outlasts Kentucky

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Glen Coffee rushed for 218 yards, Leigh Tiffin kicked a 24-yard field goal with 2:12 left and No. 2 Alabama held on for a 17-14 win against Kentucky on Saturday.

Playing with its best national ranking in 15 years, the Crimson Tide survived three turnovers and a sputtering passing game a week after racing to a 31-0 halftime lead at Georgia.

Coffee and the Crimson Tide (6-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) mounted a bruising 15-play drive from their own 17-yard line to set up the clinching field goal. Coffee gained 57 yards on nine carries on the drive, which consumed 8:10.

Tiffin, who had missed two earlier kicks, drilled this one for a 17-7 lead, and the points proved necessary.

Mike Hartline hit DeMoreo Ford streaking down the right sideline for a 48-yard touchdown pass with 40 seconds left for the Wildcats (4-1, 0-1). The blown pass coverage had Alabama coach Nick Saban fuming on the sideline over another mistake in a day full of them for the Tide.

Kentucky's onside kick attempt went out of bounds to give Alabama the ball and the game.

The Tide's final scoring chance came after Coffee nearly lost his second fumble inside the Kentucky 10, but the ball dribbled out of bounds after the Wildcats had a clear shot to recover and Alabama kept possession.

'Bama continued to dominate the series, moving to 34-2-1 overall and 20-0-1 in the state of Alabama. Kentucky was looking for its second huge upset in two seasons after beating No. 1 LSU in triple overtime last season.

Coffee had 25 carries, including a 78-yard touchdown, for the best rushing output for a 'Bama back since Shaun Alexander gained a school-record 291 yards against LSU in 1996. Kentucky came in allowing just 73 rushing yards a game and hadn't given up a TD on the ground.

The Tide ran for 282 yards.

Hartline was 20-of-42 for 241 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. Alabama's John Parker Wilson was just 7-of-17 for 106 yards and was intercepted once and sacked three times.