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

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Oct 5, 2008

They then drove 50 yards without a quarterback on the field, choosing instead to snap the ball directly to running back Dexter Taylor. David Wolke came back on the field and threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Tristan Jones that made it 27-13 with 11:58 left in the game.

Western Kentucky went three-and-out on its next possession, and the Hokies held on.

Wolke was just 7-of-19 for 49 yards for Western Kentucky. Dexter Taylor and Bobby Rainey combined to carry 22 times for 150 yards.

Dustin Keys had field goals of 22 and 27 yards for Virginia Tech, which lost starting tailback Kenny Lewis Jr. to a ruptured Achilles' tendon in the third quarter. The injury will sideline him the rest of the season.

north carolina 38, #24 Connecticut 12 -- At Chapel Hill, N.C., Shawn Draughn rushed for a career-high 109 yards and a touchdown, defensive lineman Marvin Austin returned an interception 23 yards for another score and North Carolina routed No. 24 Connecticut.

Bruce Carter blocked three punts, Matt Merletti fell on one of them for a touchdown and Draughn's 39-yard touchdown run started the game-breaking sequence that gave the Tar Heels their first win over a ranked team in three years.

Ryan Houston had a 1-yard score and Cameron Sexton threw a 13- yard touchdown pass to Hakeem Nicks for North Carolina (4-1), which overcame some shortcomings on the stat sheet by scoring 21 points off Husky mistakes.

UConn outgained the Tar Heels 378-263 and had a 10-minute advantage in time of possession, but couldn't overcome three interceptions by new starter Zach Frazer.

Donald Brown, the nation's leading rusher, ran for 161 yards -- 20 below his average -- with a touchdown for the Huskies (5-1). But 93 of those yards came in the fourth quarter, well after this one was decided.

The Associated PressThe Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Vanderbilt Commodores are on a mission and tired of being considered a football joke.

Well, they're big-time now.

Mackenzi Adams came off the bench and threw for 153 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 19 Vanderbilt beat 13th-ranked Auburn 14-13 Saturday night to improve to 5-0 for the first time since 1943.

"People can think what they want to think," Vandy linebacker Chris Marve said. "We just want to show the country we're a different Vanderbilt."

The Commodores improved to 3-0 in the Southeastern Conference for only the third time ever -- the first since 1950. This win keeps them undefeated atop the SEC East while also snapping a 13-game skid to Auburn (4-2, 2-2). It was Vandy's first win in the series since the 1955 Gator Bowl, and the fewest points Auburn has scored in this series since that bowl game.

"This is what coaches live for," Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said. "I live to walk into the locker room and see how happy our players are."

Trying to preserve a one-point lead, Vandy had to punt the ball back to Auburn one last time with 2:16 left, but Brett Upson kicked it 55 yards and Alan Strong downed it at the Tigers 3. On the next play, Myron Lewis intercepted Chris Todd's pass intended for Rodgeriqus Smith.