julio-jones-TD-helps-alabama-beat-lsuIowa lost. On one play – QB Ricky Stanzi was sacked, hurt his ankle, fumbled, and Northwestern recovered for a TD – the Hawkeyes went from possibly thinking BCS title game to the Outback Bowl. Notre Dame lost to Navy, 23-21, because the Irish could not score in the red zone. Charlie Weis can forget the BCS – and maybe another year in South Bend. (More during the week, obviously.)

Penn State gagged at home against Ohio State, losing 24-7, and now the Buckeyes control their Rose Bowl destiny. If Ohio State can win defeat Iowa, and avoid choking against sliding Michigan, the Big 10 should be theirs. The losses by Penn State and Iowa likely mean that the Big 10 will only send one team to the BCS. Oregon, which looked like perhaps the best team in the country after throttling USC last week, lost at Stanford, 51-42, perhaps opening up the Pac-10 race. (Though the Ducks still have the inside track.) Stanford RB Toby Gerhart rushed for a school-record 222 yards.

Georgia Tech won in overtime against Wake Forest, and Alabama remained unbeaten by defeated LSU, 24-15.