UK Beats JSU To End 4 Game Skid

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- CoShik Williams ran for a career-high 148 yards and Kentucky snapped a four-game losing streak with a 38-14 win over Jacksonville State on Saturday.

With injuries in the backfield, Williams took up the slack as the primary ball carrier after sophomore Raymond Sanders left in the first quarter with an ankle injury. Williams, a junior, finished with 22 carries.

Freshman Josh Clemons, the Wildcats' leading rusher on the season, had already been ruled out for the season with a knee injury.

Williams' previous career best was 95 yards rushing -- set against Charleston Southern last season.

The Wildcats were able to break out after a bye week, earning a season-best 445 yards of total offense and 340 yards of total offense despite missing their two primary tailbacks.

Kentucky (3-4) struggled to move the ball in the first quarter with its first three possessions ended with two punts and a lost fumble. The Wildcats entered this game ranked 118th out of 120 FBS teams in total offense, earning just 229 yards per game this season. Their first three possessions carried held true to that reputation, ending with only one first down, two punts and a lost fumble.

But with 3:33 left in the first, safety Martavius Neloms sacked Jacksonville State quarterback Coty Blanchard, forced a fumble and ran it back 40 yards for the game's first score.

The offense began clicking in the second quarter for the Wildcats, and they finished with 253 yards of total offense at halftime. They had gained a total of 251 yards in their previous two games combined

Washaun Ealey rushed for 120 yards for the Gamecocks (5-2). He ran for 157 yards and five touchdowns against the Wildcats last year for Georgia before transferring to Jacksonville State in the spring.

Carson Palmer Traded To Oakland For Draft Picks

By:  Coop

The long time Bengals QB, Carson Palmer, was traded to the Oakland Raiders for a 1st round draft pick next season and either a 1st or 2nd round pick in 2013 depending on what the Raiders do playoff wise.

SWO POLL

1.) Oklahoma
2.) LSU
3.) Alabama
4.) Oklahoma State
5.) Boise State
6.) Wisconsin
7.) Stanford
8.) Clemson
9.) Oregon
10.) Arkansas
11.) Kansas State
12.) Virginia Tech
13.) Nebraska
14.) South Carolina
15.) Michigan State
16.) West Virginia
17.) Houston
18.) Michigan
20.) Penn State
21.) Georgia Tech
22.) Illinois
23.) Washington
24.) Texas A&M
25.) Cincinnati

Bengals Keep Colts Winless

Andy Dalton passed for 264
yards and a touchdown in the
Bengals win over the Colts.

By:  Coop


The Cincinnati Bengals were playing host to the Indianapolis Colts.  The Bengals were looking to 4-2, while the Colts were trying to pick up their first win of the year.  Indy had one of the worst offenses in the NFL heading into this game, while the Bengals had the best defense in the NFL.  So for the first time in a long time, the Bengals were actually favored over that team a couple hours West of them.


The Bengals did not disappoint, they keep Indy winless, 27-17 the final score.  Here is how it all happened. 


A few minutes into the game, Andy Dalton hooked up with AJ Green for an 11 yard touchdown pass, it was 7-0.  That would be the only score of the 1st quarter.


Indianapolis got on the board when Donald Brown got the hand-off, and took it to the house for an 18 yard score, it was a tie ballgame.  


Cincy would retake the lead as time expired in the 1st half when Mike Nugent kicked a 20 yard field goal. 10-7 the score heading into the locker room.


To start the 2nd half for the Bengals, they marched down the field to the 1 yard line, then handed it off to Cedric Benson, and he cashed it in.  17-7 the score.  Then, with 2:20 to go in the 3rd, Nugent kicked a 43 yard field goal to go up by 13, 20-7.


The Colts were showing some signs of a comeback in the 4th quarter.  It all started with an Adam Vinatieri 46 yard field goal to make it 20-10.  Then on their next drive Painter connected with Dallas Clark for a 1 yard touchdown pass, it was now only a one possession game, 20-17.


Indy had the ball back, looking to march down the field and tie it or take the lead.  Well they could have, if there wasn't a fumble.  Garcon fumbled it, Carlos Dunlap picked it up, and took it back for a 35 yard touchdown. It was not a pick 6, it was a POP 6.  That put the nails in the coffin, 27-17 the score, and that is how she finished.


The game was not televised, due to the blackout rule, but it looked like there were quite a bit of people there. 


Andy Dalton had another good game, he 25 of 32 passes, good for 264 yards and a touchdown.


Jerome Simpson looked great today, as he had 6 catches for 101 yards.  AJ Green added 51 yards.


Both teams were good against the running game today, as both teams only had 94 yards on the ground.  The Bengals defense forced 3 turnovers today.


The Bengals will not play next Sunday, but after that they will head to Seattle to take on the Seahawks.  That game will be at 4:15 PM ET and televised on CBS.  Until then, WHO DEY!

Bengals vs. Colts Live Stream

To watch AJ Green and the Bengals take on the winless Colts, you can click right here.  Or you can tune into 700 WLW or ESPN 1530 to listen to the game.


Notice: The link will take you to firstrowsports.tv, this is a safe and free streaming website.

OSU Downs Illinois In Herron's Return

By:  Coop


Woody Hayes is smiling in Heaven.  Why?  Ohio State played a Woody Hayes type game.  Run game was great, I formations, great defense, and the most important thing-a win.  The Buckeyes were in Campaign, Illinois, looking to beat the Illinois Fighting Illini. They had a good chance at beating them, all because their star running back, Dan "Boom" Herron was back.  Boom was great, he was a big reason why OSU won the game, 17-7. Here is how it all happened.


In the 1st quarter, Drew Basil kicked an impressive 43 yard field goal, that put OSU up 3-0.  That field goal was score early on in the 1st quarter.


Funny thing, that would be the only score of the half.  The rest of the 1st and all of the 2nd was defensively dominated.  


I bet Paul Keels, the OSU radio announcer, was happy when there was 14:06 to go in the 3rd quarter. Why? Well because he got to go back to his saying "Boom goes the Herron".  That means Boom scored a touchdown.  It was a 12 yard score, the Bucks were up 10-0.  That would be the score heading into the 4th. 


Okay, just so you know, heading into the 4th quarter, Ohio State had not completed a pass yet.  Well with 13:06 to go, Braxton Miller completed one.  He couldn't have picked a better time, because he happened to complete one for a touchdown to the tight end, Jake Stoneburner. A 17 yard score, it was now 17-0.


The Illini would finally get on the board when Scheelhaase connected with Evan Wilson for a 3 yard score, it was 17-7, and that is how she finished.


The Buckeyes defense looked great, holding a team with a duel threat QB and great talent all around to 7 points, that's pretty impressive.  


Dan Herron looked great too, he had 23 carries, good for 114 yards.  A pretty good game to start your season after being suspended for 6 games, don't you think?  Jordan Hall added 56 yards.


It's a good thing that the running game was good, because the passing game was...bad, to put it in polite terms.  Braxton Miller was 1 for 4, with 17 yards passing, and a touchdown.


Jake Stoneburner was the leading receiver, as he had uh, 1 catch. 


So the Buckeyes hold on to the Illibuck trophy, and they can celebrate this win for a little while, but they need to improve over they BYE week, because after that, they have to play Wisconsin.  

Bearcats Rally Back To Be Cards

Bearcat players celebrate with the Keg Of Nails Trophy after beating Louisville 

By:  Coop


The Cincinnati Bearcats were hosting the Louisville Cardinals at Paul Brown Stadium.  The 'Cats were looking to improve to 5-1, while L'Ville was trying to get back to .500 at 3-3.  At first it looked like the Cardinals were going to win the Keg Of Nails, but it was a tale of two halves.  Cincy had a great 2nd half, and rallied back to beat the Cards, 25-16, here is how.


In the 1st quarter, the Cardinals kicker, Chris Philpott kicked two field goals, one from 42 yards out, and the other from 51 yards out.  Louisville had a 6-0 leading going into the 2nd.


The Bearcats would take the lead when Zach Collaros connected with DJ Woods for a 26 yard touchdown, 7-6 the score.  


The Cardinals would retake the lead when Philpott added another field goal, this time from 18 yards out, it was 9-7.  Then, with just 6 seconds left before the half, Mike Evans picked off Collaros' pass, and took it to the house for a 63 yard pick 6.  16-7 would be the score heading into the locker rooms.


As I said, it was a tale of two halves.  Good thing for Cincinnati.


In the 3rd quarter, the 'Cats shortened the lead when Collaros ran it in from 1 yard out, it was now 16-14.  That would be the only score of the 3rd quarter.  So only a 2 point game with a quarter left.


Early in the 4th, Isaiah Pead ran for a 50 yard touchdown, big play for Cincinnati! That made it 20-16.  Then the kicker, Tony Miliano was not on the field for some reason.  The Bearcats were forced to go for two. Well it worked out because Collaros connected with Robinson for the deuce, it was 22-16.


The nails were put into the keg when Miliano kicked a 21 yard field goal to put UC up by 9.  25-16 the final score.


Collaros looked pretty good, he threw for 152 yards, had 1 TD, and 1 INT.


Pead did very good, he had 20 carries, good for 150 yards and 1 TD.


UC is now 5-1 and will take on USF in Florida next week, that game will be on the Big East Network. 

Frease Suspended Indefinitely

By:  Coop


Xavier senior center, Kenny Frease, has been suspended indefinitely, Coach Chris Mack announced today.


“Kenny has not handled his daily responsibilities on and off the playing floor that we expect from every one of our players here at Xavier,” said Mack. “Until Kenny proves to me that he wants to be a part of our team by handling those responsibilities, he will not be a part of our program. I am hopeful that Kenny will work his way back to being a part of this team at some point. “


What all that means, I am unsure, but as soon as we know more about this issue, we'll let you know.

SWO POLL

1.) Oklahoma
2.) LSU
3.) Stanford
4.) Boise State
5.) Alabama
6.) Wisconsin
7.) Oklahoma State
8.) Oregon
9.) Clemson
10.) Arkansas
11.) Texas
12.) Georgia Tech
13.) Auburn
14.) West Virginia
15.) Florida
16.) South Carolina
17.) Illinois
18.) Michigan
19.) Nebraska
20.) Virginia Tech
21.) Kansas State
22.) Arizona State
23.) Florida State
24.) Michigan State
25.) Baylor

Bengals Stun Bills With Comeback Win

By: Coop


The Buffalo Bills were the lone unbeaten team in the AFC.  The Bengals were trying to change Buffalo's 0 to a 1. They were also trying to get back to .500. 


At the end of the 1st half, it looked as if the Bengals had no shot at winning the game. But, Andy Dalton rallied the troops, leading the team to a comeback with a walk-off field goal.  Here is how it all happened.


With just over 2 minutes to go in the 1st, Mike Nugent kicked a 31 yard field goal to put Cincinnati up 3-0. That would be the score at the end of 1. 


Buffalo answered back early in the 2nd quarter when Rian Lindell kicked one from 43 yards out, 3-3 the score.  10 minutes later, Bryan Scott picked off Andy Dalton, and took it to the house for a 43 yard score, the Bills had a 10-3 lead.  Make it 17-3 after Fred Jackson ran it in from 2 yards out.  That would be the score at the half.


Marvin Lewis must of been a mad man in the locker room.  His defense was not doing well, and neither was his offense.


Well whatever he said it sure turned the game around.


To start the 2nd half, Mike Nugent kicked a 21 yard field goal to make it 17-6.  A few minutes later, Andy Dalton connected with Jermaine Gresham for a 17 yard touchdown, that put the Bengals back in it, 17-13 the score.


In the 4th quarter, Lindell added a field goal to make it 20-13.  Still only a 7 point deficit.


With 4:09 to go in the game, Dalton dropped back to pass, then found an opening and ran it in from 3 yards out.  That would tie the game up at 20.


The Bills would get the ball back, but would later on have to punt it away.  The Bengals would get the ball and move down the field until they were in field goal range.  They would then call timeout so the field goal attempt would run out the clock.  Buffalo then called a timeout in attempts to ice the kicker.


Nugent went over to the sidelines and kicked a few off of the mechanical holder.  He was now ready to attempt a 43 yard field goal that would give the Bengals the upset win.  His kick was up and.....GOOD! BENGALS WIN!!!!


The defense was great today, especially in the 2nd half.  They held the Bills to only 3 2nd half points.  


Andy Dalton looked pretty good as he threw for 298 yards, 1 touchdown, but did throw 2 interceptions.


Cedric Benson rushed for 104 yards on 19 carries.


AJ Green looked great as he had 4 receptions for 118 yards. 

Watch The Bengals Game!

You can watch the Bengals game (which is blacked out locally) by clicking on this link.

MSU's Defense Dominates Buckeyes

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- All of Ohio State's NCAA investigations and sanctions might not have been as painful for Buckeyes fans as this.

Kirk Cousins threw a 33-yard scoring pass to B.J. Cunningham and Michigan State's No. 1-ranked defense overwhelmed the bumbling Buckeyes 10-7 Saturday, shutting them out until the final seconds.

Interim coach Luke Fickell, who took over when Jim Tressel was pushed out for breaking NCAA rules, could only allude to the ugly defeat as "what happened today."

Michigan State (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) came in as the national leader in total defense (172 yards per game) and passing defense (101 ypg) -- and backed up that lofty ranking. The Spartans allowed just 178 total yards and 143 yards through the air while posting nine sacks and snuffing the Buckeyes' ground attack, permitting just 35 yards on 39 attempts.

So disappointed was a partisan crowd of 105,306 that from time to time boos cascaded down on the punchless offense.

"Am I surprised (by the boos)?" repeated Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio, the Buckeyes' defensive coordinator from 2001-3. "I used to work here. I'm just saying ..."

When the Spartans defense wasn't making plays, Ohio State was doing what it could to help them. The Buckeyes (3-2, 0-1), behind true freshman quarterback Braxton Miller, stumbled all day on offense. Joe Bauserman led Ohio State to its only score, a 34-yard pass to Evan Spencer with 10 seconds left. The Spartans then recovered the onside kick.

Fickell said after the game that he might just open up the quarterback job to the four contenders -- also including Kenny Guiton and Taylor Graham -- who had fought for it during spring and preseason practices. At another point he said Miller would remain his starter.

One thing he was not confused about was went wrong for Miller.

"Things were happening fast for him," Fickell said. "He just maybe didn't see the field real well. We thought we were going to have to throw the football, as many people as they were putting in there (on the line to stop the run) and as much heat as they were bringing. We thought our best option was to go with a guy that probably could see the field a little bit better and throw the football a little bit better."

Bauserman came on to hit half of his 14 passes for 87 yards, while Miller was 5 of 10 for 56 yards with an interception.

Dan Conroy added a 50-yard field goal for the Spartans, far from flawless but thoroughly in command.

It was a glorious homecoming for 24 Michigan State players and several coaches born in Ohio. Dantonio, an Ohio native, was in charge of the defense when Ohio State won the 2002 national championship.

Now his name will certainly pop up on the list of candidates when Ohio State looks for a new permanent coach after the season. Fickell, who worked on the defensive staff with Dantonio at Ohio State, took over in May when Tressel was forced out for not telling his superiors that he knew about players accepting cash and tattoos in violation of NCAA bylaws.

"Every year going way back, the Michigan State and Ohio State rivalry has been special," said Dantonio. The teams shared the Big Ten title a year ago with Wisconsin.

The Spartans ended a seven-game losing skid to the Buckeyes.

"This was a big program win," said Dantonio, in his fifth year at MSU. "Ohio State was the only team we hadn't beaten in the conference."

Ohio State's erratic and ineffective offense almost made history. The Buckeyes had not been shut out in 183 home games, dating to a 6-0 loss to Wisconsin on Oct. 9, 1982, and hadn't been shut out anywhere since a 28-0 loss at Michigan on Nov. 20, 1993.

Cousins completed 20 of 32 passes for 250 yards with two interceptions. Cunningham, the Big Ten's leading receiver, had nine catches for 154 yards.

Cousins acknowledged that the outcome could have been more lopsided.

"We didn't finish our drives. We could have had 20 to 25-plus points," he said.

He threw an interception in the end zone to take a certain field goal off the board and then threw another pick late in the game. But he also lofted a high spiral over the middle that Cunningham pulled away from a defender on Michigan State's second possession of the game for a quick 7-0 lead.

"When you really look at it, their wideout made a big play on a ball thrown up in the air," Fickell said.

From then on, Ohio State couldn't do anything against a ferocious Spartans defense that shut down the Buckeyes' running attack and continually harassed the quarterbacks.

Linebacker Max Bullough had nine tackles, including a sack, while Denicos Allen and Chris Norman each had two sacks.

"We really wanted a goose-egg. We thought about that at halftime," Bullough said.

But the result more than made up for the late touchdown.

"It's a big win for us to come out and beat a team like Ohio State, let alone at the Horseshoe," he added. "It's another stepping point to the Big Ten championship."

Bearcats Ring The Victory Bell...Again

OXFORD, Ohio -- Isaiah Pead ran for a pair of touchdowns Saturday, and Cincinnati's dominating defense opened the second half with a goal-line stand that set up a 27-0 victory over Miami of Ohio.

Cincinnati (4-1) has won the last six games in the nation's oldest nonconference rivalry, played 116 times since 1888. The Bearcats' defense made this one a reference point -- Cincinnati's first shutout in Oxford since a 22-0 victory in 1898.

Miami (0-4) couldn't budge the Bearcats' defensive line, which put Cincinnati in control with the goal-line stand. The Bearcats then pulled away with three touchdowns in the third quarter, including Pead's pair of scoring runs.

The Bearcats overcame a season-high four turnovers, including Zach Collaros' two end-zone interceptions and his fumble at the Miami 12-yard line. Collaros was 16 of 30 for 251 yards and scrambled 15 times for 89 yards against a defense that emphasized pass coverage.

Miami's Zac Dysert was 19 of 33 for 252 yards with an interception at the goal line and four sacks. Sophomore Nick Harwell became only the second Miami player with three straight 100-yard games, one shy of Martin Nance's school record.

It was Cincinnati's first shutout since a 31-0 win over Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 2, 2006. The Bearcats' last shutout in the rivalry -- played for the "Victory Bell" traveling trophy -- was 17-0 in Cincinnati. Miami finished with minus-3 yards on 38 rushes.

Miami hadn't been shut out at home since 1983, the year Yager Stadium opened.

North winds gusting to 20 mph made it tough to pass and punt. The Bearcats made it even tougher on themselves by getting careless.

Cincinnati is one of the nation's leaders in turnover margin, losing the ball only twice in the first four games. The Bearcats had three turnovers in the first half alone on Saturday, including Collaros' interception and fumble in scoring range.

Miami had plenty of its own problems. An 11-yard punt set Cincinnati up at midfield, and tight end Travis Kelce got open behind the safeties for a 30-yard touchdown catch. The extra-point attempt was wide.

The RedHawks managed only 12 yards on 20 carries in the first half, which ended with the Bearcats up 6-0. Cincinnati's defense opened the second half with a goal-line stand that crushed Miami's chances of a comeback.

Dysert surprised Cincinnati with a 66-yard pass down the middle to Nick Harwell, who was tackled at the 1-yard line by safety Drew Frey. After two runs lost a yard, Harwell was called for pushing off to get open on a catch in the end zone. Mason Krysinski hooked a 34-yard field goal try, starting a celebration on the Bearcats sideline.

Three plays later, Collaros completed a 72-yard pass to tight end Adrien Robinson, who made a juggling at-the-knees catch while safety Pat Hinke interfered with him. Pead's 3-yard run made it 13-0.

Cincinnati then put it away with two touchdowns in an 89-second span. Pead scored on a 4-yard dive, and linebacker J.K. Schaffer returned the ball 17 yards for a touchdown off a bad snap on a punt attempt for a 27-0 lead late in the third quarter.

It was Cincinnati's third straight game with a dominating defensive showing. The Bearcats returned two interceptions and a fumble for touchdowns during a 59-14 win over Akron, and had six sacks during a 44-14 win over North Carolina State.

Tigers Scratch Harder Than Wildcats

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Jordan Jefferson's LSU teammates heard the boos when the embattled quarterback stepped out on the field for the first time since his suspension was lifted this past week.

That only sweetened their celebration when Jefferson stretched across the goal line to give the No. 1 Tigers a lead they would not relinquish in a 35-7 victory over Kentucky on Saturday.

"When Jordan Jefferson scored that touchdown, and (starting quarterback)Jarrett Lee celebrated, that's when I knew right then, that the word 'team' means so much more," LSU defensive end Sam Montgomery said. "Jordan's been through a whole lot, so now he can tell the story of how, 'I went through this, bounced back, came back on the team, and now we're all a big family again.'"

Jefferson was reinstated this week after a grand jury reduced charges the quarterback faces in connection with an Aug. 19 bar fight to a misdemeanor.

Lee remained the starter and played most of the game, struggling at times but hitting Odell Beckham Jr. for a spectacular 51-yard score, and their second touchdown connection of 50-plus yards in two games.

Cornerback Tyrann Mathieu also continued to cause mayhem for opposing offenses, setting an LSU record for career forced fumbles with two strips, one of which led to his 23-yard scoop and score in the third quarter to make it 28-0.

Kentucky (2-3, 0-2 SEC) did not threaten to score until LSU (5-0, 2-0) led 35-0.

While Lee, Mathieu and Beckham had all played roles in four previous victories that lifted LSU (5-0, 2-0 SEC) to the top of the rankings, Jefferson's return added a new wrinkle.

LSU coach Les Miles had predicted Jefferson's reinstatement would not be a distraction and, if anything, give LSU even more ways to win.

"We will use Jefferson in a variety of ways," said Miles, who did not allow Jefferson to speak with reporters after the game. "At different times in the season, we will need every skill and every collective attribute of our team."

After the touchdown, when boos were drowned out by cheers, Jefferson celebrated with Lee and gave high fives to the entire offensive line.

"We know he can come in and make plays, he's won big ball games for us before, so it's not an issue at all," Lee said. "We're happy to have him back. He's got a great attitude. He's a great person. ... If he needs to come in and make a play for us, the team is OK with that."

Wildcats starter Morgan Newtonmissed on his first nine throws and completed only 2 of 11 passes in the first half, when he was sacked three times. Kentucky coach Joker Phillips gave freshman quarterbackMaxwell Smith a chance in the second half, but Smith fared even worse, completing only one of five attempts and turning the ball over when he was flattened by a swarm of Tigers.

"We just thought we needed a spark and wanted to give Morgan a chance to sit back and watch the game from a distance," Phillips said.

Mathieu got to Smith first and swatted the ball loose just as several LSU defenders arrived and steamrolled Smith, who lay face-down while Mathieu scooped up the ball and returned it 23 yards to give LSU a 28-0 lead.

That was the third forced fumble this season for Mathieu, a true sophomore, and the second he had returned for a score. The player LSU fans call "honey badger," after the popular YouTube clip featuring the small but ferocious animal, later forced another fumble, the ninth of his career, two more than the previous school mark.

"We have a scheme going into every game and luckily right now it has involved me blitzing the quarterback a lot and getting the chance to make a bunch of plays. Every time I get the chance to blitz I am going to go get them."

LSU's defense registered five sacks, with Montgomery in on two of them.

Although LSU dominated, the Tigers' offense sputtered intermittently. Lee completed 8 of 21 passes for 169 yards and one TD.

Beckham, who scored on a 52-yard reception against West Virginia last week, was Lee's top target against the Wildcats, catching three passes for 72 yards.

LSU gained 179 yards on the ground, led by sophomore Alfred Blue's 72 yards. Blue scored once on a 1-yard run that made it 21-0 in the third quarter, capping a drive sustained by Russell Shepard's acrobatic third-down catch along the sideline.

Later, freshman Terrence Magee scored his first career touchdown, also on a 1-yard run. Spencer Ware, LSU's leading rusher coming in, was limited by what Miles said was a minor left leg injury.

Kentucky did not score until Newton hit Matt Roark with a 4-yard pass with 6:09 left to play.

"Morgan made a couple of plays down the stretch, but he had to play better than he is playing right now," Phillips said. "He is not playing fast and holding the ball way too long."

LSU opened the scoring on its second drive, when Rueben Randle outleaped double coverage to grab a 37-yard pass from Lee to the Kentucky 5, setting up the score by Jefferson, who rushed four times for 29 yards and did not attempt a pass.

The Tigers extended their lead to 14-0 when Lee hit Beckham on a crossing route on third-and-10. Beckham, a true freshman, spun up field after the catch and made five defenders miss as he cut back across the field for a stunning score.