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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, September 28, 2008

Florida State's Bowden victorious in 500th game

Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Antone Smith ran for 154 yards and three touchdowns yesterday as Florida State defeated previously unbeaten Colorado, 39-21, in Bobby Bowden's 500th game as a college head coach.

Bowden, in his 43rd season as a head coach and 33rd at Florida State, notched his 376th career victory, one behind No. 12 Penn State's Joe Paterno, whose team beat No. 22 Illinois, 38-24.

Florida State (3-1) scored three times in the final 2:29 of the first half to take a 19-7 lead on the way to its first win of the season over a Bowl Subdivision team. The Seminoles opened the season with wins over Western Carolina and Chattanooga before last week's 12-3 loss to Wake Forest.

Smith, who carried 25 times, went 60 yards down the left sideline with 2:29 left in the half to give the Seminoles a 14-7 lead.

After holding Colorado on downs deep in its own territory, Dekoda Watson blocked Matt DiLallo's punt out of the end zone for a safety and Graham Gano finished off the half with a 36-yard field goal. He added field goals of 52 and 44 yards in the second half.

Florida State relied on its running game for 259 yards while quarterback Christian Ponder completed just 10 of 22 passes for 119 yards and one interception.

Colorado's Cody Hawkins threw for 154 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with Josh Smith, Riar Geer and Patrick Devenny for scores.

Colorado (3-1) was unable to put much together offensively until an 80-yard scoring drive that culminated early in the fourth quarter on Hawkins 2-yard touchdown pass to Geer that cut the deficit to 25-14.

MORE ACC

Duke 31, Virginia 3: Thaddeus Lewis completed nine of his first 10 pass attempts after halftime, and the Blue Devils (3-1, 1-0) scored three touchdowns in a 10-minute span to beat the Cavaliers (1-3, 0-1) and end a 25-game Atlantic Coast Conference losing streak.

Boston College 42, Rhode Island 0: Montel Harris ran for 143 yards and three touchdowns to lead the host Eagles (3-1) over the Rams (1-4) at Boston in the schools' first meeting since 1917.

North Carolina 28, Miami 24: Trimane Goddard had two interceptions in the final minutes and Cameron Sexton threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Brooks Foster with 46 seconds left as the visiting Tar Heels (3-1, 1-1 ACC) rallied from an early 14-point deficit to beat the Hurricanes (2-2, 0-1).

BIG 12

KANSAS STATE 45, LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 37: Josh Freeman threw for 272 yards and threw three touchdowns to help the host Wildcats (3-1) beat the Rajin' Cajuns (1-3), who got three touchdowns and 183 yards rushing from Tyrell Fenroy.

Texas A&M 21, Army 17: Jerrod Johnson threw a touchdown pass after Stephen McGee re-injured his shoulder and the host Aggies (2-2) stopped the Black Knights (0-4) on a fourth-down play with 3:58 left to hold on.

Oklahoma State 55, Troy 24: Zac Robinson threw three touchdown passes to Dez Bryant, and the host Cowboys (4-0) piled up 612 yards in offense and reached 50 points for the third consecutive game in rolling past the Trojans (2-2).

Virginia Tech 35, Nebraska 30: Darren Evans scored two touchdowns, Dustin Keys kicked four field goals and the visiting Hokies (4-1) held off the Cornhuskers' (3-1) comeback bid in the fourth quarer to win their fourth straight after losing to East Carolina.

BIG EAST

West Virginia 27, Marshall 3: Pat White threw two touchdown passes before hurting the thumb on his throwing hand and Noel Devine rushed for 125 yards and a score, powering the host Mountaineers (2-2) past the Thundering Herd (3-3).

Pittsburgh 34, Syracuse 24: LaRod Stephens-Howling scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, Conor Lee kicked four field goals, and the visiting Panthers (3-1) rallied past the Orange (1-4) in the Big East opener for both teams.

BIG TEN

Northwestern 22, Iowa 17: C.J. Bacher threw for 284 yards and three touchdowns and the visiting Wildcats (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat the Hawkeyes (3-2, 0-1) for their first 5-0 start in 46 years.

Michigan State 42, Indiana 29: Javon Ringer rushed for 198 yards and scored one touchdown, while Brian Hoyer ran for one TD and threw for two more to lead the Spartans (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) past the Hooisers (2-2, 0-1).

CONFERENCE USA

Rice 77, North Texas 20: Chase Clement threw three touchdown passes to Jarrett Dillard, setting an NCAA record for career scoring passes involving the same duo, as the host Owls (3-2) routed the Mean Green (0-4).

The pair has connected for 41 career TD passes, surpassing Tim Rattay and Troy Edwards of Louisiana Tech, and Colt Brennan and Devane Bess of Hawai'i, who previously shared the record with 39 touchdown passes.

Memphis 29, Arkansas State 17: Curtis Steele rushed for 203 yards and a touchdown, Charlie Jones added a pair of touchdown runs and Vinny Zaccario kicked three field goals to lead the Tigers (2-3) over the Red Wolves (3-2).

IA INDEPENDENTS

Notre Dame 38, Purdue 21: Jimmy Clausen threw for a career-high 275 yards and three touchdowns, Armando Allen Jr. ran for a career-best 134 yards, and the host Irish (3-1) matched their win total from a year ago by beating the Boilermakers (2-2).

MID-AMERICAN

Western Michigan 7, Temple 3: Tim Hiller threw a 30-yard scoring pass to Juan Nunez with 2:16 remaining in the third quarter, as the visiting Broncos (4-1, 2-0 MAC) beat the Owls (1-4, 0-2) for their fourth straight win.

NORTHERN Illinois 37, Eastern Michigan 0: Me'Co Brown rushed for a career-high 111 yards and a touchdown and the visiting Huskies (2-2, 1-1 MAC) held the Eagles (1-4, 0-2) to 259 offensive yards.

Ball State 41, Kent State 20: MiQuale Lewis ran for 116 yards and three touchdowns, and Nate Davis passed for 265 yards and a touchdown to lead the Cardinals (5-0, 2-0 MAC) past the Golden Flashes (1-4, 0-1).

MOUNTAIN WEST

Bowling Green 45, Wyoming 16: Tyler Sheehan passed for 287 yards and two touchdowns, and also ran for another score in leading the visiting Falcons (2-2) over the Cowboys (3-3).

PACIFIC-10

California 42, Colorado State 7: Syd'Quan Thompson returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown and the host Golden Bears (3-1) also scored on a blocked punt and interception return in a 48-second span of the first quarter to beat the Rams (2-2).

Stanford 35, Washington 28: Backup running back Anthony Kimble rushed for 157 yards and scored on runs of 13 and 83 yards to lead the visiting Cardinal (3-2, 2-1 Pac-10) over the Huskies (0-4, 0-2), who lost quarterback Jake Locker (broken right thumb) midway through the second quarter.

SEC

Kentucky 41, Western Kentucky 3: Tony Dixon ran for two touchdowns, Derrick Locke added a 100-yard kickoff return for a score and the host Wildcats (4-0) ruined the Hilltoppers' (2-3) first visit to Commonwealth Stadium.

South Carolina 26, UAB 13: Stephen Garcia was 13 for 20 for 131 yards and also ran for 86 yards to lead the host Gamecocks (3-2) over the Blazers (1-7), which gained just 207 yards on offense.