STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State coach Joe Paterno has no plans to go out on top of the Big Ten.

After the No. 7 Nittany Lions routed No. 17 Michigan State, 49-18, yesterday to earn a conference title and a trip to the Rose Bowl, Paterno said he doesn't intend for his 43rd season as head coach to be his last — at least not yet.

"I'm planning on coming back, yeah," Paterno said. "I never planned otherwise. Everyone's making a big deal that I don't have a contract signed. I've never even asked to do that.

"I'll sit down some time in the next couple weeks with (athletic director) Tim Curley, President Spanier, and say, 'Hey, what do you think of this, what do you think of that, what are we going to do' and that kind of thing.

"So when I talk to a high school kid, I can be honest with them. Right now, I have no plans to leave. We'll see what happens."

Daryll Clark threw for career-highs of 341 yards and four touchdowns and a stingy Penn State defense held Javon Ringer to a season-low 42 yards.

With Paterno coaching again from the press box because of a sore hip, Penn State (11-1, 7-1) secured a share of the conference title and the school's first trip to Pasadena since 1995.

Rumors have swirled for weeks as to whether it would be JoePa's last game at Beaver Stadium. The Hall of Famer doesn't have a contract after this season, but both he and Spanier said Paterno doesn't need one to stay on a job.

"Joe Paterno! Joe Paterno!" yelled fans in the stands midway through the fourth quarter as they turned and waved at the coach in the press box.

It was a memorable day nonetheless in snowy and cold Happy Valley.

Penn State's seniors celebrated their final home game in style, some holding roses in their mouths after the game.

Cane in hand, Paterno beamed in the locker room after getting presented the Big Ten trophy.

"I've been proud of them for four years," Paterno said. "It's just been so satisfying to see those guys stick together."

The Nittany Lions claimed a share of the Big Ten title with Ohio State, which beat Michigan earlier yesterday.

But Penn State owns the conference's automatic BCS bid by virtue of its 13-6 win over the Buckeyes earlier this year.

The Spartans (9-3, 6-2) went to a hurry-up offense late in the first half to finally break through, and Ringer, third in the nation in rushing coming into the game, plunged in from the 1 with 22 seconds left to cut it to 28-7. It was Ringer's 21st touchdown of the season, tying him with Jehuu Caulcrick (2007) for most in school history.

But the game was too far out of reach by then.

NO. 3 FLORIDA 70, THE CITADEL 10

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Tim Tebow threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns, and Chris Rainey ran for 142 yards and a score as the Gators (10-1) overwhelmed the Bulldogs (4-8).

Florida (10-1) scored touchdowns on its first seven possessions, racked up 512 yards in the first half alone (715 total) and became the first Southeastern Conference team to score at least 42 points in six consecutive games.

"We didn't execute like we would have liked," said Citadel coach Kevin Higgins, whose program received $450,000 for its worst loss of the season. "Obviously, it was a great football team that we were playing against."

NO. 8 UTAH 48, NO. 16 BYU 24

SALT LAKE CITY — Brian Johnson passed for 303 and four touchdowns and the host Utes (12-0, 8-0) completed a perfect regular season by beating the Cougars (10-2, 6-2), winning the heated state rivalry and taking the undisputed Mountain West Conference title away from the two-time defending champions.

"Couldn't ask for a more fitting end," Johnson said.

The Fiesta is one of the possible bowl destinations for the Utes, who were already No. 7 in the BCS standings and now just have to wait for the announcement Dec. 7.

"We took it as a challenge for our entire offense. All we heard about was how explosive BYU's offense was and how inconsistent we were throughout the entire year," Johnson said. "We wanted to show people that when we put it together we can be pretty good."

NO. 10 OHIO STATE 42, MICHIGAN 7

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Freshman Terrelle Pryor threw two TD passes, Dan Herron ran for two more scores, and Chris "Beanie" Wells rushed for 134 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown run as the Buckeyes (10-2, 7-1) routed the Wolverines (3-9, 2-6) for a share of their fourth straight Big Ten title.

In coach Rich Rodriguez's first season, the Wolverines lost the most games in school history, missed a bowl trip for the first time in 34 years and had the first losing season in 41 years.

"You can't really blame Rich Rod because everybody on the team did not buy in like they're supposed to," said junior tailback Brandon Minor.

NO. 15 TCU 44, AIR FORCE 10

FORT WORTH, Texas — Andy Dalton threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more scores and the Horned Frogs (10-2, 7-1 Mountain West) held the Falcons (8-4, 5-3) to 150 yards rushing — 110 of that coming on only two runs.

TCU has its fifth 10-win season in seven years. The senior class won its 40th game, matching the 1932-35 TCU squads for the most victories in a four-year period, with an undetermined bowl still to play.

MISSISSIPPI 31, NO. 18 LSU 13

BATON ROUGE, La. — Jevan Snead was 16 of 25 for 274 yards, including scoring tosses of 34 and 25 yards to Mike Wallace, and Markeith Summers ran for a 13-yard score as the Rebels (7-4, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) stunned the Tigers (7-4, 3-4) for their fourth straight victory.

Ole Miss snapped a six-game losing streak against LSU with its first win in the long rivalry since 2001.

NO. 19 CINCINNATI 28, NO. 20 PITTSBURGH 14

CINCINNATI — Tony Pike, playing with a broken left (non-throwing) arm, threw three touchdown passes, each to a different receiver, and the Bearcats (9-2, 5-1) took control of the Big East Conference by beating the Panthers (7-3, 3-2).

Pike completed a career-high 26 passes in 32 attempts for 309 yards to put Cincinnati in position to clinch the Big East title with a victory at home next Saturday against Syracuse.

NO. 21 OREGON STATE 19, ARIZONA 17

TUCSON, Ariz. — Minutes after missing a game-tying PAT kick, Justin Kahut drilled a 24-yard field goal as time expired as the Beavers (8-3, 7-1 Pac-10) rallied to defeat the Wildcats (6-5, 4-4) and move within one victory of their first Rose Bowl trip since 1965.

The Beavers can clinch a trip to Pasadena, Calif., with a victory over No. 24 Oregon in the Civil War on Nov. 29.

N.C. STATE 41, NO. 25 N. CAROLINA 10

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Russell Wilson threw for two touchdowns and had a 26-yard keeper to set up Andre Brown's short touchdown run in a 21-point third quarter as the visiting Wolfpack (5-6, 3-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) upset the Tar Heels (7-4, 3-4).

N.C. State finished with 466 total yards and converted 8 of 17 third downs. North Carolina managed just 203 total yards and committed six turnovers.

FLORIDA STATE 37, NO. 22 MARYLAND 3

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Everette Brown had 3 1/2 sacks and forced a fumble, and the Seminoles (8-3, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) turned two turnovers into touchdowns in taking a 21-0 halftime lead in romping past the Terrapins (7-4, 4-3).

If Boston College beats Maryland next week, it will win the Atlantic Division and play in the championship game. If Maryland beats Boston College, the Seminoles will capture the division title.