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Rivalry Weekend: The Aftermath

© Chuck Bednar

We've got a lot to cover this week, so let's get right into it.

FLORIDA STATE 23, FLORIDA 12 - An outstanding defensive effort by Florida State was the difference. Gators quarterback Doug Johnson was picked off three times and the Seminoles defense held Florida to just 64 yards and a pair of first downs during the second half. Florida came in averaging 487.7 yards per game, but was held to only 204 - the second lowest total output during the Steve Spurrier era. Florida State held their arch-rivals to 17 rushing yards and did not allow a third down conversion in 13 tries.

"They flat-out clobbered us," Spurrier said following the game. "Their defense played our offense about as good as anyone has. We squandered our early scoring chances and they came back and dominated us. It was tough finding a way to throw with their coverage. They have seven DBs and we ran right into them."

Peter Warrick caught a 32-yard touchdown pass and threw for a 46-yard score off a reverse in the second half to spark Florida State's victory, while Marcus Outzen, in his second career start, completed 13 of 22 passes for 167 yards and his first career touchdown.

UCLA 34, USC 17 - Freshman running back DeShaun Foster, hospitalized a day earlier with strep throat, gained 109 yards on 15 carries and scored four touchdowns to tie a school-record as the third-ranked Bruins downed the Trojans to capture their eighth straight city championship.

"DeShaun was running just unbelievably," UCLA quarterback Cade McNown said. "He was shaking off tacklers, he was running inspired. He just goes out and runs. He doesn't know much more than where to run on certain plays. I'm sure he'll understand more as he gets older. He played a magnificent game."

The Bruins have won 20 games in a row - the nation's longest active winning streak. The Bruins, who clinched the Pac-10 title last weekend, is 10-0 for the second time in school history, joining the 1946 Bruins, who finished 10-1. A win over Miami on Dec. 5 could put them in position for a berth in the Fiesta Bowl for the national championship on Jan. 4.

OHIO STATE 31, MICHIGAN 16 - Joe Germaine tossed three touchdown passes and Ohio State turned a pair of punt mistakes into scores as the Buckeyes beat Michigan for only the second time during the John Cooper era. The Buckeyes' seniors had run up a 41-7 record, but were 0-3 against their rivals. Cooper had been 1-8-1 against "The Team Up North." But as the final seconds ticked away, thousands of fans ran onto the field in the final minute to celebrate with the Ohio State players. With the victory, the Buckeyes secured a share of the Big Ten title (with Michigan and Wisconsin, who defeated Penn State 24-3 later in the evening to earn a trip to the Rose Bowl).

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