saturday’s college football roundup

No. 1 Oregon 37, Oregon State 20

CORVALLIS, ORE.

No. 1 Oregon has wrapped up a spot in the BCS national title game for the first time in school history. Heisman Trophy contender LaMichael James ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns and Kenjon Barner had 133 yards and scored twice for the Ducks (12-0, 9-0 Pac-10), who used some stiff defense in the red zone and three interceptions to fend off their rivals.

No. 2 Auburn 56, No. 18 South Carolina 17

ATLANTA

Cam Newton passed for a career-best 335 yards and four touchdowns, plus ran for a couple of TDs to lead Auburn for the Southeastern Conference title. His performance assured the Tigers of a spot in the national championship game. The Tigers (13-0) came into the day sitting atop the BCS standings and they left nothing to chance with a surprising blowout of the Steve Spurrier-led Gamecocks.

No. 9 Boise State 50, Utah State 14

BOISE, Idaho

Kellen Moore threw three touchdown passes, ran for another and Boise State bounced back from a loss that ended its BCS hopes in its Western Athletic Conference farewell. The Broncos quickly erased any doubts about their ability to rebound after last week’s crushing defeat at the hands of Nevada.

No. 12 Virginia Tech 44, No. 20 Florida State 33

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Tyrod Taylor threw three touchdown passes and scrambled for another and surging Virginia Tech captured its third Atlantic Coast Conference title in four years.

No. 14 Nevada 35, Louisiana Tech 17

RUSTON, LA.

Colin Kaepernick tied an NCAA record for touchdowns rushing by a quarterback and Nevada won a share of the WAC title.

Connecticut 19, South Florida 16

TAMPA, FLA.

Dave Teggart had four field goals, including a career-long 52-yarder with 17 seconds to play, as Connecticut clinched the Big East’s automatic BCS berth.

Central Florida 17, SMU 7

ORLANDO, FLA.

Latavius Murray rushed for 94 yards and scored two TDs to lead Central Florida in the Conference USA championship game.

Washington 35, Washington State 28

PULLMAN, WASH.

Jake Locker made up for two critical turnovers by throwing a 27-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Kearse with 44 seconds left, and Washington became bowl eligible for the first time in eight years.

Associated Press