1. There is fear, a touch of panic and a healthy dose of confusion in the Big East about what to do to secure the future. The idea of inviting SMU to join TCU as a Lone Star anchor disappeared Thursday when TCU said it wasn’t coming. The Horned Frogs were to serve as insurance for the league’s automatic BCS bid. If UConn, Louisville and West Virginia don’t hang together, the Big East itself may not survive.

2. No. 9 Oregon pulled away from stubborn Cal in the second half Thursday night, quelling the doubts the Ducks raised about themselves in the first half. Kenjon Barner is talented and De'Anthony Thomas will be a keeper. But on a night when quarterback Darron Thomas struggled, it became clearer than ever that junior Heisman hopeful LaMichael James is the fuel that makes the Oregon rocket soar. James had his third consecutive 200-yard game of the season, but was carted off the field in the fourth quarter with an arm injury. Ducks fans have their fingers crossed that it's not serious.

3. Are we in a golden age of quarterbacks? With a win tonight at Fresno State, No. 5 Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore will have 43 career victories, giving him sole possession of second place in FBS history, two behind Colt McCoy of Texas (2006-09). Houston senior Case Keenum, who has thrown for 15,591 career yards, is about 1,500 short of surpassing Timmy Chang of Hawaii (2001-04) as the all-time leader. And then there’s Andrew Luck of Stanford, Russell Wilson of Wisconsin, Landry Jones of Oklahoma. ...