ESPN College Football

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Toward the end of his weekly news conference, Brian Kelly was asked questions on his opponent's offense: Is Air Force even really an option team? How much option do the Falcons actually run?

"That might be true in Troy's eyes," Kelly responded to the first question, speaking about Air Force coach Troy Calhoun. "But let me tell you what, if you fall asleep for one second on his offensive scheme, and that being the triple option and veer option, you're gonna be in big trouble. So I think what he does very, very well offensively is he forces you defensively to be ready for triple option, and when you are so committed to triple option, he's running the zone play at you. And his ability to morph back into either one of those, if the defense is overplaying one scheme or the other."

In layman's terms, Notre Dame's opponent Saturday is not an option team as much as it is a team that likes to run the option.

But just how complex is Air Force's offense? If public discourse is an accurate measurement, then plenty.

Kelly fielded 51 questions on Tuesday, and 15 centered around Air Force's offense, including the first six.

The difference in Air Force's offense and schemes jump out when comparing it to Navy, a traditional option team that the Falcons beat Saturday in a 35-34 overtime contest. The Midshipmen ran for 367 yards in a 35-17 rout of the Fighting Irish last season in East Rutherford, N.J.

"There's many more pieces in the Air Force offense," Kelly said when asked to compare and contrast the offenses of the two military academies. "They're gonna run some traditional zone, inside/outside zone, they're gonna run some power, some gap. You're not gonna get any of that from Navy, whereas you're gonna get a balance in terms of what you'll have to defend.

"[Air Force quarterback Tim] Jefferson is obviously a guy that can throw the ball very well, and so the receiving corps, it's not off of play-action or crack-and-go, it's a comprehensive passing game. So this incorporates a lot of principles, so quite different in that respect."

The Falcons offense lines up in a variety of different formations, including the shotgun and spread, giving Jefferson more time to read defenses.

The senior quarterback has completed 70 percent of his passes (33-of-47) for 493 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions, and he has been sacked just once. Air Force ranks fourth in the nation in passing efficiency.

Kelly called facing Jefferson "a nightmare," thanks in large part to all of the different looks Calhoun can throw at defenses.

"You have to look at how the defense is playing," Kelly said. "If the defense is all out set for triple option, he's not gonna run much of it. He's gonna run zone, he's gonna run lead, he's gonna throw the football. So if you're running a middle-of-the-field alley player who's set for option, you're not gonna see much of it. They're gonna throw the football and they're gonna run the zone.

"So that's really where he has a great scheme here, is that he sets what he does based upon what the defense shows."

Oddly enough, Air Force ranks 116th in the nation in time of possession, at 24 minutes, 55 seconds per game, though that likely speaks more to its offensive efficiency.

"They're running the ball effectively, getting tons of yardage, and then getting the opportunity to throw the ball over your head," Kelly said. "So consequently the time of possession's down a little bit. I would say that it's not attributed to their inability to put points on the board. I think that's the most important stat."

Kelly said Tuesday the Irish got away from who they were last season against Navy before re-gaining their physical edge four weeks later in a 27-3 rout of Army, another option team.

Maintaining that nature, specifically in the trenches, is something Kelly hopes to see from his team this Saturday.

"I think what I'm trying to say is that I don't want to get away from who we're becoming, and that is a team that's playing really physical," Kelly said. "I don't think you jump into the sixth week and all of a sudden now you stand up and you take a step back.

"I think we keep charging. I think we keep doing what we've been doing. Certainly we have to be aware of option and the responsibilities. It's an extremely multifaceted offense. But we've gotta be who we are, and that is being physical on both sides of the ball."

Brian Kelly was asked Sunday about the growth of his defense since Notre Dame's loss last season to Navy, which utilized the triple-option offense to run for four touchdowns and 367 yards -- including 210 from Alexander Teich -- in a 35-17 rout by the Midshipmen.

"You know, I think the Navy game was schematic more than it was kids not understanding how to play the right kind of defense," Kelly said. "So if you look at that as not about our players, I think we've showed steady improvement since last year. I think it's continuously been better and better defensive play leading up to where we are right now.

"We still have a ways to go. But I will tell you this, that it's tough to run the ball on us, and that's where you wanna start. So our starting point was, be difficult to run the ball on, and then let's continue to improve in the back end."

After that loss last Oct. 23, the Fighting Irish did not allow another 100-yard rusher over their last five games and gave up just one touchdown run, a 1-yard sneak by USC quarterback Mitch Mustain. Over their last four games, Notre Dame did not allow so much as a 50-yard rusher.

Only one player has rushed for more than 100 yards against the Irish since their loss to Navy, and that was Denard Robinson in Week 2 of this season. Robinson's 16-carry, 108-yard effort on the ground Sept. 10 is just as notable for another number Shoelace put up that night: One, as in the number of rushing touchdowns he scored. As in the only rushing touchdown Notre Dame has allowed this season.

And even that could be considered a fluke, as Robinson simply scooped up the ball and took it in for a 1-yard score after Irish safety Harrison Smith jarred it from Michigan running back Stephen Hopkins.

In allowing just one score on the ground this year, Notre Dame is tied for the nation lead with four other schools. The Irish have allowed just 91.2 yards per game on the ground this season, good for 19th nationally.

All of which is a roundabout way of saying that this Saturday's contest against Air Force and its triple-option offense should be a fascinating test of execution on each side of the ball.

The Falcons' 364.5 rushing yards per game are good for third in the nation. Only seven teams have scored more than Air Force's 15 rushing touchdowns, but six of them have played five games to the Falcons' four.

The challenge could be all the more difficult if defensive end Ethan Johnson cannot play. Johnson, a two-year starter, suffered a right ankle sprain in Saturday's 38-10 win at Purdue, and Kelly would only say that there's a chance he could return this weekend.

"We'll immobilize him for the next few days and then get him moving and see," the second-year coach said. "It's one of those things where it's such an individual case-by-case situation when it comes to ankles, so he'll be immobilized.

"Last night he was in a boot. He'll stay in that until probably mid-week and then we'll start moving him and see what he looks like."

If Johnson can't go, Aaron Lynch will likely get the start. Known for his ability to rush the passer, Lynch saw more action Saturday after fellow freshman Stephon Tuitt did not make the trip to West Lafayette, Ind., because of a violation of Kelly's missed-class policy.

Kelly said after the game he expected Tuitt back, but neither Tuitt nor Lynch played Week 2 at Michigan because of the complex offense the Wolverines and, more specifically, Robinson, ran.

In any event, it makes this week's contest all the more important, one that can't be overlooked with a bye week and USC looming afterward.

Ready for some MAC football tonight? The MAC West is on the line when Toledo travels to Northern Illinois.

Now on to some links:

Boos show how the standards at Utah have been raised, writes Kurt Kragthorpe of the Salt Lake Tribune.

Idaho running back Deonte Jackson stirred the pot going into the Boise State game on Friday. When asked about comments Boise State president Bob Kustra made that were critical of Idaho fans, Jackson said, "I wouldn't expect anything different coming from the blue and orange snot."

TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte isn't interested in a football-only invite to the Big East.

Utah wants TCU to get a title shot.

Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick is all business as he returns close to home when the Wolf Pack play Fresno State.

Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo's son is a budding high school football player and has drawn some interest from college programs.

A lack of playmaking has continued to hurt SMU.

More details emerge from "Replaygate" involving San Diego State and BYU.

Is a change coming at quarterback for Rice?

ULM receiver Brent Leonard is second nationally in fourth-down conversion receptions.

The Colorado State-BYU series is ending.

Time for a few non-AQ helmet stickers for Week 10:

TCU quarterback Andy Dalton. The senior threw for a career-high 355 yards in a 47-7 win over Utah, breaking his previous career high of 344 set in 2007 at Stanford. He also had a career-high 93-yard touchdown pass, the third-longest play in TCU history. Dalton also moved into second place on the Mountain West Conference list with 11,320 yards of total offense. He is within striking distance of the record Max Hall set with 11,569 between 2007-09.

Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore. Moore threw for a career-high 507 yards in a 42-7 win over Hawaii, which came into the game with the nation’s most prolific passing attack. But it was Moore who dominated, helping the offense rack up a school-record 737 yards of total offense. He had three touchdown passes to give him 85 for his career, setting the school record.

New Mexico coach Mike Locksley. Give this man a helmet sticker already. The Lobos won for the first time all season, beating Wyoming 34-31. That brings his career total to two. But still, this one was one to savor, leaving Akron as the only winless team in America. James Aho kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired, and New Mexico forced four turnovers in the win.

Navy offense. What can you say about a team that rolls up a modern day school-record 76 points in a win over East Carolina? This is the same team that lost to Duke last week. But Alexander Teich ran for 157 yards and Ricky Dobbs had 100 as Navy ran up 521 yards rushing.

Tulsa kickoff returner Damaris Johnson. He had 322 all-purpose yards and scored three touchdowns in a 64-27 victory over Rice. He became the Conference USA record-holder for career kickoff return yards with 3,054 yards. He now needs only 64 yards to become the NCAA’s all-time kickoff return leader. Johnson is now 10th place on the NCAA list with 6,824 career all-purpose yards.

Western Kentucky running back Bobby Rainey. He ran for 152 yards in a 17-16 loss to FAU. His game allowed him to become the 14th back in school history with more than 1,000 yards in a season.

Temple quarterback Mike Gerardi. He threw for a career-high 368 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 28-10 win over Kent State. Girardi completed 72 percent of his passes and has steadily improved since becoming the starting quarterback four games ago.

Well, nine weeks in and the time has come. I am removing Boise State from the national championship game. The latest BCS rankings make it clear that if the Broncos and TCU finish undefeated, it would be the Horned Frogs who finish as the top non-AQ team. So I am going with Oregon vs. TCU in the BCS national title game for this week.

This is still is a leap of faith on my part, because I have no idea whether the Horned Frogs would be able to hold off a hard-charging one-loss Alabama team, should the Tide win out. I still have TCU beating Utah and project the the Horned Frogs to go undefeated. I also am still projecting Boise State to go undefeated, and am guessing the BCS would take two non-AQs again. There is always the possibility it could go with two Big Ten teams rather than two non-AQ teams. Or even two Big 12 teams, depending on who they are.

Toledo is bowl eligible, but I have not been able to find a home for the Rockets just yet. They would need an at-large selection. UTEP is in the middle of a massive slump, and though I do project the Miners to be bowl eligible, I have them as the No. 7 team in Conference USA. That means they would also need an at-large berth. ULM is back in, but mainly because the Sun Belt serves as a backup to the Big East in the Beef O'Brady's Bowl in St. Petersburg.

BCS national championship game:Oregon versus TCU

Sugar Bowl: Alabama versus Boise State

Little Caesars: Michigan versus Northern Illinois

Military Bowl: North Carolina versus Tulsa

Liberty Bowl: UCF versus Kentucky

Hawaii Bowl: East Carolina versus Hawaii**

Armed Forces Bowl:SMU versus Army*

New Orleans Bowl: Houston versus Middle Tennessee

GoDaddy.com Bowl: Temple versus Troy

Humanitarian Bowl: Ohio versus Iowa State*

Las Vegas Bowl: Utah versus Texas A&M*

Poinsettia Bowl: San Diego State versus Navy

Independence Bowl: Air Force versus Clemson

New Mexico Bowl:BYU versus Fresno State

Kraft Fight Hunger: Boston College* versus Nevada

Beef O’Bradys:ULM* versus Southern Miss

*=at large selection because conference doesn’t have enough teams to
fill tie-in.

**= accepted bid.

Time to see what we learned from the non-AQs in Week 9:

1. Bring on TCU vs. Utah. The huge game we have waited all season for is finally here, and the teams involved did not disappoint in Week 9, staying undefeated to set up a colossal matchup between the two teams. Utah had a tough time against Air Force, but that was not entirely unexpected. The defense forced five turnovers and had several crucial fourth down stops to preserve the win. TCU cruised over UNLV. Now attention can focus on the matchup between the two. Will Utah pull off the win in its final season in the Mountain West? Or will TCU win for the first time at Utah? The Utes have won a Mountain West record 21 straight games at home. After the Air Force game, Utah players talked about getting their shot at TCU. “Can't wait,” safety Greg Bird said. “I’m excited. We’re going to bring it to them.”

2. Non-AQs get more good news, but Boise State is going to have to be more impressive. Even a 49-20 win over Louisiana Tech was not enough to silence its critics. The Broncos had the spotlight to themselves on Tuesday night, but looked sloppy and led many to wonder why against such inferior competition. Boise State and TCU/Utah got help when Michigan State and Missouri lost, leaving only two undefeated teams from the automatic-qualifying conferences. That is obviously good news. But now they have to start sweating the one-loss teams (ahem, Alabama) and that means impressing human voters, who have to keep Boise State in the top 2 of the polls for the Broncos to have any legitimate shot at playing for a championship.

3. Six more non-AQ teams became bowl eligible. We went into the weekend with 11 who had the chance. We end with six getting to the magical mark: San Diego State, UCF, Toledo, Ohio, Nevada and Hawaii. UCF becomes the first team eligible from Conference USA -- Southern Miss and UTEP fell short of six wins on Saturday. The MAC has four teams eligible, including Northern Illinois and Temple, but only three guaranteed bowl spots. So that means somebody needs an at-large berth or could be left home. San Diego State is eligible for the first time since 1998, while Toledo is eligible for the first time since 2005.

4. UCF is the favorite in the East in Conference USA. The Knights won a critical game over East Carolina 49-35 to take command of the East. If UCF wins out, it plays in the conference championship game. Ronnie Weaver had a career-high 180 yards rushing and two touchdowns. The lead is actually pretty commanding. UCF is the only remaining team in the entire league that is undefeated in conference play. It has the head-to-head tiebreaker over East Carolina, and a two-game lead on UAB (which it already beat) and Southern Miss. The Knights have a critical game at West Division leader Houston on Friday night before hosting the Golden Eagles on Nov. 13.

5. Navy suffers a letdown. Just when you think the Midshipmen have turned a corner, they have a complete meltdown. A week after handily beating Notre Dame 35-17, the Midshipmen lost to Duke 34-31. The defense, which had carried this team all season, gave up a season-high 34 points and inexplicably allowed quarterback Sean Renfree to pass for 314 yards. He set a school record with a 93.3 completion percentage and completed his first 16 passes. Navy trailed 24-0 at halftime, its largest deficit at the break since 2002. Though Navy had won several games thanks to fourth-quarter comebacks this season, it was not meant to be Saturday.

Come one, come all for your top-10 non-AQ storylines for Week 9:

1. Do No. 4 TCU and No. 8 Utah stay undefeated headed into their big showdown next week? TCU travels to UNLV and Utah travels to Air Force on Saturday. The Horned Frogs have been inconsistent in two true road games this season, trailing early to SMU and leading only 6-0 at halftime against Colorado State. TCU is a heavy favorite to beat lowly UNLV, but this is a good road test before its trip to Salt Lake City. Utah faces a much more difficult test at Air Force. The games between the two schools are generally close, and the Falcons are smarting after two straight losses. Many have complained about the “weak” Utah schedule to this point. A win here might answer some of those critics.

2. Who becomes bowl eligible? Eleven non-AQ teams are one win away from becoming bowl eligible this Saturday, with some new faces scattered in there. San Diego State (5-2) has not been to a bowl game since 1998 and plays at Wyoming, a game it should win. Toledo (5-3) and UTEP (5-3) have not been to a bowl game since 2005. East Carolina (5-2) and UCF (5-2) play each other so only one will get to six wins. Hawaii (6-2), Nevada (6-1), Navy (5-2), Ohio (5-3) and Southern Miss (5-2) are all favored to win their games. Air Force (5-3) has a big game against Utah, as mentioned above.

3. Does UCF break through and beat East Carolina? The two rivals have combined to win each of the past three Conference USA championships and four of the past five East Division titles. Both have won all their league games, marking the latest that two undefeated teams have played since the league expanded to 12 teams in 2005. But East Carolina has won four straight in the series and holds an 8-1 overall edge. Many people thought this might be a rebuilding year for the Pirates, but they have won behind Dominique Davis. The UCF defense is going to have its hands full.

4. Navy has a chance to win four straight. The Midshipmen were down and out after losing to Air Force 14-6 earlier this season. A team that has known nothing but dominance over its fellow service academies has been strengthened because of that loss, running off three straight wins. None was more convincing than a 35-17 victory over Notre Dame last week that was vintage Navy. It hosts Duke on Saturday.

5. How does TCU quarterback Andy Dalton play on the road? In three neutral site/road games this season, Dalton has three touchdowns to four interceptions. At home: 11 touchdowns to one interception. TCU closes with three of its final four games on the road, starting Saturday. Coach Gary Patterson said earlier this week, “We’ll probably go as Andy Dalton goes. If he plays at a high level, we’ll have a chance to win more of those games than we lose.”

6. Can the Utah defense be as effective as TCU at stopping Air Force? A lot of people like to scoreboard watch as a way to measure teams against each other. TCU and Utah both are in the top 10 in the nation in total defense. So which will be able to handle the Air Force triple option better? TCU held Air Force to a season-low 184 yards rushing last week.

7. Ohio is asserting itself in the MAC. The Bobcats have won four straight games behind solid play from quarterback Boo Jackson. Of course, it has helped that they also got to beat up on Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green and Akron. But last week’s win over Miami (Ohio) was big. They have outgained five consecutive opponents on the ground for the first time since 2006. During the four-game win streak, Ohio has scored 151 points, the most points in a four-game stretch since 2002. They get Sun Belt Louisiana this week and Buffalo next before a huge game against East Division opponent Temple on Nov. 16.

8. Two of these teams are going to get to two wins on Saturday: San Jose State, New Mexico State, North Texas and Western Kentucky. The season has been especially unkind to San Jose State and North Texas, who have lost multiple players to season-ending injuries. The Mean Green have lost 10 starters, the Spartans 15 starters and key reserves. North Texas travels to play Western Kentucky, coming off its first win of the season, while San Jose State goes to Las Cruces.

9. How does Mike Canales fair in his first game as a North Texas interim head coach? Canales takes over for Todd Dodge, who was fired last week after winning just six games for the Mean Green. This is a job audition for Canales, who would love to become a head coach and has learned under some of the best. Most recently, he served as offensive coordinator under Jim Leavitt at USF before coming to North Texas this season.

10. The BCS standings will look how? Depends on what happens with everybody else. The big question moving forward: If TCU and Utah are undefeated next week and the Horned Frogs win, will that give them a boost toward climbing ahead of Boise State? They are just 0.0013 points behind Boise State this week. If Utah wins, will that give the Utes a boost? That is much less likely because they still have far to climb, especially in the human polls.

» Power Rankings: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-10 | SEC | Non-AQ

Not much has changed in this week’s power rankings. Here they are for Week 9:

1. Boise State (6-0). The No. 3 Broncos play Tuesday night against Louisiana Tech and are eager to get to the meat of their WAC schedule. Upcoming games against Hawaii, Idaho, Fresno State and Nevada will be bigger tests than San Jose State and New Mexico State already gave them.

2. TCU (8-0). The Horned Frogs held Air Force to season lows in rushing yards and points in a 38-7 win on Saturday. They have given up just 10 points in four Mountain West Conference games. Plus, that 45-10 win over Baylor is looking even better now that the Bears are 6-2 and ranked in both polls.

3. Utah (7-0). The Utes handled Colorado State 59-6 and now enter the heart of their schedule, with consecutive games against Air Force, TCU, Notre Dame and San Diego State. Utah has scored 50-plus points in four games this season.

4. Hawaii (6-2). The Warriors are 4-0 in WAC play for the third time in school history after a dominating 45-7 win over Utah State. They proved they are more than just Bryant Moniz in that game, with Alex Green gaining 172 yards on the ground with four touchdowns.

5. Nevada (6-1). The Wolf Pack were off last week, so they had extra time to think about their loss to Hawaii. They return with Utah State this weekend. The big key is to see how Colin Kaepernick rebounds from his four-interception performance.

6. Northern Illinois (6-2). The Huskies have won five straight, including a win over Minnesota, and have barely been tested in league play. After their 33-7 win over Central Michigan on Saturday, their average margin of victory in MAC play is 26.8 points.

7. East Carolina (5-2). The Pirates' defense seems to be tightening up just a bit heading into their big conference showdown at UCF on Saturday. They allowed just 10 points to Marshall on Saturday – a season low for the defense -- and held NC State to 27 points the week before. That after three straight weeks giving up 40-plus points.

8. San Diego State (5-2). The Aztecs had a struggle on their hands in a 30-20 win over New Mexico, but this is the first time they are three games above .500 at any point during the season since finishing the 1998 regular season 7-4. That was the last time they were bowl eligible.

9. Navy (5-2). The Midshipmen have lost their two games by a combined 11 points, and showed the power of the triple option in a 35-17 win over Notre Dame.

10. Temple (6-2). The Owls put together their best game of the season in a 42-0 win over Buffalo. Matt Brown and Bernard Pierce each gained 100 yards on the ground, and Mike Gerardi appears to have supplanted Chester Stewart as the starter at quarterback.

Dropped out: Air Force.

What did we learn after Week 8?

1. The non-AQs are still very much in contention for a BCS national championship. We may say this every week, but this is a continuing story and one that is history in the making. Every week that another No. 1 team loses is another week that Boise State, TCU and Utah can keep its hopes up that this could be the year that a team from outside the power conferences makes it into the title game for the first time. The No. 1 team in the country has lost for three straight weeks -- the first time that has happened since 1960. That ought to tell you about the season going on right now in college football. Argue about strength of schedule all you want. But with the way no dominant team has emerged, it is becoming more realistic to think anything can happen. These schools need help to make it in, but this is not pie in the sky. I know some people are already dreaming of TCU versus Boise State in the BCS title game just to bust the system.

2. Only two winless teams remain. Kudos to Western Kentucky for breaking the nation’s longest losing streak at 26 games and beating Louisiana 54-21. That leaves Akron and New Mexico as the only winless teams in the country, vying for the title of “Worst Team in America.” The vote here still goes with the Lobos, though they showed some fight in a 30-20 loss to San Diego State. Akron got totally dominated in a 56-10 loss to Western Michigan.

3. Can anyone figure out Houston? There are a lot of Jekyll and Hyde teams out there, and Houston has to fall into that category. The Cougars have been perplexing since Case Keenum got hurt. They handed SMU its first conference loss of the season, 45-20, on Saturday night to remain atop the West Division at 3-1. But this is the same team that lost the week before to Rice, 34-31. Said Rice team just got embarrassed 41-14 at UCF on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Knights and East Carolina have been the two most consistent teams in C-USA play with a showdown looming in Week 9.

4. Hawaii might be the biggest threat to Boise State. Maybe that should have been clear after the win last week over Nevada, but the Warriors throttled Utah State 45-7 and are 4-0 in WAC play for just the third time in school history. Hawaii has won its past seven WAC games dating back to last season, and the defense has 12 interceptions in its last five games. Hawaii plays at Boise State on Nov. 6, the same day TCU travels to play Utah.

5. Northern Illinois and Temple officially became bowl eligible. Both teams are at 6-2 after big wins Saturday. Northern Illinois beat Central Michigan 33-7 while Temple beat Buffalo 42-0. The MAC only has three bowl tie-ins, so if they want to make it into one of the bowls, their best shot is to play for the conference title. Meanwhile, Hawaii is one win away from becoming bowl eligible. UTEP blew its second straight chance to become bowl eligible and is 5-3. UCF, East Carolina, Southern Miss, San Diego State, Air Force and Navy are all one win away from clinching bowl eligibility.

Time to give out a few helmet stickers for the non-AQs after another wild Week 8:

Alex Green, RB, Hawaii. Green ran for a career-high 172 yards and four touchdowns on 14 carries in a 45-7 win over Utah State. The last time a Hawaii player scored four rushing touchdowns in a game was Glenn Freitas at UNLV in 1995. His 172 yards was the most since Calvin Melvin gained the same yardage against BYU on Sept. 11, 1993.

Ohio defense. The Bobcats had four interceptions, recovered two fumbles and had five sacks in a 34-13 win over Miami (Ohio). Miami had just 11 yards rushing.

Juan Nunez, WR, Western Michigan. Nunes had six catches for a career-high 192 yards and three touchdowns in a 56-10 win over Akron. The 192 yards are the fifth-highest single-game total in school history. Teammate Jordan White added 168 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

Casey Robottom, WR, Tulane. Robottom had a career-high 151 yards receiving and two touchdowns in a 34-24 win over UTEP. That makes back-to-back 100-yard games in a row -- the only two of his career.

Willie Taggart, coach, Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers snapped their 26-game losing streak with a 54-21 win at Louisiana. They came oh-so-close to breaking the skid last week but gave up 28 fourth-quarter points and lost. Now the wait is finally over, giving Taggart his first win as a head coach. They racked up a season-high 409 yards of total offense, and Kawaun Jakes went 18-of-22 for 262 yards and a touchdown, while also running for 28 yards and two more scores. Don't look now, but Western Kentucky could put together a winning streak. North Texas comes to town next week.

TCU defense. The Horned Frogs have been stifling in Mountain West play, and they passed their big test against Air Force in a 38-7 win. TCU held Air Force to a season-low 184 yards rushing and 231 yards of total offense after coming into the game as the No. 1 rush offense in the country. The Falcons also scored a season-low seven points. Though it was the first touchdown TCU has allowed since Sept. 24, the Horned Frogs have only given up 10 points in four conference games. TCU is 68-2 under Gary Patterson when allowing 17 points or less. Meanwhile, TCU running back Ed Wesley had a career-high 209 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Alexander Teich, FB, Navy. Teich became the first Navy fullback to rush for more than 200 yards, racking up 210 on 26 carries in a 35-17 win over Notre Dame. Teich added a 31-yard touchdown reception to his day. Teich has returned to the starting lineup with an injury to Vince Murray (knee) and has not disappointed. Navy beat Notre Dame for the third time in four seasons.

Jordan Wynn, QB, Utah. Wynn threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns in a little more than two quarters of work in a 59-6 win over Colorado State. Utah racked up 648 yards of total offense, and Wynn had the third 300-yard game of his career.

Time for another edition of non-AQ Did You Know, Week 8 style. Thanks to the conference and school sports information directors, along with ESPN Stats & Information for some of these nuggets.

• Utah State will unveil a bronze statue of Merlin Olsen in a ceremony Saturday a few hours before kickoff against Hawaii. Olsen, the greatest athlete in school history, died in March after a battle with cancer. He was a three-year lettermen on the offensive and defensive lines from 1959-61, earning All-American honors during both his junior and senior seasons. He went on to a Hall of Fame career in the NFL. The statue depicts Olsen in full uniform and pads, with his helmet under his arm. When set on its base, his gaze will directly face toward the Olsen family home in Logan where he grew up, roughly two miles in a direct line from where the statue will stand.

• Earlier this week, Jonesboro, Ark., Mayor Harold Perrin issued an official proclamation at the city council meeting recognizing the first ever nationally televised home game in Arkansas State football history. The Red Wolves host Middle Tennessee on Nov. 2, in a game set to be shown on ESPN2. “This is Jonesboro’s opportunity to be in the national spotlight,” Perrin said. “The best way to make a significant impact is to fill the stadium. Not only will the Arkansas State football team be on display, the entire city will have a chance to show the nation what makes Jonesboro a great place to live.”

• Ohio quarterback Boo Jackson has a chance to set the school record for career touchdown passes this weekend against Miami (Ohio). He currently has 29, tied with Cleve Bryant (1967-69) atop the list. Last week, receiver Terrence McCrae set the school record for career touchdown passes with 16, moving past the record Todd Snyder set from 1967-69. The Bobcats have won six straight MAC road games. With a win Saturday, they would tie the school record for consecutive MAC road wins, set from 1959-61.

• Colorado State plays Utah on Saturday. The Rams’ last win over a ranked opponent came against No. 7 Colorado in 2002. The Rams have dropped their past 11 against AP ranked teams.

• Tulsa’s Damaris Johnson is closing in on the Conference USA record for kickoff return yardage. He is now just 80 yards away from passing SMU’s Jessie Henderson for the mark. Henderson has 2,945 yards on 122 returns from 2005-08.

• UCF defensive end Bruce Miller has 30 career sacks. He is the nation’s active leader in both sacks and tackles for loss (51).

• New Mexico State has just three sacks on the season, tied for the fewest in the nation.

• Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs needs just three rushing touchdowns to tie Chris McCoy for the school record for career rushing touchdowns. McCoy rushed for 43 touchdowns as a quarterback from 1995-97.

• Utah kicker Joe Phillips is tied for the most consecutive field goals in the nation by an active player. Phillips has converted on his last 17 field goal attempts, a second record, tying him for first in the nation with David Ruffer of Notre Dame. Utah will play Notre Dame on Nov. 13.

Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs and Northern Illinois defensive end Jake Coffman were among 10 football players selected as finalists for the 2010 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be classified as a senior and have notable achievements in four areas -- community, classroom, character and competition. The winner will be announced Jan. 10, 2011, on ESPN before the BCS national title game.

Here is the list of finalists:

Sam Acho, defensive end, Texas
Sean Bedford, center, Georgia Tech
Anthony Castonzo, offensive tackle, Boston College
Jake Coffman, defensive end, Northern Illinois
Ricky Dobbs, quarterback, Navy
Ras-I Dowling, cornerback, Virginia
Kendall Hunter, running back, Oklahoma State
Christian Ponder, quarterback, Florida State
Ryan Pugh, center, Auburn
Stefen Wisniewski, offensive guard, Penn State

Who is ready for some football?

Starting games fast is one of the core goals of the Boise State football program. The Broncos have outscored opponents 80-14 in the first quarter this season.

The Mountain West plans to hold a conference call with athletic directors to address who is in the video replay booth as fallout of a botched call against San Diego State continues.

There is still plenty of upside for Air Force RB Asher Clark.

In four of its five losses, Marshall has allowed teams to jump out to a 14-0 lead.

Navy is going to have its hands full with the SMU passing attack.

Houston lost some depth on its defensive line with an injury to Radermon Scypion.

Troy quarterback Jamie Hampton shows the strength to return to the field despite another season-ending injury.

Temple coach Al Golden wants his team to play with more passion and fire.

Could Utah be better than the teams that went undefeated in 2004 and 2008?

Fresno State coach Pat Hill says there is no need to panic after losing to Hawaii.

San Diego State was on the losing end of a questionable officiating call against BYU.

Southern Miss has to regroup following a tough loss to East Carolina.

Air Force will be without two defensive starters when it plays San Diego State this weekend.

Houston is sticking with David Piland at quarterback despite a loss to Mississippi State.

Navy is back in business with a win over Wake Forest.

New Mexico State basks in the glow of its first win of the season.

We are here to help you get to the weekend with some links:

Boise State athletic director Gene Bleymaier understands why Utah canceled its series with the Broncos. "They’re saying, ‘OK, we’re going to play a Pac-10 schedule and we’re going to play BYU, why would we play Boise State?’ he told the Idaho Statesman. "And if you think about it, you can understand."

Southern Miss will be without top rusher Desmond Johnson for Saturday's game against East Carolina for violating team rules.

UNLV receiver Phillip Payne has been suspended for Saturday's game against West Virginia, possibly for a tweet critical of coach Bobby Hauck.

Brothers Ryan and Neil Basford face off when Navy plays Wake Forest.

Houston receiver Tyron Carrier had to hide his early football career from his mom, who refused to let him play following a severe asthma attack when he was 8.

BYU coaches haven't lost faith in Jake Heaps.

North Texas quarterback Chase Baine is ready for his chance to start.

FIU's top receiver, T.Y. Hilton, is struggling this season.

Central Michigan must now face Virginia Tech off a humbling loss.