Bowden and Paterno like each other and better yet, respect each other. Sure, Bowden would like the record, but not if it means watching Paterno and Penn State flail around like Duke. Bowden has 318 wins, compared to Paterno's seemingly set-in-stone 322.

12. R&R
It was a perfect Saturday for UCLA coach Bob Toledo: His Bruins stayed unbeaten, they suffered no injuries, and Joe Tiller wasn't mad at him. As an added bonus, the Bruins got a bump in the polls with losses by Texas and Tennessee.

Of course, it helps when you've got a bye week, which is exactly what UCLA had as they prepare for the Oct. 13 game at Washington.

Two things are evident to Toledo with a third of the season gone: He thinks DeShaun Foster is the best running back in the country and, he says, "this could be a special year," for the Bruins.

Foster has rushed for 512 yards in four games, but 220 of those yards have come after getting hit -- the all-important Yards After Contact. If Foster can avoid his annual injury jinx (knees, ribs, broken hand, ankle sprains in the past), Toledo and the senior tailback should be in New York for the December Heisman ceremony.

"He can do it all," says Toledo. "I've been around some great backs in my day (at Texas A&M, USC, UCLA). . . he's the closest to Marcus [Allen] I've seen, but he's faster than Marcus."

Foster was part of what most experts considered the No. 1 recruiting class in 1998. That class, along with the one after it, is one of the reasons why Toledo says UCLA could be a central player in the BCS mix.

"It's the best class I've been around," he says.

11. Upon Further Review
We're sure there's a reason why we picked Wisconsin to win the Big Ten this season, but after the Badgers' 63-32 loss to Indiana, we can't quite remember why. Maybe it's because we got a discount on a very nice pair of Reeboks.

Of course, Penn State has to be thrilled with the Hoosiers' momentary resurgence. What was supposed to be Joe Paterno's newest best chance to tie Bear Bryant's record -- the Nov. 17 IU visit to Happy Valley -- now looks like another toughie for 0-4 Penn State.

10. Kansas State 6, Colorado 16
Somebody suffered a post-Oklahoma letdown at home.

Meanwhile, Buffs have won four in a row after season-opening loss to Fresno State.

9. Sticks and Stones
That thump you heard a few days ago was the verbal body blow delivered by Purdue's Joe Tiller to Fresno State and its coaching staff. In short, Tiller told the Indianapolis Star that he would never do what Fresno is doing -- that is, accepting an unlimited number of freshmen academic non-qualifiers.

Tiller, who used to coach against the Bulldogs when he was at Wyoming, said Fresno simply was using the academic admissions policy to its advantage. "That's America," he said. But it was obvious that Tiller didn't approve of the practice, nor did he think it was altogether fair.

"The inequities in college football exist from the academic point of view, not the athletic side," said Tiller.

For the record, Tiller said he used to recruit non-qualifiers at Wyoming, but then stopped. And depending on the circumstances, Tiller said he will recruit a non-qualifier at Purdue, such as running back Joey Harris.

As you might expect, Tiller's comments went over at Fresno like a Spam and anchovies pregame meal. Bulldogs coach Pat Hill was happy to point out that the non-qualifier candidates have to be approved by a university-appointed special committee. He was also delighted to mention that Fresno's team average is up from 2.7 to 2.1 in a four-year period, and that three non-qualifiers on the roster have since earned degrees and are taking graduate courses. So there.

But Hill wasn't done. He took a shot at schools, including Purdue, that accept junior college transfers who failed to meet academic eligibility standards as freshmen. "So why throw rocks at glass houses?" Hill told the Star. "We bring in legitimate kids. Just to clarify: We made a decision to go with non-qualifiers, not junior college kids."

8. Christmas Wish List
Purdue vs. Fresno State in a bowl game. We'd even go to Shreveport to see that one.

(Memo to Shreveport citizenry: e-mail address at end of column, delete key ready.)

7. Red River Shootout
Happiest football player in America? Oklahoma place-kicker Tim Duncan.

The senior missed two more field goals (42, 24 yards) Saturday against Texas and has missed on six of his last seven attempts. Rather than try a 45-yarder with a little more than 2 minutes remaining in the game and OU ahead, 7-3, coach Bob Stoops had Duncan pooch punt. Good call. Duncan dinked it to the 3-yard line where Texas sophomore safety Nathan Vasher inexplicably downed the ball. One play later, OU all-world safety Roy Williams forced a turnover and touchdown to clinch the win.

Meanwhile, for pure intensity, it's hard to find anything much better than OU-Texas (Alabama-Auburn? Army-Navy? Florida-Florida State?). We got bruise marks just watching Saturday's win by the Sooners.

6. Mixed Emotions
Maryland followers are giddy about the Terps' 5-0, but a major assist goes to former coach Ron Vanderlinden, who was canned after a 15-29 stay at College Park.

Ralph Friedgen has installed his signature offense and instilled a tough-love mentality that contrasts with what Maryland folks say was Vanderlinden's more laid-back ways. But not even the harshest Vanderlinden critic can ignore the talent he left for the new regime. In fact, this would have been his first team with all players he recruited.

Vanderlinden, now the linebackers coach at Penn State, signed redshirt sophomore running back Bruce Perry out of Philly. Perry entered Saturday's game against Virginia as the nation's leading rusher. "Tough, fast, good vision," says Vanderlinden, who toyed with the idea of starting Perry as a cornerback late last season.

The classy Vanderlinden has followed Maryland's success this season. "I'm happy for them and I'm happy for the coaches," he says.

5. Heisman Trophy Race
Bring a coat and tie to the Downtown Athletic Club: UCLA's DeShaun Foster, Florida's Rex Grossman, Fresno State's David Carr, Miami's Ken Dorsey, Nebraska's Eric Crouch, Oregon's Joey Harrington.
Moving up: Clemson's Woodrow Dantzler, Boston College's William Green..
Staying same: Illinois' Kurt Kittner.
Slipping: Northwestern's Damien Anderson, Northwestern's Zak Kustok, Toledo's Chester Taylor.
Thanks for stopping by the booth: Oregon State's Ken Simonton.

4. Hairy Dawgs
It hasn't taken long for new coach Mark Richt, formerly the longtime offensive coordinator at Florida State, to put some bark and bite in UGA. In the best game of the day -- and one of the best of the season -- Richt called the plays that led to the Georgia's last-minute 26-24 win at Tennessee.

UGA and the fellas hadn't beaten the Vols at Neyland Stadium since 1980. And in only his fourth game at Georgia, Richt now has as many victories against Tennessee as Jim Donnan and Ray Goff had in the previous 12 years.

3. Good Sections Still Available
They've got one of the most talented teams in the country. They've got one of the Heisman favorites. They've got nice weather.

And they've got the kind of fan support that once prompted one athletic director to describe the program as, "a mile wide and an inch deep." For Saturday's game against Troy State, the Hurricanes drew an announced crowd of 36,617 at the 74,476-seat Orange Bowl. Embarrassing.

2. Whatever Happened To. . .
Oregon State running back Ken Simonton?

Simonton only has 256 yards through four games for the 1-3 Beavers (he had 709 yards at this time last season), but it's not all his fault. The offensive line, which coach Dennis Erickson had touted as a team strength, has scuffled all season. And Oregon State hasn't had much success with its wide receivers, meaning defenses are concentrating that much more on the run. . . and Simonton.

One Hack's Weekly Elite
Honorary No. 1: 10th Mountain Division.
1a. Oklahoma: Bad to the bone defense and have three quality wins.
2. Florida: Best offense in the country, defense closing fast.
3. Miami: Hits road against injury plagued Florida State for first real test.
4. UCLA: Two weeks to get ready for key game against Washington.
5. Fresno State: Rested Bulldogs travel to disappointing Colorado State.
6. Nebraska: Less than three weeks to big game against OU.
7. Virginia Tech: Boston College will give Hokies better game than W.Va.
8. South Carolina: 5-0 for first time since 1988.
9. Washington: Ho-hum, another last-minute comeback for Huskies.
10. Texas: Despite OU loss, Bevo can hold horns high. QB controversy?
Waiting list: Toledo, Maryland, Oregon, Purdue, Washington State.

Gene Wojciechowski is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. Movers and Shakers appears each Monday. E-mail him at gene.wojciechowski@espnmag.com.