PASADENA, Calif. — The baffling UCLA Bruins are perfect where they need to be — in the Pac-10 standings.

The Bruins (5-2, 4-0) parlayed Kahlil Bell's 142 yards rushing, an opportunistic defense and a steady performance by quarterback Patrick Cowan to a 30-21 win over No. 10 California yesterday.

The victory was even more impressive because the Golden Bears had regular quarterback Nate Longshore back from an injury. Cal (5-2, 2-2), which was ranked No. 2 and could have moved up to the top spot only a week earlier, came up short late for the second game in a row.

The unranked Bruins, meanwhile, are the same bunch that was ranked 10th when they lost 44-6 at Utah, and then lost their last game to Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish's only win of the season.

Bruins coach Karl Dorrell said his players can't afford to take much time to savor the win. After next traveling to Washington State, UCLA faces a tough stretch that includes Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon and USC.

"I'm going to feel good today, but tomorrow it's going to be business as usual," Dorrell said. "It's tough to play up there in Pullman.

"When you have a victory like this, you enjoy it for a few hours and then it's time to go on to the next one."

The Bears seemed on the verge of pulling out the win when they moved to the UCLA 30 in the final two minutes. But on third-and-6, Alterraun Verner intercepted Longshore's pass and sprinted 76 yards to the end zone with 1:33 remaining.

NO. 1 OHIO STATE 24, MICHIGAN STATE 17

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Buckeyes (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten) built a comfortable lead before allowing two touchdowns off turnovers in the third quarter — they almost lost another fumble after that — before slipping past the Spartans (5-3, 1-3) to avoid a replay of 1998.

Nine years ago, the unbeaten Buckeyes were 26 1/2-point favorites and had a 24-9 lead in the third quarter yet unraveled to lose the No. 1 ranking when the Spartans pulled off a 28-24 shocker.

NO. 4 OKLAHOMA 17, IOWA STATE 7

AMES, Iowa — Chris Brown ran for two second-half touchdowns and the Sooners (7-1, 3-1 Big 12) survived a major scare, beating the Cyclones (1-7, 0-4) for the 20th straight time.

Trailing 14-7, Iowa State drove to the Oklahoma 8 with 7:24 left, but D.J. Wolfe intercepted a Bret Meyer's tipped pass to keep Iowa State from tying the game. Garrett Hartley sealed the win with a 43-yard field goal with 1:38 left.

VANDERBILT 17 NO. 6 SOUTH CAROLINA 6

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Mackenzi Adams threw two touchdown passes, D.J. Moore had two interceptions, and the the Commodores (4-3, 2-3 SEC) took a 17-0 first-quarter lead to upset the Gamecocks (6-2, 3-2).

Steve Spurrier came into this game 14-0 all-time against Vandy, which hadn't beaten a team ranked this high since topping No. 6 LSU, 7-6, in 1937.

NO. 14 FLORIDA 45, NO. 8 KENTUCKY 37

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Tim Tebow threw for a career-high four touchdowns and the Gators (5-2, 3-2) rebounded from back-to-back losses with their 21st straight win against the Wildcats (6-2, 2-2) to move into a tie with South Carolina and Georgia for first place in the SEC East.

Florida led 21-10 at halftime, but the Wildcats rallied behind Andre Woodson, who had his best game of the season with 415 yards and five TDs.

NO. 9 WEST VIRGINIA 39, MISSISSIPPI STATE 13

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Pat White threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score in the first half, and Steve Slaton rushed for 127 yards and a score as the Mountaineers (6-1) scored on their first five possessions to romp past the Bulldogs (4-4),

West Virginia put together its best first quarter of the season following an open week on the schedule as it enters the heart of the Big East schedule with a game Saturday at Rutgers.

NO. 13 USC 38, NOTRE DAME 0

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Mark Sanchez threw four touchdown passes — two on short drives after miscues by the Fighting Irish (1-7) — and the Trojans (6-1) rolled to their largest victory margin in the 79-game history of the rivalry. Notre Dame still claims the most-lopsided win in the series, a 51-0 rout in 1966.

Sanchez threw TD passes of 10, 8, 5 and 48 yards and the Trojans won their sixth straight over the Irish, the longest streak for USC against Notre Dame. The Irish won 11 straight from 1983-93.

NO. 15 MISSOURI 41, NO. 22 TEXAS TECH 10

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Chase Daniel threw for 210 yards and a touchdown and the Tigers (6-1, 2-1 Big 12) intercepted Graham Harrell four times, returning one for a score in an easy victory over the Red Raiders (6-2, 2-2).

Backup tailback Jimmy Jackson had 59 yards and three touchdowns as a fill-in for injured Tony Temple. Harrell was 44-for-69 for 397 yards.

NO. 15 KANSAS 19, COLORADO 14

BOULDER, Colo. — The Jayhawks (7-0, 3-0 Big 12) forced three turnovers and stopped the Buffaloes (4-4, 2-2) on downs twice in the fourth quarter, escaping with their first win in Boulder since 1995.

Scott Webb kicked fields goals of 48 and 35 yards for the Jayhawks. The Buffaloes scored with 3:42 remaining on Cody Hawkins' 5-yard pass to Byron Ellis to make the score 19-14.

NO. 19 TEXAS 31, BAYLOR 10

WACO, Texas — Colt McCoy overcame two interceptions and missing a wide-open receiver in the end zone with 293 yards passing and a touchdown to lead the visiting Longhorns (6-2, 2-2 Big 12) over the Bears (3-5, 0-4) for the 10th straight time.

Texas led by only a touchdown when Deon Beasley intercepted a pass with nine minutes left at the Baylor 43. Five plays later, Vondrell McGee scored on a 4-yard run. Brandon Foster returned another interception 91 yards for a touchdown with 5:47 left.

ALABAMA 41, NO. 20 TENNESSEE 17

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — John Parker Wilson passed for a career-high 363 yards and three touchdowns, and DJ Hall had a school-record 13 catches for 185 yards as the Crimson Tide (6-3, 4-1 SEC) routed the Volunteers (4-3, 2-2).

Tide coach Nick Saban set the tone by opening the game with a successful onside kick that set up the first of four Leigh Tiffin field goals. Wilson completed 32 of 46 passes, including touchdowns to Hall of 16 and 2 yards.

PITTSBURGH 24, NO. 23 CINCINNATI 17

PITTSBURGH — LaRod Stephens-Howling scored on a 7-yard run with 5:03 to play and the Panthers (3-4, 1-1 Big East) converted a two-point conversion for a 24-17 lead to beat the Bearcats (6-2, 1-2) and end a four-game losing streak.

Cincinnati entered the game leading the Big East in rushing defense but was shredded by a Pitt running attack that featured Stephens-Howling, who carried 13 times for 100 yards, and freshman LeSean McCoy, who gained 137 yards on 25 carries.

NO. 24 MICHIGAN 27, ILLINOIS 17

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Carlos Brown ran for 113 yards filling in for Mike Hart — watching from the sideline after hurting an ankle last weekend — and Mario Manningham scored two touchdowns to lead the Wolverines (6-2, 4-0 Big 10) over the Illini (5-3, 3-2).

The Illini kept two Michigan scoring drives alive with penalties, and return man Kyle Hudson fumbled away a punt at his own 13 in the fourth quarter to set up Manningham's second touchdown.

OKLAHOMA STATE 41, NO. 25 KANSAS STATE 39

STILLWATER, Okla. — Jason Ricks kicked a 26-yard field goal with 2 seconds remaining, lifting the Cowboys (5-3, 3-1 Big 12) over the Wildcats (4-3, 2-2).

The Wildcats called all three of their timeouts as Ricks was setting up, but his kick was right down the middle to cap a comeback made necessary when K-State coach Ron Prince decided to go for two points instead of the tie after Leon Patton's 11-yard touchdown run with 1:10 remaining.