STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Maybe now No. 1 Ohio State will get the respect it's looking for.

Todd Boeckman threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns and Chris Wells ran for 133 yards, leading the Buckeyes to another easy victory, 37-17 over No. 24 Penn State last night.

The Buckeyes' vaunted defense didn't play up to its typical stingy standards, but it didn't need to be at its best with Boeckman on a roll and Ohio State's massive offensive line dominating.

"We couldn't stop them," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "That was a good football team and they played really well."

Several Buckeyes (9-0, 5-0, Big Ten) earlier this week complained they weren't getting enough respect despite their No. 1 ranking in the polls and Bowl Championship Series standings. Penn State (6-3, 3-3) was only the second ranked team Ohio State has faced. While the competition has been so-so, the Buckeyes have been blowing out their opponents.

This was Ohio State's toughest test yet, a night game at one of the loudest venues in the country. A crowd of 110,134, the second-largest in Beaver Stadium history, started out loud but was quieted quickly and the Buckeyes went on to their seventh double-digit victory.

Ohio State has won 19 straight Big Ten games, tying the mark set by Michigan in 1990-92. The Buckeyes' last Big Ten loss came Oct. 8, 2005, 17-10 at Penn State.

This time, they left Happy Valley in a very good mood.

"They were one step ahead of us all night," Paterno said.

Boeckman, a first-year starter, silenced the Nittany Lions' rowdy white-clad student section early with two long first-half touchdown drives. He finished 19-of-26 passing with one interception."

The Buckeyes scored on five of their first seven possessions, each of their scoring drives starting at no better than their own 22.

NO. 6 WEST VIRGINIA 31, NO. 25 RUTGERS 3

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Steve Slaton ran for three touchdowns and Pat White rushed for 156 yards and a score to help the Mountaineers (7-1, 2-1 Big East) beat the Scarlet Knights (5-3, 2-2) for the 13th straight time.

Slaton went from sideline to sideline on a spectacular 38-yard run that gave West Virginia the early lead, and he scored on second-half runs of 1 and 6 yards to bury Rutgers.

NO. 7 ARIZONA STATE 31, NO. 18 CALIFORNIA 20

TEMPE, Ariz. — No. 7 Arizona State followed a familiar script to stay perfect.

The Sun Devils (8-0, 5-0) spotted the Golden Bears (5-3, 2-3) a 13-point first-quarter lead, then rallied for a victory and the Pac-10 lead.

Dimitri Nance ran for three touchdowns and Rudy Carpenter threw for 219 yards and a touchdown as the Sun Devils overcame a double-digit deficit at home for the third time this season.

NO. 20 GEORGIA 42, NO. 9 FLORIDA 30

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Knowshon Moreno ran for a career-high 188 yards and three scores, Matthew Stafford threw three touchdown passes and the Bulldogs (6-2, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) sacked Tim Tebow six times and contained the Gators' (5-3, 3-3) high-scoring offense most of the game.

Florida had won 15 of the last 17 at the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party and eight of nine. Georgia turned it around yesterday, taking advantage of Tebow's bruised non-throwing shoulder and Florida's porous defense.

CONNECTICUT 22, NO. 11 SOUTH FLORIDA 15

STORRS, Conn. — Andre Dixon ran for a career-high 189 yards and the Huskies (7-1, 3-0 Big East) used a late goal-line stand to upset the Bulls (6-2, 1-2) for their first win over a ranked opponent.

The victory keeps UConn in sole possession of first place in the Big East, and all but assures them of the first Top-25 ranking in program history.

NO. 12 KANSAS 19, TEXAS A&M 11

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Brandon McAnderson rushed for a career-high 183 yards and two touchdowns and the Jayhawks (4-0 Big 12) improved to 8-0 for the first time since 1909 with a victory over the Aggies (6-3, 3-2)

Todd Reesing went 21-for-33 for 180 yards and the Jayhawks' fifth-ranked defense did the rest, holding the Aggies to 127 yards and six first downs through three quarters. A&M gained 191 yards in the fourth quarter, after the Jayhawks built a 19-0 lead.

NO. 13 MISSOURI 42, IOWA STATE 28

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Lorenzo Williams recovered a fumble in the end zone at the start of the second half and the Tigers (7-1, 3-1 Big 12) slowly pulled away from the stubborn Cyclones (1-8, 0-5).

Jimmy Jackson, Tony Temple, Martin Rucker and Jeremy Maclin each scored for the Tigers, who had been four-touchdown favorites against the downtrodden Cyclones. Missouri was held to a season-low 366 yards.

MISSISSIPPI STATE 31, NO. 14 KENTUCKY 14

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Wesley Carroll threw for two touchdowns and the Bulldogs (5-4, 2-3 SEC) forced six turnovers in the second half to upset the Wildcats (6-3, 2-3), who have lost two straight since knocking off No. 1 LSU in triple overtime.

Kentucky's Heisman Trophy hopeful Andre Woodson threw for 230 yards, but was sacked three times and threw three interceptions.

TENNESSEE 27, NO. 15 S. CAROLINA 24

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Daniel Lincoln kicked a game-tying 48-yard field goal with 5 seconds left, then provided the only points in overtime, as the Volunteers (5-3, 3-2 SEC) recovered after blowing a 21-0 halftime lead to beat the Gamecocks (6-3, 3-3).

NO. 17 TEXAS 28, NEBRASKA 25

AUSTIN, Texas — Jamaal Charles ran for fourth-quarter touchdowns of 25, 86 and 40 yards to help the Longhorns (7-2, 3-2 Big 12) send the Cornhuskers (4-5, 1-4) to their fourth straight loss and give coach Mack Brown his 100th victory with Texas.

NO. 19 MICHIGAN 34, MINNESOTA 10

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Mario Manningham had five receptions for a career-high 162 yards and a victory-sealing touchdown early in the fourth quarter to help the Wolverines (7-2, 5-0 Big Ten) pull away from the Golden Gophers (1-8, 0-5) for their seventh straight victory since opening the season with a loss to Appalachian State and getting routed by Oregon.

NORTH CAROLINA ST. 29, NO. 21 VIRGINIA 24

RALEIGH, N.C. — Daniel Evans threw for a career-high 347 yards and three touchdowns, two to Donald Bowens, who finished with 11 catches for 202 yards as the Wolfpack (3-5, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) stunned the Cavaliers (7-2, 4-1).

NO. 23 AUBURN 17, MISSISSIPPI 3

AUBURN, Ala. — Brandon Cox threw a 34-yard scoring pass to Rod Smith in the final minutes and Brad Lester rushed for a career-high 96 yards and one TD, leading the Tigers (6-3, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) past the Rebels (2-7, 0-6).