Manuel, No. 4 Florida St. impressive in win over tenth-ranked Clemson

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — EJ Manuel knew that Florida State's offense had a tough job to do, keeping pace with Clemson's face-paced and potent attack.

Slowed by a costly fumble and two missed field goals in the first half, the fourth-ranked Seminoles used a 35-3 run in a 20-minute span of the second half Saturday night to remain unbeaten with a 49-37 win over 10th-ranked Clemson.

"We just knew we had to keep scoring points to help our defense out," Manuel said. "Those guys (Clemson), they could throw up 50 points easily."

The biggest Atlantic Coast Conference game in years was a wild one for a while before Manuel put the Seminoles' offense into high gear to run away.

The Seminoles (4-0, 2-0) have emerged as national contenders for the first time in a long time, since Bobby Bowden was directing Florida State in the early 2000s, and Manuel will likely start showing up prominently on more than a few Heisman Trophy watch lists.

Clemson (3-1, 0-1) built a 28-14 lead early in the third quarter on a 52-yard pass from All-American receiver Sammy Watkins to Andre Ellington before the Seminole explosion.

"The game got away from us. . . . We have to stay focused," Clemson's Andre Ellington said.

The two teams combined for 1,093 yards offense as Clemson put up 426 yards against the nation's top-ranked defense.

Manuel was brilliant, completing 27 of 35 passes for a career-high 380 yards while rushing for another 102 to become the first Seminole quarterback since Charlie Ward in 1992 to pass for more than 300 yards and run for over 100 in a game.

"They were mixing up looks and bringing in blitzes from everywhere and he made plays when he had to," said Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher, in his third season as Bowden's successor. "I don't remember him making a bad decision all night."

Manuel got plenty of help from the tailback tandem of Chris Thompson and James Wilder Jr., who each scored twice and accounted for 168 more rushing yards with Thompson's 103 giving him 300 in two ACC games.

"We couldn't stop the run," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "Right there at the end, the momentum change late in the third quarter going into the fourth quarter, we just weren't able to turn it back."

Florida State trailed until late in the third quarter, taking its first lead at 35-31 on Manuel's 29-yard touchdown pass to Rodney Smith. The Seminoles, who finished with 667 yards, built a 49-31 lead before Clemson scored late.

No. 1 Alabama 40, Florida Atlantic 7: In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, AJ McCarron threw three touchdown passes, including an early 85-yarder to Kenny Bell, and No. 1 Alabama routed Florida Atlantic.

Eddie Lacy rushed for 106 yards in the first half for the Crimson Tide (4-0), which rolled to 134 consecutive points and two shutouts before allowing a late touchdown.

No. 2 LSU 12, Auburn 10: In Auburn, Alabama, Sam Montgomery and the LSU defense delivered a first-quarter safety and shut out Auburn in the second half.

No. 5 Georgia 48, Vanderbilt 3: In Athens, Georgia, Aaron Murray completed his first 12 passes and No. 5 Georgia finally got off to a good start, blowing out Vanderbilt before halftime.

Murray hooked up with Tavarres King and Marlon Brown on touchdown throws, breaking a tie with Eric Zeier for second place in school history.

No. 15 Kansas St. 24, Oklahoma 19: In Norman, Oklahoma, John Hubert ran for 130 yards and a touchdown, Jarell Childs scooped up a fumble and returned it for a score and the Wildcats beat the Sooners.

Collin Klein picked up 228 yards of total offense and ran for the go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter in a solid performance that outshined an error-filled night by Sooners quarterback Landry Jones.

No. 7 South Carolina 31, Missouri 10: In Columbia, Connor Shaw completed 20 straight passes and threw for two touchdowns and Marcus Lattimore ran for two scores as South Carolina manhandled Missouri.

Shaw missed his first pass to Lattimore on the game's first series, then hit his final 20 for the Gamecocks (2-0 SEC).

No. 8 West Virginia 31, Maryland 21: In Morgantown, West Virginia, Doug Rigg returned a fumble 51 yards for West Virginia and Tavon Austin had another remarkable game against his home-state Terrapins.

The Baltimore native caught 13 passes for 179 yards and set a school record for career receptions.

No. 11 Notre Dame 13, No.18 Michigan 6: In South Bend, Indiana, Manti Te'o had two interceptions as No. 11 Notre Dame picked off five Michigan passes and backup quarterback Tommy Rees sparked the Fighting Irish offense in a 13-6 win over the 18th-ranked Wolverines Saturday night.

Denard Robinson, who amassed 948 yards of total offense in victories over the Irish in the past two years, wasn't as effective this time as the Irish repeatedly forced him into mistakes. He threw four interceptions in the first half, then lost a fumble at the Notre Dame 8-yard line on the first drive of the second half.

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Harumafuji showcases impressive techniques

Mongolian ozeki Harumafuji put on a sumo clinic Thursday, showing neat footwork and taking out Tochinoshin in style to stay on track for promotion after five rounds at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.

Staying aggressive: Ozeki Harumafuji (right) shoves komusubi Tochinoshin out of the raised ring at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Thursday. Harumafuji improved to 5-0. KYODO

Harumafuji, making a third bid for a move up to sumo's top rank of yokozuna, was all business at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, knocking Tochinoshin off balance at the charge and finishing the winless komusubi from Georgia off with force to cement his place among the leading pack.

Harumafuji, who won the Nagoya title in July with a flawless 15-0 mark, shares the lead with compatriot and lone yokozuna Hakuho, ozeki Kisenosato, and maegashira wrestlers Kyokutenho, Takayasu and Okinoumi.

Gunning for his first title since March, tournament favorite Hakuho needed to do little more than flex his muscles in the day's final bout, slapping up Bulgarian komusubi Aoiyama and quickly sending him to a fifth consecutive loss.

Kisenosato outpsyched Gagamaru (2-3) at the charge and stopped the Georgian in his tracks before sliding him back over the dirt and out over the bales for a convincing win.

Veteran No. 11 maegashira Kyokutenho, who pulled off a surprise championship win at the Summer Basho in May only to fall apart in Nagoya with a 2-13 mark, stayed perfect a third of the way through the meet thanks to a force-out win over 16th-ranked Czech-born maegashira Takanoyama (1-4).

Ninth-ranked Takayasu took out fellow rank-and-filer Daido (2-3) to also keep his slate clean. Okinoumi forced out Masunoyama (2-3).

In other bouts of note, Mongolian ozeki Kakuryu outlasted Russian maegashira Aran to rebound from his first loss Wednesday, but Kotooshu failed to capitalize on a strong start and crashed to a third straight loss when he was floored by third-ranked Toyonoshima (2-3), hurting his shoulder in the process.

There are only four ozeki wrestlers left fighting in this tournament after Estonian behemoth Baruto and Kotoshogiku withdrew on Wednesday due to injury. That number could be reduced to three as Kotooshu looked to be in some discomfort and was clutching his right arm after his defeat.

His stablemaster Sadogatake said he would decide on Friday whether the Bulgarian bruiser, who went to hospital to have the shoulder looked at, would be fit to fight on, but said the shoulder was not dislocated.

Toyonoshima expressed concern for the ozeki's condition.

"Is the ozeki OK?" he asked reporters. "I got the feeling he hit the ring pretty hard."

Goeido was tipped over to a shock defeat by Brazilian magaeshira Kaisei, leaving both men at 2-3, but Myogiru restored pride for sumo's third-highest rank of sekiwake, slapping down No. 1 maegashira Shohozan (1-4) to stay in touch with the front-running pack at 4-1.

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Australia sags in middle after impressive Cowan debut

MELBOURNE, Australia — India and Australia shared an undulating first day of the first test Monday after an impressive debut by Australia opener Ed Cowan was marred by a middle-order collapse made worse by dubious umpiring decisions.

Cowan and former captain Ricky Ponting shared a century stand to put the hosts on top at the Melbourne Cricket Ground early, but India struck back with three wickets for just nine runs after tea to seize the initiative.

Brad Haddin and Peter Siddle then shared an unbeaten innings-steadying 63-run partnership to steer Australia to 277-6 at stumps.

The post-tea middle-order stumble was precipitated by India paceman Zaheer Khan (2-49), who bowled Australia captain Michael Clarke for 31 and had Mike Hussey controversially caught behind for a duck with the next ball.

Cowan, who top-scored with a watchful 68 from 177 balls, became the third wicket to fall in just 19 deliveries when caught behind off Ravichandran Ashwin as Australia slid from 205-3 to 214-6.

"It was a great day's cricket," Cowan said. "The bat had its moments, the ball had its moments, it was a good cricket wicket.

"They bowled really well in patches and we batted really well in patches, and we've got our noses ahead."

When Cowan fell, India carried all the momentum and it looked like Australia was in the midst of another of the giant batting collapses that had plagued the team in recent series.

However Haddin (21 not out) and Siddle (34 not out) put on a disciplined performance to put the game back on an even keel, having seen off the second new ball.

Hussey, struggling for runs of late and with his place in the team under threat, walked disgustedly from the field after being given out by umpire Marias Erasmus. Television replays indicated the ball hit Hussey's shoulder, but Australia could not challenge the decision under the Umpire Decision Reviews System because it is not being used in this series after the Indian cricket board raised concerns over its accuracy.

There was also a degree of doubt at Cowan's dismissal, while India suffered itself for its dogmatism over DRS, as Haddin was given not out in an lbw decision that was tough on the tourists.

"I've been a consumer of test cricket for so long and this is day one on the job for me, but as someone who loves their cricket and watches a lot of cricket, I just don't understand why it can't be handed down by the ICC for (the review system) to be uniform in all games," Cowan said.

Cowan combined for a 113-run stand with Ponting (62) after lunch, putting Australia temporarily in control after the loss of David Warner and Shaun Marsh to Umesh Yadav (3-96) in the morning session.

The 37-year-old Ponting, a veteran of 158 tests, has weathered persistent calls for his retirement this year and was selected for the Boxing Day test despite managing scores of just 5 and 16 in his previous match against New Zealand.

He answered the doubters with his 58th test half-century, prompting a standing ovation from 70,000-plus fans.

Ponting became Yadav's third victim when he was caught in slips by V.V.S. Laxman for 62 shortly before tea.

Yadav, playing in just his third test, said it was a great moment for him to be bowling to Ponting, but said every wicket was special.

"I just wanted to do the best for my country," he said.

Yadav took the first three wickets, having removed Warner and Marsh before the Cowan-Ponting partnership.

Warner, who carried his bat for an unbeaten 123 in just his second test earlier this month against New Zealand, smashed 37 off 49 deliveries before being caught by wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni off the first ball after a brief rain delay when attempting to hook Yadav.

Marsh faced just six balls before being caught for a duck by Virat Kohli at gully, celebrated by a sizable and vocal crowd of Indian supporters.

Cowan started his first test in cautious fashion, in contrast to Warner's dashing approach after Clarke won the toss and elected to bat on a green MCG wicket.

"As an opening batsman it's my job to try and set the game up," Cowan said. "I should have been a lot more nervous, but at the end of the day being relaxed really helped me through it."

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