Notre Dame Stays in BCS Running

Matt LoVecchio threw two touchdowns and Terrance Howard ran for two in their return home to New Jersey and No. 11-ranked Notre Dame posted its sixth consecutive victory, defeating Rutgers, 45-17, at Piscataway, N.J., on Saturday.

The Irish (8-2) also forced five turnovers in moving within a victory of potentially qualifying for a Bowl Championship Series bid. Since it is not in a conference, Notre Dame must win nine games and be ranked in the top 12 to merit consideration for a BCS game. The Irish finish their regular season against USC at the Coliseum next Saturday.

Rutgers (3-7) lost its third in a row. Coach Terry Shea recently was forced to resign effective at the end of the season and is expected to be replaced by Notre Dame offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers.

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In other games in the East: Antonio Bryant set two receiving records and accounted for the game’s only touchdown as Pittsburgh (4-7, 1-6 in the Big East) was a 7-0 winner over Temple (4-7, 1-6). Bryant had six catches for 81 yards to push his season total to 1,154--breaking the school record of Latef Grim and Big East record of Syracuse’s Marvin Harrison. Brad Lewis threw for a career-high 290 yards and two touchdowns to lead West Virginia (6-4) to a 42-24 victory over East Carolina (6-4) at Morgantown, W. Va.--retiring Mountaineer Coach Don Nehlen’s final home game.

SOUTH: George Godsey threw for 354 yards and two touchdowns as No. 20 Georgia Tech (8-2, 6-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference) registered the 600th victory in its 108 years of football, 35-22 over Maryland (5-6, 3-5) at College Park, Md. . . . Quarterback Bryson Spinner’s 38-yard run for a touchdown in the fourth quarter was the difference for Virginia (6-4, 5-3 in the ACC) in a 24-17 victory over North Carolina State (6-4, 3-4) at Charlottesville, Va.

MIDWEST: Deontey Kenner threw two touchdown passes and Cincinnati (7-4, 5-2 in Conference USA) rallied from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter in a 27-24 victory over No. 24 Southern Mississippi (7-3, 4-2) at Cincinnati.

SOUTHWEST: Louisville (9-2, 6-1 in Conference USA) won its first conference championship in 28 years and gained a Liberty Bowl berth with a 32-13 victory over Houston (3-8, 2-5) at Houston.

WEST: Brigham Young (5-6, 3-3 in the Mountain West Conference) was a 37-13 winner over New Mexico (5-7, 3-4) at Provo, Utah in the final home game for retiring Coach LaVell Edwards. . . . Air Force (8-3, 5-2 in the Mountain West) had 540 yards in a 45-24 victory over San Diego State (3-7, 3-3) at Air Force Academy, Colo. . . . Fresno State (6-4, 4-2 in the WAC) had Derrick Ward break off a 53-yard run for a touchdown on its third play of the game in a 14-7 victory over Southern Methodist (3-8, 2-5) at Fresno.

SOUTHLAND: Azusa Pacific (6-4) was a 27-21 loser to MidAmerica Nazarene (11-1) at Olathe, Kan., in the first round of the NAIA playoffs. Jesse Aust rushed for 107 yards for Azusa Pacific.