Smarts can take you only so far

You can forget about that Bowl Championship Series title game matchup between academic powerhouses Vanderbilt and Northwestern.

The pressure of winning proved to be too much for the previously unbeaten Commodores and Wildcats, who each suffered conference defeats Saturday.

Northwestern’s dream of an undefeated season came to a crushing end when Michigan State ran over the Wildcats in a 37-20 Big Ten Conference victory at Evanston, Ill.

Northwestern, which was looking for its first 6-0 start since 1962 under former coach Ara Parseghian, simply could not stop senior running back Javon Ringer, who carried the load for the Spartans in rushing for 124 yards and two touchdowns in 35 carries.

“I don’t think we were nervous,” Northwestern Coach Pat Fitzgerald said about Northwestern, which dropped to 5-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten. “I just don’t think we were poised and focused to come out and do our jobs. It starts with me. It’s my job as a football coach. It’s my responsibility. When your team doesn’t come out and play with poise and focus and discipline, you get what you deserve and that’s what we got today.”

Michigan Coach Rich Rodriguez only wishes he had problems like the Wildcats.

That’s because the underachieving Wolverines were defeated by Toledo, 13-10, at Ann Arbor, Mich., to drop to 2-4 for the season.

“I’m just extremely disappointed and embarrassed,” said Rodriguez after he watched quarterbacks Nick Sheridan and Steven Threet combine to throw three interceptions, including one that was returned 100 yards for a touchdown by Toledo’s Tyrrell Herbert.

“There’s a lot of plays that I wished that we could have back.”

It doesn’t get any easier for Rodriguez because next week Michigan plays undefeated Penn State.

A breakdown of how several highly rated players performed Saturday:

NFL hot list

Oklahoma tight end Jermaine Gersham: The Sooners suffered a disappointing defeat to Texas, but Gersham showed why pro scouts love his combination of size of speed. Gersham, a 6-foot-6, 261-pound junior, finished with five catches for 90 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown.

Virginia offensive tackle Eugene Monroe: The Cavaliers decided to run behind Monroe against East Carolina, and guess what? Cedric Peerman rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns in an impressive win for Virginia.

USC safety Kevin Ellison: The Trojans’ Taylor Mays may get the hype, but Ellison was the defender who made the big plays in win over Arizona State at the Coliseum.

NFL cold list

Oklahoma offensive tackle Phil Loadholt: Texas defensive end Brian Orkapo dominated Loadholt all game and made him look slow and sluggish at 6-7 and 340 pounds.

Michigan defensive tackle Terrance Taylor: Toledo’s offense dominated the line of scrimmage and Taylor was not much of a factor in the Wolverines’ upset loss at home.

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In a battle between winless teams, Idaho State (0-6) extended its winless streak to 10 when it gave up three safeties in a 29-9 loss to Northern Colorado (1-4).

The Bengals, who have been outscored, 236-130, gave up 403 total yards to the Bears, who came in having lost seven in a row dating to last season.

Records and streaks

Central Washington quarterback Mike Reilly set an NCAA record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass at 41, throwing for four scores and 371 yards in a 50-28 victory over Western Washington. Reilly broke the record of 40 he had shared with Mount Union’s Bill Borchert (1994-97). . . .

Michigan State’s Brett Swenson kicked three field goals in the win over Northwestern, giving him 15 consecutive without a miss, which breaks Paul Edinger’s school record of 13. . . .

In Oregon State’s 66-13 victory over Washington State, the Beavers set a school record for most points in a Pacific 10 Conference game. . . .

Kansas State handed Texas A&M; a 44-30 defeat, but the Aggies’ Jorvorskie Lane set a school record with his 46th career touchdown with a one-yard run in the second quarter. . . .

In South Carolina’s 24-17 victory over Kentucky, Gamecocks wide receiver Kenny McKinley caught seven passes to give him 173 for his career to break Sterling Sharpe’s school record of 169.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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lonnie.white@latimes.com