Mississippi blocks Florida’s path

There were plenty of big plays to choose from on Saturday, highlighted by Mississippi defensive end Kentrell Lockett’s effort to block an extra-point attempt in the Rebels’ 31-30 upset over No. 4 Florida in Gainesville, Fla.

With 3 minutes 28 seconds remaining in the game, the Gators’ Percy Harvin scored on a run and Florida needed only Jonathan Phillips’ extra point to tie the score.

But Lockett made sure that did not happen when he ripped through Florida’s offensive line and blocked Phillips’ kick wide right to keep Mississippi ahead.

“I expected it,” Lockett said. “When I crossed the line, I made it up in my mind I was going to get the block.

“In the gap, the guard didn’t step down and I took advantage of his mistake.”

North Carolina safety Trimane Goddard was another player who made a clutch defensive play to help lead his team to a big road victory.

In the Tar Heels’ 27-24 win at Miami, Goddard was defending against Miami wide receiver Kayne Farquharson and seemed to be beaten for a touchdown on the final play of the game.

“I catch it,” said Farquharson, who finished with three catches for 51 yards and one touchdown, “we win.”

But Farquharson did not grab Miami quarterback Robert Marve’s pass cleanly and Goddard took the football away for an interception in the end zone.

“Trimane Goddard played spectacular today; he’s just got a really, really good nose for the football . . .” North Carolina Coach Butch Davis said about the senior, who had two interceptions in the fourth quarter and finished with a team-high eight tackles.

In Fresno State’s 36-31 victory over UCLA, a key play came in the fourth quarter after Bruins Coach Rick Neuheisel failed to decline a holding penalty on the Bulldogs that would have forced fourth down.

Fresno State’s Ryan Mathews made the Bruins pay for the decision when he turned a screen pass from Tom Brandstater into a 25-yard touchdown, featuring an impressive leap over a defender to reach the end zone.

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In the first football game between Prairie View A&M; and Morehouse College -- two historically black colleges -- the Tigers rallied for a 28-17 come-from-behind victory over Morehouse at the Coliseum.

But the showcase of the afternoon was the halftime show featuring the Battle of the Marching Bands, with Prairie View’s drum line getting high marks.

Streaks and records

It may have taken Duke nearly four years, but the Blue Devils made the most out of their first Atlantic Coast Conference victory since Nov. 13, 2004, by stomping Virginia, 31-3, at Durham, N.C.

The Blue Devils, who changed their blue-and-white uniforms this season and now look like a college version of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, intercepted Virginia quarterback Marc Verica four times in the second half and Jabari Marshall returned the third interception 42 yards for a touchdown to help Duke end a 25-game losing streak in conference.

It was the first ACC win for Duke’s senior class.

“I’m real proud first of all for our seniors,” first-year Duke Coach David Cutcliffe said.

“The challenges of continuing to fight through adversity and pick up their first ACC win, to me it wasn’t about a streak, it was about our seniors.”

North Carolina’s Brandon Tate set the NCAA record for combined kick and punt return yards in the Tar Heels’ win over Miami. Tate broke the previous mark of 3,455 yards set by California’s Deltha O’Neal with a 29-yard kickoff return in the first quarter. Tate has 3,549 career kick return yards.

Injured list

In Northwestern’s 22-17 victory over Iowa, Hawkeyes running back Shonn Greene had a great game but he suffered a costly fumble in the fourth quarter when he was injured on a hit by Wildcats safety Brad Phillips.

With Iowa leading, 17-16, Greene, who finished with 159 yards in 21 carries, tried to gain a few extra yards on an inside run when Phillips forced him to fumble with a hard tackle at the Wildcats’ 38-yard line.

Northwestern recovered and went on to score the winning touchdown.

Greene did not return to the game because of a head injury.

Other key injuries on Saturday:

West Virginia quarterback Pat White (hand).

Navy quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (hamstring).

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lonnie.white@latimes.com