COLLEGE FOOTBALL : STAR WATCH

Given the choice of getting his quarterback a school record or playing it safe and sane, Coach Mack Brown and No. 2 Texas took the high road in a 35-3 win over Central Florida.

Brown removed Colt McCoy with just over nine minutes to play, even though the senior was only three yards short of matching the school record for yards passing in a game.

McCoy completed 33 of 42 passes for 470 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.

Brown said he decided against putting McCoy back in the game to show sportsmanship and because of the possibility of injury.

We wonder if any member of Brown’s staff had input in the decision. The school record McCoy fell shy of is owned by Longhorns quarterback coach Major Applewhite, established in the 2001 Holiday Bowl against Washington.

Both of McCoy’s touchdown passes went to wide receiver Jordan Shipley, who had 11 catches for a school-record 273 yards.

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Mark Ingram, So., RB, Alabama: Rushed for 144 yards in 22 carries in 24-15 win over No. 9 Louisiana State.

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Tim Tebow, Sr., QB, Florida: Completed 15 of 20 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown and ran 16 times for 27 yards and a touchdown in 27-3 win over Vanderbilt.

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Jimmy Clausen, Jr., QB, Notre Dame: Completed a school-record 37 of 51 passes for 452 yards and two touchdowns with one interception in 23-21 loss to Navy.

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Case Keenum, Jr., QB, Houston: Completed 40 of 60 passes for 522 yards and three touchdowns in 46-45 win over Tulsa. It was his 10th career game with more than 400 yards passing and second straight with more than 500.

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Toby Gerhart, Sr., RB, Stanford: Rushed for a school-record 223 yards and three touchdowns in 38 carries in 51-42 win over No. 7 Oregon, establishing school records for yards (1,217) and carries (233) in a season.

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Jacquizz Rodgers, So., RB, Oregon State: Rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown in 25 carries and caught nine passes for 30 yards in 31-14 win over No. 23 California.

-- Mike Hiserman