ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Jim Tressel got the best of Lloyd Carr again, maybe for the last time.

Tressel became the first Ohio State coach to beat Michigan six times in seven years, and the seventh-ranked Buckeyes' 14-3 victory yesterday over their archrival gave them consecutive outright Big Ten titles for the first time in a half-century.

Chris Wells ran for a career-high 222 yards and two touchdowns and Vernon Gholston and the Buckeyes' defense dominated Michigan's banged-up offense.

"Our defense was not going to let Michigan control the game on the ground," Tressel said. "I wish our offense could have scored more, and that we could have been a little more consistent, but today, 14 points was enough to win the Big Ten."

The Buckeyes (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten) are likely headed to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1997. They also hold on to slim hopes of climbing back into the BCS title game, but several teams ahead of them would need to go down.

"I might have come from here, but now I bleed scarlet and gray," said Gholston, who had three of Ohio State's four sacks. "Coming from Detroit didn't make this any bigger. When you go to Ohio State, you don't need anything to make the Michigan game big."

A win would've put No. 23 Michigan (8-4, 6-2) in Pasadena for the fourth time in five years, but the loss might send it to a bowl game prior to New Year's Day.

NO. 1 LSU 41, MISSISSIPPI 24

OXFORD, Miss. — Trindon Holliday returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown and Craig Steltz had two interceptions to help the Tigers (10-1, 6-1 SEC) defeat the Rebels (3-8, 0-7), who are in danger of a winless conference season for the first time since 1982.

"All I wanted to do is try to change things," the 5-foot-5 Holliday said. "I just saw it open with one crease and I hit it as hard as I could. I knew it was coming, but I'm glad we finally got one done."

TEXAS TECH 34, NO. 3 OKLAHOMA 20

LUBBOCK, Texas — OU is out. Graham Harrell threw for 420 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Red Raiders (8-4, 4-4 Big 12) knock the Sooners (9-2, 5-2) out of the national title chase.

The Sooners failed to get on track after quarterback Sam Bradford left the game in the first quarter with an apparent concussion. He did not return.

NO. 4 KANSAS 45, IOWA STATE 7

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Todd Reesing passed for 253 yards and four touchdowns and the Jayhawks (11-0, 7-0) scored on four straight possessions to take a 28-7 halftime lead in beating the Cyclones (3-9, 2-9) and setting up a showdown with sixth-ranked Missouri for the Big 12 North title.

The Tigers and Jayhawks will meet in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday in a game that could launch the winner into the national championship game.

NO. 5 WEST VIRGINIA 28, NO. 21 CINCINNATI 23

CINCINNATI — Pat White ran for a pair of second-quarter touchdowns as the Mountaineers (9-1, 4-1) beat the Bearcats (8-3, 3-3) to leave only two teams in the conference title chase.

The Mountaineers can win their second Big East championship in three years by closing with victories over No. 25 Connecticut (9-2, 5-1) and Pittsburgh.

NO 6. MISSOURI 49, KANSAS STATE 32

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Jeremy Maclin scored three touchdowns for Missouri, and had 252 total yards to set the NCAA single-season freshman record for all-purpose yards as the Tigers (10-1, 6-1 Big 12) rolled past the Wildcats (5-6, 3-5).

Maclin returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and caught two scoring passes, giving him 2,201 all-purpose yards for the season — 175 more than Terrell Willis of Rutgers had in 1993. Maclin finished with nine catches for 143 yards.

NO. 8 GEORGIA 24, NO. 22 KENTUCKY 13

ATHENS, Ga. — Knowshon Moreno ran for 124 yards, Matthew Stafford added a 10-yard TD run and the Bulldogs (9-2, 6-2 SEC) overcame four turnovers to beat the Wildcats (7-4, 3-4), keeping alive its chances of playing for an SEC championship.

The Bulldogs clinched at least a tie for first in the Eastern Division and will face top-ranked LSU in the Dec. 1 title game if Tennessee loses one of its last two games.

NO. 10 VIRGINIA TECH 44, MIAMI 14

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Branden Ore ran for two touchdowns and the Hokies (9-2, 6-1 ACC) dominated the Hurricanes (5-6, 2-5) in their final tuneup for a huge game against rival Virginia next weekend.

Virginia Tech moved into a share of first place in the Coastal Division with the Cavaliers. The teams will play in Charlottesville with the winner moving to the conference championship game Dec. 1.

NO. 14 FLORIDA 59, FLORIDA ATLANTIC 20

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Tim Tebow became the first player in NCAA history with at least 20 touchdowns passing and rushing in the same season, powering the Gators (8-3) over the Owls (5-5).

Tebow finished 25-of-34 passing for a career-high 338 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score. He has 20 rushing touchdowns and 26 TD passes for Florida, which was eliminated from the SEC title race when Georgia beat Kentucky.

NO. 18 B.C. 20, NO. 15 CLEMSON 17

CLEMSON, S.C. — Matt Ryan threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Rich Gunnell with 1:46 to go, lifting the Eagles (9-2, 5-2 ACC) over the Tigers (8-3, 5-3).

The Tigers had taken a 17-13 lead on Cullen Harper's 4-yard touchdown run with 5:28 remaining. On BC's winning drive, Ryan completed a 12-yard pass to Clarence Megwa on third-and-8. Then, facing third-and-7, he lofted a perfect pass to Gunnell.

NO. 19 TENNESSEE 25, VANDERBILT 24

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Daniel Lincoln kicked a 33-yard field goal with 2:46 left to cap a 16-point fourth-quarter comeback as the Volunteers (8-3, 5-2) rallied past the Commodores (5-6, 2-6) to keep them in control of the SEC East.

The Vols were down 24-9 after Vanderbilt's Mackenzi Adams threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to George Smith with 9 minutes left in the third quarter.

NO. 20 ILLINOIS 41, NORTHWESTERN 22

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Juice Williams ran for 136 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 220 yards and another score, helping the Illini (9-3, 6-2 Big Ten) move closer to a New Year's Day bowl game with a rout of the Wildcats (6-6, 3-5).

Illinois piled up 541 yards, scored on its first two possessions and capitalized on mistakes that plagued Northwestern in the first half.

NO. 24 WISCONSIN 41, MINNESOTA 34

MINNEAPOLIS — David Gilreath racked up 226 return yards, and Zach Brown rushed for 250 yards and two touchdowns in place of injured P.J. Hill to lead the Badgers (9-3, 5-3 Big Ten) past the Gophers (1-11, 0-8).

Adam Weber threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns for Minnesota, which went winless in the Big Ten for the first time since 1983 and lost Paul Bunyan's Axe to its border rival for the fourth straight year.

NO. 25 CONNECTICUT 30, SYRACUSE 7

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Tyler Lorenzen threw for 213 yards and a touchdown, helping the Huskies (9-2, 5-1) cruise past the Orange (2-9, 1-5) to stay in sole possession of first place in the Big East.

Connecticut can win its first conference title with a victory at West Virginia next week.