Watkins leads Clemson's big rally, KSU-Tech, more late-game analysis

The Tigers trailed by 18 to the Terrapins, who benched quarterback Danny O'Brien in favor of C.J. Brown. Brown showed no fear against a top-10 team, throwing for 177 yards and three touchdowns and running for 162 yards and another score. Clemson refused to fold, taking the lead on Tajh Boyd's 12-yard pass to Jaron Brown with 11:26 remaining. The Terps marched back down the field and retook the lead on C.J. Brown's touchdown pass to Matt Furstenberg. Then Maryland kicked to Watkins, and his 89-yard return for a touchdown gave the Tigers the lead for good.

With Georgia Tech losing Saturday, Clemson becomes the torchbearer for the ACC. Is it possible these Tigers are up to the challenge? (RECAP | BOX)

• Kansas State 41, Texas Tech 34: The Wildcats have a knack for forcing turnovers when it matters most. Up three in the fourth quarter, Kansas State's Meshak Williams sack-stripped Texas Tech quarterback Seth Doege and recovered. Kansas State couldn't turn that turnover into points, but the next time Texas Tech got the ball, safety Tysyn Hartman intercepted Doege. That set up a touchdown run by Wildcats quarterback Collin Klein that widened the gap. On Texas Tech's next possession, David Garrett intercepted Doege. A team that can do that will win tough games. Speaking of tough games, Kansas State plays Oklahoma in Manhattan in two weeks. (RECAP | BOX)

• Oklahoma 47, Kansas 17: The Sooners looked a bit sleepy early, holding only a seven-point lead before Michael Hunnicutt's 19-yard field goal allowed them to take a double-digit lead into the locker room. It may be tough to get fired up to play a team that allowed 56 first-half points to Oklahoma State a week earlier, but the Sooners need to be careful. Oklahoma State isn't the issue; the Sooners face the Cowboys in Stillwater on Dec. 3, so their rankings relative to one another will be determined by that game. The problem is everywhere else. BCS projections late Saturday predicted Oklahoma would open at No. 1 when the BCS standings are released Sunday, but the Sooners may not stay ranked so high if they play sleepy against some of their upcoming opponents. Kansas State, Texas A&M and Baylor can play Oklahoma close -- or possibly even beat Oklahoma -- if the Sooners play as sloppily as they did in Saturday's first half. That could cost the Sooners in the polls if Wisconsin keeps piledriving opponents in the Big Ten and Alabama and LSU keep destroying opponents in the SEC. (RECAP | BOX | HIGHLIGHTS)

• Stanford 44, Washington State 14: Andrew Luck threw for 336 yards, and the Cardinal housed another overmatched foe. Yawn. The combined record of Stanford's opponents is 14-24. Next week, 5-1 Washington comes to Stanford. If the Cardinal steamroll the Huskies, that will be interesting. (RECAP | BOX)

• Boise State 63, Colorado State 13: Welcome to the Mountain West, Broncos. Maybe you'll want to stay a while. We're growing, you know (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/andy_staples/10/14/mwc.cusa.merger/). See how our teams allow you to slice and dice them just like the teams in the WAC? Do you think Big East teams will just let you roll over them like that? Come to think of it, don't answer that. (RECAP | BOX | HIGHLIGHTS)

• Auburn 17, Florida 6: If you took the over on Auburn's win total before the season, you're going to make some money. The wiseguys set the over/under at six wins, and with games against Ole Miss, Samford and Georgia remaining, Auburn is poised to make those who believed in the Tigers a little wealthier. They may not be the prettiest wins, but they'll be wins. Or maybe they will be pretty. The offense seemed to move better with Clint Moseley at quarterback. This is a talented but inexperienced team.

Meanwhile, Florida just looks like a mess on offense and on special teams. With starting quarterback John Brantley still sidelined, neither Jacoby Brissett nor Jeff Driskel could move the ball against a defense that has allowed everyone but South Carolina to march up and down the field. Kicker Caleb Sturgis went out Saturday with an injury, and no one could catch a punt. The Gators were banged up -- neither tailback Jeff Demps nor buck linebacker Ronald Powell played -- but that doesn't excuse the sheer ineptitude. At this point, even the mental block that so vexes Georgia in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party might not be enough to help the Gators. (RECAP | BOX | HIGHLIGHTS)

• Georgia 33, Vanderbilt 28: This game will be best remembered for Vandy head coach James Franklin and Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham screaming at each other as both teams threatened to brawl following a final play in which the Commodores had a chance to win. No one really wanted to explain what was said during the fracas, but it was fairly embarrassing for both teams. Georgia continued its win streak, but that win probably didn't inspire much confidence heading into the open week before the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. That's OK. If the Bulldogs need a confidence boost, all they need to do is pop in a copy of Florida's loss at Auburn. (RECAP | BOX)

• Alabama 52, Ole Miss 7: In the biggest upset of the night, Ole Miss scored first. Actually, it was the biggest upset because Ole Miss scored at all. By the way, if you had 32.7 seconds as the time it would take someone to produce an animated GIF of the Trent Richardson juke of Senquez Golson, you're tonight's big winner. (RECAP | BOX | HIGHLIGHTS)