The Wisconsin Badgers have not looked pretty to this point but have managed to stay perfect at 4-0 and maintain their No. 22 national ranking. Badger quarterback Brooks Bollinger played the hero Saturday as he scored on a 2-yard keeper with 1:21 left and dodged the upset-minded Northern Illinois Huskies 24-21 in Madison, Wis.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers, seeking revenge after an embarrassing 38-7 loss to the Rockets last year, got the job done and improved to 3-0 after a 31-21 home triumph over Toledo at the Metrodome.
Toledo (2-1, 1-0 MAC), trailing 24-21, failed to tie the game after a botched field goal attempt with 6:50 to play, allowing the Gophers to recover on downs. Later on the Rockets had third and six at their own 38 when Minnesota recovered a Carl Ford fumble.
The Gophers sealed the deal when quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Ben Utecht with 1:05 left in the contest. The UB Bulls meet the Golden Gophers next week in Minnesota.
Bobcats Swamped By Gators
The Ohio Bobcats actually scored more points on the road in "the swamp" against the No. 12 ranked Florida Gators than they did at home facing Division I-AA Northeastern.
In the end, however, the result was the same . a loss.
The Gators (2-1), embarrassed after receiving a national TV beating at the hands of the No. 1 ranked Miami Hurricanes, took out their frustrations on the Bobcats (0-3), trouncing them 34-6 Saturday.
Ohio quarterback Dontrell Jackson ran the ball 29 times for 118 yards and only completed two out of four passes for 12 yards. The Bobcats had possession of the ball for an amazing 38 minutes and still lost decisively.
Florida quarterback and Heisman hopeful Rex Grossman threw for 200 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Around the MAC
No. 25 Louisiana State (2-1) trounced Miami (OH) (1-2) 33-7 behind 207 team rushing yards . runningback Marcus Merriweather rushed for 146 yards and three touchdowns as Ball State (1-1) edged out Indiana State (1-2) for a 23-21 victory . quarterback Joshua Cribbs threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Bush with 49 seconds remaining to lead Kent State (2-1) past Cal Poly (0-3) 37-34 . John Standeford caught a game winning 30-yard touchdown pass for one of his seven catches and two touchdowns totaling 143 total yards as Purdue (2-1) beat Western Michigan (1-2) 28-24 . runningback Kenan Lawhorne ran for 133 yards and scored the go ahead touchdown as Central Michigan (3-0, 1-0 MAC) squeaked by Akron (0-3, 0-1 MAC) 24-17 in the MAC opener for both teams . Troy Edwards found Kevin Walter in the end zone on a 16-yard pass with 55 seconds remaining to lead Eastern Michigan (1-2, 0-1 MAC) past Southeast Missouri State (2-1) 35-32 Saturday night . quarterback Josh Harris excelled in all facets of the game, passing for 311 yards, catching a touchdown pass, and scoring on two short runs while leading Bowling Green (2-0) to a 51-28 victory over Missouri (2-1).
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
