PITTSBURGH — LaRod Stephens-Howling scored the go-ahead touchdown and wasone of two Pittsburgh running backs with more than 100 yards of total offense,helping the Panthers upset No. 23 Cincinnati 24-17 Saturday.

Pitt (3-4, 1-1 Big East), which had lost four in a row coming into thecontest, didn’t take the lead until Stephens-Howling carried the ball for thefifth consecutive play during a fourth-quarter drive that ended with a 7-yardscore.

Cincinnati (6-2, 1-2) entered the game leading the Big East in rushingdefense but was shredded by a Pitt running attack that featured big days byStephens-Howling and LeSean McCoy. Stephens-Howling carried 13 times for 100yards and McCoy, a freshman, gained 137 yards on 25 carries.

Ben Mauk was 21-of-32 for 237 yards and rushed for 94 yards and a touchdownfor the Bearcats, who uncharacteristically fumbled three times in the fourthquarter.

Cincinnati was coming off its first loss in 10 games after being upset byLouisville last week. The Bearcats’ No. 15 ranking heading into that game wastheir highest in 53 years.

Pitt, meanwhile, had dropped nine of its past 10 against Football BowlSubdivision (formerly Division I-A) teams.

MADISON, Wis. — P.J. Hill ran for 184 yards and two touchdowns as Wisconsinwent back to its power running game in a 44-3 victory Saturday over NorthernIllinois to snap a two-game losing skid.

Hill, a sophomore, reached the 1,000-yard mark for the second straightseason in his best performance since a career-high 249 yards againstNorthwestern last year.

Wisconsin (6-2) won its 12th straight at home and handed the Huskies (1-7)their worst loss in nine years after dropping back-to-back games on the road toIllinois and Penn State.

Once ranked fifth in the nation and a favorite to win the Big Ten, Wisconsinis now just a long shot for the conference crown with games left against No. 1Ohio State and No. 24 Michigan.

The Badgers finally put together a complete game after defensive lapses andturnovers cost them their national ranking after a 5-0 start.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — It took more than two decades for Vanderbilt to finallybeat Steve Spurrier. But boy, this one was worth the wait for the Commodores.

Mackenzi Adams threw two touchdown passes and D.J. Moore had two keyinterceptions as Vanderbilt upset No. 6 South Carolina 17-6 Saturday, endingSpurrier’s unblemished record against the school that began in 1987.

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MINNEAPOLIS — This time North Dakota State finished the job.

Tyler Roehl rushed for a school record 266 yards and a touchdown as theBison overpowered the big boys from down the road in a 27-21 victory overMinnesota on Saturday.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Five Alabama players were suspended for Saturday’s gameagainst No. 20 Tennessee for a violation of school policy involving the receiptof textbooks, including starting linemen Antoine Caldwell and Marlon Davis andtailback Glen Coffee.

The university discovered the infractions Thursday but did not elaborate onwhat happened. Also suspended were reserve defensive backs Marquis Johnson andChris Rogers.

“This is a situation that developed late this week and we are activelyinvestigating,” athletic director Mal Moore said in a release Saturday. “Thesesuspensions are a measure aimed at dealing with the facts as we know them atthis time. While I cannot discuss the situation in great detail, I can assureyou we will address it fully when we have completed this inquiry.”

Coffee is Alabama’s second-leading rusher with 413 yards and has 14 catchesfor 122 yards.

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ATLANTA — ACC rushing leader Tashard Choice of Georgia Tech injured hisright knee and left Saturday’s game against Army late in the first quarter.

The senior was hurt on a 7-yard run. He was helped off the field and takento the locker room on a stretcher.

There was no immediate report on the severity of the injury.

Choice began the day with 840 yards rushing to lead the Atlantic CoastConference.

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Quarterback Pat White has been beat up. Running backSteve Slaton is momentarily stuck on mediocrity.

No. 9 West Virginia (5-1) would prefer to get the dangerous backfield duo ontrack again Saturday against Mississippi State (4-3) in the Mountaineers’ firsthome game in a month.

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EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Andre Dixon dragged defenders on a 5-yard touchdownrun with 1:32 left and Connecticut overcame a late 10-point deficit to beatLouisville 21-17 on Friday night, getting some help from a controversial puntreturn.

It was the biggest win of the season for UConn (6-1, 2-0 Big East), andkeeps the Huskies in first place in the conference. The Cardinals, onceconsidered national title contenders, dropped to 4-4 overall and 1-2 in the BigEast.

Dixon ran 22 times for 115 yards and the score. His final run capped anine-play, 71-yard drive that began when Louisville, leading 17-14, had a passknocked away on fourth-and-3 from the Connecticut 29 with 5:50 left.

Tyler Lorenzen, who attempted just 18 passes, then led Huskies down thefield for the winning score. He was 9-for-18 for 130 yards and no interceptions.

UConn linebacker Danny Lansanah picked off Brian Brohm’s pass at the UConn20 to secure the win in the waning seconds. It was one of three UConninterceptions.

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DES MOINES, Iowa — If Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has any opinions about theSooners being ranked fifth in this week’s Bowl Championship Series standings,he’s keeping them to himself.

“There is nothing to talk about,” Stoops said. “It doesn’t mean anythingright now.”

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Just because Ron Zook hasn’t faced Michigan in threeseasons coaching Illinois doesn’t mean he isn’t aware of the programs’ history.

“If you think about the last time we beat Michigan here, nobody on ourfootball team was even born,” Zook said. “I think that I had just gottenmarried. It’s been a long, long time.”

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