By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, November 5, 2011

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — In so many ways — emotionally, statistically, historically — USF has never lost the way it lost Saturday night.

In 15 years of football, the Bulls had never lost four in a row. In eight previous overtime games, the Bulls had always escaped with victory. And armed with a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Bulls never knew the hollow feeling of loss they felt when Rutgers rallied in the final eight minutes for a 20-17 overtime victory at High Point Solutions Stadium.

"The losses are almost unbearable to go through as a team," said kicker Maikon Bonani, who missed a potential winner from 27 yards as regulation time expired. "It's my job to put it through the uprights. I had an opportunity to win the game and I didn't. That solely rests on my shoulders. There are a bunch of plays in a football game, but for that one play, it's my responsibility to do my job, and I failed to do so tonight."

USF led 17-3 with eight minutes left, only to see Rutgers' Jeremy Deering, a Leto High grad, take the kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. Needing an 80-yard touchdown drive to tie with 3:23 left, Rutgers did just that, with backup quarterback Chas Dodd hitting receiver Mohamed Sanu seven times on the drive, then throwing a 34-yard touchdown to Brandon Coleman to tie the score.

Rutgers had a chance to win in regulation, but Kayvon Webster intercepted a pass, putting USF at its 26 with 31 seconds left. B.J. Daniels threw a 34-yard pass to Demetris Murray, then scrambled 30 yards to the Rutgers 10 to set up the kick, only to see Bonani miss with 2 seconds left. Then in overtime, Daniels saw a third-down pass tipped by tight end Evan Landi and intercepted by Rutgers' Duron Harmon, setting up the winning 37-yard field goal by San San Te.

"That one hurt a little bit," coach Skip Holtz said. "I am so proud of this team — the heart, the energy, the passion that they're playing the game with. … You rush for 221 yards and your defense gives up minus-7, statistically you're not supposed to lose those games. … It's not like we had a million mistakes tonight. We didn't have the penalties. We're getting things corrected, but obviously we are a work in progress."

After a 4-0 start, USF (4-4, 0-4 Big East) has its first-ever four-game losing streak, as well as Holtz's first ever as a head coach. The Bulls must win two of their final four games just to salvage bowl eligibility, or else miss a bowl game for the first time since joining the Big East in 2005.

"We're all we've got. We're down here in New Jersey and it's just us," Daniels said. "We don't have the fan base and things like that. We've been with each other in Vero (Beach), been with each other all summer, so we're definitely a close-knit group."

USF's defense had held Rutgers to 106 yards entering the fourth quarter, but coach Greg Schiano turned to Dodd, who sparked the team by throwing for 125 yards and a touchdown in the final quarter.

The Bulls now have to find a spark, starting with another road challenge Friday at Syracuse.

"There is no time to put my head down," Bonani said. "Tomorrow, I have to be at practice and correct the mistakes that I've made and we'll go on as a football team. There is nothing that is going to come between this team. Not a field goal, not an incompletion, not a fumble, anything. We are a family, and we are going to stick together through it all."

Greg Auman can be reached at auman@sptimes.com and at (813) 226-3346. Check out his blog at tampabay.com/blogs/bulls and follow him at Twitter.com/gregauman.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, November 5, 2011

SUNRISE — For Lightning center Steven Stamkos, Friday's victory over the Blackhawks "seemed like old times."

The one-timer from the left faceoff circle with which he scored on a power play is now such a small part of his repertoire, ripping one as he did made him smile, even in retrospect.

"It was fun to get that," he said Saturday.

The goal capped Stamkos' second-period hat trick, an offensive explosion that extended a three-week hot streak that has re-established him as one of the league's elite scorers.

Stamkos, who had just five goals in last season's final 28 games — prompting a slew of "what's wrong with him?" stories — has eight goals and 10 points in his past eight games.

His nine goals entered Saturday tied for second in the league, one behind Toronto's Phil Kessel.

More important, though, is how Stamkos has been scoring. His three goals before the one-timer came on a deflection, off a rebound and on a conversion of a pass, all in front of the net.

"I'm so proud of him right now," coach Guy Boucher said. "He's not dangling. He's using his speed to charge through opponents. He's using his scrambling skills around the net."

"It's just the evolution of finding different ways to score," Stamkos said. "Physically, I just feel stronger. I feel like I'm winning a lot more battles and sustaining pressure by utilizing my speed and strength.

"It might not be fun at the time, battling in front of the net. But there's nothing more fun than scoring goals."

The circumstances could not be more different from last season, when Boucher said Stamkos was too much on the outside, trying to find "one-in-a-million holes" through which to use his devastating shot.

Though frustrating, Boucher said, it ultimately was good for Stamkos' development.

"People think you need success to learn," Boucher said. "I think the opposite. You need to go down to figure out why you had success. He figured it out."

Now, Boucher said, "I don't see a ceiling for this guy."

Stamkos, 21, figured out opponents will not give him the one-timer — the shot that made him famous — with regularity. He had to find alternatives.

Stamkos also has become one of the most precise practitioners of Tampa Bay's system, which includes lots of defensive responsibilities, even for scoring stars.

"Even when he doesn't score, he's trying to do so much for the team," defenseman Pavel Kubina said. "He back-checks; he plays good defensively. It's fun to watch him play."

"That's the kind of individual he is," left wing Marty St. Louis said. "He's not just about himself. He's playing within the team."

And being rewarded with what Boucher called "a consistency in his game that is something special."

Stamkos has a league-best 105 goals the past two-plus seasons. He wouldn't mind adding a few more today against the Panthers at the BankAtlantic Center as Tampa Bay tries to start reversing a 2-4-2 road record.

"At the end of the day, you always want more goals," he said.

Whether they come with a deflection or a one-timer.

MOVED: Right wing Mattias Ritola was sent to AHL Norfolk.

Damian Cristodero can be reached at cristodero@sptimes.com. Follow him on Twitter at @LightningTimes.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Sept. 17

USF 70,

FAMU 17

(3-0, 0-0)

Sept. 10

USF 37,

Ball State 7

(2-0, 0-0)

Sept. 3

USF 23,

Notre Dame 20

(1-0, 0-0)

Oct. 15

UConn 16, USF 10

(4-2, 0-2)

Sept. 29

Pitt 44, USF 17

(4-1, 0-1)

Sept. 24

USF 52, UTEP 24

(4-0, 0-0)

FRIDAY

at

Syracuse

8 p.m., ESPN2

SATURDAY

Rutgers 20, USF 17 (OT)

(4-4, 0-4)

oct. 22

Cincinnati 37,

USF 34

(4-3, 0-3)

Dec. 1

vs.

West Virginia

8 p.m., ESPN

Nov. 25

vs.

Louisville

TBA

Nov. 19

vs.

Miami

TBA

Times wires
Saturday, November 5, 2011

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — No. 1 LSU gained the inside track to the BCS title game, beating No. 2 Alabama 9-6 on Drew Alleman's 25-yard field goal in overtime after a fierce defensive struggle in which neither team reached the end zone Saturday night.

The Crimson Tide missed four field goals, including Cade Foster's 52-yard attempt after Alabama got the ball first in the extra period. LSU appeared to win the game on Michael Ford's run around left end after taking a pitch, but he stepped out of bounds at the 7.

After two plays gained nothing, LSU (9-0, 6-0 SEC) sent on Alleman to attempt his third field goal of the game on third down. Alabama (8-1, 5-1) tried to freeze him by calling timeout, but he calmly knocked it through to set off a wild celebration by the visiting team.

The crowd of more than 100,000 at Bryant-Denny Stadium — most of them dressed in crimson — sat in stunned silence as LSU celebrated its victory in only the 23rd regular-season matchup between the top two teams in the Associated Press rankings.

LSU still must win its last three regular-season games — No. 8 Arkansas is the toughest test — then would have to get through the SEC championship game. But the Tigers are the clear favorite after winning another huge game away from home, emerging with the victory in a matchup between the teams generally considered the best in the land.

And what if the BCS formula pits LSU against Alabama again in the national championship game?

"I'd be honored to face that team again," Tigers coach Les Miles said.

Alabama will long be moaning about how this one got away. Foster missed two first-quarter field goals, and Jeremy Shelley had one blocked before Shelley finally made one from 34 yards. Alleman kicked a 19-yarder on the final play of the first half, leaving the score tied at 3 even though the Crimson Tide clearly had the upper hand.

Interceptions set up both field goals in the second half. Foster made one from 46 yards after Jarrett Lee threw his second pick of the game, then Alleman connected from 30 yards after Alabama's AJ McCarron made an ill-timed throw.

Outside of the kicking woes, Marquis Maze was at the center of two decisive plays in the fourth quarter that helped finish off the Crimson Tide. First, with Alabama threatening at the LSU 28, he took a snap in the wildcat formation and tried to surprise LSU with a pass. Tight end Michael Williams broke into the clear near the goal line, but Eric Reid hustled back to snatch it away as both players tumbled to the ground at the 1.

Reid wound up with the ball, the officials ruled it an interception and a replay upheld the call.

LSU failed to pick up a first down, and it looked as though Alabama would get it back in good field position to take another crack at the LSU end zone. But a hobbling Maze, favoring a leg injury, couldn't catch the long line-drive punt. He turned away from it around his own 40 and the ball rolled all the way to the Alabama 19.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Sunday, November 6, 2011 , Section X |  S

TOP

25

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Players of the day

Joe Bergeron, RB, Texas

The freshman ran for 191 yards and three TDs in a 52-20 win over Texas Tech.

Da'Jon McKnight, WR, Minnesota

The senior caught nine passes for 173 yards and three TDs in a 31-24 loss to Michigan State.

Dan Herron, Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio St. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio St.

Herron, a senior, rushed for 141 yards, Hyde, a sophomore, 105 and Miller, a freshman, 105 in a 34-20 win over Indiana. It was the first time the Buckeyes had three 100-yard rushers since Scottie Graham (102), Dante Lee (157) and Carlos Snow (100) in a 52-27 win over Northwestern on Nov. 4, 1989.

Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma St.

The senior threw for a school-record 502 yards and four TDs in a 52-45 win over Kansas State.

Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor

The junior threw for 406 yards (his third consecutive 400-yard game) and three TDs, and ran for a TD in a 42-39 win over Missouri.

All-around player of the day

Branden Smith, Georgia

The junior scored on a 56-yard run, made one tackle at cornerback and returned two kickoffs for a combined 44 yards in a 63-16 win over New Mexico State.

Injury of the day

Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma

The All-American senior and NCAA career leader in catches tore his left ACL and is out for the season. He got hurt cutting to make a catch against Texas A&M. "It's deflating for him and for all of us," Sooners coach Bob Stoops said. "Your heart drops when you first hear it."

Number of the day

7 Consecutive field goals Casey Tinius had missed before his 34-yarder as time expired gave Western Kentucky a 10-9 win over visiting Florida International.

Under-the-radar game of the day

Stony Brook 50, Charleston Southern 31

Miguel Maysonet ran for 182 yards and four TDs and Brock Jackolski 174 yards and two TDs for the visiting Division I-AA Seawolves. In all, the Seawolves had 355 rushing yards; the Buccaneers had minus-7.



QB of the day | Case Keenum, Houston

T he senior threw for 407 yards to become the most prolific passer in Division I-A history as the No. 14 Cougars won 56-13 at UAB to get to 9-0 for the first time. Keenum, in his sixth season after getting a medical redshirt for a torn ACL last season, began the night 267 yards behind Hawaii's Timmy Chang. He tied the record with a 26-yard pass to Justin Johnson in the third and broke it with a 16-yarder to Johnson on the next play. Keenum, who already held the records for touchdown passes and total offense, went 39-of-44 for 407 yards and two touchdowns. "I don't take any of these things lightly, and I know for a fact that this is a very special honor," said Keenum, who has 34 touchdowns and three interceptions this season. "I'm not going to fully enjoy it and celebrate it until after the season. Hopefully, I will have a lot more to celebrate after the season than just the records."

Stadium of the day

Husky Stadium, Washington

The waterfront stadium with Mount Rainier in the background hosted its final game until Sept. 7, 2013, as Oregon visited. Built in 1920 and one of the loudest in the nation, it will undergo a $250 million renovation. In the meantime, the Huskies will play home games across town at the home of the NFL's Seahawks.

Path to perfection

Remaining games for the nation's unbeatens:

* Boise St.: TCU, at San Diego St., Wyoming, New Mexico

Houston: at Tulane, SMU, at Tulsa, C-USA title game #

LSU: Western Ky., at Ole Miss, Arkansas, SEC title game (Atlanta)

Oklahoma St.: at Texas Tech, at Iowa St., Oklahoma

Stanford: Oregon, Cal, Notre Dame, Pac-12 title game #

* Played late Saturday

# Would host as team with better conference record

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

Team of the day

Virginia

The Cavaliers had lost 13 consecutive November games dating to 2007 before beating Maryland 31-13.

Times staff
Sunday, November 6, 2011

Tampa Bay's quest to win the NFC South suffered a significant setback Sunday, the Buccaneers falling to third place in the division after a 27-16 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

The loss dropped Tampa Bay to 4-4 on the season, a game and a half behind the front-running Saints (6-3) and a game behind second-place Atlanta (5-3), which beat Indianapolis.

The Bucs return home next week for a non-conference game against the Houston Texans (1 p.m.).

The Bucs suffered a significant loss when starting defensive tackle Gerald McCoy left the game with an arm injury. Early reports from the lockerroom was that McCoy could be lost for the remainder of the season.

The Saints scored first, putting together a quick five-play scoring drive near the end of the first quarter. Running back Darren Sproles picked up 51 yards on two plays (35-yard rush, 15-yard reception) and Drew Brees hit Pierre Thomas for a 10-yard gain to Bucs 3. On the next play, Brees lobbed a perfect pass to Lance Moore in the left corner of the end zone for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 2:27 left in the first quarter.

The Saints stuck to the formula two drives later. Thomas picked up 33 yards on a run up the middle, then the Saints again turned to Brees, who connected on a 9-yard pass to Jimmy Graham before hitting Sproles on a screen pass to the right side. Sproles tight-roped along the right sideline for the 21-yard touchdown and a 14-0 New Orleans lead.

Tampa Bay finally got on the scoreboard late in the half, thanks to a 46-yard pass from Josh Freeman to Dezmon Briscoe, giving the Bucs a first down at the Saints 29. But three plays gained just 7 yards and Tampa Bay was forced to settle for Connor Barth's 40-yard field goal with 1:39 left in the half.

The Saints got those points right back, however (and nearly more), driving to the Tampa Bay 4-yard line to set up John Kasay's 22-yard field goal on the final play of the first half. Brees hit Graham on passes of 23 and 19 yards, then hit Sproles on an 11-yard pass to the Bucs 18. Brees completed two more passes to the 4 but was forced to spike the ball with one second left to leave time for Kasay's kick.

Ronde Barber intercepted Brees on the Saints' first possession of the second half, setting up the Bucs at the New Orleans 33. But a 15-yard unnecessary roughness call on running back LeGarrette Blount stalled the drive, and Barth was called on to kick his second field goal, this one from 48 yards. The kick pulled the Bucs within 17-6 with 9:29 left in the third quarter.

The Tampa Bay defense, however, just couldn't stop the Saints. Brees completed 6 of 7 passes, the longest just 10 yards, as New Orleans went 76 yards in 12 plays for its third touchdown and a 24-6 lead. A defensive holding call on Barber on a third-down Saints pass gave New Orleans a first down at the Tampa Bay 9, with Thomas scoring on a run up the middle on the next play.

The Bucs put together their best drive of the game, going 73 yards in 15 plays, earning a first and goal at the Saints 7 after a pass interference call against New Orleans on Freeman's fourth-and-3 pass. But Freeman threw two incompletions and gained no yards on a quarterback draw, again requiring the Bucs to settle for a Barth field goal with 11:08 left in the game.

The Bucs finally finished off a long drive with a touchdown as Freeman completed passes of 8 yards (Kregg Lumpkin), 15 yards (Preston Parker) and 9 yards (Mike Williams) before a pass interference call against the Saints set up first and goal at the 5. Freeman hit Kellen Winslow in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, pulling the Bucs within 24-16 with 5:33 left to play.

But the Bucs defense, yet again, wasn't able to stop the Saints offense as Brees and company drove to the Tampa Bay 17 to set up another Kasay field goal, this one from 34 yards, to put the game away with 1:17 to play.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, November 6, 2011

NEW ORLEANS — Once again, the Buccaneers were helpless against an effective throwing game Sunday.

Only it wasn't Saints quarterback Drew Brees passing the football that hurt most, but the yellow flags tossed by officials.

Despite two weeks of film study designed to cut down on self-inflicted infractions, the Bucs were flagged nine times for 80 yards at the Superdome.

It was partly why the league's third-most penalized team didn't manage a touchdown until late in a 27-16 loss.

The Bucs' third defeat in four games left them at 4-4 and third in the NFC South. Worse, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy sustained another season-ending torn bicep, this time the right one.

"It was just bad ball again," Bucs coach Raheem Morris said. "We've got to go out and play better. We've got to go out and play smarter. There is no excuse for being young.

"Foolish penalties … the 15-yard penalties just drive me nuts. It's not good enough to come to the sideline and apologize to your teammates, your coaches, whatever. That's just selfish, undisciplined football."

The most egregious penalty came early in the second half, after cornerback Ronde Barber intercepted Brees at the Saints 33 with the Bucs trailing 17-3.

On second and 10 from the 22, LeGarrette Blount picked up 1 yard on a run. Following the play, he struck Saints defensive end Will Smith in the face mask and was penalized 15 yards.

Blount was immediately taken out of the game. And after a short completion, Tampa Bay settled for Connor Barth's 48-yard field goal.

Two weeks ago, with the Bucs trailing late, cornerback Aqib Talib's personal foul after a third-down sack gave the Bears a first down and allowed them to take more time off the clock.

"That can't continue to be a hindrance to us, and it is," Barber said. "It's frustrating for all of us. Emotions lose games for you, sometimes. Points got hammered home last week. But guys have to realize it's not just coach talk."

Blount declined to comment but said he would do so today.

There were other penalties.

Receiver Arrelious Benn and tight end Kellen Winslow were called for pass interference during the same drive, Winslow's negating a third-down conversion.

Then there were the missed opportunities.

Josh Freeman overthrew open running backs Kregg Lumpkin and Erik Lorig on wheel routes that likely would have been touchdowns.

All told, the Bucs reached the Saints 30 five times and came away with three field goals, a touchdown and a failed fourth-down conversion.

"They were just a hair off, the one to Lorig, the one to Lumpkin," Freeman said. "What can you do? It's a game of inches."

Freeman finished 27-of-37 for 281 yards and cut the Saints' lead to 24-16 with a 5-yard strike to Winslow with 5:33 left. But the Bucs defense, which gave up 453 yards, again couldn't stop Brees, and John Kasay put it away with a 34-yard field goal.

McCoy's injury, which occurred early, had a big impact. Frank Okam was inactive due to a calf injury, which meant Brian Price and Roy Miller got little rest.

McCoy, the third overall pick in 2010, missed the final five games of his rookie season with a torn left bicep.

"You hate to see that happen, especially to a young player," Barber said. "We need that guy. We're a different team without him."

Morris benched linebacker Geno Hayes in favor of Adam Hay­ward. But the Bucs could not slow the Saints' ground game as Chris Ivory, Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles combined for 175 yards on 27 carries (6.5 per carry).

Sproles was a particularly tough matchup for rookie linebacker Mason Foster. On the Saints' first two touchdown drives, Sproles accounted for 35 rushing yards and 36 receiving, including a screen pass he turned into a 21-yard touchdown.

By far, penalties have been the Bucs' undoing in the first half of the season. During the bye week, Morris showed players video of 47 self-inflicted penalties, including offsides, false starts, personal fouls and illegal formations.

"(Youth) is not an excuse," center Jeff Faine said. "All these guys have been playing football their whole lives. We know what the rules are."

So where are the Bucs at the midway point of the season?

"Four-and-four is a pretty average record," Barber said.

"Pretty average team."

again'

Sunday, November 6, 2011

By Steve Papen, Times Correspondent
Sunday, November 6, 2011

Bottom fishing: Concentrate efforts for gag grouper on the small ledges and rock piles in depths of 40 to 80 feet. There are so many fish on most of these spots, forget using frozen baits or chum to get the bite going. For tackle, use 60- to 80-pound main line and an 80-pound leader. Remember, the last day of gag season is Nov. 15.

Amberjack: Every fall these fish make their way into the wrecks in as little as 50 feet to take advantage of the bait-rich waters closer to shore. Wrecks such as the Fin Barge, Sulphur Barge, Blackthorn and many others in the shallower depths will be holding decent amberjack for the next few months. Live baits and larger bucktail jigs will get their attention.

Mackerel: With every passing cold front the water temperature will fall. Kingfish are a bit scattered, but the normal spots, such as the shipping channel, Indian Shores Reef and the Rube Allen, continue to hold bait, and this will keep the kings in the area. Spanish mackerel have been easy to catch. When a front passes, the wind starts to come out of an easterly direction. Water on the beach will generally take a day or two to clear up, and this is the time to target Spanish mackerel. Troll a No. 1 planer with a No. 1 squid spoon at around 6 knots right on the beach. When a school is located, troll the edges to prevent spooking them and keeping the school feeding.

Steve Papen charters out of Indian Shores and can be reached at (727) 642-3411 or www.fintasticinc.com.

Times wires
Sunday, November 6, 2011

Texans hit stride in every phase

HOUSTON — Arian Foster rushed for 124 yards, Ben Tate ran for 115, and both scored touchdowns as the Texans won again without star receiver Andre Johnson.

"We felt like going into this game, that this is a game we should dominate," Houston tackle Eric Winston said. "I feel like we did. We're finding our groove."

The Texans had a franchise-record 261 yards rushing and had two 100-yard rushers for the second time in three games. They moved three games over .500 for the first time and have won three in a row without Johnson, who's out with a right hamstring injury.

The Browns had 10 first downs and 172 yards as Houston held its third straight foe under 200 yards.

Times wires
Sunday, November 6, 2011

49ers' Gore bags big game again

LANDOVER, Md. — After his fifth straight 100-yard game, a 49ers franchise record, Frank Gore wore a dark green military-style jacket, green cargo pants and designer jewel-encrusted dog tags.

"They were a pretty tough defense, so I told myself I'm going to wear this — because I felt I was going to come out hunting on Sunday," Gore said. "It's my hunting outfit."

Gore had 107 yards on 19 yards as San Francisco won its sixth straight and took a commanding five-game lead in the NFC West.

Alex Smith found rookie fullback Bruce Miller for the seventh-round draft pick's first career touchdown, and San Francisco forced three turnovers and didn't allow a touchdown until the final minutes.

Times wires
Sunday, November 6, 2011

Falcons roll, Colts alone at bottom

INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts' collapse keeps getting worse.

Rookie receiver Julio Jones touched the ball five times and scored twice as the Falcons cruised. With Miami's win at Kansas City, Indianapolis is now the league's only winless team.

Before fleeing the stadium, fans serenaded the Colts with boos after watching them go nearly 30 minutes between first downs.

The Colts took their worst defeat at home since a 31-3 loss to Seattle on Sept. 14, 1997, the year before Peyton Manning arrived.

"I haven't had nightmares like that in a long time," coach Jim Caldwell said when asked if he ever dreamed Indy could go 0-9.

Times wires
Sunday, November 6, 2011

Cowboys shake early cobwebs out

ARLINGTON, Texas — Dallas had three early drives inside the Seattle 2 that ended in two field goals and a lost fumble. Yet as inefficient as the start was, Tony Romo and the Cowboys kept frustration from bogging them down.

Romo threw two touchdowns in the second half and the defense was solid throughout in victory. Rookie DeMarco Murray had 139 yards rushing and 47 receiving.

"I think he's shown us the last three weeks what kind of football player he is," coach Jason Garrett said of the third-round pick from Oklahoma. "He's breaking tackles. That's hard to do in the NFL."

The Seahawks were within 13-6 and driving when Tarvaris Jackson threw interceptions on consecutive passes.

Times wires
Sunday, November 6, 2011

Dolphins finally end losing streak

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — No matter how big the Dolphins' lead was, it was never enough to keep them from feeling jittery. One of two winless teams coming in, the Dolphins came into Arrowhead Stadium with the cloud of two second-half collapses hovering.

So it made sense that nobody on the Dolphins sideline was celebrating until the final seconds ticked away, and coach Tony Sparano's beleaguered team could finally enjoy a victory.

"I'm just happy for the guys in our locker room," Sparano said. "All I've wanted to do for seven weeks is see these guys smile."

Matt Moore threw for 244 yards and three touchdowns, the first three-TD performance by a Miami quarterback since Chad Pennington in 2008. Reggie Bush ran for 92 yards and a score, and tight end Anthony Fasano had two TD catches in the first half.

Brandon Marshall had eight catches for 106 yards and a score, giving the former Broncos receiver 52 catches for 689 yards and seven touchdowns in eight career games against the Chiefs.

"We got beat," Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers said succinctly. "We got beat pretty bad by the Miami Dolphins. At home."

Times wires
Sunday, November 6, 2011

tennis

federer wins second title of the year

BASEL, Switzerland — Defending champion Roger Federer beat Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-3 Sunday in the Swiss Indoors final for his first title in 10 months.

The former world No. 1 was emotional as he thanked his hometown fans after winning for the fifth time in six years.

"It's always the greatest for me to win the title here. See you next year," he said on the court in Swiss-German.

Federer, ranked fourth, dominated the 32nd-ranked Nishikori, who stunned top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.

Federer's 68th career title was just his second this season. Federer, 30, had not reached a title match since losing at the French Open to Rafael Nadal in June.

fed cup: The Czech Republic won its first title in 23 years, taking the decisive doubles match to clinch a 3-2 win over Russia in the final at Moscow.

Paris Masters: Juan Martin Del Potro withdrew from the event, which starts today, because of a shoulder injury. That ends his chance of qualifying for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals this month.

nba

Report: Talks on the brink again

The labor talks blew up again early Sunday, CBS Sports reported.

After eight hours of talks under the direction of a federal mediator, league negotiators delivered a proposal and informed the players association it had until the close of business Wednesday to accept it or receive a far worse deal, CBS Sports said.

Negotiators essentially offered the players a 50-50 split of basketball-related income. The offer was tweaked into a 49-51 percent range for the players' share, the range discussed informally Oct. 4 at a key meeting that fell apart over the split of revenues.

In this proposal, the players would receive 50 percent of revenues if revenues grew as projected, 4 percent a year. Commissioner David Stern and deputy commissioner Adam Silver portrayed the range as capable of delivering a 51 percent share if there was, Stern said, "significant growth."

Union attorney Jeffrey Kessler said it would take the "wildest, most unimaginable, favorable projections" for the players to ever receive 51 percent of revenues."

Et cetera

Baseball: Dan Duquette signed a three-year contract to become the Orioles' president of baseball operations, the Associated Press reported. Duquette, 53, was general manager of the Expos from 1991-94 and Red Sox from 1994-2002.

surfing: Four days after mistakenly being named this year's Association of Surfing Professionals world champion because of a points miscalculation, Cocoa Beach's Kelly Slater won the title with a heat win at the Rip Curl Pro Search in San Francisco. It is a record 11th title for the 39-year-old.

equestrian: Canadian 2008 Olympic show jumping champion Eric Lamaze's horse Hickstead died during an event in Verona, Italy, after collapsing after finishing a round. The cause was unknown, officials said.

Soccer: Cristiano Ronaldo had a hat trick and Angel Di Maria set up three goals to steer Spanish leader Real Madrid to a 7-1 win over visiting Osasuna. Madrid is four points ahead of Valencia and defending champ Barcelona.

Times wires

Times wires
Sunday, November 6, 2011

NEW YORK — Kenya's Geoffrey Mutai shattered the course record while Ethiopia's Firehiwot Dado staged a big comeback to earn victories at the New York Marathon on Sunday

Mutai, 30, ran the fastest 26.2 miles in history in April at Boston. But his time of 2 hours, 3 minutes, 2 seconds didn't count as a world record because the course is considered too straight and too downhill. He finished Sunday's race in 2:05:06, 2:37 faster than Ethiopia's Tesfaye Jifar's 2:07:43 in 2001 but 1:28 off the world record.

"I tried at the last minute to push it a little more," Mutai said.

With little wind on a cool, sunny morning, conditions were perfect for fast times. The second- and third-place finishers also broke the course record. Fellow Kenyan Emmanuel Mutai (no relation) finished in 2:06:28, 1:22 behind the winner.

"The course … was tough," Geoffrey Mutai said. "But the weather was so good."

On the women's side, Dado, 27, had never won a major marathon. She trailed Kenya's Mary Keitany by nearly 2½ minutes at Mile 15. But she and fellow Ethiopian Buzunesh Deba made up 32 seconds between the 23rd and 24th mile and passed Keitany with about a mile left. Dado then edged Deba by four seconds, finishing in 2:23:15 (almost a minute better than her personal best).

The margin of victory tied the women's record set in 2004.

"She'd been running so fast from the beginning," Dado said through an interpreter. "I didn't imagine I would catch her."

Keitany, who was on a course-record pace before fading, took third, 23 seconds back.

"Maybe if I come next year, my body will react okay," she said. "I would run the same. I would not change."

Times staff
Sunday, November 6, 2011

TAMPA — The USF men's soccer team, which went through the Big East regular season without a loss, stumbled Sunday, falling 1-0 to Villanova in the quarterfinals of the league tournament.

The Wildcats (8-8-4) scored in the third minute and held off the Bulls (12-3-3), who had won the Red Division regular-season title at 7-0-2 and were ranked No. 5 in the coaches poll.

Coach George Kiefer believes the Bulls still have a shot at landing a top-eight seed, which carries a first-round bye in the NCAA tournament and the chance to host multiple home games.

"I think it could be a good wake-up call for us," Kiefer said of the loss. " … It all depends on the rest of the conference tournaments. … I do feel like our resume will stack up against anybody to be a top-eight seed."

UT repeats as SSC women's champs

Second-half goals by Lauren Moore, a former Gaither standout, and Courtney Peffley lifted Tampa to its second straight, and fifth overall, Sunshine State Conference tournament title as the Spartans beat Rollins 2-0 in the final at Saint Leo. Goalkeeper Emelie Karstrom posted her seventh shutout for the Spartans (13-5-2), who await word on the opponent and location of their NCAA Division II tournament opener Friday.

FSU women win ACC

Sixth-seeded Florida State booted fifth seed Wake Forest 3-1 in penalty kicks at Cary, N.C., to claim its first ACC tournament title in six trips to the final. The Seminoles (14-6-1) became the lowest-seeded team to win the event. Hikaru Murakami, CC Cobb and Marta Bakowska-Mathews hit penalty kicks after Tiffany McCarty scored in regulation to tie match at 1. FSU receives the ACC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament and learns its first-round opponent and venue when the field is announced at 4:30 p.m. today on NCAA.com.

UF falls in SEC final

Ana Kate's second-half goal lifted Auburn over Florida 3-2 in Orange Beach as the seventh-seeded Tigers became the lowest seed to win the SEC tournament. The Gators (16-7) await the NCAA field announcement today.

Times wires
Sunday, November 6, 2011

FORT WORTH, Texas — Another round to Tony Stewart, and quite a fight for the Cup title with two races left.

Stewart earned his second consecutive victory, and fourth in eight Chase for the Championship races, finishing just ahead of NASCAR Sprint Cup leader Carl Edwards in Sunday's so-called "Texas Title Fight" that fully lived up to its billing.

And Stewart backed up his challenge.

After winning last week at Martinsville, Stewart got out of his car in Victory Lane and said Edwards "better be worried. That's all I'm saying."

Now it looks to be a two-driver fight for the championship with two races left after they finished 1-2 in the AAA Texas 500 at the 1½-mile, high-banked track. Stewart cut his points deficit from eight to three with an average speed of 152.705 mph, the fastest Cup race at Texas.

"We're set on it, man. This is just the way it's going to be," Stewart said. "I don't think we have to say anything (else). I think our performance today speaks for itself. (Edwards) knows already, trust me."

The series returns next week to Phoenix, where the track has been reconfigured and resurfaced since Stewart was seventh and Edwards 28th in February in the second race this season. Then the finale is Nov. 20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway; Edwards won at both tracks to end last season.

Stewart led seven times Sunday for a race-high 173 of 334 laps. On a restart with 60 laps left, Edwards was the leader and on the inside of Stewart.

Coming out of Turn 2, Stewart shot by onto the backstretch and charged back to the lead.

"He timed it just right," said Edwards, who led for 14 laps.

Stewart stayed in front until both made their final stops with 31 laps left. Though they dropped out of the 1-2 positions on the track during the green-flag stops, it was more important to Stewart that he stayed ahead of Edwards.

The last lead change came with five laps left when Jeff Burton, trying to match Edwards as a three-time Cup winner at Texas, ran out of fuel while trying to stretch his last tank to the end.

Stewart and Edwards were greeted at Texas with lockers complete with boxing gloves and robes, a tale of the tape and banners declaring a "Texas Title Fight." Another banner hung near Victory Lane featuring boxing promoter Don King and track president Eddie Gossage.

Kyle Busch, forced to sit out as punishment for intentionally wrecking Ron Hornaday in Friday's trucks race, was eliminated from title contention. Michael McDowell finished 33rd in his place in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing car. Busch issued an apology Saturday night and said he understood why NASCAR parked him for the weekend.

Times wires
Sunday, November 6, 2011

SHANGHAI — Martin Kaymer was five shots behind and going nowhere Sunday, making nothing but pars when he needed much more to give himself a chance in the HSBC Champions.

From a deep bunker in front of the seventh green, he holed the sand shot for birdie.

That was the start of an amazing finish for Kaymer, who ran off nine birdies over the last 12 holes to blow past Fredrik Jacobson and a host of stars on his way to 9-under 63 and a three-shot victory at Sheshan International.

"I didn't miss a lot of golf shots," Kaymer said.

It's a wonder he didn't birdie them all. He missed a 3-foot birdie putt on the ninth and failed to birdie the par-5 14th and the 16th hole that plays about 288 yards and can be reached with a 3-wood.

No matter.

Kaymer wound up setting two World Golf Championship records that showed just how well the "Germanator" played on a cool, overcast day in Shanghai. It was the largest comeback (five shots) in the final round, and his 63 was the lowest final round by a winner since this series began in 1999.

"I just played really good golf, and I'm glad that it came together," Kaymer said. "Because the last few weeks, I played good golf but it has not happened yet. And this week, it was nice that it happened here, the World Golf Championship event."

Kaymer finished at 20-under 268 and earned $1.2 million, moving to second on the European Tour money list and to No. 4 in the world ranking.

CHAMPIONS: Jay Don Blake won the Charles Schwab Championship in San Francisco for his second win this season after a 20-year drought, and Tom Lehman took the season points title and $1 million annuity.

Blake closed with par 71 for a two-stroke victory in the tour's season finale. He finished at 8-under 276. Mark Calcavecchia (69), Loren Roberts (70), Michael Allen (71) and Jay Haas (71) tied for second.

Lehman shot 72 to tie for 18th at 2 over, enough to hold off Calcavecchia by 74 points.

LPGA: Japan's Momoko Ueda won the Mizuno Classic in Shima, Japan, for the second time in five seasons, beating China's Shanshan Feng with a 15-foot birdie putt on the third hole of a playoff. Ueda closed with 3-under 69 to match Feng at 16-under 200. Tampa resident Kristy McPherson shot 71 to finish at 2 under, and Tampa's Cindy LaCrosse shot 73 to finish 2 over.