IOWA CITY, Iowa — Penn State can't blame the BCS for this.

The Nittany Lions perfect season and hopes for giving coach Joe Paterno another national title were dashed by Iowa's backup kicker.

Daniel Murray, who hadn't made a field goal since the season opener, hit a 31-yarder with a second left and the Hawkeyes rallied to stun the third-ranked Nittany Lions, 24-23, yesterday.

All that talk about an unbeaten Penn State possibly being left out of the BCS national title game turned out to be premature. A third championship for the 81-year-old Paterno, who's had four unbeaten teams not win titles, is a long shot now.

Shonn Greene rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns, and Ricky Stanzi bounced back from an interception and a fumble to lead the Hawkeyes (6-4, 3-3 Big Ten) on their game-winning drive, which came after Daryll Clark threw just his third interception of the season.

Murray had lost the regular field-goal duties to freshman Trent Mossbrucker and was relegated to kickoffs. But with the winds swirling and strong, coach Kirk Ferentz opted for experience and Murray's strong leg.

He drilled it down the middle, sending Iowa's freezing fans spilling onto the field.

"I've always dreamed about it," said Murray, who grew up in Iowa City. "I kept hoping and hoping I'd get my chance."

The Nittany Lions (9-1, 5-1) were third behind Alabama and Texas Tech in the last Bowl Championship Series standings. They'll drop today. The Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl berth are the Nittany Lions' main goals now.

"We need to keep our heads up. We can still have a heck of a year," said Paterno, who again coached from the press box and got around with a cane because of a sore leg and hip.

Iowa was down 23-14 heading into the fourth quarter. But Greene scored his second TD, from 6 yards out, to make it 23-21 with 9:20 left.

On the next possession, Penn State looked as if it got a break, when Iowa was called for a roughing the punter penalty. The Nittany Lions kept the ball and continued its time-consuming march.

But Clark made an errant throw down the middle that was picked off by Tyler Sash, who returned to Iowa's 29 with 3:46 left. Iowa then caught another break when Penn State was flagged for pass interference on third down, getting the Hawkeyes near midfield with a first down.

Stanzi, who was 15 of 25 passing for 171 yards, hit Derrell Johnson-Koulianos at the Penn State 15 with 18 seconds left to set up Murray's kick.

NO. 2 TEXAS TECH 56, NO. 8 OKLAHOMA ST. 20

LUBBOCK, Texas — Proving the No. 2 ranking and win over Texas was no fluke, Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree picked up where they left off, scoring touchdown after touchdown and turning the Red Raiders' (10-0, 6-0 Big 12) showdown with the Cowboys (8-2, 4-2) into a rout.

After losing a fumble on the game-opening drive, Harrell led the Red Raiders to touchdowns on their next seven drives, capping three of them with TD passes to Crabtree.

NO. 4 FLORIDA 42, VANDERBILT 14

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tim Tebow threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more, and the Gators (8-1, 6-1) routed the Commodores (5-4, 3-3) in clinching the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division title for the second time in three years.

The Gators scored on each of their first four possessions, Ahmad Black intercepted a pass and Carlos Dunlap got his hand on two punts in building a 28-0 lead.

NO. 5 TEXAS 45, BAYLOR 21

AUSTIN, Texas — Colt McCoy passed for 300 yards and five touchdowns, and Ryan Palmer returned an interception 22 yards for a touchdown to break a 14-all tie as the Longhorns (9-1, 5-1 Big 12) beat the Bears (3-7, 1-5) for a much-needed victory a week after their last-second loss at Texas Tech.

Texas scored on its first two drives before Baylor tied it by scoring twice in 4 minutes. The Longhorns went ahead to stay when Palmer picked off a deflected pass and returned it for a TD to make it 21-14 with 6:06 left in the half.

NO. 6 OKLAHOMA 66, TEXAS A&M 28

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Sam Bradford threw touchdown passes to four different receivers, Chris Brown ran for three scores and the Sooners (9-1, 5-1 Big 12) started fast again and routed the Aggies (4-6, 2-4).

DeMarco Murray, Matt Clapp, Ryan Broyles and Juaquin Iglesias had TD catches and Bradford had a touchdown run for the Sooners, who have scored 231 points in four games since a 45-35 loss to Texas.

NO. 7 USC 17, NO. 21 CALIFORNIA 3

LOS ANGELES — Mark Sanchez threw two touchdown passes, and the host Trojans (8-1, 6-1 Pac-10) battered the Golden Bears (6-3, 5-1) on defense to keep their national championship hopes alive.

The win was the sixth straight for the Trojans, who have outscored the opposition 231-23 since losing 27-21 as 25-point favorites at Oregon State. The Trojans came in averaging 40.25 points and the Bears were averaging 36.4.

NO. 12 OHIO STATE 45, NORTHWESTERN 10

EVANSTON, Ill. — Terrelle Pryor threw for 197 yards and three touchdowns and Chris "Beanie" Wells ran for 140 yards and two more scores, powering the Buckeyes (8-2, 5-1) over the Wildcats (7-3, 3-3) to remain in contention for their fourth straight Big Ten title.

NO. 13 MISSOURI 41, KANSAS STATE 24

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Jeremy Maclin scored three touchdowns and totaled 278 all-purpose yards, helping the Tigers (8-2, 4-2 Big 12) shake off a slow start in their home finale and roll past the Wildcats (4-6, 1-5) to grab first place in the Big 12 North.

NO. 14 GEORGIA 42, KENTUCKY 38

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Matthew Stafford threw for 376 yards, including an 11-yard scoring pass to A.J. Green with 1:54 remaining, Knowshon Moreno ran for 123 yards and three scores, and DeMarcus Dobbs intercepted a pass at the Georgia 13 with 46 seconds remaining to lift the Bulldogs (8-2, 5-2 SEC) over the Wildcats (6-4, 2-4).

NO. 17 BYU 41, SAN DIEGO STATE 12

PROVO, Utah — Max Hall threw three touchdown passes and Austin Collie had his eighth straight 100-yard receiving game as the Cougars (9-1, 5-1) set a school record with their 18th straight home win, a rout of the Aztecs (1-9, 0-6) to stay alive in their quest for a third straight Mountain West Conference title.

NO. 18 MICHIGAN STATE 21, PURDUE 7

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Javon Ringer scored two touchdowns and the Spartans (9-2, 6-1 Big Ten) beat the Boilermakers (3-7, 1-5) before taking next week in preparation for a Nov. 22 showdown at No. 3 Penn State, with at least a share of the conference title on the line.

NO. 19 N. CAROLINA 28, NO. 22 GEORGIA TECH 7

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Cameron Sexton threw two touchdown passes and Ryan Houston ran for a pair of fourth-quarter scores to help the Tar Heels (7-2, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) upset the Yellow Jackets (7-3, 4-3) and ensured their first winning season in seven years.

NO. 24 FLORIDA STATE 41, CLEMSON 27

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Christian Ponder threw for a touchdown and ran for another and Antone Smith ran for two scores as the Seminoles (7-2, 4-2) celebrated coach Bobby Bowden's 79th birthday by rallying to beat the Tigers (4-5, 2-4), who had won the past three games in the series under Bowden's son, Tommy Bowden, who was fired last month after a 3-3 start.

NO. 25 PITTSBURGH 41, LOUISVILLE 7

PITTSBURGH — Wide receiver Aundre Wright ran 7 yards for his first college touchdown after having a long scoring run called back by a holding penalty and the Panthers (7-2, 3-1 Big East) turned four turnovers into scores to rout the Cardinals (5-4, 1-3) and assured themselves of their first bowl bid and winning season in coach Dave Wannstedt's four seasons.