Syracuse, N.Y. ? Syracuse appeared to be on its way to a rare and dubious distinction just one month ago – winning 10 games one season and losing 10 the next.

A three-game winning streak has changed all that.

Freshman Damien Rhodes scored on a 25-yard run and ran for the 2-point conversion in the decisive third overtime Saturday as the Orangemen pulled off a dramatic 50-42 victory over No. 8 Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech (8-2, 3-2 Big East) lost despite 504 yards passing and a school-record five touchdown passes from Bryan Randall. Randall’s yardage total was the second-best in school history, behind Don Strock’s 527-yard performance against Houston in 1972.

It was another big win for Syracuse (4-6, 2-3).

“To beat Virginia Tech at home, when everyone else had given up on you, this was like a bowl game for us,” Syracuse tight end Joe Donnelly said. “To come back in a game like this, that’s a big test of character.”

The Hokies, who lost to Pittsburgh last week, cannot win the league and lost any chance of going to a BCS bowl game.

No. 2 Miami 26, Tennessee 3

Knoxville, Tenn. – Willis McGahee ran for 154 yards and a touchdown and Todd Sievers kicked four field goals as the Hurricanes scored on its first five possessions. Miami (9-0) extended its school-record winning streak to 31. The Hurricanes’ defense shut down Tennessee (5-4) after allowing a field goal on the first series of the game.

No. 3 Ohio State 10, Purdue 6

West Lafayette, Ind. – Craig Krenzel threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Michael Jenkins on fourth and one with 1:36 to play as the Buckeyes kept their national championship hopes alive. The Buckeyes (11-0, 6-0) are off to their fourth 11-0 start in team history, joining the 1975, 1979 and 1995 teams. The Boilermakers (4-6, 2-4 Big Ten) were leading 6-3 when Krenzel dropped back and found Jenkins for an over-the-shoulder catch in the end zone. Purdue got the ball again, but Kyle Orton’s long pass into double coverage was intercepted by Chris Gamble.

Ohio State's Michael Jenkins, right, catches a 37-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Craig Krenzel over Purdue's Antwaun Rogers with 1:36 remaining. The third-ranked Buckeyes came from behind to defeat the Boilermakers, 10-6, Saturday in West Lafayette, Ind.

No. 5 Washington State 32, No. 15 Oregon 21

Pullman, Wash. – Jason Gesser threw four touchdown passes and Jermaine Green ran for a career-high 180 yards as Washington State took command of the Pac-10 race. The Cougars (9-1, 6-0 Pac-10) moved within a victory of clinching a trip the Rose Bowl.

No. 6 Iowa 62, Northwestern 10

Iowa City, Iowa – Brad Banks threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more as Iowa (10-1, 7-0 Big Ten) won its eighth straight game.

No. 7 Georgia 31, Ole Miss 17

Athens, Ga. – Terrence Edwards caught a 33-yard touchdown pass and Fred Gibson hauled in a 17-yarder as the Bulldogs (9-1, 6-1), moved within one victory of clinching a spot in the SEC championship game.

No. 9 Notre Dame 30, Navy 23

Baltimore – Carlyle Holiday set up the tying score with a 29-yard completion to Omar Jenkins, then hit a wide-open Jenkins for a 67-yard touchdown with 2:08 remaining to help the Fighting Irish avoid a second straight shocking defeat. One week after losing at home to Boston College 14-7, the Irish (9-1) kept their slim national title hopes going by beating the Midshipmen (1-8) for the 39th straight time.

No. 10 USC 49, Stanford 17

Stanford, Calif. – Carson Palmer threw for 317 yards and four touchdown passes as USC (7-2, 5-1) kept their slim Pac-10 title hopes alive. USC would need Washington State to lose twice for the Trojans to have a chance at the title.

No. 11 Alabama 28, Mississippi St. 14

Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Tyler Watts threw for 223 yards and a career-high three touchdowns to lead Alabama. Watts hooked up with Triandos Luke for two touchdowns, including a 36-yarder on fourth and 11 to give the Crimson Tide (8-2, 5-1 SEC) the final margin with 4:02 left in the third quarter.

No. 13 Michigan 41, Minnesota 24

Minneapolis – John Navarre passed for 225 yards and two touchdowns and B.J. Askew ran for 126 yards on just 11 carries to lead Michigan. The Wolverines (8-2, 5-1 Big Ten) gained 478 total yards and took control by scoring 24 straight points in a seven-minute span in the second half.

Maryland 24, No. 14 N.C. State 21

College Park, Md. – Nick Novak kicked a 26-yard field goal with 34 seconds remaining as Maryland extended its winning streak to seven. The Terrapins overcame a 14-point second-half deficit to make it three consecutive cliffhanger victories over the Wolfpack. The victory moves Maryland (8-2, 4-1) into second place in the conference, putting it on pace for a New Year’s Day bowl game. N.C. State (9-2, 4-2) has lost two straight after starting 9-0.

No. 16 LSU 33, Kentucky 30

Lexington, Ky. – Devery Henderson caught a deflected 75-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Randall as time expired to lift No. 16 LSU. The Wildcats (6-4, 2-4 SEC) appeared on their way to their first win over a ranked SEC opponent since 1999 after Taylor Begley’s 29-yard field goal with 11 seconds left put Kentucky up 30-27. Before the final play, the Wildcats doused coach Guy Morriss with a cooler of Gatorade. With 2 seconds left, Randall took the snap, avoided the rush to his right, and heaved a desperation pass down the field. As the ball sailed through the air, fireworks exploded out of the Kentucky scoreboard and Wildcat fans attacked the goal post at the east end zone. At the other end, Kentucky linebacker Morris Lane tipped the ball and Henderson caught it inside the 20, running the rest of the way for the score.

No. 17 Florida State 21, Georgia Tech 13

Atlanta – Adrian McPherson threw two touchdown passes, including a 72-yarder to Craphonso Thorpe, as Florida State closed in on another ACC title. The Seminoles (7-3, 6-0 ACC) have won 11 straight in the series and haven’t lost to Georgia Tech since joining the ACC in 1992.

No. 19 Penn St. 35, Virginia 14

State College, Pa. – Larry Johnson ran for 188 yards on 31 carries and scored a 6-yard touchdown to lead Penn State.

N. Illinois 26, No. 20 Bowling Green 17

Dekalb, Ill. – Michael Turner ran for 192 yards and Josh Haldi threw two touchdown passes as Northern Illinois handed Bowling Green (8-1, 5-1 Mid-American Conference) its first defeat of the season.

No. 22 Pitt 29, Temple 22

Pittsburgh – Claude Harriott returned a fumble 11 yards for the tie-breaking touchdown early in the fourth quarter, after Pittsburgh’s defense set up two other TDs with big plays. The Panthers (8-2, 5-0 in Big East) overcame a 16-7 deficit.

No. 23 Florida 21, Vanderbilt 17

Nashville, Tenn. – Earnest Graham ran for 125 yards and a touchdown and Rex Grossman added a TD run as Florida struggled past Vanderbilt, beating the Commodores for the 12th straight time.

Cal 55, No. 25 ASU 38

Tempe, Ariz. – Kyle Boller matched his career high with five touchdown passes, and California won despite 477 yards passing from Arizona State’s Andrew Walter.