Several players who might have been picked in the upper rounds of the NFL draft decided to stay for their senior year and another shot at a national title. By David Wharton (Los Angeles Times) -- COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Not that Malcolm Jenkins is given to second-guessing -- cornerbacks aren't supposed to dwell on the past -- but there are moments. Like when the Ohio State senior walks into a restaurant, checks the prices and wonders about his decision to stick around rather than ... Read More

By Tom Hoffarth (DailyNews.com) -- Check out the new promo for ESPN's "College GameDay," in which studio analyst Kirk Herbstreit, sitting in the talent bus going over his prep work, hears his cell phone go off, looks at the caller ID, and ignores it. Chris Fowler asks him whom he's ducking. Herbstreit admits it's USC coach Pete Carroll - who, as the camera pulls back, is in the bus doorway, looking straight at Herbstreit, somewhat perturbed. "Hey, dude, you can't take my calls?" Carroll asks. Herbstreit ... Read More

By: AP via Internaltional Herald Tribune -- NEW YORK: If the worst that can be said of a college football program is that it played poorly in the last two national championship games, then that program has few problems. If 11 victories, a top-five ranking and yet another triumphant BCS appearance is considered a down year, life is good for that program. This is where Southern California and Ohio State currently reside, at the very top of the college football food chain. When the ... Read More

By Scott Haynes (SportsNetwork.com) -- GAME NOTES: The potential game of the year takes place in week three, as the fifth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes make the trip out west to battle the top- ranked USC Trojans this weekend at the Coliseum. Both gridiron powers have their sights set on a national title and the winner of this game will certainly have the upper hand in making it to the BCS Title game. Jim Tressel's Buckeyes have played in the last two championship games ... Read More

By Gary Klein (Los Angeles Times) -- USC Coach Pete Carroll was not surprised. Carroll maintained for more than a week that Ohio State running back Chris "Beanie" Wells would recover from a foot injury in time to play against the top-ranked Trojans. So, Tuesday's announcement by Buckeyes Coach Jim Tressel that Wells would play barely registered. "He's dealt with injuries real well through his career and basically fought through it," Carroll said after Tuesday's practice. "We just kind of assumed he would do ... Read More

By: Seattle Post-Intelligencer -- Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - The potential game of the year takes place in week three, as the fifth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes make the trip out west to battle the top-ranked USC Trojans this weekend at the Coliseum. Both gridiron powers have their sights set on a national title and the winner of this game will certainly have the upper hand in making it to the BCS Title game. Jim Tressel's Buckeyes have played in the last two championship ... Read More

By David Wharton (Los Angeles Times) -- Todd Boeckman still holding his own against the challenge of freshman Terrelle Pryor. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It might not seem fair, all this commotion over the new quarterback at Ohio State. From the moment Terrelle Pryor arrived on campus as the top high school recruit in the nation, fans and the media have clamored for details. They want to know about the big kid with the strong arm and tailback moves. When will he break into the lineup? ... Read More

By: The AP via The Internaltion Herald Tribune -- COLUMBUS, Ohio: An hour or two before kickoff on Saturday, James Laurinaitis will put on his headphones. Other Ohio State players will prepare for battle with No. 1 Southern California with heavy metal and screaming vocals, or maybe bluesy bass and a mellow backbeat. But the Buckeyes' co-captain, the top college linebacker in America according to most experts, goes with something understated, a bit of pop to prepare him for all the collisions and ... Read More

By JOHN NADEL (AP via Washington Post) -- LOS ANGELES -- Rey Maualuga was all over the Rose Bowl field on New Year's Day, sacking quarterback Juice Williams three times, making an interception and forcing a fumble to win the outstanding defensive player award in USC's resounding 49-17 victory over Illinois. He did all that carrying 273 pounds on his 6-foot-2 frame. And he's a linebacker. "We must have fed him too much during bowl preparation," Southern California coach Pete Carroll said with a smile this ... Read More