• Marshall 27, then No. 6 Kansas State 20 -- at Manhattan.
• Penn State 32, Kent State 10 -- but locked in a close game in Happy Valley until the mid third quarter.
• Toledo 35, previously No. 9 Pitt 31.
• Miami (Ohio) 41, Colorado State 21.
• Northern Illinois, now ranked for the first time in school history (#20) 19, Alabama 16 @ Tuscaloosa.
• No. 4 Ohio State 24, Bowling Green 21

The tremors set off grid seismographs in corporate headquarters of such hallowed provinces as the Big 10, Big East, Southeastern Conference, Big 12 and the Mountain West, Bowl Championship Series subscribers one and all.

If anybody doubted the validity of the Mid-America Conference, this was the all-time wake-up call.

Much will be made of Marshall's upset of K-State, rightfully so, but perhaps the biggest triumph was Northern's shocker before 83,018 Bryant-Denny Stadium fans who looked like they'd stuck their fingers in a collective electric socket.

"This was great for our coaches, great for every mid-major kid who has ever been passed up by a bigger conference," M.A.C. commissioner told Melissa Isaacson of the Chicago Tribune as 97% of the Alabama crowd skulked out of the hallowed arena.

"Our motto is to shock the world, but not ourselves," split end P.J. Fleck told Isaacson.

It was more than just a shock. It put the conference on the map, perhaps permanently, and created the first advance sellout in N.I.U. history for this Saturday where the Huskies host yet another brand name, Big 12 power Iowa State.

This week has been a test for coach Joe Novak, who guided Northern to its best year in a generation last fall, an 8-4 finish that nearly propelled the Huskies to a bowl. Players, too.

"It's fun. It's great to get that kind of national recognition," Novak said to the Chicago Sun-Times' Joe Goddard. "I just hope we're up there at the end. It won't mean anything after 3 p.m. (Chicago time) Saturday when we play our next game."

What it did mean Saturday was a stunning 156-yard rushing effort, including some second half back-breakers, by the Huskies' Michael Turner, which neutralized Alabama's extremely quick, pursuing defense.

"We knew they had a great defense and weren't going to give up yards easily," Turner told Isaacson. "But we really felt we were going to win."

Particularly after blocking an extra point and field goal attempt that held then No. 21 'Bama to a 9-5 halftime margin.

In the second half, it was all about Turner, with two key drive-climaxing touchdown passes from Josh Haldi to Shatone Powers to give N.I.U. the lead 13-9, then a climaxing bomb to Dan Sheldon that spun Bear Bryant in his grave a few extra times.

When Alabama rallied to within 19-16, Turner helped the visitors chew up most of the remaining time.

Novak will forever remember the giddy Huskies sideline. He couldn't contain himself while discussing this with Isaacson and several shocked southern media types.

"I was a football fan before I was a football coach," he said. "And when you're talking Alabama, you're talking one of the best. Coming to a place like this with such great fans and a great tradition ... and a great stadium ... When I walked in I was looking for Bear leaning against the goalpost. And I think I saw him.

"This is a memory me and my kids will never forget."

Hopefully Alabama's "We're with you win-or-tie" fans will let rookie coach David Shula, whose legendary football roots are obvious, forget it.

MANHATTAN PROJECT -- Marshall is the school that gave the pros two fairly visible faces -- New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss.

It nearly sent current No. 8 Tennessee's bandwagon cascading into the Tennessee River 3 weeks ago before falling to the unbeaten Volunteers 34-24.

Against No. 16 K-State (3-1), the Thundering Herd (2-2) went in with a plan not to drown in the sea of publicity ink their hosts had received.

Backup quarterback Graham Gochneaur's Andy Warhol moment extended well beyond 15 minutes. His numbers weren't electrifying -- 16-of-24 completed for only 106 yards, but his game winning 3 yard toss to Jason Rader will be emblazoned in Herd fans' minds for the better part of the next generation. It was Marshall's first-ever win over a ranked team.

"Everybody had us 1-3 except us," Marshall coach Bob Pruett told The Associated Press. "It's maybe the biggest win since the win over Xavier (15-13 on Sept. 13, 1971) after the plane crash (which
killed most of Marshall's 1971 football team).

The Herd withstood one final Wildcats surge, where Q.B. Jeff Schwinn hit Darren Sproles for a 33-yard gain to the Marshall 3 with 25 seconds left. But K-State couldn't find the end zone on the ensuing three plays and Pruett and friends had detonated the first of the M.A.C.'s bombs.

HOLLLLY TOLEDO -- Nope, Houston Astros broadcaster Milo Hamilton wasn't the only one to utter these words Saturday. The Rockets pulled themselves within one place of The Associated Press poll with the huge upset of Pitt (2-1), which fell from No. 9 to 17th, unfortunately triggering off a wild celebration in which two people were seriously injured, one critically.

"We're saddened by the entire situation," school spokesperson Tobin Klinger told Harry Blauvelt of USA Today. "It was such a tremendous victory for the whole institution by upsetting Pitt. It hurts to have this tragedy coupled with that."

But the Rockets Nation will remember the awesome efforts of quarterback Brad Gradkowski, who went 49-of-62 passing for 461 yards and three touchdowns. He piloted a 98 yard drive after a great Pitt pooch punt to the Toledo 2. With 6:45 left, Trinity Dawson plunged in to pull the Rockets within 31-28.

The U.T. defense stiffened and with 4:36 the offense took over and Gradkowski capped it by hitting Lance Moore, who stuggled to keep the obligatory one foot in bounds for the game-winning 9-yard T.D. with just 43 seconds left.

GOODBYE COLUMBUS (ALMOST) -- And then there were the Buckeyes. No. 4, rock solid defense, seemingly the one constant which could withstand pretty much any upstart sabotage.

Right?

Well, the Bucks (4-0) were leading visiting Bowling Green's powerhouse offense, which had averaged 575 yards and 51 points a game, 24-7 midway in the fourth quarter after Lydell Ross' 3-yard run.

And then...

Falcons' quarterback Josh Harris, certainly one of the 8-10 best in the country, hit Cole Magner for a 25-yard touchdown with 3:25 left. Still, ok, you could almost expect that coming from an offense that shocked Purdue 3 weeks before in West Lafayette.

But then Bowling Green's onside kick wound up in Falcons hands and even though the Buckeyes defense stiffened, Shaun Suisham's field goal pulled B.G.S.U. within 24-17 with 1:46 left and the Buckeyes' fans looking for the elusive finish line.

Somehow, Bowling Green came up with yet another possession after judicious clock management by coach Gregg Brandon. And it came down to yet another wild end zone scene, the type of which have helped Maalox sales soar in central Ohio over the past month.

In the end, Harris looked toward Magner at the goal line, but again, it was Will Allen, who had jammed a fourth-down N.C.State plunge to help Ohio State escape with a 3-overtime 44-38 victory the previous Saturday, coming up huge.

"Once again, it came down to one play," said Allen to Rusty Miller of The Associated Press, who picked off the Harris heave to save the Buckeyes' victory. "Thank God I was in the right spot. It's beginning to be second nature to have the ball in my hands at the end of the game."

The presence of Allen, Chris Gamble, Justin Fox combining with an activist linebacking corps and one of the very best defensive lines in the nation could keep the Bucks in the championship chase again.

But they will remember yet another M.A.C. team which earned some major league respect. The Buckeyes open their Big 10 season Saturday against Northwestern (2-2).

Miami's Ben Roethlisburger had yet another obscene night at Colorado State, passing his team past the Rams. And Kent State's defense kept the Golden Flashes in contention at Penn State before coach Joe Paterno unleashed freshman sensation Austin Scott, who rushed for 100 second half yards to go with 3 touchdowns.

"He played," Paterno told A.P. "I hope he had a little fun out there playing and he did a decent job. We'll go from there."

The Lions (2-2) host No. 24 Minnesota (4-0) Saturday.

ELSEWHERE -- Wha' hoppen? Michigan's vaunted running game, which had averaged nearly 300 yards against Central Michigan, Houston and Notre Dame, got stuffed by No. 10 Oregon before over 59,000 Autzen Stadium fans in Eugene, largest football crowd in the state of Oregon's history.

Totally.

Nineteen carries. MINUS three yards.

So the title-oriented Wolverines fall to 3-1, from No. 4 to 11th and coach Lloyd Carr is left to explain a 31-27 defeat that wasn't that close...

"I thought we waited too long offensively," he said to Anne M. Peterson of A.P. "We tried to run the football, but give Oregon credit. They completely stopped our running game."

Amazing, when you consider a legitimate Heisman candidate, Chris Perry, is part of said running game.

"They have a good defense," Perry admitted. "We knew they were going to be loading up on the run because of their previous games. Still, I take it all on my shoulders."

The Wolverines gamely fought back in the fourth quarter behind John Navarre's three touchdown passes, but U-M's inability to grind out basic yardage was an unforeseen kink that cost it dearly. Michigan opens its Big 10 season with a chance to pad those ground stats big time. The opponent is Indiana (1-3). Cover your eyes.