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Quarterback's late sneak lifts Trojans

LOS ANGELES -- Carson Palmer threw for 302 yards and scored on a sneak with 1:26 left as No. 18 Southern Cal opened its season Monday night with a 24-17 victory over Auburn.

Palmer bulled into the end zone from 1 yard for the go-ahead score in the second meeting between the schools.

A fifth-year senior still trying to live up to the expectations that greeted him at USC, Palmer finished 23-for-32 with a 14-yard touchdown. He was intercepted twice, both in the first half.

Tailback Malaefou MacKenzie, who often seemed overlooked by the Tigers defense, had six catches for 117 yards and carried 11 times for 31 yards.

Auburn's Carnell Williams ran for 94 yards on 21 carries and a TD, but the Trojans held him to minus-2 yards on seven carries in the second half.

Daniel Cobb went 10-for-21 for 132 yards for the Tigers with one interception.

David Davis' 37-yard field goal midway through third quarter put the Trojans up by 3.

After an Auburn drive stalled at the USC 22, the Tigers' Damon Duval made a 39-yard field goal nine seconds into the fourth quarter to tie it at 17.

Auburn linebacker Karlos Dansby had an interception in the first half and recovered a fumble by Kareem Kelly at the Tigers 12 to turn away a USC threat in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers got some help from a Trojans mistake and some luck at the goal line to tie it at 14 just before halftime.

Auburn punted on fourth and 14 from its 15, but USC was called for having 12 men on the field, giving the Tigers first down at the 30.

Cobb marched the Tigers downfield, then tried to score on a scramble with time running out in the half, but he fumbled at the USC 1. The ball popped into the air and into the arms of Auburn tailback Ronnie Brown, who pushed it over the line for the score with 11 seconds left.

CINCINNATI 36, TCU 29 (OT): Gino Guidugli opened his sophomore season with another amazing comeback.

Guidugli threw a 35-yard touchdown with 1:36 left, made the tying two-point conversion on a sneak, then ran 14 yards for a touchdown in overtime for the host Bearcats.

Cincinnati scored two touchdowns in the final 5:17 of regulation behind Guidugli, who pulled off three fourth-quarter comebacks last season as a freshman, two in the final seconds.

Many of the 25,518 fans had left Cincinnati's on-campus stadium long before the ending.

"You can't ever count us out," said Guidugli, whose four interceptions put Cincinnati behind. "I think everybody is going to realize that they should never leave that stadium if we're within reach."

UM back on top alone

Miami reclaimed sole possession of the top spot in the Associated Press Top 25 poll two days after a lopsided win over Division I-AA Florida A&M.

Michigan made the biggest stride, moving from No. 13 to No. 7 after a last-second victory over Washington. The Huskies fell from No. 11 to No. 14. Colorado and LSU had the biggest drops, 10 spots each, the Buffaloes to No. 17 and the Tigers to No. 24.

Colorado State was one of three newcomers in the poll, joining Notre Dame and Wisconsin.

MINNESOTA: The school plans to hold a memorial service Thursday for Brandon Hall, who was killed in downtown Minneapolis Sunday, athletic director Joel Maturi said. The service likely will be open to the community. The team will memorialize Hall at its next home game, against Toledo on Sept. 14.

MISSISSIPPI: Linebacker Eddie Strong is day to day with an ankle injury and is uncertain for Saturday's game against Memphis.

MISSISSIPPI ST.: Coach Jackie Sherrill says he's satisfied with the way quarterback Kevin Fant's suspension was handled and again said he wanted to put the episode to rest. Fant was suspended by the NCAA for the Oregon game Saturday and should be back to face Division I-AA Jacksonville State.

NORTHWESTERN: Senior defensive captain Pat Durr, a middle linebacker, will be out at least six weeks with a severely injured right knee.

TENNESSEE: Starting linebacker Kevin Burnett was declared out for the season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

VA. TECH: Quarterback Grant Noel is scheduled for exploratory surgery today on his injured left knee and will not start the Hokies' next game. Bryan Randall is expected to start against No. 16 Marshall on Sept. 12.

OBITUARY: Jake Richardson, a defensive tackle for the Georgia team that beat Texas in the 1984 Cotton Bowl, died Thursday in Atlanta of kidney failure. He was 38.

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