College Football Roundup | Ball State stays perfect after getting scare

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Nate Davis threw four touchdown passes and No. 14 Ball State survived a scare from Central Michigan on Wednesday night in a 31-24 victory that gave the Cardinals a school record for wins in a season.

The victory also clinched a share of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference for Ball State (11-0, 7-0), which has never played in the league title game. The Cardinals can win the division outright with a win over Western Michigan on Nov. 25.

Davis hit Briggs Orsbon in the corner of the end zone from 11 yards out with 7:29 left to give Ball State a 31-24 lead. Central Michigan (8-3, 6-1) had a chance to tie it in the closing minutes, but Dan LeFevour was intercepted by Sean Baker at the Ball State 15 with 35 seconds left.

Stanford eyes win

over Cal, bowl

STANFORD, Calif. — Toby Gerhart has grown so accustomed to walking by The Axe every day in Stanford's football offices that he doesn't want to go back to the old days where there was only a picture of the prize that goes to the winner of the Big Game against California.

"It was kind of like an 'axe goes here thing,' " Gerhart said. "Now we've gotten used to it being there. It's so much nicer than the picture. We don't want to give that back."

If the Cardinal (5-6, 4-4 Pac-10) can beat the Golden Bears (6-4, 4-3) in their annual rivalry game for a second consecutive year there will be perhaps an even bigger prize waiting for Stanford.

With a victory in the season finale, the Cardinal will qualify for a bowl game for the first time since 2001 — a momentous step for a program that won just a single game two years ago before coach Jim Harbaugh arrived.

"It's bigger than one game. It's bigger than just Cal," running back Anthony Kimble said. "This is big for our program. This is for what we were hoping to do since we've been here. This game means more to us than any year before."

Notes

• Despite some struggles down the stretch, Notre Dame is still drawing interest from the Cotton, Gator and Sun bowls heading into its final two games.

"The great thing about the system the way it is now is you can really afford to wait until the whole season is over before making a decision," Cotton Bowl president Rick Baker said.

Although neither the Cotton Bowl nor the Gator Bowl has ever awarded a berth to a five-loss team, the presidents of both bowls said a loss to USC wouldn't necessarily eliminate the Irish from consideration.

• Michigan tackle Stephen Schilling, a product of Bellevue High, is questionable for Saturday's game against No. 10 Ohio State because of a sprained knee.