SPOTLIGHT / SATURDAY’S GAMES AT A GLANCE : STREAKS

The North Carolina State defense forced six turnovers and did not give up a touchdown for the fourth consecutive regular-season game in a 30-3 victory over Wake Forest. The field goal represents the only points scored against the Wolfpack (3-0) this season.

Northwestern’s streak of losses on the road reached 14 with a 22-18 loss to Rutgers. The Wildcats are 0-18-1 in the past 19 road games, their last victory away from home a 27-24 victory over Wisconsin in 1987.

Nebraska’s 36-21 loss to No. 4 Washington was its sixth consecutive loss to a ranked team.

NOTEWORTHY

Syracuse held Florida to minus 17 yards rushing as the No. 18 Orangemen defeated the No. 5 Gators. It was Syracuse’s first victory over a top-10 team since it beat No. 1 Nebraska in 1984.

Kirk Herbstreit, a junior quarterback, made the most of his first start with Ohio State. He completed eight of 13 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 41 yards in six carries in a 33-19 victory over Washington State. The Buckeyes sacked Drew Bledsoe nine times.

Clemson, 2-0 and ranked No. 8, has given up only 188 yards in its two victories, including 104 in Saturday’s 37-7 victory over Temple.

Kansas routed New Mexico State, 54-14, for the Jayhawks’ highest point total since 1983, when they beat Wichita State, 57-6.

Michigan State, upset by Central Michigan a week ago, was outmatched by Notre Dame, 49-10. The Spartans failed to convert on any of their 10 third-down situations.

Tulsa’s Chris Hughley, who rushed for 231 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-34 victory over Texas A&M;, was the first back to rush for more than 200 yards against the Aggies since SMU’s Eric Dickerson in 1982.

MILESTONES

Brigham Young’s Ty Detmer moved past Doug Flutie to become the career leader in total offense. His 11,409 yards (rushing and passing) eclipsed the 11,317 Flutie accumulated at Boston College from 1981-84. But there was little solace in Detmer’s numbers. In a 33-7 loss to Penn State, he completed only eight of 26 passes for 158 yards and was sacked six times as BYU (0-3) lost for the third time in a row for the first time since 1975.

Washington State’s Jason Hanson kicked a 52-yard field goal in a 33-19 loss to Ohio State, giving him the NCAA record for career field goals of 50 or more yards, with 17. He had shared the mark with Tony Franklin of Texas A&M; (1975-78).

Kentucky’s Doug Pelfry kicked a school-record 53-yard field goal in the 13-10 loss to Indiana.

Texas A&M;’s Kevin Smith got his 19th interception in the 35-34 upset loss to Tulsa, breaking the Southwest Conference record.

TOUGH ACTS TO FOLLOW

Freshmen Marshall Faulk of San Diego State and Greg Hill of Texas A&M; were quite a bit shy of their performances of last Saturday. On Sept. 14, Faulk set an NCAA record with 386 yards rushing in a 55-34 victory over Pacific; Hill set an NCAA mark for players in their first game with 212 yards rushing in a 45-7 victory over LSU. Saturday, Faulk rushed for 114 yards, but only 22 in the second half, as the Aztecs lost, 21-20, to Air Force; Hill gained 125 yards, but did little damage after a 21-yard scoring run in the first quarter, in a 35-34 loss toTulsa.

BIG PLAYS

Tennessee quarterback Andy Kelly, under heavy pressure from blitzing Mississippi State defenders, lofted a 10-yard touchdown pass to Mark Adams with 1:50 remaining to give the No. 6 Volunteers a 26-24 victory over the No. 23 Bulldogs. The play completed an 88-yard drive.

A 63-yard scoring pass play from T.J. Rubley to Chris Penn with 2:47 left gave Tulsa the lead, and Chris Hughley’s four-yard run to give Tulsa a first down with a minute left ensured the 35-34 victory over No. 15 Texas A&M.;

Chris Boniol’s 54-yard field goal with 37 seconds left gave Louisiana Tech a 17-14 victory over Eastern Michigan.

Chuck Selinger’s 26-yard field goal with three seconds left gave Central Michigan a 31-29 victory over Akron. Central Michigan, which defeated Michigan State, 20-3, Sept 14, scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to improve to 3-0-1.

Syracuse’s Kirby DarDar ran the opening kickoff 95 yards in a 38-21 victory over Florida.

THE CENTURY CLUB

The Ivy League season began Saturday, which means Columbia must have lost. The Lions fell to Harvard, 21-16, when they turned the ball over on downs on the Harvard eight with three minutes left. It was Columbia’s 100th defeat since Michael Sovern became university president in 1979. The Lions have won eight games in that span.

RUNNING IT UP, ARE WE?

Responding to criticism that Houston had showed little sportsmanship in piling on points during its 73-3 season-opening victory over Louisiana Tech, Cougar quarterback David Klingler said: “Maybe once we ought to run it up, just so people know what running it up is.” People are getting the idea. Since then, Houston has lost to Miami, 40-10, in a game that wasn’t as close as the score, and to Illinois, 51-10, in a game in which the Illini kicked a field goal with a 48-10 lead.

TOO HOT TO HANDLE

After USC’s listless loss to Memphis State and the emotional victory over Penn State, Coach Larry Smith said: “We showed that we can handle some adversity. But one game doesn’t make a season. Now we have to show that we can handle success.” Apparently they can’t. The Trojans lost to Arizona State, 32-25.

Some questionable strategy figured at the end of game. With the Sun Devils facing a fourth down around midfield, USC elected to let the clock run down rather than call its last timeout. They lost about 25 seconds in the process. Instead of getting the ball with more than a minute to go, the Trojans got it with only 34 seconds left at the 12-yard line. USC failed to advance the ball before a desperation pass was intercepted to end the game.

IN QUOTES

Tennessee Coach Johnny Majors, on a touchdown pass that gave the Volunteers a 10-3 lead with two seconds left in the half: “On that fourth-down pass, we thought it was third and one. We were going to throw it in the end zone on third down and try for a field goal on fourth down. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise . “ Tennessee beat Mississippi State, Temple is 0-3 after losing to Clemson, 37-7, the third consecutive ranked opponent the Owls have played. Said defensive tackle Swift Burch: “I feel sorry for Howard (the team’s next opponent). They’re going to get all the frustration we’ve got. . . . We’re going to kill everybody else. We’re mad now.”

Tulsa quarterback T.J. Rubley, after a come-from-behind 35-34 victory over No. 15 Texas A&M;: “Our guys didn’t quit. It wasn’t a Mt. Everest game for us, regardless of what anyone says. We really thought we could win it.”

Syracuse defensive tackle George Rooks, after the No. 18 Orangemen’s 38-21 victory over No. 5 Florida: “I was about crying out there, the whole game, I was playing so hard . We played our butts off.”

Air Force Coach Fisher DeBerry, after the Falcons defeated San Diego State, 21-20, for their third consecutive come-from-behind victory: “I don’t know how long my heart can take these kind of games . ‘ ‘