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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Three University of Tennessee freshman football players face attempted armed robbery charges.

Janzen Jackson, Mike Edwards and Nu'Keese Richardson, all 18, were charged Thursday morning after an armed robbery attempt at a Pilot station on Cumberland Avenue, according to the Knoxville Police Department.

Capsule previews for Thursday and Friday's top college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.

THURSDAY:

No. 23 SOUTH FLORIDA (6-2) at RUTGERS (6-2), 7:30, ESPN.

FAVORITE: The game is even.

COACHES: Jim Leavitt (93-24 in 13th year at South Florida) and Greg Schiano (52-53 in 9th year at Rutgers).

It may be mid-November, but there is a long way to go in the race for the 75th Heisman Trophy.

Alabama running back Mark Ingram jumped back on top of this week's Scripps Howard News Service Heisman poll just holding off Houston quarterback Case Keenum by a single point. Last week's leader, 2007 Heisman winner Tim Tebow of Florida, fell to third.

While many fans will forever detest the Bowl Championship Series cartel, at least college football is starting to consistently deliver one exciting race for a premier award.

Yes, we're talking about the Heisman Trophy. And for the second straight year in mid-November, the race for arguably the most sought-after award in sports is up for grabs.

DENVER - Let me see if I have the scenario right ...

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - In five years as a Florida linebacker, Ryan Stamper has steadfastly worked his way from afterthought to starter on the Gators' No. 1, undefeated team, yet up until two weeks ago, he never had a single interception. Now with three regular-season games remaining in his final season, Stamper has had an interception in back-to-back games.

Sure, at the moment, the NFC North standings state far more about how well things are going for the Minnesota Vikings than coach Brad Childress and his players will say. While Childress and Co. continue take a (yawn) one-game-at-a-time approach following their bye week, the standings told a story of a team getting close to running away with its division.

FOXBORO, Mass. - Miami Dolphins rookie cornerback Vontae Davis already had one interception and had his eye on another as he ran down the right sideline alongside New England Patriots' receiver Randy Moss.

It was everything expected of a battle of two top-10 Southeastern Conference football powers with a combined record of 15-1 entering Saturday's game.

A superb field position stalemate. Two defenses that wouldn't back down. Spine adjusting hits on almost every play, especially in the second half when trainers got winded from helping so many injured players off the field.

When New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi put his starting pitchers on a World Series rotation that called for three days' rest, the decision was considered fairly bold. Over the last two decades, baseball has revolutionized the way it protects pitchers' arms, and four days' rest is considered the gold standard.