KNOXVILLE — Big scoring plays. Rock-solid defense. The Derek Dooley Era opened without a misfire Saturday night at Neyland Stadium.

It hasn't been a great week for a few wonders of yesteryear. This week, we saw the outright releases of Antonio Bryant and Derrick Ward plus there’s the pending release or trade of T.J. Houshmandzadeh from Seattle. Three guys who have recently been some legitimate fantasy players.

One thing you can say about Big Sky football in early-season nonconference play: Games are usually lopsided, one way or another. Some teams play bigger, NCAA Division I opponents, and typically pay the price for taking a payday. Take Portland State, which lost 54-9 at Arizona State in week 1, or ...

Given a few extra moments to think about it, Bob Stoops made a pivotal decision about how best to stave off a surprising charge from Utah State. Needing less than a yard to move the chains, he put the ball in DeMarco Murray's hands and went for it on a fourth down in his own territory.

It might be nothing more than a coincidence but 85 seems to be a popular number at the 88th Ellensburg Rodeo. But 84 points isn’t too bad either.