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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.

NORMAN, Okla. - Who could have guessed in August this team could become Oklahoma's worst of the decade?

Other than Andre Ware, no one.

But after Saturday's 10-3 loss at Nebraska, that's where this team appears headed.

Bob Stoops' previously worst team this decade was the 2005 Sooners, who dropped a shocking home opener to TCU before being routed by UCLA and Texas.

Bob Stein wants the league to own up, and pay up, for its role.

Despite an expanding body of evidence linking brain damage to violent collisions on the football field, Bob Stein can still indulge in a little gallows humor. "The good news," he said, "is that I can't remember how many concussions I had."

Capsule previews for Week 9 around the NFL. All times Eastern.

SUNDAY:

Baltimore Ravens (4-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-2), 1 p.m.

The Bengals already surprised the Ravens once this season, beating them, 17-14, last month on a last-minute TD pass. If it happens again, it would be wise not to dismiss the Bengals as playoff contenders.

Prediction: Ravens, 30-20

No matter what happens between here and the awarding of the Lombardi Trophy in the moonlight of some distant South Florida February, nothing will match for compelling NFL video the 15 stunning seconds of New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez eating a hot dog on the sideline the week before last.

From a highlights standpoint, I'm telling you, the season is over.

The 2008 football season began with Arian Foster closing in on Tennessee's career-rushing record. But the team struggled, and so did Foster.

He finished his career with 2,964 yards -- 114 yards short of Travis Henry's school record.