Associated Press

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Jarrett Brown threw a 22-yard touchdown pass in the third overtime and West Virginia knocked down Mike Teel’s 2-point conversion pass to preserve a 41-39 win over Rutgers on Saturday night, denying the Scarlet Knights their first BCS berth and allowing Louisville to gain the automatic bid.

Brown ran for one touchdown and threw for another in his first career start to help No. 15 West Virginia (10-2, 5-2 Big East) cap its second straight 10-win season. Brown started for Pat White, who missed the game with a sore ankle.

Starting with the third overtime, teams are required to go for 2-point conversions following touchdowns. Brown hit Brandon Myles across the middle for the go-ahead score against No. 13 Rutgers (10-2, 5-2), then found Dorrell Jalloh with a 2-point pass for a 41-33 lead.

Rutgers’ Ray Rice then scored from 2 yards out. On the 2-point try, Teel scrambled to his right and threw toward Rice but Vaughn Rivers broke up the pass and several thousand fans in the sellout crowd ran onto the field in celebration.

No. 6 Louisville 48, Connecticut 17

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville didn’t waste its last chance to impress the powers that be in the Bowl Championship Series.

Brian Brohm threw for 341 yards and four touchdowns as the sixth-ranked Cardinals (11-1, 6-1) clinched at least a share of the Big East championship.

Harry Douglas caught five passes for 149 yards and two scores and Anthony Allen added two touchdowns on the ground as Louisville took control early and made quick work of the Huskies (4-8, 1-6).

Louisville’s school-record 11th regular season win ended up being enough to secure the Cardinals a spot in the lucrative BCS after West Virginia defeated Rutgers later Saturday.

No. 21 California 26, Stanford 17

BERKELEY, Calif. — Nate Longshore passed for 217 yards and No. 21 California survived a bitter wind and stubborn Stanford for a 26-17 victory in the 109th Big Game on Saturday.

Justin Forsett had 67 of his 75 yards rushing in the fourth quarter as the Golden Bears (9-3, 7-2 Pac-10) barely did enough to beat the Cardinal (1-11, 1-8) for the fifth straight year in a lackluster performance by both of the Bay Area archrivals.

Houston 34, Southern Miss 20

(Late Friday)

HOUSTON — Kevin Kolb threw two touchdown passes to Biren Ealy and ran for another score to lead Houston to a 34-20 win over Southern Mississippi in the Conference USA championship Friday night.

Kolb completed 19 of 31 passes for 258 yards and became the conference’s career passing leader, leapfrogging Louisville quarterback Chris Redman. Kolb, making his 49th career start, has 12,578 passing yards.

Tuskegee 17, Johnson C. Smith 7

CHARLOTTE — Kevin Huff threw two touchdown passes and Tuskegee limited Johnson C. Smith to 88 yards of total offense in Pioneer Bowl IX.