Brian Brohm threw for a career-high 401 yards and five touchdowns and Anthony Allen added a school-record 275 yards rushing and two scores as No.8 Louisville avoided a major upset with a 58-42 victory over Middle Tennessee Thursday night in Louisville, Ky.

Mario Urrutia, Gary Barnidge and Harry Douglas all topped 100 yards receiving as the Cardinals (2-0) extended the nation's second-longest home winning streak to 20 games.

Despite Brian Brohm being at his efficient best, the Blue Raiders (0-2) nearly matched the high-powered Cardinals in a game that featured 1,284 yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns.

Joe Craddock threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns and Phillip Tanner added 144 yards rushing and three touchdowns for the Blue Raiders.

When Louisville with an 81-yard touchdown pass, it took the Blue Raiders three plays to tie it as Craddock hit DeMarco McNair for a 78-yard score.

Things never really slowed down. Louisville scored on its first six possessions, but led only 38-35 at the break.

The Cardinals changed tactics, grinding it out with Allen for most of the second half.

Allen, whose 35 carries were the Cards' most since Michael Bush's 37 against West Virginia in 2005, had a 48-yard run that set up a short touchdown pass, then helped run out the clock after Malik Jackson's interception with seven minutes to go.

Cincinnati 34, Oregon State 3: Freshman Marcus Barnett caught a touchdown pass and recovered a blocked punt in the end zone as Cincinnati (2-0) took advantage of mistakes by visiting Oregon State (1-1).

Beavers sophomore Sean Canfield threw interceptions that set up a field goal and Ben Mauk's 5-yard touchdown pass to Barnett, putting Cincinnati up 10-3 at halftime.

In the second half, Oregon State's Sammie Stroughter tried to fair-catch a punt at his 9-yard line and fumbled. Cincinnati recovered at the 2, and Bradley Glatthaar's run put Cincinnati in control.

Redshirt freshman Jake Rogers kicked a 55-yard field goal, the second-longest in Cincinnati history. Rogers missed two extra points and a field goal in last week's 59-3 win over Southeast Missouri State, prompting coach Brian Kelly to suggest he could soon be kicking for the soccer team.

Lower division eligible for AP poll: Following Appalachian State's upset of Michigan, The Associated Press announced lower-division schools are now eligible for its 71-year-old poll.

"It's great they opened the door," coach Jerry Moore said. "Certainly we're not going to be the No.1 team in the country. We know that. We're not even going to be in the top 10. But if you have a win over a nice football team, I like that it's not out of the realm of possibility for a school like us to be one of the top 20 or 25 teams in the country."

Several voters expressed interest in putting Appalachian State on their ballots after its 34-32 upset last weekend. But the poll guidelines, which mirrored USA Today's coaches poll, limited eligibility to teams competing in the former NCAA Division I-A, now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision.

USA Today plans no change in its poll, which will continue to be limited to schools in the division formerly known as I-A.

NCAA rules against Ole Miss recruit: Defensive lineman Jerrell Powe, a learning-disabled prized recruit, was denied by the NCAA for a third time in his quest to play at Mississippi. Powe, 20, will not be able to play until 2008, and only then if he completes a year of college.

Powe initially signed with Ole Miss in 2005, but had not completed the necessary 14 core courses for eligibility. He signed with Ole Miss in 2006 after attending a prep school and taking correspondence courses, but was again denied eligibility. ... West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez signed a one-year extension in late August that will keep him at the school through 2013. The deal makes hefty retirement contributions and commitments for a $2.2 million study center and $4 million in locker room renovations. ... South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said Blake Mitchell will return as the starting quarterback against No. 11 Georgia. Mitchell, who has started 17 of Spurrier's 25 games at South Carolina, missed last week's opening win because of a one-game academic suspension.