Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said Thursday it is doubtful that starting tailback Chris (Beanie) Wells will play Saturday night against No. 1 Southern California.
Tressel said there was lingering soreness for Wells in his right foot after he worked out on Wednesday night. Wells did not practice with the team Thursday morning just before it departed for Los Angeles.
"We were hoping he'd wake up this morning and feel even better than yesterday," Tressel said. "But it didn't happen. We'll see from here."
USC coach Pete Carroll said he's expecting Wells to play. "Doubtful doesn't mean he's not playing," Carroll said. "We're still going to prepare like everybody's playing."
Thursday's games North Carolina 44, Rutgers 12: T.J. Yates threw three touchdown passes and the Tar Heels won for the first time outside North Carolina since 2002, beating error-prone Rutgers.
Minn. Duluth 43, SW Minn. State 21: Ted Schlafke passed for four touchdowns as the Bulldogs (3-0, 2-0 NSIC) defeated the Mustangs (1-2, 0-2) in Duluth.
Etc. • The Washington State-Baylor game in Waco, Texas, has been moved up from Saturday to 7:30 p.m. today to avoid complications with Hurricane Ike on the Texas coast this weekend.
