FORT WORTH, Texas — Collin Klein and third-ranked Kansas State bolstered their chances in the national-championship chase by doing what Alabama failed to do.

The Wildcats beat one of the newcomers in their conference.

Klein, the Heisman Trophy hopeful starting a week after an apparent head injury, ran for two touchdowns for No. 2 Kansas State in a 23-10 victory Saturday night at Texas Christian, which is in its first season in the Big 12.

Only a few minutes after Kansas State's game started, and a rare Klein turnover, SEC newcomer and former Big 12 team Texas A&M finished off its 29-24 victory at Alabama, the No. 1 team in the BCS standings and AP poll.

That set up the Wildcats (10-0, 7-0 Big 12) to likely take over the top spot when the new BCS rankings come out Sunday night.

Kansas State, 10-0 for only the second time under coach Bill Snyder, was already No. 2 in the BCS standings, one spot ahead of Oregon.

Other games

No. 4 Notre Dame 21,

at Boston College 6

Everett Golson ran for a touchdown and threw for two more to help Notre Dame beat Boston College and keep its national-championship hopes intact.

The Fighting Irish (10-0) remained unbeaten and in the hunt for a spot in the BCS title game.

Golson completed 16 of 24 passes for 200 yards, connecting with Troy Niklas for a 7-yard touchdown at the end of the first half and with John Goodman from 18 yards out early in the second. Manti Te'o grabbed his sixth interception of the season — a school record for a linebacker — to end BC's last real chance at a comeback with just under six minutes left.

No. 5 Georgia 38, at Auburn 0

Aaron Murray passed for 208 yards and three touchdowns, freshman tailbacks Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall each ran for more than 100 yards and as the Bulldogs overwhelmed the Tigers, sending Georgia back to the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Georgia (9-1, 7-1 SEC) was methodical in its dominating victory. It scored the first shutout for either team in the series since the Bulldogs' 28-0 triumph in 1976.

At No. 7 Florida 27,

Louisiana-Lafayette 20

Jelani Jenkins returned a blocked punt 36 yards for a touchdown with two seconds remaining and Florida rallied in the closing minutes to avoid a huge upset. Florida (9-1) did little on offense most of the day and looked to be in serious trouble when quarterback Jeff Driskel left the game with an ankle injury.

The Ragin' Cajuns (5-4) led 20-13 after Alonzo Harris' 2-yard run and a blocked punt for a touchdown. But Jacoby Brissett rallied the Gators. Brissett found Jordan Reed down the middle for a 39-yard gain and then hit Quinton Dunbar for 3-yard score with 1:42 remaining.

At No. 9 Louisiana State 37,

No. 23 Mississippi State 17

Zach Mettenberger passed for 273 yards and two touchdowns, and LSU kept alive faint hope of a Southeastern Conference title with a victory over Mississippi State.

One week after passing for a career-high 298 yards in a narrow loss to No. 1 Alabama, Mettenberger completed 19 of 30 passes without an interception against the Bulldogs. His top target was Jarvis Landry, who had nine catches for 109 yards — both career highs — including a 19-yard touchdown to help the Tigers (8-2, 4-2 SEC) beat the Bulldogs (7-3, 3-3) for the 13th consecutive time.

At No. 10 Clemson 45, Maryland 10

Tajh Boyd threw for 261 yards and three touchdowns as the Tigers won their sixth consecutive and record 12th in a row at Death Valley.

At Syracuse 45,

No. 11 Louisville 26

Ryan Nassib threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns, Jerome Smith ran for 144 yards and Syracuse handed Louisville its first defeat of the season.

Playing in the last home game of his SU career, Nassib directed an offense that gained 524 total yards. Nassib went 15 of 23 and passed Donovan McNabb for second on the school's career yards passing list.

At No. 19 Texas 33,

Iowa State 7

David Ash passed for 364 yards and two touchdowns and Texas honored former coach Darrell Royal by whipping Iowa State.

Texas paid tribute during the game to Royal, who died Wednesday at age 88. Texas lined up in the wishbone, the formation Royal introduced to college football in 1968, on the Longhorns' first play. Instead of a run, Texas ran a trick play that resulted in a 47-yard pass.

Royal coached Texas to national championships in 1963 and 1969, a share of a third in 1970, and won 11 Southwest Conference titles.