Joe Tereshinski had just trotted off the field after a punt when he got quite a battlefield promotion. He was going from special teams to quarterback for the fourth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs.

Next weekend, unbeaten Georgia will probably turn to "Joe T" again for the biggest game of the season. Coach Mark Richt confirmed yesterday that starter D.J. Shockley's medial collateral ligament in his left knee was sprained and he isn't expected to play in Saturday's crucial game against Florida.

So, it looks like Tereshinski will get his first career start in the most glaring of spotlights, the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" against Georgia's biggest nemesis with a season's worth of goals on the line.

UCLA

Drew Olson has been on quite a roll for the Bruins, leading late comebacks three games in a row, then throwing for a school-record six touchdowns against Oregon State. He has thrown for 11 touchdowns in his past two games, and has 21 touchdowns and only three interceptions this year.

Elsewhere

The second-ranked Texas Longhorns picked up two more first-place votes in The Associated Press Top 25, gaining on No. 1 Southern California. USC is on top of the rankings for a record 27th consecutive poll. The Longhorns, coming off a 52-17 victory against unbeaten Texas Tech, closed the gap slightly.

After a Saturday with no major upsets, the top nine teams held their positions in the Top 25. Virginia Tech is No. 3, followed by Georgia, Alabama, Miami, LSU, UCLA and Notre Dame.