Unlikely challenges surprise FSU&co.

Florida State found a way to win, and so did Penn State. That's the way it works with really good football teams.

Notre Dame found a wacky way to lose for the second straight week, leaving the Irish all but out of the national title race with nary an autumn leaf on the ground.

Heroic efforts by Seminoles wide receiver Peter Warrick and Nittany Lions linebacker LaVar Arrington saved two of the nation's top teams, while a communications breakdown in the final seconds left the Irish in the shadow of the Purdue goal line with a 28-23 loss to the Boilermakers.

Warrick ran for one touchdown, caught a pass for another and finished with 167 yards as No. 1 Florida State (2-0) held off No. 12 Georgia Tech 41-35 on Saturday night.

Joe Hamilton was exceptional in defeat for Georgia Tech (1-1). After being knocked out of the last two games against Florida State, Hamilton was 22 of 25 for 387 yards and four TDs. He completed his final 14 passes.

Arrington nearly cost his team the game, but the All-American blocked a field goal attempt in the final seconds and Penn State (3-0) escaped with a 20-17 win over rival Pittsburgh (1-1). The Nittany Lions fell to No. 3 in this week's AP poll.

In the first quarter, Arrington lost his cool and was hit with two penalties after wrestling with Pitt's punter and another player who came to aid his teammate. Later, Arrington intercepted one pass, and after two other passes slipped through his hands late in the game, he rose up and swatted away Nick Lotz's 52-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds.

At West Lafayette, Ind., the Irish (1-2) trailed by five points with time running out, but Jarious Jackson moved his team to the 1. On third-and goal, Jackson took the snap and moved left. A full-house backfield of Joey Goodspeed, Tony Driver and Tony Fisher made running room sparse, Jackson was forced back and then tackled for a 9-yard loss. Time expired before the Irish could run another play.

The Irish fell to No. 24 from No. 16 in this week's poll, while the Boilermakers rose to No. 14 from No. 20.