The weekend was filled with shocks and upsets throughout NCAA college football as international stars helped knockoff top 10 ranked programs Clemson and Oklahoma State.

More than 50 athletes from countries including American Samoa, Australia, Brazil, Estonia, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden are playing college football in the United States this season. Each week the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) will highlight the top performances of international players on www.IFAF.org and www.Facebook.com/IFAF.org.

NC State scored 27 unanswered points in the second quarter en route to its first win over a top 10 team since 2005 and its first win over Clemson since 2003 as the Wolf Pack rolled over No. 7 Clemson 37-13.  The defense led the way with four turnovers and six sacks as German MARKUS KUHN started at defensive end for the Wolf Pack.

Iowa State scored on a four-yard run in the second overtime to stun second-ranked Oklahoma State 37-31 derailing the Cowboys' national title hopes.  The Cyclones overcame a 17-point deficit to beat the Cowboys who were just a win away from a showdown with rival Oklahoma for a likely spot in the BCS title game.  STEPHEN RUEMPOLHAMER from the Netherlands recorded one tackle in the upset win.

No. 1 LSU dominated Ole Miss 52-3 to improve to 11-0 in the regular season for the first time in school history.  The 1958 National Champions finished 11-0 after a Sugar Bowl victory.  Australian punter BRAD WING had one punt for 46 yards to pin the ball inside the 20-yard line.

Alabama defeated Georgia 45-21 before a sellout crowd on Senior Day with the help of Australian JESSE WILLIAMS who played for the 2010 IFAF World Team and is also a former member of the Australia Junior National team.  In the win, Williams recorded three tackles as the Crimson Tide improved to 10-1 with their only loss to undefeated No. 1 LSU.

Arizona scored with 5:18 remaining as the Wildcats defeated Arizona State 31-27 to claim the Territorial Cup victory to improve to 3-8.  American Samoan AIULUA FANENE, who was a teammate of Williams on the IFAF World Team, had a productive game collecting three tackles and forced a fumble.

Boise State bounced back from a deflating 36-35 loss to TCU a week earlier with a 52-35 victory at San Diego State.  Dutch wide receiver GERALDO BOLDEWIJN had a catch for 42 yards and defensively CEDRIC FEBIS registered four tackles and RICK TJONG-A-TJOE also played on the defensive side of the ball for the Broncos.

SEUNG HOON CHOI played offensive tackle during the Nebraska's 47-17 loss to No. 20 Michigan. Choi, a native of Seoul, South Korea, played high school football at Lincoln Christian High School where he earned honorable-mention all-state honors in Class C-1 his senior year.

KASIM EDEBALI who grew up playing American football in Germany, registered three tackles for Boston College who just fell short to No. 24 Notre Dame 16-14.  Edebali started his career in his native Germany with the Hamburg Young Huskies and then played at Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire as a member of the USA Football International Student Program.

Florida State dropped their home finale to Virginia 14-13 in a wild-finish heartbreaker.  German native and IFAF World Team alum BJOERN WERNER recorded four tackles and broke up a pass.

Hawaii fell victim to yet another heartbreaker falling to Fresno State 24-21 in the Warriors' final Western Athletic Conference contest before joining the Mountain West Conference next year.  Australian ALEX DUNNACHIE punted for 222 yards including a 52-yard punt and SCOTT HARDING returned two kickoffs for 43 yards and one punt for six yards.

Wyoming won its seventh game of the season in impressive fashion beating New Mexico 31-10. This season the Cowboys feature three players who hail from Germany including defensive end MARK NZEOCHA and linebackers ALEX BORGS and OLIVER SCHOBER. 

In a thrilling double overtime game, Idaho came out on the losing side as Utah State prevailed 49-42.  This season the Vandals have lost by one score or less in five of their last seven games.  JEFF BEDIAKO from the Netherlands and German MARIUS BURGSMULLER played for Idaho in the loss.

SMU lost to undefeated Houston 37-7 as Estonia native MARKUS HUNT played defensive end for the Mustangs.  Next week the Mustangs will look to end their regular season on a high note as SMU hosts Rice. 

Buffalo got back to the win column with a dominating performance defeating Akron 51-10 in a Mid-American Conference contest.  The 51 points were the most Buffalo has scored in a MAC game and the most since UB hung 60 points on Central Connecticut State in 1992.  PETER FARDON, a kicker from Australia, has connected on 5-10 field goals this season and 17-20 extra points.  His longest field goal was a 40-yard kick.

STERN VILE, an offensive lineman from Amsterdam, helped Eastern Arizona College finish with an impressive 8-3 overall record this season.  He previously attended Kaj Munk College in Hoofddorp, Netherlands. GIOVANNI STUART, another player from Holland, plays offensive lineman for Kentucky State University who finished the 2011 season at 6-4.

Stony Brook scored twice during the fourth quarter to defeat Liberty 41-31.  Despite the loss, German FRANCIS BAH had an impressive outing registering five tackles including two for a loss of four yards.  PACO VARAL, also a native of Germany, plays for the Flames recording four tackles and a sack for a loss of three yards.

Field goals were all Miami could manage against a dominant USF defense, but that was all it took as Miami won 6-3.  The only USF points came from a 42-yard field goal by Brazilian MAIKON BONANI.

Four Finlanders are playing for Chabot College this season and the team reached the California Community College Athletic Association's (CCCAA) Capital City Bowl falling to American River College 41-18.  Chabot College won their Golden Gate Conference with a 9-1 record.  Quarterback JANNE LEHTINEN played in two games before he was injured and passed for one touchdown and ran for a 47-yard touchdown.  Offensive lineman SIMO KULMAVIITA and CJ BACKLUND have been starters this season and linebacker MAX EHLERT was the team's second leading defender with 47 total tackles including nine for a loss of 31 yards.  He has also recovered three fumbles this season.

Read a story about the four Finns playing at Chabot College: http://www.mercurynews.com/college-sports/ci_18888181?source=rss.

Moldavia native CEACHIR ALEXANDRU started at offensive line as a freshman for Santa Monica College who finished the regular season 8-2 to qualify for the American Bowl where they faced East Los Angeles but fell 42-28.

With a share of the Great West Conference Championship on the line, 24^th-ranked South Dakota came up just short as it suffered a heartbreaking 38-37 loss to North Dakota in both team's season finales.  Netherlands native DONNY ALVES FORTES played defensive line for South Dakota.

Eastern Kentucky defeated UT Martin 23-16 to finish the regular season 7-4. With the win, the Colonels claimed a share of the 2011 Ohio Valley Conference title, which is the 21^st overall for EKU and the second in four years.  JORDAN BERRY, a native of Australia, had four punts for 142 yards. EKU will now host James Madison in the opening round of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs.

Memphis forced six turnovers, which led to 10 points but it was not enough as the Tigers fell 23-22 to Marshall. TOM HORNSEY had seven punts for 272 yards for an average of 38.9 yards.  Sam Houston State marches into the NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs with a perfect 11-0 record thanks to a 36-14 win over Texas State as MATT FOSTER finished with 108 yards on three punts. JAY KARUTZ had seven punts for 198 yards as Eastern Michigan saw its chances for a seventh win fall just short in a 28-22 loss to Kent State. Colorado dell to UCLA 45-6 as Irish punter DARRAGH O'NEILL 264 yards on six punts.

Sacramento State's season ended with a 23-19 loss to UC Davis in the 58^th annual Pepsi Causeway Classic.  Austrian and former IFAF World team member ALEKSANDAR MILANOVICH played offensive line for the Hornets this season who finished 4-7.