College football notes: Injuries might force three Big Ten quarterbacks to sit out

Big Ten Conference quarterbacks took a beating last week.

No. 3 Michigan, trying to win its first conference championship since 2004, might have to get by with a backup after Wilton Speight injured his left, nonthrowing shoulder in the Wolverines’ loss to Iowa.

Tommy Armstrong Jr. of No. 18 Nebraska has a left hamstring problem and Perry Hills of Maryland has a left shoulder injury.

Auburn’s Pettway will not play

Auburn Coach Gus Malzahn said that Kamryn Pettway, the Southeastern Conference’s leading rusher, will sit out a second consecutive game because of a left leg injury.

Malzahn said he is hoping Pettway will return for the regular-season finale against top-ranked Alabama. The sophomore has 1,106 yards rushing and seven touchdowns, and is averaging 138.2 yards per game.

The Tigers, ranked No. 15, take on Alabama A&M on Saturday.

Award finalists are announced

Quarterback Baker Mayfield of No. 9 Oklahoma, quarterback Luke Falk of No. 22 Washington State and receiver Austin Carr of Northwestern are the finalists for the Burlsworth Award, which honors the top college football player who began his career as a walk-on.

Mayfield is the 2015 winner of the award named for Brandon Burlsworth, an Arkansas offensive lineman who worked his way from walk-on to All-American before being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 1999. He was killed in a car accident 11 days after the draft.

Mayfield has thrown for 3,212 yards with 33 touchdowns this season, Carr has 1,102 yards and 12 touchdowns and Falk has 3,610 yards passing and 33 touchdowns.

The winner will be announced Dec. 5.

Etc.

Cooper Rush threw two touchdown passes to Tyler Conklin, his only two receptions of the game, Sean Bunting intercepted a pass in the end zone with 34 seconds left and host Central Michigan (6-4, 3-4 Mid-American Conference) pulled out a 27-20 victory over Ohio (7-4, 5-2). Quinton Maxwell threw for 208 yards with one touchdown and one interception for Ohio. Corey Willis had eight catches for 109 yards for Central Michigan. ... Host Bowling Green defeated Kent State, 42-7, in a nonconference game.