CFB roundup: Ohio State and Alabama roll, TCU and Oklahoma State avoid upsets

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Ezekiel Elliott ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns and No. 3 Ohio State pounded out a 28-3 victory over Illinois on Saturday.

The Buckeyes (10-0, 6-0 Big Ten) started slowly and led 7-3 for much of the first half before Elliott picked up the pace. Elliott accounted for 50 of the Buckeyes’ 75 yards on a third quarter drive that opened a 21-3 lead over the Illini (5-5, 2-4).

Quarterback J.T. Barrett, starting again after being suspended for last week’s game, threw for 150 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also ran for 74 yards.

Ohio State held the Illini to 20 yards rushing. Illini quarterback Wes Lunt was 23 of 47 for 241 yards.

No. 1 Clemson 37, Syracuse 27

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- DeShaun Watson had a big day for the top-ranked Tigers with two touchdowns passing and 101 yards rushing and a score in a win over the Orange.

The win gave the Tigers (10-0, 7-0 ACC) at least 10 wins for the fifth straight season and their s first 10-0 start since they won their only national championship in 1981.

With 13 straight wins, the Tigers have their longest winning streak in 34 years.

Syracuse (3-7, 1-5 ACC) put up a good fight for embattled coach Scott Shafer, but lost for the seventh time in a row. The Orange are 1-10 in games against the No. 1 team.

Watson was 34 of 47 for 360 yards with one interception. Greg Huegel had three field goals for the Tigers.

No. 2 Alabama 31, No. 17 Mississippi State 6

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Derrick Henry ran for 204 yards and two touchdowns and the Crimson Tide used a season-high nine sacks on defense to beat the Bulldogs.

Alabama (9-1, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) easily survived its last major test before the Iron Bowl in two weeks. The Tide shook off a slow start thanks to three long touchdowns in the second quarter, starting with a 69-yard punt return by Cyrus Jones.

Calvin Ridley scored on a 60-yard touchdown catch from Jake Coker and Derrick Henry ran for a 74-yard touchdown as Alabama built an insurmountable 21-3 halftime lead.

Henry added a 65-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Mississippi State (7-3, 3-3) lost to the Tide for the eighth straight season. Dak Prescott threw for 300 yards but the Bulldogs never found the end zone.

No. 8 Oklahoma State 35, Iowa State 31

AMES, Iowa -- Backup quarterback J.W. Walsh threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Carr with 3:06 left Saturday, giving the unbeaten Cowboys a comeback victory over Iowa State.

Oklahoma State (10-0, 7-0 Big 12) trailed 24-7 and 31-21 before rallying for a victory that was short on style points but still critical.

Walsh drew the Cowboys to 31-28 with a 16-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter and OSU drove 84 yards in 11 plays for the winning score after forcing a punt. Starter Mason Rudolph got Oklahoma State to the Iowa State 7 and Walsh, usually the team’s running quarterback, took it from here. He hit Carr with a swing pass on the left side and two blocks sprung the freshman to the end zone.

No. 15 Oklahoma 44, No. 6 Baylor 34

WACO, Texas — Sterling Shepard had 14 catches for 177 yards with two touchdowns and Oklahoma beat Baylor on Saturday night to end the Bears’ 20-game home winning streak — and likely their playoff chances.

Baker Mayfield was 24 of 34 for 270 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a score to help Oklahoma gain control of its destiny in the Big 12. The Sooners (9-1, 6-1) have won five straight since that still hard-to-explain loss to Texas.

Baylor (8-1, 5-1), the first team left out of the initial four-team playoff last season, was sixth in the latest College Football Playoffs as an undefeated team with the toughest part of its schedule left.

The two-time defending Big 12 champion Bears will certainly drop further in the playoff rankings before playing at No. 8 Oklahoma State (10-0, 7-0) next Saturday. The Sooners will be in Stillwater the following week for their regular-season finale.

Shepard’s tiebreaking 7-yard touchdown catch with 9:52 left in the third quarter put the Sooners ahead to stay, and they became the first opposing team to win in the 11 home games Baylor has played since moving last season into its campus stadium on the banks of the Brazos River.

Less than a minute later, after Baylor went three-and-out, Samaje Perine had a 55-yard touchdown run to make it 34-20. Perine finished with 166 yards and two touchdowns.

No. 24 Houston 35, No. 21 Memphis 34

HOUSTON — Backup quarterback Kyle Postma rushed for the go-ahead score and threw for a touchdown to rally Houston from 20 points down to a win over Memphis on Saturday night.

Postma came in just before halftime when Greg Ward Jr. left with what appeared to be a left ankle injury. Postma went 21 of 33 for 236 yards and carried six times for 49 yards.

His 7-yard touchdown run with 1:27 left capped a nine-play, 77-yard drive to give Houston the lead. Jake Elliott missed a 48-yard field goal wide right with 19 seconds left to seal the win for Houston.

Kenneth Farrow had 10 carries for 46 yards and two touchdowns for Houston (10-0, 6-0 American, No. 24 CFP), which trailed 20-0 to the Tigers (8-2, 4-2, No. 21 CFP) before Postma entered.

Paxton Lynch was 20-of-31 passing for 278 yards and two touchdowns for Memphis.

Oregon 38, No. 7 Stanford 36

STANFORD, Calif. —Vernon Adams threw for 205 yards and two touchdowns and Oregon used its quick-strike offense and a late stop on a two-point conversion attempt to spoil Stanford’s playoff hopes.

In a game dominated by offenses that combined for more than 900 yards, it was a defensive stop on the two-point attempt with 10 seconds left that sealed the win for Oregon (7-3, 5-2 Pac-12) and kept the Ducks’ hopes for a conference title alive.

After Kevin Hogan lost two fumbles on snaps in the fourth quarter, Stanford (8-2, 7-1, No. 7 CFP) tied it on Hogan’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Greg Taboada with 10 seconds left.

Needing a two-point conversion to tie it, the Cardinal sent Christian McCaffrey out wide and Hogan tried to find tight end Austin Hooper over the middle. But the Ducks stopped the play and held on for the win.

Arizona 37, No. 10 Utah 30 (2 OT)

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Backup quarterback Jerrard Randall threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Nate Phillips on the first play of the second overtime — his only completion of the game — and the Wildcats stunned the Utes.

The loss knocked the Utes (8-2, 5-2 Pac-12) into a first-place tie with USC in the Pac-12 South, and the Trojans hold the tiebreaker because they beat Utah.

Anu Solomon passed for 277 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a season-high 86 yards for Arizona (6-5, 3-5) before leaving the game after a helmet-to-helmet hit with 9:25 left in regulation. No penalty was called.

Utah’s Devontae Booker carried 34 times for 143 yards.

Arkansas 31, No. 9 LSU 14

BATON ROUGE, La. — Alex Collins kept the resurgent Arkansas Razorbacks rolling at the expense of an LSU squad that has fallen hard and fast.

Collins ran for 141 yards and two touchdowns and Arkansas won its fourth straight, over ninth-ranked LSU on Saturday night.

Combined with Alabama’s victory hours earlier, Arkansas (6-4, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) eliminated LSU (7-2, 4-2) from contention in the SEC West. Only two weeks earlier, the Tigers were unbeaten and ranked second by the College Football Playoff committee. They were No. 9 in the CFP this week after losing for the first time this season at Alabama on Nov. 7.

LSU running back Leonard Fournette had 127 yards from scrimmage and scored his 17th touchdown this season, but that may have done little to help his Heisman Trophy candidacy on a day when Alabama’s Derrick Henry rushed for 204 yards and two scores.

Brandon Allen passed for 141 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown throw to Dominique Reed. Jared Cornelius added a 69-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that sent much of the Tiger Stadium crowd to the exits.

South Florida 44, No. 22 Temple 23

TAMPA, Fla. — Marlon Mack rushed for 230 yards and scored three touchdowns to help South Florida beat Temple and keep the Owls from clinching the American Athletic Conference East Division title.

Mack had scoring runs of 57 and 48 yards and caught a 20-yard scoring pass from Quinton Flowers for USF (6-4, 4-2), which scored on four straight possessions while building a 31-10 halftime lead.

Flowers threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 90 yards and one touchdown as the Bulls became bowl-eligible for the first time under third-year coach Willie Taggart.

Temple (8-2, 5-1, No. 22 CFP) trimmed its deficit to 11 points in the third quarter but couldn’t get any closer. The Owls still lead the East by one game over USF with home games remaining against No. 25 Memphis and Connecticut.

Jihad Thomas went over 1,000 yards rushing and scored his 16th touchdown of the season for Temple. P.J. Walker threw for 259 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown pass to Ventell Bryant.

No. 5 Iowa 40, Minnesota 35

IOWA CITY, Iowa — LeShun Daniels rushed for a career-high 195 yards and three touchdowns and Iowa held off Minnesota on Saturday night to start 10-0 for the first time in school history.

C.J. Beathard threw for 213 yards and ran for two touchdowns for the Hawkeyes (10-0, 6-0 Big Ten, No. 5 CFP).

Iowa can clinch the Big Ten West and a spot in the league title game with a win over Purdue next week.

Gophers running back Shannon Brooks threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Drew Wolitarsky and ran one in from 3 yards out in the final 5:32.

But Daniels scored from 51 yards out with 2:01 left, and Minnesota’s onside kick with 1:16 to go squirted out of bounds.

Mitch Leidner had 259 yards passing and a touchdown for Minnesota (4-6, 1-5), losers of four straight. The Gophers were playing for the first time since Tracy Claeys was named the permanent head coach Wednesday.

No. 15 TCU 23, Kansas 17

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Trevone Boykin left with an apparent right ankle injury and Texas Christian’s offense did just enough without its Heisman Trophy candidate to hold off the winless Jayhawks.

On his second play of the game, Boykin turned awkwardly on his right ankle as he slipped while trying to cut and was tackled by Kansas linebacker Joe Dineen Jr. The nation’s total offense leader didn’t return after getting sacked on TCU’s last offensive play of the first quarter.

The Horned Frogs (9-1, 6-1 Big 12) played mostly without Boykin and one of the country’s top receivers in Josh Doctson, who was limited by a left arm and wrist injury from last week’s loss that likely eliminated them from the national title race.

The Jayhawks (0-10, 0-7) didn’t trail at halftime for the first time this year, but couldn’t avoid their 35th straight road loss and 12th overall.

No. 14 Michigan 48, Indiana 41 (2 OT)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Mitchell Paige bobbled a fourth-down pass at the goal line that would have forced a third overtime and Michigan fended off Indiana to keep its Big Ten title hopes alive.

Jake Rudock forced overtime with a touchdown pass with 2 seconds left, and threw two more on back-to-back plays to lead Michigan. Rudock finished 33 of 46 with 440 yards and six touchdowns, and Jehu Chesson, caught 10 passes for 207 yards and four scores.

The Wolverines (8-2, 5-1) won their third straight. Indiana (4-6, 0-6) has lost six straight since winning its first four and has dropped 20 straight in what has been a lopsided series.

Jordan Howard ran 35 times for 238 yards and two TDs for the Hoosiers.

No. 4 Notre Dame 28, Wake Forest 7

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Josh Adams scored on a 98-yard run, the longest scoring play in Notre Dame history, and defensive end Andrew Trumbetti scored on a 28-yard interception as the Fighting Irish won despite struggling offensively.

Adams started and ran for 141 yards with Notre Dame’s leading rusher C.J. Prosise sidelined while recovering from a concussion. Adams, who was fourth on the Irish depth chart in the preseason, posted his second straight 100-yard game and third of the season.

DeShone Kizer added touchdown runs of 12 and five yards for the Irish (9-1, No. 4 CFP).

John Wolford scored on a 1-yard run in the third quarter for Wake Forest (3-7), but the Demon Deacons squandered three other red-zone opportunities.

The Irish were held to less than 400 yards of total offense for the first time this season as Wake Forest outgained Notre Dame 340 yards to 282.

No. 11 Florida 24, South Carolina 14

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Jordan Cronkrite had two first-half touchdowns and Kelvin Taylor’s long run in the fourth quarter helped the Gators hold off the Gamecocks.

The Gators (9-1, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) were up 17-0 heading to the fourth quarter, with the defense having allowed only 44 yards.

But South Carolina (3-7, 1-7) rallied with a throwback 17-yard touchdown from receiver Pharoh Cooper to quarterback Perry Orth, followed by Orth’s 38-yard scoring throw to Cooper moments later that cut the lead to 17-14 with 4:49 remaining.

Florida was facing third-and-8 from midfield when Taylor broke free on a 53-yard run to the South Carolina 1. He finished the drive a play later with 2:01 left that closed the door on South Carolina.

Cronkrite scored on a 3-yard run and a 41-yard reception from quarterback Treon Harris.

No. 13 Michigan State 24, Maryland 7

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Connor Cook left the game at halftime with an apparent shoulder injury, putting a bit of a damper on the Spartans’ win over the visiting Terrapins.

The Spartans (9-1, 5-1 Big Ten) have been dealing with injuries all season, particularly on the offensive line and in the secondary, but if Cook is limited, Michigan State could be a significant underdog in next weekend’s showdown at Ohio State.

Even with Michigan State’s star quarterback out, Maryland (2-8, 0-6) didn’t pose much of an upset threat. The Terrapins turned the ball over five times.

Cook hurt himself during the first quarter, and although he came back in the game for a bit, backup Tyler O’Connor played the second half.

No. 16 Florida State 34, N.C. State 17

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Sean Maguire came off the bench to rally the Seminoles to the win.

The Seminoles (8-2, 6-2 ACC) trailed 17-7 in the second quarter when Maguire replaced Everett Golson. The junior then then led them to four straight scoring drives (two field goals, two touchdowns) to take control.

Maguire, who had started the past two games, was 18 of 28 for 231 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Golson had turnovers on three of five drives and finished 5 of 9 for 52 yards and two interceptions.

Dalvin Cook, who set Florida State’s single-season rushing record, had 138 yards on 22 carries, including a 30-yard touchdown.

Jacoby Brissett accounted for 236 all-purpose yards for N.C. State (6-4, 2-4 ACC). He was 27 of 47 for 209 yards and a touchdown along a rushing touchdown.

No. 18 Northwestern 21, Purdue 14

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Justin Jackson ran for 116 yards and a late touchdown and Warren Long added two rushing TDs to lead the Wildcats to victory.

With a school record for wins and a spot in a prestigious bowl in reach, Northwestern (8-2, 4-2 Big Ten) pulled out another close game.

Jackson plowed in from the 2 with 4:37 remaining to cap a 58-yard drive. The Wildcats converted four third downs, including the TD, on the possession and quarterback Clayton Thorson broke off back-to-back 16-yard runs to put the ball on the 5.

Jackson’s TD lifted Northwestern to its third straight win. The Wildcats beat Nebraska and Penn State in their last two games, both wins by two points.

Purdue (2-8, 1-5) dropped its second straight and remained winless against ranked teams since 2011.

No. 20 Navy 55, SMU 14

ANNPOLIS, Md. -- Keenan Reynolds broke the NCAA record for career rushing touchdowns, upping his total to 81 with four scores as the Midshipmen remained unbeaten in the American Athletic Conference.

Reynolds shattered the mark held by Montee Ball, who ran for 77 TDs with Wisconsin from 2009-12. Ball holds the record for total touchdowns with 83.

Reynolds scored on runs of 4, 43 and 8 yards on Navy’s first three series and added a 32-yard touchdown with 14:19 left to make it 41-14.

No. 23 North Carolina 59, Miami 21

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Marquise Williams accounted for four touchdowns and Ryan Switzer had a 78-yard punt return for a score to lead the Tar Heels’ dominating performance.

Williams ran for 101 yards and three touchdowns and threw for a TD for the Tar Heels (9-1, 6-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won their ninth straight to stay alone atop the Coastal Division and move within a victory of a berth in the league championship game.

Elijah Hood ran for 132 yards and a score for UNC, which didn’t put up the gaudy yardage numbers from last week’s 66-31 rout of Duke. But the Tar Heels took advantage of penalties, turnovers and mistakes by the Hurricanes (6-4, 3-3) to turn the game into a romp — complete with Williams and Switzer commandeering Miami’s “The U” handsign in mocking celebrations of first-half scores.

Washington State 31, No. 19 UCLA 27

Luke Falk completed a 21-yard pass to Gabe Marks for a Washington State touchdown with three seconds remaining and the Cougars left the Rose Bowl with a victory over the Bruins.

UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen had rushed 37 yards for a touchdown then converted the two-point play with a pass to Thomas Duarte to give the Bruins a 27-24 lead with 1:09 remaining.

Georgia 20, Auburn 13

AUBURN, Ala. -- Isaiah McKenzie returned a fourth-quarter punt 53 yards for a touchdown to lift the Bulldogs to the win.

The Bulldogs (7-3, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) forced two fumbles after that, including one on the goal line. The Tigers (5-5, 2-5) managed only two Daniel Carlson field goals after their opening drive, the second coming with 1:14 left to play.

Georgia’s Malcolm Mitchell recovered the onside kick to punctuate a matchup of two teams that haven’t lived up to preseason expectations. Auburn is last in the SEC West after getting picked to win the league.

Greyson Lambert was held to 97 passing yards for Georgia, which stalled in Auburn territory on its first three drives. Sony Michel gained 77 yards on 26 carries. The Bulldogs’ defense forced three turnovers and held the Tigers to 62 yards passing.

West Virginia 38, Texas 20

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Skyler Howard threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, and Wendell Smallwood rushed for 165 yards to lead the Mountaineers to victory.

West Virginia (5-4, 2-4 Big 12) scored 24 points off four Texas turnovers. The Mountaineers can qualify for a bowl with a win at Kansas next weekend.

Texas outgained West Virginia 439-379 but had five turnovers overall and fell to 0-4 on the road.

The Longhorns (4-6, 3-4) must win their remaining two games against Texas Tech at home and at Baylor to qualify for a bowl.

Texas coach Charlie Strong wanted foremost to slow West Virginia’s running game. But Smallwood compiled a career high for the second straight week after rushing for 163 yards a week ago against Texas Tech.

Pittsburgh 31, Duke 13

DURHAM, N.C. -- Nate Peterman tied a career high with three touchdown passes to lead the Panthers in the victory.

Peterman was 13 of 23 for 180 yards with touchdowns of 11 yards to Zach Challingsworth, 3 yards to J.P. Holtz and 5 yards to Dontez Ford.

Qadree Ollison added 111 yards rushing with a late 1-yard TD to help Pitt (7-3, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) snap a two-game losing streak and keep its slim Coastal Division hopes alive, though the Panthers need some help from No. 17 North Carolina, the division leader.

Parker Boehme was 23 of 42 for 248 yards with an interception and a 1-yard touchdown run in his first career start. Ross Martin kicked two field goals for Duke (6-4, 3-3), which has lost three straight — its longest losing streak since 2012.

Tulane 34, Army 31

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Tanner Lee threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns and Andrew DiRocco hit the game-winning 35-yard field goal with 4 seconds left as the Green Wave snapped a five-game losing streak.

Teddy Veal had 123 receiving yards and a touchdown and Dontrell Hilliard added 91 rushing for the Green Wave (3-7, 1-5 American Athletic Conference), who notched their first road win.

Ahmad Bradshaw threw for 121 yards and a pair of touchdowns and added 72 on the ground for the Black Knights (2-8), who lost by less than a touchdown for the sixth time.

Down 28-7 late in the first half, Army pulled to 31-30 when Bradshaw hit Edgar Poe on third-and-goal from the 11 with 1:59 to go. The Black Knights then successfully faked the PAT, but had the conversion called back on a penalty, giving Tulane just enough time to set up DiRocco’s kick.

Air Force 35, Utah State 28

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Co. -- Karson Roberts ran for the go-ahead touchdown and threw a career-long 74-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Robinette as Air Force won a school record 12th straight home game.

Air Force overcame a career-high four touchdown passes by Utah State’s Kent Myers in completing its second straight 6-0 season. Myers led a last-ditch but on fourth down from the Air Force 18, his attempt for a fifth scoring pass was batted down in the end zone by safety Weston Steelhammer.

Robinette finished with seven receptions for 210 yards, the third highest single-game receiving total in Air Force history.

Jacobi Owens added two scoring runs and D.J. Johnson had another for Air Force (7-3, 5-1 Mountain West). Myers completed 25 of 47 for 364 yards, including touchdown passes of 41, 48 and 39 yards to Hunter Sharp and a 44-yarder to Devonte Robinson for Utah St (5-5, 4-3).