College football: ‘Bama makes statement after shutting down LSU
BATON ROUGE, La. — Jalen Hurts broke loose for a 21-yard touchdown run to break a scoreless tie early in the fourth quarter, and No. 1 Alabama’s defense thoroughly stifled Leonard Fournette and LSU in a 10-0 victory over the 15th-ranked Tigers on Saturday night.
BATON ROUGE, La. — Jalen Hurts broke loose for a 21-yard touchdown run to break a scoreless tie early in the fourth quarter, and No. 1 Alabama’s defense thoroughly stifled Leonard Fournette and LSU in a 10-0 victory over the 15th-ranked Tigers on Saturday night.
The Crimson Tide (9-0, 6-0 Southeastern Conference, No. 1 CFP) won for the sixth straight time against LSU (5-3, 3-2, No. 13 CFP), and remained alone in first place in the SEC West — a game ahead of Auburn.
Hurts, a freshman who has exceeded expectations by establishing himself as one of the most dynamic, explosive players in college football, was the game’s leading rusher with 114 yards on 20 carries. He also completed 10 of 19 passes for 107 yards.
LSU had its share of big plays — but all on defense, forcing Hurts into an early interception and late fumble. But LSU’s offense could not capitalize against menacing defensive end Jonathan Allen and the rest of Alabama’s suffocating defense.
The Tigers had 125 total yards. Fournette, whose 2015 Heisman Trophy hopes faded when he was held to 31 yards on 19 carries in Tuscaloosa last year, had 35 yards on 17 carries. One game after touchdown runs of 78, 76 and 59 yards against Mississippi, Fournette’s longest run against the Crimson Tide was 9 yards.
LSU’s Danny Etling completed 11 of 24 passes for 92 yards and also was intercepted once in the fourth quarter, leading to a late Alabama field goal. Alabama had five sacks, one more than LSU’s offense had allowed in any other game this season.
NO. 6 OHIO STATE 62, NO. 9 NEBRASKA 3
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Curtis Samuel had 178 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard touchdown reception on Ohio State’s first play of the second half.
After three straight weeks of close games and inconsistent offense, the Buckeyes (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten, No. 6 CFP) put forth their best performance of the season, led 31-3 at the half and handed the Cornhuskers (7-2, 4-2, No. 10 CFP) their most lopsided loss since 2004.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 35,
NO. 7 TEXAS A&M 28
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Nick Fitzgerald ran for 182 yards and two touchdowns, Aeris Williams added a career-high 140 yards and Mississippi State upset Texas A&M.
Mississippi State (4-5, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) was coming off an uninspiring 56-41 win over lower-level Samford. The Bulldogs had lost their previous three games against FBS competition.
It was an equally stunning loss for Texas A&M. The Aggies were ranked No. 4 in the first College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday, but will now almost certainly tumble out of contention.
NO. 2 MICHIGAN 59, MARYLAND 3
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Wilton Speight finished with a career-high 362 yards after accounting for three touchdowns in the first half, helping Michigan rout Maryland.
The Wolverines (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten, No. 3 CFP) scored touchdowns on all five of their drives in the first half against the overmatched Terrapins (5-4, 2-4).
NO. 3 CLEMSON 54, SYRACUSE 0
CLEMSON, S.C. — Deshaun Watson threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third for Clemson before leaving with a bruised shoulder.
Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said Watson’s injury wasn’t serious and the team announced after halftime that the junior Heisman Trophy contender could return if needed. With the Tigers up 30-0 at the half, it was hardly necessary and Watson spent the final two quarters high-fiving teammates and chatting up coaches while Clemson improved to 9-0 for a second straight season.
Watson had 169 yards passing and 39 rushing to keep the Tigers (6-0 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 2 CFP) on track for the ACC title game. They can clinch the ACC Atlantic Division next week against Pitt.
NO. 4 WASHINGTON 66, CAL 27
BERKELEY, Calif. — Jake Browning threw for 378 yards and six touchdowns to set Washington’s single-season record for TD passes, and the fourth-ranked Huskies beat California 66-27 on Saturday night.
John Ross had 208 yards receiving and three scores. Dante Pettis caught three touchdown passes and threw another to lead the Huskies (9-0, 6-0 Pac-12, No. 5 CFP) to their 12th straight win in convincing fashion.
The Bears (4-5, 2-4) had won five straight home games, including victories over ranked Texas and Utah earlier this season. But they were no match for the Huskies, who were far more potent on offense and much stingier on defense.
Davis Webb threw for 262 yards and one touchdown, and ran for a second score. But he also had three second-half interceptions as the Huskies pulled away with 38 straight points after Cal cut the deficit to 21-20 midway through the second quarter.
NO. 5 LOUISVILLE 52, BOSTON COLLEGE 7
BOSTON — Lamar Jackson ran for three touchdowns and threw for four more in three quarters to lead Louisville past Boston College.
Jackson had a 69-yard scoring run on the game’s third play and added rushing TDs of 13 and 53 yards in the second half. The Heisman Trophy favorite had TD pass of 30, 44 and 10 yards out on drives of five, four and one play to give the Cardinals (8-1, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 7 CFP) a 28-0 lead two snaps into the second quarter.
NO. 8 WISCONSIN 21, NORTHWESTERN 7
EVANSTON, Ill. — Corey Clement ran for 106 yards and a touchdown, Jazz Peavy scored on a 46-yard run and Wisconsin beat Northwestern.
Conor Sheehy forced a big fumble when he sacked Clayton Thorson with the Wildcats (4-5, 3-3 Big Ten) threatening early in the fourth quarter.
That led to Clements’ 2-yard TD run that made it a 14-point game and preserved the third straight win for the Badgers (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten, No. 8 CFP). It also gave them a rare victory at Northwestern after they jumped back into the Top 10 by beating Nebraska in overtime last week.
ARKANSAS 31, NO. 10 FLORIDA 10
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Rawleigh Williams ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns to help Arkansas beat Florida for the first time since 1982.
The win is the first Southeastern Conference victory over the Gators for the Razorbacks (6-3, 2-3 SEC). They had lost nine straight to Florida since joining the league in 1992. Arkansas’ last victory over the Gators (6-2, 4-2, No. 11 CFP) came in the 1982 Bluebonnet Bowl.
NO. 11 AUBURN 23, VANDERBILT 16
AUBURN, Ala. — The injured Sean White came off the bench to throw a touchdown pass and Josh Holsey intercepted a last-minute throw to lift Auburn past Vanderbilt.
The Tigers (7-2, 5-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 9 CFP) sputtered after starting John Franklin III in place of White, who had an unspecified injury. White returned to open the second half with Auburn down 13-10, then threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Darius Slayton and led two field goal drives.
TCU 62, NO. 13 BAYLOR 22
WACO, Texas — Kyle Hicks ran for a career-high 192 yards and five touchdowns for TCU.
Baylor’s worst loss home loss since 2005 came on a day when the Bears wore all-black uniforms, as selected by the seniors, and there were black T-shirts sold outside supporting former coach Art Briles.
The Bears (6-2, 3-2 Big 12, No. 17 CFP) have lost consecutive games since a 6-0 start. TCU (5-4, 3-3) entered the game after losing back-to-back games for the first time since 2013.
NO. 14 WEST VIRGINIA 48, KANSAS 21
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Skyler Howard threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more scores to help Virginia hand Kansas to its their 40th straight road loss.
Justin Crawford ran for 129 yards and a score, and freshman Kennedy McKoy had 127 yards for the Mountaineers (7-1, 4-1 Big 12, No. 20 CFP). The pair shared the rushing load in place of Rushel Shell, who missed the game with an ankle injury sustained a week ago.
NO. 18 NORTH CAROLINA 48, GEORGIA TECH 20
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Elijah Hood ran for 168 yards and three touchdowns for North Carolina.
The Tar Heels (7-2, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 21 CFP) piled up 636 total yards. They had a season-high 283 on the ground and scored the game’s final 21 points.
NO. 19 FLORIDA STATE 24, N.C. STATE 20
RALEIGH, N.C. — Deondre Francois threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Travis Rudolph with 3:09 left to help Florida State rally to beat North Carolina State.
Francois threw for 330 yards while Dalvin Cook ran for a touchdown on an otherwise quiet night for the Seminoles (6-3, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference).
NO. 20 PENN STATE 41, IOWA 14
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Saquon Barkley accounted for 211 all-purpose yards, scored two touchdowns and Penn State won its fifth straight Big Ten game for the first time since 2011.
Trace McSorley completed 11 of 18 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns and added 40 rushing yards and another score for the Nittany Lions.
NO. 22 OKLAHOMA STATE 43, KANSAS STATE 37
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Mason Rudolph threw for 457 yards and five touchdowns, Chris Carson provided the go-ahead score and Oklahoma State picked off Jesse Ertz’s pass to the end zone on the final play.
The Cowboys (7-2, 5-1, No. 18 CFP) kept their Big 12 title hopes alive thanks to a critical stop on third-and-inches early in the fourth quarter. They trailed 37-28 at that point, and an 82-yard touchdown pass from Rudolph to James Washington, and Carson’s 17-yard scoring run wiped that away.
NO. 23 VIRGINIA TECH 24, DUKE 21
DURHAM, N.C. — Adonis Alexander returned a blocked field goal 75 yards for a touchdown, and Virginia Tech held off Duke to remain in control of the ACC’s Coastal Division race.
Travon McMillian ran 14 yards for a TD and Jerod Evans passed for 192 yards and scored on a 7-yard run, carrying three Duke defenders along for the ride, for the Hokies (7-2, 5-1, No. 19 CFP).
NO. 25 WASHINGTON STATE 69, ARIZONA 7
PULLMAN, Wash. — Luke Falk threw for 311 yards and four touchdowns and Washington State beat Arizona for its seventh consecutive victory.
Washington State (7-2, 6-0 Pac-12, No. 25 CFP) had its highest points total since 1997 and the most ever against a Pac-12 opponent. The Cougars hadn’t won seven straight games since 2002.
Arizona (2-7, 0-6), which has lost six games in a row, struggled on offense behind quarterbacks Brandon Dawkins, Anu Solomon and Khalil Tate. They combined to complete 11 of 23 passes for 128 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.
