OXFORD, Miss. — Cassanova McKinzy recovered a fumble in the end zone to preserve No. 4 Auburn’s 35-31 victory over No. 7 Mississippi on Saturday night in what amounted to the first College Football Playoff knockout game.
The Tigers (7-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 3 CFP) got a reprieve after Rebels receiver Laquon Treadwell lost the ball at the end of a tackle-breaking catch-and-run to the end zone with 1:30 left. It was ruled a touchdown, but the replay official determined he lost the ball before crossing the goal line.
Auburn milked a minute off the clock before Ole Miss (7-2, 4-2, No. 4 CFP) got the ball back at its 49 with 26 seconds left and no timeouts. Bo Wallace, who had fumbled at Auburn’s 6 on the previous drive, threw three straight incompletions before a final desperation play went nowhere.
The Tigers gained 507 yards against the nation’s top scoring defense, the only unit that hadn’t given up 20 points in a game coming into this SEC West clash. An Ole Miss offense held to seven points in a loss to No. 16 LSU matched them nearly yard for yard, gaining 492.
NO. 1 MISSISSIPPI STATE 17, ARKANSAS 10
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Dak Prescott threw for a career-high 331 yards and a touchdown for Mississippi State.
Mississippi State (8-0, 5-0 Southeastern Conference, No. 1 CFP) trailed until the third quarter and didn’t take the lead until Prescott’s 69-yard touchdown pass to Fred Ross made it 17-10 with 13:21 remaining.
Arkansas had two promising drives in the fourth quarter, but neither resulted in points. Will Redmond intercepted a pass in the end zone with 15 seconds left to end the Razorbacks’ final chance.
The Razorbacks (4-5, 0-5) have lost 17 straight conference games dating to 2012.
It wasn’t the prettiest game for Prescott — who threw two interceptions — but he made clutch throws during crucial moments in the second half. Josh Robinson caught six passes for a career-high 110 yards.
No. 5 OREGON 45, STANFORD 16
EUGENE, Ore. — Marcus Mariota threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more scores in Oregon’s victory over Stanford.
Thomas Tyner returned from an injury to run for two touchdowns to help the Ducks (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12, No. 5 CFP) snap a two-game losing streak to the Cardinal.
NO. 6 NOTRE DAME 49, NAVY 39
LANDOVER, Md. — Everett Golson became the first player in Notre Dame history to throw for three touchdowns and run for three scores, and the Fight Irish beat Navy after blowing a 21-point lead.
After scoring touchdowns on their first four possessions, the Fighting Irish (7-1, No. 10 CFP) appeared on their way to an easy victory. Navy then scored 24 straight points to move ahead 31-28 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter.
FLORIDA 38, NO. 9 GEORGIA 20
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Matt Jones and Kelvin Taylor combined for 389 yards rushing and four touchdowns and Florida upset Georgia, ending a three-game losing streak in the series and quite possibly saving coach Will Muschamp’s job.
Jones ran 25 times for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Taylor, whose NFL father, Fred, has his name emblazoned on a wall inside EverBank Field, carried 25 times for 192 yards and two scores.
Jones and Taylor carried Florida (4-3, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) to a much-needed victory in the series against the Bulldogs (6-2, 4-2, No. 11 CFP) and in the conference.
NO. 10 TCU 31, NO. 20 WEST VIRGINIA 30
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Jaden Oberkrom kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired to lift TCU past West Virginia.
The Horned Frogs (7-1, 4-1 Big 12, No. 7 CFP) overcame a 13-point deficit to keep their national championship hopes alive. West Virginia (6-3, 4-2, No. 20 CFP) led 27-14 midway through the third quarter, but was held to one first down the rest of the game.
B.J. Catalon had two second-half touchdown runs for TCU, including a 6-yarder with 7:33 left that cut it to 30-28. He finished with 105 yards.
With TCU starting from its 24, Trevone Boykin threw 40 yards to Kolby Listenbee to the West Virginia 33. Three running plays advanced the ball to the 24 to set up Oberkrom’s kick.
NO. 11 KANSAS STATE 48, OKLAHOMA STATE 14
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Jake Waters threw two touchdown passes, Charles Jones ran for a pair of scores and Kansas State shut down Oklahoma State’s slumping offense.
Curry Sexton had nine catches for 159 yards and a touchdown, and Tyler Lockett had six receptions for 94 yards and a score, helping the Wildcats (7-1, 5-0, No. 9 CFP) remain the lone unbeaten team in the Big 12 heading into next week’s showdown at 10th-ranked TCU.
NO. 12 BAYLOR 60, KANSAS 14
WACO, Texas — Bryce Petty had three touchdown passes, two to Corey Coleman, and Baylor scored on 11 straight possessions to rout Kansas.
Baylor (7-1, 3-1 Big 12, No. 13 CFP) had to settle for field goals after two of three first-half fumbles by the Jayhawks deep in their territory, but still rolled up 669 yards in their 14th straight home victory. That streak ties Auburn for the longest in the nation.
NO. 13 OHIO STATE 55, ILLINOIS 14
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Curtis Samuel ran for two touchdowns and J.T. Barrett hit Devin Smith on two scoring passes — all in the first half — and Ohio State extended its Big Ten winning streak to a record-tying 20.
The Buckeyes (7-1, 4-0, No. 16 CFP) won their sixth in a row — five by lopsided scores. Now they head into the game of the year in the conference, at defending champion Michigan State next week.
Donovonn Young’s 5-yard run late in the third quarter broke up the shutout for the Illini (4-5, 1-4).
NO. 25 UCLA 17, NO. 14 ARIZONA 7
PASADENA, Calif. — Brett Hundley passed for 189 yards and ran for 131 more, and UCLA pulled its season back from the brink with a dominant defensive performance against Arizona.
Paul Perkins rushed for a touchdown and Hundley threw a 70-yard TD pass to Jordan Payton during the decisive third quarter. The Bruins (7-2, 4-2 Pac-12, No. 22 CFP) stayed in the Pac-12 South race with their first home victory in nearly two months.
NO. 15 ARIZONA ST. 19, NO. 18 UTAH 16, OT
TEMPE, Ariz. — Zane Gonzalez kicked a 36-yard field goal in overtime and Arizona State overcame an uneven performance to take control of the Pac-12 South.
Utah (6-2, 3-1, No. 17 CFP) had the ball first in overtime and had to call a timeout just before Andy Phillips attempted a 35-yard field goal to avoid a delay penalty. Phillips pushed that attempt wide right and did the same thing when it counted.
Arizona State (7-1, 5-1, No. 14 CFP) managed just a couple of yards on its overtime drive, but Gonzalez made his kick count, driving the ball through the uprights to send the Sun Devils charging onto the field.
NO. 17 NEBRASKA 35, PURDUE 14
LINCOLN, Neb. — Imani Cross had two short touchdown runs after Heisman Trophy hopeful Ameer Abdullah left with a mildly sprained and bruised left knee, and Nebraska took sole possession of the Big Ten West lead.
The Cornhuskers (8-1, 4-1, No. 15 CFP) are a half-game ahead of Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin after their third straight win. Purdue (3-6, 1-4) lost its third in a row.
NO. 19 OKLAHOMA 59, IOWA STATE 14
AMES, Iowa — Trevor Knight threw three touchdown passes and ran for three scores for Oklahoma.
Knight had 230 yards passing and a career-high 146 yards rushing for the Sooners (6-2, 3-2 Big 12, No. 18 CFP). They gained a season-high 751 yards in beating the Cyclones for the 43rd time in their past 45 tries.
TEMPLE 20, NO. 21 EAST CAROLINA 10
PHILADELPHIA — Kenny Harper ran for two touchdowns and Temple forced five fumbles to beat East Carolina for its first victory over a ranked opponent since 1998.
The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Pirates (6-2, 3-1 American Athletic, No. 23 CFP), spoiling their bid for the best eight-game start in school history.
NO. 24 DUKE 51, PITTSBURGH 48, 2OT
PITTSBURGH — Backup quarterback Thomas Sirk bulled into the end zone from 5 yards in the second overtime to lift Duke past Pittsburgh.
The Blue Devils (7-1, 3-1 Atlantic Coast, No. 24 CFP) held Pitt to a field goal to start the second overtime, then went 25 yards in four plays, with Sirk’s second touchdown ending it.
The Panthers (4-5, 2-3) had a chance to win in regulation, but Chris Blewitt missed a 26-yard field goal with 2 seconds left. James Conner ran for a career-high 263 yards and three touchdowns for Pitt.
By wire sources