No. 8 Oklahoma defeats No. 23 Missouri 17-6, moves closer to possible College Football Playoff spot

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — John Mateer threw two touchdown passes, and No. 8 Oklahoma defeated No. 23 Missouri 17-6 on Saturday to inch closer to a College Football Playoff spot.

Mateer went 14 for 30 passing for 173 yards and ran for 60 yards. Isaiah Sategna caught three passes for 109 yards for the Sooners (9-2, 5-2 SEC, No. 8 CFP), who likely will make the playoff field with a win at home against LSU next Saturday.

Oklahoma held the Tigers (7-4, 3-4, No. 22 CFP) to 301 yards and shut them out in the second half. The Sooners, coming off road wins over Tennessee and Alabama, claimed their third straight victory over a ranked opponent and their fifth over a team that was ranked when they played.

NO 1 OHIO ST. 42, RUTGERS 9

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Julian Sayin threw two touchdown passes despite missing his top two playmakers, Bo Jackson rushed for 110 yards and a pair of scores and the top-ranked Buckeyes pulled away in the second half for a victory over the Scarlet Knights.

The Buckeyes (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) started off slow with wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate sidelined because of injuries.

Smith is one of the nation’s top receivers with 69 receptions for 902 yards and 10 touchdowns. The sophomore did not play the second half of last week’s win over UCLA and appeared to favor his right leg.

NO. 3 TEXAS A&M 48, SAMFORD 0

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Marcel Reed threw three touchdown passes in the first quarter before sitting down early in the second as the Aggies built a huge early lead and rolled to a 48-0 win over FCS school Samford.

Texas A&M is 11-0 for the first time since going 12-0 under coach R.C. Slocum in 1992 and looks to cap a perfect regular season when the Aggies visit rival No. 17 Texas on Friday.

Reed moved the offense with ease against the Bulldogs, leading the Aggies to touchdowns on four of his five possessions. The performance came after he struggled in the first half last week against South Carolina, putting the Aggies in a 27-point hole before bouncing back to lead the biggest comeback in school history in the 31-30 victory.

NO. 4 GEORGIA 35, CHARLOTTE 3

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Freshman Bo Walker ran for his first three career touchdowns, Nate Frazier added two scoring runs and the Bulldogs rolled to a win over the underdog 49ers in its bid to protect its College Football Playoff standing.

Georgia (10-1) was looking to play well enough to retain its No. 4 CFP ranking and position for a first-round bye in the playoff. The Bulldogs overwhelmed Charlotte (1-10) for their seventh consecutive win. The 49ers suffered their eighth straight loss.

One week after Gunner Stockton passed for four touchdowns and ran for another in last week’s 35-10 win over then-No. 10 Texas, the Bulldogs emphasized their running game.

NO. 6 OREGON 42, NO. 16 SOUTHERN CAL 27

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Dante Moore threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns as Oregon likely dashed Southern California’s hopes of making the College Football Playoff with a 42-27 victory Saturday.

Kenyon Sadiq had six catches for 72 yards and two scores, and Noah Whittington ran for 104 yards and another touchdown for the Ducks (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, No. 7 CFP), who improved their chances of not only making the playoff but also hosting a game.

Jayden Maiava threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair to Makai Lemon, who also threw a touchdown pass for USC (8-3, 6-2, No. 15 CFP).

USC hasn’t won in Eugene since 2011 and the Trojans have lost four straight to the Ducks overall. Once again, the Trojans fell short on the road against a ranked opponent, with previous losses this season to Illinois and Notre Dame.

NO. 9 NOTRE DAME 70, SYRACUSE 7

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Jeremiyah Love bolstered his Heisman Trophy candidacy with 171 yards rushing and three touchdowns on just eight carries, and Notre Dame blew out injury-decimated Syracuse.

Love’s touchdown runs covered 45, 14 and 68 yards.

Notre Dame (9-2) set a modern-era scoring record, topping its 69-point outing against Georgia Tech on Nov. 5, 1977. The Fighting Irish had not scored 70 points since they had 73 against Haskell in 1932.

Syracuse allowed 70 points for the first time since it gave up 75 to Union in 1891.

NO. 10 ALABAMA 56, EASTERN ILLINOIS 0

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Six different players scored touchdowns, including two apiece from Kevin Riley and AK Dear, and Alabama cruised to a win against lower-division Eastern Illinois.

The Crimson Tide outgained the Panthers 539-34, not a huge surprise given one is a powerhouse program and the other is a losing team from the Football Championship Subdivision.

Alabama ran for a season-high 269 yards, with all eight offensive touchdowns coming on the ground. Alabama’s eight rushing TDs are the program’s most in a game since 1979 against Vanderbilt.

NO. 11 BYU 26, CCINCINNATI 14

CINCINNATI (AP) — LJ Martin ran for a career-high 222 yards and scored twice to help BYU keep its Big 12 title-game hopes alive with a victory over Cincinnati.

After Brendan Sorsby’s 19-yard TD pass to Jeff Caldwell cut the Cougars’ lead to six points with 4:37 left, Martin had a 33-yard touchdown run to seal it for BYU (10-1, 7-1). He had the 15th 200-yard rushing game in school history.

Sorsby passed for 300 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for Cincinnati (7-4, 5-3). The Bearcars have lost three straight.

Bear Bachmeier’s 6-yard touchdown run put the Cougars ahead 7-0 in the first quarter. He has 11 rushing TDs to tie with Ronney Jenkins for second-most by a freshman in program history.

Cincinnati’s Manny Covey returned a punt 57 yards to the BYU 33. Two plays later, Sorsby tossed a 27-yard TD pass to Cyrus Allen to tie the score it at 7. Allen has 11 touchdown receptions to lead the Big 12.

NO. 12 VANDERBILT 45, KENTUCKY 17

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Diego Pavia threw for a career-high 484 yards and five touchdowns and Vanderbilt beat Kentucky as the Commodores kept their hopes for a College Football Playoff berth alive going into the regular-season finale.

Pavia, who struck yet another Heisman Trophy poise celebrating with teammates, set the program record, topping the 464 yards Whit Taylor had at Tennessee in 1981. Pavia also ran for 48 more yards and a sixth score.

Vanderbilt (9-2, 5-2, No. 14 CFP) has its most wins since 2013 when a bowl win was needed to reach nine victories. This is just the Commodores’ fifth nine-win season all time, and they go into their regular-season finale needing a victory for the first 10-win season in program history.

The Commodores also wrapped up a 7-0 record for Vanderbilt’s first undefeated home schedule since 1982 and only the fourth since 1945.

NO. 13 UTAH 51, KANSAS STATE 47

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Devon Dampier threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more, including a go-ahead 1-yard score with 56 seconds left, and Utah rallied from a 12-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter for a wild victory over Kansas State.

The game turned on an unusual play. After KSU took a 47-35 lead on Joe Jackson’s third rushing touchdown of the game, the Wildcats went for 2, but Utah’s Tao Johnson intercepted a tipped ball and returned it to the Kansas State end zone for 2 points to make it 47-37.

Dampier’s 20-yard TD toss to Larry Simmons got Utah within 47-44 with 2:47 left, the Utes forced a punt and Dampier led the winning drive. Lander Barton intercepted Avery Johnson’s pass with 49 seconds remaining to seal it for Utah (9-2, 6-2 Big 12, No. 12 CFP), which kept alive its hopes for a league title and a College Football Playoff berth.

Jackson rushed for a school-record 293 yards for Kansas State (5-6, 4-4), topping Darren Sproles’ mark of 292 yards set in 2004. The Wildcats finished with a program-record 472 yards rushing, the most by a Division I team in a loss since Army ran for 534 in a 52-49 loss to North Texas on Nov. 18, 2017.

NO. 14 MIAMI 34, VIRGINIA TECH 17

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Carson Beck threw for 320 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Hurricanes to a victory over the Hokies.

Malachi Toney had career highs in receptions (12) and yards (146) and had a touchdown, lifting the Hurricanes (9-2, 5-2 ACC, No. 13 CFP) to their third straight win and keeping alive their hopes of making it to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

Beck, who completed his first 11 passes and finished 27 of 32, threw touchdown passes of 20 yards to Elija Lofton and 3 yards to Mark Fletcher in the first half, and Carter Davis added two field goals, as Miami scored on all four first-half possessions to take a 20-3 halftime lead.

PITTSBURGH 42, NO. 16 GEORGIA TECH 28

ATLANTA (AP) — Ja’Kyrian Turner ran for 201 yards and a touchdown, Braylan Lovelace had a 100-yard interception return and Pittsburgh held off Georgia Tech to keep its Atlantic Coast Conference championship holes alive.

Up 28-0 early in the second quarter, Pitt (8-3, 6-1) had only a seven-point advantage in the fourth quarter when Ja’Kyrian Turner went up the middle for 56 yards and a touchdown with 2:41 remaining.

Mason Heintschel was 20 of 27 from 226 yards and two touchdowns for Pitt. Kenny Johnson caught six passes for 91 yards and a score.

Georgia Tech (9-2, 6-2) dropped out of the ACC title chase. Haynes King completed 27 of 41 passes, with a pair of scoring throws to Isiah Canion. King threw two interceptions.

NO. 17 TEXAS 52, ARKANSAS 37

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Arch Manning passed for four touchdowns, ran for one and caught another as Texas beat Arkansas to keep the Longhorns clinging to hopes of making the College Football Playoff.

Manning became the first Texas quarterback with passing, running and receiving touchdowns in a game. He passed for a career-high 389 yards, and his do-everything day showed how far he’s come from the beginning of the season, when Texas struggled to a 3-2 start.

Manning connected with DeAndre Moore Jr. for three touchdowns. Manning’s touchdown catch on a reverse pass from Parker Livingstone was an athletic grab where he had to twist his 6-foot-4 frame and reach high to make the play. Livingstone also had a 54-yard TD reception.

On his touchdown run at the start of the third quarter, Manning cut twice to elude tacklers before lunging across the goal line for a 31-20 lead.

Arkansas (2-9, 0-7) kept it close early and was within 24-20 at halftime behind touchdown runs from quarterback Taylen Green and running back Mike Washington.

NO 18 MICHIGAN 45, MARYLAND 20

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Bryson Kuzdzal ran for 100 yards and three touchdowns to help Michigan to a victory over Maryland, a week before the Wolverines host top-ranked Ohio State.

Michigan (9-2, 7-1 Big Ten, No. 18 CFP) was without injured running backs Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall, but the Wolverines were still superior on the ground, and Michigan finished with its highest scoring output in conference play this season.

Bryce Underwood defeated Malik Washington in a matchup of two impressive freshman quarterbacks. Maryland (4-7, 1-7) scored on the game’s first drive but could not avoid a seventh straight loss. Underwood threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns for Michigan, while Washington passed for 210 yards and a touchdown with an interception.

NO. 20 TENNESSEE 31, FLORIDA 11

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — DeSean Bishop ran for 116 yards and two touchdowns, including one that ended with a flip into the end zone, and Tennessee overwhelmed rival Florida to win in the Swamp for the first time since 2003.

The Volunteers (8-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) had dropped 10 in a row at Florida Field, one of the longest skids in series history. Although there were plenty of lopsided meetings over the years, this one could go down as the most stunning — even with the Gators (3-8, 2-6) spiraling and waiting to find out the future of Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin.

With retired coach Urban Meyer watching from the Florida sideline, the Vols scored touchdowns on their first four drives and led 31-0 at halftime. It was easily their most dominant 30 minutes of football against Florida since 1990. They outgained the Gators 323-110 in the opening half and had 19 first downs.

Florida put up little fight on defense and couldn’t seem to get out of its own way on offense.

NO. 21 JAMES MADISON 24, WASHINGTON STATE 20

HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) — Wayne Knight’s 58-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter put James Madison ahead to stay and the Dukes beat Washington State.

Knight carried 15 times for 126 yards and Alonza Barnett was 9 for 18 passing for 144 yards and a touchdown for James Madison (10-1).

Zevi Eckhaus completed 19 of 31 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another score to lead Washington State (5-6). Kirby Vorhees rushed for 61 yards on 19 carries.

NO. 22 NORTH TEXAS 56, RICE 24

HOUSTON (AP) — Drew Mestemaker threw for 469 yards and three touchdowns, Wyatt Young set an American Conference record with 295 yards receiving and two scores, and North Texas rallied from an early deficit to beat Rice.

Mestemaker went 19 of 23 and completed touchdown passes of 74 and 84 yards to Young and 56 yards to Tre Williams III in the first half. The quarterback also rushed for a 1-yard score in the third quarter as the Mean Green (10-1, 6-1 American) scored 42 straight points after Rice jumped out to a 14-0 lead.

Young had the most receiving yards in a Division I game this season, surpassing TCU’s Eric McAlister, who had 254 yards against SMU on Sept. 20.

Caleb Hawkins rushed for 97 yards and three touchdowns, and Tre Williams III had 62 yards receiving and a touchdown for North Texas, which is ranked for the first time since 1959. North Texas outgained Rice 640 yards to 397 in winning its fifth straight game.

Chase Jenkins was 14 of 21 for 101 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 75 yards and a score for Rice (5-6, 2-5). Aaron Turner rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown and had 58 yards receiving and a score.

NO. 24 TULANE 37, TEMPLE 13

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jake Retzlaff passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another score, Tulane beat Temple to move closer to a spot in the American Conference championship game.

Tulane (9-2, 6-1) can secure a spot in the Dec. 5 title game with a win over 1-10 Charlotte at home next weekend.

Patrick Durkin made five field goals for the Green Wave, and Tulane’s defense limited Temple to just 20 yards rushing on 20 attempts and 204 yards of total offense.

Retzlaff set the tone early, finding Shazz Preston for a 69-yard touchdown pass on Tulane’s second offensive play. His 2-yard TD run midway through the second quarter lifted the Green Wave to a 17-7 lead.

Retzlaff threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Justyn Reid and tossed to Anthony Brown-Stephens for the 2-point conversion, making it 34-13 in the fourth quarter.

Temple quarterback Evan Simon was 21 for 32 for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Colin Chase had five receptions for 59 yards and a TD.

TCU 17, NO. 25 HOUSTON 14

HOUSTON (AP) — Josh Hoover threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns and TCU took advantage of Houston’s missed field goal in the final minute to beat the Cougars.

After stopping TCU (7-4, 4-4 Big 12) on the 5 with just under two minutes remaining, Houston (8-3, 5-3) drove to the TCU 20 and had a chance to tie it, but Ethan Sanchez’s 38-yard attempt with 46 seconds remaining went wide left.

Nate McCashland hit a 29-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to give TCU a three-point lead.

Hoover completed 24 of 33 passes, throwing scoring passes of 33 yards to Eric McAlister and 17 yards to Jordan Dwyer in the first quarter as TCU built a 14-0 lead.

Jeremy Payne ran for 103 yards. Joseph Manjack IV caught nine passes for 95 yards, and McAlister had four receptions for 79 yards.

Conner Weigman was 15 of 29 for 161 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 114 yards for Houston. Dean Connors ran for 75 yards and caught five passes for 47 yards and a touchdown, and Amare Thomas had five receptions for 72 yards and a score.

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