College Football Top 25 results
No. 2 Notre Dame 31, No. 25 North Carolina 17
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Ian Book kept No. 2 Notre Dame’s offense moving while the Fighting Irish defense locked down Sam Howell and No. 25 North Carolina’s potent offense for the final three quarters on a 31-17 victory on Friday.
Book threw for 279 yards and a score and ran for 48 yards for the Fighting Irish (9-0, 8-0 ACC, No. 2 CFP), using his mobility and elusiveness to keep plays alive on a night when both offenses frequently faced long fields.
Receiver Ben Skowronek got Notre Dame its first lead with his 13-yard run around the right side midway through the third quarter. Kyren Williams ran for 124 yards -- including a 47-yarder with about 5½ minutes left as the Irish burned clock and sealed the game
Williams closed that drive with his second rushing TD, a clinching 1-yarder with 1:20 left that kept the Fighting Irish alone atop the ACC standings ahead of No. 4 Clemson and No. 10 Miami.
More impressively, though, was a defensive effort that forced Howell and the high-scoring Tar Heels to work for every gain after the opening quarter.
UNC (6-3, 6-3) sprinted to touchdowns on its first two drives, but Notre Dame surrendered only one field goal from there. The Tar Heels came in averaging 43 points and 563 yards, yet they were unable to buy time for Howell to push downfield for big gains nor open running lanes for a pair of backs averaging better than 100 yards rushing each in Javonte Williams and Michael Carter.
By the end, UNC had finished with a season-low 298 yards while Howell -- one of the national leaders in passing yardage and touchdowns -- threw for just 211 yards and a score. He also ran for a touchdown.”
No. 15 Iowa State 23, No. 20 Texas 20
AUSTIN, Texas — Breece Hall scored on a 3-yard run with 1:25 remaining, and No. 15 Iowa State held off last-minute drive by Sam Ehlinger and No. 20 Texas to remain in first place in the Big 12 with a 23-20 victory Friday.
After Iowa State sacked Ehlinger on third down, Texas’ Cameron Dicker barely missed left with a 58-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
The Cyclones (7-2, 7-1) have almost locked up a spot in the Big 12 championship game for the first time.
Hall gained 91 yards on 20 carries, his first game under 100 this season, but had 30 on the final 69-yard touchdown drive. Quarterback Brock Purdy connected with tight ends Charlie Kolar and Dylan Soehner for the other 39 yards.
Iowa State trailed 20-16 early in the fourth quarter after bad two-play sequence for Texas (5-3, 4-3) helped the Cyclones get a field goal by Connor Assalley.