Buffalo RB runs for 8 TDs
Jaret Patterson tied an FBS single- game record with eight rushing touchdowns and had its second- highest rushing total with 409 yards to help Buffalo wallop Kent State 70- 41 on Saturday in Buffalo, New York.
Patterson matched the touchdown mark set by former Illinois running back Howard Griffith on Sept. 22, 1990, against Southern Illinois and came within 18 yards of Samaje Perine’s single- game rushing record of 427 yards for Oklahoma against Kansas on Nov. 22, 2014.
‘‘ Congratulations, big fella,’’ Griffith said in a video posted on Twitter. ‘‘ Incredible performance by you today. Welcome to the eight- touchdown club.’’
Patterson, who carried 36 times, became the first Division I player to rush for more than 300 yards in consecutive games since Texas star Ricky Williams did it in 1996. Patterson ran for 301 yards and four touchdowns in a 42- 17 victory Nov. 17 against Bowling Green.
Patterson scored on runs of three, 31, 42, 49, one, seven, 11 and 58 yards against Kent State.
Alabama 42, Auburn 13
Mac Jones passed for 302 yards and five touchdowns, highlighted by two long ones to DeVonta Smith, and the No. 1 Crimson Tide ( 8- 0, 8- 0 Southeastern Conference) steamrolled the No. 22 Tigers ( 5- 3, 5- 3) in the Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Alabama continued a dominating march through a schedule of all SEC games even without coach Nick Saban on the sideline. Saban tested positive Wednesday for COVID- 19 and watched the game feed from home while offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian ran the show.
Smith caught seven passes for 171 yards, including touchdowns of 66 and 58 yards. John Metchie III also caught two touchdown passes.
Clemson 52, Pittsburgh 17
Trevor Lawrence passed for 403 yards and two touchdowns in
his first game since Oct. 24, and the No. 4 Tigers ( 8- 1, 7- 1 Atlantic Coast Conference) rolled up nearly 600 yards of offense in a rout of the Panthers ( 5- 5, 4- 5) in Clemson, South Carolina.
Lawrence missed Clemson’s games Oct. 31 against Boston College and Nov. 7 against Notre Dame after testing positive for COVID- 19 before the Tigers had the next week off. He was supposed to return Nov. 21 against Florida State, but that game was postponed by a positive test in the Seminoles’ program.
Clemson’s defense held Pittsburgh to 26 yards rushing and
intercepted quarterback Kenny Pickett four times.
Florida 34, Kentucky 10
Quarterback Kyle Trask connected with tight end Kyle Pitts for three touchdown passes, including a 56- yarder in which Pitts ran away from a cornerback, and the Gators ( 7- 1, 7- 1 SEC) overcame a sluggish start to beat the Wildcats ( 3- 6, 3- 6) in Gainesville, Florida.
It was Pitts’ first game back since suffering a concussion and a broken nose on a vicious hit Nov. 7 against Georgia.
Trask has 34 touchdown passes
this season, moving him into a tie for third with former Bears quarterback Rex Grossman ( 2001) on Florida’s single- season list. Only Danny Wuerffel ( 39 in 1996 and 35 in 1995) is ahead of him.
Virus puts Wake Forest on hold
Wake Forest paused all football activities until at least Wednesday because of positive COVID- 19 tests and contact tracing. The news came shortly after the ACC said the Demon Deacons’ home game against No. 10 Miami next Saturday had been postponed.