O’Connell, Bell lead Purdue past No. 2 Iowa
IOWA CITY, IOWA » The pressure, Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said, was all on No. 2 Iowa.
The Hawkeyes started the season with six consecutive wins and the program had ascended to its highest ranking since 1985.
“For us,” Brohm said, “let’s go out there and swing, and keep swinging, and hope for the best.”
The Boilermakers connected, just as they’ve been doing against the Hawkeyes in recent seasons.
Aidan O’Connell threw for 374 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, David Bell had a career-best 240 yards receiving, and Purdue continued its recent mastery over Iowa with a 24-7 upset Saturday.
The Boilermakers (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) have won four of their last five games against the Hawkeyes (6-1, 3-1). The loss ended Iowa’s 12game winning streak, including nine consecutive in Big Ten play.
“Basically they outdid us in every category,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “The bottom line is we didn’t get it done.”
The Hawkeyes tried to be positive heading into their bye week. Their Big Ten West Division title hopes are still there, and they could still find themselves in the College Football Playoff picture if they win out.
“Our goals are all in front of us at this point,” quarterback Spencer Petras said.
(1) GEORGIA 30, (11) KENTUCKY 13 » With Georgia playing its first game as the nation’s No. 1-ranked team since 2008, Stetson Bennett threw three TD passes and the Bulldogs (7-0, 5-0 SEC) got another stifling defensive effort to beat Kentucky (6-1, 4-1).
Bennett, starting his third straight game in place of injured JT Daniels, hooked up with freshman tight end Brock Bowers on a pair of scores.
Georgia’s defense allowed two touchdown in a game for the first time all season — the second with 4 seconds remaining after Kentucky called a timeout to take one last shot at punching it in from the 1.
(5) ALABAMA 49, MISSISSIPPI STATE 9 » Bryce Young threw for 348 yards and four TDs and Alabama (6-1, 3-1 SEC) rebounded from a loss to rout Mississippi State (3-3, 1-2).
(12) OKLAHOMA STATE 32, (25) TEXAS 24 » Tanner Brown’s fourth field goal gave Oklahoma State (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) its first lead and Spencer Sanders’ scrambling 10-yard TD run with 2:18 to play capped a victory over Texas (43, 2-2).
(3) CINCINNATI 56, UCF 21 » Jerome Ford rushed for a careerhigh 189 yards and four TDs, helping Cincinnati (6-0, 2-0 American Athletic Conference) roll past UCF (3-3, 1-2).
(10) MICHIGAN STATE 20, INDIANA 15 » Matt Coghlin’s 51-yard field goal to open the second half gave Michigan State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) the lead and Payton Thorne’s 12yard TD pass provided the margin the Spartans needed to hold off Indiana (2-4, 0-3).
AUBURN 38, (17) ARKANSAS 23 » Bo Nix threw for 292 yards and accounted for three TDs, Auburn’s (5-2, 2-1 SEC) defense contributed a TD and a key fourth down stop in the third quarter and the Tigers beat Arkansas (43, 1-3).
BAYLOR 38, (19) BYU 24 » Abram Smith ran for 188 yards with three TDs, Baylor (6-1) linebacker
and part-time fullback Dillon Doyle scored on both of his offensive touches and the Bears beat future Big 12 foe BYU (5-2).
LSU 49, (20) FLORIDA 42 » Tyrion Davis-Price ran for an LSU-record 287 yards and had three TDs and the Tigers’ (4-3, 2-2 SEC) banged-up defense came up with four interceptions against Florida (4-3, 2-3).
(21) TEXAS A&M 35, MISSOURI 14 » Texas A&M’s running back duo of Isaiah Spiller and Devon Achane combined for 292 rushing yards and three TDs to power the Aggies (5-2, 2-2 SEC) past Missouri (3-4, 0-3).
(22) NORTH CAROLINA STATE 33, BOSTON COLLEGE 7 » Devin Leary scrambled free and threw a jump pass to Thayer Thomas, who took it 79 yards for a TD to help North Carolina State (5-2, 2-0 ACC) run away from Boston College(4-2, 0-2).