USC stages late rally to escape Arizona with win
Vavae Malepeai bulled his way through multiple tacklers for an 8-yard touchdown run with 25 seconds left, and No. 20 USC beat Arizona 34- 30 with a late rally.
USC was outplayed by Arizona State last week in its opener before scoring two touchdowns in the final three minutes to win 28-27. The Trojans again had two late scoring drives to win a game they were outplayed in for most of the afternoon.
Kevon Slovis hit Erik K r ommen ho ek on a 6- yard touchdown, but Arizona marched quickly down the field for a 6-yard touchdow n pass from Grant Gunnell from Stanley Berryhill III with 1:20 left. Slovis completed four straight passes for 68 yards and Malepeai capped the 75-yard drive by carrying several Arizona defenders with him into the end zone.
Slovis threw for 325 yards and a touchdown on 30- of- 43 passing.
Gunnell threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns for Arizona in its opener.
NO. 1 NOTRE DAME 45, BOSTON COLLEGE 31 >> Ian Book threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score and No. 2 Notre Dame overcame an early deficit to roll to victory over Boston College.
The Fighting Irish gave coach Brian Kelly his 100th career victory at the school, tying him with Lou Holtz for second place — five behind Knute Rockne. Notre Dame has won eight straight in the series between the FBS’s only Catholic institutions
Notre Dame (8- 0, 7- 0 Atlantic Coast Conference) racked up a season-high 561 total yards against BC (5- 4, 4- 4).
NO. 9 MIAMI 25, VIRGINIA TECH 24 >> D’Eriq King threw for 255 yards and a touchdown and ran for a score in Miami’s comeback victory over Virginia Tech.
The Hurricanes ( 7-1, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) overcame an 11-point, third-quarter deficit to win their fourth consecutive game and stay alive for a spot in the ACC championship game.
Miami scored the final 12 points and held the Hokies (4- 4, 4-3) scoreless on their last five possessions. NO. 10 INDIANA 24, MICHIGAN STATE 0 >> Michael Penix Jr. threw for 320 yards, hitting Ty Fryfogle with two scoring passes, and Indiana beat Michigan State to remain unbeaten.
The Hoosiers (4- 0) set up a showdown next weekend at Ohio State, the only other unbeaten team in the Big Ten East.
Penix threw two interceptions in the first half, but that didn’t matter much. The Spartans (1-3, 1-3) were just as sloppy — to the point where quarterback Rocky Lombardi was pulled in the second quarter. Indiana has won its first four Big Ten games for the first time since 1987, and the Hoosiers beat Michigan State for the Old Brass Spittoon for only the second time in the last 12 meetings.
NO. 16 MARSHALL 42, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 14 >> Redshir t freshman Grant Wells threw a season-high five touchdown passes and Marshall commemorated the 50th anniversary of the worst disaster in U. S. sports history during a victory over Middle Tennessee on Saturday.
Marshall (7- 0, 4- 0 Conference USA) got another standout per formance from its defense and turned three turnovers into scores on a day when the university and surrounding community remembered 75 people killed in a Nov. 14, 1970, plane crash.
Marshall wore special black uniforms and the No. 75 on its helmets to honor those who were lost, which included most of the Thundering Herd football team. NO. 22 LIBERTY 58, WESTERN KENTUCKY 14 >> Malik Willis threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more scores, leading Liberty over Western Carolina.
Liberty (8- 0) won its 10th straight game and remained second behind Notre Dame for the nation’s longest active winning streak.
Willis completed 14 of 19 passes with touchdown strikes of 44, 40 and 83 yards. He scored on runs of 11 and 43 yards and rushed for 97 yards on eight carries. Kevin Shaa caught two passes for a careerhigh 137 yards and a touchdown. CJ Daniels added 96 yards and two TDs on two catches.
Western Carolina was playing its first game of the season.
NO. 23 NORTHWESTERN 27 PURDUE 20 >>
Pey ton Ramsey threw for 212 yards and three touchdowns, all to Ramaud ChiaokhiaoBowman, and Northwestern beat Purdue.
The Wildcats defense also made two late stops to preserve a fifth straight Big Ten win and the school’s first 4- 0 start in league play since coach Pat Fitzgerald was still playing in 1996.
Purdue (2-1) has lost five straight home games in the series.
Ramsey completed 23 of 36 passes and had one interception but looked as poised and efficient.
NO. 25 LOUISIANA- LAFAYETTE 38, SOUTH ALABAMA 10 >>
Levi Lewis passed for 252 yards and three touchdowns, Louisiana-Lafayette gained 254 yards on the ground and the Ragin’ Cajuns wrapped up a third straight Sun Belt Conference West Division title.
Lewis tossed TD passes of 5 yards to Jalen Williams and 3 yards to Errol Rogers. He also hit running back Trey Ragas for a 25-yard score on a fourthdown conversion.