Illinois stuns Penn State in nine OTs
Casey Washington caught a 2-point conversion pass from Brandon Peters to end the first nine-overtime game in NCAA history and lift visiting Illinois over No. 7 Penn State 20-18 Saturday.
The teams were tied at 10 after regulation, exchanged field goals in the first two overtimes, then began to alternate 2-point attempts in the third OT as part of a format tweaked ahead of the 2021 season.
Neither team converted until the eighth overtime, when Isaiah Williams ran one in to put Illinois up 1816. Penn State’s Noah Cain kept the game alive with a 2-point run of his own.
In the ninth OT, Sean Clifford’s pass to Parker Washington was broken up by linebacker Khalan Tolson. Peters then found Washington near the back of the end zone for the winning completion.
The 2-point conversion shootout started in 2019, the season after LSU and Texas A&M played a seven overtime game that left both teams badly beaten up. The rule was tweaked this season, with the 2-point conversion possessions beginning with the third OT instead of the fifth.
NO. 10 OREGON 34, UCLA 31 >> Travis Dye became the first player in Football Bowl Subdivision history to score touchdowns on four consecutive carries and the Ducks overcame an early 14-point deficit to beat the Bruins at the Rose Bowl.
Anthony Brown had 381 yards of total offense for the Ducks (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12) against the Bruins (5-3, 3-2).
Dye finished with 35 yards on 14 carries.
Before Dye’s record day, six players shared the mark with TDs on three consecutive carries. Cal’s Joe Ayoob was the last to accomplish it on Sept. 23, 2005, against New Mexico State.
Oregon fell behind 14-0 during the first quarter before scoring on five of its next six drives.
Dye had 5 yards on four carries in the first quarter before scoring on runs of 1 and 4 yards to tie it at 14. The Ducks trailed 17-14 at halftime, but Dye scored from 1 and 5 yards in the third quarter to give Oregon a 27-17 advantage.
Brown was 29 of 39 passing for 296 yards. He also had six carries for 85 yards. His 43-yard TD run on a quarterback draw extended the Ducks’ lead to 34-17 before the Bruins rallied.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s 2-yard keeper early in the fourth got UCLA within 10. After Caleb Johnson’s interception on Oregon’s ensuing possession, Brittain Brown scored up the middle from a yard out.
NO. 2 CINCINNATI 27, NAVY 20 >> Arquon Bush intercepted a pass with 25 seconds left to help the Bearcats hold off the host Midshipmen.
Cincinnati (7-0, 3-0 American Athletic Conference) wasn’t in significant danger until the final minute, when Navy scored to make it a one-score game and then recovered an onside kick with 48 seconds left.
The Midshipmen (1-6, 1-4) didn’t do much with that final chance, though. Tai Lavatai’s third-down pass was picked off by Bush near the Cincinnati 45.
Desmond Ridder threw for 176 yards and two touchdowns for the Bearcats.
NO. 3 OKLAHOMA 35, KANSAS 23>>
Caleb Williams threw two touchdown passes, ran 40-yards for a score and the visiting Sooners rallied to beat the Jayhawks.
Oklahoma (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) trailed by double figures on two occasions but outscored Kansas 35-13 in the second half to win its 16th straight game.
Jason Bean passed for 246 yards and a score for Kansas (1-6, 0-4), which led 17-7 late in the third quarter.
NO. 6 MICHIGAN 33, NORTHWESTERN 7 >> Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins combined for 229 yards rushing and four touchdowns, carrying the Wolverines (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) past the visiting Wildcats (3-4, 1-3).
Corum finished with 119 yards rushing and two TDs. Haskins ran for 110 yards and two scores.
IOWA STATE 24, NO. 8 OKLAHOMA STATE 21 >> Brock Purdy threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns and the Cyclones defense made a late stand in the closing minutes to secure a home victory over the Cowboys.
Breece Hall scored the go-ahead touchdown with 5:29 left, then the Cyclones’ defense stopped the Cowboys on fourth down with 1:09 remaining.
Purdy completed 27 of 33 passes, and Xavier Hutchinson had 12 catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns for the Cyclones (5-2, 3-1 Big 12).
Spencer Sanders went 15-for-24 passing for Oklahoma State (6-1, 3-1), finishing with 225 yards and three touchdowns.
NO. 12 MISSISSIPPI 31, LSU 17 >> Matt Corral threw for a touchdown and ran for another, directing the Rebels (6-1, 3-1 SEC) to a 31-point outburst that spanned the second and third quarters to beat lame-duck coach Ed Orgeron and the Tigers.
LSU (4-4, 2-3) lost in its first game since it was announced Orgeron wouldn’t return next season. He led the Tigers to the national championship less than two years ago.
NO. 16 WAKE FOREST 70, ARMY 56 >> Sam Hartman threw for 458 yards and five touchdowns and ran for another score and the Demon Deacons beat the Black Knights (4-3) at West Point to improve to 7-0.
BYU 21, WASHINGTON STATE 19>> Tyler Allgeier ran for 191 yards and two touchdowns and BYU beat Washington State in Washington State’s first game since head coach Nick Rolovich was fired for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccination.
Rolovich and four assistants were fired Monday for not complying with the governor’s mandate that all state employees be vaccinated against the coronavirus.
He was replaced for the remainder of the season by Jake Dickert, the Cougars’ defensive coordinator.
Max Borghi scored three touchdowns for Washington State (4-4), which saw its three-game winning streak end.
BYU (6-2) fell out of the Top 25 after losing two straight games.