TOP 25 ROUNDUP
No. 5 Oklahoma 59, West Virginia 31:
Baker Mayfield threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns after being punished for directing a lewd gesture toward the Kansas bench last week, and host Oklahoma (11-1, 8-1) routed West Virginia (7-5, 5-4) to maintain its momentum heading into the Big 12 Championship game. Mayfield was stripped of his captaincy and starting job for the game, his final home game as a Sooner. He received the loudest cheers when the seniors were announced, then more loud cheers when he entered the game on Oklahoma’s second possession.
No. 7 Georgia 38, Georgia Tech 7:
Sony Michel ran for 85 yards and a touchdown, Jake Fromm threw two touchdown passes and Georgia (11-1) protected its playoff hopes with a dominant win over Georgia Tech (5-6) in Atlanta. The Bulldogs had 247 yards rushing as Michel, Nick Chubb and D’Andre Swift ran for touchdowns. Fromm threw scoring passes of 21 yards to Javon Wims and 78 yards to Ahkil Crumpton. The win gives Georgia momentum for next week’s Southeastern Conference championship game against the winner of Saturday’s game between No. 1 Alabama and No. 6 Auburn.
No. 11 Penn State 66, Maryland 3:
Trace McSorley threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score to cap an outstanding regular season and carry Penn State (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) past host Maryland (4-8, 2-7). The Nittany Lions (No. 12 AP) built a 31-0 halftime lead and cruised to their third straight victory. The streak began after successive losses at Ohio State and Michigan State by a combined four points. McSorley went 22 for 33 for 237 yards and ran seven times for 36 yards. The junior has thrown for 3,228 yards and 26 touchdowns this season and run for 589 yards and 11 TDs. McSorley left with 5:46 left in the third quarter, after Saquon Barkley made it 45-0 with two thirdquarter touchdown runs. Backup quarterback Tommy Stevens completed the rout, running for 113 yards and three scores.
No. 16 Memphis 70, East Carolina 13:
Riley Ferguson threw for three touchdowns and Darrell Henderson scored twice and rushed for 122 yards as host Memphis (10-1, 7-1) dominated East Carolina (3-9, 2-6) in a tuneup for the American Athletic Conference championship game. Patrick Taylor also scored twice for Memphis, rushing for 127 yards. The victory provided the Tigers (No. 17 AP) their first undefeated home season at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium since it opened in 1965. Memphis won its sixth straight, the lone loss of the season coming Sept. 30 against Central Florida, which the Tigers will face in next Saturday in Orlando, Florida.
No. 21 Oklahoma State 58, Kansas 17:
Mason Rudolph passed for 438 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two scores in his final home game to lead host Oklahoma State (9-3, 6-3 Big 12) to a victory over Kansas (1-11, 0-9). James Washington, Dillon Stoner and Marcel Ateman each went over 100 yards receiving for Oklahoma State (No. 18 AP). Peyton Bender was 17 of 32 passing for 172 yards and two touchdowns for Kansas, which lost its 45th consecutive road game.
No. 22 Michigan State 40, Rutgers 7:
Brian Lewerke threw for a touchdown and ran for another and Michigan State (9-3, 7-2 Big Ten) held the ball for more than 47 minutes in defeating host Rutgers (4-8, 3-6) to cap a terrific turnaround season. Redshirt freshman Matt Coghlin kicked a career-best four field goals and Gerald Holmes ran 2 yards for a touchdown as Michigan State (No. 21 AP) flipped its overall record from a year ago. This was a dominant performance by Mark Dantonio’s team. Michigan State had the ball for 47:50, had a 431-112 advantage in total yards and limited Scarlet Knights’ running game to a season-low 14 yards in sending Rutgers to its third straight loss. Still, this was a better season for Rutgers coach Chris Ash, who endured a 2-10 overall record and an 0-9 conference record in his first season.
No. 23 Northwestern 42, Illinois 7:
Justin Jackson ran for 144 yards and a touchdown and Northwestern (9-3, 7-2 Big Ten) won its seventh straight, beating host Illinois (2-10, 0-10). The bowl-bound Wildcats held Illinois scoreless after giving up a first-quarter touchdown, and put 42 straight points on the board. Jackson finished the regular season with 1,154 yards, one of two Big Ten players along with former Wisconsin star Ron Dayne to top 1,000 yards for four straight seasons. Clayton Thorson was 13 of 21 for 140 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Fresno State 28, No. 24 Boise State 17:
Marcus McMaryion threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns and host Fresno State (9-3, 7-1) beat Boise State (9-3, 7-1) in a preview of the Mountain West title game. West champion Fresno State and Mountain winner Boise State (No. 25 AP) had already wrapped up the division titles. They will meet Saturday in the MWC championship game at a site to be determined. A summer transfer from Oregon State, McMaryion was 23 of 36 with no interceptions. He put away the game with an 81-yard strike to KeeSean Johnson midway through the fourth quarter.